From the moment you land at Johannesburg, the feeling of the World Cup enters your system like a catalyst trying to propel you to scream out loud in exhilaration. iSporter Pulasta Dhar shares his experience of landing in the country where the world will be one in a week's time....
The Beautiful Game is one which crosses all borders and unites the world like no other. That is why it is the biggest sporting event in the world. Such is the expectation of each team and its fans that failure is not an option. Throughout the last 2-3 years, teams have been vying it out to be on the plane to South Africa. The league performances have all been dubbed as what could be coming on the biggest stage of them all, the FIFA World Cup.
I have been lucky enough to get hold of tickets to 4 games and I am sure iSporter's will be pretty happy to have a correspondent reporting direct from SA. Well, I could not have been more honoured.
On the 13th of June, I will enter the country which right now I have only seen from above and been to the International Transfers Terminal. If the terminal can be laden with around a dozen shops littered with Football products, then I can only imagine what it will be in the city. Of course, the prices are typically FIFA....sometimes untouchable.
Hordes of people have already entered the Africa and I was not surprised to see many of them in their national colours. I have been on many flights in and out of Africa, but never have I seen so many Brazilians flock the continent. For them, winning is all they can think about.
As soon as you get down on the airport, massive larger than life posters of the World Cup engulf you. It is as if you are being sucked into a whirl-wind where you are surrounded by nothing but an impatience for the event to begin. Separate entry and exit zones for FIFA delegates and players have been set-up and I tried my luck to catch a glimpse of somebody, but it was probably not my day.
There is no doubt that the event is going to be a mega success. As for security concerns, I think that the locals would love to see more events come to their country and the behavior will hence be exactly opposite of what people usually think. For those travelling...there is no fear at all....please enter the country with an open mind and not with an apprehension.
While on my transit plane to Zambia, I caught a glimpse of Soccer City Stadium in all its magnificence from 10,000 feet. I can only imagine what it would be like when the Calabash shaped stadium will be packed with screaming fans and the indomitable 'Vavazulu' ringing around. Truly, this is living the dream....
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