January 4 - Now let's get a few things straight...

Sorry about this - but those of you who have taken some perverse glee in the thought of me punishing myself by actually COMPETING in the Dakar are in for some disappointment...

No, the Morris Minor is not entered...

No, I am not driving, riding or navigating...

I am just poncing about, as usual, pretending to be a journo.

In fact, I am working with the organisers, voicing their daily 26-minute highlights programme, featuring all the day's action, interviews etc. And hopefully some insight from your's truly.

Luckily for most of you, Eurosport are likely to re-voice the shows, as they have their own Live broadcast each evening and for those of you tuning in to OLN, they too will probably revoice the whole thing.

You'll just have to take it on trust that I am actually going to be in Africa slumming it and not sunning myself on the Algarve / Mustique / Mauritius, as would be normal at this time of year (obviously! us TV guys get paid a FORTUNE!!)

That's it for now...

more later



So, the day again started early, for a 7.30 departure. Very foggy this morning, but it had mostly burned off by about 10.30. Again the tech check process seemed to get underway very slowly, in fact there were still a few from yesterday being done first thing this morning, as they were not seen before closing time (10pm) last night.

Brought myself more up to speed on some major faces, as the Mitsubishi and VW teams, who are likely to battle it out this year for victory, were both going through today. Mitsubishi's red armada (not shown left - that's an Audi TT, as any fool can see... space-frame underneath and Porsche-powered... the Dutch seem to have a lot to answer for!!!) arrived in the am, along with seemingly every other Mitsu in the entire event (I guess if you're going to see a few Pajeros, you might as well see them all, rather than chop and change every hour or so!) Many many support vehicles as well, all impeccably prepped, as you'd expect from a team with 25 years' experience of the event and the system.

VW looked no less professional and in their third full year, seem confident that they have everything in place to win.

But, as Ari Vatanen reminded us when we talked to him this evening, on the Dakar, as in life there are only surprises. Some good. some not. You never know what is around the next corner or over the next dune.

Surprising sense from an MEP!! If only a few more of our elected representatives made as much sense and were as much fun to talk to... Always was a hero and hasn't changed.

I find that being introduced as "The New Toby" (my friend and Eurosport colleague Toby Moody - the English voice of MotoGP - did the job for five years before me and put me up for this adventure) certainly helps people slot me into place in the scheme of things. And Tobe, lots of folks have asked to be remembered to you... They all tell me, when they become aware it's my first Dakar, that I will never forget it, it will never leave me.

The nearest I can come to understanding that is my enduring love of Le Mans. Once bitten, as they say...

And if my wife Leah reads that, I'm SO dead... of course, I really mean my enduring love for her and my kids...

Think that helped?

Me neither...

But they DID come along after Le Mans... I mean longest love... should I stop digging, do you think?

It's night-time now and I will finish this before going to have the luxury of watching the firat half of my first programme. It goes out tomorrow night, as a preview and this is the only time that I will see anything in advance, or record my voice before it's broadcast.

Luxury indeed.

But it does bring the start of the event another step closer.

I can't wait to get underway. When I see the first car blast away from the start, I will be happier...

Then, to quote VW's Mark Miller (Hi again, Toby) "I can't wait to be standing on that podiun in Dakar..."

I may not get to step up myself, but it'll certainly be the climax of a huge adventure.

Hopefully, I can take you along for a taste of the ride as well...

Oh, and by the way... thanks for the comments. From some unexpectedly far-flung areas... looks like the email network has been busy spreading the word! I appreciate the feedback already... in a week's time it'll be even more welcome. But don't save it till then!

Night all...