Thought I'd post this as I'm a proud South African and found it interesting:
What Makes South Africa Unique?
Infrastructure:
The world's biggest hospital is the Chris Hani - Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto.
South Africa is one of only 12 countries where tap water is safe to drink. Its tap water is rated the third best worldwide.
Pretoria has the second largest number of embassies in the world after Washington, D.C.
South Africa is the world's biggest producer and exporter of mohair.
The rand, the world’s most actively traded emerging market currency, has joined an elite club of 15 currencies - the Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) - where forex transactions are settled immediately, lowering the risks of transacting across time zones.
South Africa mines deeper than any other country in the world, up to depths of 2.5 miles at the Western Deep Levels Mine.
It has the largest hydro-electric tunnel system in the world at the Orange Fish Rivers Tunnel.
South Africa is the second largest exporter of fruit in the world.
Electricity costs are the second lowest in the world.
South Africa is the world's largest producer of macadamia nuts.
Officially, the youngest language in the world is Afrikaans. By the early-20th century Afrikaans had developed from Dutch, French and other influences into a fully fledged language with its own dictionary. After a mere 90 years, it is the second most spoken language in South Africa (Zulu is the most spoken, the Zulu people being the largest ethnic group).
South Africa is the world's biggest producer of gold, platinum, chromium, vanadium, manganese and alumino-silicates. It also produces nearly 40% of the world's chrome and vermiculite.
Durban is the largest port in Africa and the ninth largest in the world.
South Africa generates two-thirds of Africa's electricity.
There are about 280,000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia.
The world's two largest platinum mines are located near Rustenburg.
While occupying 4% of Africa's landmass, South Africa boasts more than 50% of the cars, phones, automatic bank tellers and industrial facilities on the continent.
The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), now rising from a Karoo koppie in Sutherland is the largest telescope in the southern hemisphere (and third largest in the world).
South Africa is a middle income country with a strong emerging economy – the 25th largest in the world - and produces more goods than Portugal, Russia or Singapore. It also has Africa’s biggest economy, three times larger than Nigeria or Egypt.
South Africa has the fourth largest coal reserves in the world. Its coal industry ranks sixth in the world in terms of output of hard coal and third in terms of seaborne international coal trade.
Currently, South Africa is the only country in the world that has voluntarily dismantled its nuclear arsenal.
South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa's rail infrastructure.
South Africa has the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and the Mediterranean, featuring Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cinsault, Riesling, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage varietals.
Entertainment:
South Africa has the second oldest Film Industry in the world.
The Cape Argus Cycle Tour is the largest timed cycle race in the world.
South Africa has the longest wine route in the world.
South Africa has the highest commercial bungi jump in the world (710 feet).
M-Net is Africa's largest pay television service, delivering 24-hour programming to dozens of countries across the continent.
South Africa has the most luxurious train in the world, The Rovos Rail.
The Lost City Resort is the largest thermal resort in the world as well as the largest building project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.
Military History:
South Africa has the world's second oldest air force, established 1920.
The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) was the first war of the 20th century and saw the introduction of trench warfare, the first large-scale use of concentration camps for non-combatants, and the most prolonged period of guerrilla warfare by a conquered nation's military against a victorious army.
Camouflage was first used in battle by the Boers, who used camouflaged trenches and adapted battledress to blend into treeless landscapes.
The world's first news footage and propaganda films were shot during the Anglo-Boer War.
Technologically, it saw the first use of a generation of weapons that are still with us today - automatic handguns, magazine-fed rifles, and machine guns.
The Guinness Book of Records lists the Anglo-Boer War as Britain's most costly war outside of the two World Wars.
Travel & Nature:
The Kruger National Park nature reserve supports the greatest variety of wildlife species on the African continent. It is roughly the size of Wales, or the state of Massachusetts (USA), which makes it the eighth largest reserve in the world.
Home to one of the world's 6 floral kingdoms, South Africa has one-tenth (23 200) of the world's flowering plants, of which nearly 19 000 are endemic, making it the richest region in the world in terms of species to area - 1.7 times richer even than Brazil. It is the only country in the world to contain an entire floral kingdom.
It is home to more kinds of mammals than North and South America combined; or Europe and Asia together.
South African grasslands have approximately 30 species per square kilometer, greater than the biodiversity of rainforests.
Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world. Standing at just over 1000 metres, it dominates the city's skyline. Table Mountain can be seen as far as 200 kilometres out to sea.
South Africa has the third highest level of biodiversity in the world.
Paarl is South Africa's third oldest town and home to KWV Cellars- the largest wine cellar in the world (covering 22 hectares).
Kimberley's 'Big Hole' is the largest hand-dug hole in the world and is deeper than Table Mountain is high. Kimberley also has the only drive-in pubs in the world.
Mpumalanga province is home to the Blyderiver Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world - and the largest green one. The Grand Canyon in the U.S. is the biggest, and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia the second, but both are very dry.
The Tugela Falls in KwaZulu Natal, at 948m (3110ft), is the second highest waterfall in the world.
The world's best land-based whale-watching spot is located in Hermanus, Western Cape.
Mossel Bay is in the Guinness Book of records as having the second most moderate climate in the world.
Seal Island in False Bay is the only place in the world where Great Whites consistently breach (leap completely out of the water) to catch their prey, mainly seals. It also boasts the highest frequency of Great White shark attacks in the world.
In 1991, South Africa became the first country in the world to protect the Great White shark.
According to 'Trivial Pursuit', Graaf-Reinett in the Western Cape has the world's biggest grapevine.
Fossilized footprints were found at Langebaan Lagoon, Western Cape, in a sand-dune-turned-rock. The 117,000 year-old fossils are the oldest known footprints of an anatomically modern human.
Most of the world's proto-mammalian fossils are found in the Karoo region.
The 2,02 billion year-old crater in Vredefort is the oldest known crater on Earth. The general estimate of its original diameter is roughly 300 km, which makes it the largest crater on the planet, as well.
The Sterkfontein Caves, in Gauteng, is the site where the oldest human skeletal remains were found in the world (3,5 million years old). This is the place where the human race was born!
Close to Oudtshoorn are the Cango Caves, a 3 km long sequence of caverns of glittering stalagmites and stalactites, which makes it the longest underground cave sequence in the world.
The Boesmansgat is renowned as the second deepest sinkhole (about 299 metres) and the largest of its kind in the world. Many attempts have been made at world records in cave-diving in this exceptional sinkhole.
The St. Lucia estuarine system, in Kwazulu Natal, is the largest estuarine system in Africa.
South Africa is home to the world's smallest succulent plants (less than 0.39 inches) and the largest (the baobab tree).
Business:
The Rand Refinery is the largest refinery of gold in the world.
The South African oil company SASOL has established the only commercially proven oil from coal operations in the world.
The world's biggest producer of non-fuel minerals is South African company Anglo-American Corporation.
The University of South Africa UNISA is a pioneer of tertiary distance education and is believed to be the largest correspondence university in the world with 250,000 students.
Eskom, the national electricity utility, is the world's fourth largest in terms of both sales volume and normal capacity.
The De Beers Group of companies control more than 80% of the world supply of rough diamonds.
SABMiller ranks as the largest brewing company in the world by volume. It supplies up to 50% of China's beer.
Samancor Limited is the world's largest producer by sales of manganese and chrome products.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange was the 7th best performing stock market in 2005, according to the World Federation of Exchanges.
Stellenbosch University was the first university in the world to design and launch a microsatellite.
South Africa is the sole producer of the Mercedes Benz C Class, right-hand drive vehicles.
KSDP Pentagraph is rated as the world's second best design company by British design magazine, 'Creative Review'. The company is responsible for the new-look packaging of 'Fanta' and design modifications of 'Coca-Cola' soft drinks worldwide.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Quick catch up
The weeks are flying by again, we're in March and the Christmas festivities seem like they were just the other day.
It's been an incredibly hectic few weeks with exams, late hours at work and a very full weekend of lectures this past Thursday - Sunday. The fact that I am still here to tell the tale is a miracle in itself...
Needless to say, it's been challenging, but I like a challenge, so all good.
March has kicked off well and the running is in full swing. A target of 150km for this month, which is probably the highest I've ever set (not the most I've ever run in a month, but then targets are meant to be broken! ;) )
To date I've done just over 42km (in the first week) so am well on track to beat the 150 if I can keep that up.
What might prevent that (in a good way) is a surprise weekend away for our 2 year anniversary this weekend. Helen has told me to take Friday off and pack a bag, no idea where we are going, but anywhere away from work or Gibs sounds good to me!
The house is looking absolutely fantastic!! The roof is on, the floors have been screeded, the Walls have been plastered, the windows are in and we're doing final measurements on the plumbing and electrics before the kitchen and bathrooms can be installed. On that note, we've finalised our kitchen design and the intricate details and have agreed which supplier we'll be going with, so well on track!
The fireplace is looking amazing and the built in gas braai on the patio is also ready to be installed, so it's all coming together wonderfully. It looks like we are set to be in by the middle of the year, which is great as it will be awesome to be able to write my thesis in my new study!
Might be off to New York in a couple of weeks, the trip is still in the balance on the back of availability of resources with our partners in the States, so that may or may not happen at this stage. Either way, it's always nice to go to New York, but also nice to have some home time!
It's been an incredibly hectic few weeks with exams, late hours at work and a very full weekend of lectures this past Thursday - Sunday. The fact that I am still here to tell the tale is a miracle in itself...
Needless to say, it's been challenging, but I like a challenge, so all good.
March has kicked off well and the running is in full swing. A target of 150km for this month, which is probably the highest I've ever set (not the most I've ever run in a month, but then targets are meant to be broken! ;) )
To date I've done just over 42km (in the first week) so am well on track to beat the 150 if I can keep that up.
What might prevent that (in a good way) is a surprise weekend away for our 2 year anniversary this weekend. Helen has told me to take Friday off and pack a bag, no idea where we are going, but anywhere away from work or Gibs sounds good to me!
The house is looking absolutely fantastic!! The roof is on, the floors have been screeded, the Walls have been plastered, the windows are in and we're doing final measurements on the plumbing and electrics before the kitchen and bathrooms can be installed. On that note, we've finalised our kitchen design and the intricate details and have agreed which supplier we'll be going with, so well on track!
The fireplace is looking amazing and the built in gas braai on the patio is also ready to be installed, so it's all coming together wonderfully. It looks like we are set to be in by the middle of the year, which is great as it will be awesome to be able to write my thesis in my new study!
Might be off to New York in a couple of weeks, the trip is still in the balance on the back of availability of resources with our partners in the States, so that may or may not happen at this stage. Either way, it's always nice to go to New York, but also nice to have some home time!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Progress!
This is going to be a post that has very little written, but lots shown!
I have written two exams this weekend and am very tired. They were both 4 hours each, which takes a lot out of a person, specially considering it typically starts a few hours before with an early wake up for last minute studying...I mean revision :)
Both went okay (only time will tell), unfortunately I still have four assignments due this week, so there is no rest...
I ran my second half marathon for the year last weekend, completing the Pick n Pay Half in 1:53:40. Not too bad considering I only had about two hours of sleep after a friend's karaoke 31st birthday!
Anyway, the purpose of this blog post is to show, not tell, what we have been up to when not at the office or studying/in lectures...
Firstly, the additions in the Bryanston home at Bantry. Please note, while these are undoubtedly a great feature to our home and make it infinitely more private and add re-sale value etc etc, don't be fooled, these were all for our two boys, Jelly and Squeaks. We put these up so that they could play in the garden without us worrying that they are always jumping next door or going to play in the bushes somewhere (a famous Jelly trait). Huge thanks to my dad for doing the lion's share of this installation while I was in lectures all weekend!
The new trellaces up around our entire garden. They were custom made to fit our walls!
Squeak exploring, as he now does every day, sprinting from bush to bush and playing in the grass with the bugs
The most technical piece, the stable door effect over the gate. The piece over the gate is a separate piece that swings on its own hinge, meaning that the gate and the fence can swing independently.
Another of the new additions to the house. Our boys had outgrown their old scratching posts, so we bought (another custom made) treehouse for them, fully equipped with boxes, posts and authentic tree...Squeaks sleeps in that box every night as he likes the "top bunk"
And now on to the progress at Pecanwood and all the changes. These have happened over a very short time, but you'll see the shift from basic walls to roof and now plastering!
The building site, the walls going up on the foundation which spent December and January settling.
The ceiling going up once the walls were completed, over the garage.
The view from the driveway and front garden onto the guest suite. That open space will be a sliding door that opens onto a wrap-around garden for guests.
The view from the front garden into the living area, across the patio and over the lounge. You can see the fireplace in the corner where our Morso fireplace will be installed!
The front entrance looking down into the house.
The garage, which now was the roof almost fully tiled and the internal walls plastered.
The patio and on into the living room, with the tiles going onto the roof. The space on the left that has been hollowed out is for the gas braai that we are installing on the covered patio. The wine fridge and bar fridge will go next to that on the right.
The view into the dressing room off the main bedroom and the en suite bathroom.
Looking from the entrance hall down through the house and out towards the golf course.
The en suite bathroom in the guest suite.
The main bedroom from the garden. This will also have sliding doors onto the garden and looking out onto the golf course. It also has views out over the Magaliesberg mountain range.
The house is going along brilliantly and it is so nice to see our own design taking shape. Helen and I literally drew, re-drew and measured every inch of this house. It is very satisfying to see our own imagination being created into something tangible! Very exciting!
More to follow...soon!
I have written two exams this weekend and am very tired. They were both 4 hours each, which takes a lot out of a person, specially considering it typically starts a few hours before with an early wake up for last minute studying...I mean revision :)
Both went okay (only time will tell), unfortunately I still have four assignments due this week, so there is no rest...
I ran my second half marathon for the year last weekend, completing the Pick n Pay Half in 1:53:40. Not too bad considering I only had about two hours of sleep after a friend's karaoke 31st birthday!
Anyway, the purpose of this blog post is to show, not tell, what we have been up to when not at the office or studying/in lectures...
Firstly, the additions in the Bryanston home at Bantry. Please note, while these are undoubtedly a great feature to our home and make it infinitely more private and add re-sale value etc etc, don't be fooled, these were all for our two boys, Jelly and Squeaks. We put these up so that they could play in the garden without us worrying that they are always jumping next door or going to play in the bushes somewhere (a famous Jelly trait). Huge thanks to my dad for doing the lion's share of this installation while I was in lectures all weekend!
And now on to the progress at Pecanwood and all the changes. These have happened over a very short time, but you'll see the shift from basic walls to roof and now plastering!
The view across the living area into the corner where the open plan kitchen will be. The doorway leads into the scullery.
The storage room (a major plus) off the garage. This will save us a lot of hassle with golf clubs, bicycles, camping gear and the rest of EVERYTHING!
The house is going along brilliantly and it is so nice to see our own design taking shape. Helen and I literally drew, re-drew and measured every inch of this house. It is very satisfying to see our own imagination being created into something tangible! Very exciting!
More to follow...soon!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
First work trip for the year...
It has been a busy two weeks with lectures starting, a business banking conference and now my first trip for the year. Fortunately it isn't too far away, just down to the Cape. This time I learnt from previous trips and managed to organise for Helen to come down as well, so she bought a Kulula ticket and my Cape Town work trip turned into a weekend away with work thrown in to balance it all out!
We had a productive session in my old home town (Stellenbosch) yesterday, with a good 10k run on some of my old routes in the morning. The day was characterised by the media noise coming through as a result of the launch of 22seven and having to put a response together on behalf of Nedbank. Fortunately that went off without a hitch
Helen had booked some time off at Zorgvliet Spa, using vouchers she had been given for her birthday last year. We (including two of my colleagues) joined her for a late lunch at Le Pommier restaurant (based at Zorgvliet) and camembert and mushroom starter and a mushroom risotto was on the cards for me (sound like a vegetarian)
From there we headed through to Cape Town and joined up with one of my work teammates, Kim, at Cape Point Vineyards, where they have opened up a new picnic and wine tasting site at the very top, looking out over the Kleinmond/Kommetjie beaches. We tasted their white wines and had a cheesboard and then headed on to the Food Barn (down near the base of Chapman's peak) for tapas. So it was a very foody day! Not sure that our dietitian would be too happy about that!
After dinner, which ended quite late (11pm) we headed over to Trev and Mariks's place in Newlands. The plans for the weekend are to climb table mountain this afternoon and either head through to a wine farm tomorrow or Kirstenbosch gardens in the late afternoon.
I am down here until Tuesday with meetings at Old Mutual before heading back to Joburg and back in lectures again on the weekend.
The weather in Cape Town is brilliant, warm and not too windy, so a great day for the J&B Met today, and for a victory for Liverpool over Manchester United in the FA Cup ;)
We had a productive session in my old home town (Stellenbosch) yesterday, with a good 10k run on some of my old routes in the morning. The day was characterised by the media noise coming through as a result of the launch of 22seven and having to put a response together on behalf of Nedbank. Fortunately that went off without a hitch
Helen had booked some time off at Zorgvliet Spa, using vouchers she had been given for her birthday last year. We (including two of my colleagues) joined her for a late lunch at Le Pommier restaurant (based at Zorgvliet) and camembert and mushroom starter and a mushroom risotto was on the cards for me (sound like a vegetarian)
From there we headed through to Cape Town and joined up with one of my work teammates, Kim, at Cape Point Vineyards, where they have opened up a new picnic and wine tasting site at the very top, looking out over the Kleinmond/Kommetjie beaches. We tasted their white wines and had a cheesboard and then headed on to the Food Barn (down near the base of Chapman's peak) for tapas. So it was a very foody day! Not sure that our dietitian would be too happy about that!
After dinner, which ended quite late (11pm) we headed over to Trev and Mariks's place in Newlands. The plans for the weekend are to climb table mountain this afternoon and either head through to a wine farm tomorrow or Kirstenbosch gardens in the late afternoon.
I am down here until Tuesday with meetings at Old Mutual before heading back to Joburg and back in lectures again on the weekend.
The weather in Cape Town is brilliant, warm and not too windy, so a great day for the J&B Met today, and for a victory for Liverpool over Manchester United in the FA Cup ;)
Monday, January 23, 2012
2012!
This is my first blog post of the New Year and I have made a mental promise to my my legion of adoring followers (all 8 of them) that I will attempt to keep this up to date as much as possible. Something short of a diary, but long of a once monthly update...
2011 was a long and tough year, and the knowledge that it would be was what prompted me to start writing this blog. Starting an MBA and having a heavy work schedule that meant the days were all eventually merging into one, meant that writing some of the things I was busy with down made for an effective way of keeping track with my own life. Obviously, the speed of the year and the nature of the things I was busy with eventually undid some of my own good intentions and my blogs became slightly few and far between.
One day I would like to sit down and read back about all the memories and highlights/lowlights of the year and hopefully this blog will allow me to do it! (okay, enough self-motivation...)
2011 was the year I sold my soul to academia. In stark contrast to 2010, where I got married, watched a load of World Cup games, visited Mexico and the States (on holiday, not work!) and Thailand and Hong Kong on honeymoon, as well as a whirlwind trip around South African with Joe and Melissa, 2011 was highlighted by weekends in classrooms, nights with syndicate groups, early mornings with unfinished assignments and lots and lots of work!
Looking back, it was an incredibly successful year for reasons that only my early blog posts can describe; my New Year's resolutions were all but achieved and coming into 2012, they continue (as they are not short term and by virtue of that fact, require some ongoing attention!)
I have continued to run, sometimes like a mad person. I started a twitter challenge with some work colleagues which has now become quite successful. The just of it is that we each have to tweet our run distances to each other to keep track of the total distance run over the period of a month. So where I had set myself targets in 2011, I am now kept accountable by others and by myself, much easier to get yourself out there when you don't feel like it! Since the challenge started in November, I have run 360km (100km in #NovChallenge, 140km in #DecChallenge and currently 120km in #JanChallenge) My target this month was again 140km, but with 8 days left, I can probably get up to about 160.
I also ran my first half marathon of the year last weekend. The Dischem is widely known in Johannesburg running circles as the first real race of the year. The turnout was huge, 6000 runners from all the clubs around town and a whole bunch of them, no doubt, there to hang on to recently made NY resolutions of their own. The race started quite slowly as the pack of people was challenging to get through, once the field had spread out a little, I managed to open up and ran the first 10km in roughly 5min15 per km. Good going, except that the second half of the run comprises of an 8km climb spanning from the 10th km to the 18th! Safe to say, I probably used up too much energy in the first half! The hills taught me a lesson and reminded me that no matter how much training you have done, a hill after 15km is not nice!
I ran the 21.1km in just under 2 hours and while it was a solid time for the first run of the year in what is one of the tougher half marathon's, I was left to wonder how much better I could have done had I not plodded up the hills on the back half the way I did. Subsequent to this, I have added interval training and hills to my regular runs and am already feeling stronger. Next target is to go under 1:55. (sad to think that I ran my last half marathon at varsity in 1:41....)
The MBA is moving along nicely and I managed to come through the first year very well in the end. So far I am averaging around the 70% mark based on the subjects completed (14 to date). Second year is all focused on your thesis (research) and electives. I am yet to finalise my thesis topic and this past weekend of lectures has gone a long way towards making each and every one of us question what we have in mind to write about! The selection of my electives is also still to be finalised, although my choices are largely strategically focused. The year also culminates in a global elective, with the States, Brazil and China the most commonly visited. By that stage I want to have my thesis well and truly behind me so that I can enjoy the trip.
This is in bold so that it does not get forgotten! I have to stay committed to this thesis, as it is one of those deliverables that can very quickly get away from you and before you know it, you're playing serious catch up.
Our second anniversary is coming up in March! Last year's trip to Zanzibar was amazing (and my only real holiday the whole year). This time around we are taking it easy, but do have a trip to Europe pencilled in around the middle of the year.
2011 was also the year we found our two boys, Jelly and Squeaks. They are the most amazing little (not so little anymore!) kitties. Jelly remains the naughty one and takes every opportunity to jump over the wall into the neighbour's garden when they're outside. This has necessitated us investing (substantially) in garden trellaces so that the cats can't just get out and wreak havoc outside of our garden. Jelly is a big boy now and really enjoys his kitty feeding time (dinner)
Squeaks has two passions in life, his time in the garden (he is the most loving and floppy cat you will ever meet when he is inside, when outside, he doesnt want to know about us, he chases bugs, eats leaves and runs in and out of the bushes like a kitten on a mission!) and secondly, his bobbly mouse. This is a toy that has a mouse on a spring that sits on a half moon plastic ball. So basically it never stops bobbing back and forth and he literally plays with this until a). it goes under something like the fridge or the tv cabinet (we spend a large portion of our lives retrieving bobbly mouse) or he literally cannot play any longer. I ran an experiment a few days ago, we wanted to test if he loves the garden or bobbly mouse more. Squeaks was in the garden and I tapped bobbly mouse with my foot, he came SPRINTING inside to see what was happening to his beloved toy! I guess the results of that experiment were clear :)
We also installed an airconditioning system in our house (at further great expense) so that the cats dont get overheated in summer. Yes, we are slaves to our cats :)
2011 was also the year I moved into Group Innovation. It has been a great journey to date and has resulted in me doing a number of firsts:
Now, one of the NY resolutions was about building our house at Pecanwood. I am very happy to say it is progressing fantstically. The foundations were down just before Christmas and were allowed to settle over the New Year period. Building of the walls commenced last week and we popped out yesterday afternoon to have a check (I had to slip out of lectures, otherwise I never would have had a chance to see it!)
We still have some admin to finalise, the building loan needs to be registered and this has been an arduous process as a result of the fact that the attorneys want different documents to what the bank wants. This is a frustration and has resulted in much to-ing and fro-ing between ourselves, the builder, attorney and the bank.
Nevertheless, we are on track for a mid-year completion and very excited about the chance to move into the home we designed from scratch!
Down the passage to the main bedroom (left wing of the house)
Looking towards the guest suite in the front of the house
View from the guest suite towards the entrance hall
The left wing of the house (Main bedroom, study, 3rd bedroom and 3rd bathroom)
The study (a lot of thesis writing will happen year in the second half of the year!)
View from the garden into the patio and living area
3rd Bedroom
2011 was a long and tough year, and the knowledge that it would be was what prompted me to start writing this blog. Starting an MBA and having a heavy work schedule that meant the days were all eventually merging into one, meant that writing some of the things I was busy with down made for an effective way of keeping track with my own life. Obviously, the speed of the year and the nature of the things I was busy with eventually undid some of my own good intentions and my blogs became slightly few and far between.
One day I would like to sit down and read back about all the memories and highlights/lowlights of the year and hopefully this blog will allow me to do it! (okay, enough self-motivation...)
2011 was the year I sold my soul to academia. In stark contrast to 2010, where I got married, watched a load of World Cup games, visited Mexico and the States (on holiday, not work!) and Thailand and Hong Kong on honeymoon, as well as a whirlwind trip around South African with Joe and Melissa, 2011 was highlighted by weekends in classrooms, nights with syndicate groups, early mornings with unfinished assignments and lots and lots of work!
Looking back, it was an incredibly successful year for reasons that only my early blog posts can describe; my New Year's resolutions were all but achieved and coming into 2012, they continue (as they are not short term and by virtue of that fact, require some ongoing attention!)
I have continued to run, sometimes like a mad person. I started a twitter challenge with some work colleagues which has now become quite successful. The just of it is that we each have to tweet our run distances to each other to keep track of the total distance run over the period of a month. So where I had set myself targets in 2011, I am now kept accountable by others and by myself, much easier to get yourself out there when you don't feel like it! Since the challenge started in November, I have run 360km (100km in #NovChallenge, 140km in #DecChallenge and currently 120km in #JanChallenge) My target this month was again 140km, but with 8 days left, I can probably get up to about 160.
I also ran my first half marathon of the year last weekend. The Dischem is widely known in Johannesburg running circles as the first real race of the year. The turnout was huge, 6000 runners from all the clubs around town and a whole bunch of them, no doubt, there to hang on to recently made NY resolutions of their own. The race started quite slowly as the pack of people was challenging to get through, once the field had spread out a little, I managed to open up and ran the first 10km in roughly 5min15 per km. Good going, except that the second half of the run comprises of an 8km climb spanning from the 10th km to the 18th! Safe to say, I probably used up too much energy in the first half! The hills taught me a lesson and reminded me that no matter how much training you have done, a hill after 15km is not nice!
I ran the 21.1km in just under 2 hours and while it was a solid time for the first run of the year in what is one of the tougher half marathon's, I was left to wonder how much better I could have done had I not plodded up the hills on the back half the way I did. Subsequent to this, I have added interval training and hills to my regular runs and am already feeling stronger. Next target is to go under 1:55. (sad to think that I ran my last half marathon at varsity in 1:41....)
The MBA is moving along nicely and I managed to come through the first year very well in the end. So far I am averaging around the 70% mark based on the subjects completed (14 to date). Second year is all focused on your thesis (research) and electives. I am yet to finalise my thesis topic and this past weekend of lectures has gone a long way towards making each and every one of us question what we have in mind to write about! The selection of my electives is also still to be finalised, although my choices are largely strategically focused. The year also culminates in a global elective, with the States, Brazil and China the most commonly visited. By that stage I want to have my thesis well and truly behind me so that I can enjoy the trip.
This is in bold so that it does not get forgotten! I have to stay committed to this thesis, as it is one of those deliverables that can very quickly get away from you and before you know it, you're playing serious catch up.
Our second anniversary is coming up in March! Last year's trip to Zanzibar was amazing (and my only real holiday the whole year). This time around we are taking it easy, but do have a trip to Europe pencilled in around the middle of the year.
2011 was also the year we found our two boys, Jelly and Squeaks. They are the most amazing little (not so little anymore!) kitties. Jelly remains the naughty one and takes every opportunity to jump over the wall into the neighbour's garden when they're outside. This has necessitated us investing (substantially) in garden trellaces so that the cats can't just get out and wreak havoc outside of our garden. Jelly is a big boy now and really enjoys his kitty feeding time (dinner)
Squeaks has two passions in life, his time in the garden (he is the most loving and floppy cat you will ever meet when he is inside, when outside, he doesnt want to know about us, he chases bugs, eats leaves and runs in and out of the bushes like a kitten on a mission!) and secondly, his bobbly mouse. This is a toy that has a mouse on a spring that sits on a half moon plastic ball. So basically it never stops bobbing back and forth and he literally plays with this until a). it goes under something like the fridge or the tv cabinet (we spend a large portion of our lives retrieving bobbly mouse) or he literally cannot play any longer. I ran an experiment a few days ago, we wanted to test if he loves the garden or bobbly mouse more. Squeaks was in the garden and I tapped bobbly mouse with my foot, he came SPRINTING inside to see what was happening to his beloved toy! I guess the results of that experiment were clear :)
We also installed an airconditioning system in our house (at further great expense) so that the cats dont get overheated in summer. Yes, we are slaves to our cats :)
2011 was also the year I moved into Group Innovation. It has been a great journey to date and has resulted in me doing a number of firsts:
- First overseas trip for work to San Francisco (August)
- Second overseas trip for work to New York (September)
- First presentation to the CEO and Group Exco (October)
- Formally joining the executive structure of Retail and Business Banking
- Multiple workshops with global partners (too many to even name and some are still under wraps, so I couldnt even if I wanted to!)
Now, one of the NY resolutions was about building our house at Pecanwood. I am very happy to say it is progressing fantstically. The foundations were down just before Christmas and were allowed to settle over the New Year period. Building of the walls commenced last week and we popped out yesterday afternoon to have a check (I had to slip out of lectures, otherwise I never would have had a chance to see it!)
We still have some admin to finalise, the building loan needs to be registered and this has been an arduous process as a result of the fact that the attorneys want different documents to what the bank wants. This is a frustration and has resulted in much to-ing and fro-ing between ourselves, the builder, attorney and the bank.
Nevertheless, we are on track for a mid-year completion and very excited about the chance to move into the home we designed from scratch!
View from the patio into the lounge
3rd Bathroom
What I didnt take pictures of is the 4th bedroom, the garage, the kitchen and scullery. My Blackberry (awful device) ran out of space to take photos!
Nevertheless, I will try and update the progress on this home as the year goes on! It's looking great!
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