Sunday lunch at Long Table

We had our sunday lunch at the Long Table on Haskells. The place was abuzz with people which is always a good sign for a restaurant. My lamb phyllo an Annelie's venison with berry sauce emphasized the skill of the chef. We enjoyed the food with the local Bertus blend and agreed that it was a special place when we left for home.

Grandchildren babysitting

What a privilege to look after our amazing grand-children for a while this morning. We were literally met at the door by two smiling little beings. We played together on the floor, talked, had some tea and I even managed to put Nina to bed successfully myself. Strange how seemingly insignificant things can have so much meaning.

Slow congestion

It is a pity that more and more people have realized that the best lounge at domestic ORT is the Slow Lounge. This means that tonight the food was not enough and one had to stand in a queue for a glass of wine.

Gautrain disappointment

Always loved taking the Gautrain from ORT to Sandton, but experienced a lot of frustration today when my card had R25 too little on it when I tried to exit. The slickness of process when things go wrong is often an indication of the quality of service. Gautrain should work on this.

Agreement in Singapore

At the end of a great dinner at the Tippling Club in Singapore, me and Steven concluded a contract to attempt to cross the Atlantic with a yacht in 2014. The dinner was a combination of inventive meals and special wines.

Efficient Singapore

It is true, Singapore is super-efficient. I placed my luggage in my hotel-room at Marina Sands within 45 minutes after touchdown. Consider that this include taxing of the aircraft to the parking bay, clearing immigration, 10 plus minutes taxi ride and booking in at the hotel; this is pretty amazing.

Family reunion at Gariep

Enjoyed a weekend at the Gariep Resort with Annelie's family. I met cousins and an aunt of Annelie for the first time. We celebrated new friends and I understood why family-ties are so important.., yet neglected so much in a modern world. I also took time to explore some of the surrounding areas on MTB.

Vineyards in the sunlight

One of the special things about living close to a vineyard, is to experience the cycle of life each year. From vines full of fruit in the middle of the season to the last red leaf dropping off the dead branches. But the most special stage is now, when new life bursts out of the plant in the form of bright green shoots.

Haircut at OR Tambo

Had my hair cut at the barber shop at OR Tambo because the shop was open and my hair needed a cut. The irony of what I was doing struck me when I realised the barber was from the DRC, having done a six month crash course in hairdressing. With Africa music videos playing I noticed the Nigerian cashier surveying her fingernails, explaining why she didn't buy the barber chicken for lunch. In the end my haircut actually turned out well.

Lions feeding on Kudu kill

The last game drive at the lodge ended with lots of excitement when we stumbled on a fresh lion kill. Two lionesses killed a kudu-cow literally a few hundred meters from where we were having a final beer and snacks on the banks of the Zambezi. The baboons signaled distress and our guide managed to get us close enough to see the drama of life and death in the bush. It was a memorable end to a special few days in Zambia.

Tiger fishing on the Zambezi

We lost a lot of Tigers because of inexperience, but in the end, we all successfully landed at least one Tiger on the boat - including Catherine. I managed to break the line on at least three big ones, but were successful with two nine pounders.

Royal Zambezi Lodge

On the Zambezi (below the Kariba), six hours by road, right in the wilderness, is the Royal Zambezi Lodge. We arrived here with a Cessna Caravan and immediately loved the luxury and service from the staff. It is great to have Ernst and his family with us, but we wished Izak could be here too.

Misty in Lusaka

There is so much growth in Zambia. New shopping centres, maintained roads and great restaurants are everywhere. I had a very good dinner in high style at the new Misty Restaurant with clients. The live jazz music added to the atmosphere to the degree that one just did not want to leave.

Aircraft at the end of the tarmac

It took an extra long bus ride to the B777 at the end of the tarmac for my flight back to Cape Town. What is the rationale to always park the aircrafts for the Cape Town flights halfway to Al Ein here in Dubai?

Rolex wrong

The challenge of any great brand is to keep the brand promise - especially something as well known and aspirational as Rolex. That is why it was interesting to me that all the Rolex wall clocks in the Emirates departure lounge at San Francisco International displayed the wrong time.

San Francisco in glorious sunlight

Today is a sunny day in San Francisco. The buildings in the city centre is bright against the backdrop of fog on the distant hills here from the 29th floor. In the distance, I can even see Alcatraz.

Upgraded to First Class

Getting upgraded to first class is great, but to have that happen on both legs of my trip to San Francisco very fortunate. The result was a comfortable journey to the Bay city in my own suite with the best food and wines. I managed to rest well, reflect on my business realities and prepare well for the week's meetings all at 30 000 ft.

Almenkerk winery

The new cellar and tasting room at Almenkerk in the Elgin region is impressive and so is their wine. We joined the Kurktrekkers wine-club for a weekend of wine and food in the relatively new Elgin ward. The white wines were beautiful (the Sauvignon Blanc from Iona being one of the best that I have ever tasted), but remember Lace (the second label from Almenkerk) - serious wines, made in bulk at an attractive price.

La Motte magic

We had such a special evening at La Motte with the Sippers. First we visited the art museum (with rare Pierneef pieces), then tasted eight brilliant wines at the wine centre and concluded everything with a scrumptious dinner at the award-winning restaurant. The warmth of the people, the perfect setting and the blue moon contributed to a perfect evening. As we drove back home, we acknowledged that we are extremely blessed and we thanked the Lord for this.

Old Alto

My brother found a case of Alto Cab 1982 at a liquidation auction and we managed to pick it up at a good price. Last night I carefully extracted the soft cork out of a bottle, lovingly decanted the thirty year old liquid and left it to breath. The nose had a strange metallic whiff, but the mouth was still packed with fruit and lots of structure.... Beautiful.