Greetings Fellow Wanderers,
The voting poll did not list 7 as a choice but, that is the number of times I have been to Africa (mostly Namibia but South Africa as well), for hunting and fishing.
I agree with Troubleshooter that many hunters would like to go to Africa but it is evidently outside their comfort zone.
When people say they can’t go to Africa because it costs more than they can afford, for some people that might be true, especially young people, just starting out on their career path.
But with many, anlready established career people, it’s just a feeble excuse.
What they’re really saying is that it’s outside of their comfort zone.
They feel safer staying relatively close to home for their entire life.
One example of this, amongst the many I’ve encountered is from a friend of mine.
He is on his 2nd career, having retired from his first one in Alaska and now lives in Tennessee.
He owns a huge house out in the countryside, among some beautiful rolling hills.
There’s an in-ground swimming pool built into his back yard.
He owns two 4-Wheelers and a large fast motorcycle plus other assorted power tools and expensive toys.
He drives a new car about every 5 years, as does his wife.
Incidentally, she has never bothered herself with any type of work, much less a career, during the 40+ years I’ve known them.
If he instead decided to live in a typical USA residential neighborhood, sell off his toys, not trade in those cars for new ones every 5 years, etc., etc., he could experience Africa quite a few times.
Incidentally, his efforts of encouraging that wife of his to actually use her college degree toward seeking employment have been met with hostility.
Anyway, he feels safest clinging to his excuse that Africa is too expensive for his budget.
And so each year he spends the local deer season, up in a tree stand, not far from his house, hoping a whitetail deer with the large antlers of his dreams will finally emerge from the foliage, one of these years.
It’s not any business of mine how other people choose to live their lives.
However, I would be very uncomfortable with the above arrangement.
I enjoy traveling and Africa especially Namibia, is pretty much my favorite spot on the globe to visit.
Fortunately, my wife likes to travel as well.
Although not a hunter herself, she enjoys going along with me on hunting trips.
Likewise, she is a serious fisher.
And, the Okavango River in Northern Namibia is a place she says she definitely wants to return to.
Parting Shot:
For you guys who are fascinated with motorized things, you might consider instead putting that money into an African hunting and fishing trip.
It could be life changing, even breaking the expensive pattern of always buying unnecessary vehicles.
And for you single folks out there who might eventually marry, choose wisely Grasshopper.
The right or wrong spouse can make your life a Heaven on earth or a living Hell.
I suppose that’s about all the news that’s fit to print around here.
So, I’ll stop jabbering now.
Life is short, spend it wisely.
Velo Dog.
