Getting back on the coaches an hour after the race had finished, we were soon back in the clutches of AOI organisation (sorry � disorganisation � a Girl Guide could do a far better job). Having all boarded the coach, we then waited an hour to actually get moving and half way back to Ouarzazate, they stopped the coaches for lunch and tried (and I really couldn�t believe this) to fob some of us off with the worst packed lunch I had ever seen. There was no way I was going to put up with one can of coke and one roll with a bit of ham in it whilst at the same time, MDS officials tucked into the �luxury� version with tins of pate, fruit and other treats. The people I felt sorry for were the guys that were just too knackered to complain and who just put up with it � I really couldn�t believe we were being treated like this.
Back at the hotel in Ouazazate (which we had to walk back to as the coaches would only drop people off at the hotel where the French were staying) me and Richard booked into a room and got down to some serious personal cleaning. Gracefully, Richard let me go first and I showered 3 times and had a shave that lasted almost half and hour. Getting back into clean clothes, I almost felt human again and before long was having a beer in the bar with some of Heinz 57.
Now for the good bit. The official �cocktail reception� and prize-giving ceremony at a film set a couple of miles outside the town!!! I had a feeling it would be a waste of time and this, to my delight, was confirmed. As the sun went down and the temperature dropped, we stood around this film set just waiting around without being told a thing. Cocktails? Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!! There were a few bottles of coke around and we weren�t allowed to touch those. After an hour and a bit of this pointless time wasting (I had the impression that Patrick Bauer was delaying things so he could make a megalomaniac entrance by abseiling down from a helicopter), me and Russ called it a day and headed back to the hotel with a couple of locals who had been hired to drive MDS Land Rovers.
The hotel once again made up more the incompetence of the official organisation and provided excellent food for the Brits and the others staying there that night. Heinz 57 had a table to themselves and we had a real banquet along with several drinks and even a bit of a disco before heading for bed.
For all of AOI�s incompetence that I have pointed out, I couldn�t fault them on the two most important aspects of the race: safety and medical. These were tip top and the things they didn�t manage to get right were trivial matters that just annoy you once you�ve taken part in a hard event.
As for Heinz 57 we are all still in touch and have already had the first of what will hopefully be several reunions.
Nick Mayers
October 2002