Travel to the World Cup: 17 hours, lots of traffic jams and a sunset

Some of them have now been answered. For the Immigration As expected, patience is required at Los Angeles airport, but time is limited Queue about an hour is reasonably within limits. By US standards, we are literally waved through by the official with our journalist visa.

The Sofi-Stadiumone of the World Cup venues, is just three kilometers from the airport, as is the associated accreditation center, where we pick up our journalist passes for the World Cup.

The bald man

Greetings in a friendly manner, taking a number, lining up, waiting and being amazed. About a shaved-headed man directly in front of us in the “line” who has a tattoo on the back of his head that is disturbing to German-speaking Europeans. The number 88, a cartridge between the numbers. Because of his resolute look, we are only manageable to one Policy discussion hung up. We hope not to see him again and take our IDs.

Then it goes with that Rental car after Santa Barbarawhere the ÖFB team has set up its World Cup team base camp and will be under the strict observation of our four eyes over the next few weeks.

The Look at the navigation system with several red and only a few blue lines something spoils the mood. The almost three-hour drive north begins with a traffic jam that you only see in movies. 65 miles per hour, or around 105 km/h, are allowed here. However: Instead there is on the six-lane highway For now it’s just cars rolling slowly along, even though there’s no construction site in sight. Too much is simply too much, the normal madness of a US metropolis.

You will be compensated for the hell of the highway on the journey when the highway is in the coastal town Ventura hits the Pacific and you drive towards the sun that hasn’t set yet. Austria’s team is making quicker progress, one Police escort thank you.

Finally here

Santa Barbara is an idyllic and classy coastal town. The main street, called State Street, runs through a well-kept center with white facades Spanish colonial stylepalm trees, restaurants that are already half empty at 9 p.m. while the sun slowly sets. A city that doesn’t rush. After Los Angeles, it seems surreal – and pleasant.

Men with fishing rods stand on the pier and wait patiently for something. Maybe that’s the difference to L.A.: Here you wait voluntarily – and you also like to lie down. The work starts tomorrow. The ÖFB team is sleeping somewhere in this city – and so are we.