The eagle has landed

After all this time, Africa has finally welcomed the tour group. I must admit I didn't expect the fan fare in the airport at Johannesburg to be as it was before the tournament has even commenced. But it was....I can honestly say that the Green and Gold was More prevalent than any of the other countries represented at this point on the ground.

It was from there, that some 80 Australians embarked on a 7 hour bus ride from Joburg to Durban to complete the final leg of travel before the bonanza began. It really is amazing what you can learn from a bus seat, and I have to say that it was very very humbling but also somewhat inspirational just observing.

For those that may have been on the search for the road to nowhere, look no further. Yes, we discovered it today, however I am unable to tell you where it starts or finishes. One road, just one whole road from just outside Joburg through to the outskirts of Durban after some 500 or so kilometers. Seriously, I started to wonder if it was like the movies and the expectation should be that you end up where you started from?

Driving along the freeway it was clear to all that the housing situation in the country is somewhat bleak. People living in what could only be described as the size of a double garage. Shanty type towns were scattered near and far, and it took me about 4 hours of the ride to realise that the rocks on the roofs were in fact the tool of securing the roof to the main structure.

The life here is obviously all so different...or is it? You know, I looked at people as we drove past them on the road....hitch hikers everywhere, school kids running in the oval, road workers downing tools..... and the reality is, they weren't thinking about how good the aussies have got it, rather than smiling and presenting us with the most honest and open welcome to their country. Most of these people it seems are possibly aware that life could be better, but accept the fact that what they have will steer them forward in life.

For the football purists, Africa it appears is your place to be...the amount of schools and communities we past in one day where people were kicking about the football....not necessarily any goals, just the football. We saw goal posts sitting in fields however where it didn't even seem possible that people were even located. From school grass yards, to a dirt pitch in one of the shanty towns, it was clear that there is one common pleasure amongst all....the great game.

Oh, and for my fellow communications employees back at home...we can never again complain of the conditions in which we are asked to perform. As soon as we left the airport today, there was a procession of workers negotiating a ditch for pipe. Now this ditch was what appeared to be about 4 feet deep. The catch was, whilst we saw some machinery hundreds of km's down the road, there were some 10 men manually forging towards this one common purpose. Yep with mattocks in hand, they dug and they swung without a hesitation. Oh and by the way...sugar cane, I have never seen so much. In fact, I am told that South Africa is the only country in the world that produces more sugar than they actually consume. Again the catch...the harvesting is completed purely by hand...and all for around AU $6 a day.

I now going to be a tad selfish and ask for assistance from friends, family and readers back at home. Upon arrival into Joburg airport, the group was met by a media contingency. As it turns out, yours truly was singled out to perform an interview with one of the reporters, so if anyone at all could tape it for me it would be met with overwhelming appreciation! Oh, did I also mention it was TV Vietnam? Yeah great...and then on arrival to HQ Durban, the partner gets the royal treatment. I get TV Vietnam, and Kimbo gets interviewed by one channel 10 Sports Tonight program and then also by channel 9. So if you manage to get to watch either of these channels over the next day or so, keep an eye out for the 5 foot female Socceroo supporter...and no I am NOT jealous. Maybe just a little.....

What a day....I have to be honest and say that even after a mere 12 hours on the ground in the South Africa, I am inspired by the people of this country that meet adversity face to face....it truly is filled with inspiring people.