PEKING TO PARIS 2024: I DID IT!!!

As a Hero-Era photographer for 15 years now, I expected P2P to enter my heart but I could not have imagined that this would happen for so many other reasons not strictly related to my work. Certainly the camera equipment was put to the test by the dust and sand of the dirt track (Nikon support asked me if I had buried the cars in the dunes…); it was equally challenging trying to chase the cars to the most scenic spots without getting in their way when a single track allowed no margin for error, as well as dealing with hours of post-production when the camp tent was battered by sandstorms (but what a thrill the sunsets and sunrises in the desert were!). But I was thrilled to be effectively, to all intents and purposes, both driver and mechanic of my trusty Toyota Hilux, which I nicknamed ‘323 Blanco’: my experience as an enduro motorbike racer helped me a lot (as did the legendary Hero-Era mechanics, who work miracles!), but the five punctures and a wheel unscrewed during the race raised my adrenalin levels and added a new skill to my curriculum.
Experiencing these incredible 16,000 km first hand highlighted another aspect of this event and one that has won me over the most: in P2P, everyone – competitors, are staff, mechanics, doctors – part of the same crew, of a single team helping each other with a collaborative spirit and giving their all to arrive under the arch of the Paris finish line. I was proud to put down my camera down to help shovel the sand and tow the cars out.
Finally, my inquisitive soul, passionate about human stories, could not help but be won over by the variety of smiles, encouragement and enthusiasm I found in the people who greeted us along the route. I loved the moment on the road when we were surrounded by hundreds of sheep and the shepherds on horseback tried to open a gap between the animals to let the cars pass: I took the opportunity to use the international language of us Italians – hands! – to make them understand that I wanted to take pictures from an unusual angle and in the blink of an eye I found myself riding the horse, camera in one hand and whip in the other!
I also have to admit that I enjoyed the rest days, not only because I was able to visit unfamiliar cities and get to know the local culture better, but also because during the stop in Baku, I had the unexpected and welcome surprise of Roberta’s visit for two days (even though we spent them studying maps, doing laundry and looking for yet another truck tyre change!).
And as I am sure that this rally is a life experience, even more than a car race, my impatient thoughts are already flying to 2025…
Until the next P2P, always full throttle!