January 2 - The Leamington-Lisbon Rally

Jumped as the alarm went off at 6 this morning, rolling sleepily out of bed and into the shower.

Washed and dressed in all my Dakar gear, went to kiss Leah goodbye for three weeks, our longest seperation ever, barring three weeks in Dakar with John Hindhaugh, before we were even properly an item. (Leah and I, not Hindhaugh and I - we've been an item for YEARS!) On balance, probably NOT waking up Sam (4) to kiss him goodbye was the better choice, even though I told him I would kiss him before I went. No tears, and the taxi on time out in the cold and dark.

Birmingham airport shops yielded a neat little Canon Ixus, so hopefully I will be able to take LOADS of pics, to accompany these missives. None today, as the empty interior of an anonymous press office in a conference centre in Lisbon is hardly the stuff Man Ray would have made something out of.

Flight to Paree passed off without problem, as did the transfer to Lisbon flight. Fellow ASO bods easy to spot, a large clump of folks in grey jackets and/or teal sweatshirts, so I said hello to a couple of faces I know from Eurosport and Le Mans, while we waited to board.

Departure delayed by 30 mins (it was Paris, after all!) and bags took an hour (literally) to arrive after landing in Lisbon. Coach with the other guys to the Cultural Centre of Belem (title, not description), where the Press Office is located, then more hanging around. Dinner at our hotel is booked for 9pm, it's currently 8.15 and no sign of any of the car-driving members getting ready to go.

Encumbered by 100-litre bag of gubbins for Africa (bed, clothes, etc) as well as jumbo back-pack for Europe and office backpack, I have plenty to carry... ah, we're leaving right now, apparently...

That paragraph was written three hours ago, in which time, we've found our hotel in Lisbon (and no scrotty 2-star Euro-dump, thank you very much - this is a very swanky 4 - at the very least ane more likely 5 - star place, with very nice rooms) and mustered for dinner - also very nice.

Too many subjunctive clauses there.

Anyhoo, dinner was very nice and I got to more firmly fix some important names to faces. Most of the gist might have been partly lost on me but it was essentially a briefing for the 4 camera guys who'll be stationed in the bivouac (as opposed to the guys out in the helis or trucks on the course) dividing up the teams and national TV responsibilities.... "Franck, you're TV Poland, Kamaz and the Slovenians..." and so forth.

Food excellent (fish! yummy!) and everyone was relaxed and looking forward to it all. Including me. Now I'm here, most of my nerves have dissipated and I'm just doing what I normally do: i.e. trying not to f*ck it all up!

Unusually, this time, however, I am following people around like Mary's Little Lamb, in the hope that if I have at least one reasonably important teal sweatshirt in sight, I can't be too far away from where I'm supposed to be.

Not much of a plan, I'll admit... but all I have right now - and it did get me fed and watered!

Now fast approaching midnight (real English time as well, not your poncy CET) so I need to get to sleep. The plan is to be in the foyer at 0720, wheels up at 0730, for 0800 start to Verifs technics (Scrutineering to you and me.) However, I have been offered the easier option of coming in on a shuttle at maybe 9am.

Like the trooper I am, I think I will join the others at 7.30. It'll mean a much longer day but on Day 1 proper, I'd like to at least show willing...

So off to bed for me...

Sleep well boys and girls.