A Caribbean Dis'er in Africa

[Uuaww]

Well, I posted I was going to the World Cup on the Community board and people said they wanted to hear about my trip so I decided to write a report on it. If this is the wrong forum, move it to the right one as this isn't a Disney report.

Little bit about me... I am a 24 year old guy from the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I live right on the ocean, work for the government and part of the beautiful people club (pretty much amazing); and yes, I am single, ladies! haha. I am originally from Oakland, California and my passions include college football (go Cal!), hatin' on the SEC, cooking (I am an amazing chef), and Ultimate Frisbee.



It all started May of last year... I had this wild idea of going to the World Cup in South Africa with my Dad so I started it off by buying tickets as soon as they became available. No team had even qualified for the World Cup so I selected games based on letters in the draw. For a bit of background, 32 nations qualify for the World Cup, they are put in 8 groups of 4. Each group is given a letter (A-H) and each team in the group is given a number. I had games for B1 vs B3, G1 vs G3 and H1 vs H3.

I told my Dad of this plan and he was a bit off on the idea. We decided to wait it out and see what happens. The months passed and we found out what teams qualified. December came and my Dad informed me he wasn't going to be able to attend. I understood; he didn't really want to go all the way to South Africa... maybe next time. Then the draw came, the day where I finally would know what games I would get to attend.

B1 vs. B3 turned into Argentina vs. South Korea
G1 vs. G3 turned into Brazil vs. Cote d'Ivoire
H1 vs. H3 turned into Spain vs. Honduras.


The games were set... but I hadn't even started planning.

 

[Uuaww]

At this point, I wasn't going to go. I was fully prepared to just sell my tickets and move on. I was hanging around BigSoccer (soccer forum) and on it were people preparing for the World Cup and people selling tickets who couldn't go... I fell in the latter category. I was bored at work though and was reading every topic.

Fast forward to early May... I still hadn't been able to sell my tickets and didn't want to eat the loss. Flights to Africa had been 3k from St. Croix and hotels were gouging prices. Randomly I stumbled upon a topic about people going by themselves. I checked it out and wondered if I could do that? Buried in the topic was a post from a user who said he was staying at a backpackers lodge in Johannesburg, South Africa that was a good deal on price. I decided to email the lady for a quote and see where it would take me.

That night she replied back... $230 for 6 nights, airport pickup for $25, and that the place was nearly filled with World Cup backpackers. I quickly looked up a flight... St. Croix to Johannesburg; $2100. Not only that... ONE STOP!!!! STX to ATL, ATL to JNB! STX... our little airport that services only 400 passengers a DAY. Has only 1 flight that is not to Puerto Rico (goes to Miami), but we get a season flight to Atlanta and it was flying that day! Oh a whim, I booked it. 24 hours ago, I had no shot of going, then I stumble upon a topic with the name of a lodge, got a good rate and booked it.

Now how will I survive the 20 hour flight?

 

[Uuaww]

With that, I went into a state of shock... I was going to Africa. My childhood dream of going to Africa was about to be realized. As you can tell from my previous posts, I decide things on whims. I don't plan. I go with my gut. That is how I roll and people can't believe it. I know that I would have never agreed to go if the lady didn't have airport pick-up. She has arranged rent a vans for the games since everyone in the lodge will be going to those games, (If you are in J'burg during that time, you are going to those games). As you could say, the foundation was set. Flight, check. Hotel, check. Game tickets, check. Transfers, check. It was now time to set the interary... something foreign to me... I needed help.

I made the symbolic move on the BigSoccer forum from Ticket resales to People going solo. I was in that group now. I posted a flag for help... what now? The first step was a ticket swap. I was no longer going to be there for Spain vs. Honduras. But would be there for USA vs. Slovenia. Found another user, the swap was made. The barebones schedule was set.

June 14th- Leave St. Croix
June 15th- Arrive in Johannesburg (evening)
June 16th- Open
June 17th- Argentina vs. South Korea
June 18th- USA vs. Slovenia
June 19th- Open
June 20th- Brazil vs. Cote d'Ivoire
June 21st- Leave Johannesburg (evening)
June 22nd- Arrive in St. Croix
June 23rd- Recover

 

[FireDancer]

I'll be following along. Have fun.

 

[Uuaww]

26 days til I leave for Africa!!!

I am currently deep in the planning stages and talking to other Solo travelers to Africa to try to get the best trip possible.

Current Plan:
June 14- Leave St. Croix around 2 PM
June 15- Arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa at 8 PM local time
June 16- Morning and Afternoon are open, in the evening I am heading to Carnivore Restaurant. They have 8 types of meat at all times including Zebra, Girafffe, etc.
June 17- My first game!!! South Korea vs. Argentina at 1:30. After the game, probably head out to a pub for drinks and watch whatever game is on that night
June 18- USA vs. Slovenia at 4:00. Again, pubs or Fifa Fan Park afterwards.
June 19- Head to Lion Park. This is so I can see lions, giraffes, and other animals up close. Plus you get to play with lion cubs! Hold them and take pictures and the such.
June 20- My morning is open, but I have a feeling I will want to shop haha. In the evening, at 8:30 I go see Brazil vs. Ivory Coast! THE game of the group stage.
June 21- Shopping or whatever in the morning and start my trek home at 8PM flight
June 22- Arrive in St Croix around 1 PM
June 23- post photos.