Photographs: Siddhanta Pinto
What more reassurance could I ask for -- my flight of fancy was on the right flight path.
On landing in Johannesburg, the signage is all around you. I had to wait a full 5 minutes to get this image as every single person off the flight took this picture.
Pretty women sell WC merchandise
Image: Siddhanta with World Cup promotersPromoters everywhere, mostly good looking, are seen trying to promote World Cup shopping.
Carnival at the terminal
Image: A giant football at Johannesburg airportMusic at Durban airport
Image: Musicians perform at Durban airportWe drive towards the resort town of Umhlanga (pronounced am-shlaang-aa). It is the holiday destination in Durban, famous for watching dolphins, but most famous for celeb spotting.
We decided to rush there because we were tipped off that the Greek team was at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Greek team lucky to survive
Image: The disfigured truckBut it slows down equally fast when we find out it has nothing to do with football.
A truck has crashed right through the hotel's front wall, stopped by a tree before it caused more damage.
The driver is lucky to survive. And so is the Greek team.
Who is Moses Mabhida?
Image: The Moses Mabhida stadiumI ask locals who Moses Mabhida was. They shrug. "Most of our roads and structures are named after politicians we dont know about," says one local. Mr Mabhida was apparently a leader of the African National Congress.
Durban struck by football fever
Image: A shop displays football memorabiliaShopping for Durban delicacies
Image: A shopkeeper hand me my Bunny Chow"What's your flavour?" is a question often asked in South Africa. It translates to 'What do you prefer?' Choices this time involved Beans Bunny Chow, Chicken Bunny Chow, and Mutton Bunny Chow. Sumptuous stuff!
At the gates of the stadium
Image: The Moses Mabhida stadiumNo cable cars
Image: The cable cars above the Moses Mabhida stadiumDurban is not all pretty
Image: Poor folk at a street corner in DurbanI am told these groups of poor folk, asking for help, are not necessarily related to each other.
Some have fancy houses, some live comfortably, but there are lots who suffer in genuine poverty.
Durban has no night life
Image: The night sky in DurbanSurprisingly, there isn't much of a night life. But more of that later.
Tuesday's going to be a LONG day. I go to the famous beachfront fan park to experience the scenes as Bafana Bafana take on France. And then walk across to the Moses Mabhida for the first live World Cup game of my life.
Wait a minute, the only other proper stadium I've watched a football game in is Delhi's Ambedkar stadium as India won the Nehru Cup. Then again there's my beloved Cooperage stadium in Mumbai. But this -- this is Huge.
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