US International Jay DeMerit has described to his team's official blog what life is like on the road with the US Men's National Team.

Speaking on the blog, DeMerit said, "It was quite the journey - I think almost 28 hours - from Chicago to DC, a layover at Dulles and then on to Dakar, another layover, and finally the flight to Johannesburg.

"Oh, and then there was the bus ride to Pretoria. Guys tried to sleep as much as they could; some are better than others.

"So it was a long trip, but I think the Local Organizing Committee in South Africa did a good job getting us here in the most comfortable way possible.

"Jet lag is never fun no matter where you are in the world and this is no different. I got to see the whole Lakers game from 3:30 to 5:30 in the morning, and I was up and ready for breakfast at about 6 a.m. without any sleep. Training was a fantastic time today, let me tell you.

"It's not every day that you're greeted by song, and that's what we got when we arrived at the hotel. It was special for us.

"It lets us know you're in a place like South Africa, and that's fantastic.

"Those types of things show the spirit of this country and show exactly why they have the World Cup coming here. People seem to have a spirit and the willingness to have fun and to show that they want more people to experience what this country is all about."