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+---- Thread: F.C. Kaapstad on Safari (/showthread.php?tid=10280)
F.C. Kaapstad on Safari - nckkss - 2026-07-25
It was time for the seasonal Kaapstad team building safari trip, on a long day trip from Cape Town.
For the rookies, this was maybe a fun thing to do for the first time, a great opportunity to enjoy the African scenery, the flora and fauna and perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For the older players, it was a chance to goof off and mess around – and play pranks on the younger players.
The safari was actually quite a drive away from their training centre, but the luxury air conditioned coach was great.
The Tour guide was already on board and talking about the “Big Five” – the 5 animals that were historically the hardest to hunt on foot. Today the shooting was purely photography. The guide was not the most interesting.
They arrived at the game park and moved over onto an all terrain safari truck, with open sides to take in a 360 degree view.
“Hey Nick,” one of the older pros called over on the safari truck, “I think there’s a lion over there a ways…”
“Where, where?” Nick leans and strains to try and see – first opportunity to see a real life Lion! “I love lions! Did you know they sleep like, 20 hours a day?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s out there, honestly, keep looking.” One of them replies.
“Did you want to borrow my binoculars to see?” Another player offers, with a smirk.
“Oh yeah, thanks!”
Behind Nick, who eagerly brings the binoculars to his eyes, a cruel smile moves between the players.
“I still can’t see anything?”
“Try putting your eyes right up to the viewfinder.” One says with a grin.
Nick strains to try and look through the binoculars but doesn’t spot the elusive lion – if it is even there. He lowers the binoculars and turns to the other players, who are ready to break into laughter except… there’s nothing.
“Why are you all staring at me? Something on my face?” Nick brushes his face as if removing a crumb.
“...no, actually. Erm… nothing.”
Nick turns back to face the direction the lion was apparently in, the players behind silently argue about who was meant to blacken the eyepieces of the binoculars, one pats their pockets, pulling out a sharpie, while another mouths "boot polish" and "idiot". They failed to carry out their prank.
“Ah, hope we still see one…” says Nick.
Later on and the team are moving through what is allegedly leopard territory, but only if they are quiet. Unfortunately some of the older pros continue a loud conversation about Magyar and London and nothing of any interest is seen.
“Hey Nick, can you pass me something from my bag?”
“Yeah, I can just pass you bag?”
“No its ok just reach right in there without looking and grab my charger?”
“Alright, alright,” Nick roots around and grabs a few things and places them on the seat. A water bottle, a handheld fan, a hyper realistic fake snake, a bag of sweets, a jumper and finally a charger.
“Here’s your charger.”
“Oh… thanks.” The player looks disappointed, sheepishly grabs the bag, tucking the hyper realistic fake snake back into their bag.”
They stop and see some Buffalo drinking some water, and in the peace Nick reflects on where this career has taken him so far. Just Accra and Cape Town so far, really but so much still to see.
“You know, that’s a super rare buffalo,” someone whispers to Nick, “It’s the ligma buffalo.”
“Nah, pretty sure it’s just a water buffalo actually.”
Success was something that was still elusive though. Accra finished their academy season with Nick bang average. This rookie Kaapstad team looked like it might avoid relegation at least, but Paris had the league sewn up.
As they spotted some elephants from a distance (the shy Rhinos would have to wait for another day), the safari came to an end, with a long journey back to Cape Town. A long day, and most players had fallen asleep, Nick was still awake, watching the roadside.
He remembered how often times, the rookies would get a rough ride from the older players, sometimes this bullying was disguised and wrapped up as gentle “hazing”. He never cared for that. Respect was earned, of course, but that was no excuse to be a jerk.
He felt really lucky and only slightly confused that no one on this Kaapstad team felt the need to “haze” him – he was already part of the furniture.
RE: F.C. Kaapstad on Safari - Haramcha - 2026-07-25
Love the trope of the character who's so oblivious to their surroundings that they don't even realise they're being pranked, with the pranks thereby not working - and you pull it off perfectly with Nick here. The sense of movement from the safari setting also works very well with the whole prank scenario, sort of gives it a cartoony feel. Keep 'em coming!