Day 26, 30 July 2012, Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive, returning to Meserani in the evening for last night of truck adventure - Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge - c'est parfait! Leaving behind a substantial hole in the breakfast buffet we departed at 7 am for the Crater floor. Now many people told us how hot Africa would be. And many people have been wrong. We were at 2400m at the lodge and dropped to 1800m in the floor of the crater. We were wearing every warm item we brought with us - plus hats, scarves and gloves. Just about right. The drive down to the crater floor was nerve-wracking as the peasoup fog meant the driver had his head out his window and still couldn't see 2 metres in front of the 4WD. We finally broke through the fog layer and headed merrily off across the crater floor, encountering lions and lionesses within the first five minutes - in fact, we saw many more big cats here than in the Serengeti - and yet are still not tired of them. Herds of zebras roamed, ostriches ran wildly and giraffes crossed the road at every opportunity. There were pink flamingoes by the 1000s in the lake and hippos and wildebeests right nearby - the concentration of animals here is amazing and the wide expanse of the crater is huge but still feels cosy with the mountains rising up around us. As we proceed heavenwards after lunch, it is sad that it must come to an end - but we finally return to the truck at the Meserani Oasis (accommodation to be avoided at all costs. Just don't go there, ever.) Quickie visit to a snake farm where James and I both had a hold of a baby crocodile, a snake and a tortoise. To celebrate the end of the trip drinks and laughs around a bonfire. Assorted persona non grata weren't present. Probably fortunately otherwise they could have toasted them like marshmallows. Tomorrow we are off to Nairobi - getting pretty good at these border crossings!