With even more sun forecast for Monday, it seemed only right to make the most of it by going out orchid hunting at least and then seeing what would be left of the day. I called my friend Gary to see if he would like to tag along, as you can’t beat a good orchid shot. I mean, they’re not going to fly away are they?
So, we set off just after then, heading for the Elham Valley to check on how the Monkey Orchids were coming along. Monkey Orchids are amongst the rarest of the British orchids, and one of the best sites in the country is near where we live. So, a quick blast up the M20, and up the valley, turning off onto one of the narrow lanes, we did several people already there and us taking the last of the three parking spaces.
We headed into the meadow, and still the early purples were in full bloom, although many are now coming to the end of the season and so not quite at their best, but for the last weekend in May that is amazing. I scoured the slopes, but could find no evidence of Monkey spikes, until as I stood waiting for Gary and Jools to catch up, I looked down and there was a spike just showing white and pink; clearly a Monkey. I snapped it just because we were there, and then both Gary and Jools did too. I saw another spike nearby as well, so hopefully it is going to be a good season for those orchids too, even if it will be several weeks late.
We headed over to Stelling ,back to where we were on Sunday, so Gary could see and photograph the Flies. I dropped them at the gate and then went to find a place to park, aiming to catch them up when they were hard at work, snapping the tiny orchids. However, pausing at the meadow, I saw a couple of Brimstone butterflies, and determined to snap at least one of them, I stayed stalking them as they crossed the meadow before flying high to the treetops. I got no shots.
Jools and Gary came to see where I was, and as we talked both Julie and I saw the butterfly at the same time: a small green thing, fluttering just above the grass. I recognised it instantly, even though I have not seen one before, if was a Green Hairstreak, and so the game was now on to get a shot of one of these. Thanks to the bright sunlight, they were all very active, and not resting for long, but I got a few shots, crawling up to one as it settled in the grass before scaring each one away. But I was happy enough to get the shots I did, it was a start.
I got some more shots of the Fly Orchid, and walking back Gary spotted a Green Veined White butterfly in a hedgerow, and we both managed to get shots as it was blown around in the breeze.
By this time it was nearly one, and so that was it for the day, and I had the week away to prepare for, so we headed back to Dover, dropped Gary off and headed home for late lunch and some sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine whilst we ate our rolls. This is the life.
I spent the rest of the day getting ready, and editing photos, which diverted me at every turn. I cooked a stuffed loin of pork for dinner, which was very nice indeed, and very soon the hours in the day ran out and it was time for bed as I was to be up at the crack of dawn for the usual commute to Esbjerg in the morning.
Tuesday.
The alarm seems very early. I want to lay in bed all day. I don’t sleep well in the summer due to the light, and so I felt like crap getting up and getting dressed. I know the drill by now and so go on autopilot at the station, get my ticket, wait on the platform, get on the train, snooze to Stratford ignoring the babbling commuters, across London on the DLR to LCY, check in, drop my bags, go through immigration and I am so darn hungry! So I go to the restaurant and order a full English and so sit and watch the news on the huge TV and then tuck in to a tiny breakfast, tiny considering it cost nearly £13!
We board the plane, and after taking off head through the rain clouds soon after take off so nothing to see. I fall asleep and doze the entire flight.I miss lunch, drinks, ice cream and liqueurs. Oh well.
At Billund I collect by bag, head to the car hire place and pick up the keys to my steed for the week. A crappy Hyundai hatchback, which it seems is keen to use the full tank very quickly. I drive to the office and arrive for the afternoon of meetings, barely able to keep my eyes awake let alone my attention.
At five we finish for the day, I drop Steffen off at his house as his bike is broken again, it’s a nice drive out to his place at least. I check in, then head out for dinner; being my first day it Bones with a helping of ribs. That done, there was really nothing left other than to head to my room for a shower and to bed early as I had a two hour drive to Randers in the morning.
Goodnight.
Wednesday.
About 18 months ago, my Sunday evening was shattered that my colleague Helle had been killed in a road accident here in Denmark. It was one of those pieces of news you never think you are going to hear. Accidents happen all over the world, but its never anyone you know, is it? Well, sometimes it is. Back in those days I did not travel much, so there was no real chance of attending the funeral, and anyway the service would be in Danish, so I would be unable to understand.
Therefore, I did not attend the funeral, and so it passed that she was laid to rest and left a hole in our lives. Another colleague, and Helle’s best friend was on holiday in Thailand, and she also could not attend. So, in the intervening period, Anni and I agreed to visit Helle when there was an amount of light so we could go after work and not have to travel in the dark. And yesterday was the day we went. In the end it was the day before what would have been Helle’s birthday. In other words it was the perfect time to go.
But I had to get from Esbjerg to Randers, do a day’s work and then we could set off up the motorway to Aalborg. So, I ventured onto the road network at rush hour, but rush hour here is different to one in London anyway. So, it took me a couple of hours to drive up there, through roadworks and queues of traffic, arriving at our old offices at about half nine. These offices are to close next month, and we will move lock stock to Arhus, to a new building which seems to have dragged the company down, financially anyway. But it looks lovely!
I had meetings, as is the case, and managed to stay busy the whole day until three when Anni and I left for Aalborg. The drive gave us time to catch up, which was nice, and as we got nearer we talked about Helle. At the church we planted three plants near her headstone, and we talked some more. The rain held off and even the sun came out.
We decided to leave after about half an hour, I think it gave us both closure, and we were pleased we made the trip. For me it was for a colleague, but for Anni if was a good friend of many years. Not sure how she, or Helle’s family will ever fill that hole in their lives.
We drove back south, dropping Anni off at Randers. And then I had two more hours to get back to Esbjerg. Nothing much happened on the trip, just that the Hyundai hatchback ran low on fuel and I had to fill the bloody thing up, and going over 110km the engine noise was so loud I could not hear myself thing, so I tootled along.
Time to dump my bags off in my hotel room, make it to Paddy’s. I was thinking England were playing that evening, and I wondered if they would show it. I then remembered we were playing Ireland, so it was a daft question. I then made it to Dronning Louise for a burger before heading back to Paddy’s for the game. I wasn’t going to have much to drink, but I met a guy who I work with, and a pint of red lead to a whiskey to another beer to another whiskey. And so on.
It was a good night even if England stank the place out.
Next up: Thursday.
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