Thank God for good old African corruption. It may hold the continent back from developing in a huge way, but occasionally, it can work in your favour. On the road from Johannesburg to the Chile v Honduras game at Nelspruit, there was a single lane stretch of road on which I overtook a slow lorry. The markings suggested I shouldn't, but the road was straight and flat and there seemed no danger. The authorities were obviously aware this was a good overtaking point (and an illegal one) as I was pulled over by some roadside police once I'd overtaken. The fine was 500 rand - £50. I knew I didn't have that much cash on me, and went to ask Adam how he was fixed. While he was searching, I returned to the police car. A black driver had also been pulled and wasn't going through the same routine as me. I suspected he was simply paying them off and offered the officer with my licence 100 rand - a tenner, explaining I didn't have 500 and that if he was happy with this, I could be on my way and I wouldn't do it again. He accepted without question, no need for any paperwork. He's a tenner up and I've saved £40. Everyone's a winner.

We got to Nelspruit in decent time and used a park and ride as, with the stadium out of town, there was no parking anywhere near it. It was efficient enough. Back in Johannesburg, Martin's wife Sue had made us some sandwiches. On entering the first security check, I was told that no food was allowed inside the stadium. I think there is a human rights issue here, but I wanted to see the game rather than a solicitor, so I withdrew and eat the food before entering. I have a few spares and for about 25 minutes, held a sign up offering them at face value. A couple of potential buyers took my phone number, but no sales. it was glorious sunshine in Nelspruit though, so it was a pleasure just to stand in the sunshine and people watch. It was interesting to note that a fair number of uniformed schoolchildren were going in, suggesting free tickets to fill empty seats had been distributed. This venue certainly isn't an easy one to get to, although credit to a decent number of Chile and Honduras fans for making it. The stadium itself is a cracking one - with the supports holding the upper tiers looking like giraffes. There are justified questions about its use after the tournament. I guess there is a local football team, but it doesn't seem like a big town. I recall some of the stadiums in South Korea were actually demolished after the World Cup as there was no further use for them. In Japan there are certainly a few white elephants, such as the stadium in the far west of the country in Oita. A local team plays there, but the crowds will never make the place feel anywhere like remotely full.

As for Nelspruit, the atmosphere during the game was incredible and made the football at times an irrelevance. I'd intended to bring in the vuvuzela I bought outside Ellis Park to take back home, but forgot it in the car. I'll give it a blast on Thursday at Polokwane instead. Still, my contribution was not exactly missed. Chile were much better than Honduras, no great shock given the teams they had to beat to qualify. USA and Mexico are the decent sides from the North American zone. I remember Costa Rica having a half decent World Cup Finals once, but I can't see Honduras getting through this group in a month of Sundays.

It was re-assuring to drive to our guesthouse in daylight, especially given how rural this area is. The Kruger National Park is nearby, and the roadsides far greener than in the parts of the south and centre we've driven. Our destination was Hazyview, about an hour and a half's drive north of Nelspruit. As a rule, the roads in this country are uncrowded outside of the major cities. Once we reached Hazyview, the guesthouse was 14km down a road with no turn offs, a fair number of guesthouses and a greater number of potholes. We arrived in time to catch the last 35 minutes of Spain v Switzerland on the box, a little surprised to see the Swiss one up. I suspect both teams should qualify after the Swiss victory, although Spain v Chile could now be a huge game at the group's conclusion.

The place we are staying is called Cuckoo Ridge, and is situated above a valley. The view from the balcony was a pleasure, although we only had about 30 minutes to enjoy it before darkness descended. We headed back into town for something to eat - a 20 mile round drive which kind of says it all about how isolated places can be in this area. You either have a car or rely on the taxi buses that ferry the indigenous (and poor) population around, although on the road into town, we spotted a number of people walking back home after a day's work, which suggests the route is too quiet for any taxi buses to work it. It's very hilly as well, so these people can only be fit. The road is pitch black, which made avoiding the potholes something of a challenge, especially when we had to turn off the headlamps' full beam.

After eating we headed back to catch the South Africa v Uruguay game at the guesthouse. Having been here for a few days, my feeling for the Bafana Bafana (which apparently means 'The boys, the boys' in one of the native tongues) to progress is far greater than when I first arrived. The sheer enthusiasm of the people in this country deserves it. With June 16 being a public holiday marking the anniversary of the Sharpesville Massacre in Soweto, and the death of schoolboy Hector Peterson in a protest at the plan to make Afrikaans the compulsory language that education was taught, the match was emotionally loaded for the hosts. Sadly, they did not respond, and were beaten out of sight. What a let down. Defensively, they lack the quality to progress in the tournament. It is a shame to see their hopes so punctured, especially given the signifificance of the event for the society. They are now praying for a draw in the game between France and Mexico in Polokwane as their only hope of progress, as four points will not put them through on goal difference after the scale of their defeat to Uruguay.

Adam fell asleep during the first half and I left him to his slumbers, even though I had done the driving that day. He was well gone. As a father, I've become accustomed to less sleep than I'd like, and the bags under my eyes are a testament to parenting rather than burning the candle at both ends. They look particularly bad in the reflection on my laptop screen, but maybe I'll catch up with my sleep one of these decades and they'll miraculously disappear.

The morning after, we had our breakfast at the guesthouse before departure. Our host Joan, was a nice woman but slightly scatty as age has caught up with her. She asked if we wanted white or brown bread for toast and then forgot to make it. We were not hungry enough to make a fuss as the cooked breakfast was plenty. One of the locals she employs was kind of mopping the floor in the next room in a manner that suggested it didn't need doing and she was just killing time. I'd liked to have engaged her in conversation to find something out about her life, but she never came close enough to say anything but hello. My guess is she works long hours and some of them are pretending to do work that doesn't even need doing. Joan told us that her staff asked if they were needed to work on June 16th as it was a public holiday. Joan wasn't even aware of that, and said that - given there were guests staying - of course they were needed. But when you have a job here, I guess you don't complain as there are so many others who would take your place. I was horrified to hear that 86% of young people (aged 16 to 35 I think) are unemployed in this country. It really is a place of haves and have nots, but those that live here know nothing else for the most part. Although the society is moving in the right direction, the statistic about the unemployed is particularly alarming.

Without corruption, rebuilding the society on lines that allow greater opportunity might be an easier ride, but I think that's where we came in today.

Next stop. Polokwane for France v Mexico. My trip is a week old now. Five games down, eleven to go.