Every big trip starts long before you pack a bag. For us, it began during wedding planning, when paying for our wedding ourselves forced a choice: a bigger wedding or honeymoon. We chose to prioritize time together. We were married on September 21, 2025, in an intimate celebration surrounded by the people we love most—it was a perfect day. 

We then boarded a plane to Tanzania to begin our marriage the way we wanted to live it: Side by side.

Both my husband, Abhi, and I have traveled extensively—I lived in South America, and much of his family lives in India and Canada—so we wanted a destination that felt truly special. We planned to split our travels in two: a safari on the mainland, followed by rest in Zanzibar. We landed late at night in Arusha, stepping into cool air that smelled like freshly turned soil. Immediately Abhi accidentally locked himself in an airport bathroom, forcing me to approach security and, for the first time, refer to him as my husband, telling them he was stuck in a stall. They laughed, rescued him, and welcomed us to Africa.

The next day, we met Innocent, one of the first people we connected with in Tanzania. He showed us the city, took us to buy his favorite snacks, and, along with our guides, surprised us with a “Happy Married Life” cake. Over coffee, we talked about family, education, and how the U.S. is perceived abroad. Innocent shared that he dreamed of visiting California, where I grew up, but felt it wasn’t safe for him to travel to America. Having heard similar fears from Americans about Africa, we were struck by how deeply perceptions of safety depend on familiarity. From there, we began our safari through Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire. Landscapes shifted within hours, animals appearing across vast open space: elephants close enough to touch, leopards climbing with their young, lions crossing the plains. One evening in the Serengeti, as the sun set and filtered light spread across the land, a line of elephants passed through the glow, and we fell silent in awe.

After our safari, we flew to Zanzibar. We wandered Stone Town, visited markets and spice farms, and learned about the island’s layered history. Abhi surprised me with snorkeling—a beloved activity of mine, and a bold choice for him as a non-swimmer. Expecting the shallow water by the shore, we were instead dropped into the open ocean, directly into a migration of jellyfish. Fortunately, completely harmless, and oddly cute. At the end, Abhi declared it one of his favorite things we did. The honeymoon ended quickly—reality setting in, as just three days after returning home, we bought our first home—but the trip continues to stay with us, a reminder of the intentional time we gave each other at the very beginning of our marriage.