This day was the first day of the rest of the vacation, so I started off with a nice barefoot run on the beach for half an hour or so before breakfast. Mona chose to making sure the sunbeds on the beach didn’t escape and where clearly in a winning position in the wrestling match when I came back with burning calves.

We thought about doing some activities and looked at the alternatives and decided, well, perhaps we need to rest a bit more. So we moved over to the beach but didn’t do more than settle down as wind picked up and some locals came running – this typically means one thing and I had just protected all electronics when the sky opened itself. So back to the room for some reading in bed.

We had another lunch at the restaurant, but weather still wasn’t optimal whereas the books were and we decided to watch a Bond movie instead. A little bit of reading and some candy and we felt that since we had been so healthy this morning we could skip dinner and instead continue eating candy and watching another Bond. That actually concluded our chronological viewing of all released Bond movies and although Daniel Craig has done some improvements there is little doubt that Sean Connery in his youth is the best, Goldfinger likely if one is to be picked.

Speaking of entertainment, Mona is reading Jo Nesbø series about Harry Hole whereas I’ve started reading Gridlinked by Neal Asher, the fist of five books, which is then follower up by two trilogies – add the regular podcasts ATP, Rocket and The Talkshow to that. I really have to give up Fallout Shelter as well, there is something diabolic about games with no clear ending.

To wake up without an alarm was quite nice for variation, and after a fresh breakfast and a quick survey of the beachfront we got back to bed. Today was a day without plans and there was Internet access so it meant some catching up but also more time for reading, writing and generally slacking off.

We got back out around 1430 to see if we could have anything besides candy to eat, and had some nice soups. At the restaurant the hotel manager Julia (Swedish) asked what we had been up to since she hadn’t seen us the whole day, and we sheepishly stated that we had spent the day slacking and sleeping in our room. There would be plenty of days for excursions later on.

We decided that the hammocks near the pool ought to be tried and now we were at least outside. I also had to give the ocean a test when the tide was high and give the temperature a thumbs up, snorkeling would be fun later on. We then slacked some more before checking out dinner at 20. It was now quite crowded at the local restaurant so we took a stroll along the beach and stopped at Seles Bungalows which Julia had recommended earlier on. It was a nice atmosphere and good prices but we were quite full since our late lunch so only had some light snacks. A stroll back in the moonlight and back to the now made bed.

Last early morning for some time, but then again it’s not that bad when you’re asleep before 2130. After an epic breakfast – Kati-Kati probably wins the best breakfast, although their picnic lunches weren’t as good as Ang’Atas, we headed off towards the place of the leopard from yesterday.

We had no luck there but saw a cheetah and also signs of leopard aka tree-climbing  Thompson gazelles, there are two in the photo above, can you spot them? We had perhaps an hour or so more do do game driving before we need to make our way south. I’m standing in the car looking out through the roof when I spot movement and possible a leopard in a tree we’re approaching. I quickly get my camera and Mona and Matthew look for the leopard in the leafy branches. The leopard decides to go down on a lower branch without leaves and I snap photos in disbelief before the Leopard jumps further down and aims to pull up some dead animal into it’s tree.

By now some other cars have seen that we have stopped and are seeing the leopard which decides this is too much of an audience and turns around and walk into the high grass and disappears. We can’t believe our luck, and would honestly have counted that we saw all big five with the two previous leopard only partially visible but this was above expectations.

We refuel (only after hearing that the road is closed by rangers so we need to make a 20minute detour (double that for return) and suddenly Matthew is not that happy about our time schedule and we have a flight to catch. We buckle up and position all available pillows again and head towards Ngorogoro. After two quick stops to sort out paperwork we have now passed both Serengeti and Ngorogoro and are back on proper asphalt roads – and on track with the schedule.

We arrive in Arusha and say our goodbyes to Matthew and give him a hefty tip for his excellent services during the week and are driven to the airport by another driver.  As we check in Mona is requested to weigh her hand-luggage by the staff but your’s truly are not asked – good since my luggage was about three times heavier and well above the limit for hand luggage.We had some burgers (vegetarian one was quite OK) after checking in and then boarded the lovely propeller-plane towards Zanzibar.

As we left ground we had the seats 9C and 9D which allowed us a unplanned great view of Kilimanjaro in the dusk – still with large patches of snow. Although through a airplane window it was still a sight to behold. During the flight I could give some attention to Fallout Shelter which had received little to no love during the Safari.

We arrived in Zanzibar on time, filled out a quick line on a sheet and although there were signs about yellow fever there were no control for our yellow books. Another sign with our names and a 90 minute drive through Zanzibar later we arrived at Zanzibar Retreat Hotel in Matemwe. We got a quick tour and chat with Jan(ne) the Swedish owner before hitting the bed in our lovely room – and no alarms set this time.