Our final day was bittersweet for sure. Despite the adventures and memories, we were both ready to get home. In all honesty, we didn’t do much on our final day. We kayaked and walked the beach. We finished a few books in the day bed. Anna won a high stakes game of Mbao that gave her the power to make all big decisions for us, for the next 10 years. Don’t ask Brian how/why he was willing to make such a wager.

After seeing the beach soccer during the sunset cruise last night, Brian kept eye on the beach toward the end of the afternoon. An hour before sunset, his patience was rewarded. The locals started gathering on the beach. We walked down the beach and Brian asked to join. While most of the guys did not speak much English, one of them waived Brian over. Teams were decided and the game began! It was exhausting and exhilarating to be playing with the locals in the soft sand. The goals were constructed with 2 skinny sticks, about 2 feet apart. Despite minimal goals, maximum fun was had. Brian jogged back to meet Anna for a private candlelit dinner, set up outside our bungalow, for our final night.

Both getting to do things we love, Brian playing soccer and Anna watching sunset, followed by a final dinner together, was the perfect end to our 2-week honeymoon.

Our final morning had come. Bags were packed, breakfast was eaten, and we walked the beach one last time. We said goodbye to a few of the friendly staff. We took a helicopter to an airport in Mozambique. Then a flight to Johannesburg. There, we took advantage of a few lounges during the layover. Then the time came to board our 16-hour flight back to Newark. And then 4 hours to Denver.