South Africa here we come, by road

Soccer fanatics travelling by road from east and central Africa to attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup perhaps best underline the scale of sacrifice Africans are making to have a first hand experience of the biggest sporting festival in the world.

Their modest departure from Nairobi on Thursday may have gone unnoticed, but for the next seven days, the fans drawn from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will endure 4,371 kilometres on road and cross four international borders one way to sample the soccer festival being hosted in Africa for the first time.

In buses, shuttles and personal vehicles, they will traverse across Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana to reach the Rainbow nation - a telling journey in itself of Africa’s terrain, culture and wildlife which forms a rich sub-plot to any world cup story.

Yet this should not be surprising, given the manner the 2010 FIFA World Cup strategists have endeavored to package the tournament as a “once in a lifetime event” that embodies the story of the continent and the spirit of its people.

And the strategy seems to be eliciting the right response as accounts keep reeling off on how members of Africa's middle class are tightening belts and procrastinating the urgent of priorities to afford the trip to the soccer festival.

In Kenya, public bus companies and tour firms have rolled out an array of road- trip packages for African fans, offering food and accommodation enroute as well as hotel reservations during the stay in South Africa.

Akamba public bus company is one such firm, offering two packages for the various stages of the tournament. The first package includes the group matches and the knock-off stage while the second is for fans intending to watch the quarters, semis, third place play-offs and the finals.

The company has confirmed 300 plus bookings from Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, mostly made by companies who are using the world cup to reward staff, customers and partners.

Uganda and Rwanda booked passengers travelled to Nairobi on Wednesday, one day before the tour was scheduled.

“Consumer behaviour in Kenya is well evident, Kenyans are last minute customers,” comments Henry Kioko, Akamba bus service marketing manager.

The company has set aside a fleet of ten buses fitted with 32 inch television screens and charging power outlets for recharging mobile phones, laptops and cameras. The trip will include stops at River Zambezi and Victoria falls.

Akamba’s package costs US$ 2,500 (KSh 197,500) which includes transport, food and a seven day stay in South Africa. Negotiated packages are also available for those travelling in large groups.

A second bus company, Kampala coach limited, has also allocated a fleet of six luxury buses, each with a capacity of 45 passengers. The firm has booked six campsite locations for the 12 days journey (both ways) in selected national reserves and parks.

“We shall take them to campsites located in national reserves and provide them with light tents. In addition, passengers will be provided with chefs who will prepare whatever meals the passengers would want. So if they decide to sample foreign diets or just stick with their usual Kenyan foods, its all upon them,” explained Jamal Abdulahhi, executive director of Kampala coach.

Kampala Coach, offers the option of a low budget package of US$ 1020 (KSh 80,580) and a high end package of US$ 2,500 (KSh 197,500).

Fans travelling with Kampala Coach will pitch their base in Pretoria, while the Akamba bus entourage will be based in Johannesburg. The first batches departed on June 3^rd and 4^th respectively.

Tour firm Carlson Wagonlit/Bunson Travel Services has also confirmed it is closing on the 1,000 mark as fans continue their last minute dash to get world cup travel packages.

The firm is offering the option of either an open-air truck for US $ 2,809 (Ksh. 221,911 ) or an air-conditioned bus for US$ 2,634 (Ksh. 208,086). The price is subject to a minimum of 20 people travelling together on a similar itinerary.

"The Drive to 2010 is the adventure you have been looking for, begins in Kenya, camping all the way through Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe to jo'burg in an open-air overland truck with your own Gourmet chef," the firm states in its website.

Word of caution though for the dare devils opting to drive themselves down south: Drive defensively. South African drivers tend to speed, drive aggressively and take chances. Never give a lift to a hitchhiker.

And If ever involved in an incident, do not be a hero. Give the thieves what they want and stay calm as criminals tend to react badly to signs of panic.

On whole though, never in its migration history, it seems, has the continent seen such a saturation of traffic heading towards south by land, air and sea. This epic migration says it all: “The world cup is here.”