Tuesday 19th July 2016

Summer in Denmark seems to be cold and cloudy, just with more daylight. Things is, you wake up and it is clearly light outside, does it mean it's stll before four in the morning, or is it after eight, in which case I'd be very late for the meeting.

Turns out it was seven, giving me half an hour before I was due to meet with Manu for breakfast, and then drive upto Hvde Sande for the meeting. I bumped into his the night before and said whoever had the best car would drive the next day. Having an A6 meant I was pretty sure I would win.

He arrives as I am tucking into a bacon butty, or roll in this case, and he is well, but tired after a weekend moving house.

Turns out he has a qashqai or whatever Nissan calls them, so I win. And we will be powered by many Audi horses for the day.

We load up, set the air conditioning to ice cold and drive off through the city up the well known road to Varde and then onto Ringkobing from there we would drive to the coast then turn south to Hvide Sande.

The question I do get from time to time is, what is Denmark like: well, rolling countryside, farms, woodlands and bogs, small villages and farms. No point is higher than 170m above sealevel, and for the most part looks the same. Or at least Jutland does. I have been to Copenhagen, and it is really a different country to Jutland.

We drive through the countryside, discussing politics, moving house and work. Life is good. Through Ringkobing and down the coast where many people go for their holidays, mainly Germans to stay in cabins hidden in the dunes. On a dull, cloudy morning, it seems hard to see why. And as Manu says, the cabins aren't cheap, as much as a flight for two to Spain where sun is assured.

Anyway, we arrive at Hvide Sande, go to the meeting room to prepare. And wait.

We are done by half one, time enough to go to Esbjerg and the office if we can get back quick. We take the road south, on the spit of land between the sea and lagoon. Traffic is heavy, and almost all German, but the sun is shining from a clear blue sky, it is so warm its hot, and holidaying here now makes sense.

We feel so lucky in being able to do this, drive along in an air-conditioned Audi, looking at wonderful scenery and calling this "a job". We do resist the lure of an ice cream parlour and press on away from the dune on the back road to Varde and then back south to Esbjerg.

Work is fine, just good to touch base with people, see how things are going. Half an hour later, people are finishing for the day, and so I think maybe I should too.

Anyway, I can work from the hotel room, sit in its cool shadyness and drink ice cold Pepsis from the reception. Yes, that sounds like a good idea.

I have the radio on, try not to take to bed for a snooze, and find that time slips through my hand and I can go down to meet Manu in the bar before we cross the street for some BBQ at Flammen.

A cool German wheatbeer, then the walk, more beer, salad and meat. Lots of meat. I go back for seconds, and am presented with a baby rack, which falls apart. And is delicious.

We round the meal off with a glass of wine, which hots the spot. Now just need cigars....