It’s the times that want that. Words escape from the dictionary and end up getting lost along the way. We forget its meaning and we say: “It’s extraordinary” for everything, for nothing. In our world that is a little too formatted, calibrated, programmed, the slightest unforeseen event therefore becomes an adventure: looking for a place to park or a quick checkout at the supermarket.
Because on our planet, there is not much left to see, to do, that has not already been seen or done. In the depths of Papua New Guinea – and the anecdote is true – arriving in the remote village of a tribe, we thought we were setting foot on unknown land, when a Papuan told us that the show Ushuaïa had already come to film everything.
While waiting for the crazy project of reaching the Moon or living one day on Mars, the adventurers, here on Earth, can be counted on the fingers of one hand, mountaineers or sailors. The Himalayas or Cape Horn, Védrines or Le Cam. Perhaps this is why the Vendée Globe fascinates us so much. 40 at the start but thousands wanting to hoist the sails to tour, with them, around the world.
Many dream, in fact, of turning on the flashing light, leaving the ring road to go play with the ocean, challenge the waves and the wind. The boats left on Sunday, leaving our lives in suspense on the quay. Because the Vendée Globe is the last great adventure that we can experience vicariously, once every four years. So if, in the next three months, at the table, in the office or at the red light, we don't respond right away, you shouldn't blame us. It's just that our minds will be elsewhere. On a boat, in the middle of the ocean.
