MD Bivouac: Sand stuck in throat

Yesterday we took the fourth flight of this flight. dakarthe second and final week of racing begins for this fifth bivouac. In theory, despite the fatigue that comes with every transfer, it should be a reason for joy. More and more. We left the cold night we live in AlUla, Hail, Riyadh. we are heading south of the country, Wadi ad Dawasir, The temperature must have been much better there. But when we arrived at our new camp, everyone had long faces.

In the middle of nowhere, flags marking each area of ​​the camp moved constantly, warning us. It was very windy. The ground is soft sand and so is the air. You breathed sand. Buffs had to be permanently applied throughout the day. My throat hurt.

A dry cough and constant coughing and sneezing came and it was just over. One of the moments that has become a long-standing tradition in the press room is when the legendary Argentine journalist Marcelo Camisa of the radio station “Cadena 3”, He records his chronicle at the top of his lungs, shouting out “Flying Salteño” and other protagonists.

Yesterday, Marcelo had to sing to all Argentines about the victory of his compatriots. Kevin Benavidez and Luciano Benavidez. But he had lost his voice. The voice of experience was replaced by cold and sand.

The worst time would be at night. I found out in the morning. After battling the wind and hammering sticks into the ground to set up the tent, I returned 30 minutes later to pick up my charger at the store. “Oh no!” I cried.. Mats, floors and suitcases were already covered with the first layer of sand.

When you turn on your headlamp to get into your bag tonight, you’ll see thousands of sand particles dancing around your tent. I inhale them all night. What else could happen? What about rain? It hit us already a few years ago. That’s the worst. we cross our fingers. In theory, it shouldn’t be visible. However, in Dakar, I would never say “absolutely”.