#FollowSA photographer and my amazing fiance @patsloanephoto overlooking Cape Town from the glass pool edge of Crystal Towers hotel
Sometimes the world's impression of you can have shadows of misconceptions that are so well masked behind years of practice. Faking my composure and the illusion that all my ducks are in a row is slowly becoming one of my finest qualities.
This weekend past ... well it was one of the biggest I've ever known in my career. Friday night's #FollowSA Tweetup marked another huge step as Lifeology continues to showcase our business offering as social media campaign and event strategists. The upside was riddled with excitement and pride ... the downside is that I was petrified beyond words.
#FollowSA has grown into the culture of South Africa's Twitter community to such an extent that brands have been beyond generous with their sponsorship and my gratitude goes out to so many who have supported our Tweetups over the months.
But this one was different ... when all was said and done and the last Tweet settled onto the timeline, there was no going home to our familiarity. No cats to cuddle up to and no cars to jump into when the Tweetup ended. We weren't home ... we were out of towners breaking into an unfamiliar market with few faces that we recognised in the crowd.
Then how come we felt so at home? Had that car to jump into whenever we needed it? Had the comfort? Felt the welcome?
African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel and Spa ... this girl who started a blog and got some Twitter followers, then blogged some more and got more Twitter followers. This girl who is passionate about social media and a Libran who just loves to see people meet and mingle. This girl who started #FollowSA as a hashtag, turned it into a Tweetup and then another, never thought that the belief in Lifeology and #FollowSA would extend to such generous hospitality and the sponsorship that helped make our Cape Town trip possible.
Our gorgeous hotel room
Okay, so on my vision board is 5 star?accommodation. There's a?chauffeur in a shiny luxury car. There's a doorman who looks like his next stop is opening the door for Mr Trump and there are hotel room suits that I spotted in magazines and pinned into my mind as a dream destination.
Reward comes in many different packages and the hard work and commitment to my career manifested the #FollowSA event and weekend but my belief in my dreams and my worth, well that manifested the generosity of Gary Koetser and the 5 star hospitality of the African Pride Crystal Towers staff.
Being fetched right on time from the airport, welcomed with a genuine knowing of who we were, settling into a hotel that is beyond words and getting us to the #FollowSA venue once we were cleaned, preened and ready to face the Twitter crowds of Cape Town ... well that sorted the nerves out. Calmly and with so much excitement we headed off to make it all happen!!
And when all the work was done Crystal Towers turned into a mini honeymoon
But there's more to Cape Town than just a Tweetup for me. That;'s where my folks were born and a place that was so close to my dad's heart. Every corner of the Cape reminds me of him in some little way and I'm still working through the sadness of finally finding the man of my dreams, getting engaged and not having my dad around to know him. On the other end of the scale ... Pat has never been to Cape Town so every little thing was an adventure and thanks to Crystal Towers, we didn't have to go to far Pat and I to have a moment where #FollowSA successes were celebrated and we could spend a few hours being a couple in a city so close to my heart.
When I did my stint of dabbling into the answer to what life was and how it worked, I came across a teaching that said something about not being able to have it all because there was lacking in perfection. I think that was the day I decided to come up with my own beliefs instead and this weekend, Crystal Towers, my business partnership and my fiance proved me right ... we can have it all. All at one time, in one place and with perfection.
For each person it's called something different and founds somewhere different but for me it all happened at Crystal Towers!
I always say that everything starts with a Tweet ... well in my world anyway. Many Tweets ago I met Andrew Ross?and the Twitter connections began and grew stronger. Thank you Andrew for showing me that the power of #FollowSA works and for being fundamental in connecting Lifeology and African Pride hotels.
