Heidenheim

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Hello all,

At the moment we are tstaying with Anja's parents in Heidenheim, a village about 2 hours drive from Tübingen. Yesterday we got our first real taste of the World Cup, and in particular Australia's involvement in it, when The Socceroos played Holland. As many of you may have heard the Dutch accused us of being a bit too rough, and actually the commentator mentioned something about "Aussie Rules Football" duting the broadcast, perhaps drawing comparisons to that game. True they did play hard but perhaps it is hard for them to do anything less than try their hardest when they are playing such an established team. It was great that they drew. The commentator also said that Australia was not just at the World Cup to make up the numbers which is encouraging, but we have a failry tough battle ahead.

I can also very very happily report that Anja, Kristian and myself have tickets to the next Socceroo's game!! It is a friendly against Lichtenstein and it is being played in the town of Ulm which is not far from here. This is the last official warm-up match before the world cup starts, so we are very lucky to have been able to get tickets. As I have previously mentioned, Lictenstein is a small country but recently they drew 2:2 with Euro-Finalists Portugal, so it should be a great game. I have still been checking on eBay for tickets to the Australia-Croatia game in Stuttgart but the tickets are so expensive, so I couldn't be happier to be able to get along to see this game.

On Friday we will take off in Anja's mums car for Münich, for the World Cup opening party. I believe the opening ceremony will be held in Berlin, as well as the closing ceremony and the final, each host city however hosts its own opening and closing party. Also 1 week after the World Cup, Berlin will host its annual Love Parade, the worlds biggest rave. So some pretty crazy times ahead for the residents of Deutschland. I can still remember being in Queensland during the last World Cup in Korea-Japan and thinking how great it would be to go to germany for the next one, and now 4 years later it is only 4 days away, good times ahead.

All has been well in our little home town of Tübingen, the other day we (finally) purchased an Aussie rules football from eBay, which will hopefully be there by the time we return on Thursday. We have bought some Aussie Soccer T-Shirts to wear to the games. Actually there are 2 Aussie resturants in Stuttgart, one of which serves Barramundi, Kangaroo and Crocodile and will be showing all the Aussie games with English commentary. The other one, which is an Aussie wine bar will be hosting an Australian street festival on the 15th of June which should be good fun.

Hope all are well,

John

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Comments

[bob]

socker balls
Hello yung man as usual i dont have much time but i am rapt that you have secured tickets for the biggest game of football of them all,however there is one thats bigger and i happened to have got two tickets for that as well,YES COLLINGWOOD V MELBOURNE on the Queens birthday GO PIES !!!! at this stage im taking Lace and im just hoping that she can make it with homework and all. Any way gotta go to work catch yer later. Luv dad.

[macca]

thanks for the call on my birthday. it was good to your voice again however brief. can't wait to you guys get back. dave and i have been working on a new song and hope to have it ready by next practice. playing isn't the same without my white ethiopian doing his signature cheesy dance moves. when you guys get a final date organised, let me know so i organise a welcome home party. will get the band to play. your new ladies seem mighty fine, you boys are making me very proud. did you guys know that the footy show is going to be at the world cup? you guys should find out if you can get tickets. take you crazy kids have a beer for me.