Morning Visitors

So, I'm back in Niger and have been here almost two months already!!  Time flys!  

One thing that I've noticed is that every neighbourhood I've lived in comes with its own unique bugs and creepy-crawlies!  In my new home, I'm getting used to a few varieties that I've not seen before.  A few that have dropped from the ceiling on my head as I sit in my bed (ew!) and some disgusting things crawling on my floor.

However, as my house was getting ready .... carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters - three weeks of non-stop tradesmen! ... I was living on a guest house compound down by the river.  

This location offers many unique birds and lifeforms that I don't normally see.  Thankfully - I didn't see any snakes, though I know that they are there a plenty!  Some I don't appreciate as much ... like this nasty huge spider I found on my truck one morning.

Others like this snail are a bit more fascinating.  

One morning I discovered that the snails LOVE LOVE LOVE this plant outside my door!!  There were so many all over the plant ....

 .... big ones ...

... small ones ....

.... itsy tiny ones ... 

All nestled in the nooks and crannies of the plant!

And I discovered that around 8am is their active time!!  They are clearly the "morning birds" that I am not!  Albeit, they do move much more slowly than I do even when I am awake at this time of the day!

It was fascinating to watch them move around from leaf to leaf:

waving it's head around try to feel its next location with the antenna on the top of its head ...

 ... making connection - SUCCESS!! - whilst stretched from one leaf to the other and its shell danging between ...

... and then watching how the shell portion of its body slid from one end of its body at the starting point over to the next part.  Once the shell made it over, the snail released its tail end and bounced into place on the new leaf!

I could have sat there all day watching these creatures move from plant to plant. 

A whole new perspective on patience and endurance!