An Unforgettable Sabbatical
"They say an elephant never forgets. What they don't tell you is, you never forget an elephant." – Bill Murray
From the day HFA's Director of Client Services and Senior Financial Advisor, Randi Beach and her family arrived in Africa, they knew it would be a trip like no other.
Inspired by a trip to South Africa that HFA founder Jim Englert took with his granddaughter, the idea of a safari was top on Randi's list for an adventurous family vacation.
So, after being encouraged to take a four-week sabbatical following 15 years of service at HFA, Randi and her husband, Greg — who celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary this summer — began planning.
"Greg is a great researcher and trip planner, so he made most of the arrangements," said Randi. "I told him I wanted to see Cape Town and experience a family-friendly safari, and he found a great travel agency out of Toronto to work with."
After a delayed flight out of Rochester led to them driving to Newark to make their connecting flight, Randi, Greg, their 10-year-old son, Henry, and 16-year-old daughter, Mallory, departed on a 15-hour flight to Cape Town, South Africa.
They spent four days exploring Cape Town's waterfront area, including a tour of the peninsula where they saw the Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Beach, home to many penguins.
Next up was a two-and-a-half-hour flight to Hoedspruit Airport, where they were then transferred to the Kambaku Safari Lodge, and their true adventure began.
The family went on two safaris each day, including a walking safari where they learned all about the different types of leaves found in the African wilderness, everything from leaves to help you sleep to those that help with a toothache. Mallory and Henry were also treated to a special junior safari.
"It was an incredible experience that truly can't be put into words," said Randi. "When we came upon lions on safari the first night, Mallory had a tear in her eye. I knew at that moment that this was the trip of a lifetime."
On safari, the goal is to see "the big five" animals, including the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo. The Beach family was fortunate to see all five plus hippos, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and wildebeests. Click here to watch a short highlight video of their trip.
"One of my favorite parts was watching the baby elephants," continued Randi. "They seemed confused by the size of their trunks, swinging them around and trying to figure out what to do with them."
Upon return home, the family joked about naturally looking for animals in the trees as they crossed the Irondequoit Bay Bridge after being so well trained during their four-day safari.
And, as if a 10-day trip to South Africa wasn't enough to fill her plate during sabbatical, Randi also fit in a long-standing tradition of vacationing with her extended family on the St. Lawrence River in Morristown, N.Y.
"We call it our Groundhog Day vacation," said Randi. "For the last 30 years, we have stayed in the same house, prepared the same menu and done the same activities, all passed down from my grandparents who are no longer with us, but we carry on the traditions."
This was a bittersweet year as they'll be renting a new house for the first time next year to accommodate their growing family.
Randi also managed to fit in time to enjoy some of the area's finest summer traditions, including Seabreeze, pool parties with her high school friends and their children, and an overnight girls' getaway in Silvercreek at the new Hideaway Bay Resort on Lake Erie.
"Upon returning to the office after sabbatical, I felt refreshed and ready to be back," said Randi. "I also so appreciated the team's support. They made sure everything was taken care of and didn't miss a beat while I was gone."
And while Randi is glad to be settled back in the office this fall, she's already thinking about her next family trip, an Alaskan cruise next summer.
About the High Falls Advisors Sabbatical Program
A few years ago, HFA's management team began offering an employee sabbatical program. Under this program, team members who have completed five years or more of service are eligible for a paid four-week leave, which they can use as they choose. While on sabbatical, employees are encouraged to engage in activities that are meaningful to them, such as traveling, taking a class, volunteering for a nonprofit, spending time with family, or pursuing other personal interests. The hope is that after this time off, employees will return to work feeling refreshed and engaged, with new energy and perspectives.