02 July 2010
A fond farewell.....
Today as we take off from Johannesburg to Singapore, we reflect on the last day of our stay and the journey it has been during the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The last day was a reasonably sombre one with everyone almost exhausted from the constant “on the go” type lifestyle. We said goodbye to our new mates Thelma and Louise and began the arduous task of repacking the luggage. Ok, well Mark and I did, Kim and Janet were very hesitant to even consider it....or was that the other way around?
At lunchtime our South African friend Sifiso came in to Durban to spend some more time with us before we left the country. So of course where better to go than the markets! Mmmm.....more shopping. With Sifiso in tow, off we head to the Essenwood markets which is located in the more upmarket area of the Durban hills. It had some magnificent local art sculptures, paintings and handmade jewellery and gifts. Even I must admit, that there was a large amount of items that would be more than welcomed into our home if it wasn’t for the fact we didn’t have a jumbo to ourselves for the flight back to Australia.
From Essenwood the touring party made their way back to Florida rd for a bite to eat and refreshments. For Sifiso, it was his first introduction to Pizza and I am reasonably sure we may have a convert. He does tell me however that Kim’s ravioli was much much nicer and he would love to learn how to make such a dish. Of course, I told him to give me a call anytime!
The afternoon announced the first round of 16 match of the 2010 world cup with Australia’s old arch enemy Uruguay facing off against the South Koreans. For me the Uruguayans were far too good for the Koreans throughout the period of the game, however it took several close opportunities and a cracking second goal to put the game to rest.
From there we bid fair well to Sifiso. Outside of the never ending supply of football, this meeting was one of the clear highlights for me. The young lad was so knowledgeable and friendly and yet due to pure lack of opportunity and the way of life for millions of South Africans, he may never ever even get the chance to put any of his great knowledge to use. He did come across however as one very determined young gentleman, so it will not surprise me if he manages to make his way further in the final path of which he chooses. Luckily with someone in the group whom manages to understand internet and I.T, we were prompted to set up an email account for him to stay in contact with us, and we all hope to stay in touch with his journey of life.
Tonight was the second round of 16 match featuring our fellow group D members in Ghana against the mob that managed to beat us in a friendly prior to the world cup and then consider themselves to be on top of the world. Along with billions of African’s, the Aussies jumped on the Ghanaian bandwagon and prayed to the footballing gods that the U.S would come back down to earth with a thunderous bang. And they did....I don’t need to say anymore! It does however begin the what if’s now for the Australian team as Ghana now progress to the quarter final of the world stage with a real possibility of going to the last 4 of the tournament. Good luck to them I say, I really couldn’t be happier for the African nation and their people to see one of the African teams succeed.
So with bags packed and a 3 am departure, off we trek on another long and arduous bus ride back to Joburg. The 7 hour journey gave us time to look back at the wonderful memories and friendships forged. For me the world cup on two occasions has been more than just the football pinnacle, but the chance to experience a different culture and lifestyle with the people of 32 other nations. From the football colour and spectacles, to the honesty and innocence of our gracious hosts, South Africa will forever hold a special place in all of our hearts. Even talking to the locals, they believe that the world cup has most definitely influenced the experience for the visitors. However just like them, we all hope that the vibe and improved city facilities long after the world cup can continue to be maintained, for this not necessarily fortunate but beautiful race of people. Ayoba!
Hide the credit cards....we’re off to Singapore!
At lunchtime our South African friend Sifiso came in to Durban to spend some more time with us before we left the country. So of course where better to go than the markets! Mmmm.....more shopping. With Sifiso in tow, off we head to the Essenwood markets which is located in the more upmarket area of the Durban hills. It had some magnificent local art sculptures, paintings and handmade jewellery and gifts. Even I must admit, that there was a large amount of items that would be more than welcomed into our home if it wasn’t for the fact we didn’t have a jumbo to ourselves for the flight back to Australia.
From Essenwood the touring party made their way back to Florida rd for a bite to eat and refreshments. For Sifiso, it was his first introduction to Pizza and I am reasonably sure we may have a convert. He does tell me however that Kim’s ravioli was much much nicer and he would love to learn how to make such a dish. Of course, I told him to give me a call anytime!
The afternoon announced the first round of 16 match of the 2010 world cup with Australia’s old arch enemy Uruguay facing off against the South Koreans. For me the Uruguayans were far too good for the Koreans throughout the period of the game, however it took several close opportunities and a cracking second goal to put the game to rest.
From there we bid fair well to Sifiso. Outside of the never ending supply of football, this meeting was one of the clear highlights for me. The young lad was so knowledgeable and friendly and yet due to pure lack of opportunity and the way of life for millions of South Africans, he may never ever even get the chance to put any of his great knowledge to use. He did come across however as one very determined young gentleman, so it will not surprise me if he manages to make his way further in the final path of which he chooses. Luckily with someone in the group whom manages to understand internet and I.T, we were prompted to set up an email account for him to stay in contact with us, and we all hope to stay in touch with his journey of life.
Tonight was the second round of 16 match featuring our fellow group D members in Ghana against the mob that managed to beat us in a friendly prior to the world cup and then consider themselves to be on top of the world. Along with billions of African’s, the Aussies jumped on the Ghanaian bandwagon and prayed to the footballing gods that the U.S would come back down to earth with a thunderous bang. And they did....I don’t need to say anymore! It does however begin the what if’s now for the Australian team as Ghana now progress to the quarter final of the world stage with a real possibility of going to the last 4 of the tournament. Good luck to them I say, I really couldn’t be happier for the African nation and their people to see one of the African teams succeed.
So with bags packed and a 3 am departure, off we trek on another long and arduous bus ride back to Joburg. The 7 hour journey gave us time to look back at the wonderful memories and friendships forged. For me the world cup on two occasions has been more than just the football pinnacle, but the chance to experience a different culture and lifestyle with the people of 32 other nations. From the football colour and spectacles, to the honesty and innocence of our gracious hosts, South Africa will forever hold a special place in all of our hearts. Even talking to the locals, they believe that the world cup has most definitely influenced the experience for the visitors. However just like them, we all hope that the vibe and improved city facilities long after the world cup can continue to be maintained, for this not necessarily fortunate but beautiful race of people. Ayoba!
Hide the credit cards....we’re off to Singapore!
26 June 2010
Opa!
Friday was the penultimate day for the team at HQ Durban, so the obligatory last minute shopping and to do’s would commence. Mark and Janet ventured off to the shopping centre to fight the hoards of people, whilst Kim and I managed spend a few hours with our new mate Sifiso (Simon). Sifiso is from Johannesburg and travels to Durban regularly as his grandmother lives approximately 30 mins out of town. For the World Cup it was an opportunity to spend time in Durban and obtain regular work to increase his savings for his further education.
We were lucky enough to meet Simon a few days in to our trip at HQ, working on one of the outlets in food alley. His tom foolery attracted our attention and from that day forth a new friendship was fostered. We are not even sure of how old Sifiso is, but an educated guess would tell us he is in his early 20’s. After giving us an education in Zulu and South African, and also telling us the places to visit, we thought it best to repay his kindness with a quiet drink and a meal at one of the local establishments.
Now on our walk down to the beachside, it was then we discovered that whilst he knew where we should go, he had never once ever visited any of these establishments. As a result and with no hesitation, we thought it best that our new friend be treated to a morning at the Ushaka Marine World. The delight on his face whilst visiting the animal enclosures and water slide areas was truly priceless. Our warm hearted new friend was full of knowledge and wisdom, but on the inside he had always known that with money at a premium, he would never probably ever get to see the things he knew so much about.
From Ushaka we ventured down towards the live site where Sifiso was to work for a half days pay from 1pm to 9pm. On the walk down we presented him with a new Australian jersey as an appreciation of his kindness during our stay. It was at this point I think he had decided that he didn’t want to work any longer that day, but we encouraged him to do so and promised that we could meet him again the next day. So with a smile on his face, and a strut of excitement Sifiso trundled off yelling across the parade that he was now a very proud Australian.
This afternoon saw a procession of Portuguese and Brazilian fans flock through the city down to Moses Mobheda stadium. The tickets were at a premium for this game and the hottest of the World Cup to date. Unfortunately for the 4 of us we missed the opportunity to purchase 6 tickets for the match earlier on the tour. Fortunately though we didn’t have to pay the $100 dollars for each ticket to view what in the end turned out to be somewhat of a fizzer. Interestingly enough though, the price of tickets now via personal sales had started to become...well simply ridiculous. There were individual tickets for the game being held for AU$500, even though they were category 3 and as far away as you could possibly be from the playing surface without actually sitting in front of the tv. I have even seen a ticket for the England and Germany game advertised at AU$800.
After the match we headed up to one of the local upmarket areas of Florida rd. Florida rd boasts not only great shopping but a plethora of restaurants and food outlets. With the requirement to meet with 3 other friends, and the absolute necessity to view this evening’s match between Spain and Chile, we walked the hill to find an establishment with all of our requirements. And there it was, the final selection of a Greek restaurant that was all bar empty. Perfect....right in front of the tv and a premium service due to no customers.....incorrect assumption number 402.
Over the next half an hour, the steady flow of fellow hungry soccer starved fans increased to the point where there was simply no longer any space for people to fit. We would be fine though of course as the entrees had been ordered and not long served. The mood was also heightened by the fact that the drinks were cold and the group of 7 enormously impressed by the waiter’s ability to digest our mains order without the use of a paper or pen. That was until 1 hour later.
So the game now kicks off and the atmosphere within the confines of the walls was absolutely fantastic. In fact the whole surroundings resembled what could have been seen as some sort of joke...there were 20 Brazilians, 8 Australians, 10 Portuguese and 3 Argentineans all sitting in a restaurant......unfortunately though this was no joke. A part of the way through the first half of the match, the waiter returns to advise that he is sorry for the wait and that they were under staffed and will get the meals out as soon as they could.....that was until he then returned for a second time some 15 mins later and advised that the computer system had crashed and they were not 100 percent sure of the order of which we had placed. In all honesty, the delay was seen to be coming from miles away and the waiter in actually fact was killing it with regards to trying to make all members of the establishment content.
Eventually after 4 of us had completed our mains, the final 3 meals were presented and the hungry mob was now pleased...well at most. To declare the meals as authentic Greek may have been a little exaggeration of the truth, but all in all they were technically Greek and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time at Durban’s only Greek comedy restaurant!
We were lucky enough to meet Simon a few days in to our trip at HQ, working on one of the outlets in food alley. His tom foolery attracted our attention and from that day forth a new friendship was fostered. We are not even sure of how old Sifiso is, but an educated guess would tell us he is in his early 20’s. After giving us an education in Zulu and South African, and also telling us the places to visit, we thought it best to repay his kindness with a quiet drink and a meal at one of the local establishments.
Now on our walk down to the beachside, it was then we discovered that whilst he knew where we should go, he had never once ever visited any of these establishments. As a result and with no hesitation, we thought it best that our new friend be treated to a morning at the Ushaka Marine World. The delight on his face whilst visiting the animal enclosures and water slide areas was truly priceless. Our warm hearted new friend was full of knowledge and wisdom, but on the inside he had always known that with money at a premium, he would never probably ever get to see the things he knew so much about.
From Ushaka we ventured down towards the live site where Sifiso was to work for a half days pay from 1pm to 9pm. On the walk down we presented him with a new Australian jersey as an appreciation of his kindness during our stay. It was at this point I think he had decided that he didn’t want to work any longer that day, but we encouraged him to do so and promised that we could meet him again the next day. So with a smile on his face, and a strut of excitement Sifiso trundled off yelling across the parade that he was now a very proud Australian.
This afternoon saw a procession of Portuguese and Brazilian fans flock through the city down to Moses Mobheda stadium. The tickets were at a premium for this game and the hottest of the World Cup to date. Unfortunately for the 4 of us we missed the opportunity to purchase 6 tickets for the match earlier on the tour. Fortunately though we didn’t have to pay the $100 dollars for each ticket to view what in the end turned out to be somewhat of a fizzer. Interestingly enough though, the price of tickets now via personal sales had started to become...well simply ridiculous. There were individual tickets for the game being held for AU$500, even though they were category 3 and as far away as you could possibly be from the playing surface without actually sitting in front of the tv. I have even seen a ticket for the England and Germany game advertised at AU$800.
After the match we headed up to one of the local upmarket areas of Florida rd. Florida rd boasts not only great shopping but a plethora of restaurants and food outlets. With the requirement to meet with 3 other friends, and the absolute necessity to view this evening’s match between Spain and Chile, we walked the hill to find an establishment with all of our requirements. And there it was, the final selection of a Greek restaurant that was all bar empty. Perfect....right in front of the tv and a premium service due to no customers.....incorrect assumption number 402.
Over the next half an hour, the steady flow of fellow hungry soccer starved fans increased to the point where there was simply no longer any space for people to fit. We would be fine though of course as the entrees had been ordered and not long served. The mood was also heightened by the fact that the drinks were cold and the group of 7 enormously impressed by the waiter’s ability to digest our mains order without the use of a paper or pen. That was until 1 hour later.
So the game now kicks off and the atmosphere within the confines of the walls was absolutely fantastic. In fact the whole surroundings resembled what could have been seen as some sort of joke...there were 20 Brazilians, 8 Australians, 10 Portuguese and 3 Argentineans all sitting in a restaurant......unfortunately though this was no joke. A part of the way through the first half of the match, the waiter returns to advise that he is sorry for the wait and that they were under staffed and will get the meals out as soon as they could.....that was until he then returned for a second time some 15 mins later and advised that the computer system had crashed and they were not 100 percent sure of the order of which we had placed. In all honesty, the delay was seen to be coming from miles away and the waiter in actually fact was killing it with regards to trying to make all members of the establishment content.
Eventually after 4 of us had completed our mains, the final 3 meals were presented and the hungry mob was now pleased...well at most. To declare the meals as authentic Greek may have been a little exaggeration of the truth, but all in all they were technically Greek and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time at Durban’s only Greek comedy restaurant!
25 June 2010
Wipers!
After a few days of what feels like we just shot the remaking of Around the World in 80 days, finally we have the chance to sit back and relax high in the great western stand of Kingsmead cricket stadium and reflect on our daily adventures....and adventures it has all been.
Tuesday this week saw the team take an “official” tour of the city of Durban. A short walk down to the beach side tourism and information area saw us board the open top double decker bus for a guided information session on this great city. Hind sight now tells us that the tour would have been of great benefit at the beginning of our stay in Durban, highlighting to us some of Durban’s great markets and restaurants just to name a few. The guides constant references to the “robot” became both amusing and confusing, only to discover that a “robot” was actually what they call the traffic lights throughout the city. We maybe could have done with some of those robots to assist the guide, as the broken record of “great services to the public” and “exotic trees” became a little annoying some 2 hours into the trip....oh and by the way, Durban has scattered throughout it the most amazing “Veranda” buildings. A “veranda” building is a building that has a balcony attached, and the balcony goes all the way around the building!
Seriously though, the tour was well worth the 3 hours and actually was very informative in parts about the history of the city. Not only did it point out to us the great places to visit, but it also probably reiterated the places not to go without the safety of the confines of the bus, which also would have been handy before both our local friend Tonia and the tour had indicated so. You see one of these areas the 6 of us had already hiked through. And when I say through, I mean right smack bang through the centre of it. At the time, you did get the feeling of "why are we here", although a rather condensed population and the odd chant of “aussie” filled you with some form of comfort. You know come to think of it, when that police officer shook her finger at me from side to side, I now know what it meant.
So off to the live site on this afternoon, to watch the Bafana Bafana take on the might of the French. The 2006 runners up were in jeopardy of being eliminated from the tournament and the South African’s could still also mathematically make it. There was dance and euphoria when the Bafana took a 2-0 lead, however reality came crashing down with the French narrowing the lead to 1, and removing the hopes of the nation along with it. They did however play very well and created the ultimate shock to all with France being sent home early.
Tonight gave us the chance to sit at the Big Bosnich Bar and take in a descent and somewhat welcomed meal of Italian. The lips watered at the thought of partaking in a nice takeaway bolognaise. First the garlic bread, a delectable looking treat in the shape of a pizza....beautiful in taste, if you are a garlic fan. I have never ever in my life seen anyone manage to fit 373 cloves of garlic on one 20 cm pizza base. Believe me though, it still managed to disappear.....just like the mouth watering. After eyeing off the bolognaise for a matter of seconds, it was time for Mark and myself to partake in some pasta. And we did, with mouths open wide and the thrill of a meal of pasta, the biggest fork load of spaghetti was thrust deep into the mouth of what would appear to be two malnutritioned Australians. And that’s where the mouth watering stopped. The taste was absolutely divine, but wait...is that chilli we can taste? Chilli.....along with the 373 garlic cloves, I am of the belief there may well have been some 300 odd chillies cooked throughout the bolognaise. At this point, the Mark Bosnich Big Bar was being prepared to be renamed as the Mark Bosnich Big dam. Towels were gathered at a rate of knots to remove the constant flow of water, now not of the mouth, but every other pore from the human body. I can tell you though the pain was endured through to the end of the dish, however it is safe to say that if pasta is to be ordered once again it will not be from the same establishment.....the Indian gentlemen delivering the purchase should have probably given something away? Wipers!
In the small hours of the next morning, it was time to depart for Nelspruit, the home of the next Australian game. Today the convoy of 23 buses took a detour through the mountains for a scenic view of the country of Africa. It was at times breathtaking, and once again humbling as small towns line the streets just to wave and smile at the congo line of Australian vehicles. The morning stop today brought is to a local high school in the northern provinces of South Africa, whom presented us with a breakfast pack and warm log fires to escape the -1 temperatures outside. Again, they were so happy to have had the Australians select them as a place to visit, and the local students mingled together to assist in an way they possibly could to ensure our stop was of the upmost warmth and enjoyment.
Driver....Nelspruit please! Just after lunch today the fanatics arrived at the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens. The fanatics management team had organised with the local council the opportunity to utilise their fine gardens as a pre game venue to eat and drink the afternoon away. With the installation of pay tv and tv screens to the gardens, the fanatics sat in preparation watching the fate of the underwhelming English. Fortunately for their players, England managed to scrape their way through, however I suspect there may well be some rioting on the streets of the U.K later in the week as the U.S managed to top the group and relegate England to a confrontation in the first knock out stage with Germany.
Now back to our beloved aussies...there was a buzz through the air tonight that something special may occur and the Socceroos would progress. The atmosphere was phenomenal tonight and the sea of green and gold throughout the stadium was a sight to be seen. The pride of the nation was evident during the national anthem, as even the vuvuzelas were not going to drown out this one song. Together we stood, scarves swinging through the air, willing the lads to one last gasp effort. The performance they gave was very satisfying and one that we were all well proud about. Not a green and gold shirt moved after the final whistle, and we applauded the roos as they paraded the 2010 world cup for one last hurrah. It was disappointing for all, but the last two performances told us that we deserved to stand aside the best on the world stage.
The bus tonight was actually one of heightened mood, even though our team had not progressed. And it was lucky it was....12 hours until we get back to HQ. Just what everyone was looking forward to....NOT! In fact, there were two of our bus 14 combatants who had decided after countless hours on buses gallivanting around this great land, it was well worth the 7000 Rand ($1000) to get a plane ticket back to Durban. Madness or good application of rationale? More than likely an inkling of both.
After arrival back to HQ at lunch time on Thursday, the 4 of us decide it is time for refreshing. No better way than to head down to Ushaka Marine World to take on the slides and pools. After the purchase of bathers from the local merchandise store, off to the slides we would head. Ushaka hosts the steepest and biggest waterslide of the southern hemisphere, so off we trundle to conquer the beast. Mark and Kim managed to head straight to the larger, whilst yours truly would build up gradually from the second biggest...it was then after managing to manipulate my shorts into a toothpick, I realised that there was more than likely no requirement to attempt to have my insides turned out by the gargantuan. Seeing Kim’s successful attempt to become a contortionist was satisfying enough for me.
A few quiet beverages then saw us take in the Italy game. Again the potential loomed for another “big” team to pack up early and leave the tournament. There were thousands of aussies around town that would love nothing more than the Italians and 2006 victors to have their campaign taking away from them....and they did! No one would have seen coming a 4th placed finish for the cup holders, nor would have anyone thought in their wildest dreams that New Zealand would place above them. Our fellow Anzacs will be very proud of their efforts in 3 draws and remaining undefeated on the biggest stage of world football.
Tuesday this week saw the team take an “official” tour of the city of Durban. A short walk down to the beach side tourism and information area saw us board the open top double decker bus for a guided information session on this great city. Hind sight now tells us that the tour would have been of great benefit at the beginning of our stay in Durban, highlighting to us some of Durban’s great markets and restaurants just to name a few. The guides constant references to the “robot” became both amusing and confusing, only to discover that a “robot” was actually what they call the traffic lights throughout the city. We maybe could have done with some of those robots to assist the guide, as the broken record of “great services to the public” and “exotic trees” became a little annoying some 2 hours into the trip....oh and by the way, Durban has scattered throughout it the most amazing “Veranda” buildings. A “veranda” building is a building that has a balcony attached, and the balcony goes all the way around the building!
Seriously though, the tour was well worth the 3 hours and actually was very informative in parts about the history of the city. Not only did it point out to us the great places to visit, but it also probably reiterated the places not to go without the safety of the confines of the bus, which also would have been handy before both our local friend Tonia and the tour had indicated so. You see one of these areas the 6 of us had already hiked through. And when I say through, I mean right smack bang through the centre of it. At the time, you did get the feeling of "why are we here", although a rather condensed population and the odd chant of “aussie” filled you with some form of comfort. You know come to think of it, when that police officer shook her finger at me from side to side, I now know what it meant.
So off to the live site on this afternoon, to watch the Bafana Bafana take on the might of the French. The 2006 runners up were in jeopardy of being eliminated from the tournament and the South African’s could still also mathematically make it. There was dance and euphoria when the Bafana took a 2-0 lead, however reality came crashing down with the French narrowing the lead to 1, and removing the hopes of the nation along with it. They did however play very well and created the ultimate shock to all with France being sent home early.
Tonight gave us the chance to sit at the Big Bosnich Bar and take in a descent and somewhat welcomed meal of Italian. The lips watered at the thought of partaking in a nice takeaway bolognaise. First the garlic bread, a delectable looking treat in the shape of a pizza....beautiful in taste, if you are a garlic fan. I have never ever in my life seen anyone manage to fit 373 cloves of garlic on one 20 cm pizza base. Believe me though, it still managed to disappear.....just like the mouth watering. After eyeing off the bolognaise for a matter of seconds, it was time for Mark and myself to partake in some pasta. And we did, with mouths open wide and the thrill of a meal of pasta, the biggest fork load of spaghetti was thrust deep into the mouth of what would appear to be two malnutritioned Australians. And that’s where the mouth watering stopped. The taste was absolutely divine, but wait...is that chilli we can taste? Chilli.....along with the 373 garlic cloves, I am of the belief there may well have been some 300 odd chillies cooked throughout the bolognaise. At this point, the Mark Bosnich Big Bar was being prepared to be renamed as the Mark Bosnich Big dam. Towels were gathered at a rate of knots to remove the constant flow of water, now not of the mouth, but every other pore from the human body. I can tell you though the pain was endured through to the end of the dish, however it is safe to say that if pasta is to be ordered once again it will not be from the same establishment.....the Indian gentlemen delivering the purchase should have probably given something away? Wipers!
In the small hours of the next morning, it was time to depart for Nelspruit, the home of the next Australian game. Today the convoy of 23 buses took a detour through the mountains for a scenic view of the country of Africa. It was at times breathtaking, and once again humbling as small towns line the streets just to wave and smile at the congo line of Australian vehicles. The morning stop today brought is to a local high school in the northern provinces of South Africa, whom presented us with a breakfast pack and warm log fires to escape the -1 temperatures outside. Again, they were so happy to have had the Australians select them as a place to visit, and the local students mingled together to assist in an way they possibly could to ensure our stop was of the upmost warmth and enjoyment.
Driver....Nelspruit please! Just after lunch today the fanatics arrived at the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens. The fanatics management team had organised with the local council the opportunity to utilise their fine gardens as a pre game venue to eat and drink the afternoon away. With the installation of pay tv and tv screens to the gardens, the fanatics sat in preparation watching the fate of the underwhelming English. Fortunately for their players, England managed to scrape their way through, however I suspect there may well be some rioting on the streets of the U.K later in the week as the U.S managed to top the group and relegate England to a confrontation in the first knock out stage with Germany.
Now back to our beloved aussies...there was a buzz through the air tonight that something special may occur and the Socceroos would progress. The atmosphere was phenomenal tonight and the sea of green and gold throughout the stadium was a sight to be seen. The pride of the nation was evident during the national anthem, as even the vuvuzelas were not going to drown out this one song. Together we stood, scarves swinging through the air, willing the lads to one last gasp effort. The performance they gave was very satisfying and one that we were all well proud about. Not a green and gold shirt moved after the final whistle, and we applauded the roos as they paraded the 2010 world cup for one last hurrah. It was disappointing for all, but the last two performances told us that we deserved to stand aside the best on the world stage.
The bus tonight was actually one of heightened mood, even though our team had not progressed. And it was lucky it was....12 hours until we get back to HQ. Just what everyone was looking forward to....NOT! In fact, there were two of our bus 14 combatants who had decided after countless hours on buses gallivanting around this great land, it was well worth the 7000 Rand ($1000) to get a plane ticket back to Durban. Madness or good application of rationale? More than likely an inkling of both.
After arrival back to HQ at lunch time on Thursday, the 4 of us decide it is time for refreshing. No better way than to head down to Ushaka Marine World to take on the slides and pools. After the purchase of bathers from the local merchandise store, off to the slides we would head. Ushaka hosts the steepest and biggest waterslide of the southern hemisphere, so off we trundle to conquer the beast. Mark and Kim managed to head straight to the larger, whilst yours truly would build up gradually from the second biggest...it was then after managing to manipulate my shorts into a toothpick, I realised that there was more than likely no requirement to attempt to have my insides turned out by the gargantuan. Seeing Kim’s successful attempt to become a contortionist was satisfying enough for me.
A few quiet beverages then saw us take in the Italy game. Again the potential loomed for another “big” team to pack up early and leave the tournament. There were thousands of aussies around town that would love nothing more than the Italians and 2006 victors to have their campaign taking away from them....and they did! No one would have seen coming a 4th placed finish for the cup holders, nor would have anyone thought in their wildest dreams that New Zealand would place above them. Our fellow Anzacs will be very proud of their efforts in 3 draws and remaining undefeated on the biggest stage of world football.
22 June 2010
Let's go shopping!......again
Monday was left for parties to decide their own pathway of excitement...for a group of 3 men and 3 women with no pre organised football game, no organised activity and little ability to make a decision, that only meant one thing.......shopping! Did I say excitement? But wait, all was not lost...
Our new friend Tonia from the Mark Bosnich big bar advised us over the weekend that this was the place to go. Shopping for the ladies, a pub of which brews its own beer for the men and of course the kids would enjoy themselves because that’s the main thing. As it turns out...the plan worked.
Come lunchtime tour members would require a level of nutrition to keep them healthy and strong. For the boys, such replenishment meant an opportunity to view the Portugal v North Korea match. If the government in Korea were hesitant in showing their first game live, I should imagine that there was no way on earth that this 7-0 drubbing would make it to the media. Portugal put on a goal scoring clinic like no other in the tournament and marked the Portuguese intentions to go far beyond the group stages.
This evening the Mark Bosnich bar welcomed the new panel of Stan Lazaridis, Frank Arok and Irish Dave. Sadly for the panel, and thanks once again to Jack D, Mark, our new mate Brian (who incidentally also has a wife named Brian...think about it) and myself had managed to somehow create our own panel and recreate the sporting landscape as we know it. It appeared that the naming of ladies night tonight, with few to no ladies attending, meant to us we should step in and ensure that the party was kept alive. It was....we weren’t.
The journey back to the tent at 12.30am I am fairly positive became the length of a marathon. Why was it now that we decided it was time to check out who played for the teams in the photos of which are scattered throughout the depths of the stands?....this is a test match stadium, do you know how many photos of cricket teams there are in these places? Any logical thought process had by this time passed, and it would be interesting to know how many times Shaun Pollock’s name was mentioned within the next half hour period. No matter how clearly painfully obvious it was that Shaun had played both for the local dolphins team and of course the national side, for some reason it appeared a necessity to find every single picture with him in it.
From there it was decided that an intake of food may be a positive, but not realising the time, reality was met with a painful groan as it dawned that the food alley was closed. Being honest, this was probably a good thing. The regular meals of Bunny Chow were starting to take their toll. I must admit though, they are quite scrumptious for a half loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a spicy casserole of sorts.....and irrespective of popular beliefs, it is actually chicken and beef, not bunny!
Our new friend Tonia from the Mark Bosnich big bar advised us over the weekend that this was the place to go. Shopping for the ladies, a pub of which brews its own beer for the men and of course the kids would enjoy themselves because that’s the main thing. As it turns out...the plan worked.
Come lunchtime tour members would require a level of nutrition to keep them healthy and strong. For the boys, such replenishment meant an opportunity to view the Portugal v North Korea match. If the government in Korea were hesitant in showing their first game live, I should imagine that there was no way on earth that this 7-0 drubbing would make it to the media. Portugal put on a goal scoring clinic like no other in the tournament and marked the Portuguese intentions to go far beyond the group stages.
This evening the Mark Bosnich bar welcomed the new panel of Stan Lazaridis, Frank Arok and Irish Dave. Sadly for the panel, and thanks once again to Jack D, Mark, our new mate Brian (who incidentally also has a wife named Brian...think about it) and myself had managed to somehow create our own panel and recreate the sporting landscape as we know it. It appeared that the naming of ladies night tonight, with few to no ladies attending, meant to us we should step in and ensure that the party was kept alive. It was....we weren’t.
The journey back to the tent at 12.30am I am fairly positive became the length of a marathon. Why was it now that we decided it was time to check out who played for the teams in the photos of which are scattered throughout the depths of the stands?....this is a test match stadium, do you know how many photos of cricket teams there are in these places? Any logical thought process had by this time passed, and it would be interesting to know how many times Shaun Pollock’s name was mentioned within the next half hour period. No matter how clearly painfully obvious it was that Shaun had played both for the local dolphins team and of course the national side, for some reason it appeared a necessity to find every single picture with him in it.
From there it was decided that an intake of food may be a positive, but not realising the time, reality was met with a painful groan as it dawned that the food alley was closed. Being honest, this was probably a good thing. The regular meals of Bunny Chow were starting to take their toll. I must admit though, they are quite scrumptious for a half loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a spicy casserole of sorts.....and irrespective of popular beliefs, it is actually chicken and beef, not bunny!
21 June 2010
High Rollers!
With a 5.30am arrival back to HQ from Rustenburg, Monday was set aside for rest and relaxation to catch up the sleep that some may not have had riding on a bus for some 10 hours. Thankfully we were not on one of the party buses who didn’t manage to arrive back until approx 8 or 9am because of the regular requirements of individuals to do one of two things.....I am sure you can imagine what they are.
So off to bed we all headed in the hope of even just a few hours of quality rest, and I don’t think it was a problem for anyone. Fortunately for the fanatics, Mrs Nature provided us with a complimentary sauna this morning at HQ Durban, whether you really wanted one or not, so it was about between 8.30 and 9 am that we decided that we should actually remove ourselves from our tents before we became the latest victims of heat exhaustion. For those looking to lose a few pounds they had gained from the trip it was more than likely ideal!
Once the obligatory morning functions of blogging, uploading photos and skeet shooting the breakfast toast were completed, the group decided to head off shopping. Luckily for the lads however, (Tonia we love you) one of the bar waitresses advised that the shopping centre we were choosing to visit was not an ideal destination on a Sunday and that there was a better one to visit the next day...you know what this meant. Let’s all stay at the Mark Bosnich big bar and watch football over a drink or three! Three cheers for Tonia...hip hip....
It was an ideal afternoon anyway as our good neighbours New Zealand were playing the team aussies now all love to hate, those pizza loving Italians. For just a few hours, a few hundred aussies pretended we were still in the 70’s and became a kiwi for the afternoon. And boy did we know how they were feeling! I, along with many others am becoming frequently frustrated with referees influencing games with poor decisions. All credit must go to NZ for the 1-1 draw, and in all honestly the penalty once again was never a penalty and so our fellow ditch diggers should have come away with the upset of the tournament. Never mind they are still in with a sniff.
Tonight the four of us headed off to the Casino for a delectable meal at the Cape Town Fish Market. Between us there was a succulent selection of seafood treats and for the sake of wanting to try crayfish for the first time, I was left with no choice but to have the upgraded platter for two. Luckily the platters were not in fact that large and the task to devour was somewhat easy. The desserts in a lot ways however stole the show...they were the most delightful chocolate fudge brownies I have ever eaten, and I can’t wait for breakfast to head back and have some more....and lunch...and dinner.
Finally, being at the casino we had to do as the Romans and indulge for half an hour on the roulette wheel. So indulge we did, and the casino obliged in relieving us of all our monies...why didn’t I just play the pokies? Upon losing a couple of hundred Rand ($30ish haha), yours truly had decided that the final 20 rand note would be thrust upon the nearest pokie machine. 20 rand, 5 credits, 100 lines. Simple really, one bet was all it took. Up presented the 3 treasure chests and zippyadeedoodah....I’ll collect thanks. 1580 rand or approx $250! I got you Mr Casino....just for today at least. Roll out the brownies!
So off to bed we all headed in the hope of even just a few hours of quality rest, and I don’t think it was a problem for anyone. Fortunately for the fanatics, Mrs Nature provided us with a complimentary sauna this morning at HQ Durban, whether you really wanted one or not, so it was about between 8.30 and 9 am that we decided that we should actually remove ourselves from our tents before we became the latest victims of heat exhaustion. For those looking to lose a few pounds they had gained from the trip it was more than likely ideal!
Once the obligatory morning functions of blogging, uploading photos and skeet shooting the breakfast toast were completed, the group decided to head off shopping. Luckily for the lads however, (Tonia we love you) one of the bar waitresses advised that the shopping centre we were choosing to visit was not an ideal destination on a Sunday and that there was a better one to visit the next day...you know what this meant. Let’s all stay at the Mark Bosnich big bar and watch football over a drink or three! Three cheers for Tonia...hip hip....
It was an ideal afternoon anyway as our good neighbours New Zealand were playing the team aussies now all love to hate, those pizza loving Italians. For just a few hours, a few hundred aussies pretended we were still in the 70’s and became a kiwi for the afternoon. And boy did we know how they were feeling! I, along with many others am becoming frequently frustrated with referees influencing games with poor decisions. All credit must go to NZ for the 1-1 draw, and in all honestly the penalty once again was never a penalty and so our fellow ditch diggers should have come away with the upset of the tournament. Never mind they are still in with a sniff.
Tonight the four of us headed off to the Casino for a delectable meal at the Cape Town Fish Market. Between us there was a succulent selection of seafood treats and for the sake of wanting to try crayfish for the first time, I was left with no choice but to have the upgraded platter for two. Luckily the platters were not in fact that large and the task to devour was somewhat easy. The desserts in a lot ways however stole the show...they were the most delightful chocolate fudge brownies I have ever eaten, and I can’t wait for breakfast to head back and have some more....and lunch...and dinner.
Finally, being at the casino we had to do as the Romans and indulge for half an hour on the roulette wheel. So indulge we did, and the casino obliged in relieving us of all our monies...why didn’t I just play the pokies? Upon losing a couple of hundred Rand ($30ish haha), yours truly had decided that the final 20 rand note would be thrust upon the nearest pokie machine. 20 rand, 5 credits, 100 lines. Simple really, one bet was all it took. Up presented the 3 treasure chests and zippyadeedoodah....I’ll collect thanks. 1580 rand or approx $250! I got you Mr Casino....just for today at least. Roll out the brownies!
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