Highlights of the Year

So with my long road to Rio trip all but over what else is there left to do? Well, like a 90s sitcom that has run out of ideas but still needs to add some content using a clip show, it's time for a best/worst of list.

Below represents the best, worst and most memorable moments or places in my trip. Of course it's hard to pack a years worth of memories in to one blog post, but here goes...

Best Food
Anyone who has followed this blog knows that food has been a big part of it. For me trying all of the local cuisine is right near the top of the list of things I want to do whenever I get to a new country or region. The food has varied greatly on this trip, from the average (Central America, really, you need more than just beans and rice) to the downright amazing.

While Brazil and Argentina have been welcome changes from the rest of Latin America at the tail end of my trip, the best food I've had on this trip is without doubt from India and Mexico. There's no real surprise in either of these; both styles of food have been favourites of mine for a long time. The big surprise was how little I really knew about both region's food.

India's array of food left me realising that while I can cook an ok curry, I need to do more to get anywhere near the level of the local stuff. Mexico, on the other hand had flavours I did not even know existed. With what passes for Mexican food so vastly different in Australia, I think the only way I will ever get that level of quality again is a return trip to Mexico.

Tacos al pastor - I miss you already!

Best Historical Landmark
This was one thing I saw a great deal of during the year. From The Taj Mahal in India, to Machu Picchu in Peru, to Chichen Itza in Mexico, there was rarely a time where i wasn't coming from or on my way to a great historical place.

As incredible as all of the above places were though (and really, they were) I think my favourite was one of Mexico's lesser known sites, Palenque. While the buildings of Chichen Itza may be more impressive, the understated surroundings of Palenque (still surrounded and partially covered in jungle) make it more impressive. Also, with only a fraction of the daily crowds of its much more well known neighbor, Palenque gives you a chance to feel a little more alone, and a feeling of what it might have been like for those that discovered it.

Ruins of Palenque

Best Sporting Event
With a blog all about my year long journey to the World Cup in Brazil, what else would you expect me to put here?

Having said that, I've been to a lot more than just the World Cup in this trip. I attended my first NFL game, two NHL games, five NBA games and gone to visit the stadium where one of the most infamous moments in world sport occurred.

Nothing will really ever top the high of the World Cup though. With amazing matches day after day, a feisty Australian team taking it right up to some of the world's best sides and national pride overflowing, the entire month (which I spread between Brazil and finalists, Argentina) was a testament to what I love about sport.

Going to the World Cup was a dream come true

Greatest Hosts
Ok, this is not easy. Throughout my trip I've had some incredible hosts, from old friends, new friends, friends of friends and randoms whom I've just met.

I've used couch surfing and found some great new friends as well as stayed with old friends throughout my trip. Even now, in the last days of my trip, I've been able to stay with new friends in Santiago that I only met a couple of weeks ago.

Aside from staying with people I've been lucky enough to have people show me around their cities. Some of these people were friends before, while others were friends-of-friends who were happy to give up their time to help out a traveller and help me to appreciate their home town as much as they do.

It is hard to go past my "Mexican family" for the honour of greatest hosts though. After losing my debit card soon after arriving in Mexico City, I was at a bit of a loss as to what I was going to do. But my Mexican hosts simply welcomed me into their family and any stress from the loss (and long time waiting for the card) was gone. In the end I was able to join them for Christmas and New Years celebrations, which was a great experience and definitely one of the top highlights of this trip.

My "Mexican family" 

Worst Moment
Anytime you leave the comforts of home things will go wrong. If you're lucky it will just be delays or booking errors, but sometimes it can get really bad. With so many people that I know who've travelled through Latin America having horror stories, I left expecting the worst. I took only stuff I wouldn't mind losing (a four year old iPOD and a very cheap laptop were my most expensive items) and got every vaccination known to man. In the end I was glad for both, but not for the reasons I thought.

While both of my "expensive" items have been damaged during the trip (both through my own clumsiness) and I had a few less than desirable border crossings, I have been very lucky on this trip except for one wildlife encounter.

The worst moment came when I was attacked by a pack of territorial dogs in Guatemalan town of San Pedro on Lake Atitlan. While I am sure the dogs were merely trying to get me out of their territory rather than being rabid, I was extremely glad to know that I had, before leaving Australia, had the pre-exposure rabies vaccine and therefore only needed the two booster shots after the attack.

Despite this moment - which was the most terrifying thing to ever happen to me - the fact that I got out if it with only a couple of jabs, a few lost days and a little bit of out of pocket expenses makes me feel very fortunate.



Friendliest People
I kind of painted myself into a corner in the first week of my trip when I said that I thought the people of Burma (Myanmar) were possibly the friendliest in the world. Since then I've met people from all ove the world who've made me think their country perhaps deserves that honour. While I have met amazing people in every country I've been to (I've truly been fortunate) there are a few countries that do stand out among the rest.

Burma is still well and truly in the mix. The people there have every reason to be cautious of foreigners like myself, but in reality it couldn't be further from the truth. Virtually everyone I encountered was warm, very giving and genuine and was curious about what I was doing in their country and how they could help my stay.

Since that post, three other countries have stood out, and all three are from Latin America; Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. I was lucky enough to meet people in each of these countries that went out of their way to make sure I had a good time. It was never just a one off either, in each place I encountered many people willing to help me out, show me around, offer me a place to stay and all looking for nothing in return other than knowing that I had a great time in their country - something I certainly did in each of these places. Is it any wonder these are the three countries I'm interested in returning to in the future?

I was lucky enough to meet great people everywhere I went

Single Best Moment
I obviously had some incredible moments throughout the year and it is really unfair to declare one moment "the best", but in this situation I think it is kind of hard to argue.

When "Super" Timmy Cahill cracked that volleyed goal against Holland in Australia's second match to pull the Socceroos level 1-1 it sent me and the Aussie fans around me into hysterics.

While we were all proud of the way Australia fought back in its opening round match against Chile, we were all incredibly nervous for the follow up match against Holland. After Dutch magician Robben scored early in the first half, many of us felt it was the beginning of the end - but Timmy had other ideas.

While many will say it was just one goal, that one goal did all sorts of things for the Soceroos on the pitch and the fans in the stands. It gave us all actual belief that we could actually win this. That's a feeling not many of us truly believed we'd feel at any point during the tournament and it made what would have been a great trip into a truly amazing one. You cant really put a price tag on hope.

Super Timmy Cahill

Best of Nature
While I may not be the most outdoorsy of people, I did get to see a lot of great scenery during the year. From great beaches in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil to the mountains of Chile, Peru and Argentina. The sailing trip from Panama to Colombia introduced me to the San Blas Islands, which was by far the most amazing beaches I've ever seen. With deserted islands and nothing by sand and coconuts it was pretty hard to top. The one thing that did top it though, is Iguazu Falls. The sheer size of the falls is truly awe inspiring with an incredible amount of water gushing over the falls every second.

Iguazu Falls

Best Activity
On this trip I've been zip-lining, mountain biking and on oh so many hikes, but the most fun thing I did without doubt has to be sitting on a piece of wood and sliding down a volcano in Nicaragua. Sure it may not have been the smartest thing I ever did, but it was a bit of a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so glad I did it.

Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua

As I look back on some of these memorable moments from the last 12 months it has clearly been one of the best years of my life - if not the best ever. Now I prepare to go back to a "real" life, but with Rio hosting the Olympic Games in just two years, could there be a chance for another journey? 

The Socceroos: A Work of Art

While travelling through Brazil watching the Socceroos at the FIFA World Cup, I've tried to make a point of seeing more of each city hosting games than just the inside of stadiums and bars.

Arriving in Curitiba a few days before Australia's last match of the tournament against soon to be former world champions Spain, I looked around for some sights. Curitiba, like its neighbor to the south Porto Alegre, fancies itself as more of a European city with more culture and sophistication than many of the other cities in the country. As such it has a well known museum, the Oscar Niemeyer Museum, which focuses largely on modern visual arts.

The Oscar Niemeyer Museum

I'll be the first to tell you that I don't really understand modern art. All too often it is a splash of colours on a canvas, or a series of seemingly bland objects stuck together. I'm sure there's some reason for it all, and that it takes great talent to express yourself in such a way, but I just don't get it. This museum was no different. Aside from the building itself (shaped like an eye) there really wasn't anything there that I was terribly impressed with. I walked around really struggling to understand just why people bother.

It seems that, while I struggle to understand modern art, some people back home are struggling to understand why me and many thousands of my travelling compatriots are proud of what our Socceroos have done on the pitch in this World Cup. I've read musings from some commentators and many armchair experts suggesting that Australia did exactly what was expected of them - lose all three games - so what do we have to be proud of? Others suggest Australia even turning up to the event is pointless.

I don't understand what this piece is supposed to be saying, but at least it has Brazil colours

Many of these people aren't fans of the team (or the sport) to begin with, so their negative attitudes towards the side aren't that surprising. Most Australians grow up watching a sport that only we play (Aussie Rules Footy) or that we do well in, but have very few competitors globally (Rugby, Cricket, Netball, Swimming). When it comes to world events, we're used to being a chance of winning the whole thing, so when it comes to a sport that everyone in the world takes seriously, they struggle to understand that winning cant be the only goal every time.

The way Australia has played has given those of us fortunate enough to attend matches (and those watching in the middle of the night) numerous rewards for our support. Our first two encounters, against Chile and Holland saw Australia give their much more fancied opponents everything they could handle. For large periods in each game it not only looked possible that we would get something out of the matches, but likely. In the end, in both games, the quality of the opposition won out.

Bresciano and the boys soaking up the applause of the Aussie crowd

It was not through lack of effort though and the boys gave us more than we could realistically have hope for given the difference in squads. The fact that we left the games feeling we'd let chances slip, shows just how close we were.

The one thing the Socceroos managed to do was give us belief. While the results inevitably went against us, there was a belief that we were genuinely in this games - something that was lacking before the matches kicked off.

When we eventually played Spain there was a bit of a let down. With Cahill out through suspension and Bresciano limited in minutes, Australia lacked any real shape or attacking options and eventually went down 3-0 to a side worth hundreds of millions of dollars. While once again the boys gave everything, there was very little to get the Aussie fans excited. And there's more proof that the Aussies had exceeded expectation at the tournament - they'd actually raised our level of expectation that we could compete even given our limitations.

Aussie fans celebrating in the streets after the loss to Spain

Some people may not understand or see the positives in a loss. Winning will always be the only thing that matters to many, but I think this group of green and gold wearing Aussies have shown that its also about how you play, not just how well you play.

In this situation, beauty may well be in the eye of the beholder, and who knows, this may mean I now understand modern art. 

Aussies hot in cold Porto Alegre

If you ask any Brazilian their thoughts on the southern city of Porto Alegre and they'll generally all say the same thing: it's cold. While they'll tell you the city is nice, the people aren't as friendly as those in the rest of the country, especially the north. The only thing colder than the people they'll insist, is the weather.

Arriving in the city a couple of days ahead of the Socceroos clash against Holland, it was clear they were right about one thing - the weather is certainly much colder than our previous host city of Cuiaba. While they temperatures may be cold, the people are anything but, with thousands joining in street parties and the procession to the stadium on game day along with the hordes of travelling Aussie and Dutch supporters.

Yeah, I was there!

Porto Alegre certainly does feel different from any other city I've been to in Brazil (or other parts of South America) and with its cold wintry weather, park lined river and plenty of trendy night spots, it almost felt like being back home.

That feeling carried over to game day, where Aussies turned out in their thousands to support our boys. In Cuiaba we were completely outmatched by the fans of Chile (both in number and in voice) but against Holland we were able to match the travelling orange army in number and (I believe) better them vocally. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say it actually felt like a home game.

When the Socceroos gave up a goal early to the talented but sneaky Arjen Robben, many in our crowd feared we could be in for the sort of punishment the Dutch dished out to the Spanish in the opening game. If they could put five goals past the reigning world champs, what were they going to do to us?

All those fears were quickly swept aside just seconds later when who else but Tim Cahill scored one of the best goals of the tournament so far, volleying a great cross in to the back of the net. Cahill, who is normally known for using his head, showed he's just as talented with the ball at his feet and has ben applauded across the globe for his wonder strike.

With fellow Aussie fans

Australia was back in the contest and the fans were in full voice. As the game continued Australia stood strong. Not only were we competing, we were a real chance here and everybody knew it. Early in the second half this game was still up for grabs and those of us in the stands were dreaming whether we could in fact grab the chance to go ahead - and then we did. A Dutch penalty led to Aussie Captain Mile Jedinak calmly slotting home a penalty and putting the Socceroos ahead 2-1, and sending the Aussie crowd into hysterics.

Unfortunately that wouldn't last very long. Like with Holland's first goal which Australia answered almost immediately, the Dutch were able to get back to level almost immediately, and at 2-2 this game was back up for grabs. When Holland scored again to put them up 3-2 moments after the Socceroos squandered a chance of their own at the other end, Australia had ran out of gas. With Cahill and Bresciano already on the bench after giving everything they had, the young side battled hard to get back to level in the dying minutes, but were unable to do so and once again fell short.

While disappointed, the masses of Aussies in the stands let our boys know how much we appreciated their efforts. The applause received by the vanquished side as they completed their lap of honour was every bit as equal as those given for the victorious Dutch who had booked their ticket to the next round.

Super Timmy Cahill

The biggest applause was saved once again for Tim Cahill. As I wrote about last week, Cahill has to now be considered the greatest player ever to wear the green and gold. The way he gives 100% every time he puts on that Socceroos jersey and not only competes but delivers time after time is unparalleled. Cahill, who was the last Aussie on the park was clearly soaking up every moment. A yellow card in the first half (along with a terrible refereeing decision which gave him one in the opening game) means he wont be able to play in Australia's final match against Spain. Cahill, a man who has given everything for his country will have to watch while Australia battles for its first points of the tournament. It also means we've seen the last of Cahill at the World Cup, an event he's scored at three consecutive times and shown just how good football in Australia can be.

Hopefully he can be convinced to play for Australia at least one more time - at the Asian Cup in Australia in January 2015. While the crowd may have felt like a home crowd at times, I can think of no better for Cahill to finish of his national team career than chasing some silverware in front of his actual home fans.

Aussie fans getting behind the Socceroos

For now I'm off to Curitiba to see Australia play its third and final game against Spain. The people of Brazil have told me similar things about Curitiba as they did about Porto Alegre.

So I'm sure that means I'm gonna have a great time.

Go Socceroos!

There's only one Timmy Cahill....unfortunately

I'm not sure if I've ever been more nervous before a game in my life. Any Aussie, if they're being honest, would tell you they were nervous too. Lining up against Chile with a team of mostly unknowns and a few aging veterans, nobody gave the Socceroos a chance of getting anything out of this game. 

When Australia found itself down 2-0 after just 15 minutes, if seemed all of our worst fears were going to come true. 

Ready for kick off!

But then it happened. After desperately hanging on to not go further down for the next five minutes, Australia started to get on top. The young team started to find some poise and then they found something else - Tim Cahill's head.

There was no hiding what Australia was trying to do, but as he's done time and time again when he wears the green and gold, Tim Cahill delivered. His goal late in the first half means that he's now scored in three straight World Cups, and along with recently becoming the Socceroos leading all time goal scorer, I think it's clear he can be considered the greatest ever to pull on the jersey. 

This Aussie team did us all proud

The Socceroos kept going back to the well in the second half, and for a time it looked like they were going to get the equalizer, when Cahill again hit the back of the net, before being waved off for offside. In the end, while Australia were clearly the better team in the second half, they couldn't take advantage of their opportunities, and Chile's goal in injury time sealed the deal.

While we may not have won the match, the way Australia fought back after going down two goals so early is certainly something every Aussie can be proud of. This young group (with a sprinkling of veterans) will learn from the experience and hopefully rebound. 

Off the field, the experience couldn't have been much better. While the Chilean fans had us outnumbered at least two-to-one, the banter was generally very friendly, and helped make for a fantastic atmosphere. 

The people of Cuiaba are incredibly friendly

The locals of Cuiaba were also keen to get involved, many attending the game and then inviting us to party with them afterwards. The streets of praca popular were filled with people celebrating a good game and a great night. 

Today as we wake up and shook off our hangovers, we look forward to the next challenge, a red hot Holland team in Porto Alegre on the 18th. If Australia can play with the same assertiveness they did after the first 15 minutes, then we should be able to compete. 

The game plan wont change though - get it to Timmy's head! 

World Cup Eve

Twas the night before World Cup and all through the land,

Not a creature was stirring, except for the hundreds of thousands of foreigners and locals waiting for the Cup to start...

Since Brazil won the right to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup in October of 2014, millions of people throughout the globe have been looking forward to it getting under way, and we're now just one day from kick off.

When hosts Brazil kick off against Croatia at 5pm tomorrow afternoon it will start a month long celebration of the biggest sport in the world and dominate news media the world over – hopefully for the right reasons.

It hasn't all been smooth sailing for the organisation of the big event, with many locals angry at the money being spent on building stadiums and infrastructure that may not benefit the citizens in the long run. There's been strikes, riots and plenty of public outcry from people who feel bullied by the world governing body, FIFA, who stand to make millions out of their showcase tournament, while the people of Brazil will be left to pick up the tab.

John Oliver's take on FIFA

There has also been problems and delays in building the stadiums, with one stadium partially collapsing in November of last year and some other installations still not completed.

While I've been fortunate to steer clear of any serious issues so far, I was a victim of the metro strike in Sao Paulo when I arrived in Brazil's largest city. With two of the lines closed, what should have been a straight forward journey to my hostel took over three hours and no fewer than six changes from bus to metro and back. Having travelled on the city's overcrowded system for a few days now it is hard to see how it will handle the extra capacity brought in by the World Cup.

One of Sao Paulo's busier metro stations

It may sound like the whole thing has become a bit of a downer, but I can tell you it's anything but. While there are certainly people not happy with how the World Cup has affected them, the overwhelming vibe in Rio and Sao Paulo (where I have been so far) has been positive.

There's a constant stream of people – both local and foreign – walking around the city in their chosen team's shirt, while throwing some friendly banter around. I personally, seem to have met every one of the thousands of Dutch fans that are in the country to see their country play against the Socceroos in Porto Alegre on the 18^th. Everywhere you go you see people in differing coloured shirts having a beer and a laugh with each other. I even appeared in a Brazilian national magazine alongside a bunch of fans from other countries – all just as stoked as each other to be here and share what is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience. If that can be maintained throughout the tournament itself, hopefully all of the problems will be forgotten.

Croatia fans in full voice in Sao Paulo ahead of their match against Brazil

That's not to say we should forget the plight of the locals who feel they've been left out. While in Sao Paulo, I've been fortunate enough to stay with an NGO that has decided to boost their fund-raising by renting out some of the rooms in the house their volunteers and staff share. As part of my stay here, I was able to visit the school in a nearby favela where children who would otherwise be doing nothing on the streets are able to take part in various fun and educational activities. Seeing where these kids come from, and how they can thrive when given the chance, opens the eyes of travelling gringos like me and others who will be coming through over the next month. If we can help support organisations like this that do amazing work, as well as spend our money at local establishments and stores, then maybe we can help leave something good behind for the people of Brazil.

Many nationalities coming together for the cup

Ok, so it may seem like I'm clutching at straws but here's the thing: We all want this to be a great thing. The hundreds of thousands of foreigners that are anticipating that kick off tomorrow are all coming with the expectation of this being a trip of a lifetime, and for most it will be. While we may not be able to do much about the negative side of the Cup, all we can do is do our best and try not to dwell on it. We are, after all, here for football, not to make the world a better place.

It would just be nice if we could at least not make it a worse place.  

Bring on the football! 

Previous World Cup coverage on Long Road To Rio 

Confessions of a convert - June 8

Arriving in Rio - June 4

World Cup Fever - May 4

Preparing to invade Brazil - December 10 

My Addiction - December 4

That Goal - July 23

World Cup; Confessions of a Convert

In just a few days, the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Brazil. Along with the Summer Olympic Games, the World Cup has been the event I've most wanted to attend for most of my adult life. With my flight to Brazil in just a few days, its about to become a reality.

My love of the world game wasn't always there though. Far from it. Growing up in small towns outside of Melbourne, Australia, you could easily be led to believe that the only sports that existed in the world were cricket and Australian rules football. Football, (or soccer as its known at home) never even entered the conversation – or if it was, it was considered inferior to our own football only played by “foreigners”.

Looking forward to watching the matches with other Aussies

My first exposure to the most popular game in the world came when I briefly attended a school in inner city Melbourne at the age of 9. My new school mates invited me to play some football at lunch time, but when I got there, I asked where the football was. It was a football, but not as I knew it.

While I soon moved back to the country and never played the “new” football I had been introduced to again, the seeds had been planted. I had learnt that other games do exist. They weren't better or worse, just different. In the end I adopted another “foreign” sport, basketball as my game of choice.

It wasn’t until the 1998 World Cup that I started to finally take notice of the game loved by billions in the world. Like much of Australia, I thought the Socceroos were a great chance of making it to the finals in France, with only Iran standing in our way. Unfortunately, it wasn't yet our time, with the lasting memory of Mark Bosnich being left on the ground as the equaliser went past him to leave Australia short after being so close.

Moving to Melbourne in 1998 to go to university, I met a lot of people passionate about football and looking forward to the World Cup. It rubbed off on me. I watched a lot of matches during that World Cup and from that point on became a big fan of international football.

That passion for the international game didn't translate into me becoming a fan of the local game however. The local league, the NSL, was in shambles with fighting and ethnic violence among the fans. It didn't encourage the new fan to get involved.

The Long Road To Rio is almost over

When it was time for internationals though, I was back on board. Qualifying for the 2002 World Cup was once again seen as our chance to make it to the world stage, however like ’98, our boys fell at the last hurdle. It seemed the most talented generation of Socceroos since the 70’s was destined to never make the big time.

Once the 2002 World Cup rolled around though, many forgot about the disappointments of our team and enjoyed an immensely entertaining tournament – for the first time ever in a time zone which gave us prime time viewing. The big games were even televised on a major commercial television station. It seemed that Australia was finally catching on to the world game. It wouldn't last.

With the NSL still in strife, the major Australian codes quickly regained the ascendancy and football was relegated to a side note once again. This time, however, I continued to become more of a fan of the game itself, watching more European club football, and taking interest in the news that Australian club football was finally starting to talk about a makeover.

A hundred thousand people in Melbourne to watch the round ball game

In 2005 I finally packed up my bags and headed out to see some of the world. When Australia finally qualified – in a gripping penalty shootout – for the 2006 World Cup, I was working in an insurance office in England, getting text message updates from my friends. While my new colleagues thought I was crazy, I was ecstatic – they’d finally made it.

By the time the 2006 World Cup rolled around I was living in Scotland. Being a backpacker, I had many other backpacker friends and as such, every game had some interest to somebody in our circle. So for a month we hit the local sports pubs watching game after game.

I actually managed to get to a warm up game between South Korea and Ghana, and while nothing was on the line, it was great to be able to see the passionate fan bases of both teams come out and support their teams as they got ready for the big event.

I love a big event - the Winter Olympics in Vancouver were one, but the World Cup is a whole other beast

Australia’s first shot at the finals in 32 years was successful, despite the misery at the end. Tim Cahill sparked 3 goals in less than 10 minutes to come from behind against Japan, while a tense and sometimes spiteful 2-all draw against Croatia was enough to see us through the final 16 after a respectful loss to Brazil. While the final 16 match against Italy ended in bitter disappointment, Australia had announced itself on the world stage.

While I loved watching the matches with people from all over the world in Edinburgh, almost as soon as the tournament started I realised something – I should have been there. I was a short flight (or a long bus ride) away, and could have done it quite easily, but I didn't – and to this day I still can't explain why.

Since then the revamped local competition – now called the A-League – has gone from strength to strength. Melbourne now has a purpose built stadium for the world game (and rugby) and the Melbourne Victory has been one of the most successful sides in the new competition, both on and off the field. Finally, the game has started making inroads.

Moments after picking up my tickets at Rio airport

The Australian team has evolved too, now part of the Asian federation, the team has a chance to play together more often, in more meaningful competitions, and has made it to another World Cup (2010 in South Africa) and been in an Asian Cup final since the switch. Early next year, Australia will host the Asian Cup finals, a move that will undoubtedly help turn casual fans – as I once was – into diehards.

While nobody has any great expectations for this version of the Socceroos with the draw doing us absolutely no favours and our side very much in transition, the mere fact that 15000 Aussies are heading to Brazil for the World Cup is testament to how successful the game has been in finally made its way into Australia's national consciousness.

When I'm in that stadium in Cuiaba watching our side walk out to play Chile, it will be the culmination of a long journey. Not only the last 10 months getting to Brazil, but from kid who didn't even know that the game existed to man who wouldn't be anywhere else.

World Cup Fever

The moment I stepped off the boat in Colombia you could sense it. This was a country that was really looking forward to the World Cup. Everywhere I went I saw people sporting the uniform of their national team. There are people selling replica World Cup trophies everywhere and even people decorating their entire car in the lead up to the event.

During my time in Mexico and Central America it was a lot less obvious. I'm sure there are many people there looking forward to the big event, but it wasn't so overt. Colombia is a country that has been waiting for this for a long time.

Some people are really into World Cup Fever

After qualifying for three straight tournaments between 1990 and 1998, the team has not been back to the Cup Finals since. With it's team currently ranked number five in the world by FIFA, the anticipation is huge that this side will finally bring some glory to the country – the fact it is being hosted on their own continent just making it even sweeter.

The fever has certainly rubbed off on me. While I've been looking forward to the cup, it has certainly taken a back seat to my travels through places like Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua, which have been some of my favourite destinations ever. Now though, the anticipation for the world's biggest event is really starting to take hold.

Since arriving n Colombia I've met dozens of Australians and people from other countries all heading to Brazil for the cup – including Colombians who are determined not to waste this opportunity.

Within a day of arriving in Colombia I finally took care of all of the logistics of my trip to Brazil. While I was fortunate enough to already have tickets to all three of the Socceroos group stage matches, I'd been a bit lay organising everything else. With dorm beds going for as much as US$220 and flights into Brazil at a premium, it certainly took some work, but was well worth it.

I was eventually able to find some decent priced rooms through AirBnb, a website I would strongly recommend to anyone still looking for somewhere to stay, while another great resource is Road to Brazil, run by and for Aussies coming over for the World Cup.

At this point, nothing in Brazil will be cheap, but for the once in a lifetime chance to be at the biggest event in the world in a country that loves it the most, I think its going to be worth every cent. Sure, Australia is certainly up against it, but there's going to be thousands of Australians there to cheer them on towards what would be a massive upset.

Or failing that, hopefully at least a goal.

Preparing to Invade Brazil

The moment much of the world had been waiting for came and went last week, with the FIFA World Cup 2014 Final Draw taking place on Friday.

World Cup Draw

Well, that went well.

Spain, Chile and the Netherlands. You could hardly have feared a worse group for the Socceroos to face on the worlds biggest stage. Sure, Australia were always going to be a bit of a long shot to win the prize – or even make it out of the group stage – however the draw they've been given means that even getting a single point out of the tournament may be beyond their grasp.

Not only are Australia facing the defending champions in Spain, they're also facing the runner up from 2010. Add to that one of South America's local powers, and Ange Postecoglou and his men are really up against it.

While one could dwell on the negatives of the draw and wallow in our own self pity, I'm choosing to look forward. This will likely be the one and only FIFA World Cup I ever attend, unless Australia ever wins the rights to host, so therefore I'm going to make the most of it. Sure, Australia will likely end up putting in results similar to their effort against Germany in 2010, but at least there's no real way they can underachieve. Anything north of slaughter will be positive. And as I've just submitted my request for tickets for the group games, I'll (hopefully) be able to see some of the best players and teams in the world.

World Cup 2010: Germany 4 - Australia 0

The other positive, is that I get to go and discover some new cities, with Australia's matches being outside of the major centres of Rio and Sao Paulo. I know nothing about the three cities Australia is due to play in – Cuiaba, Porto Alegre and Curitaba – but I'm going to make it a point over the next few months to learn what I can about these cities where Australia will go into battle, and hopefully help out any fellow Aussies travelling to support our boys.

All of the info below is just what I've been able to find online so if you have any more details on any of these cities, please feel free to let me know in the comments and I'll post an updated blog closer to the tournament. Accommodation is going to be a major stumbling block for many of us, so if anyone has any tips on this, please let us all know!

Match 4: Australia V Chile – June 13 @ 18:00

Cuiaba, Mato Grosso

Australia will kick off their campaign against one of South America's big hopes, Chile, who will likely bring with them thousands of dedicated fans, so it is going to be important for as many Australians as possible to be there to support our boys.

Cuiaba, a city of around a million, is the capital of Mato Grosso state, and is located ideally between the southern tip of the Amazon and the Pantanal which is known for being a great place to see some local wildlife.

To get there by bus from Rio is around 32 hours, so a flight would be preferable, however its looking like flights will be difficult to come by and very expensive – so perhaps settle in for a couple of long bus rides.

FIFA TV Documentary on Cuiaba

Match 20: Australia V The Netherlands – June 18 @ 13:00

Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul

This city of 1.5 Million and the capital of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul sees the Socceroos go up against 2010 runners up Holland. The Dutch are perenial contenders and will be tough to get any points out of, however Australia has a couple of players who ply their trade in the Dutch system, and will be looking forward to having a crack at players they regularly compete with and against.

The city is another long haul, 24 hours from Rio, however it is only 12 hours on a bus from Uruguay's capital of Montivideo, so it may be worth crossing into the country of the Socceroos' traditional South American nemesis for a few days if you're lucky enough to get tickets to this game.

FIFATV Doco on Porto Alegre

Match 35; Australia V Spain – June 23 @ 13:00

Curitiba, Parana

Spain has taken all before them for the last several years and will once again go into this tournament as one of the hot favourites. The city of Curitiba will provide an extra dimension to this one, being over 3000 feet above sea level – something neither side will be at all used to. This host city, of a little under two million residents – is also the closest to Rio, with just a 13 hour bus ride.

It may be after this match that many Australians start their exodus from Brazil, so it is worth noting that Buenos Aires (Argentina) is 34 hours away on a bus, while Santiago, with its daily QANTAS flights to Sydney is 54 hours away.

FIFATV Story on Curitiba

While the chances of us making it further in the tournament do look bleak, remember how happy we are just to be there. Sure, we want to put in a good showing, but as long our boys gives us some effort and something to cheer for (and we all find somewhere to sleep) this could be the trip of a lifetime.

The Josh Kennedy goal that had us all celebrating

There are plenty of tour companies, such as the Green & Gold Army and the Fanatics who do a great job and are running packages for Australians to go to all of our group games, however I'm hoping to find some more info for people like myself who hope to do it independently and on a budget. For those Aussies still looking to register for tickets, you've got plenty of time, and should log onto Football Australia or go to the official home of FIFA.

Once again, please feel free to contribute any information you have about Australia's three host cities, or any other details you think the travelling fans might appreciate. Or just let me know if you're going too and we can help each other out. I'll submit an updated info blog closer to the date. 

See you in Brazil!