I’m sipping a cappuccino in the Marseille Airport waiting for a flight to Heathrow.  It’s a beautiful sunrise over the Mediterranean and I am feeling the effects of jet lag and minimal sleep.

I flew Reno – San Fran – Heathrow – Paris CDG and had a wonderful and much needed reunion with my favorite Gazelles in Paris on Sunday night.  Monday morning before sunrise I headed south on the TGV and arrived in Avignon on the Rhone River.  I’ve passed Avignon several times in the past, in a hurry to somewhere else.  I am astonished at what an amazing place it is – this magical, historical town behind large fortress walls made me feel tossed back to the 13^th century.

I spent two exceptional days with Maienga – the organizers of the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles.  I can understand why they chose Provence as home base as opposed to Paris – I felt quite at home and at peace.  With a nightmare of a travel schedule and operating on almost no sleep for weeks, I felt immediately relaxed when I stepped foot into the offices.

Spending time with Dominique Serra, the owner and creator of the beloved Gazelle Rally, gave me a different glimpse of this magnificent woman.  Serra is a complex person who literally built this event step by step and has fought hard to keep the values and vision.  It is tough to be an event director, promoter, etc. – especially when […]