We reached Serena Lodge, my home for the next three nights, just before 2:30 p.m., in time for lunch. The lodge is situated on a promontory overlooking the Serengeti plains. Serena Lodge is one of the more expensive game lodges (rack rate: US$330 per night) and even has its own private airstrip so that tourists can fly in from Nairobi in about half an hour and then be driven to the lodge within 10 minutes.

When I arrived at the lobby, I was given a towel and a welcome drink and a platoon of hotel staff were busy wiping off the dust from my luggage.

Since lunch was available only up to 2:30 p.m., I proceeded right away to the packed restaurant.