Tuesday 2nd August 2016

I had meant to be in work for the team brief at seven, but after being told I wasn't required, I didn't set the alarm, but did intend to show my face. However, I woke at half six, not giving me enough time to get to the office. But it would have been close. Anyway, I threw open the curtains and after imagining it was a dull cloudy morning, was confronted instead by another glorious sunny morning, with the whole vista from my room window as pretty as a picture. If a working harbour could be described as pretty of course.

I realised that I had slept for nearly 10 hours, and felt something unusual, what was that? Oh yeah, well rested.

I get ready for work, then go down for breakfast expecting it to be full of teenage footballers, but finding just a few other early risers about, I have the usual cereal and yoghurt with coffee, rusing to wolf it down to see how early I could get to the office.

I make it in for ten past seven, but don't got for the team brief, as it will be in Danish and they would have to switch to English for me, so I set up in an empty office and begin to deal with the hot issues of the day.

It is a testing day, but we all fight the good fight, battling the forces of evil and incompetence. We do our best.

Lunchtime comes around and I go into town to pick up a bagel from Aunt Betty;s' garlic bagel, with garlic cream cheese, bbq chicken, pickles and garlic dressing. Thankfully I wasn't sharing an office with anyone.

Outside the offices, the sun continues to shine, and at half three when the technicians left for the day, I saw little reason for staying, as I could work from the hotel room, so I go back to the Scandic, set up the computer, put on the radio and take to my bed and snooze on and off for a couple of hours.

At seven I feel hungry, so walk to the main square, up the deserted main street to Dronning Louise for dinner; cheeseburger, fries and Kronenberg. Its a hot evening, and the citrus flavoured beer is perfect. I have a second beer, but can't finish it, so settle the bill then walk back down, into the bright light of the setting sun, passing the whole squad of players from Sporting Lisbon. They seem very bored. In the hotel bar, their coaches are having a relaxing beer.

Once darkness falls, I watch one of the installation vessels, with its for jack up legs, cast off and move slowly out to see, into the gloom of dusk, and then out to sea. I watch its lights fade into the distance, then vanish as it rounded the headland of Fano.

Buy now it was eleven, and well past my bedtime; I wasn't tired.