You are doing what ... ?

5 years ago, I boldly told my boss and colleagues that I was going to retire in 2021 as we had secured a job in Zambia to start in July 2021. Not surprisingly, they nodded and smiled at me, and then continued about their business. I shared our plans and reminded them every year. Well, they said - it's a long way off and lots can happen before then. And in fairness, no-one could have predicted the devastation that COVID-19 would bring. The last 12 months in the NHS have been fraught with uncertainty - trying to help patients and to stay safe. Those 5 years seemed to have passed in a flash. Suddenly, it is 2021. True to our word, we both retired from the NHS in April 2021 at the age of 55. We have not reached this point in our lives due to luck. Our luck has been in staying healthy. Our journey to this point where we have made a brave and bold decision stems from our earlier history ....

Keith and I met in 1991 while working in the same hospital. Ashington General Hospital in Northumberland. We got married in 1993 and shortly afterwards started to explore our options for working overseas.

In 1994, having gained our post graduate qualifications, we applied for, and were accepted to do, VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas). We committed to 2 years and were offered a post in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Back in the day, the world seemed so much bigger. There was no internet, no mobile phones, no Whatsapp, no e-mail. We had hardly heard of Zanzibar. It was just beginning to emerge as an adventurous tourist spot. We spent a formative 2 years delivering teaching and providing primary, and some secondary, health care. It was challenging, rewarding, frustrating, exciting and eye-opening. This opened our minds to a different kind of life. It taught us that many things in life come about through luck - but we realised that it is possible to make your own luck through bold and brave choices.

Over the next 24 years, we worked hard in the NHS and had reasonably conventional careers. We travelled a lot and were drawn back to different African countries - never tiring of seeing wildlife. We became more adventurous and independent - hiring Land Rovers and sleeping on roof tents in the African bush. We talked all the time about what we would do when we retired.

We always had the idea of retiring early and working overseas again. In 2016 we both turned 50. We celebrated half a century not-out with a trip to Zambia with my parents, Pat and Peter. Our dream destination had been the South Luangwa National Park - a remote and very beautiful game reserve in Eastern Zambia. We were not disappointed by South Luangwa's natural beauty and wildlife.

Whilst in Zambia we got talking to the various camp guides and staff. They told us about the Valley Doctor post. A post for a general practitioner for 3, 4 or 6 months. A voluntary post, funded by the various companies who run the tourist camps in the reserve. As soon as we got home, we started to explore the realities of this job. Our hearts and minds agreed. This was the ideal post for us.

Our application to become Valley doctor was successful. The only down-side is that it is a single post. The camps employ one doctor at any time. One doctor will have some support for travel, one medical licence, one house to live in with one vehicle and modest expenses. We have decided to fund my medical license. Keith says I can stay in his house and ride in his safari vehicle. The Valley has never had a paediatrician before, so this will be a new experience all round. We have elected to go for 6 months. Our experience in Zanzibar told us that it takes a while to adjust to the culture and the working environment.

I now need to keep reminding myself that this is not "Out of Africa" with dreamy romantic music, wonderful vistas and a touch of syphilis! I fully expect it to be challenging, rewarding, frustrating, exciting and eye-opening. The main difference from Zanzibar is that when the going gets tough, there will be no white sandy beaches with an aquamarine sea to escape to. Instead, we will have to make do with game drives to see lions, leopards, colourful birds and the ever present elephants. Rumour has it that the elephants often pass through our garden. For that reason, I am trying to negotiate with Keith not to get a push-bike!

So let's scrub the idea of this being an Out of Africa experience. But make no bones about it: at this point we are going Into Africa.