As we entered the Masai region I asked our driver if we could visit a village, last time we watched school children learning under a tree and joined in the singing. This time there was a fixed fee to pay the chief and the whole village gave us a wonderful welcome ceremony of music and dance in full costume. We visited their huts and then a large school hut teaching mathematics and music. We joined in as we are both teachers and me it was so pleasing to see such an advancement in eight years.

 We had a short stop and picnic lunch at the Olduvai Gorge, considered to be the cradle of civilisation. Now there is a small museum, which is very informative and a new vastly improved refreshment area and toilet facilities, though the road is still very bumpy.

 The Serengeti Lodge was full, I believe because the President had visited and many reservations had to be moved. It is noticeable now that all lodges provide hanging curtain style mosquito netting and most offer European food and wine etc. The animals ‘rule’ so for your evening meal you must phone reception to be escorted to the dining area. In 2001 the guard often carried a gun, but now it has been found that a moving torch light seems to prevent animals coming too close. There is usually a park ranger on site and his services are very rarely needed.

 Finally to the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge to see the famous crater roughly 100 square miles and 2,000 feet high at the rim. The Lodge is almost suspended off the side of the cliff. On our final night the President was there in the restaurant and we moved table for him and his wife. Because the only entrance is down a steep staircase I feel security wasn’t a problem.

 Our final day returning was very energetic and didn’t end as planned. We stayed for coffee at Gibbs Farm about 2.5 miles from Karatu. Beautiful garden and organic vegetable area with superb views but for the short distance to it the road is not good.

 The journey back to Arusha felt a long way and we arrived at a recently opened upmarket hotel for our midday meal. The soup was beautiful but the buffet was disappointing.  Bales had warned that there would not be any proper food or hot drinks available at Kilimanjaro Airport before our flight, so we pre-ordered some omelettes to come around 4:00pm, just as were leaving the restaurant the omelettes arrived (at 2:00pm), we explained and the omelettes were returned. After a brief sleep, we went down to the restaurant to eat our omelettes. Unfortunately the omelettes that arrived were the same one we were brought at 2:00pm. We had some more cooked for us, but it was still very disappointing that this could happen. Our driver/guide, Shiza, was so understanding and tried to calm us down. I had refused to pay for the meals a the hotel and wrote a brief account for the local agent and Bales made a refund.

 Amazingly nothing could spoil such a wonderful holiday and with hindsight I was so please to see how much improvement there had been in eight years, including roads and facilities.

By Joyce Mildren