Monday 24th April 2017

No AC/DC to wake me up this morning. In fact, 36 hours later, I can't remember what it was, other than quarter to five is still too early, even if it is getting light. We have a routine now on such mornings, make coffee, feed cats, make breakfast, wash up, getting dressed, seeds out for the birds and so on. Meaning at then to six we are ready to go, suitcase in the boot of the car.

Always the same worries; will the trains be running/late, did I have my passport on me, or my phone. All is good, I get the ticket from the machine, and a couple of minutes before the train is due, other passengers get out of their cars and wait at the edge of the platform.

I get on, and manhandle my large case on; it contains safety boots and a reflective jacket as well as a selection of hopped beers for my boss. Best keep him onside.

Anyway, I get a set on the favoured side of the train, although looking backwards, it'll have to do. The train seemed less full than usual, with only a couple of people standing by the time we leave Ebbsfleet on the last dash into Essex.I had looked on Twitter for signs of delays on the trains, DLR and planes; all seemed good, so I could stop for breakfast at Stratford station, also checking my mails as I make a chicken tikka melt roll vanish. Just like that.

Onto the DLR to the airport, it is busy with kids all dressed smart in blazers n their way to school. I look like a bag of shit with a belt, but that's the way. As usual, the self-check in machines are not working properly, so I have to queue up to get my boarding card printed and case checked in. That took all of 5 minutes, upstairs through security and into the lounge where I can find a desk to work at, if only I could get the pesky free wifi to work.

Work updated, I can relax and ponder whether to buy a book or magazine, as I had forgotten to bring anything. I decide to save money, but also to buy a new memory card for the weekend. And more about that event later.

The flight is called, and after arriving find loads of people waiting, they have new gates which they check tickets before you board instead of when you arrive. So when the flight is ready for boarding, there is a queue of people waiting to go down the steps onto the apron, even though we were being bussed to the plane. Didn't matter if you were first or last on the bus, you would get on the plane at the same time. So, I am last on the bus, nearest the door. So when we pull up at the plane, I am first off, first to the steps and first in my seat. And with no bloody queuing.

And the flight is full, also with the usual first time flyers on this flight; the plane, its so small. Is that it? and so on.

We all get strapped in and we taxi off down the perry track, onto the runway; turn on a sixpence, the engines power up and off we go. We lift into the air, I get views over the airport, to the sugar refinery and then the river. We bank to the right, get views over the city and along the river before we climb into the clouds, and blighty is lost from view.

We are served juice, a cold breakfast and coffee or tea. It is very civilised, and enjoyable, until we begn to drop lower on approach to Billund. It's going to bumpy says the pilot. He's not wrong. I am snoozing, but brough back to the worl of the living as the plane lurches as it enteres cloud, then more sidewinds yank it in the other direction.

Oh Lordy.

But we get down safe and sound, stumble out of the plane to find that it is still February in Denmark. Cold and with a strong breeze. Words fail me. It's like bloody February again.

I get my case, go to the car hire place, and despite there beign a line, I am given the bag with my keys before anyone else, and given a BMW for the week too. Cheers easy!

Its a 320 tourer, and a manual, fun to drive, once I get myself in. I just find it hard to bend myself in a way that I can get in, but once in, press the start button, engage all gears and lurch off.

I know the way so well now, I don't even think about it, roaring off up the motorway past long lines of trucks to Arhus Nord to the head office, finding a parking space then going in as I have meetings arranged No surprise there.

The day all done at five, I drive to the hotel, where there is an international teaching conference on, and so I am lucky to get a room. My colleagues couldn't, so I would be billy no mates, other than my old Air Force buddy, Shags, is coming over at six to meet up for a chin wags and brews. Which is better than nice.

He is early, texts me telling me that, so I go down and we get the first beer in, toast our good fortune to be able to meet up like this. He then takes me to Mikkler Bar for some different and strange beers, and best of all, he's paying.

We both have work in the morning, so after two tasters, we call it a night, and I walk back to the hotel, leaving Shags at the station for his expensive ride back home.