Escorted by the rifle-toting guard to the launch site where the balloon is being inflated with fans and the pilot provides instructions and checks the equipment.
45-minute balloon safari availing an aerial perspective of dawn in the Mara (the first image is a stock photo from the balloon safari operation I had to include):
That's hippo in the water:
We're moving too fast and there's not enough light for my simple point-and-shoot Lumix to get a decent shot of the rhino we spot as well as other creatures already snapped from the comfort of the game drive truck. This is a view of the side of the basket looking straight down:
And in a moment, we land sideways and a glorious feast is served in the savannah, beginning with a customary champagne toast celebrating a successful voyage....it's 7am and there's no time like the present to raise a glass.
No breakfast in the bush is complete without lemon-scented crepes:
And while we gorge on fruit, eggs, sausage, pancakes, stewed tomatoes and mushrooms, croissants, hash browns, coffee, tea, bubbly, juice and the afore-mentioned crepes, the balloon is packed and returned to the camp by tractor:
After all the morning's adventure and feasting, we go on a game drive and witness more wildlife (vultures, wildebeest, cheetah - that followed us with bush paparazzi stalking them, elephant, topi, giraffe, zebra...) and take in more landscape:
And back near camp, a few more elephant in the bush to close out the morning adventures:
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