What a hectic day of travelling...

I left the hotel at 04:00 this morning to catch a train to Schiphol, then book on the flight, business lounge, board, short hop to Heathrow, pass through Immigrations, Heathrow Express to Paddington, short walk to my meeting (arriving litteraly 5 minutes before the scheduled time).

Then after the meeting, walk to Paddington, Heathrow Express, pass security (belt, jacket, shoes, watch etc. etc. in the tray), business lounge, board the short flight, arrive in Schiphol, pass Immigration, on the train to Utrecht, walk to the hotel, arrive back at the hotel at 15:00. Exactly eleven hours since I left in the morning.

I should do something about my life.

Attending Mobey Forum in Utrecht

I spend two days in Utrecht attending the Mobey Forum. I presented a paper on mobile banking in Africa, but was surprised with the quality of the rest of the presentations. I enjoyed the city of Utrecht and the dinner that we had as part of the procedings of the Forum.

I made good friends and learned a lot about the industry that I am so involved with.

Ode to my late father in law

My father in law passed away on the 13th October 2009 after a long suffering (ten years). His hospital bed is now empty, but he is in a much better place now. I travelled to Bloemfontein with my wife to support the family and help with the arrangements.

It is at times like this, that one cannot help to re-evaluate ones relationship with your loved ones. I have learned so much from my father in law. Through my interaction with him, I was moulded into a better person. He was a meticulously accurate person with a sharp brain. We could sit for hours and talk about economics and finance, and this inadvertently influence me in how I arranged my life.

This time also made me think of life (and death). The relationships that I have with my wife and my children and how prepared I am if I have to die. In all of this I once again realised that an Almighty God is in charge. Even though we suffer, He has a good plan for all of us.

Beautiful rainbow over Stellenbosch

This is the rainbow that was visible from the balcony up-stairs at de Wijnlanden late this afternoon. With the vineyards green with new leaves and a light rain that made the air crisp and fresh, the rainbow affirmed how great it is to be alive. I know that the world has many beautiful places, but the Cape always seems to have something special up her sleeve.

Lunch with one of my awesome sons

We had lunch with Ernst (my oldest son) at de Wijnlanden today. The food was a simple salad with Springbok fillet pieces, accompanied by Zondernaam Sauvignon Blanc. I just enjoyed spending time with him and once again realised how blessed I am to have children like I do and that we get along well. How empty would my life have been if I did not have kids?

Just landed at Lanseria. What a nice airport.

Flying into Johannesburg one usually lands at O.R.Tambo. This is the biggest airport in Africa. As such it is also the busiest. To the north of the city is a small international airport called Lanseria. Few scheduled flights use this airport, but one (Kulula) operates a scheduled flight from Cape Town. I decided to check it out and landed here this morning. The airport is very quiet with good infrastructure. It is recommended to land here if you have a meeting in the northern suburbs, providing you can bear the traffic to and from the airport on roads that are under construction.

On my way to Bloem early morning

I am on my way to Bloemfontein by car early morning on Friday. My father-in-law is terminally ill and has been moved to a facility for frailty care this week. I am planning to assist my wife and family during this difficult time. It is situations like this that one re-assess the importance of family and one's relatioinship with God. As I approached Liansburg, the cloud covered the sky in the most beautiful patterns. It was special for me to experience creation and to realise that I worship a God that is so much bigger than any of the problems that we experience here on earth.

Mobile money hits the big time with Economist headline

Since I stopped reading newspapers (because they generally only sensationalise gossip), I started reading the Economist. This is the one magazine that really publish quality articles - well-researched and objective. When the latest edition placed mobile money on the front cover, I realised that this industry tha I helped to create is now mainstream without any doubt. It was with a lot of satisfaction that I read this edition.

Received good service at MTN in N1 city

I walked into MTN at N1 city with a set-up on my mobile that did not allow me to get access to the MTN data services. This frustrated me because I like using the Sony Ericsson camera to submit photo's direct to the blog. The lady at the counter fixed the problem quickly and I could take a picture of the shop and blogged it immediately.

Attending Cultivaria in the Paarl with my wife

I attended a performance by some of Afrikaans' most talented artists (Amanda Strydom and Lize Beukmann) in the Paarl with Annelie today. I again realised how important artists are in how we experience life. In singing about the things we all experience (love, longing, sadness and joy), they help us connect with our emotions. Without music and poetry, life would be so much less brilliant.

Dinner with my brother at home

My brother's daughters participated in the South African open fencing championships in Cape Town today. They did particularly well, winning a few medals. Afterwards they had dinner at de Wijnlanden. It was great to spend time with my only brother and his family. We talked about a previous time when we were still kids and philosophised about what the future will hold.

We launch a new generation product

Richard and the team from product development launched a new generation product today. This was an internal launch prior to the product's beta deployment at a client. We had a preview of the advanced features, before we had drinks and something to eat. I am so privileged to work with the talented people at Fundamo.

In the beautiful city of Stockholm

I am in the beautiful city of Stockholm at the moment. We are preparing for a meeting tomorrow and walked to a restaurant close to the hotel. The sun was just setting and the old city embraced us with her charm. The water had a deep blue color and I made a mental note to return at some stage to see and experience this again.

Finishing the tough Karoo to Coast mountain bike race

I participated in the tough Karoo to Coast bike race. This race is known as one of the most picturesque mountain bike races in South Africa and has grown in popularity in the past years. The 100km route follows tracks through the mountains from from Uniondale to Knysna. While I did finish the race, it was very difficult as I was not properly prepared. I have learned a lesson to never attempt something as onerous as this without proper preparation. Nevertheless it was a wonderful experience, especially because I was blessed to experience the event with my wife and good friends present.

Attending conference in Lusaka

I attending a great conference in Lusaka where I also had an opportunity to deliver a paper entitled: Mobile banking in emerging economies. I always enjoy coming to Lusaka for many reasons. This time was no different. I also had the opportunity to make new friends and to meet old ones again.

Back from a great holiday in Australia

We have now returned from a great holiday spent mostly in and around Adelaide. The primary purpose of the visit was to be with Annelie's sister who have now made Australia home and to taste the great wines of South Australia. Both those objectives have been met, we rested well and enjoyed the food and wine of the region.

We returned after a 24 hour marathon trip back in the Cape on Sunday. I am still battling with jetlag and the time-difference, but it is great to be back home and to get stuck into the job again.

The best Shiraz wines in the world can be found in Australia

I have now come to the final conclusion that nobody can make as good Shiraz' as the Aussies can. While it is true that some of the overtly powerful and confusing wines that one find here are just trying to hard, one still find amazingly calm, yet single-mindedly powerful wines. We tasted some of the best Shiraz' in the Penfold stable today (we were only allowed to look at the Grange). Yet, we were able to taste the following icon wines: RWT Shiraz, the St Henri (which we both liked a lot), and some special BIN's too. We also tasted brilliant Shiraz' like those from Tim Adams for instance and finished the day with an understanding that Australia is Shiraz country and nobody can make this cultivar is good as they can.

An amazing degustation dinner at Appellations

Both me and Annelie agree that the dinner that we enjoyed at this well-known restaurant in Berossa was probably the best ever. The ten-course menu was such a well-designed experience with each meal connected to the next in a continuous performance from the roasted prawns to the salted ice cream and hand made petit fours. The approach of building the dinner around the brilliant wines is what we think made this so special. The food was put together in such a way to absolutely compliment the wines and the six wines that we had were also absolute masterpieces. The Torbeck Viognier (2008) and the John Duval Entity Shiraz (2007) were the wine highlights for me. The price tag in access of R3000 was actually worth it.

Lunch at the prizewinning Kitchen Door on Penny's Hill

We had a great lunch at the prizewinning restaurant, Kitchen Door on the winefarm Penny's Hill close to McLarenvale in South Australia today. We enjoyed their famous five course food and wine-pairing and learned more about the wine and the food of Australia. The food and wine were well-balanced in honest, bold and forthright dishes. Our visit to this country is turning out to be most memorable.

Helping on Willem's farm near Goolwa

I helped with some of the farm work on Willem's farm near Goolwa today. We burned some of the prunings from the vineyard and then cut the grass amongst the vineyards. I really enjoyed the work, the fresh air and the different challenges (like guiding the tractor through the trellises). Willem makes good Cabernet Wines on Umuthi and we are having a good time on the farm.

Winetasting in Adelaide Hills

We are now in South Australia and spent the day exploring Adelaide Hills. This must be one of the most picturesque places in the world where wine is produced. The winding roads and the huge trees next to the brooks are very pretty. We found some great wines at some of the wineries that we visited. The Crosser Sparkling wines at Petaluma and some of the delicate Chardonnays that we tasted in the region will be a pleasant memory for us. We did find that the range of each winery was so big that it was difficult to find a common theme and character of the region. We stopped for a light lunch at a small Cafe in Woodside and returned with a lot of satisfaction for a day well-spent.

Meeting Annelie's family in Adelaide for the first time

Esthea and Willem have settled well into their new country. They purchased a farm close to Goolwa where Willem is a General Practicioner and named it Umuthi. Esthea and Willem Jnr. fetched us at the Adelaide airport after a flight on Virgin Blue from Perth and we shared a hearty meal ably supported by the wines made from the grapes of Umuthi. The tranquil environment and the closeness of family was very pleasant to me and Annelie and we thanked the Lord for such blessings.

Tasting wines in the Swan River Region

After the win on Saturday, we rented a car and drove to Swan River Valley to explore some of the vineyards close to Perth. Some of the bigger producers were very predictable, but we managed to find some good, smaller producers that we enjoyed visiting. With the exception of a few brilliant cabs, we felt that the sweet wines produced in the valley were the best trademark of the region. We had an excellent lunch at Sitella, one of the prize-winning restaurants in the valley.

Me and Annelie enjoying the Springbok win at Subioca Oval

We joined a minority "Bok-supporter crowd at Perth's Subioca Oval to witness a clinical demolishment of the Wallabies. With this win the Springboks are now almost assured of adding the Tri-Nations trophy to World Champions and beating the Lions. It is great to be a Springbok supporter during this time. I also enjoyed spending time with my wife away from home and to explore this amazing island continent.

Wonderful lunch with friends at Harbour Rock

Harbour Rock is a new restaurant on the sea at the new Harbour in Hermanus. We had a very nice lunch with wine-tasting friends. We talked about our hobbies and our shared interest in wine, we enjoyed the fresh fish and finished a number of great examples of the art of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa.

Inspirational winetasting at Luddites in Botriver

We had a very special tasting with Niels Verburg (owner and winemaker at Luddite). This tasting was just one of those tastings where I know why I like wine. This amazing art form symbolizes life. Niels live his passion to the ultimate: he wants to make the best Shiraz possible and he focus all his talents into achieving this objective. I loved listening to his eccentricities, his dedication and love for what he does. Our dreams and our passions may be different, but all of us should demonstrate the same dedication.

Battling with flu, stayed at home and rested

I did not feel well on Thursday and decided to also stay at home on Friday. While I did not have serious flu symptoms (like runny nose and sore throat), I was just extremely tired. After a good night rest and drinking lots of water I did feel better the next morning

Arden visit to his grandparents

Ernst and Catherine had lunch with us today at de Wijnlanden. It was a sunny day and the spring flowers was bright in the grass in front of the house, so we decided to set a table in the garden. Arden was so attentive, looking at things and spending time with us - making his two-month old sounds as he enjoyed the company. We are so blessed.

Annelie at the Juno Cafe after the MTB race

After I completed the Wellington MTB race, me and Annelie had a wonderful lunch at the Juno Cafe in the Paarl. We both ordered the sausage that was well complimented by the local Shiraz-Mouvedre blend. While we were enjoying our lunch we saw a magnificent eagle feeding chicks in a tree across the parking lot... amazing.

Some of the product guys at the spitbraai

We have had a few spitbraais at the office now and it always turns out to be a great evening. We arrange for the meat to be barbequed at the office and we all have a few drinks in the garden before we have dinner together inside. This is Richard and Tony before dinner with the pool in the background.

Fundamo completing RFP during dinner

This just goes to show how commited the team are here at Fundamo. We were enjoying an amazing dinner at the new Roundhouse restaurant in Campsbay when Scott pulled out the laptop and started working on an urgent RFP. The Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc or the Peter Barlow Cabernet was not even finish when the RFP work was done.

The beauty of MeerenBosch

Me and Annelie spend last night in the wooden house on the lake near Botriver. This morning as the sun baked on the water and the clouds rolled in over the Kogel mountains, I just once again realised how breathtakingly beautiful this place is. The wind played a melody in the trees and one can hear the water birds up here on the dune. I totally relax when we come here.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Thirty four minutes and fifty six seconds after twelve on the seventh day of August 2009, the time could be written as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. I felt that it was quite a special time as it will only be like this in a hundred years. So I was looking for something to do. In the end I took a photo of Adriaan to celebrate with him.

Neil Hinrichson visited us at Fundamo today

I started Fundamo with Neil almost ten years ago. It was a hard path that we followed and he contributed a lot. Ultimately our paths went different routes and Neil got involved with a number new start-ups. Today he was in the area and managed to pop into the office for a short while. It was great to see him again.

Non-phone Mobile ATM

I describe our product at Fundamo often as an ATM on your mobile. I never thought that I would actually see a real "mobile ATM" driving in front of me on the road. Well, there you have it...

Some of us are not afraid of the cold

In comparing the difference in dress code between Frans and Owen at work, it was clear to me that some are not afraid of the cold outside.

In serious discussion with my first grandson

Picture of me with my first grandson, Arden Hannes in serious discussion. It is such an amazing experience to see the little baby and to realise that his whole world is still ahead. He will have so much to see and learn. If I think how the world that I was born into changed, then he will see so much in his life.

Watching the game in a bush pub

We watched the Springboks beat the Kiwi's in a genuine bush pub close to Tulbugh. The pub, built in a number of trees, was packed with hard-core Springbok supporters. This was part of a wine-tasting tour to the region with friends where we tasted great Shiraz's and Pinotage's (amongst others).

Early morning in Morgansvlei

We woke this morning to a beautiful day on Margansvlei Estate close to Tulbagh. Me and Annelie joined Quintes and Riele for dinner at the Tulbagh Hotel and then talked till late afterwards. After breakfast, the rest of the winegroup will be joining us and then we will start the wine-tour. Really looking forward to it.

Augmented Reality Advert

This is a screenshot of me experiencing the new augmented reality adverts delivered by GE. (See for your self here). It just amaze me what is possible with technology nowadays... and what is conceptually possible when you experience things like this.

Lunch meeting at Cafe Neo

I had lunch with Willem at Caffe Neo today after my application for my UK visa. Because of the efficient process, I was a bit early and had a brisk stroll down the Greenpoint seafront. I looked at the mountain and the lighthouse and just fell in love with Cape Town again.

Egyptian Geese with little chicks

I saw these two wild Geese in the parking lot at Fundamo this morning. They were looking after their new family of little chicks. As the staff started arriving, all were very careful in parking as we did not want to scare the birds off. It was amazing to see wild animals living in harmony with us.

Beaumont Chenin's

We stopped on the way to Meerenbosch to taste the wonderful Chenin's that is made on the farm, and we were not disappointed. The wooded Chenin displayed so much depth and complexity that it must rate as one of the best South African examples of Chenin Blanc. Afterwards we walked down to the old Water Mill and bought some freshly milled flour.

MTB ride through the vineyards

I had such fun this morning cycling up the reservoir hill and then down through the vineyards. I left home before sunrise and experienced extreme cold, but as the day started waking it was such joy to hear the birds in the trees and to smell the morning in the fresh herbs and mushrooms.

Having dinner with good friends

I had dinner tonight with good friends from Israel. We visited Avron's Place, one of the Kosher restaurants in the city and even had a few bottles of King Solomon reserve Cabernet wine. It was a most enjoyable evening.

My kids and the little baby

Me and Annelie had supper at the two new parents tonight (We took the food with so they did not have to cook). It was such an amazing experience to see my kids interacting with their three-week old son. The care and love that they have for this new human being was such a joy for us to experience. I just praise the Lord for how richly He has blessed Ernst and Catherine.

Fundamo offices with garden

As I left the central block and saw some of the engineers walking down the corridor to have a workshop, I once again realised how fortunate we are with the Fundamo premises. The beautiful gardens and the proximity of the Durbanville wine region and excellent restaurants all contribute to making this a special place.

What a perfect morning in the Cape

The sunrise this morning was again something to behold. As is my custom, after rising, I made breakfast and then spent time with the Bible and praying. When I opened my eyes, this is what I saw. I just had to go and wake Annelie so that she can share this with me.

Back in Cape Town

I just landed at Cape Town International. The day is one of those special Cape Town mornings, crisp and clean, without any wind. The sun is shining and where I am standing, waiting for the driver, I can see the back of Table Mountain basted in the morning sun. I am in love with the Cape.

A lot of hard work in Lagos

I am in Lagos for the week, busy with some important Fundamo business. This is a picture of me in the back of the car as we travel from one appointment to another. It is possible to see all the hustle and bustle of Lagos outside the car. Motorcycles, street-vendors, and much more. I had a hectic schedule for the week, but still managed to achieve my business objectives.

Reliving the glory in the CTI business lounge

I am waiting for my flight in the Cape Town International business lounge that will start a journey to Lagos in Nigeria. They were showing a replay of yesterday's Springbok game against the Lions. I enjoyed reliving the glory of the historic win.