And though perhaps a little on the small side, I can't complain about the cabin. The beds were good and comfortable, the bathroom spanking new, the shower hot. Some people might be put off by the fact that there was neither a TV nor a phone in the room, but really, who goes to Yellowstone to watch television? We were, however, quite glad for the small heater when the temperature dropped to near-freezing during the night.

While the cabins are clustered together near the main building of the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, nature will not let you forget you are in the middle of the wilderness. On our second night, a coyote's howl very nearby woke me up at 3:45am. And one evening several deer were browsing right in front of our cabin door!

Breakfast is not included, but the nearby hotel offers breakfast and dinner (dinner reservations needed) in its restaurant, as well as a deli section for snacks or quick meals.

According to Carl, our best bet to see wildlife would be to start from Mammoth Hot Springs, in the northwest of the park. Unfortunately, we had picked lodgings in the southeast corner. Thus, a very dark morning just before Memorial Day saw us rolling out of bed at 4am.

Our main goals were to see a bear, and hopefully some wolves. Through e-mail, Carl had promised we would not be disappointed.

And he was right. More right than he knew! In the gloom of early morning we often had to slow the car down to let deer cross the otherwise deserted road. So, when we noticed another dark shape, about fifteen minutes out from Mammoth, we at first thought it was another elk. But wait... that's one strange elk. And suddenly it clicked. The shape... the way it moved... as one voice we said, "That's a bear!"

Excited, heart beating in my throat, I scrambled for my camera. How to get a good picture of a moving bear beneath the dark trees of a forest, when the sun isn't even up, and without using flash (don't want to startle the animal)? Obviously, the answer is, "you really can't". But take a look at the picture beneath this report anyway. Is that a bear or what?

Still bubbling with excitement we reached Mammoth and met up with Carl. Of course, our experience stole some of his thunder; one of the most satisfying moments for a safari guide must be when city dwellers see their first bear in the wild. But even so, was our safari worth its 160 bucks pro person? You betcha it was!

During the course of the day, we saw more bears (both grizzly and black bears), several wolves, a coyote supping on an elk calf, mountain goat, bighorn sheep and even a red fox. Plus of course dozens of birds, bison, elk, antilopes etc.

Carl is very knowledgeable about Yellowstone, its ecosystem, its animals and its geography, and happy to share this knowledge. The vehicle (oh, had I mentioned we had a private safari?) comes equipped with binoculars and spotting scopes for guests to use. Cold and hot drinks (hot chocolate is quite yummy after an hour of watching wolves return from their hunt in cold drizzle!) as well as Lunch are included.

Safari Yellowstone offers several one-day and multiple-day tours so whatever your preference is, you should be able to find something to your liking. More info on their website: www.safariyellowstone.com