The geckos

The geckos at the casita kept us entertained; allowing me to take close-up pictures with the iPhone by standing on the table and leaning in quite close.

Quite a feat for someone with balance issues....

I think this is a common house gecko (according to Bradt’s guide) probably around 10cm

I named this one Gordon Gecko (because he was greedy, rushing around dispatching ants just as ruthlessly as his namesake took care of his financial rivals) and he was only around 5cm long. The iPhone was very close to him, I kept thinking he would make a dash for it to escape, but he was quite patient. 

There were 4 of these little chaps having a turf war I imagine; waving their tails over their heads pretending to be scorpions and then rushing away, bobbing their heads. I could have happily watched them hunting down ants for a few hours.

Actually, there are some quite interesting ants too, amber-coloured with black upturned “tails” which they brandished like weapons. I didn’t take any chances with them and kept my distance as I did with a black bug sporting a bright red head that crawled past my bare foot in the kitchen. No scorpions spotted yet, thankfully, although I’m sure they are around.

Today’s bird search revealed a brown-hooded kingfisher on our way to the beach, black-eyed bulbuls, a speckled mousebird, and a solitary grey-headed gull flying just above the waves. The whales were back, but so far off we could only watch them through the binoculars, blowing and slapping their tails. 

We explored the resort next door, found a small shop there with basic provisions and watched a group of youngsters playing beach volleyball.  We also gave the restaurant a last chance, ordering toasted sandwiches for lunch, but I’m afraid to say they were as bland as the rest of the fare. The view from the verandah was magnificent and the house wine passable. While we sat there a local man climbed the stairs from the beach and stood quietly at the resort’s entrance. He had 2 crayfish in his basket, and the manager, after asking us if we wanted to buy them, called the owner to ask if they should buy them for the restaurant. Walter, having over-indulged when he lived in Cape Town, declined. The crayfish were weighed (1kg) before being handed over to Gilda, the “chef” I would have taken them myself only I have no sauces or the makings thereof. Quite an oversight on my part.

A niggling on-again, off-again earache put paid to any afternoon plans and I took to my bed with some painkillers and a book for the afternoon.