Saturday 22nd February 2014

Wednesday.

Five fifteen always seems so darn early. We take extra five minutes before leaping into action. Get dressed, finish off packing, make coffee, make breakfast. Time to go at six fifteen, at least it is starting to get light which means I will be able to look out the train windows instead of the dead eyes of my fellow commuters.

It is cold on the station, but the wait is at least short. A departure time drew near, more and more passengers gather on the platform, clutching paper cups of coffee. I slide into my favoured seats on such mornings; a double airline seat that has a clear view out of the window. Amazing how in the 21st century train designers can't manage to line the seats and windows of in a railway carriage; is it really so difficult?

We rattle through Folkestone and onwards to Ashford, the train filling up all the time. I stare out of the window as we speed through South Kent, into the North Downs Tunnel, over the Medway, through Ebbsfleet, under the Thames and across the Rainham Marshes. Down into the tunnel at Dagenham Docks, and the final stretch of the journey is in the dark as we near Stratford.

Cross the station, onto the DLR amongst the workers heading to the old olympic village as the athlete's accommodation are turned into flats. Through Stratford, West Ham, Canning Town to Newham and the airport, where all is chaos: on a Wednesday! But then this is half term and the middle classes are heading to the slops of the Alps with their little darlings. My flight is only half full when it boards.

Up into the blue sky and over East london into south Essex with familar landmarks way down below. I lose sight of Essex as the climb over Brentwood, and i just get a glimpse of the Orwell Bridge a few minutes later, as the arches of the bridge ate in bright sunlight. And then fair england is lost to view. I snooze the rest of the flight, passing on the cold meal, ice cream and minature bottle of whisky that is offered.

Denmark is grey: very grey as we break cloud cover to discover that we are at tree height as we are on final approach to Billund. I am given an Audi A3 for my trip, once inside i select the dynamic drive mode, engage drive and vrooooom; off we go.

It is just an hour to head office, which meant I make the project bi-weekly meeting, and so get all the latest news on our dealings with the customer. And into another meeting, only to be told all has gone to rat shit for the meeting with our customer on Friday, and some fire-fighting has to be done; mails to be sent, calls to be made. And then on with the meeting onto half six and the Danish evening.

I had planned to do some work in the evening, but all I am good for is to slump on the bed and try to keep my eyes open as Arsenal take on Munich in the CL; it is as one-sided as i feared, but it does manage to entertain me until full time, I turn the TV off and head back across the room to bed.