Saturday, May 7^th, 2022 – Swakopmund, Namib

The following lines were said by a great Norwegian explorer named Carl Lumholtz in the end of the 19^th century, regarding his travels over the Sierra Madre, in Mexico. If you add the word dunes, next to mountains, it could very well be applicable to our case: “To look at these mountains is a soul-inspiring sensation; but to travel over them is exhaustive to muscle and patience. Nobody except those who have travelled in the Mexican mountains can understand the difficulties and anxieties attending such a journey” That captures the spirit of crossing the Namib Desert – or any desert!

Crossing a desert strips you of everything … money, titles, surnames, ranks … everything! Depletes your physical strength and challenge your self-confidence.  In the end, you are left with your ability to manage your body, your pace, your mind and, mainly, your emotions.

However, as in life, you also learn that you are not alone. Having someone to share ideas, thoughts, laughs and pain, to cry together or simply to walk silently beside you, is all you need to succeed! And that, we had in abundance in this great and formidable group of people. We will always look back and remember those who were there with us and the time we were part of something exceptional.

It was a nice day in the course. Obviously, "nice day" here means hot and tough. But I was able to finish - which is my objective - and the friendship in the camp is true amazing, both among the participants and the incredible staff from Racing the Planet. It is great to be part of a greatly diverse group. Its makes us believe that what unite us is greater than what separate us.

First night in Camp 1 was great. We are a group of 44 participantes from around 25 different countries. It is a very diverse and nice team. Everybody very accessible, open and warm! I am glad to be part of it!

Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 – Zurich

Successfully landed in Zurich in a flawless flight with Swiss Airlines. Everything was great. Now we start to get in touch with other travelers and learn about some very interesting life stories:

• A lady next to me in the airplane going from São Paulo to Israel to visit her great grandchildren that live in a kibbutz. She was probably way past 80’s and needed the wheelchair to take her around. However, full of energy and successfully communicating with the flight attendants in a mix of Portuguese, English, Spanish and French. She enchanted the whole passenger group next to her. I included.
• A gentleman about my age flying from Rio Grande do Sul to Berlin to make a surprise appearance at his son’s birthday, who he does not meet for 3 years.

Stories of people like us, which sometimes get separate by distance, but never in our hearts and minds!

Passing through baggage check was funny with my old backpack weighting 10kg, that has survived the Gobi March and the Atacama Crossing, full of things required to start the race. A Vaseline lotion, insect repellent and a handful of headlamps drew the attention of the officers. But they were so nice and patient! Afteral, it is for our protection!

Quarta-feira, 27 de abril de 2022 – Zurique

Aterrizei em Zurique com sucesso, após um voo muito tranquilo pela Swiss Airlines. Foi tudo ótimo. O legal é começar a ter contato com as estórias interessantes de outros viajantes:

• Uma senhora incrível que sentou bem perto de mim no voo está indo de São Paulo para Israel, visitar os bisnetos que moram em um Kibutz. Ela já está para lá dos 80 anos e precisa do auxílio da cadeira de rodas para se locomover no aeroporto. Contudo, cheia de energia, ela foi capaz de se comunicar com toda a equipe de comissárias através de uma mistura de português, inglês, espanhol e francês. Ela certamente encantou a todos próximos, inclusive a mim.
• Um “rapaz” mais ou menos da minha idade voando do Rio Grande do Sul para Berlin para fazer uma aparição surpresa ao filho, que mora lá há 17 anos e não o vê há 3 anos.

Estórias de gente como a gente, que muitas vezes apartados pela distância física, nunca são separados no coração ou na mente.

Passar pelo Raio-X foi divertido, com a minha velha mochila pesando 10kg e que já sobreviveu à Marcha do Gobi e à Travessia do Atacama, cheia de coisas necessárias para a corrida. Uma bisnaga de vaselina, um tubo de repelente de inseto e um tanto de lanternas chamaram a atenção dos funcionários. Contudo, eles(as) foram super atenciosos, educados e pacientes. Afinal, é para nossa proteção.

Tuesday, April 26th – São Paulo

All right, then! After two years, I am finally on my way to Namibia, for my third 4-Desert race! It was supposed to have happened in 2020, but the COVID19 got in the way. Well, we tried again in 2021, but our enemy was not beaten yet. Therefore, a second COVID19 wave screwed-up the plans again. But now I am writing from inside a Boeing 777-300ER, operated by Swiss Airlines. Thanks for my long-accumulated Star Alliance miles, under the Lufthansa program, I could book the whole trip to Cape Town, in South Africa. Some parts – like this one here – in Business Class, heritage of my C-Level executive past. Something that does not belong to me anymore. So, let’s take advantage of it and say “yes” to everything they offer me!

I promise my readers – if any - a different perspective:  instead of the winning and heroic undertake fighting for a place in the podium, I will give you the view “from the back of the pack”, where hopefully I will be! Normally, on other accounts of the sort, people never race at night in the long march day. Well, they don´t even need the headlamp equipment. In my case, certainly I will spend the whole night on the track. Therefore, making sure my batteries were brand new was an important step added to my check list. Afterall, who wants to be in the dark, alone in the middle of the desert. Note: I am exaggerating a lot: the course is well marked every 25 meters, there are checking stations every 10Km and cars going back and forth all the time. So, you are never in danger.

I confess I enjoyed entering Terminal 3 of the Guarulhos International Airport, main gateway in Brazil. There was this sensation that things can get back to normal, whatever that means! Although, reading the news from China today, my hearts got very tight with lockdowns in cities like Shanghai and now Beijing!

Sorry … I am speaking too much. Must be the excitement, powered also by an initial glass of champagne and now a glass of red wine. Please, stay with me. It will be fun!

Terça-feira – 26 de abril de 2022 – São Paulo

Pois bem! Após dois anos, finalmente me acho a caminho da Namíbia, para minha terceira corrida da série 4-Deserts. Isso deveria ter acontecido em maio de 2020, mas a pandemia da COVID19 atrapalhou tudo. Tentamos de novo em 2021, crentes que havíamos vencido o vírus ... só que não! Mais uma vez, o repique da COVID19 detonou geral e mostrou que ainda estávamos longe da vitória. Mas agora, estou escrevendo do interior de um Boeing 777-300ER, operado pela Swiss Airlines. Graças às minhas milhas acumuladas ao longo de muitas viagens mundo a fora, sob o programa da Lufthansa, consegui adquirir todo o trajeto até a Cidade do Cabo, na África do Sul. Em alguns trechos – como este aqui – consegui fazer na classe executiva, herança do meu passado de executivo em “C-Level” em empresa multinacional. Algo que – entre nós – não me pertence mais. Portanto, vamos aproveitar e dizer sim para tudo que oferecerem!

Faço a seguinte promessa aos meus leitores – se houver algum: ao invés da tradicional luta pelo pódio, eu darei a vocês a perspectiva vista do “fundão”, lá de trás da mamada, onde espero que eu esteja. Normalmente, outras resenhas nem mencionam corrida noturna no dia da infame “marcha longa”, quando rodamos aproximadamente 80km. Bem, eles nem precisam levar as lanternas. No meu caso, ter certeza de que as pilhas estejam novinhas e ter pelo menos umas 3 lanternas de reserva se torna muito importante. Afinal, quem quer ficar no escuro e sozinho no meio de um deserto. Nota: estou dramatizando, tem marcações a cada 25 metros e postos de controle a cada 10km com carros indo e voltando. Mas, mesmo assim ....

Eu confesso que foi legal voltar ao Terminal 3 do Aeroporto Internacional de Guarulhos, principal porta de acesso ao Brasil. Dá aquela sensação de que as coisas podem voltar ao normal ... seja lá o que normal quer dizer hoje em dia! Por outro lado, ao ler as notícias da China hoje de manhã, o coração se apertou ao acompanhar uma Shanghai em lockdown por um mês e, agora, Beijing.

Desculpem. Estou falando muito. Deve ser a alegria, ampliada por uma taça de champagne e duas de vinho tinto. Nota: para quem leu em inglês também, até lá tinha sido só uma. Agora, duas! ?

Fiquem comigo. Vai ser legal!