Canberra's Football Tragic now in CHINA!

Canberran and former ANU Coach, long-time football fan, football tragic and Socceroos diehard Rod Lynes is.....

yes you've guessed it, he's in Kunming, China for the World Cup Qualifier kick-off 5pm AEST, live on Fox Sports.

Rod sent this travel log through to the Nearpost.

Rod writes
Well, here I am in beautiful downtown Kunming prior to Australia v China World Cup qualifier.


Quite a contrast from my Asian Cup experience in Bangkok. None of the vitality, vibrance, nor chaos, in my opinion.

In other words, quite dull and boring. For example, here you can walk on the pavements without having to have your eyes glued to the ground so that you don't fall into a crevice or sprain your ankle in a pot-hole every five steps.

Try doing that in Bangkok! However, I should say I haven't seen or done a great deal yet (other than wander round the streets near my hotel) - I only arrived yesterday afternoon.

Weather is also very different. I am feeling the cold here. I estimate last night the temperature was 5 degrees. Hotel doesn't appear to have any form of heating. People wonder around with jackets and scarves on.

I suppose they have learned to be (and are required to be) frugal, living in a communist society. Older people wear dull, boring nondescript clothes. Younger ones appear more western with jeans and sportswear. But still nothing like capitalist Asian countries I have visited.

This is the first communist country (there are only about five left now, aren't there? - Marx, Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin must be turning in their graves). The people here are quite different to the Thais as well. Much more aggressive and upfront. I have never seen so many people (both men and women) gobbing in the street. Also, today at breakfast two guys came and sat at my table and proceeded to devour plates of noodles, making sounds like hoovers. Talk about slurping! Quite funny, really.

Not surprisingly, no western channels on the hotel telly, despite the fact that I can choose between about 50 stations. No BBC, CNN etc.

The one English language channel had a few pro-Beijing/anti-Tibet stories yesterday. Big news was the lighting of the Olympic flame at Olympia, and the start of its journey to Beijing. Lots of Beijing 2008 merchandise in the sports shops.

I have read all about the Australian injuries. Not good news. With all the centre-forwards injured, how will we score?

Bresciano perhaps, or maybe Kewell? Possibly score from a set-piece? I must say that I am not feeling very confident at the moment, and would happily settle for a draw.

No problems with altitude for me. Then again, I haven't run a step!

Rod (with thanks to Michael Palin and Bill Bryson)