Hey All!

It has been way over due and a long time coming - but the time has come to get the blog up and running again! There have been a few things happening since I last wrote on the blog, but today I'll chip away at the old block and tell you folks about the most amazing 3 weeks in South Africa!

There are many photos in this entry! I am sorry. But its more pics that words, so don't be put off!

Cliff and I took time off work (problematic and complicated to do in a very work work orientated Taiwan environment) and planned our trip to coincide with the first stage of the Soccer World Cup.

Brad Zan Cliff and I, applied for tickets for 4 games in the pool stages when the ticketing system first opened. We were successful on all four applications:

Germany vs Australia in Durban.

We stayed a few nights in the Drakensberg mountains before we headed down to Durban - and I was totally amped to get inside the stadium and start experiencing the whole thing first hand. It was a strange feeling to be in a brand new stadium complex, a stadium with such a unique design. Something that we would expect to see in other more wealthy developed countries - but not South Africa!

This was definitely the first time I've rooted for Australia (turning a corner?!) and as you can see...we really got into the regalia...

Aussie for today! And ONLY today! he he he

Of all our World Cup Games, Durban was probably the least congested and time consuming getting into and out of the stadium. Although we did arrive super early and leave after everyone else, but even then we stood in lines at the beginning and mingled with the friendly folks before the game.

Argentina vs South Korea, Soccer City Jhb.

I was spoiled and lucky enough to get in an extra game with some other good friends: Jono and Christine organised tickets for this game for the three of us. The Argentines are great because they get super passionate and emotional about the whole thing, making for some interesting confrontations.

I wouldn't take the South Koreans for a big sporting nation - but they did whip out these massive flags and pulled over the whole crowd!

Jono and Christines sunglasses Fifa sunglasses were very sophisticated, having a good uv rating in spite of there total lack of lenses and presence of horizontal slats. I donned a flag and was spoken to in Spanish but my countrymen - that sure hasn't happened in a while and my few remaining strands of Spanish didn't get too far...

WOW! Look at that beauty!

WOW! Look at those beauties!

Bafana vs Uruguay, Loftus Pretoria

Probably the most 'important' or meaningful game for us and the saddest too.

Going for glory! Cold as a bitterly cold castle beer. Cliff donning his animal skin, Tim the hulk and Zan the multinational orange you glad to be here!

Tell me whats your flavour!

Brazil vs Ivory Coast, Soccer City!

Yes Sir, that IS the Ivory Coast flag. Worried, happy and impartial.

Here we are loving the atmosphere and Soccer City in general. Mom and Dad were higher up in the stands, but we were right behind the goals. The same goal that that Brazilian scored after touching the ball three times with no bounce (there might have been a hand in there too...)

We caught the train from Park Station right up to the stadium. Mom and Dad were also going to this game, so here we are white middle class folks catching the train from the middle of Jhb at night! There is a smell of change on the wind I tell ya!

The Brazillian supports got a huge kick out of Zans giddup, so she scored numerous interviews on Braillian TV crews and many photo shots (sometimes they even ran after her - no exaggeration!)

North Korea vs Ivory Coast, Nelspruit.

Aaaarph! Aaaarph! Aaaarph!

Both of the teams in this match were destined to be eliminated (unless something truly mad happened). Never the less we were right behind Ivory Coast and the crowd was fully into it. You might have thought it was a very important match!

The match had a more African feel to it than some of the other matches, with people sitting in the wrong seats and coming and going late and generally a little bit more rowdy. Which made it all the more interesting.

Thanks for reading folks! Bye from Tim.