Day: May 2, 2006

10,000 kilometers in 134 days 18 hours and 6 minutes

Wind, wind and more wind … I like Icarus

After a noisy night (trucks, dogs and several dozen workers glued to our camper) the new team took off in the sunshine: 35° Celsius in the shade with 15% humidity.  The air is dry, too dry.  We all have trouble with our noses bleeding a bit when we blow them in the morning.  Serge is drinking a lot.

At 13H06 Serge passed the 10,000 kilometer mark, sooner than he had anticipated: less than 135 days instead of the 142-143 he had set himself.  He is very proud of himself.  His next goal: the 300 marathons, even if he has to keep in mind that he hasn’t reached the end, because the road is still long.

We have entered China through the Xinjiang province, the largest in the country.  This arid region represents 16% of the People’s Republic of China.  From its history, its culture and its population, Xinjiang is closer to Central Asia than it is to China.  The population is essentially Uighur, who speak a Turkic language, like their neighbors, the Uzbeks, Kirghizes, Kazakhs.  They are Muslims.  Relations with the central government in Beijing are not always good and it wasn’t long ago that you needed a special authorization to visit this province, which is very strategically located with it’s 8 border countries (I leave you to your Atlases).

At the beginning of the afternoon, the wind came up slowly and reached it paroxysm as we went to bed.  It will be an almost sleepless night for Ludo and Daniel, who are sandwiched into their tent.  There is sand everywhere.
We are thinking about Jean-Marc and Benjamin, who are spending the night in Beijing before leaving China tomorrow afternoon.