One Last Adventure Under African Skies

The Final Stop on My Forty-Fifth Birthday Journey Through Africa

After several days on safari, I have to admit, I was happy to be back at the InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport without the risk of being charged by a hippo or eaten by a lion. As magical as safari had been, I was ready for city life again. A hot shower without bugs appearing. Room service. The comfort of knowing no baboons were waiting outside my door.

I had arranged for a very late checkout before my evening flight home from Johannesburg, fully intending to spend the day relaxing at the hotel spa and pool. But somewhere along the way, Africa had taught me to stay open to unexpected adventures.

So instead, I had the hotel reach out to Larry to see if he was available for one final day exploring Johannesburg.

He was.

As we drove through the city, Larry asked how the safari had gone. I told him everything had been incredible, but admitted I was slightly disappointed that I never saw the one animal I had hoped for most: African wild dogs. After searching for them across Botswana and Zimbabwe, I had finally accepted that maybe this just wasn’t my trip to see them.

Larry told me he wanted to take me somewhere special: Cradle of Humankind, the UNESCO World Heritage Site just outside Johannesburg, known as one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world.

What I didn’t realize, and what Larry failed to mention, was that the Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve was nearby.

I didn’t think much of it as Larry pulled up to the gates of the reserve. I still assumed we were headed toward the UNESCO site, but to my surprise, we suddenly found ourselves on safari again.

As we drove deeper into the reserve, slowly scanning the landscape, not exactly sure what we were looking for as we drove along when suddenly Larry turned a corner, and there they were.

AFRICAN WILD DOGS!

Not one or two in the distance, but an entire pack lounging beneath a tree just a few feet from the truck.

I was beyond excited, like a kid on Christmas morning back when you still believed in Santa, opening the one gift you had been hinting at and hoping for for years. I could not believe I had finally found them.

After days of searching across multiple countries, after convincing myself it simply wasn’t going to happen, there they were sitting right in front of me like Africa had decided to offer one final surprise before sending me home.

We stayed with them for nearly thirty minutes, watching them play, run, and interact with one another. It felt surreal. One of those rare travel moments where you become fully aware that you are experiencing something you will remember forever.

And somehow, the day still wasn’t over. As we continued through the reserve, we spotted zebras, wildebeest, warthogs, a pregnant lioness walking towards us, and a lion quietly hidden in the bush.

And then, they appeared.

Rhinos.

Massive. Calm. Beautiful.

Another unexpected gift from Africa.

I never imagined that on my final day, between hotel checkout and an evening flight home, I would somehow end up seeing both the animal I had dreamed about most and one of the continent’s most endangered species.

But maybe that’s the thing about Africa.

It surprises you.

It humbles you.

It changes you.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to many places around the world, but every now and then, there are destinations that stay with you long after you leave. Places that shift something inside you. This trip became one of those places for me.

From Botswana to Zimbabwe to South Africa, this entire birthday journey felt like a gift from the universe. One filled with wonder, adventure, difficult history, unexpected joy, and moments I still don’t fully have words for.

And I already know this won’t be my last time in Africa.

Not even close.