So three flights – all in chokka block cattle class – and a nine hour drive down the world’s most windy road later, and I find myself in Wellington, New Zealand – minus 11 hours of my life a feeling like Bakkies Botha and Brad Thorn just gave me a referee free working over in a 1980’s ruck!
Anyone who thinks the travel in Super Rugby is not a factor should do what we just did! Sure the players get the best seats in the house and the most direct routes, but any way you look at it, Wellington is a bloody long way from Cape Town …
Travel and jet lag are two things the Boks will not have to worry about when taking on the Aussies on Sunday though, but Genia, Cooper, Ioane, Pocock and Moore, together with the early but expected departure of Bakkies Botha are! More on that in my previous post …
It’s all fun and games having a few beers at the Cape Town airport and in the plane to the Big Smoke. Throw in a few more Blackies at OR Tambo and even the flight to Sydney, with the help of a little white rhino tranquilizer, is quite fun …
But then that three hour stop in the Sydney airport followed by a three hour flight to Auckland seated next to a teeth sucking Kiwi the same size as Jabba the Hut causes the odd sense of humor failure …
Getting the campervan in Auckland is exciting and the first hour on the road with a few Tui’s in the back is good fun. Nine hours on the world’s most windy road going at an average speed of 74km’s an hour is just traumatic!!
But we are here, and the country is spectacularly beautiful. Proper farming country, with sheep and cows a plenty. All Black flags abound – on both houses and cars – and the locals LOVE Dan and Richie. And they cannot wait for the Boks to give the Aussies a proper working over …
One thing is for sure … The Boks wil have a lot of support … This week!
A few pics …
The Britz camper van that loves it’s rugby, a brekki of champions at the Hamilton Golden Arches, our house in Waikanae, the choice of beer at the local supermarket … and a beer or three at the local sports bar with Ray – “I would have you boys round for a barbecue but I am between houses”
That campervan looks more spacious than your hotel room in London last November!
HaHa … I was thinking exactly that when we picked the thing up!
Looks a lot flasher the Hutch’s!!