Despite another fine sleep the fact my eyes continue to seriously itch is starting to really annoy me. Today the weather really couldn’t decide what is supposed to do. One second its freezing and then the next it is hot and sunny. When the wind blows in it suddenly starts raining.
The whole day took a long time to get going, I was in the press office by 9.15 but it took a while for the Mitsubishi team to roll into scrutinnering and I set about a method of identifying who was who. From a long shot on the tiny monitor I’ll be speaking to, it will be impossible but they have kindly bordered the air intake with different coloured tape. All the lead bikers were due as well so I set about memorising their colours as well.
2pm was the date for the first Press Conference, Team USA and Robby Gordon. I sat hoping others would do the question asking. It had been a while since I had spoken (I have yet to master French) and my voice didn’t work when I did chirp up. I sounded pathetic, like a nervous little kid. Luckily I got an answer and it wrapped up rather quickly.
The big news of the day was that the French Government had told all French citizens not to go to Mauritania where the rally is to spend much of its second week. Emphasis on this year’s route is firmly placed on the Mauritanian sands. It doesn’t look good. The rumours flying about included the fact ASO had booked out a plane for Saturday to take the organisers, and me, back to Paris, effectively implying that the rally might be cancelled. The other idea that Alesandro hates, he’s a Dakar purist, is that it may we stop in Smara, 5 days in. ‘This is not a Dakar, it would be a Morocco Rally’.
The Debate went on all day, mostly in French though I was beginning to tune my French ears to understanding more.
A welcome face appeared later on, Allard Kalff, a characterful Dutch ex-racing driver and now Motorsport TV presenter. Amazingly he recognised me and so we chatted for a little while…I’m sure he was thinner last time I saw him?
By about 5 I was ready to pack up and go back to the Hotel, I was chronically bored, even of procrastinating on MSN, Facebook etc. Then Christophe said I was to script and voice the look back of the first programme in about 3 hours. Hang on that’s…8pm, uh! I boldly got on with research, popping into the edit suite to see the shape of the piece every so often. He was right, at 8, after Alesandro had checked the script for factual glitches I laid my voice in. I did 2 takes because the Editor was getting used to the new equipment and it went well. Adelaide, the WATTS creator from Eurosport said ‘C’est tres bein pour les petit enfant’….. I understood that!
Myself, Alesandro, another Eurosport producer and Adelaide went for supper over the road in a small Italian. Another amusing affair, as I quickly emptied my glass of red wine into my gut and then suddenly could understand and speak French with ease! Alessandro started teaching me Italian insults and delirium set in! It was set off when I started cutting my pasta, a huge insult to Italian Alesandro. ‘Le grand roast beef’ he referred to me as! Alesandro was not happy with the Lemonchello either, from the jovial discussion he was having with the waiter I think its supposed to be Limonchello!
My final surprise was I had forgotten to take the do not disturb sign off my door and thus I ended with a dirty room to sleep in, great!
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