Very cool but weird clouds here in Brisbane today! Location: http://j.mp/c3hoCA
July20
via twittelator
Rail Trail Fun Run by bensouthall at Garmin Connect – Details
July12
FIFA World Cup 2010
June14
There was no way I could head home early from South Africa back to Queensland without taking in a World Cup football match, I mean the atmosphere here has been totally electric!!
Firstly I was down in Cape Town to visit a good friend of mine Jason Cummings whose family I’ve known for years as they own the Beaver Creek Coffee Farm in port Edward where I lived. Jason left for Cape Town years ago and is now the Business Director of a cutting edge digital marketing company called Big Wednesday who operate from a pretty sexy office setup right in the centre of South Africa’s mother city.
As the Best Job in the World campaign was right up there street he asked me ages ago to talk to their staff and clients all about the project, the digital side of it and why on earth I won. I flew down to CT for a few days, explored the city again, soaked up the pre-World Cup atmosphere, made a presentation and had a night out on the town with hundreds of over people on Long Street. It truly was an international festival of fun!
I flew back to Durban ready to take in one last activity before flying back to Queensland – a World Cup game! Having worked whilst on holiday for Emirates and the KZN Government I was able to get a pretty decent ticket for the opening game at the Moses Mabida Stadium in Durban.
After a fantastic welcome party at uShaka complete with Zulu dancers Ina Cronje the Finance Minister who has very kindly been looking after me whilst here in SA, and I headed in convoy through the streets of Durban past waves of gold and green Australia supporters to the stadium. Where were the German fans??
It looked absolutely stunning with lines of people entering from the Fan Parks, lights beaming up into the sky and a buzz I’ve never really felt before from a sports match. We made our way to our seats which happened to be about three rows away from the South African President Jacob Zuma and settled in for a good game…..at least I hoped so!
Germany v Australia could have been a well-fought match I thought, ok on paper Germany should easily beat the Socceroos but I saw the Aussies play a few months ago and they looked pretty effective – although it was against Indonesia.
The sound of the vuvuzela’s was deafening, they’re an African horn which everyone is using here and the sounds goes around the neighbourhoods from 5am until 1am – literally ALL day and here was no different.
As soon as the whistle went the German team looked typically efficient, well organised and methodical – exactly as we’ve come to expect. Within 10 minutes the first goal had tugged at the back of the net – a blasting drive from Podolski, and the Germans never looked back.
By half time the scoreline had been doubled with Klose heading in from close range and the halftime whistle couldn’t have come early enough for the disillusioned Australians – something was missing – virtually any resistance or midfield!
To be fair they did return to the pitch with renewed vigour and drive; finding men, completing passes and generally offering some determination that just hadn’t been seen in the first half….until Tim Cahill was shown a totally unjustified straight red card reducing the team down to 10 men for the remainder of the game.
And the Germans took full advantage – it was backs to the walls for the Socceroos and two more goals were to follow in what turned out to be a complete walkover – GERMANY 4 AUSTRALIA 0
A comprehensive message sent out to the other teams who think they stand a chance in this World Cup. They were good….very good.
COME ON ENGLAND – YOU HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO BEAT THIS LOT!!!
[flickr-gallery mode="photoset" photoset="72157624146731649"]
A pan view of the Moses Mabida stadium awaiting the arrival of the teams! Location: http://j.mp/dprwNL
June13
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Zulu girls dancing and going crazy!!! Africa is Alive and embracing all people today :)
June11
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This is the sound of the African vuvuzela! Fans from all over the world starting to mass here
June9
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The waiting is over…
May29
Two years after arriving here in South Africa for my first ever Comrades Ultramarathon I’m back again to test my mettle against the gruelling road race which over here is legendary. There are 20,000 runners for this the 85th race timed perfectly with the FIFA World Cup.
Afritrex was the start of something new for me, I’d run marathons before but always in the UK and touching down on the African continent ignited a passion in me for long distance running that I haven’t yet extinguished…and really don’t want to quite yet.
The Comrades is run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, around 89kms/52miles, and this year is the ‘down’ run dropping some 1200m from the Drakensberg mountains down to the warm waters of the Indian ocean.
My last attempt in 2008 was the ‘up’ – the easier of the two apparantly as the down punishes your ankle and knee joints making the last half of the race even tougher. I completed the course in 10hrs 20mins and my goal this year is to try and beat it…but first of all just to finish of course!
Training as with my last run has been sporadic. Travelling to so many different countries for work in the first half of 2010 has meant I’ve never been able to establish a training routine that I can stick to. But what it has done has given me some awesome locations to run in – along Venice Beach, L.A., through Central Park in New York, in subzero Toronto, past the Tokoyo fishmarkets and in the desert heat of Dubai…I’ve been very lucky.
When back in Brisbane I’ve been hitting it hard with long runs around Mt Cootha, out to the coast and almost everyday along the boardwalk through the city building up to a couple of half marathons a week and a long 3-5hr run on a Sunday. Since I changed my running shoes to a size that fit my toenails seem to be staying on as well! Yuck I know
So as I sit here in the car on the way up the N2 to Pietermaritzburg the nervous energy is starting to build, the butterflies are starting to emerge and fly around inside me and the anticipation is almost complete. By this time tomorrow I hope to be within an hour of the finish and my second medal! Fingers crossed, holding thumbs etc
If you happen to be reading this prior to the race and in South Africa then get out of bed early and tune into SABC’s coverage – I’ve managed to organise a pre-race interview live on tv at 5.02am. So that’ll be no-one getting up at that time then, can’t say I blame you!
If you do want to track my progress on race day (30/05/10) then log onto www.comrades.com and click the ‘follow a runner’ link. My number is 12002 and I can tell you now I won’t be winning it!
Afritrex was the start of something new for me, I’d run marathons before but always in the UK and touching down on the African continent ignited a passion in me for long distance running that I haven’t yet extinguished…and really don’t want to quite yet.
The Comrades is run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, around 89kms/52miles, and this year is the ‘down’ run dropping some 1200m from the Drakensberg mountains down to the warm waters of the Indian ocean.
My last attempt in 2008 was the ‘up’ – the easier of the two apparantly as the down punishes your ankle and knee joints making the last half of the race even tougher. I completed the course in 10hrs 20mins and my goal this year is to try and beat it…but first of all just to finish of course!
Training as with my last run has been sporadic. Travelling to so many different countries for work in the first half of 2010 has meant I’ve never been able to establish a training routine that I can stick to. But what it has done has given me some awesome locations to run in – along Venice Beach, L.A., through Central Park in New York, in subzero Toronto, past the Tokoyo fishmarkets and in the desert heat of Dubai…I’ve been very lucky.
When back in Brisbane I’ve been hitting it hard with long runs around Mt Cootha, out to the coast and almost everyday along the boardwalk through the city building up to a couple of half marathons a week and a long 3-5hr run on a Sunday. Since I changed my running shoes to a size that fit my toenails seem to be staying on as well! Yuck I know
So as I sit here in the car on the way up the N2 to Pietermaritzburg the nervous energy is starting to build, the butterflies are starting to emerge and fly around inside me and the anticipation is almost complete. By this time tomorrow I hope to be within an hour of the finish and my second medal! Fingers crossed, holding thumbs etc
If you happen to be reading this prior to the race and in South Africa then get out of bed early and tune into SABC’s coverage – I’ve managed to organise a pre-race interview live on tv at 5.02am. So that’ll be no-one getting up at that time then, can’t say I blame you!
If you do want to track my progress on race day (30/05/10) then log onto www.comrades.com and click the ‘follow a runner’ link. My number is 12002 and I can tell you now I won’t be winning it!
After the race I’m heading for a massage and then for a few days R&R into the Drakensberg Mountains to take photos, ride quadbikes and horses – legs permitting. Then it’s onto Cape Town to give a presentation about the Best Job before I return to Durban for the World Cup football match between Australia and Germany.
And of course I’ll blog whenever I can. Have fun wherever you’re reading this from and smile – life is out there for living!
Ben
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www.bestjobben.com
My life as the Island Caretaker….Very cool but weird clouds here in Brisbane today! Location: http://j.mp/c3hoCA
July20
via twittelator
Rail Trail Fun Run by bensouthall at Garmin Connect – Details
July12
FIFA World Cup 2010
June14
There was no way I could head home early from South Africa back to Queensland without taking in a World Cup football match, I mean the atmosphere here has been totally electric!!
Firstly I was down in Cape Town to visit a good friend of mine Jason Cummings whose family I’ve known for years as they own the Beaver Creek Coffee Farm in port Edward where I lived. Jason left for Cape Town years ago and is now the Business Director of a cutting edge digital marketing company called Big Wednesday who operate from a pretty sexy office setup right in the centre of South Africa’s mother city.
As the Best Job in the World campaign was right up there street he asked me ages ago to talk to their staff and clients all about the project, the digital side of it and why on earth I won. I flew down to CT for a few days, explored the city again, soaked up the pre-World Cup atmosphere, made a presentation and had a night out on the town with hundreds of over people on Long Street. It truly was an international festival of fun!
I flew back to Durban ready to take in one last activity before flying back to Queensland – a World Cup game! Having worked whilst on holiday for Emirates and the KZN Government I was able to get a pretty decent ticket for the opening game at the Moses Mabida Stadium in Durban.
After a fantastic welcome party at uShaka complete with Zulu dancers Ina Cronje the Finance Minister who has very kindly been looking after me whilst here in SA, and I headed in convoy through the streets of Durban past waves of gold and green Australia supporters to the stadium. Where were the German fans??
It looked absolutely stunning with lines of people entering from the Fan Parks, lights beaming up into the sky and a buzz I’ve never really felt before from a sports match. We made our way to our seats which happened to be about three rows away from the South African President Jacob Zuma and settled in for a good game…..at least I hoped so!
Germany v Australia could have been a well-fought match I thought, ok on paper Germany should easily beat the Socceroos but I saw the Aussies play a few months ago and they looked pretty effective – although it was against Indonesia.
The sound of the vuvuzela’s was deafening, they’re an African horn which everyone is using here and the sounds goes around the neighbourhoods from 5am until 1am – literally ALL day and here was no different.
As soon as the whistle went the German team looked typically efficient, well organised and methodical – exactly as we’ve come to expect. Within 10 minutes the first goal had tugged at the back of the net – a blasting drive from Podolski, and the Germans never looked back.
By half time the scoreline had been doubled with Klose heading in from close range and the halftime whistle couldn’t have come early enough for the disillusioned Australians – something was missing – virtually any resistance or midfield!
To be fair they did return to the pitch with renewed vigour and drive; finding men, completing passes and generally offering some determination that just hadn’t been seen in the first half….until Tim Cahill was shown a totally unjustified straight red card reducing the team down to 10 men for the remainder of the game.
And the Germans took full advantage – it was backs to the walls for the Socceroos and two more goals were to follow in what turned out to be a complete walkover – GERMANY 4 AUSTRALIA 0
A comprehensive message sent out to the other teams who think they stand a chance in this World Cup. They were good….very good.
COME ON ENGLAND – YOU HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO BEAT THIS LOT!!!
[flickr-gallery mode="photoset" photoset="72157624146731649"]
A pan view of the Moses Mabida stadium awaiting the arrival of the teams! Location: http://j.mp/dprwNL
June13
via twittelator
Zulu girls dancing and going crazy!!! Africa is Alive and embracing all people today :)
June11
via twittelator
This is the sound of the African vuvuzela! Fans from all over the world starting to mass here
June9
via twittelator
South Africa – images from my holiday….
June8
From Port Edward in the south, to a few days in Durban, recovery in the Drakensberg to a microlight flight over KZN.
Not a bad place to be hey?
[flickr-gallery mode="photoset" photoset="72157624101146409"]