100 day ceremony

Last night I had a moment.  After a disgusting supper (are we actually in France?)  I went for a walk around the car park. It was very emotional. Some cars were still being worked on and the rally mechanics were all busy also.  There is hardly a car left in the race that is not totally knackered, a bit like the occupants of car 29.  Most cars seem to held together with bits of string and plenty of duct tape.  All have bashes and scrapes and dents and are exhibiting evidence all the hardship they have endured.  When they first appeared at the dock in China, about 120 years ago, they looked so gleaming and fresh.  You should see them now.  Much work will be needed to restore them all to how they were.

I know how they feel.  Next week I will need to lie in a dark, warm room with a scented candle or two and probably some whale music being rubbed with soothing unguents.  Well, I can dream.  The reality will see me in Sainsbury's on Monday.  But that woman choosing a lettuce, looking slightly deranged, might be me wanting to scream and shout  'WE HAVE JUST DRIVEN FROM PEKING TO PARIS IN A CAR THAT IS EIGHTY YEARS OLD!'

So, tomorrow the rally bubble bursts and the crew's will disperse to the 26 countries from whence they came.  It is tinged with sadness for us all.  We have endured six weeks of incredible adversity together.  The pulling together has been terrific, a real band of brothers. It is very levelling to have been through the hardships that we have.  All are agreed that it is impossible for anyone who was not there to fully realise just how difficult this has been both emotionally and physically.

We are in Troye tonight, the capital of the Champagne region; yes, we will probably will, it would be churlish not too.  Tomorrow the remaining 200kms to get to Paris.  We drive from the Bois de Bologne  across the Place de la Concord and up the Champs Elysees through the Arc de Triumph and into the Place Vendome and the finish.  We are in winning order and so, whilst the first car s due at 1.00pm we will probably get there on Sunday morning, being last.  I know that Doug and Anastacia are listed as last but they have hardly driven any of the rally and so do not count!  We will forever have the happy knowledge that we came last in the 2010 Peking to Paris Endurance Challenge.  It is the toughest rally in the world and so to finish is to win.  Only about 400 people in the whole world have been done what we have, a very exclusive club.  Firm friendships have been made which will endure, I am sure.

George has decided to come to Paris tomorrow at the last minute which is very fitting as he was our saviour in Kazakhstan. I've told him to jump in front of the car as we triumphantly glide up the Champs Elysees  and cling on to the running board. He has played a very important part in our rally as without him we would have had to go home. Tomorrow night there is a big party but it will be a strange event as so many families will be there and so the whole rally  will feel diluted.  Then the drive home to Steeple Aston .  The car had better make it.  On the last rally Hugo and Nigel broke down on the way to Calais: disastrous.  It is easy to feel that it is all over but we still have over 200kms to go and anything can happen.  Still, even if we have to push it that car is going to the Place de Vendome tomorrow.

I want to thank all of you that have given so generously to our charity.  Your donations will help some of the poorest children in the world gain access to education and, therefore, hope for their future.  Those of you who have yet to give worry not.  There is still plenty of time to get your credit cards out and help to educate the children of Cambodia.  The children that we help have nothing, literally nothing.   No access to clean water, too little food, no decent clothing, no shoes, desperate housing conditions, no electricity and, often, no hope.  To see the change that the plf is able to make to these children because of the generosity of it's donors is just amazing.   Such small amounts of money can change a child's life and help to get them out of the cycle of poverty that they are trapped in.  So, please my friends, donate what you can.  It takes as little as $25 to send a child to school for a whole year.  Thank you, thank you for all you have given.  You can be reassured that all your money will be used to help the kids.  No one takes a salary from donations and so every cent makes a difference to the children's lives.

Demain a Paris!