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World Cup 2006 Blog

From our reporters in Germany

Excess baggage

phil_mcnulty.gif BADEN-BADEN - The World Cup came tantalisingly into view for the media party as we left Heathrow for Stuttgart at the start of our five-week campaign 鈥 and some time-honoured travel traditions were strictly observed.

Namely the customary parting of the ways for passengers and their luggage.

Thanks to a craft that revived memories of the glory days of Airfix models, there was no room for all luggage required to sustain the press pack through a gruelling stint in Germany.

So it was that we waved farewell to our cases and other crucial personal effects on the tarmac as they waited to board a flight to Frankfurt while we headed off in the direction of Stuttgart.


And once on board, it became clear why some heavy duty gear had to be jettisoned.

The craft was a 鈥渃osy鈥 fit to say the least, with even those of us some may cruelly regard as vertically challenged leaving the flight with a pronounced and newly-acquired stoop.

It is to be hoped England鈥檚 squad were afforded more head and leg room on their flight.

The only way Peter Crouch would have made it to Stuttgart with us would have been by lying prone on a stretcher. Robotic dancing, or even standing upright, would have been out of the question.

Another tradition of the big tournament, the process of accreditation, was completed with (here it comes for the first and last time!) traditional Germany efficiency.

What can be a laborious process to receive your irreplaceable media badge was completed in a record-shattering ten minutes, including that horrific photograph and the often embarrassing middle name that will stand proudly on your chest throughout the tournament for all to see/mock.

It was all in sharp contrast to Japan 2002, when the carefully constructed system was reduced to rubble by the journalist who applied for tickets under the name of 鈥淏ob鈥 while his passport read 鈥淩obert.鈥

Our Japanese hosts were unimpressed, and sensing an underhand attempt to slip under their radar, they were not put off the scent by the explanation from our intrepid traveller, who said: 鈥淩obert is the name I use on Sunday.鈥

The first big social event, aside from England鈥檚 opening press conference in Germany on Tuesday, is a reception thrown for the media later that night by Baden-Baden鈥檚 mayor Mrs. Dr Sigrun Lang at our excellent hotel.

Let's just hope the dinner jacket has arrived.

Comments  Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 09:04 PM on 05 Jun 2006,
  • wrote:

Here in Miami Florida, Radio Unica is another radio station that may broadcast live World Cup Coverage with Univision TV. Lets see what happens.

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  • 2.
  • At 09:23 PM on 05 Jun 2006,
  • Kev wrote:

I would have thought the 大象传媒 would have flown you guys out on a respectible airline at least out licence money would have gone on something worthwhile

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  • 3.
  • At 11:06 PM on 05 Jun 2006,
  • left midfield wrote:

Indeed - would have though you would have travelled in decent fashion!

Left Midfield
WDC
www.globalfutbol.com

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  • 4.
  • At 11:23 PM on 05 Jun 2006,
  • chaileyjem wrote:

Kevin McCarra going on about the baggage on the guardian world cup blog too.

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  • 5.
  • At 07:50 AM on 06 Jun 2006,
  • Joey wrote:

@ Roberto

you can see World cup coverage on ESPN live.. check your tv listings...

have fun by watching. i cannot wait.....

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  • 6.
  • At 10:43 PM on 05 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

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  • 7.
  • At 10:44 PM on 05 Jul 2006,
  • bct8jal@lycos.com wrote:

ringtones free

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