Christmas is upon us and that’s another year almost in the rear view mirror.

Lee and I have spent the last few weeks away in Kenya.
We feel very privileged to be able to travel and enjoy the perspective it has to offer.

Kenya, with approximately 60 million people in a country 12 times smaller than Western Australia, has a wealth of human resources (median age of 20). It is a fertile country with renewable energy (geothermal, hydro and wind) providing 90% of its power needs.
Agriculture, tourism, services and industry make up the bulk of its domestic product.

There are no welfare safety nets.
No national medical service.
Everyone is hustling.

Nairobi has no traffic lights.
Yet 5.8 million people live there and commute daily.
It also plays host to Africa’s biggest slum – Kibera. Open sewers, low life expectancy (just 30 years – skewed by high infant mortality) and an incredible diversity of culture, language and people jammed into 2.5km2.

The gulf between rich and poor is vast.
Poverty that defies our ability to define it, in a first world paradigm.

We climbed a mountain.
Our guide Mshindi was 50.
He has climbed that mountain 20 times a year, or more.
Coaxing wealthy tourists up to a peak to celebrate their overcoming the “challenge”.
The group of 15 porters accompanying us make this climb back-to-back almost all year.
Untold trips to 5000m carrying huge packs, wearing unlined gum boots or canvas sneakers.
Plastic bags stuffed into their shoes, to ward off the cold and the wet above the snow line.

It is with this vision in my head that I understand that as much as we enjoy our wealth of opportunity in Western Australia, we take it blithely for granted.
Our wealth is so all encompassing that we have time to complain endlessly about our lives.
There are more people on the planet who understand that there is no time to complain.

Grind, hustle, innovate. Survive.

We have won life’s lotto of circumstance to be in Western Australia.
Grasp the opportunity that this gives you.
Don’t forget to be hungry.
Act. Make a difference.

We are lucky to live in this place.
Continuous power, unbelievable health care and clean water set us apart from most of the world.
What you do with this amazing opportunity is up to you.

Have a wonderful Christmas and truly appreciate the blessings of family and the season that we now enjoy.

Cheers

Lee and Derek Baston