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FINALLY!
After 2 long years of working 'hard' and saving even harder we finally get on that big plane headed for South Africa! Both quite nervous but very excited!
Just to break it down we had a 7hr flight to Abu Dhabi where we had a 3hr stopover, then a 12hr flight to Cape Town (via Johannesburg). Now i dont mind flying, its not the most natural feeling in the world, but i dont mind it. However flying and sleeping is another story! When your packed into a metal tube like a AA battery the last thing your going to do is sleep! Needless to say I didnt get much sleep! Trish on the other hand nearly got thown off the plane for snoring too loud! Thats how comfortable she was! I could have stowed her away in the baggage compartment above the seat and she would have had enough room! Having said that she did have some competition from the guy sitting infront of us! "Of course mate you go ahead and lay your seat back, and feel free to snore your face off! I wasnt planing on getting any sleep anyway!"
So by the time we land in Cape Town we are running on fumes of pure excitment! My Dads friend Gert picks us up from the airport and takes us back to his place.
Gert is the head coach of Goodwood Rugby Club, and rugby is his LIFE! On the way to his we swing into the club chairmans house where Gert picks up 2 tickets to the Stormers game that evening! We were thinking that we may have a bit of a rest before the game to recharge and relax. How wrong were we!
Gert is on the phone frantically trying to get us a lift to Newlands. We are driving around picking up steak and sausages for the braii (South African BBQ) when Gert bumps into Dean, a guy he works with. Dean agrees to take us to the stadium. He makes a stop at an offlicence where we pick up a crate of Millers for about £7 and they come with a free set of headphones! We give them to Dean as he looks like the kind of guy that is crazy for headphones!
We arrive at a high school field outside the stadium where it looks like a bootfair is taking place. However its anything but a boot fair! Everbody is drinking and braii-ing and having an awsome time! We meet up with Ettiene, another of Gerts friends, who takes us over to his spot of the pitch! And thats about that! 5hrs of drinking and eating and making friends commences! Ettiene is a top guy, he is so welcoming and cant do enough for us! Just what you need really to settle the nerves (the drink also helped!).
At about 5pm we head on into Newlands! Wow what an atmosphere! Ettiene manages to get us into the supporters club for a beer before the game. The Stormers are playing the Crusaders and the game is a corker with the Stormers loosing 14 - 20. After the game we head back to the supporters bar for a few more beers before making our way back to Gerts place for another braii!
Before long the cards have come out and I have an audience around Gerts pool table! Close up card magic tends to go down well with new people, and I am surprised how much i can remember after not doing any magic for ages!
Time for bed now i feel! What an amazing first day to our trip!
Hopefully the first of many!
- comments
Mum Willden What a great start. It's up to you both to keep making friends and then maybe you will not have to stay in too many hostels. Miss you leads. Lots of love xxxxxxx
margaret Well just reading that left me out of breath! What a great start to your trip. I popped in to see the girls today Trish, and to pass some time. Glad that your stand in has been sorted out, that can't have been easy for you, but things have a habit of turning out for the best in the long run. I will miiss you though!!Leanne passed your address on to me, so I shall be following your travels with avid interest. I have to tell you that Crusaders are awesome, I went to see them in Auckland a couple of years ago. We lost on that occasion but going to the match was great fun. Keep on truckin'.
Gasman Great to see you arrived safely and enjoyed a little introduction to my hometown. Let me know if you need anything while in Cape Town and I will see what I can do.
Kara Woah, well that was more than I have done in a whole year lol, how totally incredible. Glad to hear you are making friends already hopefully that means loads more "braii" for you both to come :-) Love you lots, be safe and keep posting! xxx