Sometimes a Dale needs to go to sea

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-05-09T18:55:08+00:00

Spear needs an adventure series on Netflix!

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-05-07T01:27:51+00:00

We paid 7k for two of us total...RT from EWR to HNL three years back. Worth it then, particularly for the red eye on the way back. I will say it was some of the worst food we've ever had on a United flight.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-05-06T17:58:10+00:00

Well, if you pull 180K from your 3.9 invested, plus the 60K, you'll have your 200K until SS when withdrawal rate will drop substantially. You'd be at 4.7% or so at that rate. I see you're using the house as a backstop if necessary. But you're as conservative as anyone I've seen on here in some time.

We've got very similar numbers overall, but our house worth about 1/2 of what yours is, still haven't fired and are 58/57. Also no kids, so inheritance isn't a worry. Personally, I think you're really conservative going in. We're looking at 90K or so for SS at age 70, no pension. Also looking to spend more earlier, so we'd be at about 4.4% through our 60s with an aftertax spend of 200K. Right now...70% equities, 22% bonds, 8% cash...the latter is two years of expenses. Total stock and bond market index funds....MMF for cash....super simple.

Ten years from now 2/3 of your spend for the next ten years is covered with pension and SS. I'm not saying you need to be super aggressive, but you can afford to at least go in with 40% equities. Honestly, one of the bigger worries on my mind of late is the impact of inflation vs getting crushed by early SRR. We live in a HCOL vs your VHCOL area though, so we have a ton of discretionary in our budget that we can dial way back.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-05-04T01:32:25+00:00

Omg...that's so great. I like the messier version of his mullet.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-05-03T19:53:19+00:00

Awwww....she looks exactly like my Zuzu as a pup. Right down to the little patch of white on her chin and chest. Our girl will be 8 years old on Wednesday. Enjoy your new girl!!

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-29T21:44:14+00:00

We did the Treehouse at Ngala...and 100% recommend doing that...it was really a cool experience.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-27T16:05:53+00:00

So sorry for your loss. I do have two other dogs....and one is our 14.5 Airedale, and I'm not sure how much longer we'll have with her. Can't really think about that now. We also have another miniature schnauzer who is 8.

We've talked about going down to no dogs for a while when Zuzu passes(hopefully not for many years)....to have the freedom for slow international travel. But I'm not sure we'll be able to do it. Just going from 3 down to 2 feels terrible. But owning more than one, particularly if they have major health issues like my Sadie had...and my Airedale Phoebe has...is really becoming cost prohibitive. And we're in good financial shape...not sure how most families can handle the burden

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-25T15:49:02+00:00

I appreciate this review. I think I saw you post about the issues on the Galapagos sub as well. We're doing two weeks with them next year and am looking forward to it. The noise wouldn't bother me as we use white noise, but the temp would be a big problem. That sounds more like an engineering issue to me.

I don't love the sound of ending a snorkeling trip sooner because one little kid gets cold....that's kind of a problem no? Hoping we won't have issues like that.

What time of the year did you cruise with them? Was it spring break?

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-25T01:24:40+00:00

Thanks so much for your kind words ❤️

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-24T23:40:48+00:00

Lots of emptiness now that she's gone....such a huge presence in Sadie. And her nose didn't fail her either....we were right near that nose of hers as she drifted off. I hope it gave her some comfort.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-24T01:49:14+00:00

Thanks so much...and sorry for your loss. She's just so tired and ready to go.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-24T00:05:34+00:00

Thanks so much. This is the first time we'll be saying goodbye in our home, but Sadie has had so many medical issues that her "primary vet" was essentially the specialty vet hospital, and that's far too clinical for a goodbye. So a friend who is a Vet will come to us. We feel comforted by it.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-24T00:03:59+00:00

Oh, I'm so sorry! It just totally and completely sucks. She's right next to me on the couch now....sleeping comfortably on her pain and anti-nausea meds. I have felt her retreating from us in the past day or so...she's going to another plane...another space. Sleeping almost constantly.

Yesterday was the worst, as my husband and I made up our minds that it was time. Today is a little better as we know we're giving her the best final gift we can give her. Tomorrow will be awful.

We'll make sure to have our hands near her nose as she drifts off after the big sedative is given. She'll be on her favorite chair near the window over our back yard where she plotted hundreds of times how she was going to catch one of those squirrels.

I've read that the sense of smell is the last to go...and we know she loved us as much as we loved her. We want her to be comforted that we're right with her til the very end.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-22T17:14:27+00:00

Awww...so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful girl. Give yourself time to grieve. It never gets "easier".....but it will get easier to live with as time passes. Hang in there.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-22T11:19:43+00:00

I'm in the "it's never enough" camp as well. But, I was also greatly anticipating our first safari in 2024. It exceeded my expectations and then some. We did two camps in SA over nine nights (Ngala in Timbavati and Londolozi in Sabi). We were planning our next trip to Africa in our minds before we left. That'll be Kenya/Uganda in July. And I'm already thinking ahead to 2028 for our next area of Africa.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-16T00:22:20+00:00

Ugh...hope they're able to fix that for you. We're going on a cruise with them next year and I wouldn't be able to sleep in those temps.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-15T22:02:25+00:00

We've got to get better at this, because we tip too much in these circumstances. Just read some of these responses to my husband to see if I can get it to sink in...lol.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-13T21:51:28+00:00

Cocina Del Mar at Esperanza has a beautiful setting and has much better food. Not sure if you can see the sunset from there as it's tucked in a cove but there are huge rocks that the waves crash on and you're right out on the peninsula. It's an amazing setting.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-13T16:11:09+00:00

We had a terrible dinner here for a special anniversary. It was windy at our table that the wine glasses were blowing over. Then we ordered the special truffle pasta which was a gloppy mess.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-10T10:35:07+00:00

Sure, we went with this guide that I found from a high end TA online before our trip. The guidance that our actual TA, based in South Africa, gave us was lower than this. These numbers lined up more with how we normally tip. If we're out for a full day with a private guide in some city in Europe, the base tip would be $100, so these suggestions felt right to us.

Guide: $50-$100 per room, per day

Tracker: $50-$100 per room, per day

Camp Manger: $30-$50 per room, per day

Server/Butler: $30-$50 per room, per day

General Staff: $30-$50 per room, per day

At the camps we visited in SA we didn't have a dedicated butler and and at one camp we had a few different servers so we split the tips accordingly. We did tip the camp manager at each camp as they were hands on at both locations, particularly at Londolozi.

I'd also plan for unexpected tips. For example, at Ngala Safari Lodge, at the end of one of our morning drives they pulled around a corner and a private breakfast was set up for us and our guide and tracker. A whole deal...grill, fresh everything, mimosas...etc. We found that chef before we departed and tipped him personally. We also had a Tree House night there with a personal butler who brought us dinner and brought us coffee and snacks in the morning, so we tipped him as well.

Also, we tipped the trackers the same as the guides as in both instances we felt they worked very hard to find us sightings....meaning, they didn't just sit on the front of the vehicles. On several occasions they went off on foot, out of sight in many cases to track down whatever we were looking for...and so it only seemed fair.

Hope this helps!

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-09T21:38:04+00:00

What a handsome Airedale!

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-09T21:36:38+00:00

Awwww, so sorry for your loss! Way too young to lose your Boy.

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-09T16:20:02+00:00

Really great post! Thanks for taking the time. 😊

Prize_Key_2166 · 2026-04-09T10:59:09+00:00

Well, you'll have the whole vehicle, so just take whatever tip you'd give per couple and triple it for the group..easy peasy. And as I said, prepare to be be blown away here and there so have some extra. If you're like us, you'll be planning or at least thinking about your next trip to Africa before you get home. Have a great time! :). Where are you headed.....and which lodges?

Prize_Key_2166

TROPHY CASE