“How was the year for me I hear you ask”?
” Let me fill you in”!
These are my thoughts on the year ahead… https://youtu.be/a4bWRfIvbEo
The final post for 2023.
The first post of the New Year will be published on Monday,
January 8th, 2024.
The sun sets on Africa as I bid farewell to 2023. I find myself in anticipatory limbo, waiting for the stroke of midnight on December 31st to usher in the mystery that is January 1st, 2024.
If history is any indication, not much might change, just like the overblown Y2K threat that turned out to be a mere publicity stunt. I rest my case!
Is this what your year looked like?
Reflecting on the year prompts the perennial question: What was 2023 really like for you? A friend and I pondered this “end-of-year phenomenon,” agreeing that it tends to overwhelm our thoughts for most of December.
Yet, we couldn’t recall a time when the mere flip of a calendar page instantly made the upcoming year better.
As a result, I have abandoned the tradition of crafting New Year resolutions, Instead, I’ve embraced New Year suggestions and if I happen to ‘break’ them, there is no guilt or consequences.
“Having a bad hair day”? “Let me tell you about my YEAR”.
Like a roller coaster ride, 2023 had exhilarating highs and gut-wrenching lows for me. The good times were splendidly good, while the bad ones, notably losing three friends in a single week, were undeniably horrid.
Among the highlights was an unexpected 6-week visit to Cairo to work on a Military Graduation, from navigating military protocols (a distant memory for me, since the last time I had spent time on a military base was back in 1971) to witnessing an air show up close. It was an extraordinary adventure, during which I met wonderful people who enriched my life and I hope I played a small role in theirs.
To those who have stayed in touch and you know who you are, I thank you most sincerely for your friendship.
On the flip side, October 7th altered plans for an Egyptian holiday with my wife. Ah, the whims of fate!
Bush visits, my soul’s recharging stations, dotted the landscape of my year. A subterranean hide in a bush camp became my haven, foregoing game drives to let the animals come to me—buffalos, elephants, and a dazzling array of birdlife. Nature’s grandeur, a balm for the soul.
Undoubtedly the most memorable highlight of 2023 was watching this pregnant female slake her thirst at a waterhole on my final trip of the year. It is only the second time in decades of bush visits that I have been able to capture an image like this.
Did you know?
The word safari (/səˈfɑːri/; is the Swahili word for ‘journey’ and is originally from the Arabic Safar, ‘to journey’.
My blog, www.travelandthings, a joyous journey that started in 2010, keeps going strong in 2023. Thanks to Sun Destinations’ continued support, I hope it will keep growing, showcasing our beloved African continent and all it has to offer to the world.
Slide into 2024…
To my readers, I wish you overflowing tables and hearts surrounded by love. Where there are empty seats at festivities, cherish the memories of those who once occupied them.
If you, like my wife and me, had to bid farewell to a furry friend as they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, may their journey have been eased by your comforting presence in their final moments.
As we face the unknowns of 2024, my wish is for strength and fortitude.
Seize opportunities, and confront challenges with gratitude and humor. Make this year yours—unapologetically. Don’t let others dictate your journey through the 365 days on offer. Live each day to the fullest, so when 2024 bids farewell, you can do so without regrets.
Here’s to a year of living, laughing, and embracing whatever the calendar throws our way. May it be a year worth remembering and, when in doubt, find humour in the chaos.
Cheers! To the adventures that await in 2024!
Off for a few days to prepare new content and experiences for 2024.
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