We all dream of seeing a World Cup. Some, like us journalists, are lucky enough to travel to cover it and tell the stories as part of our job. It doesn’t always sound, of course. For others, however, it is a dream that seems very difficult to achieve. It is expensive. And even more for us who live in Argentina, with the economic problems that we all already know and which are not worth abounding with, with salaries that cannot keep up with galloping inflation. Traveling is pleasure. But that usually doesn’t happen.
It is true that there are fans willing to do anything to see the biggest football festival up close. We told about it when we went to receive the Argentina national team some time ago at the National University of Qatar. About three hundred fans gathered that day, not counting the local bar, and most had stories behind them.
Many had sold their cars to finance the trip. Others had gone into debt with a loan. You know, passion moves mountains. And it also makes some ingenuity agree with the advertising of a sports brand that assures that “nothing is impossible”.
Would you believe me if I told you that this Thursday I ran into an old acquaintance who Did you arrive here in Qatar a few days ago, paying just 18,000 pesos to get on a plane? I don’t see them convinced. They must think that I am very gullible and this thin man deceived me. However, that’s not the case. He only had to pay so much to get on a plane because he is a serial seeker of opportunities to travel the world on a shoestring.
I’ll tell you the story. Let’s say that this friend is called Roberto. To make it easier. It’s been years since he joined a mileage club. This means that you pay a fixed amount each month to add flight hours. Instead of being a member of a football team or paying for a streaming service, what he does is devotedly put a portion of his salary towards that end. You can do it, it’s true. Others, many, can’t do it…
But he could. Thus, with this advantage, added to the promotions, it allowed him to have the necessary miles to reach Qatar. That is, a trip that would cost between half a million and eight hundred thousand pesos. Ended up getting some coins. Of course, the journey was long: Buenos Aires-Miami-New York-Doha. But I had already decided to come here to Qatar to see Argentina in the quarterfinals. And nothing would change his mind.
The other thing he needed was to obtain the Hayya Card, the visa that Qatar grants in order to enter the country during the World Cup. It costs about 40 thousand pesos and the condition is to have a return ticket. And also accommodation. Roberto only had a one-way ticket. But a bad connection gave him time to think about a strategy.
To meet the requirements, he took out accommodation with a refundable payment and also a flight, again with the miles club, to get a return ticket. However, as soon as he complied with the formal request and the Hajjah was approved, he dissolved the two reserves. Therefore, arrived in Qatar on a one way flight only. How come? To get cheaper accommodation and also cheaper return ticket.
Incredibly and by dint of searching, Roberto entered Qatar. Of course, he still hasn’t found an accommodation. But there was no drama. At one place where he went to inquire and they told him they didn’t have any rooms available, he realized that he was only 20 percent occupied. Here because, after several days of travel, he took advantage of this and entered an empty room. Shower and nap that turned into a restful sleep.
He lacked tickets to see Argentina, of course. And that wasn’t impossible either. This had to pay quite a bit of money to get a seat in the Lusail stadium. He didn’t care much, of course. He had come for this.
I just sent you a message asking you if everything you said in this travelogue was true. If I wasn’t wrong about something. It took a while. “Excuse me, I checked into a hotel, took advantage of it and spent the afternoon in the pool. Now I’m going to the flag”.
There’s nothing to do. There are people who always manage to get where they want.
Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.