Hi Pam (and everyone else, too!)

Yes, we had wondered where we'd dock. Ngaire thought at the time we'd likely be off to the west a ways, so we were thrilled to see where we were actually docking. The ship just barely fit into the space -- Captain Dag spent quite a while inching it in.

Baia really was just a few steps away. Al and I did eat out the second night, but at another of the resturants along that row just for a change. It, too, was very good. It was great, though, being in an area with which we were so recently familiar.

We just returned from Mateya. The lodge was spectacular, even nicer than Singita. The art work was indescribable, and the staff wonderful. However this is now mid-summer -- the equivalent of the first week of August at home. It was VERY hot -- 95 when we first got there. Luckily the safari vehicles here had canvas canopies, so that helped shade us from the sun. We didn't see as many animals as at Singita -- I'm unsure how much that had to do with the heat, and how much it had to do with location and the restrictions about driving off-road. Here, they're not allowed to go off-road except for a confirmed big-5 sighting and then only 1000 feet from the road.

We're glad we went, but we were very glad to come back to the ship tonight (minus one piece of luggage that they're promising before morning). Reliable air-conditioning is a wonderful thing!

Tomorrow we're sleeping in after three consecutive days of 4:45 wakeup calls!

Betty