The Kick Off... US 94

The Kick Off:

Magun's Compass
Learn from the Travel Experiences of Others

You are in an air-conditioned bar, in Downtown Detroit when Germany opens up against Bolivia. There is a jug of ice cold beer in front of you, as you prepare to see how the American media will treat the biggest sporting event on Earth.

The American commentator explains how the game is played, what the players are aiming to do, and where the players are trying to go to get the ball. It is understandable that a newcomer needs to know the rules and objectives of the sport being played. Oh, and of course, it's called soccer now.

The Americans in the bar will watch the televised game when the foreigner requests it, and for the first quarter of an hour they are interested; relatively. They need to know why a yellow card is used for one tackle, when another tackle goes uncontested.

To the American there is too much running around, most of the play is in the middle and seems to go nowhere, and there is only one goal. The Americans are not instantly hooked. [Germany 1 Bolivia 0].

There is a second game that day, full of goals and action [Spain 2 South Korea 2], but the foreigner is not allowed to watch it.

You watch a chase on a freeway.... half of the Los Angeles Police Department is in pursuit of a white Bronco, and helicopters fly overhead. It is not a trailer for a new Hollywood movie, it is live on CNN.

The former American Football megastar (O.J. who?) is suspected of murdering his wife and her 'friend'. He appears to be running away from the law with a gun to his head.

After two hours of that, and live court tv, it is a wonder that anyone bothers about the world cup again. But the fan is keen.

[In Montreal]

[Pontiac Silverdrome]

US Index.

Travel on trains and buses in Asia, then jump into cars with complete strangers in Australia and New Zealand as Michel introduces you to a collection of characters that bring Nomadic Gatherings to life.

If you can't afford to buy a copy of Nomadic Gatherings, the chapters are slowly being made available online - for free.

You may even decide that it really is worth having a hard copy in your hands; a useful read for those long bus journeys being written about, and for endless waits at ferry ports.

Nomadic Gatherings - Online Chapters.

Magun's Compass