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Love on Safari (2018)
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Kira! Where have you been? I had to run some errands during lunch. My vacation is in... ...three days, remember? - Right! Scottsdale! Exciting! But I need you to help me QA the interactive shark- diving feature... ...for the new travel site. Vicky, I cannot believe you got in the water with sharks! It's not like I was petting them or anything. There was a cage. There is not a cage big enough that... ...can make me even consider doing that. You sit safely in your chair and experience it online! Help me, please. Don't you have a bazillion Twitter followers? Can't you get them to beta-test it for you? I did, but it involves them having to read... ...more than 280 characters at a time, so... How do you have so many followers, anyway? I do things like get in the water with sharks. Listen, I'm sorry. I just can't. I have to finish my own websites. The more work I get done here, the less I have to do on vacation. You're going to Scottsdale. What else are you gonna do? I'm gonna golf, and I'm gonna go the spa, and I'm gonna hike! You don't hike. I might, if the trails are clearly marked. Kira, shark diving isn't for everyone. It's OK to like things to be safe and dependable. - You mean boring and bland. - I didn't say that! Look, it's your boyfriend, Brad from accounting. Whoa! Sorry! It's like a jungle in here. I can't understand how you get anything done. - It's fun and creative! - It's loud. It's nice and quiet up in accounting. I'm just saying. I think it's better for the company... ...If I stay as far away from the books as possible. - You're good with numbers. - Me? Chequing account, savings account, a 401K. That's as complex as I can get... ...which is why I'm dating an accountant. - You got your errands done or... - I did! Three days until vacation. You know what? I could use a coffee. Yeah. I wish I could come with you. Just don't get so enamoured with... ...Scottsdale that you don't come home. There's gonna be a wonderful birthday surprise waiting for you. I brought your mail. - Thanks. - Wow! This one's from South Africa! - Yeah, it's Ukuthula... ...the wildlife reserve my Great-Uncle Irving owns. I went there as a kid. That's where I fell in love with elephants. Oh no... - What? - Uncle Irv passed away. - I'm sorry. He was always so nice to me as a kid. I haven't seen him in years. I think the last time I heard from him was when my dad passed. But it says they've been trying to find me for a couple months. - Why? - Apparently he left... ...a portion of his estate to me. But I have to be present at the reading of the will to claim it. Well, that's crazy. You can't go to South Africa. Well, of course I can't go to South Africa. Oh, look, Tom's back. Where were you? I just replaced a dozen fence posts. Well, that's a dozen less that needs replacing. We shall deem that as progress. Lwazi, we're playing a dangerous game here. The entire fence needs to be replaced. Well, not the entire fence, if you just did 12 posts. - Ally, you're not helping. - I wasn't trying to. Don't you have some guests to take on a safari tour? Not for another hour. Besides, if I want them to see animals in the wild... ...I could just bring them up here and let them watch the two of you! Yeah! Cute! We're not done talking about this. Did you call the lawyers again? - Yes, I did. - And what did they say? That until they settle the details of Irving's estate... ...we must tighten our belts. They've been saying that for months. Our belts are so tight, we can't even breathe. Perhaps we are eating too much. If only the lawyers would listen to me, then I could fix this. - Here we go. - What? You're doing that thing again... ...where you think that you can fix everything by yourself. I just fixed a dozen fence posts by myself. And we appreciate your passion for Ukuthula. Don't act like you don't get passionate about this place too. No, it's just more subtle. Your eyebrow arches up really high, and it does that thi... - What, you're not coming? - Oh no! No, you like doing things by yourself. You are not gonna win this round. All right, are you just humouring me... because of the job offer in the States? Lwazi, I told you I'm not taking it. But if you do, you will leave with our hearty felicitations... ...and best wishes for continued success. Yes, and thank you for that, but... What is Artie Warrington doing here? - On a tour. - A tour? Wh-why? Oh, well, the lawyers arranged it. Lwazi, his family owns tacky resorts. These are tourist traps... ...that are about as far away from authentic as one can get. The lawyers aren't thinking of selling to him, are they? Well, it's not up to us. Good night. I can't believe you're going to Africa. To be honest with you, neither can I. You don't even know what your uncle left you! His attorney said that it was something significant... ...but he couldn't say more until after the reading of the will. - Hi! - Thank you. - Significant? What does that mean? - I don't know. You know, the only thing I could think of... ...he had this collection of antique safari whistles... ...that I used to play with. Maybe it's that. You're going all the way to Africa for whistles. - What, is that crazy? Am I crazy? - Definitely. God, I just feel like I... feel like I have to do this. - OK! - I owe it to Uncle Irv to be there. - Stay safe. - Oh, you know me, Brad. I keep my feet firmly planted on the ground. So, who are we picking up again? It's Irving's great niece from Chicago. She's coming in for the reading of the will. All Lwazi really said was that she's a VIP and we should be nice. - Oh, and she still sent you? - I am a joy to be around always. Wait. You don't think she's the new owner, do you? What? No. Who else? I didn't think he had any family. Well, that's my point. I mean, Irv's never mentioned her, and she's never even visited. True, but if she's coming in for the reading of the will... Irving would never leave this place... ...to somebody who didn't love it as much as he did. Somebody who belonged here. What makes you think she doesn't belong here? Just a hunch. - Hi! - Hi there! You must be Kira. Hi! I'm Tom Anderson, head ranger for Ukuthula. Ally Botsford, also a ranger. It is so nice to meet you! It's hot here! Yeah. How was your flight in? I have never been so happy to be on the ground in my whole entire life. - Not a big fan of small planes? - Are my fingernail marks... ...in the back of the pilot's arm a giveaway? Is there no other way to get here? We used to offer elephant rides from... ...Jo-Burg, but it wasn't cost-effective. Oh, really? No! We'd never exploit the animals in such a way... He was joking. He's just not very funny. - Why don't we get you to the lodge? - Great. - That'd be great. - You know, I would just love... ...to stop and freshen up first. Where... where is the airport? Yeah, we had to get rid of that, too... ...when we nixed the elephant rides. Kira, why don't you just get in that truck right over there... ...and we'll grab your luggage, OK? - OK. - OK. - Told you she didn't belong here. - - I thought you were gonna be nice! It was me being nice. You think Irv's gonna leave the reserve to someone like this? - Thank you! - Reception's just up the path. OK! Wow! Kira! Welcome! - I'm Lwazi. - Hi! Look at you! You are grown into a beautiful woman. And you probably don't even remember me. Of course I remember you! You used to sneak me extra cookies in the dining room. Don't tell these two. They'll want me to sneak them extra cookies! You must be thirsty. Everyone, please come in. We have fresh iced tea. I can't. I have my last group of the day to guide. And by group, I mean Mr. and Mrs. Bagwell. - Thank you so much for the lift. - Of course! My pleasure. I'll see you back at the rangers office? - Yes, ma'am. - OK. - Here, I'll take those. - No, no! It's OK. I got it. Why don't you go inside? Wouldn't want you to get overheated. I'll be fine. Really, I can take my own luggage. I'm sure you can. But we check for spiders before we bring the bags in. - Spiders? - Yeah, big ones! They're all over the path, too, so... He was a good man. Yeah, I have very, very fond memories. I just wish I had gotten to know him better. Did you know him well? Yeah! Been here for almost 10 years. He was quite the character. He loved this place. I remember. So, who owns it now? - We don't know. We've been dealing with lawyers ever since he passed. They're still trying to sort it out. Must make managing things here a little challenging. It does. But the end result is always worth it. Thank you. Even with the spiders? Even with the spiders. Well, why don't we get you settled in your room? Tonight we'll have dinner in the boma... ...then tomorrow morning, we'll meet with the lawyer. That sounds great. Thank you. - Jason will show you to your room. - Great! - See you later. - Bye! Wow! - Thank you so much. - It's a pleasure. OK. There's a giraffe in my room. Hey, Kira! So? Did you get out to explore the grounds much? Not really, but the grounds kind of came in to explore me. - OK. How do you mean? - There was a giraffe. Right. No, no, no. They do that. But rest assured, they're very friendly. I'm sure they are, but I just really... ...didn't expect one to be in my room. - Beautiful, though, huh? - So beautiful. It's magical to see them roaming free on the Savanna. Tell you what, I'll take you out tomorrow... ...get you to experience more. - I'd love that. You know, I wanted to ask you... It seems very quiet, like there aren't a lot of guests. Is that normal this time of year? Well, admittedly, we're lighter than usual. You see, we rely on European tourists for the most part... ...and the euro's really low right now... ...so it's a lot harder for them to travel. Kira, please feel free to ignore everything this man says. I usually do. - Hey! Good to know! Wonderful! Everyone is here! Kira, you haven't met S'bu. He manages the food and beverage program here at Ukuthula. So I guess I better stay on your good side if I wanna eat, right? Tom has not been on my good side for years... ...but I still feed him. OK, it's like that? What is it, "pick on Tom" night? It's always "pick on Tom" night. It's better than charades. For you. Everyone, I'm reminded of an old African proverb. You should return to old watering holes for more than water. Friends and dreams are there to meet you. - Cheers! - Cheers! Everything was so good. I don't think I'll be hungry again for a week. Wait till you see the Savanna breakfast tomorrow morning. I guarantee it'll spark your appetite. Hopefully Uncle Irv left me a wheelbarrow... ...so you guys will have something to haul me off in... ...after I gain 100 pounds. That's why it's called a vacation. - Good night, Kira. - Good night. Good night! That was such a good dinner. I guess we did well. That's just my opinion. Thank you. - Here you go. - Thank you. Oh wow! This is just... ...really just incredible. Do you... do you do this for all of your guests? This is what Irving wanted for the reading of his will. Kira, this is Glen Wood, one of Ukuthula's lawyers. Ms. Slater, I believe we spoke on the phone. - Yeah, it's so nice to meet you. - Yes, and you know Tom and Ally. - Absolutely. Hi. - Hi. Hi. Hi. - OK, well, should we start? - Certainly, please! - Great! - Yeah! - Where should I sit? - Ms. Slater... ...would take the head of the table? - Really? - Yeah! OK! Thank you. OK! Well, we have a number of items to get through... ...some personal treasures that... ...Irving has left to specific people... like his coin collection and his antique safari whistles. But I think, first of all, I must talk about... ...the proverbial elephant in the room. He wanted Ukuthula to be cared for... ...the way he did throughout his life. And he felt that the only way that this could truly happen... ...was for it to stay in the family. So he's granted full ownership of the reserve... ...to his nearest living relative... ...Kira Slater. I'm sorry, what? - A toast. - Yes! - To Kira. - To Kira. I really should've gone to Scottsdale. So, he left me this? All this? I know this is a surprise. What? No. A surprise is like balloons... ...and people with noisemakers. A surprise is not a wildlife reserve in Africa! I mean, are you sure he didn't leave anything else... ...you know, like, I don't know, maybe just the Serengeti... ...or, you know, The Sphinx, maybe? 'Cause, really, I came here, I thought I was expecting whistles. You came all the way to Africa for whistles? Actually, the whistles were left to Tom. Ms. Slater, we anticipated that this might be... ...shall I say, not in your area of expertise. Yeah, it's... it's way out. Yeah, well, we understand that this is a big responsibility. But should you wish to sell, then... - What is... what is this? - It's an offer to buy it. - Wait, to buy it? - Who is this offer from? It's from a very reputable, family-owned company. It's not Artie Warrington, is it? - Wait, who? - Who... who's that? Warrington group is a successful resort company. They cater to the lowest common denominator. Right. All of their properties are the same. They have no personality. I mean, Ukuthula's special. Perhaps we should all sit and enjoy our breakfast... ...and talk about this calmly. I'm sure it will be fine. Not if Ukuthula's sold to Artie Warrington. Kira, you don't have to do this. I mean, surely there's somebody else who's willing to buy Ukuthula. All right, I'll find somebody else to buy. I'm afraid there's not. This is the only offer. Well, then, she'll just have to keep it! - Keep it? - Yeah. Keep it? I... Keep it? That's really funny, 'cause you know what? I actually rent my apartment, and I lease my car. I don't own anything. I can't... I can't own an African reserve. Would you like me to initiate the sale? Don't worry. Everything will be all right. I can't believe they're gonna sell Ukuthula to Warrington. - I'm surprised it matters to you. - Ally! It's me! I love this place. OK, well, then why are you still considering that job in the States? - I'm not. - You haven't told them no. Well, they gave me a few weeks to decide. I figured with all the upheaval around here, it would... You thought it would be good to have options. Yeah, which we seem to be out of. We need to find somebody fast... ...who appreciates Ukuthula for what it already is. I agree, but I'm not the one who needs convincing. The lawyers will listen to me. The lawyers don't own Ukuthula, Tom. Kira does. Well, then we need to find a way to convince her not to sell. I think I can do that. Unless you decide that job in the States is a better idea. Whether I stay or not... ...I'm not gonna let Ukuthula go to Warrington. OK. Then the question is how do you make Kira want that too? I make her fall in love. Yeah, with the reserve. Call it a charm offensive, huh? Wouldn't that require you to be charming? He left you everything? Yes! I mean, this... this whole thing is just crazy! Look, the good news is that the lawyers have lined up a buyer... ...so all you have to do is hand over the keys. Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I guess so. What do you mean, you guess so? Well, it's just one of the guys here... ...didn't exactly have the nicest things to say about the buyer. That's not your problem. No, I know, but I still don't want anything bad to happen to it. I mean, it's... it's beautiful here! Did you at least look at the offer? I did. They actually want me to meet with the buyer tomorrow. I'm sorry. I'm just in a little shock right now. Scan it and email it to me. I'll let you know if it makes any sense. OK, thank you, Brad. The sooner you get rid of this... ...the sooner you can come home to your fantastic surprise. What, did you buy me the Lincoln Park Zoo? Rats! How did you guess? - Bye! - Bye. Yet another thing you think you can fix by yourself. Why don't you call a mechanic? 'Cause I don't need a mechanic, thank you very... What are you... Try it now. OK. Oh, it works! I fixed it! - Oh, you fixed it? - I did fix it. See, it wasn't working when I came over here, and now it is. So cause and effect. That's not science. That's not how it works. Hey, Kira! Good... It's still morning. Good morning. So sorry I slept so late. I just... Man, I'm so jetlagged! That's OK. It happens to best of us. Right, Tom? Now's your chance to be charming. - Yeah! Jetlag, it's the worst. - Yeah. That was great. So, Kira, what's on the agenda for today? Well, the lawyers want me to meet... ...with Artie Warrington this afternoon. I was just hoping there's some way to... ...get there that doesn't involve a plane. We can arrange for transportation for you. It should take you about an hour to get in. - OK, thanks! - Yeah, no problem. Hey, are you hungry? To be honest with you, I am famished! OK, perfect, because Tom actually has... ...a really nice lunch planned for you two. You do? - I do. - Yeah! He was gonna run to the kitchen and grab some supplies and take you to the most scenic part of the reserve, Rock Lodge. Rock Lodge! Seriously, you don't wanna miss it. It is beautiful. - That... that sounds great! OK, I'll just grab a hat. Cool! See you back here in, like, 10? - Perfect. - OK. Awesome! What was that? Hey! Just remember to be charming. Sorry about that. The roads here are pretty bumpy. - That's OK. You obviously haven't driven on a Chicago street lately. No, I haven't. - Why are we stopping here? - You'll see! - Welcome to Rock Lodge! - Wow! This is just... Just wow! I'm sorry. I know I keep saying that a lot, but... That's OK. Pretty wow-worthy. So, listen, I wanted to talk to you about selling the reserve. OK. I was wondering if, you know, maybe you wouldn't! - Wouldn't sell it? - Yeah. And what would I do with it? Keep it? Why not? Because I'm a web designer... ...with a job and life and a boyfriend in Chicago. I can't run Ukuthula. Right, but you don't have to. Lwazi and I can take care of the day-to-day. Yeah, but there's everything else! I mean, it needs a new marketing campaign... ...the website needs a total overhaul... ...there's everything that needs to be fixed... ...you've been talking about... ...and I don't have the money for that. Unless you want me to start up... ...the elephant rides from the airport again. - I know it would be a risk. - No, it would be insanity! My uncle was the risk-taker, not me. Everybody needs a little bit of adventure in their lives. No, everyone needs a little stability. I don't need to be worried about whether or not... ...I have enough money for, you know, giraffe chow. Giraffes eat leaves! Plenty of leaves! See, I didn't know! I don't know what giraffes eat! But if you put a bit of time in, I'll teach you. I know Ukuthula's important to you. And this is... I mean, this is my uncle's life's work... ...so it makes it incredibly hard, but... Keeping it is just not a realistic option. I think we should probably just go back to the lodge. - I didn't mean to... - It's OK. Let's just go back. OK, you've gotta be kidding me. I'll just radio back to base and have someone come get us. Tom to base. Come in, base. Tom to base. Come in, base. Mountains around here sometimes interfere with the signal. Tom to base. Come in, base. And I'm assuming that walking back isn't an option... ...because of the hungry animals? There's no need to panic. We'll follow procedures. It's only a matter of time... ...before they realize we're missing... and send someone to come and get us. OK. And how... how long will that be? A few hours, hopefully. All right! OK, just a few hours. So, what should we do in the meantime? Wanna play a game of I Spy? Maybe we should just go back up there. Yeah, I'm gonna go back up. - You're a website designer? - I'm not giving you a cookie. - I don't want a cookie. - Yeah, you do. They are really delicious. I was just making conversation! - Yes, I'm a web designer. - Well, that's interesting. Do you like your job, designing all these websites? I do, but I make marketing websites for big corporations. And it's just not very exciting. I wanna find my own thing... ...and just find that thing that I'm passionate about. I think we're all trying to find that. I'm pretty sure you found yours. Yeah. Maybe I get a little too passionate sometimes. So, how did you end up here from... Where you from again? - Kansas. I grew up on a farm, so it's logical. I've always loved animals. Not a lot of lions on a farm. No, but those cows, let me tell you, can be pretty vicious. I studied zoology and got lucky. They recruited me to come straight out here. So, now I get to take care of real lions... ...and elephants and giraffes. Oh, elephants! Oh, the elephants. You know, I only came here a couple times when I was a kid... ...but, man, the elephants just... There was this one, I... What was her name? I think it was Kimba. Yeah. Circus rescue? Yeah, she's still here. - No way! Really? - Yes! I can take you out to see her if you like. - I... - On... on one condition. - And what's that? - It involves cookies. Thank you. I said have a cookie. Miss Lwazi to Ally. Hey, this is Ally! Have you seen Tom? No, not since he and Kira went to lunch. They're not back yet? - I haven't seen them. OK, well, they were heading to Rock Lodge. I know the reception isn't great up there. - Why was he taking her there? - I don't know. It's scenic? I am heading back with the Harrises now. I'll drive up there and just make sure everything's OK. Irving was a great man, truly. He was full of life and energy. But understandably, as his health started to fail... ...he simply couldn't make... ...the necessary investments in Ukuthula. So that alone has made my job a lot more difficult. Sorry to hear that. You know, when I was a kid, this place was... - How old were you? - The first time? The first time, I was maybe 5 or 6. The last time, I was 14 or so. He just always made this place seem so magical. Well, it is. How come you didn't come back any sooner? My mom passed away, and my dad and I moved around a lot. - I'm sorry. - Thanks. Yeah, just after moving from place to place so much... ...it kind of felt nice to just stay still, you know? - There's nothing wrong with that. - Yeah. Although, if you had stayed still... ...you probably wouldn't be seeing a sunset quite like this. I just... It's just... I just... You can say "wow". Thank you. - Wow! - Yeah, wow! So, you have a boyfriend in Chicago? I do! Yeah, I do. His name's Brad. He's... he's great. - Great, great. - Yeah. And you... - Hello? - You... Ally! Took you long enough to figure out we were missing! - Missing? - Yeah! You're so dramatic. You'd think he got carried off by gorillas. I could've been. Actually, would you guys mind if we stayed... ...and watched the rest of the sunset? No. It's definitely not subtle. Yeah, Warrington doesn't exactly do subtle. Listen, thank you for driving me all the way into Johannesburg... ...especially since it's to meet with the guy... ...who wants to buy the reserve. Hey, today, I'm just your driver, your no-pressure driver. Well, thank you. - Kira! - Yeah? Just because the water's calm doesn't... ...mean there are no crocodiles. It's an African proverb. - Did you get that from Lwazi? - No! It's an original! Lwazi makes hers up to win arguments. - Just be careful. - OK. Ms. Slater! Welcome to the Warrington Johannesburg! I'm Artie Warrington. - Hi! It's Kira. What can I get you to drink? You know, an iced tea would be great. Two iced teas. You enjoying your visit to South Africa? Yes. It's... it's beautiful here. Thanks, we're very proud of it. Please, join me. So, I wanna know more about you. What was it like finding out Irving left Ukuthula to you? Shock and total disbelief and, you know, just a little bit of panic. Yeah, I can imagine. Did you know Irving well? Not really. It had actually been years since I had seen him or spoken to him. Irving was a great man. Didn't have much of a head for business. - Madam. - Years ago, when my father... ...ran Warrington Resorts, he tried to step to help. I did as well, but Irving was proud. - Help how? - To buy the place. To invest the kind of capital it needed to thrive. We have the resources to do that. So, I'm presuming you've reviewed my offer. Yes, of course. I just wanna make sure that it's... it's in Ukuthula's best interest... ...you know, that it's not just another hotel. Kira, I know my family has this reputation... ...of putting the bottom line above everything else... ...but I understand what makes Ukuthula special... ...and I wanna keep it that way. That's great. I'm sure everything will be fine... ...but I do have to go over the offer with the lawyers... ...and everyone back at the reserve. Of course. I totally understand. Take all the time you need. Great! - Hey! - Hey! So? How'd it go? The waters were... very calm. Listen, I really didn't mean to overstep if I did... ...or to try to colour your opinion. Of course you did. It's OK, though. I appreciate it. I just wish there was something more I could do. Do you mind if we take a detour on the way back to the reserve? Are you gonna strand us out in the middle of nowhere again? 'Cause I didn't bring any cookies. It's so beautiful. As you remember when you were a kid? Everything looks so different. The village, it's so different now! Probably so years, much has changed. Did you say I was old? I didn't say that! This place is an important part of Ukuthula too, you know. - Really? - Yeah. A lot of our staff lives here. We, do our best to try to help support them... ...but it's tough now for any of the villages... ...that aren't partnered with reserves. Partnered how? Well, it's common nowadays for a village... ...to actually own part of a reserve. They get invested in protecting the land and the animals. It swells into a sense of pride for the entire village. That's incredible! It also opens the door to government... ...assistance and tax breaks. Wow! Amazing. Where's that beautiful singing coming from? - The school Uncle Irv built. - Really? He knew those children were the future for Ukuthula. OK, so, I had some time to look at the offer... ...from a numbers perspective... ...and I think it's pretty solid. And that's what the lawyers think too. Did you have a chance to go through it? I read most of it. I've just been so busy. We went to this Zulu village yesterday. It was amazing. And we saw these beautiful children... ...from the school my uncle built. - That's nice. - Then there was the website. - What website? - Ukuthula's website. I'm redesigning it. You said you weren't gonna work while you were there. Yeah, I know, but inspiration struck... ...and I just had to go with it. Ukuthula inspired you? Brad, it is just incredible here. - Kira! - Sorry! Coming! I gotta go 'cause we're about to go see elephants. I'll talk to you later. Bye. Bye. They are just... - This is just... - Back to "wow" again? Uh, no, "wow" doesn't even cover it. - Wait, which one is Kimba? - Don't see her yet. See, sometimes she stays back with the rest of the herd. She's the matriarch now. - Kimba's the matriarch? Yeah! You sound surprised. When I was here, she was still being socialized into the herd. I actually fed her one time. - No way! - Yeah! I was this tiny... ...10-year-old and, I mean, she blocked out the sun. And, yep, I marched right up to her, and she was just so gentle. I wonder if she'd remember me. Well, you know, they say an elephant never forgets. It's hard to believe that only 100 years ago... ...there were 3 million elephants roaming Africa. Now, there's fewer than half a million left. Kimba's calf could live to be 70... ...because she was lucky enough to be born... ...at a place like Ukuthula. That's why this place is so important... ...I mean, not just for Kimba and her family... ...but for all of the animals. I think everyone should see this. - Yeah, hopefully everyone will. A little too passionate again, huh? No. Never. - Good afternoon, you two! - Hi, Ally! Look John. Ally. She thinks I'm not paying attention. Honey. We've been married for thirty years. Of course I know you don't pay attention. I'm your ranger for this afternoon's drive... ...so when you're finished lunch, we can head out. We can't wait. We are so excited! Aren't we, John? - Yeah, we'd be more excited... ...if we get to see lions today. You might be in luck! I heard from one of the other rangers, and they've spotted them. - Really? - Big ones. - How big? - With full manes and big teeth. Don't get me started on the teeth. - I'll get the camera. Guys always love lions! Big TVs, sports, lions. That's all you need. You're right, I think. - Hey! How were the elephants? - I wanna take one home! Well, that is generally frowned upon. I figured. Plus they probably wouldn't fit in my carry - on. No. I have an idea! Why don't you come out with us on our game drive? - Yeah! - I would love that! But is that OK with Mrs. Bagwell? - Please call me Evelyn. Of course! The more the merrier! Great! Tom? I have some work to finish up, so probably shouldn't. You wouldn't wanna come anyways. We're just going to see the lions. Do not leave without me. See what I mean? Lions. Whoo! OK! Those are African wild dogs. They're also called painted wolves... ...because of the colouring of their coats. Wow, they are so beautiful! - And their ears are so round! - I know! There are less than 4,000 of these left on the continent. - Yeah. - Wow! You hear that little squeaking noise? That's their bark. - Really? - Yeah. All right, I know they're adorable... ...but what do you say we go find those lions? - Yep! - Yeah, let's do that. Yeah? OK! Bye, puppies! Hey! Over there! It's a lion! There's more over there too. They're just so magnificent, aren't they? You sure it's OK that we're this close to them? Of course! Yeah. No, they're really chill. They tend to hunt at night. So we're fine. Just stay in the vehicle... ...and don't make any loud noises or sudden movements, OK? There's nothing to worry about, folks, OK? We're not even on their food chain. It's incredible! - Never gets old. - No. There's nothing like seeing them in real life. Oh yeah. That's the life! That's you on a Saturday afternoon, John. Hey, are they endangered? Well, they're certainly at risk. Unfortunately, the lion population here in Africa... ...has fallen by almost half since the '90s. - Almost half? - Indeed. That's a lot! Look at his mane! Yeah! Pretty crazy, isn't it? - They're just enormous! - I know. Thank you. Tom, those lions were a great sight! Incredible! You know their canines can grow up to 4 inches? Think about that. That's 8 inches in total. A walking Wikipedia page. I really should get him a T - shirt that says that. It's good being so invested in something. Yeah, I just wish he'd stop thinking... ...he could do everything by himself. It's why I think the job in the States might be good for him. - What job? - He got... ...an offer to head up a wildlife conservation group. They're based out of New York, so... - Really? Is he gonna take it? - He says he's not. I can't see him ever leaving Ukuthula, but... But if Warrington buys it... Sorry. I really didn't mean to bring that up. It's OK. Listen, I know selling the reserve is a big deal. I understand. Listen, I'm not going anywhere. They couldn't pry me off this land. - You wouldn't go with Tom? - No. No, why would I? Well, I just thought since you guys are... Well, you know, because you and he are... You're... Oh no. No, no, no! No, Tom is my brother. Well, my stepbrother, actually. His mom married my dad when we were really little. - I am so sorry! - It's OK! It's so embarrassing! I'm sorry. What about you? Do you have a boyfriend? I do! Yeah, Brad. He's just... He's great. He's dependable, and he's just great. - That's great! - Yeah. Should we head in? OK! - Hey! - Hey! - That's not work, is it? - Sort of. Sorry, I should've asked. Do you want one? Cheers! Great minds! - May I? - Of course! So, what you working on? Well, I'm just kind of playing around with the Ukuthula website. Can I see? I'll show you if you just promise to keep in mind... ...that this is a work in progress. Those zebras I was telling you about? Honestly, they use the Internet more than I do. Fine! Here you go. So, see, it would have reservations... ...and then people could also browse the tours and excursions... ...and book things ahead of time. And I was thinking... ...that if you set up cameras around the reserve... ...people could just look at the lion cam... ...or the elephant cam or... It's hard to believe that only 100 years ago... ...there were over 3 million elephants roaming Africa. And now there's fewer than half a million left. Kira, I'm blown away. This is brilliant! You did all of this in a couple of days? Yeah, well, it's not actually hooked up to anything yet... ...but I was hoping... ...that maybe Artie Warrington would let me consult, you know? I mean, I could run the site from Chicago. Of course! I'm speechless. Best leave you to it. Hey, Tom... Good night. Good night, Kira. Good evening, Kira. I'm leaving soon. But I wanted to let you know... ...that a staff member is on standby... ...to get you whatever you may need tonight. Lwazi, you don't have to keep doing that. - Doing what? - Treating me like royalty. Really, I have a feeling it has something to do... ...with the sale of the reserve. We simply want you to experience everything Ukuthula has to offer. And I appreciate it so much, but... But you know I can't keep it, right? I'd be so lost here. There's a proverb. "To get lost is to learn the way". You know, Tom thinks that you just make these up to win arguments. And it works every time! You and him and, really, everyone that works here... ...it's like one big family. Oh yes, it is! You know, when I came here, I was very young. I was a housekeeper! And that's not what I had planned! - What did you want to be? - A singer! Wait, I remember you used to sing to get me to go to bed. Wait, what... what was the song? Yeah. - You have a pretty voice. - Thank you. You know, if I had been a singer... ...I may not have met my husband... ...or had my children or my grandchildren. I wouldn't have this family I have here. So no regrets. And my point is... ...sometimes the universe shows us the way... ...even though we don't know we're looking. Another proverb? Well, I just made up that one. Well, good night, Kira. Lwazi. Good night. Thank you. - Love you. - You too. I think I might melt my phone from all the photos I'm taking. - Wait, is it your birthday? - No, it's the day after tomorrow. This is my friend Vicky from work. She likes to stretch birthdays out into an event... ...and tweet about it to the entire world. OK, well, we need to have a party. - We don't need to have a party, no. - Why not? Because I don't want you to go through the trouble and I'm not 6. Well, excuse you! Everybody needs to have a party. I promise you, I will keep it very dignified. What colour blindfolds would you... ...like for Pin the Tail on the Donkey? - There you are! - Hey! - Come on, you have to see this. - What is it? - Just come on! - OK! That one right there, that's Kimba and her calf. Kimba's baby! - Hey, Kira! - What? And... Perfect! I just... Thank you. Wow! - Thank you! - For what? For what? What do you mean, for what? For elephants, for, those baby elephants! Kimba did all the hard work there. Yeah, she did. It's true. I wouldn't have seen that if it weren't for you! I wouldn't have seen any of this. Just... Thank you! - You're welcome. - Kira, I... - Kira! - Brad! Surprise! It's so hot here. Please, please tell me all the rooms have air-conditioning. I just can't believe you're here! Well, it's part of your birthday surprise! See, I was gonna fly to Scottsdale, but... But you just hopped on a plane instead to Africa? You did. Why can't I? Aren't you happy to see me? - Of course! - Yeah, I'm... I'm just... Surprised? See, that's the whole idea. I also figured you might need some help with the sale. - Sale? - Of the reserve. You see, the last time we spoke... ...you seemed a bit, I don't know... ...confused about what to do with this place. I wouldn't say "confused," really. Maybe conflicted. But I know I have no choice. I mean, I can't keep it. - Have you signed the deal? - Not yet. Why not? What are you waiting for? I wanna make sure it's the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do! Trust me, I'm Spreadsheet Guy. Remember? - Yeah. It's, like, a billion degrees out here. How can you stand it? You know, I think I've just gotten used to it. Brad, this place, it just... It has a way of just changing your whole way of looking at things. You know what, we'll go on an excursion tomorrow... ...and you'll see what I'm talking about. You're gonna love it here. I promise. - You all right, there, Brad? - Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a bit, you know... It's hot. How much further do we have to go? About 4 hours. I mean, is it safe to walk around like this? This is the middle of the jungle. Yes! Everything's gonna be fine. Follow me. OK, seriously, how much further do we have to go? - See those rocks? - Yeah. That's the end. I promise it'll be worth it when you see this view. Well, you know, if nothing else... ...I'm getting in all my steps for the day. You should be getting extra, considering... ...you're climbing a hill in Africa. I wonder... Is there a setting for that? Brad! Brad! Look at this! I mean... ...can you imagine waking up to this view every day? We walked all the way from there. Yeah, that's... that's quite a hike. It's beautiful... ...but, you know, so is Chicago on a summer morning. Brad! Look, there's a giraffe! Yeah, we've seen 'em at the zoo. No, it's so much more magical seeing them roaming free. Hey, careful, Kira. You're starting to sound like Tom! It's beautiful, I guess. It's breathtaking. - Hey, you! - Hey! - Did you have fun today? - Yeah! Yeah, I can see why you like it here. But I... I gotta admit... ...I can't wait to get back to civilization. Is that the Warrington offer? - It is. I just was wanting to look at it one more time. It's a good offer. The lawyers think so too. I know they do, Brad, but I have to make sure... ...that Ukuthula's being protected. The animals and the people and... - I get it. I tell you what, why don't I look at it one more time? OK. I mean, if that's what you wanna do, great. Thanks. - Of course. I've got a conference call with Chicago now... ...so I'll look at it when I'm done? Yeah, thank you. What are you doing? Nothing. - I'm just... - Nothing. OK. Would you just go talk to her? - About what? Tom, I've seen the way that you look at her. The other day your smile was so big... ...I thought your face was gonna break. Well, it was a happy moment! There was a baby elephant and... Just go talk to her. She has a boyfriend, Ally. And he's here. Yeah. I didn't say challenge him to a duel... ...and carry her off on your shoulder. Just go talk to her! - Hey! - Hey! Where's Brad? He's in his room, trying to stay cool. I guess it is pretty warm. I don't even notice it anymore. Yeah, me neither. I get the feeling he doesn't like it here very much. It's just different. He'll be OK. I gotta say, it was nice for him to travel all this way. I don't think I have anyone... ...who'd come halfway across the world for me. Really? There's nobody special in your life? Well, I have the animals. But I'm here pretty much all the time, right... ...so it doesn't leave a lot of room for a social life. Is that something you want? Yeah! I mean, I'm not exactly... ...the white-picket fence kind of guy, but... Yeah. They don't exactly hold back elephants. No. But, you know, marriage, kids... ...happily ever after... - Yeah? - Of course I want that. I just need it with someone who loves this place as much as I do. This is just... This has been a weird week. Well, I guess the question is has it been weird-good or weird-bad? Definitely weird-good. I never thought I'd go this far out of my comfort zone. I don't think you're necessarily outside of it. I think maybe you've just made it bigger. Maybe. I guess, now when you get back to Chicago... ...you can sign up for sky-diving lessons or something, right? No! No way, skydiving! Excuse me, could you tell me... ...how I might be able to get to Johannesburg, please? Not a problem. This way. Mr. Wilson! Thanks for your call. This is nice. "Exceptional" is the Warrington brand. So, you're here representing Kira Slater. Yes. I'm her financial advisor. And what's your advice? To get this deal closed as soon as possible. That is good to hear. I was getting concerned that we weren't moving forward. No, no. We're definitely moving forward. Kira just wants to add a few conditions. What sort of conditions? Some negotiating points to do with continuing... ...to care for the wildlife and the land. - That sort of thing. - Look, trust me. Here at Warrington's, we're all about... ...preserving the wilderness experience. Well, then... I guess we're good to go. Come, I'll show you around. Great! Hi there! Where have you been? I was looking for you earlier. I was planning a surprise for your birthday. - You don't have to do... - I know, but I did anyway. Trust me, you're gonna love it. I don't know about you, but I am starving. Me too. Let's go see what S'bu's got cooked up for dinner. All right! Good morning, Kira! Happy birthday! Thank you! - Can I talk to you for a second? - Sure! Lwazi, I've been thinking about what you said... ...about how the people here are one big family. It's so obvious this is more than just a job. Ukuthula's like a home. - It is in many ways. So, what if I sell it to you, and to all the employees? That way you and Tom and Ally, you can make sure it doesn't change. That's a very kind thought, but I don't know how that would work. Even if everyone pooled our resources, we wouldn't have enough. I'll sell it to you for a dollar. I'll give it to you. That is remarkably generous. But running a reserve is expensive. That's why I couldn't do it myself. That's why, we just need someone with deep pockets... ...someone like Artie Warrington. Hey, there you are! Happy birthday! - Thank you! Have you seen Tom? - Tom? No. Why? It's a long story, but I might have to take care of something. Are you gonna be OK by yourself? I thought we were gonna spend your birthday together. We are. We will. It's just this is really important. Not as important as the birthday surprise I planned. I can't wait to find out what it is. But I have to take care of this. I'll be back soon. Kira, wait! I don't know what's going on with you since you got here, OK... Brad, this about saving Ukuthula. Until last week, you hadn't thought about this place in decades. I mean, what's so important now? I loved this place when I was a kid. I loved how it made me feel... ...just free and empowered... ...and like I was a part of something bigger than myself. And all that's come rushing back and I... I just can't let it go without a fight. I'll hurry. Kira! What are you doing here? I wanna find a way to save Ukuthula. You wanna find a way to save Ukuthula? I was gonna wish you a happy birthday... ...but we could talk about your thing. I own Ukuthula. It's incredibly strange for me to say that, but it's true. So, it's my responsibility... ...to make sure nothing bad happens to it. It's what my Uncle Irv would've wanted. - So, you wanna keep it? - I wanna keep it in the family. Tom, I wanna protect it. Right. Because keeping it would be... It'd be crazy and impossible. And, I mean, even if I had the money to keep it going... ...what am I gonna do? Am I really gonna give up my entire life... ...to move to Africa to run a wildlife reserve? - Why not? - Because it's crazy. It's... It's... We need to go to Johannesburg. OK! Kira! I wasn't expecting you! And Tom Anderson. I certainly wasn't expecting you. - How you doing, Artie? - It depends on what... ...the two of you are doing here. You ganging up on me? - No, it's nothing like that. Kira's got a proposal she'd like you to hear. Please join me. Last time we spoke... ...you said that you understood just how special Ukuthula is... ...and how you wanna protect that. - Absolutely. Of course, we need to make some changes... ...to fit into the Warrington brand... ...but I'm confident we can strike a balance... ...between progress and preservation. That's great to hear, because what I wanna suggest is... ...instead of buying Ukuthula, why don't you invest in it? Become a partner with us, with me. Help us make Ukuthula the best it can possibly be. Not to sound selfish, but what do I get out of this arrangement? Well, we could put your logo on all the vehicles and in all the lodges. You'd be rebranding yourself as a corporation with a conscience. And what could be better than preserving... ...a threatened ecosystem like the Savanna? It's a great pitch! - So, you're interested. - In investing? No. But it's a great marketing angle for the project once we buy. Look, everyone knows Ukuthula's a sinking ship. That's why mine's the only offer on the table... ...because I'm the only one with a vision to see what it could be. So I'm giving you 2 days, till noon Saturday. Be here to sign the contract, or my offer's withdrawn. Artie. I'll sign it! - Kira, you do not need to sign. - What choice do we have? - But I'll need a revised offer. - Revised how? One that puts protections in place for the people and the animals. Your financial advisor already talked to me about that. I'm sorry. My financial advisor? Brad Wilson. He came to see me yesterday. I told him we don't need to put all of that in the contract... ...and he agreed. Look, you can trust me. Two days! Hey! There you are! Happy birthday! Thank you! Do you know where Brad is? I think he's in the boma for dinner. OK. What's going on? It's a long story, but she's not very happy with him right now. - Why "uh-oh"? - Come on! Happy birthday, Kira! That was so beautiful! Thank you so much! That was beautiful. Tom has something he wants to say. They say judge not your beauty... ...by the number of people who look at you... ...but rather by the number of people who smile at you. None of us know what'll happen tomorrow... ...but what we do know is that tonight... ...this boma is full of smiles because of you. Happy birthday, Kira. - Happy birthday, Kira! Thank you! You didn't need to do this. It was Irving's favourite. And it's Kimba's baby! Thank you! - Speech! - Yes! - Yes! - Speech! I'm not good at speeches. OK, I... I just... I guess I wanna say thank you, really, so much. Thank you for everything. You know, being here has been... Well, it's been life-changing. And it's not just because of the land and the animals... ...but it's... ...it's really because of the people. - So sweet! - Truly. So thank you. Hear, hear! OK! Now it's my turn. Open it. Kira Slater, will you marry me? Kira! Kira! What is going on? Brad, how could you go see Artie Warrington without telling me? You asked for my help. To review the contract, not negotiate it. You went behind my back. Kira, I'm sorry, OK? I was just trying to help. You know, we both know I'm better with the numbers. I'm Spreadsheet Guy! - I don't want Spreadsheet Guy! I want someone who respects me. We want the same things, OK? We wanna get married, have kids. We wanna have the nice house with the white picket fence. Right? Right. But I understand, OK? I completely get you didn't expect this... ...and there's been a lot of that this week. I mean, first your uncle, then Africa. You inherited a reserve! Yeah, it's been a lot. Maybe we should discuss this tomorrow. I just... I have a lot to think about. Kira... Listen. I'll join you in the dining room. Okay? Thanks. - Good morning. - Morning. How you doin? What do you call a feeling of desperation here? And not knowing what to do? Dandije Hantela. Really? Thanks. That felt good. So, What you do? Yeah. If I sign the deal, Warringron can ruin this place. But there is no wanting to buy another. If I don't sign the deal, I can't run this place. Kira. I'm not talking about Ukuthula. Brad. Did you say "yes"? Not yet. Right, it makes sense. - It's... Totally logical. - Yeah. Yeah. - I have to care with my guests. - Of course. Ally, here. I'm at the ranger station... ...right now, both eyes on hippos. Both eyes. - Roger that. Hey! Did you talk to Kira? Ally, just leave it alone. - Why are you acting like this? - Acting like what? Tom, you're the person who always wants to fix things. And you're the person who always tells me not to, so... Exactly, and you've never listened to me before... ...so why are you starting now? You like to fix things, Tom. So fix this! I don't know how. OK? I mean, Kira, the reserve, all of it. I've turned it over in my head a million times. I thought I could get her to fall in love with this place. And I think I did. But what I wasn't expecting was to... Was to fall in love with her. All I've done is make things more complicated. For everyone. - Hey, come here. Come here! It's gonna be OK. - Thanks, Sis. - Yeah, no problem. - You look like you could use this. - Thank you. It was an eventful evening. That's one way of putting it. I don't suppose you have any insightful proverbs for me... ...about all this, do you? Not really. In the end, it is up to you to decide what makes you happy. Right. Is there someone who could take me up to the hilltop lookout? I thought you'd already been there. I have, but... I just didn't really get a chance to see the view. I'll call one of the rangers to take you. Thank you. - Hey! - Hey! I've been looking for you. - I went to the hilltop lookout. - See anything interesting? I did! Yeah, I did, but... It was what I didn't see that most interesting. What's that? No picket fences. I thought we both wanted that. Is this because I went to Warrington? It's because you didn't respect me enough... ...to speak to me first about what I wanted to do. I own Ukuthula. And I feel like you look at me as someone who... ...who needs to be protected... ...instead of a woman who's fully capable... ...of making her own decisions... A partner, an equal. We can fix this. No, Brad, this isn't something you just fix. Is this because of Tom? You're in love with him. No. This is because of me. This place has changed you. You know, when I was a kid, I loved adventure. I walked up to an elephant when I was 10 years old. And this place, being here has just... It's made me realize I still love adventure. This place hasn't changed me. It's... It's reminding me of who I really am. I'm sorry. Well, I guess I'll be leaving, then. OK, so, I'm gonna take the Harrises out at 3:00... ...and then I'll come back and I'll get the Bagwells... ...for their sunset drive. Good! Hey, sorry to interrupt. Just 2 things. Brad's gonna need a ride back to the landing strip. - Is he leaving? - Yes. - And you're staying? - Yeah. - Are you OK? - Yes, I am. OK! Well, then, I can arrange for the transportation. - What's the 2nd thing? - Lwazi, do you think... ...that someone could bring me... ...some food and some coffee? Like, a whole lot of coffee. - Sure, where do you want it? - Just in my room would be great. I've got a lot of work to do. - Of course! - Thank you! Vicky! Vicky, hi! It's Kira. Listen, I really need your help and all of your Twitter followers. Yeah, it's time for me to get in the shark cage. You're up early! Yeah, I was up most of the night. I thought I had a solution, and I redid the website. I tried to get it to go viral, but it's not working. Well, these things don't happen overnight. They do on the Internet. At least... At least they're supposed to. - Tom asked me to give this to you. - What is it? It's his letter of resignation. Come in! Hey! Just thought I'd come see how you're doing. I'm OK. I'm disappointed. But you know what? At least Ukuthula has a shiny new website. - When are you heading home? - Tomorrow. There's really no reason for me to... ...stay once I sign those papers at noon. - Have you talked to Tom? - Ally, I don't know what to say. I just feel so responsible. It's not your fault, Kira. Ukuthula was my responsibility. This place were depending on me. The people were depending on me. And you feel like you let us down, like you let Tom down. - Yeah, a little. - Well... That's really silly. What? - What do you mean? - Tom likes you, Kira. And I'm pretty sure you like him. Tom's taking that new job. I'm going back to Chicago. Ukuthula's being sold. What difference does it make if Tom and I like each other? I think it makes all the difference in the world. But at the very least... ...you should say goodbye. - Hey! - Packing up? I'm leaving tonight. What about you? - Tomorrow. Is Brad picking you up from the airport? No, I'm gonna be finding my own way home. - I'm sorry. - It's OK. It's really OK. It was... it was time. Right. But you're still going back to Chicago. Yeah, I stayed up all night just really trying... ...to find a way to make it work here and... I guess I just don't really have a reason to stay. Do I? Not after the place is sold to Warrington. And you took the job in New York? Not officially, but I'm gonna call them on Monday, yeah. Right. I mean, I don't really have a reason to stay here either. Do I? I guess not after it's sold. I have to get to Johannesburg, but, I just wanted to... I just wanna say goodbye. Goodbye, Kira. Bye, Tom. Kira! Do you need a ride? Yeah. I could be ready in 30 minutes. - Thanks. - OK. Kira! We have had 16 reservations in the past 30 minutes! And over 200 people asking about the baby elephants. - Really? - Yeah. Look at this! There are 26 now. Oh, Lwazi, if I could just have convinced Artie... ...to partner with us... With these kind of reservations coming in... ...if we had a partner... A partner! Lwazi, I just got a great idea. I have to find Tom. - All set? - I was just thinking. When we were in the village and went to the school... ...you talked about village partnerships. How does that work? When a village is partnered with the reserve... ...there are benefits for both parties. So, is there any reason we couldn't do that with Ukuthula? I'm not sure the village could afford to buy into Ukuthula. No, I'll give them the 50% ownership. We've had 26... No! ...32 reservations so far. Tom, it's your video! It went viral. It's working. I don't wanna sell it to Warrington. I just didn't think there was any other way... ...but maybe there is. Well, it can't hurt to speak to the chief! - Let's go! - Let's go! This is Kira. I can't believe we got this done so quickly. - Yeah, we did it! Together. - Yes! How did you come up with all of this? Well, Tom had said something about village partnerships... ...and when the reservations started pouring in, I just... I don't know, it came to me as a possibility. And we went to meet with the chief... ...and he was very excited with the idea. None of this would've been possible... ...without Kira and the revenue from our website. How many reservations are we at now? Let's check. Over 200! Including this one. You have to read this. "Can't wait to come back. Make sure the lions are out. "John and Evelyn Bagwell". All right! I think it's time to sign. Kira, are you sure about this, sharing Ukuthula with the staff? - Yes! Ukuthula's a family. - Yeah! It should belong to all of us. Chief? Yow! Congratulations, partner. Congratulations, partner! So, what do you think? Was it worth the risk? Definitely. Sometimes you just gotta swim with the sharks. - What? - Never mind. You know, all these animals... ...they have no idea that you probably saved their lives... ...or that you brought hope and power... ...to an entire village today. You're an amazing woman, Kira Slater. Thank you. I've also been wondering if maybe... ...you'd be willing to take another risk. What's that? Wow! Wow! Look at that! |
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