Day: May 19, 2006

On route 312 all the way to Shanghai….

Departure this morning was tough, very tough.  The machine had trouble starting.  The right kneed and rib pain were so bad that Serge was nauseated.  He told us: “I’m going to have a short stage, between 65 and 70 kilometers, to get back in shape and to get a handle on the pain.”  Was Serge becoming reasonable?  In the end, he did more than 70 kilometers and reached the camp on foot.

Turpan is known not only for its wind and heat but also for its vineyards and very sweet wine.  It’s an oasis in the middle of the desert and the green of the vines brightens the scenery.  At the 31st kilometer Serge started to climb.  We were going along a “flamboyant” mountain, which wasn’t colorful at all, thanks to a cloud of dust.  What a shame!

There were some strange constructions along the road; brick buildings full of openings.  These are used to dry the grapes after they are harvested.  It was 16H30 when François left us to go to Urumqi; then Shanghai and finally Paris.  He had one last feeding mission, for which Serge had thanks with a big smile to “my little François.”

Everything went well until Thomas discovered an enormous nail in the tire of the four-wheel drive. Luckily, Daniel was there.  In a nearby village the tire was repaired and replaced in record time.  As you can see from today’s photos, women don’t shirk their share of the hard work and here is a good Chinese saying on the subject: Women carry half of the sky.

Serge was in a good mood all day but this evening he is morally exhausted.  “I don’t feel well.  I haven’t slept for three nights because of the pain.”  This evening he took a pain killer and a sleeping pill in order to get some relief.  That didn’t keep me from hearing him moan when he moved in his sleep.  He has to get back his health and he will do it be reducing the number of kilometers he runs each day.  Can you hear me Serge?