On Saturday we joined some local friends Paul, Heather, Jeanine & Truan to watch a Currie Cup rugby game. The Lions (Johannesburg) were playing the Western Province (Cape Town).
The adventure began on the drive down. Ellis Park stadium is just east of the CBD, ie. normally a no-go area. The stadium precinct is currently under construction due to the 2010 Soccer World Cup so parking is limited to the neighbouring streets & alleys. We found a great park 2 blocks from the stadium & arranged with a 'parking attendant' to watch over our car.
We needed to buy some tickets for the match, however to no surprise (!) the security guard on the entrance gate informed us that tickets were no longer being sold as the match had started. Conveniently he had some tickets to sell to us though. After much discussion with the other 10 security guards around him and us being circled by them all we agreed to pay R100 (AUD$14) for the tickets. It was quite an art watching him at work trying to be discrete about receiving the money from us. Once handed over to him he somehow made the notes magically disappear in his hands before quickly ushering us through the gates.
Phew, sense of relief... we made it inside the gates and found some seats. Whilst the match was quite uneventful (our adopted team the Lions won), we enjoyed the atmosphere of a sporting match. A novelty for us seeing we haven't been to a professional sporting game since leaving Melbourne.
Thankfully after the match we returned & found our car in one piece.
Paul, Heather and us at the match
Go lions (red & white jersey)!
The adventure began on the drive down. Ellis Park stadium is just east of the CBD, ie. normally a no-go area. The stadium precinct is currently under construction due to the 2010 Soccer World Cup so parking is limited to the neighbouring streets & alleys. We found a great park 2 blocks from the stadium & arranged with a 'parking attendant' to watch over our car.
We needed to buy some tickets for the match, however to no surprise (!) the security guard on the entrance gate informed us that tickets were no longer being sold as the match had started. Conveniently he had some tickets to sell to us though. After much discussion with the other 10 security guards around him and us being circled by them all we agreed to pay R100 (AUD$14) for the tickets. It was quite an art watching him at work trying to be discrete about receiving the money from us. Once handed over to him he somehow made the notes magically disappear in his hands before quickly ushering us through the gates.
Phew, sense of relief... we made it inside the gates and found some seats. Whilst the match was quite uneventful (our adopted team the Lions won), we enjoyed the atmosphere of a sporting match. A novelty for us seeing we haven't been to a professional sporting game since leaving Melbourne.
Thankfully after the match we returned & found our car in one piece.
Paul, Heather and us at the match
Go lions (red & white jersey)!
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