One of the many goals Rachael was determined to accomplish was to visit 30 countries before turning 30.

She was fairly confident she hit that number until she finished tallying her list at an inconvenient 29.
 

With only a month left until her birthday, she booked a trip to visit the fjords in Norway.

Under the impression that Alex was visiting his mom for Mother’s Day in Florida, Rachael was
completely surprised to learn that he arrived in Norway before she did.  
Little did Rachael know, Alex was only a few blocks away (in full spy gear)
the entire time coordinating what would be the biggest surprise of her life.
 

On May 14th, Rachael woke up on the Sognefjord a day after road-tripping further north.

As she spent the early morning enjoying her coffee,
taking in the mirror reflections of one of Norway's largest fjords,

Alex was en route to surprise her on a hike that she would take later that day

...with a photographer he only met 9 days before.

​

A few hours later, Rachael set out for her day and drove up the
winding mountain in search of the trail-head for Prest Hike. She parked the car,
grabbed her gear, and began her ascent...seeing nothing but the horizon,
some snow, and a clear blue sky. From the top of the mountain,
emerged a distant figure whose shape would gradually begin to resemble Alex.

'Huh, that guy finished fast,' Rachael remembers thinking to herself.
' ...strange, he kind of looks like Alex'. She continued.
Until the moment Alex undeniably looked like Alex, appearing like a mirage

in the middle of the Norwegian wilderness.
Cool, calm, and collected as ever, he asked:
"Can I join this hike with you?"

As if he they had been together this entire time.

 

The next few moments were a dizzying blend of shock, confusion, and elation.

Alex took Rachael's hand and guided her over
the mountain, toward a view that she would never forget.

In front of the magnificent backdrop of the fjord, Alex dropped one knee and raised the ring.
 

Needless to say, Rachael achieved her goal of traveling to 30 countries before turning 30,

but also of getting engaged to the most determined man she had ever met.