Awake in Anticipation

Howzit Team

Dreams can come true...let's make it a 3rd Bokke!

It's amazing that no matter how big an event is - whether it's saying a speech before a crowd, or facing up to the first ball of a cricket match, the night before you becomes sleepless, and all you can think about is what lies ahead. This time around, this is no cricket match, and it's definitely not a gala dinner. This is the World Cup baby! This is something people dream about doing. This is something people dream about seeing. This is something that makes people dream so much they can't even sleep.  And that's exactly what has happened to me! The anticipation is getting me so psyched up, and even though we have two days of travelling ahead of us, I don't think there's anything else in the world I'd rather be doing or seeing.

I've been lacking inspiration of late, just mainly because I've been working so hard in getting everything up to date at work, and of course the drinking that comes in between. But I've kept the old trusty camera by my side, so after three weeks since my last video, I am going to be a compiling a 3 week montage into a 5 minute vid, that will hopefully cover the full build up to this epic journey. The video will feature soon!

I'm really looking forward to our first stop in Dubai, as that is where the purchase of my first video camera is gonna be made, and the rest of the trip will be done in HD baby! Currently I've been using an old digital camera that I got for my 21st birthday, and which I managed to fix with a vacuum cleaner (believe it...because it's true!). So the quality might not be as good, but it's enough to cover the just of what we've been getting up to.

Sassy - Don't Stop Believin' 

The one person we haven't divulged into any shenanigans of has been Sassy, who asked me why we haven't brought up any stories regarding him! I have managed to take any photos of him passed out around a toilet, or getting his hair died, but after Saturday night's perfomance of him and Bugsy at Gazza's house, and some epic renditions of Journey's - Don't Stop Believin',  I suspect that we'll get more than we bargained for when we eventually get across to the land of the long white cloud. Watch this space!

Well for those of you that can't stand a youtube video chowing all your bandwith, let me cover the last 3 weeks events into this blog entry.  We left you off last after an epic cricket weekend with the boys, that saw me passed out next to a toilet.  I reminded everyone that this put Danger into a good mood. Such a good mood that he followed up my exploits by passing out in his car at the club, and woke up the next morning in a dusty parking lot. And just a reminder, Mrs. Sassy was still at the club...awake...and drinking! Yeah buddy! One free night of drinking is heading my way in Wellington!

You've been warned Bobo

That was followed up by watching the semi-finals of the Murray Cup at Crusaders - the annual knockout club rugby competition that is held every year. I headed down there with Danger, Knighty (remember him from the video - you can put your house on the Bokke to beat the Wallabies - champion!), Wardo, "Morne Steyn" (dead ringer), Ash, and the rest of the team. Our mate Sandro was playing in the semi-final, and even though he showed a great perfomance against his opposite number (Gcobani Bobo - yes the former Springbok), it wasn't enough to get them through to the final.

I did however manage to catch up with him and the rugby boys after the game to capture a few of their views as the RWC tournament edges ever closer. As usual after a few beers - team lineups, play selections, and whether Butch "No Arms" James or Morne "Kaaren't Miss" Steyn should be SA's starting flyhalf - the end of the day assumption was that the Bokke are strong enough to pull off yet another RWC crown, and show the world how we can really step up to the plate.

Our George sponsored hoodies! Yes please!

Other than that we have just been doing the basic prep in getting ourselves ready for the trip. Big thanks must go to SportsFusion who we organised all our Springbok supporters kit. Big massive weather protective bomber jackets were definitely the buy of the season, and thanks again to the George for organizing us sponsored hoodies. I believe that Danger is going to get more than what he bargained for when we hit the pubs in New Zealand, because there's nothing like having "Danger" written just above your backside (yes - the names were placed at the bottom of the jersey - obviously it's there to warn all those Maori birds!).

Streaks is back baby!!!

Also thanks to Wildri, who revived Streaks back to his golden ways, with one epic hair appointment. A whole lot of sunshine, and epic awesomeness got blasted in to the man's locks, and he is now ready for his kiwi adventure!

Just want to say thanks for all the support that I have been getting from everyone with regards to the blog and the Youtube video! There's nothing like getting nagged by your friends, family, extended family, and complete strangers, on how they can't wait for the next entry! A big shout out must go to Mr Sassy's brother-in-law's sister, who will be welcoming us in Auckland (yes I'm still trying to work that one out) - as well as to Big Wes (a veteran of three Rugby World Cups) who has been telling us stories through many a serving of Jagerbombs and Captain Morgan, how the RWC is an experience like no other. It's not surprising that one of his stories included the Boks win over France in the 1995 RWC Semi-final, which he attended! Really hoping this trip lives up to all the glory of RWC's past, as I really feel this will be a trip of a lifetime.

Streaks, Danger, Bugsy and Big Wes - Yes...epic!

Anyways the next time you hear from me, I am likely to be in sitting in the airport in the Middle East, playing with my new camera toy, as we wait 5 hours for our 14 hour connecting flight to New Zealand via Australia.  Looking forward to having you guys on this journey with us, and make sure you keep a look out for us in the crowd! I will be keeping everyone updated on Twitter - so make sure you follow me @DevinH21 today.

Cheers
Streaks

Hope Re-ignited after Springboks victory!

Hello Team

Well it's less than 17 days to the start of the World Cup, and less than 15 days until we actually leave! You can imagine that we have all become that much keener for the trip after a terrific display by the Springboks this past weekend, where we punished the All Blacks.  A few things have happened over the last few days that will influence the trip, so I thought a blog entry was necessary!

Bloody oath - piece of crap!

Firstly, this past weekend saw Sassy, Danger and Streaks (myself), take an awesome road trip up to the Drakensberg for a cricket weekend with the Crusaders cricket boys.  I imagined this would be an ideal time to get some footage and feedback from my partners in crime for our upcoming trip, as well as document the rugby match against the All Blacks on Saturday.  Unfortunately, my camera didn't make it past the drive up, with the lens cap getting jammed across the lens in the 1st hour!  And that was just from taking it out my pocket!  Therefore no footage was taken, and I now have to document this in words!

Well as any boys weekend would be, a lot of drinking, a lot of banter, and a lot of disappearing into the night occurred.  Unfortunately for me, the disappearring occured a lot on my part.  Yes I know I have a bet with Danger, where he is required to outlast Mrs. Sassy every night during the World Cup, but genetically speaking he thinks the game is in the bag.  I did not so much "drop, duck and roll" from the night's proceedings, but more passing out in the boot of the bakkie while driving to the pub, only to rejoin the boys refreshed! Danger thought I would leave this out, but true to my word, I will blog this objectively, so this is how my Friday night ended up...

Rightfully quoted by Danger as : "Streaks meets toilet" 

Don't stress Streaks supporters!  This is all temporary, and is actual training in disguise, where I will be pushing my stamina to the limits to have the ultimate time in New Zealand.  Unfortunately once again, I wasn't the only one having a banger of a time! Mrs. Sassy was reported to have been causing a ruckus at the Hops on Saturday night - with some ear-ring wearing, backward cap, gangster looking fellows.  Please God she doesn't pull this stunt against some 7-foot Maori!

Brussouw...amazing...

The highest point of the weekend had to be the Springbok victory on Saturday.  Twenty of us joined the locals at the pub after a round of golf,  and it was an awesome experience to see the boys issue a proper klap to the Kiwis.  Granted they were playing a 2nd string side, but the team needed a boost in confidence from their last test match before they head to New Zealand.  Heinrich Brussouw was unreal in the game, and rightfully earned the Man of the match award.  You can tell just by the look on his face he had a screamer! What a warrior!

Pieter De Villiers announces the Springbok squad that will go across to New Zealand this evening, so all eyes will be glued to the news channel. After this past weekend, the team that ran out against the All Blacks, bar a few loose forwards, will more than likely be the starting line-up against Wales come the 11th of September.

As I'm writing this I just got distressing emails from Sassy and Danger, because they have lost the confirmation of the tickets for the Wales game.  I was the one who booked it, and I am the one collecting the tickets on my credit card - but they still thought that I didn't book them! Well amongst the distress, and after settling their anxiety issues, the real reason for the request for the ticket confirmation was to see where our seats for the game were.  We went to the Westpac Stadium website, and managed to get an image:

Halfway-line baby! Come on!

The George..always a crazy jol!

A pretty cool piece of news that also came up in the past week, was we were getting sponsored Springbok hoodies by The George pub in Umhlanga!  Pretty awesome hey - but there is one condition!  We have to get on TV, and show the world we are sponsored by them!  We therefore have decided to design a banner, where we will include The George branding.  Now we need help from our followers - we need to have something on the sign that will get us onto TV!  We have also just found out that there are 5,000 other South African's going across for the games, so the sign really needs to be awesome to get us on TV!  Please comment some suggestions below, and see if you can get your sign to join us in New Zealand!

Otherwise that's all for now!  It's exactly 16 days, 19 hours, and 23 minutes to the start of the World Cup, and 14 and a half days until we leave!  Yeaahhhhh Buddy!

If you are on Twitter, follow me on @DevinH21!

Cheers
Streaks*