by Stephen Alkin
As the competition gets closer, the hype here in South Africa is building almost by the minute. The first impression of a happy people is reinforcing itself with each day.
I have often been told how happy most people are in this part of the world. Well, they have certainly put on their best face for us so far.
Our second night in Pretoria saw the RTÉ delegation invited to the Irish Ambassador's residence. Getting there was an experience. I asked the hotel's driver to take us to the embassy. No problem, he said and we alighted five minutes later. We were going up the lift to the first floor and the doors were just closing when George Hamilton realised we were in the wrong place. George wasn't slow in putting me in my place.
When we arrived we realised why the Ambassador, Colm Wrafter, is nearing the end of his four-year stay in Pretoria. What a stunning house! Perched on the top of the hill the only pity was that we didn't see the view.
We arrived during the (lengthy) speech from the government's representative, a lady that knew how to gush. She went on and on about how excited we all were - as if we didn't know that already.
Seriously though, it is impossible to imagine as a visitor quite how difficult it has been for this rainbow nation to get to the point where the World Cup is about to happen - and not just some far-off vision on the horizon.
The reception was thrown for the FAI delegation of three that will attend the FIFA congress prior to the opening game of the World Cup. John Delaney replied to the Minister with more on that 'Handball' - though he keeps telling us that it's time to move on.
President David Blood accepted the gift of a Vuvuzela - more hot air required there. We all went home happy at 10.30pm or so driven back to the hotel by members of the embassy staff.
Wednesday afternoon the 'RTÉ 12' had a production meeting chaired by our 'Chef de Mission' Mark McKenna. By the end of the discussion we all knew where and when we were supposed to be for the next month or so.
One of the characters of this trip is Damien Richardson. He turned to me and said: 'Doesn't Eoin (Byrne, our youngest member, flaming red hair, suitably innocent and so glad to be here!) look like Wiliam Bendix?' To which I replied, as you would, 'William Bendix, who's he, never heard of him.'
So Damien explained that he was a very famous character actor in the 1960s. George had heard of him too. It must be an age thing, as anyone under 60 didn't know who or what Bendix was. 'Is he the guy that invented the washing machine?', I asked. George said: 'No, that was J Edgar Hoover' - to which we all fell around laughing, while Eoin, from the other end of the table, wondered where he stood in the scheme of things.
The banter between us all has been first class. Even though we're all different ages and come from myriad of backgrounds we are like a football team on tour. Tonight we're off to Nelson Mandela Square in Johannesburg for some first class South African steaks cooked on the brie. I can almost taste it already.
