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Well, dear reader, we all know we’re meant to be here today. And our story starts at Cape Town airport.

The Loeries Creative Week has always been a place where creatives come to play and celebrate their achievements. We know the drill - come together, toast together and learn from each other all in one place that flows with magic and inspiration.

Jumping off the aeroplane early this Wednesday morning, we could definitely feel this energy come to life.

It was bustling. Airports are busy places, to be fair, but there was something different in the air. I spotted a few familiar faces that I would see again later - smiling, fresh and ready for the connection you can only find at a week like Loeries.

I slipped into the crowd with the hope that I would, at least, get my bag quickly enough to find an Uber in time. Weaving through, it’s impossible not to notice the creatives - red boots with knee-length skirts, t-shirts and plakkies, not giving a damn beyond what is most important: expressing yourself exactly the way you want.

For a moment, it was a lovely distraction from the cacophony of feet stepping through the lanes to fight for a space at the carousel. But, dear reader, I got through it (and I got my bag).

Stepping outside, all you could hear was an overflow of reconnection. People waving excitedly across the sidewalks, grinning as they hugged after a year of not seeing each other. This connection - this is what we are here for, especially as we come out of the most isolated period of our lives.

I have finally arrived.

And this, dear reader, is only the beginning…