Team Odyssey: April 2006

Friday, April 14, 2006

467--End Day 6

Well, just finished day 6 - the Marathon Day, only 11.2km to go, but through the Kings Dunes, need I say more? Guess you all know about Paul & George by now, real bummer but they stayed with the camp which has really hlped morale.

Day 2 was tough with record drop outs, but day 3 was like the Tet Offensive. The evening sky was red with the glow of distress flares, one Irish guy taken home in a coma one two others had heart attacks. Extraordinarily hot, humid and windy, leading to all time record abandonments. Organisers were forced to rethink the amount of water we were given!

Day 4 was the long day, starting at 10am and I finished at 0330hrs, bushed!! Day 5 was a rest day as some people didnt finish until after midday. I spent it on my back and we were treated to a can of coke in the evening, never tasted so good!

This has been one hell of an experience & fingers crossed I will finish it tomorrow. Simply unforgetable. Many thanks for the emails. M

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ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE
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Tuesday, April 11, 2006

465--disqualification disappointment day 2

mike bravely continues into day 3 but george and paul have to withdraw due to a time penalty disqualification at check point 2 on day 2. camels no where in sight but weve only found out that days and checkpoints have to be completed in set times so us slow steady plodders get caught out. Anyway all support now to mike. we are deeply disappointed but apologies and thanks to everyone for their support its been quite an adventure so far. luv to tess and phaedra.

467--Day 1

Hell on earth. Please forgive the spelling
its a french keyboard. Must be brif as email shop closing. Whole team allowed to start despite dodgy medicals. 41 degrees today 28km. Harsh terrain. Mike struck out ahead and stumbled in in -
6 hours the other 2 lay abouts got caught in a sandstorm and spent an hour snoozing at checkpoint two. Just had tea and now off to bed - at 8 o clock - unreal. Everything covered in sand and the whole tent starting to smell. Harsh sandstorms yesterday made the admin day v unpleasant though we were supplied with wine and beer at at tea! Thanks to those who sent emails today, you know who you are and they were very very welcome after such an awful day. Sanch, this race was made for you!!

Must go, shop closing. Keep sponsoring us, we are earning it!!

Love to all

Team Odyssey

Thursday, April 06, 2006

T'was the eve before.....

Well the time has arrived. Paul and George arrived in London this morning after having their departure from Newcastle filmed by Look North - media whores!! We now find ourselves holed up in a flat by the Thames surrounded by carbo-bars, vacuum packed freeze dried "food", energy powders and some doubtful looking tablets from the USA that are said to be electrolytes. I'm not sure Thai Customs would believe us. Having spent the day bagging up food, re-bagging and then re-bagging, barely able to believe the weight we are eventually ready to leave. One of the Team stumbled through his medical and only received medical clearance at 4pm today, nothing like leaving it to the last minute!!

A final check of the gear and a quick pint in the Captain Kidd and Team Odyssey, the Pirates of the Desert are ready to go. To Aqaba? Across the desert? Madness....!!

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored us or offered their support in other ways. I'm not sure any of us would have reached this stage without that support. It seems only yesterday that we opened the drunken discussion that led to us being here!! Who would believe it was 16 painful months ago.

We're off............