Monday 8th January 2018

It really is back to normal now, with my first trip of the year, meaning having to be up at quarter to five to be ready to leave the house at quarter to six, and doing the usual morning stuff, now added with looking after Molly in the bathroom, making sure she has food, is warm enough and all the rest. Good news is that she is eating very well, is putting on weight, and maybe in an ideal world having her separate from the other cats a solution. But the house just is not that easy to split up, and we really want to be able to use the bathroom again without having to be like a prison warden.

We are all ready to go at the appointed time, driving me down the hill to Martin Mill station where the ticket office is open, not warm, but out of the keen northerly breeze that was making it so bracing outside. I get my ticket and wait until a couple of minutes before the train was due, then going on the platform to wait the final 90 seconds, shivering. But we heard the train whistle as it passed over a crossing a couple of miles away and would be here soon.

I get on and grab a seat on the left hand side of the train, not that there would be much to see as dawn was still 90 minutes away, so I would be looking back at my own reflection. But, when passing through towns I could see familiar landmarks. The train filled up as we stopped at Dover and both Folkestone stations, and after Ashford it was standing room only. Everyone was on their way to work, as was I, but I was going to the airport where I knew a colleague would be there too, and we planned to have breakfast.

In fact, two more colleagues got off the train at Stratford, so we all went to the DLR station for the 20 minute ride to the airport. We talk about the issues we all have, we all work in different parts of the company though, but we try to help each other out.

The airport was busy, but we check in and get through security quickly, and go to have breakfast where in a few minutes, Tracie joins us, four happy chaps, and we work out that for three of us, our working relationship goes back nearly 8 years. In a surprise move, I have what was called a breakfast brulee, but looked more like a sundae, but it was nice, even if the guy’s Full English looked very nice.

We then meet another colleague, big Jesper, one of the people who light up a room when he walks in, I last worked with him 5 years ago, and every day was a pleasure, although he does have a liking for beers with a schnapps chaser. Last time we drank together, I got as drunk as I have since I left the Air Force. I stay off chasers now.

Honest.

So we talk whilst we wait for the flight, then find we all sat behind each other on the flight, seats 5A to 9A, with me in 8. As usual.

It was another cloudy day, so after taking off towards the east, we climb quickly into cloud and England is lost from view. I don’t have another breakfast, instead sleep through the flight, nodding myself awake every five minutes.

But Denmark is bathed in glorious sunshine. The sun is low in the sky casting long shadows, for sure, but there is no cloud in the sky and not a breath of wind. Wind turbines stand motionless and smoke from factory chimneys just hangs in the air. The ground is bleached white with frost, it was going to be cold out there, but still, no rain. In Denmark.

I am given my car keys, a Quashquai thing, and it has been standing in the lot so long there is more frost on the inside of the screen than outside. It takes half an hour to warm up and the screen can been seen through, I get on and put it in first, and off I go.

Not much to report, I got he usual route, joining the E45 north to Aarhus nord junction, then back south to the offices, where it is not yet two in the afternoon.

I get three hours work done before the traffic has died down outside, and I can leave for the hotel in the centre of town. And amazingly, the trams have started running, with passengers. I must get some pictures! Or ride on one!

The car park at the hotel is empty, as is the hotel, well out of season, it is only business that keeps it going at this time of year. I get a standard room, which is more than I deed, watch some TV before I go out to look for dinner.

I meet up with Tracie and Jon in the bar, join them for a drink whilst we decide where to go for dinner. In the end we decide on the hotel, me choosing burger and fries and another dark beer. But the best part was having someone to talk to through dinner, very civilised and pleasant.

Back in the room, I check for the football score and whether the game is on TV; it isn’t, so after half an hour, I go to bed.