J204 – 7/9/2006

15,000 kilometers in 202 days, 17 hours and 28 minutes

It’s a great day for the “blues” and several million French people and TV spectators: the final of the world cup soccer.  For us, it’s a day like any other, except for Maxime, who is terribly excited.  For the boys, it will be a long wait because the match will be transmitted direct at 2:00 AM on Chinese TV.

Serge was red as a beet when he finished his stage, accompanied by his son, Thomas, who ran the last 3 kilometers with him.  If Serge had been a peacock he would have fanned his feathers because he was so proud and happy.  

We celebrated the 15,000 km in a heat wave, at the edge of the four lane highway just before Wuxi.  We were at a stopping place as wide as the peach vendor’s trucks near us.  There was nothing exceptional except the luminous panel which didn’t seem able to cope with the heat: a question mark and skipped spaces, a small hitch to correct before the next thousand kilometers, in Japan.

At last the crucial moment arrived: At 2:00 AM Tom knocked on our door.  Serge was sound asleep.  I put my hand on him, he jumped and after 3 minutes of hesitation got up and headed for the big screen installed in the hotel for this world final.  At 4H45, Serge made his appearance for breakfast.  Disappointment was visible, Les Bleues lost and then Zidane gave the media something to feather its nest with.  Maxime, who has been playing soccer for 10 years was upset: “What Zizou did was rotten because he should be setting an example. Already at our level we sometimes see nasty playing on the field.”  Too much media coverage and popularity don’t make people humble or respectful.

Too bad!