Being in the wild is probably one of my favourite things to do. From a very young age, my parents took us on wild safari expeditions. That is why, meeting my then-future-husband, who is a tour guide for safaris in Southern Africa, was such a blessing.
We have been together for almost a year and we were planning to celebrate our anniversary in Greater Kruger. From the moment we arrived at the beautiful lodge, everything was so special. Greeted with delicious welcoming drinks and settling in – this was going to be a good weekend!
We went on a sunset safari and saw lots of amazing wildlife including a pack of wild dogs on an impala kill. This was the first time that I had seen a wild dog in the wild. This was truly amazing. Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious dinner and went to bed.
The following day was nice and relaxed. Today was our anniversary. We didn’t plan anything specific, just enjoying the amazing surrounds. After a relaxing day, we went on another sunset safari. Again, we saw lots of wildlife as well as the elephant bull that came very, very, very close to our vehicle. (Read my other blog for more on this experience!)
So Kavi, owner of the lodge and friend of my then-boyfriend was our guide and after the thrilling experience with the elephant bull, decided that we need a drink. So he stopped the vehicle in a river bed close to the lodge. Some of the staff brought us chairs, snacks and drinks to enjoy while watching the sun set. This was very romantic, little did I know that they all had something up their sleeve.
When returning to the lodge, it was already dark but Kavi called me and Ettienne aside and said he wants to show us something. When walking around the corner, they had set a beautiful table with lots of lanterns and a special bottle of wine, all on our private veranda. And I thought to myself- tonight is the night! They brought us a delicious starter and the next moment, Ettienne was next to me on his one knee. Here, the love of my live proposed to me while hyenas were laughing in the background and lions somewhere close.
Truly a moment, I will remember forever!
