Friday 11th December 2015

Thursday

A hangover is something not to be proud of. And in reality I did not have a full-blown hangover, but my head was thumping, but unlike some people, after over-indulging the night before, I am awake at half five and thinking about getting up, as there is the traffic to beat and then a five hour department meeting. A great day ahead.

I have a shower then pack, finding i have a half suitcase full of Danish and Belgian Christmas beer, it clanks as I roll it along. Lets hope the baggage handlers take care tomorrow. I meet the newest member of our department down at breakfast, it is his second day, lord knows what he thought of the antics yesterday. Anyway, he is without a car, so I offer to take him to the office, so we chat on the way and catch up on our respective pasts. As we left at ten past seven, traffic was even lighter than the day before, and we reach the office in about ten minutes, which was remarkable At every turn I was saying the traffic in Arhus is terrible I kept saying, as we drove down an string of deserted streets.

Oh dear, a five hour talking shop ahead. And one which did have an agenda, but it ignored, and I think it is fair to say we never got past the first item. However, I think we did get some agreement on that at least. I go straight into some training with death by powerpoint, just one out of a dozen turns up, which is par for the course I suppose.

It was two in the afternoon, and the sparsely populated office was thinning out more as more and more people headed home. Outside the rain fell steadily, and suddenly I felt very tired indeed. I decided that if I left for the Zleep now, I could be in the hotel and laying on the bed relaxing and drive in the daylight before the rush hour began. That sounded like a very good idea ineed. So I packed up , said goodbye and wished my colleagues a Merry Christmas.

Traffic was light, so I made good progress and was soon on the A road towards Billund. I parked the car up, handed the keys in to the office then walked the two minutes to the hotel, during which I got soaked walking into the wind and rain. I was dripping wet. That settled it, I checked in, went up to my room, stripped off and took to bed whilst listening to the radio, just staring at the ceiling. I did not sleep but for four hours I took my brain off the hook.

At seven, I walked over to the terminal for dinner only to find that the kitchen closed an hour before, and there was just toasted sandwiches on offer. I had one and a Coke, then walked back to the hotel in the light rain. I listened to some more radio until nine, then I gave up and went to bed again, this time to sleep. Phew.

Just one more trip this year, then three weeks at home over Crimbo and the New Year.