Annual dinner: Explorers-In-Residence at kensington Tours

Mikael Strandberg

28 Oct 2024

There are moments in life, which feel and are extra special. And make you realize what a priviliged life you have. It is one of those moments you wish everyone could have. It makes you happy to be alive and understanding how important it is to live to its fullest. Life is short. This is when you suddenly feel stunned and ask yourself:

“Why me? Why am I so lucky?”

I have just returned home from such an amazing moment. Sleepless, hungover but happy and slightly overwhelmed. Not even the fact that someone had broken into my car, made me feel at great loss and like someone had hurt my integrity, well, not even this put much of a dent in this great occasion.

It was the annual meeting of those fortunate enough to be Explorers-In-Residence at Kensington Tours. Their leader, who is like a real brother to me, a visionary of no-limits and who´s generosity is only beaten by his kindness, Jeff Willner invited us all to one of London´s poshest hotels, https://www.corinthia.com/en-gb/london/ and a superb dinner with great food, drinks, more drinks, and some more alcohol in a spectacular setting. But, it was the talk and discussion we had which was more than extraordinary.

There were 10 of us. From old to young, Rupert Grey, who´s great grandfather was Earl Grey, you know the tea? An amazing personality which the world of today would need much more off, https://rupertgrey.co.uk/. Rob McCallum, a kind kiwi who like loves his children, https://www.eyos-expeditions.com/team…/rob-mccallum-frgs/, my old friend Oliver Steeds, the initiator of the incredibly important Nekton Mission, https://nektonmission.org/, Emily Penn, , another Ocean advocate of sorts, Giles Duley, whos life is truly extraordinary and he runs the important Legacy of War,

https://www.legacyofwarfoundation.com/, Sofie Rördam, who is another very close friend and a true human being who questions what needs to be examined, https://www.kilwa.dk/about, Maddie Emberson, who I have known for a long time, sharp as few, and a new employee of Jeff´s, the very positive and sharp Jessica Shaheen. Over the years I have been involved with Kensington Tours, I have been impressed with how many wonderful able people Jeff always has around him, what a great skill, and the way he had set up this great meeting just shows this.

He had 4-5 topics of conversation. All from what motivates us to do all this stuff, to the darker side of life, problems, challenges, and this was a hit! And we all have had a very fair share of those. But we had all been able to find a way out of them, making us stronger.

Such an inspiring meeting!