Travel Necessities for Soccer Fans Traveling to South Africa for World Cup 2010
As World Cup 2010 is quickly approaching, here are a few tips for first time
visitors to South Africa.
Clothing
Many people are under the assumption that it will be scorching hot anywhere you
are on the African continent. The fact is that during the World Cup from June
to July, South Africa will actually be in their winter season. During
that time, depending on which part of South Africa you are in, temperatures can
average a low of 0 degrees Celsius. It is highly recommended that visitors pack
their long sleeves and jackets for those cold nights when visiting South Africa
during the World Cup. Light clothing such as thin shirts or t-shirts would be
appropriate for daytime.
Protection
Two must haves when traveling to the World Cup in South Africa are Sunscreen
and Insect Repellent. Although the average temperatures in the winter months
can reach below zero degrees at night, during the day, temperatures can reach
the 25 degrees mark with constant sunshine. So, it's definitely a wise idea to
pack sunscreen on your trip. In terms of insect repellent, there is a risk of
getting malaria from insect bites, especially if you're staying in the
northwest regions of South Africa such as Mpumalanga or Limpopo. Prior to your visit, check with your Doctor if
you need to take Malaria pills before visiting certain areas.
Travel Documents
Like all trips, make sure that you have all your travel documents and photocopies
of them. These include passports, ID, and credit cards. This will make it a lot
easier for you to get another copy from your embassy in the event that you have
lost your passports and other identification.
During the World Cup period between June and July, there is an average of 18 days of rain which totals about over 100mm of rain during that period. So it would definitely be a good idea to pack that rain coat or an umbrella or two. Especially during World Cup games where the stadiums will be wide open.
If you are on prescription drugs, make sure to bring an extra supply. South African pharmacies may not carry your prescription drugs which may lead to serious health issues if you're dependent on those meds.
Make sure you have money in different forms such as credit card, cash, travelers cheques etc.
Along with your other everyday essentials (i.e. underwear, toothbrush etc), here is a list of must haves for those with World Cup Accommodation in South Africa. As always, I would definitely love to hear your thoughts.