Jan Olieslagers:-
No, you're not interpreting it aright (but don't worry: if I was reading a similar story in a foreign language, most of the nuances would get by me too). This was indeed in the United States, hence the reference to the CTAF, while I was on a long cross-country flight. When the engine started losing RPM, I looked for the nearest airfield; fortunately there was one about five miles to my west. I pointed the aircraft directly at it, but because I still had partial power -- even though there was a hell of a headwind -- I arrived there at about 2,000' AGL. So I joined a normal circuit from the dead side. The engine finally gave up on downwind, but I still had about 1,700' AGL at that point and was quite close in.
My not-Mayday call was made as soon as I turned towards the field, not after I had already overflown it.