"Biggest of smiles, fullest of hearts."

When we returned to the lodge after the first intensive but great day in Serengeti National Park, Jabiri told Jeroen that he wanted to show him something and that I could walk to the restaurant. Strange I think.

I arrive at the restaurant and instead of sitting at our own table - yes we have a set table - I am asked to sit at a table on the other side of the tent. I want to sit down, but the chef insists on pushing my chair and gives me another seat.

The chef explains the menu to me, promises to give me really small portions this time, and chats some more. Then someone else from the staff comes to ask how my day was. When I ask about Jeroen, they tell me he is still with Jabiri. Oh well, whatever... Every now and then I turn a bit in my chair because I can't see much outside from where I am sitting. Then another employee sits down in front of me. He too asks about the day and chats away a hundred.

Not much later, Jeroen steps in. We decide to quickly charge some devices in the tent and then have dinner. Jabiri can finally eat with us tonight because the car has been fixed. So in the tent I ask Jeroen what Jabiri wanted to show him. "Oh, something about the car" was the reply. I find it rather strange and think my husband is rather short-tempered.

We really needed to eat now, so I let it go....

Music and dance

Together with Jabiri we enjoy a delicious dinner. I find it incredibly pleasant that he can join us for dinner tonight and that we now have different conversations. He talks passionately about his work as a guide, his family and their plans for the future.

After dinner, the daily briefing begins: what time will we have breakfast, leave, what will we do, etc. Jabiri asks if I'm okay with us reporting as early as five o'clock. Fine with me. Jeroen thinks it's fine too.

And then suddenly Jabiri says "someone else will pick you up and I'll see you at 10 o'clock."

Then my brain starts working overtime....

Huh, what are we going to do then? Why isn't Jabiri going with us? Why so early, the sun doesn't rise until quarter to 7? I don't have much time to think. The staff starts singing and they dance all over the tent. It's great to see their cheerfulness and enthusiasm. Eventually we dance and sing along.

Just back in time

In March, we booked our trip. After weighing some options, we were very happy with the trip we had planned. As an option we had listed a balloon flight. It was a bit pricey, so we left it as an option for now. We could reconsider it later.

When my sister Iris and her little son Seve came to stay for a night in May, I said to Jeroen: surely I'm going to ask if they can check availability and book the balloon ride. The owner was going to find out for me, but informed us a day later that unfortunately everything was fully booked. She would let me know if a spot became available.

Back to now

While the staff is singing and dancing, Jabiri walks out to grab his phone. And suddenly I think I know what all the secrecy was about and why we are going to leave so early.

Or is it? I look at Jeroen and ask him if we are going to do a balloon ride? Jeroen laughs and half denies it, but I have known him too long. We dance and sing some more, but my evening was already perfect. What a surprise and so well organized, I didn't suspect anything.

After dinner, we pack up everything and set the alarm. 4:30! I'm loving it.

Early birds and flames in the distance

I wake up just before the alarm clock. I am ready for it. Jeroen unfortunately has not been able to sleep, so for him it is a spirited morning. We take only a bag of cameras and are escorted from our tent to the jeep that has just arrived.

We board with guide Paul and driver Abdullah. In front of us are Roxanne and Theo, a newly married couple from France. Their pickup time was 4:00. Then 5:10 is not so bad. We drive for about 40 minutes and arrive at the launch site. From afar, we can already see the flames going on and off.

The reception looks idyllic: there are lanterns hanging in the trees and lights along the paths. There is coffee and tea, there are heaters and fortunately extensive sanitary facilities have also been thought of. We decide to forgo the coffee and tea and enjoy the slowly turning pink in the sky.

After half an hour of waiting, we are given a short welcome by Cesar, the chief pilot. Paul tells us that we will walk to balloon 4. There it turns out that Cesar will be our pilot. 16 people fit in our balloon and on this flight we share the compartment on the lower left with Roxanne and Theo, two Americans, two Belgians, some French and four Chinese.

The security briefing starts and it soon becomes apparent that three of the three Chinese do not understand a word of English. One of them, remarkably enough, will act as interpreter, but of course this does not go very smoothly. Cesar asks us all at the beginning of the briefing if we don't want to film so that we can devote our full attention to his explanation of procedures and safety regulations. The interpreter then decides to film following that request. That's going to be something...

Cesar interrupts his explanation several times to ask the interpreter if she will translate, but little comes of it.

Adventure, upside down...

The basket we have to get into is still tilted on the floor when we are allowed to crawl into it. Fortunately, we have a compartment near the ground, which is easier. We take our seats and follow the instructions. So we lie upside down in the basket on the floor for a few minutes. I him a smile from ear to ear. What an experience, already!

Cesar starts letting fire into the balloon and before we know it he has the basket upright. Then almost immediately I hear him call out in frustration. One of the Chinese has already untied himself and stood up. Just minutes before, he had explained that we were to stand only when he gives the signal to do so. They understood nothing of the briefing.

We see that all the balloons next to us are also ready to take off and within still time we are taking off. As soon as we are off the ground Cesar lets us know that we can stand. The view is beautiful from the very first second. It couldn't be any different in the Serengeti. The weather couldn't be better this morning, the sky is crystal clear.

The sun slowly continues to rise, the skies turn pink and orange and the landscape takes on a beautiful warm glow. The clear blue sky provides the perfect backdrop for the other hot air balloons in the sky. How lucky that just today the morning begins without thick clouds. On the ground we see a cheetah, elephants, giraffes, zebras, topis, a hyena, buffalo, impala, gazelle and a dik-dik.

I am speechless from it. Of all the beauty, the whole experience and Jeroen's sweet surprise.

In one word: GREAT.

Hard ground, soft landing

After being in the air for an hour, we land. Beforehand, Cesar told us that there are three ways to land, but that we can forget about landing one and two. He also calls landing one and two "the boring landing. In landing one, you just land vertically on the ground in one go. That's it.

On landing two, you first hop several times, but the tray also stays upright. Cesar explains that it is often windy on the Serengeti, so landing one and two almost never happen. Now I have to be honest: most of the one-liners and jokes made have been seen before in youtube videos, so it may also be part of the experience to indicate that they expect an exciting landing.

We are prepared by Cesar for landing number three. A landing in which we hit the ground several times, tip over and are pulled along on the ground for another bit. The moment to land has come, so we are going to see it. Cesar soon announces that it will be a "boring landing" after all. Fine by me. The landing does indeed go smoothly. The men to help us are ready and in no time we are helped out of the basket.

French tradition

We are treated to a glass of champagne, which is a worldwide tradition after a balloon flight. That tradition originated in France, where the Montgolfier brothers conducted the first manned balloon flights in the 18th century. They often landed in agricultural areas. Farmers were initially frightened by these "flying monsters" that fell from the sky, were afraid they might affect the weather and often reacted with hostility.

To reassure them and to show good will, balloonists began pouring a bottle of champagne or wine after landing and sharing it with people on the spot.

Thus grew the tradition of drinking champagne after a safe landing in celebration of a successful flight, a symbol of gratitude and a moment of connection.

We toast with the crew and other passengers and some more photos are taken

Breakfast and loo with a view

Then we got back into the jeep and headed to the picnic area for a full breakfast. We chat some more with the French couple we shared the jeep and flight with. It is their honeymoon so they are invited for a piece of cake to celebrate that moment. There is singing and dancing.

I go to the loo with a beautiful view of the plains. A loo with a view. Now I have viewed the Serengeti in every way possible.

It is now 10 o'clock. Time to move on to the final game drive on the Serengeti. Jabiri comes to pick us up at the park visitor center

I can't say other than that it was an unforgettable surprise and experience.

Ballooni ya Hera