It’s time to reflect on differences noted and not anticipated on our trip, since they might not be remembered or mentioned to you all again.  I’m writing on the bush plane and we just flew over the crater.   Just checked out of Kitela lodge.  Bill was 8 dollars because we had 8 pieces of laundry done.  No taxes or special charges.  No surprises.  Same at Serena and Maramboi camps.  All was prepaid, but still!!   Beer 3 dollars, wine 4 dollars, whiskey 2 dollars, coke 80 cents.  All camps and lodges.  No taxes. All even numbers.   Guide says business is good here– nobody going to Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Uganda anymore.   Everybody wants dollars.  Pay lodge in dollars.  Tip in dollars.   Everyone smiling. School kids along the road in old dusty clothes all smiling and waving consistently.  Kids in classrooms excited you’re visiting.  Are wide eyed and smiling.  Wave goodbye.  Maasai herders wave as you drive by leaving them in a cloud of dust.  Waiters and porters-same thing. Thrilled if they get a dollar tip.   Almost no one we’ve seen here smokes or drinks, not the Maasai the guides or the local poor.  On average obesity is very rare.   The birds here outshine American birds at every turn consistently.  Very dramatic and ridiculous variety.   If you are like me, you may have wondered if safaris are like fishing– you need luck or you won’t see anything.  Don’t worry.  Animals are plenteous, around every bend and in every tree.  You will be satisfied.   Bush plane trips.  There was no ID check, no passport check, no ticket, no one asked our name, we didn’t tell anyone our name. They had our name on the manifest and expected us and we got on.  Asked to sit copilot, and he said “why not?”  And I did.   Nothing about Africa has been a disappointment.   Jambo=