My Trip to Cape Town
Eman
There have been many trips on my unbelievable journey as the CCIE Agent™ but few have been as much fun as Cape Town. Sure I was on the Nile River with my hippie friend from Libya and yes there were the Egyptian CCIEs who made me feel so at home in Cairo and then the great reception I received from the Network Academy students in both places as well as Johannesburg and Athens, but for sheer fun it was Cape Town hands down. I managed to see a lot of the city and the evening mixer was a real hoot. But let me start at the beginning, this time.
I boarded my flight in Philadelphia headed for a connection in Atlanta. Of course the first thing I was told as I boarded the flight was to check one of my carry-on bags. So I flew with my laptop bag and the bag I checked took so long to get back to me in Johannesburg that I missed the flight from there to Cape Town. I was not in the least bit concerned because I had time to kill. So the baggage was recovered and I was scheduled for the next South African Air flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town leaving 45 minutes later. The bed and breakfast rented for our team’s stay was gorgeous. I am sure it was done this way to save money but the place was so much nicer than the hotels we have stayed at in the past. We were able to breakfast as a group and to enjoy the city in a way that a hotel prevents you from. Cape Town is not like Pretoria or Johannesburg both cities have much more concern for personal safety and so you commonly see compounds made of neighborhoods with barbwire topped walls and security intended to keep out bandits. Cape Town is a breath of fresh air very much like the beach towns you find all over the world. Serene and tranquil disturbed only temporarily as the whole country prepares for the World Cup in two months or so. The bed and breakfast we stayed in is called Romney Lodge and is located near the corner of Hill and Romney Streets. I highly recommend it to any family, couple or weary traveler who would like to enjoy the true flavor and hospitality of Cape Town.
The day of my presentation arrived and I sat among the Cisco Channel Resellers who had come to connect with Cisco, the Cisco Network Academy students and each other.
I was pleased to reconnect with people like Beth Rowland who is our champion of the Talent initiative for EMEA, APAC, and Brooke Ellingworth the energy behind this and many previous events. Brooke and I have spent some wonderful time together in exotic ports of call such as Cairo, Athens, Johannesburg, Atlanta, London, and Dubai to name a few. So getting together again with these two wonderful talented women was great. Gert de Laet the Mobile Lab wunderkind was also present giving his GTAP presentation to the Channels and then visiting with the Cisco Network Academy students. Both groups gave him a warm reception and I had a chance to discuss the schedule for the mobile lab with him. Gert has done a fantastic job in brining the CCIE Lab to many places saving many of the next generation of CCIEs from the expense and hardships of traveling. He has been ringing up some winners and I will be interviewing him soon to share the success of this effort with the CCIE Flyer readers.
Uncle Eman does your wife see these pictures of you with those gorgeous women?
I know, I know you guys are thinking I really travel with some gorgeous women. I do and Mrs. CCIE Agent does know I only have eyes for her. Don’t start any crap Network World, I have already confessed!
I lost my hat to one stunning Cisco representative Elaine Papane who is like a drill sergeant as she musters the Cisco Network Academy students through their schedule for the day and the career fair afterwards. I have never lost a hat so easily before! I replaced it with one more representative of the Cape Town and South African style though.
What do we gain from these events?
We get to spread the word about talent and the many ways Cisco supports and listens to the channel partners about their need for more. I get to tell them about CCIEs and the ways to attract, hire and retain them. In all, the channels have been very receptive and positive in response to the information and the help being provided by Cisco.
Where to next?
I am doing WebEx presentations mostly for Europe but I will slip away as soon as I can!
Now get back to work damn it!