Day 24 (late), 28 July 2012, Lobo Wildlife Lodge - The rest of day passed in a haze as we were both on a high (pun intended) from the ballooning. We drove to the north of the Serengeti and spent the night at Lobo Wildlife Lodge. This is as reported by intrepid James - he went out to watch the sunset while I had a steaming hot bath. A man-sized baboon spied him and his shoulder bag and decided to let rip with a roar and a spot of territory marking. James declin...

Day 24, 28 July 2012, Serengeti National Park -"Up, up and away, in my beautiful balloon...." The only cure for getting that song out of our heads was to take to the skies on a Serengeti Balloon Safari. Despite revelling in the luxury of the Seronera Wildlife Lodge, we barely slept due to chronic BES ("Ballooning Excitement Syndrome). Questions ran through our heads - How good could it be? Could it possibly be worth US$499 per head? We certainly hoped so when the...

Day 24, 28 July 2012, Seronera Lodge, Serengeti N.P. - Very. Early. We were picked up by the fabulous folks at Serengeti Balloon Safaris at 5.30 am and encountered this lovely lady on the drive to the launch site. Just like any cat - stand up at the side of the road - stretch the front legs, stretch the back legs, amble across road. Moving slowly, looking tired - we think she has been nursing cubs and is a bit over it just quietly. Onwards and upwards for us!...

Day 23, 27 July 2012, Karatu to Serengeti N.P. via Ngorongoro Conservation Area ("NCA") - Africa is amazing. Africa is frustrating. Africa can be and often is amazingly frustrating. In a state of high excitement we left Kudu Lodge with our driver in our very own game truck and headed to the gate of the NCA. There is a fee for entering, quite rightly. There are at any time 50 or more drivers semi-queueing in a small room trying to pay the fee. And that's wher...

Day 22, 26 July 2012, Lushoto to Karatu, via Arusha - We are nestled in the lap of luxury at Kudu Lodge in Karatu - the town closest to the game parks of Northern Tanzania. Today's photo is of "the big elephant" which spouts water into the swimming pool. It's probably a "you had to be there" thing - but the list of thou shalt nots at the swimming pool entrance was so long, they almost needed two boards to display it. Our room, or shall I say suite, was the best...