Factory tour of the Daimler AG
and visit of the Mercedes Benz Museum

Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, revolutionaries of their time and legends whose names will cross from generations to generations. Germany a proud nation that once serves as a Homeland to these master craftsmen is a country filled with history both positive and negative and also a country that takes stride upon its history and steers their way to success through their history and future desires.
A 20something year old man from South Africa wakes up in the morning with a "great" expectation of the Daimler AG tour that he is about to embark on. I, Asanda Sibeko believed that I will be taken to one of those boring factory tours followed by what seems to be somewhat interesting, visiting an old Mercedes-Benz museum with "Do not sit" ancient furniture and with different Mercedes ranges, old and new. Little did I know that what I was about to embark on was a life changing adventure.
Being an old Mercedes-Benz supporter today was my inauguration to the Mercedes-Benz family and I am proud to be a member of this family. We arrived at the Mercedes-Benz centre in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart, confronted firstly by the exclusive SLR 300 and the S600 AMG, some of the revolutionized Mercedes ideas of today. The boutique holds special memories to me as one of my most treasured clothing pieces came from that boutique. Not only that but what I had to go through to get it, makes me admire it this much also not forgetting the price tag. Thanking everyone from Lidia A.K.A "Freak" to Barbara and Joanne for everything they did to get it.
In to the factory where these beautiful human inventions are manufactured. We attended the C and E-class plant where orders are placed and the clients wishes are the service team's commands. Produced through the fast, accurate and revolutionary robotics of the robots company KUKU and the sharp eyes and hands of these dedicated service men and women, one is not almost but guaranteed quality and elegance. Mercedes-Benz does not compromise on quality and the client's needs are always put forward than any other thing. From inventions of safety and reliability to speed and class also not falling short of style and elegance, this manufacturer has a museum filled with all the above mentioned features.
From here it was off to the Mercedes-Benz museum. Starting with VIP treatment at the restaurant where we had a 3-course meal all thanks to SAFRI and an extended word of thanks to Mr. Matthias Kleinert for allowing himself time to spend with this group of South Africans. Inclusive in Mr. Kleinert's visit were a superb performance of South African songs and a moment of pride when this respected being requested us to sing South Africa's national anthem for him as it is one of his favourite songs.
Going round in circles of progression, the visitor is taken through German, world and Daimler-AG history with state of the art audio material that is connected through infrared. The museum is a technological hub and I would be willing to be stuck in those lifts any day as they feel like a lounge of some sort. The epitome of my trip to Daimler AG, was seeing a fresh out of the factory Maybach, hand made to be precise. What the human brain can do is just unexplainable, so powerful are we.
Not only was this a fascinating excursion but also a life moving moment as I got to respect my abilities and tended to believe in my dreams and goals a bit more. Faced with these inventors' statues I finally understood that with a little bit of passion and drive, anything and I mean anything is possible, Mr Benz, Daimler and Maybach live testimony to that.
To my fellow group members: At the beginning I said "Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, revolutionaries of their time and legends whose names will cross from generations to generations"… What will you be remembered for in this world?

Asanda Sibeko