I completed the Double Century

This was in so many ways a special experience. To cycle for 200 km, to see some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, to experience teamwork and dedicated support, to learn so much about yourself is truely a privilege. The satisfaction of crossing the finishing line (an amazing experience on its own) is no comparison to everything that happened ten hours before that.

I am wealthy with friends

We meet every Monday evening. A few Christian friends to share and care for each other. We talk and we pray and relish the time together. It stuck me yesterday how blessed I am to have such friends. In a world driven by material wealth, I am more wealthy with friendship than money could possibly buy.

View from a Shopping Center Restaurant

Me and Annelie had Sushi and Seafood at the CTFM in Somerset Mall on Sunday. If you ignore the traffic on the N2, the view of the Helderberg from the restaurant was pretty impressive.

Winetasting with JC Martin from Creation

There is no substitute for experience blended with passion. During our visit to Creation winery (close to Hermanus), we found plenty of both in wine-maker/owner JC Martin. We loved the philosophy and style of this young winery.

Pizza-evening with the Streichers

Dirk and Marieke invited us to enjoy a pizza-evening at their home. They have an old-fashioned, wood-burning pizza-oven. Part of the fun is to create gourmet pizzas with ingredients never thought of. We talked about our kids and the new world that they have to brave. Something really special to sustain a friendship for more than three decades.

La Pineta Lamb Shank and Shiraz

Pineta means (I am told) pine forest. La Pineta is a restaurant close to de Wijnlanden. On Wednesday they have a special of two glasses of Shiraz with a lambshank. Afterwards the lights in the forest painted a pretty picture.

Staying over in Assendelft

Returning from Bloemfontein, me and Annelie decided to sleep over rather than completing the trip in one go. We found Assendelft (near Prince Albert Road) and booked into the lodge. We had a great dinner and a long chat with the owner; Wally. A night experiencing the tranquility of the Karoo was good for us.

Visit to Bloemfontein

We spend a memorable few days in Bloemfontein with Izak and Sanet. We talked, ate, watched rugby and reminiscence about the past. Me and Izak also completed the OFM Classic successfully.

Fun in the Karoo National Park

While traveling by road to Bloemfontein, we decided to stay over at the Karoo National Park. I was up at the break of dawn for a 2km walk to the top of a nearby hill to retrieve a geocache. It was great to see the sun rise and to walk amongst wild animals (zebras, hartebeest and more). It was only at the top of the hill that I read on my iPhone that a pride of lions were also roaming in the reserve!

Our quarterly Sushi and Chardonnay

I always look forward to my quarterly dinner with Craig. This appointment has now fallen into a comfortable rhythm. The place, the time and the menu is settled, leaving our minds clear to think about the more important things in life: like working with a vision, unification of messaging, the prioritisation of info streams and the American Dream... to name but a few.