Serengeti Safari
‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness’ that’s how Charles Dickens started his famous novel ”A Tale of Two Cities.” That precisely sums up 2019 for me.
There were many personal highlights over the year. Unfortunately, there were also significant lows as well. Donna and I had time together and time away from each other, pursuing different areas of interest. Our marriage is strong enough to allow each other the freedom to pursue those different areas separately.
As a Certified Financial Planner with over 27 years of experience, I’ve learned much about life and its roller coaster ride. The most important lessons I’ve learned haven’t been from textbooks - although that helped with certification. My most valuable lessons have been from clients, family, friends and work colleagues. It’s all about the journey!
I firmly believe that 99% of us have two finite resources. These resources are our time and money. (I made this number up here, but likely not far from the Truth). If we run out of one before the other, we have a problem. Good planning Isn’t about saving, saving, saving. It takes into account saving and spending. Life is all about finding a happy balance between the two. It’s about your “enough”.
My approach to the journey has been moulded from the lessons I learned from others around me and their journeys. The trick is finding what it takes to ensure you have a great one. What good is it to save for a day that might not get here, and what good is it to spend every penny you’ve got so that you’re always in financial trouble?
As part of my journey with my wife, Donna, we have a bucket list of things to see and do. One such item was a Safari. Dave Taylor, a colleague from the Riverwood Conservancy, where I’m a board member, designed a photographer’s dream Safari. We doubled the number of days and made it a 14-day trip. We added two days in Amsterdam each way to and from Tanzania to break up the flight and time difference into manageable segments.
Elena Prountzopoulos of Atourz was David’s travel agent who arranged a private tour with Leopard Tours for the four of us. Joshua, our tour guide, had specific instructions. ‘If I don’t see their eyes, it doesn’t count as a sighting. This month, it’s the eyes!
