Frozen lake

When I arrived in Davos, the Dovosersee was 'n clear, blue lake high up in the mountains. Today when I drove out of Davos towards Zurich, the lake was covered in a blanket of snow with the outside temperature in the double digit negative. The snow-covered country-side is really beautiful, but a bit too much for a sun-loving African, like me.

Picture pretty Davos

I walked to the Congress Center this morning. It was crisp and cold and the air stung one's nose as you breathe, but it was stunningly beautiful. The first few exposures to world leaders here at the WEF was full of inspiration. Granted; I have only been exposed to African leaders and will soon meet others too. In the meantime; I am proud to be from Africa.

Ernst and family survive carcrash

Ernst phoned me last night, informing me that he, Catherine and the two kids were in a major crash on the dirt road between Graafwater and Piketberg. Through the grace of God (and diligent use of safety belts), nobody suffered any injuries. We are so thankful for this. It seemed as if the left front wheel had a blow-out and the car rolled and cartwheeled four times.

Shanks for the weekend

A well-prepared Lamb Shank has always been one of my favourite dishes. It so happened that I (inadvertently) had shanks in two separate occasions this weekend. On Friday I had a Springbok shank at Hildebrand in the V&A and top that with a Warthog shank on Sunday at Pierneefs - supported by a brilliant La Motte Shiraz-Viognier 2008. Food for kings.

Lots of people on the beach

I suppose it was the heat, but everyone and his dog were out on the beach (and in the water) last night. Me and Annelie had a brisk walk at dusk (after hunting for a parking space for some time). It felt like a party with informal games and people running in and out of the waves.

Back at work

I elected to start work on Thursday the 12th. (Somehow Friday the 13th did not have the same ring to it). I spent most of the time reviewing the status of important initiatives. On my way home, as I stopped at a traffic light, I saw the late afternoon sunlight on the Stellenbosch mountains in the distance. It made me feel glad to be home.

Leaving "no-worries" land

We are just about to board QF63 for OR Tambo leaving Australia after a memorable two weeks. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest and the company of family. Having seen so many countries with so many challenges in the past year, it is strange to experience a country almost without any problems: a truly "no-worries" country.

Goolwa Cycling

Lots of sun, lots of hills and beautiful spots. I cycled almost everyday while on holiday close to Goolwa. The good food, lots of exercise and fresh air made me feel alive.

Celebrating Ouma's eightieth birthday

We celebrated Ouma Andre's birthday at Umuthi with a lot of gratitude in our hearts. We were blessed to have her in good health with us and to have her three children and their spouses present. She was served with breakfast in bed and we all rejoiced for the opportunity to experience this.

Swam across Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay is a great little bay in Port Elliot in South Australia. It is perfectly shielded from the waves in the open ocean, providing an ideal site to swim in protected open water. I swam across the bay a few times during our stay here and thoroughly enjoyed it.