It's Thursday night and I have been in SA for 5 1/2 hours now and I have yet to be robbed, raided or raped. In fact quite the opposite. Each interaction has been sublime. Bumped into a work colleague at Dubai airport and then one upon arrival at J'burg. Curious world my international organisation.

The Emirates flight was filled with Brazilians and Mexicans wearing team shirts and huge sombrero hats. When I figure out how to download photos to this site, I aim t share them. The 8-hour flight itself was rather uneventful. Though I did have my suitcase and golf clubs plastic wrapped before departure. They arrived safely in J'burg and we were welcomed by a chilled can of the WC's soft drink sponsor, Coca Cola. WC paraphernalia is on sale everywhere across the airport but I think I'll be able to pick up host shirts and cuff links at a better price later in the tournament.

Registered my MTN mobile SIM card with the minimum of hassle, changed some money -- though the antiquated notes' counting machine used broker down, and collected my tickets with the minimal of fuss. The ticket machine operated had a familiar accent and upon my question he said he was from Formby, not a million miles from where I grew up. Next onto Hertz where my tiny car was awaiting me. My solitary suitcase won't even lie down in the boot, so the golf clubs are on the back seat and the interior light doesn't work. I was given good directions towards Rustenburg and almost made it here without getting lost. The motorways have few lights though and I spotted zero petrol stations in the 140km drive. To consult my Google map at a junction after having left the motorway, I was forced to stop the car, engine running, and skip round to the rear light and read it that way. My heart was thumping...

This was how I turned up at the Cock and Bull pub. Lost. It was the only lighting around. The kindly assistant manager came out and offered words of encouragement. before I knew it I was inside supping beers from Namibia and eating a fine steak with the solitary patrons, a 4-handicap golfer and his lady friend from Slovakia. Thus I was welcomed to SA. After dinner they helped me find my way to m accommodation from where I write. The owner's hubby too works in Afghanistan. Funny old world.

Need to sleep as tomorrow I'm off to Soweto where the England fans take on the local college team.