The final stop on our South African adventure, Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge did not disappoint. With the help of our faithful guides, we were able to find leopards, lions, and a fiancé for my sister.

Our first interaction with wildlife was this rambunctious monkey, who decided to pay the dining room a visit. Just like so many humans, his sugar addiction seems to have gotten the better of him. Minutes later, we could see him snacking in the trees with his bowl of sweets. As you can see, we were quite amused.

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Within hours of checking in, we were out on safari. I had no idea what to expect, but my expectations were surely surpassed. Hearing a hot tip on the inter-guide radio, Jonas and Heavyness (yes, one of our guide’s names was Heavyness—potentially my favorite guide ever) made haste towards a potential cat. A BIG cat!

Soon, a hyena came to stir things up. On the edge of our seats, we waited for the intruder to pass without confrontation.

Leopards are one of the “Big Five” animals in South Africa. The Big Five Include:

• Leopard
• Lion
• Buffalo
• Elephant
• Rhinoceros

Luckily, we were able to catch a peek of each of the big five over the course of our three-day stay.

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Heavyness conducted a ruse where he convinced us the guides had hand signals for each of the animals. He showed us ridiculous signs for giraffes, leopards, impala…everything. Only later did we discover he was taking us for a ride (literally and figuratively). We forgave him.

On the second night, Kevin announced he was planning to propose to Katie at sunset. He had informed us he wanted to propose while in Africa, but we weren’t sure when. As the African sun began to grow long and red, the moment of truth arrived.

As you’ll see, Katie’s first answer was “sure.” Mysteriously cropped from the videos she posted on Facebook and Instagram, the “sure” is indisputably present in this undoctored version. Katie’s social media feeds are fake news. Here on my blog, you get the truth. To Katie’s credit, once she realized Kevin was actually proposing, she said “of course,” which is slightly better.

In any case, we’re all quite pleased to have Kevin in the family. I couldn’t ask for a better future-brother-in-law. After our safari adventures, we embarked on a ~40-hour return journey to the United States. Now happy, healthy, and home, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have seen wonderful South Africa.