A Journo's take on Rio 2016 - Ain't no coffee in Brazil

This abstinence of that bitter sweet taste leaves my tongue searching inside my cheek.

Even that cute fruit-watch of mine bares witness to the distances I am covering. 

Every day since arriving in Rio it has notched up in excess of 21,000 steps and much of that is with a backpack, that both adds weight training, and calories burnt - but still no rewarding coffee!

Any journalistic backpack is of significant weight by the time you have included a laptop, charger, rain jacket, bottle of water, notes, maps, lightweight wallet (no South African journalist can afford to fill a wallet)

and the printed guide book that is carried for the first week until you find the short cuts to a life in RIO. 

Probably the equivalent of a good 'beer boep' at say 10kg!

Ironically the loss of an adaptor has 'Independent' colleague, Lungani, forced to utilise his smart phone to cover these early days of the pre-Games.

The challenge facing Lungani, who in his stand alone status is no longer the lightweight hack of years gone by, is that not since the 1970's, when the UK changed to 3 flat pin plugs, has ANY country in the world,  other than South Africa used the 15 amp round pin plug - Why would they? 

So until he finds that museum relic to keep his lap-top resuscitated, he is confined to his finger numbing typing on a smart phone -the agile chap he is.

However it would appear that in this pre-Games condition, he and I are probably equally loaded and burning up the calories at similar rates, and equally in need of a caffeine kick!

Not since my early school days has my waist protruded further over my belt at the front than my shoulders at the back - so admittedly the backpack has alternately become a 'front pack' in the hope of trying to balance and minimise the back destroying effect of this extra load. 

This action also 'identifies' me as a local in public transport - where men and women 'cuddle and protect' their child-like backpacks - primarily for their affection of the internal contents.

The pushing, brushing, cheek to jowl, bum to bust, of standing, entering, and exiting trains and busses on public transport around this bustling city is a pick pocket's delight.

Adopting a rather safe than sorry approach, and 'when in Rome, do what the Roman's do' attitude to public travel - and 'roam' I do - 10 -15 km of walking, punctuated with short but relatively fast jog-runs, with back pack tightly strapped in attempt to make the official media transport which seem intent on growing a reputation for either leaving 5-10 minutes early, or perhaps its being 15-20 minutes late from the allotted 30 minute service time.

Rio traffic has it's interesting moments in the central area but the green lined lanes, with regularly spaced graffiti-like Rio 2016, speeds the transport along, until the lanes run out, or busses are forced to cross the regular traffic. Actually even being molly-coddled in the official transport burns a few extra calories.

The RIO committee have done an amazing job in recruiting drivers that fit somewhere between Mad Max and Kamikaze pilots, who clearly enjoy giving the figurative middle finger to the queues of cars in the adjacent lane as they hurtle down those games lanes trying to maintain maximum momentum around corners: Like a James Bond martini, you disembark shaken, not stirred!

They will even throw in a little South African sevens player type jinx and shimmy, just to assist the mis-typing for journos who are trying to summarise their last interview as they hurtle towards their next game venue….

Accordingly my Apple watch clicks up a few more calories for jostling around the seats and tensing muscles such that the laptop and bags are tossed to the floor! …. But it's all part of life in the Expresso Lane.

Despite such consistent daily effort and exercise the reward of that weekly boost of black nectar has yet to be Discovered….. I am cruising to my 1200 point Discovery Vitality target by midweek but yet to get that free weekly Vida - café reward.

Chasing down Vitality's brand ambassador, Chad Le Clos (or Closs as the commentators would have), and his barrel-chested coach, Graham, are fast ascending the top of my 'to do' list…

It's time to question Shrey Viranna, (Vitality Chief Exec), about that commitment to Personal Bests, achievements, performance and Vitality's Olympic Support.

I quote: "The Olympic Games is the ultimate platform for achieving personal bests. … At Vitality, we are passionate about helping people achieve their personal bests, by providing all the support they need to take the first step to better health, or to improve on an already active lifestyle. 

As the official wellness partner of Team South Africa in Rio, we hope that more South Africans will be motivated and inspired to get active and achieve their personal best." 

Well the journos are motivated - mostly inspired and certainly active … so come on where is the support? 

Vitality may be providing Rand incentives to medal winning athletes, but perhaps time to acknowledge the veritable mass of PB's and Gold Medal winning, waist-shrinking calorie burns by normally desk-bound journos.

With the volatile Rand, each rewarding coffee could leave a staggering. Brazilian Real in the bank! Real-ly? Seriously ! R30 worth of savings per rewarding coffee! although at this rate of roaming Lungani's savings are set to be countered by the cost of a new wardrobe for the closing ceremony.