However, we have hardly been able to rest in these three “compulsory stop” days; on Saturday, the organisation prepared for us a 900-kilometre trip, more than half of it on tracks and yesterday we were awarded with another 500, fortunately on roads.
As we were leaving those countries with a more traditional religious culture, such as Morocco and Mauritania, the villagers are showing themselves more open and welcoming. On Sunday afternoon, when we arrived to the city of Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Fasso, where we are now spending our rest day, we were surprised by the way people received us. Thousands of people came out to welcome us, greeting us and shouting in French Le rallye, le rallye. It was good, it was a warm welcome both for the riders and the assistances.
In Bobo Dioulasso we have all tried to recover strength and get ready for what´s coming up. Yesterday Jordi Arcarons found a hotel with sufficient hygienic conditions for the riders to spend the night. A shower is a valuable good at the Dakar and our Team Manager wanted to reward us after the tough last days with the possibility of a wonderful shower. After so many days of dust, sand storms and dirt, feeling clean, although it´s only going to be for a couple of hours, is a great reward.
Today has been another working day for all of us, although at a different pace. The mechanics began to dismantle the bikes yesterday to prepare them for the engine change, which will be carried out, according to the team´s plan, on the rest day. Meanwhile the riders have been resting, getting back strength and hours of sleep, checking the road book for the next stages and having some relaxing massage by the “physio” Jordi Esparó. Jordi Arcarons goes from the hotel to the bivouac and from the bivouac to the hotel, checking everything a bit and preparing the next days with the riders.
Press work has not rested either, and despite having changed my particular press room today, i.e. the improvised one in our assistance vehicle for a tent of the organisation at the military airport we are now. It´s actually been a day of little rest and a lot of movement. Sending photographs, writing a press release, press conference with the riders at the tent; and this evening we have a dinner with the Spanish and some Italian journalists at the only decent restaurant of the city at the Lebanese Hotel. It will be an early dinner, because any excess can be extremely expensive here and some of us have to start activity tomorrow at four o´clock in the morning. Tomorrow the Dakar will start its final sprint and all of us, riders, assistances, mechanics and journalists have already our minds set on the capital of Senegal and Lake Rose.
