Participants blog: a perfect day

Participants of the Executive Master of Operations and Supply Chain Excellence (MOS) went to South-Africa on a studytrip. Participant and blogger Hugo Ouwehand wrote about one of the days of the studytrip: friday the 13th, the perfect day.

So one of the many highlights of the TIAS MOS programme is an international studytrip. I am writing this in Capetown, South-Africa and it's brilliant. The African context requires you to rethink most of what you thought you knew. Just as you get a feeling of the economy, they tell you that there is actually a second, informal economy as 36% of the population lives on less than 2 dollars a day.

But it is also the place where I spent some extraordinary time. Let me tell you what happened. 

Friday the 13th. A date associated with bad luck and trouble. Scenes from horrormovies. Superstition. Not this year! This year on Friday, June 13th, we had a perfect day.

Game

In the lodge in the middle of the park, which some would describe as the middle of nowhere, our day started with an a la carte breakfast which would not have been out of place in a 4 star establishment. We took off for a game drive and encountered zebra and springbok in the wild. It became spectacular when we found a young Rhino with it´s mother. It clearly was excited and danced away lightfooted next to it´s mom.

Lions

We did see a few lions up close, which is also a spectacular sight. As are giraffes if you can come as close as 15 metres. Which we did. On foot. The Springboks, jumping away happily on all fours, are a display of energy. The baboons, big and strong, appearing as well.

Lunch

Imagine stopping just off the road, meeting with a few park rangers who just served a four-star lunch out in the open. Fresh wraps, salmon, a spectacular quiche. And, of course, a cold Heineken, world-class views, a brilliant white wine and mouth-watering brownies as a dessert.

The hunt

After lunch, the hunt for the Cheetas was on. And we found them! 5 of them crossed the road just 20 metres ahead of our car. When they settled under a tree to get some shade, we went out on foot to see them up close.

The kill

A bird of prey came flying in, scooping up a mouse and taking it to it´s nest. The laws of the jungle. Eat or be eaten. No mercy. All in all, we saw lions, rhinos, a remote hippo, giraffes, springboks, zebras, cheetas, gazelles, baboons. It was an amazing day, that Friday the 13th.

But the game that amazed us most that day we watched on television, Spain vs. The Netherlands in the World cup football. The best flying that day we saw at night, as Robin van Persie scored the amazing 1-1. The most effective hunting lead to a wounded Spanish goalkeeper. Arjan Robben dancing like that small Rhino. The best meal was the humble pie served to the Spanish. Revenge is indeed a dish best served cold. The greatest kill that day was the total defeat of the Spanish. Eat or be eaten. No mercy. 

Spain-The Netherlands: 1-5. Friday the 13th, 2014. The perfect day.