The Plan

Matches:
Germany vs. Australia
Spain vs. Switzerland
USA vs. Slovenia
Argentina vs. South Korea
Brazil vs. Ivory Coast

Maps:

The Places

Maputo, Mozambique

Inhaca Island, Mozambique

Limpopo National Park, Mozambique

Siteki, Swaziland

Durban, South Africa

Drakensberg, South Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa

The Prep

We are now merely days from departing for a trip years in the making. After an amazing experience accompanying my compatriot Jeff Hitchcock and his crew to Germany in 2006 I told myself I was going to do everything in my power to attend all future World Cups. So two years ago I began banking vacation, following the qualifying stages, reading travel books, scouting out the ticket process, and recruiting a ragtag team of travel buddies. Game tickets were bought a year ago, the itinerary was nailed down 8 months ago and travel accomodations and the Safari were booked shortly after, industrial strength sunscreen was pre-ordered in January, vaccinations were received in the Spring, and the final Pre-Departure meeting takes place tonight while watching the US-Czech friendly. As the World Cup Slogon goes, Ke Nako - it's time.

Greetings

Hello - this is John Bragdon Ragsdale Van Auken, and I am getting ready to completely get all up in Africa's grill. In mental preparation I have been holding my Corona soccer ball while sitting on my couch, listening to Baka Beyond's Spirit of the Forest. It is exciting to think that pretty soon I'll be watching world class soccer and chucking spears with Kenny, Sid, and Fuge. Besides being good pals we each have strategic value to the success of the trip. Sid, with his mocha-mahogany presence and nunchuck skills, will facilitate the group's security by being the face of our facade... Uruguayans. Nobody ever has any beef with Uruguay so we should be safe from being targeted by the terrorist evil-doers. Kenny, besides being the Afrikaan Americans Certified Project Manager, will be hunting our food during our safari, our wilderness trek, our spiritual journey into the Heart of Darkness. Though he is more experienced with gathering berries, Kenny promises us he knows how to track and spot giraffes. Dr. Fuge not only brings his medicine chest and knowledge of infectious disease, but he also brings the party. Rumor has it he has been making plans for when the USA beats England in their opening match. I will be looking at maps and chucking the occasional spear.

We're ready.

See yall on the African side. Blogger out.