November 18 - Mikumi National Park


 We started our game drive at 7:30 a.m.  The water hole was just incredible.  Herds of all different kinds of animals were coming and going all at the same time.  We saw giraffes, warthogs, elephants, hippos, wildebeest and crocodiles.  More that I'm not remembering.  We stayed there quite a long time.

Then we drove more through the park to try to spot a leopard.  That was not successful.  We had a picnic lunch at a beautiful spot with concrete tables and chairs that was built in preparation for a visit from Obama in 2013.  The previous waterhole was also dug for that event and a concrete fence was made to look like tree bark.  Unfortunately, that trip was canceled but the improvements are being well used.  

We returned to the lodge singing most of the way including Christmas carols.  We had split up into guys and girls for this game drive.  Steven and Rashidi drew straws to pick who got to have the girls.  Rashidi won.  I think the guys really appreciated a quieter day.  Wendy posted a video on Instagram of us singing 'When Peace Like a River' while videoing the scenery around us.  

We returned to the lodge at 2 p.m. and enjoyed swimming, reading, napped and playing games around the pool.  We made plans for the next day which will be another long drive to Tandala Tented Camp of about 320 km.  

Another thing that happened was that John's laundry was returned to him while we were at the pool.  It was delivered on a platter and it was the crispest, nicest looking laundry we've ever seen.  $1000 shillings apiece washed and ironed.   (about 50 cents apiece Canadian)













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