HOME NEWS MATCHES PLAYERS Bucs in Cairo - Day 2 09 Nov 2013 01:23:27 The second day of our Cairo adventure started without much incident. As is custom, the team gets together in the morning and exchange greetings before a short prayer as we head for breakfast. The program for the day included breakfast, a walkabout, lunch, training and dinner. Everything was set in such a way that there was enough time in between each activity to relax, recover and prepare for the next one accordingly. The events of the day would tell a completely different story though. After breakfast, the boys left the hotel to take their walkabout, only to return within minutes. The proximity of the hotel to the military compound meant the boys were met by heavily armed guards at every corner. Being followed and under such heavy scrutiny caused the dramatic reduction to the walk and the players retreated back to the hotel. The spirits were still high as the Bucs enjoyed a competitive game of cards while others made the most of the Wi-Fi connectivity in the lobby. The biggest disappointment was the amount of people smoking inside the lobby, something that I noticed is generally accepted in Cairo – the airport, the hotel, the restaurants, everywhere is fair game. If there is a law against smoking indoors and in public spaces, it is most definitely being overlooked. The card games and banter kept everyone entertained, and special mention to Bacela and Mahamutsa who dominated large spells of the tournaments. Shortly before lunch coach Roger de Sa let the team know that training had been pushed up a few hours due to the military curfew. It turns out, so we were told, that Friday has a curfew – nobody is allowed on the roads from 7pm until sunrise. This presented us with a concern because the last thing we wanted was to be caught in any situation where we would be detained so after a quick meal we prepared for departure. The traffic on the road wasn’t as bad and it seemed the police escort that was behind us, not in front, had more challenges getting through the cars as compared to the bus, which bobbed and weaved like a championship boxer. The facilities at the Air Defence Sports Complex were of a high standard and allowed the team to get through their paces without hindrance. Heading back to the hotel was a pleasure as the whole bus was buoyed by the singing of songs from home which kept spirits high. Dinner was less eventful than Day 1 as we didn’t have a wedding and karaoke to deal with, but someone needs to send a music playlist to the man operating the hotel sound system because there is only so much Michael Bolton that a person can take before it starts affecting the meal! Tomorrow will be a big day, Match day -1, so there will be lots of pre-game administration to get through over and above the normal program, so it’s an early night for the team. But before I go, I must send a big thank you on behalf of the team to everyone that has been sending messages of support and encouragement. The Facebook and Twitter posts, the SMS and calls, even what we see online – Siyabonga maBhakaniya! Follow @Orlando_Pirates on Twitter and join the #BucsinCairo to keep up with what is happening ahead of the big game this weekend. Up the Bucs
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 15:26:29 +0000
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