Broke the 100km barrier

Today I cycled for more than a 100km. 102.73km to be exact. I really feel proud of this considering that I could not cycle for 5km less than six months ago. It is amazing how adaptive one's body is. How it is possible to push yourself past limits and then get better at it. I left home at 06h30 and arrived at MeerenBosch just under six hours later. I don't feel too bad because it took so long because I had to wait for my son a few times and I battled against a very strong wind most of the time.

TT100 awards ceremony

I attended the Top Technology 100 (TT100) awards ceremony tonight. It was a glamorous affair where music was utilised to represent to qualities of TT100 companies. We were (once again) a finalist in on of the categories (excellence in the management of technology), but (once again) did not win the award. I am confident that we will get very close to winning something next year.

Dixieland at Somerset College

Ernst and Catherine invited us to an evening listening to great music while sipping wine on the lawns of Somerset College. Catherine prepared a picnic spread and we had a most enjoyable late afternoon and evening. While lying under the oak tree and pondering life, I realised how proud I am of the kids and how God have blessed me with a special family.

Lunch with Alan

I had a great lunch with Alan and his wife at this cute Mediterranean Restaurant close to Nottinghill Gate. I have known Alan for a long time (he used to be an executive at Visa and is now in "retirement mode". However, he tells me that he now works harder than ever). The menu was good and I had probably one of the best Cheesecakes that I ever had. It was nice to connect again, and we will potentially speak more often now.

Underground madness

I arrived last night from Spain and stayed over at the Holiday Inn at Heathrow. This morning I was on the Picadilly line for my first meeting in London. Looking around at the crowding on the underground, the frustrations, the pressure and the stress that you could see and feel around me, I realised how fortunate I am to live and work in Cape Town. I do not think that I will be able to cope with this kind of commute day in and day out.

Queues everywhere

Everything is stretched to capacity again. Everywhere is queues and not enough capacity. This is one of the biggest technology events in the world and every year in February geeks, business men, funders, the media and many more congregate on Barcelona. The city and the conference venue is put under severe strain and then everything returns to normal again. It is a stressful environment, pumping with adrenaline, but also very exciting to experience.

International Church of Barcelona

I found a church in Barcelona that conducts their services in English (The International Church of Barcelona) and I attended the morning service. I worshiped with them and thanked the Lord for leading to this church where I met other Christians. I could feel the love of God and it was very gratifying.

Mobile World Congress

I have just arrived in Spain and I have a great hotel room. This cannot be in a better position. The picture of the entrance to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) is just outside (see the picture). The MWC is one of the biggest congresses in the world with 120 000 delegates. Every company that operates in the mobile world is present and many announcements are made. I am a guest speaker at one of the workshops and we will be making an announcement with one of our partners during the congress.

R300 gridlock

This photo was taken on the R300 to work this morning. Major congestion created by roadworks on a major highway at peaktime. What I found quite humorous is the 80km/h warning before the roadworks while crawling along at less than 10km/h

Sunrise on the last morning

This picture was taken from the balcony of our room on the last day of our stay on the island. The sun is breaking through the clouds over the ocean with the palms in the background.

Blue Bay Resort

For the rest of our time on the island, we stayed at a five star Blue Bay Resort. An excellent hotel with a spa and gym. I managed to do two scuba dives and we dined each night in style. This is a picture of the buffet across the pool from our table. Dinner was often accompanied with live entertainment and we managed to also find some class wines on the winelist. I was particularly impressed with a Rose from Catalana in Spain one evening.

Tour of Stone Town

Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar and a city with a rich culture and history. Basically the city was built on the back of the trade in spices and slavery. The visit to the old slave market was specifically special to me because of the impact that it had on a understanding of the past of Africa. By far the majority of the population is practising Moslems (see the mosque in the background), but a grand old Anglican church has been built in the middle of the slave market. Inside the church one sees a number of artifacts related to the slave trade that just touched me in so many ways. On the one hand I was sad for the hardships of Africa, but on the other, I experienced the hope that Jesus brings to a lost world.

Spice Tour

One of the "must-do" attractions on the island is the Spice Tours. We had a most enjoyable tour to a small private Spice farm where we saw many different fruits and spice being cultivated. It was amazing to see how nutmeg or cinnamon are grown. Even pineapples were new to us! Afterwards we had lunch in a local village with food prepared in the local way. A most enjoyable and informative day.

En Route Zanzibar

Just arrived from Johannesburg in Dar-es-Salaam. We are now aboard the Cessna Caravan ready for taxi and take-off to Zanzibar. I am sitting right behind the pilot and have a clear view on his pilot procedures. I really enjoyed the twenty minute flip to the island.

Live on Television

I have just arrived at Television Centre in Auckland Park for a live interview on the Breakfast Show on SABC3. This is going to be a new experience for me and although I am a bit nervous, I am looking forward to it. You can watch a copy of the interview on YouTube.