Just after sunrise on Mirissa beach, Sri Lanka

I am now following the advice of Helena's friend Una, who has so kindly looked after us at her wonderful home in Colombo. She has been working here for several years and she wakes before dawn so she can get her best work done before the heat kicks in

So now I am staying in a guest house 50 metres from this beach. I also rise at dawn - 6am every day near the Equator - and walk to the ends of the beach, with my camera, and have a swim before finding somewhere to have coffee. The rest of my day is fairly simple too.

I can't access my camera's RAW picture files until I return home. So my new smart phone which Helena cleverly advised me to get is responsible for my blips from here. I may eventually change them as I usually have the same scene in the camera.

This beach has provided exactly what I wanted from the beach period of my trip. It is a fantastic place.