Is anyone here going to the World Cup?

[seadog_oggy]

Hi all, not a forest fan, Scarborough Athletic in fact, I was just wondering, are any of you lot going to the World Cup? If so, what are people doing for accomadation? Has anyone seen the soccertents planned in Pretoria? There are 2, both holding 5/600 people. They offer luxurious beds with bedlamp, airport transfers, entertainment on the night-time, a fan footy tournament and most importantly, three meals a day and 5 drink coupons a day! There is also internet access too. All this is included in the price.

Outside the price there will also be buses to every match, day-trips and safaris organised to and from, and a range of other things. To me this is the ultimate world cup fan experience and more can be found at www.soccertentworld.com

Basically I have built up a bit of a rapport with the main organiser of soccertentworld.com and he has told me he will offer a discount price to England fans if I get some bookings, so basically it has to be done through me, but all I will be doing is passing on your e-mail address and he will get in contact with you regarding the discounted deal. So if anyone interested would like to email me me their e-mail address to adamogle894@hotmail.com, how long you would be interested in staying for and also how many of you?

 

[mouldy]

And the price is.....

 

[Jonathan]

I'm going, but I've got family out there and will be staying with them.

 

[seadog_oggy]

I aren't totally sure of the price with discount but I think he is thinking of around £325 for the week, and the longer you stayed the cheaper the price gets. Thats with ya 3meals a day, 5drink vouchers a day and airport transfers, and all the tourist kinda trips options etc? I just think be really good experience for World Cup, epecially in a country I don't know much about, the fact the camp is guarded with 24hr security gives me bit of piece of mind too.

 

[Jonathan]

I'd suggest staying as far north as possible. Pretoria and Polokwane will be much safer than anywhere else.

 

[dbarraclough]

If you squint it looks like a State penetentiary, or worse. Personally I'd feel safer with a 20ft wall keeping people out. But on the postive side it could have a great atmosphere.

 

[seadog_oggy]

Haha I wasn't too impressed by that photo either, but then looking on the photos of the inside of the tents encouraged me more. Staying up north is a must though, especially in terms of venues and security.

 

[dbarraclough]

I'd suggest staying as far north as possible. Pretoria and Polokwane will be much safer than anywhere else.

I don't follow. Safer than where?
I've lived there and have friends who've lived in Pretoria all their lives and its far from safe. In fact its second only to Joburg in terms of crime.
I actually think you can end up a victim wherever you are in South Africa. Whats more important is the attitude and awareness of not putting yourself at risk once your're there. Stumbling back to your hotel after a bar crawl just aint an option

 

[Jonathan]

I don't follow. Safer than where?
I've lived there and have friends who've lived in Pretoria all their lives and its far from safe. In fact its second only to Joburg in terms of crime.
I actually think you can end up a victim wherever you are in South Africa. Whats more important is the attitude and awareness of not putting yourself at risk once your're there. Stumbling back to your hotel after a bar crawl just aint an option

I'm going on what my own family have said out there.

Their advice was that staying in 'fan areas' in the northern cities is going to be safer than most places, most notably Durban.

Polokwane is a very safe city, is it not?

 

[dbarraclough]

Thats a fair point. "Fan areas" seem the best option when I think about it. Safety in numbers and all that. Sorry don't know much about Polokwane. But "very safe" may be a bit generous for any city in SA.
I just think the biggest mistake will be for people booking into shady guesthouses because thats all thats left.
I was thinking of going but I like my sunshine too much so hopefully will be heading out there in feb and back home to watch the footy on the telebox.

 

[Marshall.]

http://www.forestforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=38304.0

 

[Jonathan]

Thats a fair point. "Fan areas" seem the best option when I think about it. Safety in numbers and all that. Sorry don't know much about Polokwane. But "very safe" may be a bit generous for any city in SA.
I just think the biggest mistake will be for people booking into shady guesthouses because thats all thats left.
I was thinking of going but I like my sunshine too much so hopefully will be heading out there in feb and back home to watch the footy on the telebox.

To be perfectly honest, I've never been to Polokwane, nor had I really heard of it until a short while ago. I'm just going on what I read in a World Cup guide that comes free with the latest FourFourTwo and what a South African lad I work with had to say. He was from Pretoria.

The bloke who is the EnglandFans spokesman, Mark Perryman is staying in a B&B I think, but he said he wishes he'd waited a bit and booked into one of the fan spaces. He's taking his wife and 10-month old daughter as well, so I'm sure he believes the fan spaces will be safe.

I don't know if she has any rooms left, but my Aunt runs a guest house near Jo'burg called Hyde Park Villas. Again, I don't know how expensive it is, but if anyone is looking, you can try there.

 

[Le Juif Rouge]

There are thousands of B & B's all over SA. How booked up they are for 2010 I don't know. There are also loads of caravan sites out of town.
South African cities are as safe as any city. Good areas and bad areas.
The British Lions Fans had a great time the other month and said Joburg was the most fun place.
Much hinges on where England are located - I believe their base is at Rustenburg which is about 2hrs west of Joburg and Pretoria.
You will find Polokwane boring!!!!! Joburg you will love its a really vibey cosmopolitan city!

 

[Jonathan]

I'll be in Johannesburg. Are you going to any games?

 

[seadog_oggy]

I'm going to the group games, 2nd rnd and quarters if we get there, what about you?

 

[Jonathan]

Well I don't know to be honest.

I'm definitely going to the group games but I'm not sure about the others.

I think I may well have a second round ticket.

 

[seadog_oggy]

Yeah I got 5 team specific games through FIFA in the first stage of the tickets going onsale, got very lucky I think as it was a lottery! Not long to go now!

 

[Jonathan]

Yeah I got 5 team specific games through FIFA in the first stage of the tickets going onsale, got very lucky I think as it was a lottery! Not long to go now!

I've been ridiculously lucky because my Aunt has managed to get my them as a South African resident and they're a 21st birthday present.

That's why I'm unsure about exactly what tickets I've got.

They're definitely England team specific tickets for at least the group stages, though. There's a chance I will be able to get tickets for any match in the tournament, though, through a family friend who is quite high up in the First National Bank.

 

[Le Juif Rouge]

I'll be in Johannesburg. Are you going to any games?

Unfortunately after happily living here for 30 years we are leaving to live in France next month. A whole load of things have come together this year which have generated this and I will be sorry to miss 2010 having seen the successful Rugby & Cricket WC's and the Lions Tours.
However I doubt I would have been able to get tickets for the England games anyway. The only bloke I know who was successful was my mate from Mansfield who is a Blunts Fan.
Also if England get placed in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth or Durban it is a Looooooong drive and we hear the Airlines are planning rip-off prices!

 

[Jonathan]

I've done the drive to both Durban and Cape Town before via Bloemfontein and Plettenberg Bay so I'd imagine it'll be the same sort of thing if that's where we're based.

My cousin will be doing the driving at least, so I won't have to worry too much.

I'm just looking forward to spending five weeks in my favourite country in the world.

 

[Le Juif Rouge]

I'm just looking forward to spending five weeks in my favourite country in the world.

Agreed it certainly is an amazing place and very friendly!
As you may know England & Brazil are going to be the two most followed teams locally. Particularly as Bafana-Bafana are not expected to er...do that well.
My only worry is that the "Official Sponsors" don't understand the local culture and thus get too heavy handed with ordinary fans. There was major shit with the cricket the other year because Coke was the official sponsor they tried to stop people taking Pepsi into the stadiums and were stopping people wearing logos on their Tee Shirts of potentially "rival products". They were absolutely paranoid about ambush marketing!

 

[Jonathan]

Don't Bafana Bafana idolise the Brazilians? I thought the entire game was based around Brazil's style.

I reckon they'll get through the group stage if the draw is kind. Just need to keep our fingers crossed that they don't get Holland, Russia or Portugal!

The ambush marketing is going to be the same here in three years time. They have copyrighted a number of words such as 'olympic', 'rings' and 'medals' amongst others.

 

[Bridgfordred79]

Don't Bafana Bafana idolise the Brazilians? I thought the entire game was based around Brazil's style.

I reckon they'll get through the group stage if the draw is kind. Just need to keep our fingers crossed that they don't get Holland, Russia or Portugal!

The ambush marketing is going to be the same here in three years time. They have copyrighted a number of words such as 'olympic', 'rings' and 'medals' amongst others.

I thought you wrote "banana banana" then Jonathan

seriously jon my dad was born in South Africa, he says that the Cashew Nuts there are better than any in England.

 

[Jonathan]

Thanks, I'll be sure to check them out.

I'm looking forward to incredible steaks and biltong again. None of that American beef jerky crap.

 

[Red Duster]

I fancy going.

next year must be our best chance of progressing since 1990

down side is its a long way away and such a big country = loads of travel and more travel once there

upside = english language probably understood sufficiently to get me where i want to be