Adventures of a Lifetime in this Issue of Virtuoso Insights
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Another glorious day in Nairobi! We began the day with breakfast and a visit from a cheetah, one that Jane Pinto rescued as an orphan! Next came the good luck wooden animal necklace and complementary safari hat followed by a series of welcomes. First, we heard from Jake Grieves-Smith, Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board, followed by Serge Simard, Fairmont Hotels Regional VP, Africa and Asia. Serge presented a check for $3500 to AmericaShare in honor of Virtuoso's Chairman's Safari to Micato Safari's Dennis Pinto. The Pintos established this charity and 100% of donations reach the recipients! Check out www.americashare.org. Alex Sharpe,of Regent Seven Seas and another of our hosts, commented that he never has looked forward to a business trip as much as this one! Bill Smith, of Crystal Cruises and also our host, crystallized (no pun intended, honest!) my feelings about Kenya, "Kenya is so much more than the magnificent animals. Look into the eyes of the people and they'll touch your soul!"We met all the Micato staff that help create that special magic that is Micato's hallmark and had a briefing for the days ahead in the Masai Mara. After that, Virtuoso members and staff brainstormed about our strengths and opportunites, something I look forward to because I get to interact with the best advisors in the industry!
At noon we boarded coaches, and with a police escort (not for security, but to help navigate through the traffic!) we arrived at the home of Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger, US Ambassador to Kenya, for a gourmet luncheon in a tranquil garden setting.
Some random thoughts:
I'm off to change for dinner at Lavington, the home of Jane and Felix Pinto, founders of Micato. I thought you might enjoy listening to Jambo, Jambo bwana and reading the English translation:
Translation of Jambo bwana lyrics
Jambo - Hi
Jambo bwana - Hi sir
Habari gani? - How are you?
Mzuri sana - Very fine
Wageni mwakaribishwa - Visitors are welcome
Kenya yetu - Our (country) Kenya
Hakuna matata - (there are) no worries
Verse
Kenya nchi nzuri - Kenya is a nice country
Nchi ya maajabu - A beautiful country
Nchi yenye amani - A peaceful country
Kenya yetu - Our country
Kenya wote - All Kenyans
“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
I grew up in a family that traveled often. We always went on vacation in December, during Spring Break, and in the summer. There were numerous vacations scattered in the remaining months, too. So, I viewed the notion of visiting other destinations as part of what a person does--kind of like breathing! As I matured, I traveled to escape and sometimes to brag---not something I'm proud of; however, whatever motivated me, I found the benefits beyond my expectations. I know I planned some journeys just to see “live and in person” some sights I had read about. I call that my "Trophy Travel" phase.
Each time I come home and inventory my life here in the US. I tend to notice things like storage units and wonder how I could explain to a person whose worldly possessions fit in a cloth bag the concept of having so much “stuff” I’d pay someone to store it. I find myself complaining that I can’t find any TV shows I want to watch on my uber channeled cable TV. I catch myself debating which restaurant to dine in, even when I’m not hungry, and my mind will drift back to people who don’t even have the option of feeling sated.
Does this mean I will give up my worldly possessions, move to a small, nameless studio apartment, and send all monies accumulated to those in need? No, of course not! I still live in a lovely home surrounded by accessories gleaned from years of travel; I still eat when I’m not hungry; and I still have too much stuff. Over the past few years I’ve taken some small steps that enable me to act for others as well as for myself. Today I purposely conserve. I spend less, collect less and use the funds saved and the time gained from avoiding needless shopping sprees to reach out to others who are less fortunate.
My ego would like you to notice what I’m doing and have you applaud me for doing what many people do daily---thinking about others, helping others. Yet, my actions are quieting my ego, “You don’t need to be noticed or rewarded, “ my actions say, “Just do the next right thing, be the spark that ignites someone else’s passion or the act that helps feed a starving child. Today I truly focus on being the change I want to see and I subscribe wholeheartedly to the adage, “Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”
So, why do I travel? I am able to interact with people all over the world; I can give a hug; I can make a new friend; I can help in a very small way to give back to the world for all that I’ve been given.
And, back to my original question to you, “Why travel?” Please share!