When Chartered client Ronel Eloff took early retirement in 2005, she moved to Sedgefield and opened a B&B. After running the B&B for five years, she decided that it was time for a change and to focus her energy on something else. Always one keen for adventure, Ronel decided to take up line dancing, a hobby she enthusiastically pursued for a few years.

Next, she decided to try her hand at bowls, and it is here that she has found her niche. Bowls has opened up a whole new world for Ronel, and she has met so many people that she would never have otherwise met. Ronel is curious by nature (the number of books she reads is a testament to that), so whenever she meets new people, she makes an effort to get to know them. She is a firm believer in the fact that everyone has a story worth sharing.

Ronel practices or plays bowls daily, and this is because she was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell’s, The Outliers, a book given to her by her nephew. In the book, Gladwell proposes that 10,000 hours of practice is needed to master a skill, even for prodigies like Mozart. She is certainly making a good dent in clocking up those hours.

When it comes to The Wheel of Balance, Ronel is an excellent example of someone who strives to achieve it. She gives back through volunteering at the hospice shop every Monday; this is also something that gives her purpose. She stays fit and healthy by playing bowls and doing pilates. She explores her creative side by making quilts and nurtures her relationship by spending time with all the important people in her life. She never stops learning as she is always engrossed in some or other book.

Perhaps the segment of the wheel that stands out the most is the segment of play. Ronel loves life, having fun and trying new things. Recently she bought and learnt to drive a scooter, at 67 years old! The state of the roads was frustrating her, which spurred her decision to buy. Now she zoots around Sedgefield, easily avoiding the potholes.

Ronel is grateful for the life she leads. Furthermore, she is proud to say that she lives in paradise, which also happens to be the mosaic capital of South Africa.

Below is the letter that was read at Paul John Edward’s funeral, inspiring four friends to take their last road trip.

My name is Paul James Edwards, like most of us here, I was fortunate to live a life in which I managed to accumulate a certain amount of wealth. Enough at least to allow me the privilege of living in a place like this. There is no question that in almost every respect, Stone Well Estate is an Eden for people who have worked hard and now wish to live out the remainder of their lives in peace and comfort.

If not downright luxury. For those of you who don’t know, I came out here many years ago following the death of my wife. The truth is that her death hit me harder than seemed possible. So hard in fact that I was convinced that I would follow after her in no time at all. The way I saw it, there was no way I could carry on without her. Writing those words now, I realise how feeble that makes me sound. Like an old and sentimental fool. But it’s still the truth and I figure it’s too late in the day to start lying now. And so I waited to die. But the days still blurred into weeks. And the weeks soon came and went like autumn leaves being swept away in the wind.

One Christmas became another. And then another, for eighteen long years I waited. When I finally fell ill a few months ago and discovered the nature of my diagnosis, I felt only one thing; relief. My long wait was finally over. You see, I stopped living the day I came here, I made this place my prison.

Of course, I know what some of you are thinking. How can a retirement estate as beautiful as this one ever be considered a jail? But others among you will know what I mean. Trust me when I tell you that prisons can be made out of just about anything. Even a designer golf course, as it turns out.

It was only once I started to get really sick that I began to see things differently. I started to notice things that hadn’t occurred to me before. When I was young, retirement estates – or retirement homes, as they were more commonly called – were reserved for the authentically elderly. For the frail and lonely.

Folk who, for the most part, had become surplus to either their family or society’s requirements and could no longer care for themselves. But looking around at the people of Stone Well, a very different picture became clear to me. So much so that I began to question what I was seeing. I even decided to do a little research. Do you know that the average age of folk in our estate is sixty-three? The waiting list – and I know because I’ve seen it – has people listed in their late forties.

A few weeks ago, my condition forced me into the frail care unit for the evening. The nurse told me I was her tenth patient. I was a little confused by her statement, so I asked her to clarify. Was I her tenth patient of the day? The week? No. it turns out she had been working in the unit for four months already and I was only the tenth patient she had seen.

So what, I’m sure you’re wondering, is my point? Well, firstly, I’d like you to know how sorry I am for never really participating here. For not taking the time to get to know more of you. It’s no excuse, but you see, I was always waiting to leave. One does not bother making friends at a train station. Of course, now that it is too late to do anything about it, I realise how wrong I was and what a waste I made of my time here.

I like to believe that I am a better person than the one you barely knew. That the quiet man you saw sitting in his garden day after day was just a poor facsimile of someone who once had a great deal more to offer the world. But I guess you’ll have to take me at my word on that.

So why have I written this letter? Well, now that I have finally lifted my head, I can see that some of you aren’t so different. Maybe you think you are hiding it so well, but I see you, after all, I know the signs so well enough.

You’re waiting just like I’ve been. Maybe not for the reasons I was, but some of you have stopped living. There’s no question about it. And I’m asking you not to make the same mistake that I did. Sixty-three – hell, eighty-three – is too young for you to be waiting for the clock to stop if you still have health on your side. I can’t tell you how much I regret these past years. It burns me so badly now that I can barely sleep anymore.

Of course, maybe you are genuinely happy here. Maybe you enjoy your daily routines and have made close friends. Perhaps you have peace in your life. In that case, I am pleased for you and wish you well, but if you are anything like me and you’ve come here for the wrong reasons, then I urge you to do something about it. If you are living with regrets – with things that you have put away in a box but that maybe keep you awake at night – I want to tell you that you still have time enough to make things right. I was given eighteen years – it’s a damn lifetime – and I spent most of these days staring up at the sky. I can only imagine how it must have broken my wife’s heart to see me out on the porch, just waiting.

Thank you, Jack, for agreeing to do this for me. I was pleased to learn about your upcoming trip, I sense you have some unfinished business of your own. I hope and pray that you find the peace you are searching for, if that’s what your journey’s about. I also really enjoyed our brief time together and, of course, I’m sorry we never spoke more or shared a drink occasionally. I have a feeling that I missed out on a friendship that could’ve really meant something. Just one more thing to add to my list of regrets.

I know life isn’t a storybook. I also know that some of our mistakes are too far gone to be hauled back in. That maybe you lost things that will remain beyond your grasp. But I also know that my life would’ve been so much better spent if I had just been trying for something. And that, really, is the point of this letter. My final wish for all of you is that you realise, while you still have time, that it’s the trying that matters. Maybe It’s all that matters.

Here’s to life. And here’s to you. Thank you for listening.

Book Review

The Last Road Trip by Gareth Crocker
Reviewed by Jane Layzell Scully

Following the poignant death of a man they barely knew, four friends decide to make the most of what’s left of their lives. Abandoning the humdrum routine of life at their retirement estate, they embark on a thousand-mile road trip that will take them from the furthest corner of the Kruger Park to the blazing stars of Sutherland for the biggest adventure of their lives and one last hurrah together.

This book brings to life the characters who display so much compassion and empathy for each other’s struggles on this trip. They find joy in the small things they experience, knowledge about the places they visit across Soth Africa, and a deep and unexpected connection to each other.

This is a worthwhile read and made me think about what have I missed in my life and what can I change before it’s too late. I highly recommend this book.

Copies of The Last Roadtrip are hard to get hold of at the moment, but we are chatting to Gareth Crocker, who is trying to get hold of some copies. If you would like to get a copy, you can email Lyndsay@charteredwealth.co.za. Alternatively, you can download a copy from Amazon. There is also a copy available in our client library.

If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from Covid, it’s that we don’t want to wait anymore. Realising how short and precious life is rocked us to our core. Waiting to hug, see our loved ones, visit our favourite restaurant, go to the movies or on holiday is hard. The restrictions to waiting are now finally over – for some.

I met Paul James Edwards on my recent road trip in the Karoo. It’s not that I met him in person – but I would have liked to have. Gareth Crocker, author of The Last Road Trip introduced him to me in his latest novel. Paul spent eighteen years of his life waiting after his wife passed away, and in his eulogy that Gareth shares with all of us in this newsletter, he talks about his deep regret of spending such a large part of his life simply existing – instead of living. It is a deeply personal, harrowing letter and a stark reminder not to put life on hold.

I read The Last Road Trip, while ironically being on a road trip in the Karoo this past April. Roadtripping is fast becoming my favourite way to travel. I just love the wonder and adventure, the feeling of complete freedom and how you can connect with the places and the people you meet along the way.

On this trip, we spent a few nights on an olive and sheep farm in the quaint, historic town of Prince Albert, situated at the foot of the Swartberg Pass. Surrounded by soaring cliffs, astonishing rock formations and vast open spaces, I cuddled up in front of a warm fireplace and immersed myself in this beautifully told story. The book starts with the death of Paul James Edward and tells the story of five friends living in a retirement village who decide to go on a road trip and make the most of their lives – and do everything they’ve always wanted to do, but never did.

It is a heartwarming life story that holds a powerful message for every age: many people are so busy waiting, planning for tomorrow, and holding off till the time is right that they forget to live for today. It challenges us to consider this poignant question: what are you waiting for?

Apart from this powerful message, I also found some beautiful reminders to live engaged – to live fully:

Make time for child-like fun.
One of the characters, Samuel, reminds us to liberate our inner child as he throws caution to the wind and absorbs himself in the music when he dances on top of a hill with his friends to Bruce Springsteen’s “Working on a dream.”

Time is precious.
In another section of the book, Samuel shares that there is no time to wait, especially when it comes to spending time with people you love. He says: “Friends we always want more time. Time to do the things we promised ourselves when we were young. To say the words that need saying. But so often our time runs out before we get the chance. Our deepest regrets are always the things we leave between ourselves and those we hold most dear to us. Our thoughts. Our fear. Our love.”

Find wonder in the stars.
Samuel’s stargazing experience makes you want to look up at the night sky. He describes it as: “the deep, black sky was now pulsing with colour, oscillating and twinkling like a jeweller’s mat daubed with gemstones.” There is wonder to be found in looking at the night sky and seeing a part of the universe. I also learnt that the best time and place to see the stars are in the Karoo at 4 am in the morning. Fortunately for me, that’s exactly where I was and what I did when I read The Last Road Trip.

Your life is waiting to be lived – what are you waiting for?
Paul, in his eulogy, encourages us to live fully when he says, “I know my life would have been so much better spent if I had just been trying for something.”

So, let’s have no regrets! Let’s stop waiting! Let’s plan our next trip, have that important conversation, spend more time with people who are important to us, look at the stars, dance on mountaintops and make each moment count!

Wishing you no more waiting and lots more doing,

In January 2022, Lindsay and I were fortunate to be part of a cruise on the MSC Orchestra to the Prince Edward islands in the Sub Antarctic Indian Ocean, some 1920km southeast of Cape Town.

This was the “2021” BirdLife’s four-yearly gathering of bird-watching enthusiasts. The cruise liner MSC Orchestra can take over 3000 passengers, but it is believed that some 1400 passengers were on the cruise. A stressful part was ‘passing’ a PCR test some 48 hours before embarkation time and then testing negative in an antigen test at Cape Town docks! Our trip was not guaranteed until these steps had been successfully accomplished.

This, together with the rich diversity of birds and cetaceans in the area and surrounding ocean. Marion Island was declared a marine protected zone in 2013. The only permitted human inhabitants are the staff of the meteorological and biological research station run by the South African National Antarctic Programme. The MSC Orchestra was only allowed to sail up to 12 nautical miles from the island’s coast, and sadly we did not see the island because of low clouds!

The theme for the cruise was to raise awareness and funding for the ridding of Marion Island of mice that attack ground-nesting birds and threaten future breeding patterns.

The project entails air-dropping mouse bait capsules over the island using helicopters. The belief is that the mice, in turn, carry the bait into their burrows and expire there, thus not being seen as contaminated food by the seabirds. Similar successful projects on Gough and South Georgia islands provide impetus for the venture. While fund-raising has been in progress for some time, a total of R2,2 million was pledged on the cruise.

The large ship handled the Roaring Forties very well, with only minor sideways rolling. There was some rain and very high winds requiring the closing of decks. Though gloves, beanies and a rain jacket were worn, extreme cold weather clothing was not utilised though diligently packed as instructed!

Every day from 05h00, expert bird guides manned points on the outside decks and called in birds as they appeared on the horizon. A typical deck scene is shown here with ever expectant birders poised to catch a glimpse of a seabird as it zooms past the ship. The large ship enabled good photographing positions. The grey sea and fast flight of birds made photography difficult, and many blank and out-of-focus frames had to be confined to the dustbin!

A photographic lecture was delivered on board in which more appropriate and ultimately useful camera settings were proposed. The range of camera lenses on board was mind-blowing, with my 400mm lens being puny by comparison! A new development in mirrorless cameras was also very much in evidence. However, the jury is still out on whether the quality can equal the tried and tested single-lens reflex versions.

Daily lectures were presented by experts on various topics relevant to the nature of the cruise. The most prominent of these was by Peter Harrison MBE, widely known as the ‘David Attenborough of the Oceans’.

All in all, 58 seabird species were sighted and verified. There was always vigorous debate amongst the experts about some of the rarer species, and only clear photographic evidence was the decider. The voyage southwards went through the Atlantic Ocean convergence, where the warmer south-flowing currents mix with, the colder Sub Antarctic currents.

Given the abundance of food brought to the surface by the convergence, the large variety of seabird species made sightings highly rewarding. One widely-travelled seabird expert was heard to effuse about the “best albatross birding day he had ever had” and was quick to repeat ornithologist Robert Cushman Murphy’s 1912 quote: “I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the albatross”.

Ten species of albatrosses were sighted, of which four were first sightings for us. It is a truly humbling experience to observe these majestic birds as they glide seemingly effortlessly above the waves.

The excitement of seeing a new species of albatross is profound and even more so when a rare species is seen. A particularly rare albatross that made two appearances was the Tristan Albatross (pictured here), which is more usually observed in the vicinity of Tristan da Cunha Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Its sighting caused great excitement amongst the ornithologists on board.

The photos shown below is an Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross which came close to the ship. Observing albatrosses taking off from the water is always a photographic treat to capture. They create puddles as they ‘run’ on top of the water to gather enough speed to take off.

Small numbers of King and Macaroni penguins were briefly sighted as they porpoised through the waves. Though not small in size, the penguins looked tiny given the height of the deck above the water.

In addition, petrels, storm petrels, diving petrels, shearwaters, and prions were sighted in the deep southern oceans, as well as jaegers, phalaropes, oystercatchers, terns, gulls and gannets closer to our local shores.

We were able to see 14 new species on this trip which took our total of photographed birds to 589 of the more than 900 species on the South African bird list.

Also observed in abundance were various cetaceans – six confirmed species of dolphin, eight species of whales, and two species of seals, together with sharks, manta rays, flying fish and even some turtles. Here is one of those lucky shots of a striped dolphin out of the water.

Our voyage into the southern ocean was a further viewing of the abundance of nature and how privileged we are to visit this domain. Given the dearth of landmasses in the south for nesting, action to rid Marion Island of mice to protect nesting sites and thus ensure the perpetuation of the magnificent array of seabirds is sorely needed. We were able to participate in the sponsorship of the Mouse-free Marion Project, and now our sincere hope is that sufficient funds can be raised to realise this. BirdLife SA is at the forefront of this initiative.

So, for us, Flock 2022 to Marion was a life-enriching experience fulfilling so much more than the Learn, Play and Give Back segments of Retire Successfully’s Life in Balance Chart!

Graham and Lindsay Wells
February 2022.

2014 proved to be a turning point in Gillian and Ralph Louw’s lives. After being involved in a cycling accident with a taxi some years before, Ralph could no longer continue working as a chopper pilot. Coupled with this, Gillian was retrenched from her role as a golf club’s food and beverage manager, where she had worked for eighteen years. In their early 50s at the time, Ralph and Gillian were faced with the very daunting question, what did they want to do for the rest of their lives?

These momentous changes forced them to stop and think about what they wanted the next chapter of their life together to look like. The first step they made was deciding to move to Hermanus in the Western Cape after finding the perfect property on Property 24. Living in Hermanus sparked the idea of starting a small upmarket tourism business, taking people on walks and trails. This was not the first time Gillian had had this idea. While doing the Whale Trail with friends in 2004, and standing on top of the Potberg Mountain, admiring the magnificent scenery around her, Gillian had an epiphany of sorts- she wanted more people to see what she saw at that moment. So, the seed was planted long before it became a reality.

Getting the business off the ground proved to be a struggle, so Gillian and Ralph took up a job running a lodge in Zambia in 2017. When it was time to renew their contract, they had to decide whether to come home and try and get the business up and running again, or continue working in Zambia. They chose to go home.

Fuelled by a desire to succeed, they put their heads together, learning new skills necessary to market their business correctly. They learnt all about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Facebook Marketing. Having a passion for conservation, both Gillian and Ralph had completed various courses through FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa). However, to give people the ultimate experience, they furthered their studies in Marine Guiding and qualified as Cape Tourism and Wine Guides.

It paid off. They now offer tailor-made tours for groups. Their walks and trails include the Whale Trail, Overberg walks, hiking in the Cederberg and exploring the Kogelberg. Their Wine Walks are extremely popular too.

Ralph and Gillian love what they do; they get to combine their passion and purpose. They have used all the skills they have acquired over the years and turned it into a successful business. They don’t describe their work as a job, but rather as a calling. Richard Leider, the founder of Inventure – The Purpose Company, has a beautiful quote. He says, “Purpose is a verb. It is spiritual practice embodied in lived day-to-day experiences. If we live daily as a “default self’—the self that is hiding behind a mask of approval and cultural consensus-we will always feel empty. We will fill our time, but it will never feel like a fulfilling time.” Purpose is undoubtedly a verb for Ralph and Gillian, fulfilling their time and providing people with memorable experiences while doing so.

For more information on the walks and trails, visit their website at www.africansunroad.com

If heaven were to be found on earth, I have found a little piece of it. I would never have found it if I did not consciously decide to experience the journey instead of rushing to the destination. Our journey to the Hemel en Aarde valley was all about taking it slow with no sense of urgency to get anywhere in a rush.

Have you ever travelled on holiday in a tight time frame? It could be the constraints we place on time for leisure and vacations, but in some way, in our rush to get somewhere, we miss so much in-between. In many ways, the destination has become more important than the journey. We’re so busy planning and organising, often just waiting for the time to pass until we get there, that we forget to notice and really experience the trip.

I have driven past the Hemel en Aarde Valley many times in a rush to get somewhere else, most often to visit Creation Wines or lunch at the Heaven restaurant, and then rushing back to where I’m staying. We’ve often spoken of how beautiful the drive is and wondered about the wine farms signposted along the way – but we’ve never stopped to explore.

Last month, our group of ten long-time friends decided to take it slow and explore the magic this area has on offer. We opted for a walking tour accompanied by our lovely tour guides Gillian and Ralph (pictured below) from Africansunroad. Read all about the customised tours they offer in this newsletter. We had the opportunity to tailor-make our tour by combining visits to wine farms with a walk through the gorgeous fynbos landscape.

Not only is this area home to fifteen boutique wineries – which already puts it at the top of my visit list – but the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful as the valley nestles in a sweeping fynbos landscape surrounded by towering mountains.

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring nature in the heart of the Cape floral kingdom on foot. We saw beautiful indigenous fynbos, gorgeous proteas and spectacular birdlife – including a blue crane – South Africa’s national bird! One of the highlights was meeting a wonderful lady at the Hamilton Russel vineyard who shared all the stories of this valley with us. She spoke with so much passion and had a wealth of knowledge to share after spending fourteen years on the farm. Apart from the wine farms, there is so much to see and do! We visited magnificent orchards, including pear, fig and a berry farm that exports their produce.

We shared great stories, belly laughter and delicious food on this trip – juxtaposed with the absolute tranquillity and stillness of the surroundings. We stayed on different farms in charming cottages and spent our evenings chatting and playing bridge. Of course, I am still a novice bridge player, but it’s an activity we started as friends during lockdown and still enjoy.

Here we are at the end of our walking tour – happy, energised, relaxed, and so grateful to have taken our time to watch the world go by slowly instead of rushing through.

This trip has made me realise how much I have missed by getting wrapped up in the destination. By meandering on foot with no sense of urgency, we took in the beautiful scenery, charming places and interesting people. We lingered for as long as it took to imprint our journey to memory. Our destination unfolded with each step we took and made even more special by sharing it with good friends.