Jumbo restaurant

The Jumbo restaurant is Hong Kong's most famous floating restaurant. We had a great sunday lunch with the kids here today. While Arden walked around the dining hall making a lot of friends, we enjoyed the excellent cuisine. We enjoyed it so much that we were the last to leave and were specifically treated when the staff chased and ultimately caught a bat that got into the restaurant.

With Arden in Hong Kong

We arrived safely in Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific and immediately took a taxi to Ernst and Catherine's apartment. We spend most of the day walking on the promenade, enjoying Arden. Who would ever have thought that we would be visiting our kids and grandchild in such a faraway place?

End of day

I got into my car at dusk after a satisfactory day at work. The carpark was almost empty but I am not the last to go home. I feel a lot of gratitude for the Fundamo journey and all the amazing people that I have met and had the privilege to work with.

Two dogs

Annelie got a brand new sleeping basket for Basie and Nonnatjie. They seem to enjoy it. It is amazing how the two dogs have become part of our way of life since we got them eighteen months ago.

Hard fall

I had a hard fall this morning. I came off the bike at more than 40 km/u during the Medallion race. Luckily nothing is broken but I am heavily bruised and I think the bike may be a write-off. What is also disappointing is that I would have done a good time when the crash happened about 15km from the end. I cannot remember anything, but the fall must have been hard, considering how my helmet broke (see picture).

Great team dinner in Barcelona

This is now turning into some sort of a tradition: dinner at Sigardi's during the Mobile World Congress. Last year it was only Fundamo staff and one or two clients. This year we were graced by some of the leading thinkers in the industry. Something tells me that this will happen again next year.

Barcelona again

It is that time of the year again: Mobile World Congress. This is the time that everyone involved with the industry converge on Catalan's capital. This year about 60 000 people registered. It is a week of excitement, new announcements, massive exhibitions, workgroups and awards. As usual I worked very hard with most days starting at 8:00 and ending with business dinners stretching into early mornings... Very exhaustive, but also full of excitement and energy.

Completed the Midmar mile

I completed my second Midmar (open water) mile with my youngest son. It was tougher for me to do this year. This is the lesson that I have learned: I will have to work harder preparing next year.

Bierfassi

Such a lot of beer and not enough time. We stopped at Bierfassi just outside Nottingham Road for a few beers and lunch. It was just before the Midmar rush. The beers were very delicately brewed and the Austrian cuisine complimented them well. I enjoyed the company of my wife and my youngest son.

Wine in the Midlands

Yes, they grow wine in KZN too, and it is pretty serious wines. We stopped at the Stables and tasted a few glasses. The wooded Chenin came with a lot of complexity, a lot of mouth-fill and a lingering aftertaste.

I love the Jozie vibe

Arrived last night in the heart-beat city of African commerce. I was up early for a breakfast meeting at a hotel close by. Walking the five hundred yards, I saw a city getting ready for a new day; street hawkers preparing their ware, mini-bus taxis off-loading passengers, people walking to their place of work. Jozie is so different to any other city on this globe.

Early morning traffic jam

One of the by-products of the worldcup is wonderful highways. We now blitz from onramp to offramp. But then, eish, we get stuck on the feeder routes.

Janap's Take-away

I did some maintenance on my geocaches in the vicinity. Checked that they are still operational and well hidden. One of my favourite locations is Janap's Take-away on the Macassar beach. I always enjoy walking through the ruins of the old hey-days pleasure resort and look at the beach streching for miles. In the late afternoon sun, the shadows casted eerie shapes on the sanddunes reclaiming the site.

Slight mishap cycling this morning

I started very early this morning with the intention of cycling to Rooi-Els and back. Just after eight I phoned home for back-up after my umpteenth flat tyre. While I was waiting to be picked up, looking out over False Bay, listening to the sea gulls and the gentle waves washing onto the rocks below, I felt a calmness coming over me, replacing the frustration of the broken bike.

Sunset on Falsebay

It has now become somewhat of an institution with me and Annelie: when the weather allows it we go for a brisk walk on the beach late afternoons. On a beautiful day like today everyone is out on the beach; walking, kicking balls, walking dogs, surfing, swimming, fishing, kite surfing, paragliding... it is amazing all the things happening at the same time. And then, when the sun sets on a calm sea, it is almost as if you can touch the greatness of God.

Our first wine harvest

The vineyard is only three years old, but I managed to harvest enough grapes to fill half a bucket. This is my first attempt at making my own wine. Not sure if anything good will come of this.