Daydream under the stars

The beginning of an adventure

I got off the plane sometime around late morning. I was tired, and the jet lag was killing me. I didn't know what time it was, and all I wanted to do was to get to the hotel room. I had saved up for one and a half years for this safari trip in Africa. I couldn't wait to get out of the monotone routine of my nine-to-five. This trip was for me, and for me only. That's what I thought, until I met you.

I had gotten an text from our guide that the bus that would bring us to our destination, the Maasai Mara National Reserve,  is due to arrive in half an hour. I had time to get to my hotel room and unpack. I chose hiking shoes and breathable long sleeves and long pants for the journey to fend off at least some bugs. I then set a timer and collapsed on my bed.

It felt as if I had just closed my eyes when the alarm rang. I reluctantly got out of bed and got myself presentable. Today was nothing too exciting, as we will only be taking care of paperwork and getting familiar with the group. I put on my headphones and played my favorite playlist as I got onto the bus. The drive would take around an hour and a half, so I decided to get comfortable and catch some sleep.

I woke to the sounds of the Beatles playing "Hey Jude" in my ears. We had arrived to our destination. There it was, in all its glory, The Maasai Mara National Reserve. The air smelled great, there was a slight breeze in my hair and the grass looked like they were straight out from a safari documentary. The group and I went into the main administrative building to take care of paperwork. We were around 10, maybe 12. And one by one, we got through our paperwork and waited outside as our guide had informed us to. As I waited, I looked to the distance. I saw kilometers upon kilometers of grass, and a few rivers from afar. I was breathing in the air. It felt different from the urban polluted air of Montreal. Then, as I looked back towards the administrative building, I saw you.

Your hair was flowing in the wind, your posture was straight, and you radiated confidence. My jaw might have dropped a little as you walked by, bringing the sweet scent of vanilla and cinnamon. 

"How about we introduce ourselves? You guys will say your name, where you came from and why you decided to visit this wonderful place with us! Let's get this going, then go back to the hotel for some fun! That is, if any of you have the strength for it!", the guide said. He was wearing a tank top that exposed his muscular forearms. The presentation felt like a blur, as I had my eyes on you. Finally, it was your turn. 

"Hey! My name is Y/N, I come from the US, but my parents were immigrants from Cuba. I chose this trip to learn about the amazing wildlife of Africa. I hope we'll have a great time together on this trip!", you said in your sweet voice. It is only when all eyes were on me that I realized it was my turn.

"Oh, yeah, um. Hi, my name is (My name), I come from Canada and I came here to get away from my nine to five. And I hope I'll get to know every single one of you!", I said, slightly nervous. Only then I realized how goofy my voice sounded, but all that faded away when I saw you smiling at me. It was a slight smile. Almost indistinguishable, but that made me feel warm inside, like all the colors of autumn, and like a warm cup of coffee on a cold winter night. I felt things I had never felt before when I plunged into your hazel eyes.

P.S: Sorry if I'm bad at writing, this is my first story, so tell me if you enjoyed and would like more! :)