J200 – 7/5/2006

Storm and rain — a cool breeze — let’s hope it will last!

At 4H00 AM, the storm was at its peak, raining buckets.  Serge thought about delaying his departure.  In the end, at 4H40, he left by car to reach his departure point 20 minutes later.  The rain stopped.

This small road, lined with trees which at times covered it completely, gave us the impression we were navigating in a tunnel of greenery and it was a change from the monotonous four lane road that took us all the way to Hefei.  This part of the Anhui Province is very damp: the rice paddies are full of water and there are many small rivers.  The mosquitos like the ponds and stagnant pools.

Serge set a good rhythm and feels good.  Even if getting up is tough, the morale is good because the day ended at 13H30, in the rain we hoped for.  It enabled Serge to take advantage of his day and even listen to part of the retransmission of the Italy-Germany football match, of which he already knew the score.  Right now the big question is: will France play against Italy in the final?  Serge is even thinking about looking at the match tonight.

The team also took a breather today and nobody perspired.  Even if we don’t have to be in exceptional physical condition to follow Serge, we too suffer from the heat in our vehicles, where the bottled water would make nice tea even without being put in the sun.  In spite of all this, we have to remain dynamic to inspire Serge with the energy he needs on his long race and which he hasn’t had lately. It isn’t easy.  I often say you have to live this experience to understand it.  The life of the followers is no vacation, it’s a race of attrition, caused by the constraints Serge’s rhythm puts on us.  One day I hope to share with you the feelings of the different followers who have taken turns with us for more than six months now.

We are already beginning to  organize the transfer from Shanghai to Fukuoka, which includes the change of team as well as the return of the vehicles to France.  Zette will take care of this for us in Shanghai and will help us organize the transfer to Japan (not easy), where the events planned with Mizuno will take place. Mizuno will also be able to help trace Serge’s route and accompany him in Shanghai.  A big part of the work will consist of emptying the vehicles and packing all the material that will either go to Japan or return to France with the vehicles.  We will only have a morning to do it all.  Zette is already getting ready in Paris and told me yesterday that she wakes up in the middle of the night screaming “I forgot something!”  Sunday she will meet us in Shanghai with the new team….. As for me, like Serge, I sleep like a baby but my head is reeling from morning to night!  You can’t relax for fear of collapsing.

Serge thanks you all for the messages of support and encouragement you have sent during the last few days.  He reads them all, without exception, at the end of each stage.