Was it John Fogarty who wrote "Baby I'm A Travelling Man"? Well, I know what he means. Longer layovers between flights slow the pace of things (good, for me anyway) but they mean it takes a long time for the journey to finish (less good). Sitting in Johannesburg airport waiting for my final flight to Durban (an hour and a bit) and then a bus to Pietermaritzburg (2 hours or so). That will make it about 33 hours of moving or waiting - long enough I think!

Flights have been good; to Singapore, my first flight on an A380 and on the upper deck is great, lots of room, quiet and it's all new, so it all works! Conversely, after Singapore, on the old 777, tight for room, smelly, and worn . . ...... but the best airline meal I have ever had for breakfast this morning! When I had finished it, I though I should have taken a photo of it, but instead I wolfed it down! Seafood noodles with two prawn dim sum, plump fresh prawns, bok choy, fish pieces, sliced fresh red chillies and a side of pickled jalapeños - just fantastic! It was preceded by fresh fruit salad and followed by a fresh roll and coffee. a real change from the usual dross on a plane.

Anyway, away from the gastronomic and onto the astronomic. On arrival he I saw my bike for the first time since Melbourne and it's OK! I ought not be surprised but I was, given the way things have gone lately. On that note, the road rash is healing well in most places but a couple are still weeping out of the dressings in the most disgusting way! I are ally hoping to get a short ride this afternoon in Pietermaritzburg (just PM from now on, OK?), as I am nearly stir crazy with inactivity. No ride since last Tuesday may yet turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Let's say that motivation is pretty high! I just need to use the engine management system this week to not cook myself with my enthusiasm or getting caught up in the occasion, particularly in the Time Trial on Thursday.

So the plan for the week is as follows:
Today - assemble bike and 1 hr easy if time before dark
Monday - sleep in, stretch, assemble lunch and recce the whole 100 km course in two, slow, parts
Tuesday - ride twice, one 20 km slow recovery and second session being 6 flat out kilo intervals
Wednesday - single recovery roll of 20-25 km
Thursday - steady pre-race warm up session early then slow ride out to the time trial course and compete the ITT (28 km of basically flat terrain)
Friday - easy 20 km recovery
Saturday - pre-race, warm up in the morning and race at 1 pm (9 pm AEST)

More details on the race, and hopefully a bit of colour and movement, rather than just words, in the next installment.