GSWP 80 – Water Polo Tour to Hungary 3 – 17 July 2009

Dear All

Please note the details of the tour below.

The organizer is Mr. Charl Wessels cell: 0834468357 email: wesselsc@stirlinghigh.co.za

Mr. Wessels has much experience in running Water Polo Tours to overseas destinations. Please forward this mail to as many water polo enthusiasts as possible. Can I please ask the Water Polo MIC’s to post this on their schools notice boards.

Yours in polo
Mr. Marius Buys
Chairperson Gauteng Schools Water Polo
9 February 2009
076 800 6983
buysm@stdavids.co.za

Dear All

Hungary is one of the oldest countries in Europe, older than France and Germany. While we are blessed with mineral wealth in South Africa – Hungary is blessed with thermal water over 80% of the country’s area – about 1500 thermal springs. This is why they are so adept at water sport especially water polo.

Day 1:
We depart from EL to JHB and from JHB to Budapest.

Day 2:
We arrive in Budapest. On arrival we meet our coach and check into our hotel. We use the public transport to get to Leanyfalu, a small town north of Budapest on the banks of the Danube, about 10 km from the Slovakian border. Here we play a practice match against the Konu club of Leanyfalu.

Day 3:
We leave for Leanyfalu again to watch league match. We also play a masters side. We also explore the Szentandrei area, a typical small Hungarian village.

Day 4:
Today we visit Margit island. This is the ‘Loftus’ of Hungarian water polo. It is an honor to play in that pool. After the game we visit an all you can eat restaurant over the bridge from Margit island. Here we experience Hungarian cuisine like goulash. Goulash is, contrary to popular belief, not a stew but an artistically prepared thick soup.

Day 5:
We leave for Kecskemet today at 8 am by train. On arrival we catch a bus to the pool. The club we trained with is ‘Shining Seals’ polo club. We spend time at the local mall until our next training session. Back at the pool we visit thermal spring .

Day 6:
Today we visit Lake Balaton where we play beach polo – a four man version of the game. Like sevens rugby is to 15 man rugby. We spend the next two nights here.

Day 7:
Lake Balaton – sightseeing and cycling in the forests around the Lake.

Day8:
Lake Balaton and return to Budapest. Upon return to Budapest, a visit to the Chinese market.

Day 9:
A visit to the BVSC club in north Budapest. BVSC is a club with a lot of history and is famous for the number of Hungarian water polo players it has produced.

Day 10:
Another visit to Leanyfalu to play water polo and train with the KONE club.

Day 11:
Today we go to Eger, a three hour bus drive from Budapest. This small town is renowned for its sporting history, we visit the Sports Museum which chronicles the history of the modern Olympics and the achievements of people from the town. After the Museum we go to the old Eger pool which has a cobble stone bottom and is fed directly from a thermal spring, where we play an Eger boys club. The pool complex is still exactly like it was when it was built in 1925. Playing in this pool is like taking a step back in history as the pool, goals, change rooms and stands are the same as in the photographs from 1925! Playing time is strictly controlled – as soon as one practice finishes, the next group dives in exactly on the hour! After this game we visit the new Eger pool, which is an indoor pool and has an impressive large wooden roof, much like the inverted hull of an old wooden sailing ship. We spend the night in Eger.

Day 12:
Today we practice polo again and visit the historical fort of Eger, as well as tour the interesting dolomite caverns and rural area of Eger.

Day 13:
Today we return to Budapest and the remainder of the day is a shopping day and we also do some sightseeing.

Day 14:
Today we leave from Budapest to Johannesburg .

COST OF TOUR: R20 000 all inclusive
(all meals, flights from Johannesburg, accommodation, public transport in Hungary, pool entry, coaching fees, bus hire) Please note air fare from your city to Johannesburg and return is not included in tour cost. Visa costs are for own cost but if applied for as a group is normally free as the tour qualifies as a cultural/sport tour. Accommodation will be in student residences and youth hostels.

Itinerary may change slightly and is based on activities from 2008 tour with slight improvements.

Tour leader:
Charl Wessels contact 0834468357