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Maya Bay at Phi Phi Leh
With my wife and my family at my side, my 40 year old birthday took place in paradisiac Thailand. Never in my life I would have imagined that [a] one day I would be in Thailand [b] all the persons I love would be around me for a birthday, and [c] cross the 40 years mark. It runs in my family that men have a tendency to rush to the finish line earlier than most of the rest of the population, and therefore I would also be part of the family ritual. Nothing was certain, but it always lay low in my mind that this is something that could happen not expected though.
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Chaise Longue on Khai Nai Island
My early years of my life were therefore dedicated to collect as much as possible for the maybe later stage … if it ever happen. And then the time made its mark, I realized that I could go on longer and maybe faster than most family habits. After careful investigations, deep explorations, and evitable detours I encounter what I consider to be my solid foundation in my new next stage in my life: my wife.
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Khai Nai Island
In picture perfect Thailand, next to the beach chaise longue and under the equatorial sun, my decision was made clear then. In my next 40 years I will build on what I was doing so far, enjoying traveling around the world, and build on a new family of my own so that one day someone could also take the person he or she loves in a unique place to celebrate a 40 years birthday.
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Elephant at a Farm
In reality 40 is not a big number, not even scary when it passes next to you. It doesn’t have a weird face, large shoulder and strange accent. 40 is in fact a plain normal number. It is what you have decided to do with it that could be big.