Tuesday 9th January 2018

Another day in paradise. Or Aarhus as they call it.

And while I’m here, how come in the future they can’t get a good system to make a hotel room cool or warm enough to actually be able to sleep in. Even with the window open, it was so warm during the night I slept poorly, but then my colleagues also said that, meaning its just not me.

It is twenty to seven according to my phone, which means it was time to get up, but daybreak was still over two hours away, seeing as this was Denmark. But after throwing open the curtains I find that it is another glorious clear day out there, or will be when day actually arrives.

I shower and get dressed, going down for breakfast where I meet Tracie and Jo, have some fruit and a roll. Somehow Denmark seems to have mastered the art of good bread, be it either dark rye or granary laden with seeds. I have a cheese roll covered in seeds, with two slices of cheese, and plenty of coffee and I’m set for the day.

Danish roads are lined with cycle paths and footpaths, and so when turning right you have to make sure that there is neither going straight on as they will have priority over all turning traffic, including you! Driving in Denmark, especially in the dark, are fraught, and I say a little prayer of thanks once I have arrived, even though I am not religious, having not put anyone in hospital.

But I make it to the office safe and sound, without injuring anyone nor causing an accident, so I call that a good start. There are bowls of chocolate all over the office, a leftover from Christmas, and it is impossible to walk back from the coffee machine without picking up a couple of candies. Not doing the old diet any good, but then it was always going to suffer over here.

I get a desk near the window, and next to a radiator, so it is toasty warm, and get down to work. But the good thing is, I can get on with work needed, without the distraction of cats, the radio, or whatever does it for me when I’m at home. And when I am focused, it is amazing what I can achieve.

I even work through lunch, as dinner at the smokehouse is planned, and you want to be hungry to eat there. But there is always the chocolate to graze on.

I finish for the day at three, drive back to the hotel, and decide to go for a walk. I wanted to snap some trams, and down by the old harbour seemed to be the best place.

The tram lines weaves in and out and under the new buildings along the harbour, and is only a short walk down the hill from the hotel. Trams are running once every ten minutes or so, so I snap two in each direction when I’m down there, take shots of the harbour and buildings on the other side illuminated by the final rays of the setting sun.

Cold descended on the city, as did darkness. I walk back past the cathedral and theatre up to Highlander where I thought maybe a swifter would be a good idea. It was quarter to four, and the bar opened at four, and upon reflection I decided that I didn’t need a beer that badly to warrant standing outside the bar for 15 minutes. Instead I walked back up the hill to the hotel, and then to my room where I listened to a podcast whilst laying in bed, only just staying awake.

At quarter to six, I am back up thinking that a beer would be a good idea, before we walk to the smokehouse. I was hoping that there would be someone I knew in the bar to talk to, but there wasn’t. So I drank a beer by myself, watching the sports news on TV and eating peanuts. Everyone needs a hobby after all.

Tracie and Jo come down just after six, and Steffan soon after, but we were then on cocktails, G&T for the ladies and a Mai Tai for me. Lovely.

A five minute walk brought us to the restaurant, where they plied us with beer, more gin, fried pickles (yes, you read that right) and damn good BBQ. And best of all we don’t have to pay, other that with the company credit card. I mean, I don’t know how I ended up doing this, but I did, and at times its not too bad.

It is cold and dark outside, and the streets pretty empty, even up the main shopping alley, where the bars and restaurants were either empty or had single figure customers. We wander home where I need a lay down as my back is screaming, and it appears there is football on TV after all.

Another day done.