Saturday 29th November 2014

Thursday.

Another day, another inspection.

At least with the nine o’clock start, I could lay in bed waiting for dawn to creep under the curtains. I could hear the traffic outside. So I pulled the duvet over my head and snoozed.

I was out of the hotel by half eight, with just a ten minute drive to the next factory. It is situated just outside Esbjerg, close to the sea, and the wind from the east blew through making it feel very chilly indeed. I was glad I wore my extra thick jumper. Hoorah for being sensible.

The day passed well. We had lunch. Did some more inspecting. And at three was all done for the day.

I fired off three hours of e mails before I went to meet up with Steffen at seven. We went to Bones for some fine rib and chip action. And beer.

Talking of beer, we went to Dronning Louise again, and had a pint of local Christmas ale, and a couple of cheeky halfs of Adnam’s Tally Ho, which was very nice indeed.

We decided to head to the sports bar, as Steffen thought that’s where my friends from Paddy’s had been seen. But the younger crowd were in, Jagerbombing, as they do. We had a drink, watch the football, then left for Paddy’s, or what used to be Paddy’s.

The pub quiz was under way, but without the usual suspects in, it wasn’t the same, really. But, full of beer, I made my way back to the hotel for some sleep.

Friday.

Urgh.

I had forgotten to pleasures of a groggy head after one beer too many. Don't get me wrong, I was not drunk last night, but maybe one more pint was drunk than was necessary. So, I laid in bed a while, and then some more, and still some more laying under the duvet.

Time to spring into action, pack, have a shower and get the heck out. Checking out is easy as I am running late, nearly twenty past eight, so the rush of workers leaving is over and there just a few of us in the restaurant munching away. A short drive to the office, and I find that it is very quiet there, what with the latest project winding down, some are taking some well-earned time off. At nine there is another breakfast, rolls and various fillings are laid on, and soon the whole staff gather for something to eat and to do a bit of socialising. Its simple, but effective.

I get more mails written, and attend yet more meetings. I look at my watch and it is already half one. I give it another half hour before I pack the computer up, and by this time there are just two people left at work as most have begun the weekend early. I still have at least eight hours to go, but hey.

Into the car and out the port gates. I manage to get past two massive Siemens nacelles on the back of lorries. I think one took the wrong turning at the edge of town and was heading onto the motorway instead of the port. As I head past the convoy is parked on the side of the road, the driver looking confused. I know the road without really thinking, I take the turning off the motorway, and drive up towards Billund than the massive black clouds I see building. The light of the sinking sun illuminates underneath the stormclouds, and making the leaves look like bright fireworks angainst that dark background. As I'm driving, I can't take shots, but for a while the beauty was stunning. And then the light fades as quickly as if someone had turned a lightswitch off.

I hand the car in, go to check in and I am given my boarding pass and a ticket of the business lounge too. I make my way through security, and up another level to the lounge. I see no one there I know, so I pour myself a free beer, grab a bowl of Doritos, and settle down to read more of the book. THe time passes well, and with half an hour to go before departure time, I make my way down to the gate.

The flight is full, but I have a favoured set with no neighbouring seat, so I am able to snooze once the safety lecture is done and the engines start. We thunder down the runway and climb into the night sky, I close my eyes and doze as Europe passes below me.

I wake up with the lights of the Belgian coast away on the horizon to my right, but ahead I see the lights of the north Kent close. I study the scene and I can make out the shape of Thanet, the curve of Pegwell Bay to the south and think that the bright lights I can see beyond in the distance is the glow from the lights of Dover. Down we go, over the sual route, Shoebreynness, Southend crossing the Thames to Chatham and then round skirting with London until we get to Crystal Palace, at which point we turn to starboard, and I can see Battersea swing into view, with the illuminated bridges beyond. We level out with the Houses of Parliament below us, getting lower over the Barbican, The City. And down over the Excel getting lower, over the last road bridge and finally the runway appears below us and we are down.

If I am lucky, I might just make the seven fifteen train home. Maybe. Once on the DLR train, I know it is going to be close, I don't fret, as whats the point? At Stratford, with two minutes to go before the train to Dover is due to leave, we have the run through the Olympic park to get through, then up the escalator, across to the International station; in short I won't make it. It is twenty past as I walk into the concourse, so I make the best of it and have a gingerbread latte and a cherry cupcake whilst I wait.

When the train arrived, it is rammed. Seems that 'black Friday' is a thing in Britain too now, and people have been up shopping, shopping and more shopping. I squeeze on the train with others, and off we go. Three of us in the vestibule have a good chat and the half hour journey to Ashford flies by. People are so interesting.

On Ashford station I watch as two Eurostars hammer past leaving the overhead wires bouncing A thrilling site seeing a train fly by at 180mph. Our train trundles in some seven minutes late, then has to be uncoupled from the other unit it came in with. We leave 15 minutes late and seem to take an age to get to Folkestone, at each stop the tired shoppers get off and leave me just about alone by the time the last leg to Dover begins.

And so another week away comes to an end, and the really good thing is that I have a week at home now. I can put the case away and enjoy some quality time with Jools and the cats.

And now, the weekend.