Serengeti National Park
Our final three days were spent in Serengeti National Park, the core of the Serengeti ecosystem.  At the park entrance we studied these instructions carefully.
We continued to look for wildlife, often well-camouflaged in the bush.
"What lion?"
"Oh, that lion!"
"If I don't move, you can't see me."
There's a leopard in that center tree. You'll have to take our word for it.
We continued to bond with our traveling companions as we drove ever westward.
About 30 miles east of Lake Victoria, we pulled off the main road (the big one on the left) and headed to our tented camp.
After a brief orientation in the very Victorian reception lounge, we were escorted to our accommodations.
We eagerly climbed the steps to our tent, unzipped the front, and pulled back the canvas.
It was primitive. (No TV!  No AC!)  But we decided that we could cope. We did, after all, have a nice view and an enormous attached bathroom -- with separate WC, of course.
Rock formations like this one, called kopies, have been used for centuries as landmarks by travelers in the Serengeti. Each kopie has a name.
We were lucky to see this cheetah surveying her territory.
We spent the remainder of our time in the Serengeti soaking up the ambiance of the camp, bird watching, and taking leisurely game rides for final glimpses of our favorite mammals.
Zebras and Thomson's gazelles at a watering hole.
A peaceful elephant family.
Giraffe noshing on a thorn bush. (Their tongues are extremely tough.)
One of the many superb starlings in the park.
A VonDer Decken's Hornbill visiting the dining tent.
Impressive tusks!
When zebras hang out, they often huddle in groups and "watch each other's back" for predators.
Why did the elephant cross the road? He looks very purposeful, doesn't he?
On our way to the airstrip our final day, we stopped at the Grumeti River to see the crocodiles and have our photo ops at the hanging bridge. 
Our plane arrived on time, but it wasn't large enough for all 12 of us.
So we watched several other planes drop off and pick up travelers while we waited for our overflow plane.  A park warden was there to clear animals off the landing strip.
When we were finally ready to go, Jon proceeded eagerly toward our plane, while the pilot struggled to fit in all our luggage. (Two suitcases went inside the wings!) With a heavy cloud cover and no co-pilot, we spent a somewhat anxious and incomfortable hour returning to Arusha for a final shopping spree, quick showers, and our flights to Amsterdam.
The trip home was an ordeal, but it was worth it because we had an excellent summer vacation!
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