After many hours of travel, we arrived at the Kilimanjaro airport late on Dec 22nd, both excited and tired.   It took awhile to get through passport control and find our guide.  Then after a short drive we were warmly greeted by the Hills, with wine, beer and hugs!

Some of us spent the first full day acclimating and relaxing, while a group went off on a tour of Arusha.  They came back with a few stories, the best being the teenage boys at the Arusha market that tried to sell Graham a live chicken.



After two nights at the Tarangire Nyumba Camp, we headed back to Arusha and caught a flight to Zanzibar.

The next day, Christmas Eve, we were off on a small 13-seat aircraft for a lovely flight from Arusha to the center of the Serengeti.  From the airport, we went straight out on our first game drive and had an amazing afternoon, seeing a lion guard her kill and two leopards, along with Warthogs, Impalas, Hippos an amazing array of birds and much more.    The next morning we all woke up (Jambo, Jambo) bright and early for a Balloon ride, a Christmas surprise for the kids.


While in the Ngorongoro area, we made a visit o a Masaii village.  The Masaii is a fascinating culture at a crossroads.  They maintain their old ways mixed with some modernity.   They still live in round, dark huts made from cow dung, yet many carry cellphones.

After two nights at the Ngorongoro Nyumbas, with a full day exploring the surreal ecosystem in the Crater, we headed out through Karatu toward Tarangire.  Along the way, we made the long awaited stop at a local school.  They were not is session, but a number of students made there way in to welcome us.   It was quite an eye-opener to see how much they do with so little!



We'll leave you with a few more pictures of the towns and people: