The morning started with a quick trip to Peru. No, not by aeroplane or automobile, but by way of these little brown beans. It must be true that the essence of a place can be captured and taken far away so that others can experience a little of what it’s like. Such is the gift of good coffee from a place like Peru, which I sipped on contentedly at Prescott Coffee Roasters while Rich was returning from a delivery. Upon his arrival I packed him and his camera into my truck and we headed off to Watson Lake for a photo safari.

I wasn’t planning on shooting much, so I only took my little Canon point-and-shoot. Rich brought his Nikon D300 with a 400mm lens and 1.4x tele-converter. The lens is so enormous with the hood on it, that I’ve told Rich he needs a pair of wheels for it. I figured I’d have my hands full with paddling and steering duties. After all, Rich was counting on my mad canoe skills (ha!), so as not to spill us into the drink with his beloved camera and lens naked to the world. I don’t know an exact dollar figure, but lets just say that his setup could easily finance a selfish year-long sabbatical in Mexico for a guy like me. Okay, maybe two years. Was I nervous? nah. Unfortunately, all of the fun shots I got of Rich in the canoe with his lens are lost in cyberspace. My little Canon failed to record any of my shots. I can’t complain considering I’ve put the poor little thing through hell for many years. I’m amazed it was still working at all.

Rich’s camera on the other hand, was working marvelously, and he managed to bag some sweet shots including this Bald Eagle, a suspected sub-adult male Harrier, and a hunting Heron. Rich is not only a talented photographer, he’s an artist when it comes to roasting coffee beans. Taste some for yourself with a visit to Prescott Coffee Roasters (virtual or in person; they sell online). Link:  Prescott Coffee Roasters  Be sure to pour yourself a cup of something nice and look at some more of Rich’s photography. Link:  Rich Gregory’s photo galleries

Sandstorm Managing Director Mark Stephenson, who we met at Outdoor Retailer in 2007 and visited in Nairobi in 2008 (when he actually had us kicked out of our B&B bungalow - long story), has started a blog to chronicle life in Nairobi. Mark moved there full-time last month, and he hasn’t wasted any time getting out exploring the wonders of East Africa.

The blog is a wonderful slice of life there - and a great inside look at a real cottage industry. It makes me miss Kenya a lot - all the friendly people, fascinating bits of craziness, breathtaking landscapes, and of course the wildlife.

Go to SandstormKenya.com and click on the “Blog” link on the left, under “what’s new.”