Sitting awake trying to work out why I cannot fall asleep is an annoying habit that I have. It doesn't happen often. Was it the continuous whiring noise of the air conditioning that was stopping me from nodding off? The family in the room across the hall, opening their door to make their way to the terminal depature lounge? Perhaps the reason is the fact that I feel bloated and have terrible wind (thank God I have gone to bed on my own tonight). Maybe I am missing my wife and the cats - not the children yet, though. No, it must be that I am like a kid on the night before Christmas. Too bloody excited. So, now what to do? Start writing to waste some time and hope that 0530 comes round sooner rather than later, I guess.
Still awake and now on the plane heading towards Toulouse. Time is 1008 and we are up in the air. I now realise that I do not travel by plane too often and, when I do, I am very reliant on Mrs Howard to sort everything out. My carbon footprint for travel is next to nothing. I gave up driving a car 7 years ago, use public transport if required and cycle everywhere else. Greta Thunberg would be proud but for the fact that I now find myself flying for the first time in years. Anyway, the effects from my tiredness are being exposed. For a start, how was I to know that I could only take a certain amount of liquids and creams in my hand luggage? I am a cyclist. Cyclists need; absolutely NEED a tub of chamois cream. It is not cheap either so I was distraught when I had to hand this over at the security check in. I also need deodorant and antiperspirant, the type that does not leave yellow marks under the armpits. I had to hand this over too, as well as a new full tube of sunscreen. There would have been a full blown argument if they asked to seize my energy gels as well. Uproar and pandemonium. An argument that I knew that I would not win. Fortunately the energy gels were safe. I was completly panic stricken just before this though. When trying to squeeze all of my creams and liquids into a tiny plastic bag for security approval, I had put my folder down containing my boarding pass and (more impotantly) my passport. It was not in my hand luggage where I thought I had put it. It was not on the counter where I seperated assorted lotions and creams to avoid saddle sores. It was not in the immediate or surrounding area. PANIC! Oh my god I had managed to lose the two most important documents of the day. What now? I couldn't do anything apart from recheck my hand luggage and there it was. What a buffoon. What a berk. What an imbecille. Nothing can go wrong once I leave the UK can it?
We finally land in Toulouse and catch a coach to take us to Luchon where we will be staying for the first night. I manage to get an hours sleep on the coach and when I open my eyes, I am surrounded on both sides with the green foliage covering the Pyrenees. First impression was how fantastic it all looked. Second impression was; how on earth am I going to carry on climbing up these mountains day after day. They made the Brecon Beacons look like a storm on a boating lake. Still, I guess only time will tell.
Towards the end of the afternoon, all of the riders had been sized and fitted for their carbon steeds by the tour guide Ian Potter and colleagues. I have to say that I am very impressed with the bikes that have been provided. A quick spin to check that all the bikes gearing and everything is working okay before heading back to the hotel. Last but not least we will have a quick briefing before dinner on tomorrows ride, followed by dinner and then bed. I cannot wait to get to sleep!
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