DAY MINUS 1

After sending last e mail headed bqck to hotel and got soaked with claps of thunder all around. Had some lunch and as we came out sun was starting to shine. We all headed outdoors but after a while I had to go for a walk to get away from the rumours and moans. After a wander headed to market and bought 8 sheets of plastic for each of our tent - who would have imagined we would need ground sheets. Bumped into 2 the guys from our tent group. We had to dive into a bar - not for a drink but to escape the hailstones which were thumping down.

As a result when we got back to the hotel we had missed the announcement - the 24th MdS is due to start on Monday, missing out day 1. Rumours at this stage that the course will still be 242 K but over 5 / 6 days which would make it very tough.

Had to leave hotel at 8.30 this morning to head to another hotel which has been taken over for registration. Set alarm for 7 and got washed and dressed to discover it was only 6.30. I had set alarm on phone which automatically adjusts for BST which has not caught on in Morocco! We arrived about 8.30 for registration which started about 9. As we were at the front of the queue we were all sorted before 10. Then discovered we had to stay where we were until everyone else was registered and official announcements made! They did not start until 4.30 and then with weather deteriorating again we had to queue in very cold windy conditions for a coach and eventually arrived back at hotel at 6.30, some 10 hours after leaving!

Have just got had time to head to pharmacy. Have had a cold for last week and for the second time in my life am developing a cold sore. 6 days without shaving will be bad enough without a massive cold sore on my upper lip.

So what is happening. After all that we have been advised that the event will start tomorrow and day 2 and 3 will take place although the route may turn out to be different to that planned. We know that tomorrow will be in the sand hills so will be tough. After days 2 and 3 we are not sure what will happen. Hopefully there will be some further stages but exactly what and where will depend upon the weather.

Certainly this is nothing like expected. We are all trying to keep positive and get our minds in gear for tomorrow, but this is not ideal preparation. Will try to keep in touch but with all the problems the organisers have faced there could well be technological problems which make e mailing impossible.