We touched down on African soil only a week ago. It's an even longer time at the World Cup than it is in politics!
The places we have been, the experiences we have had - you couldn't buy them with all the tea in China. It's what makes having this job such a privilege.
Today we have made the 160km drive from our base camp in Pretoria to Rustenburg: the town of rest. On the way we passed a platinum mine that is the biggest in the world. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that it is - at least - 90+ kilometres long.
The profile guide of the World Cup stadiums describes the local area as the centre of the world's production of that vital mineral. South Africa produces 70% of the world's supply.
Ironically, I heard a discussion on the radio between South Africa's answer to Marian Finucane and three young people about the state of the country. There is a young politician here by the name of Julius Malema. He has been calling for the nationalisation of the mines. The young people weren't foiled by his bluster. They see him as a spin doctor - typical of politician's all over the world, it has to be said - that uses the media to make statements that sound great, but that he will probably not follow through on if he ever gets to power.
It was great to hear young South Africans talking about their country in such a sensible manner. For them, their leaders need to know that they have a major influence and flippant statements can be counterproductive. The world is the same wherever you go!
The idea of a global village is so apparent at a World Cup. Last week I was in Cape Town airport working on my research for the France-Uruguay game. A group of Belgians sitting beside me asked if they could go on the internet and see www.deStandaard.be
I was happy to oblige and it turned out that they were involved with Waragem, the club that Liam Buckley played for back in the mid ‘80s – that’s Liam Buckley of Sporting Fingal fame and a member of Edmondstown Golf Club, the course I play at home.
Had I not left his card in my hotel I could tell you the name of the man that sponsored Waragem back then; he owns a brewery. Liam will know who I mean. These four men and their wives go to every World Cup. Even though Belgium didn't make it this time, they will follow the beautiful game for a fortnight.
The pressure of the schedule by which we are driven is relentless - and it affects us all in different ways. Personally, I am capable of letting things wash over me.
If there's a queue, if the coffee is poor, if there's a hassle with security, most of the time I take it as part of the job.
When we arrived at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium here in Rustenburg today, the ladies at the security point wanted to confiscate the Foxes Glacier mints that I had bought in Dublin airport eight days ago. So I offered a sweet to all six of them after which they couldn't take them from me! It’s fascinating that my sweets were considered a security risk when they didn't even look at my computer or binoculars.
The match today is between two sides that don't consider themselves as contenders. Thanks to The Guardian's excellent and amusing preview to the finals I can tell you - if you are to believe all that you read in the papers - that a New Zealander invented bungee jumping and a Slovakian invented the parachute. So both these sides, if they get together, can take a high jump with the certainty of a soft landing.
Today is the first very cold morning that we have experienced. There's a biting wind and the temperature is hovering around 10 degrees celsius. Given the beachball nature of the Adidas Jabulani football, the wind might have a detrimental affect on the New Zealand-Slovakia game. Who knows what might happen with these two sides, both of whom are so new to this level of competition.
Keep enjoying the world cup - on RTÉ of course!
