Thursday 14th July 2016

I must apologise for the lack of photos from this week. I managed to break the ancinet compact I used to use, and the mobile really doesn't deliver the quality I need. And anyway, just the usual shots out of the hotel room window of sunsets and boats docking.

After two days of near summer weather, things returned to Danish normal on Thursday with love and ominous clouds hovering just above the level of the hotel roof, whilst not raining yet, it was clear it wouldn't be long. And it was dark, or more like twilight, and lights from the harbour showed bright in the gloom.

And what does the day off the working Jelltex? Well, a 90 minute drive to the north of Jutland for a five hour meeting. And this is something that really can only be done face to face.

I had set the alarm for six, so was up, showered and dressed by half past, having breakfast at seven and on the road by twenty past. I drive north to Varde, then take the ring road, all the while heading north. It begins to rain and driving is no longer a pleasure, but something to be endured. The countryside all round is green and lush, and crops beginning to ripen despite the battering they must get from the wind and rain. No wonder the Danes head south for the sun in their droves.

I arrive at the factory with 20 minutes to spare, and find I am the first to arrive. But am shown into the meeting room where another breakfast of rolls, preserves, cheese and cold cuts is waiting. I stick to coffee. Lots.of.coffee.

The others arrive, and the meeting begins.

We finish half an hour early at half one, and that is with a working lunch of typical Danish open sandwiches. They are good, but having them open means having to use a knife and fork, which seems to defeat the whole idea of a sandwich. But hey, what do we Brits know?

I have the long drive back south. I say long drive, just over an hour or so, and the rain may have stopped, but the wind is keen, and bearing in mind I know of colleagues or their families that have been involved in accidents caused by strong winds up here, I am careful and wanting to get back in one piece. Of course.

Back home before four, so in the hotel room, I put the radio on and enjoy Radcliffe and Maconie on delay, but at least it is that day's show. And once that ends at seven, I have to decide what to do for dinner. I think about the options and decide that I fancy another burger, and can't be bothered with the walk to Dronning Louise, so decide to eat at the hotel, where much to my surprise they have a new menu! And there is a new speacial beef, lamb and veal burger; I order that with extra onion rings and a bottle of dark German beer.

I am done, I don't finish the second beer, go upstairs to do some work and call home. A jack up barge is being towed into port, I watch the tugs haul it round the sand banks at the northern edge of Farno and pull it into the dock to the right of me. Good job lads.

And as the day fades, I switch the computer off, set the alarm for seven, as tomorrow I am off home, a lunchtime flight back to Heathrow, then the battle to get across London to get home for the weekend.