Wednesday 6th March 2019

Wednesday

Travel time.

And after some last minute worrying about whether I would be going to Hamburg or Southampton, Germany won out.

I did at least have a lie in, as I could catch the train an hour later, the added bonus being that it would be fully light by then.

So it was I was on the station, standing under the awning to avoid the light drizzle, the rain matching my mood, but then I had some ideas how I could use my time to feed my hobbies.

The later train is just as busy, and more popular as it doesn’t stop at Ebbsfleet, but instead of zooming through, we crept through on the fast lines at something like 20mph, seeing people on the platforms waiting for one that slowed down more so they could get on.

I also got to stay on to St Pancras, as I needed to cross London to Paddington, so waiting until everyone was off the train, then took my time, grabbing shots of the platform and trainshed, empty of Eurostars, before going over to Kings Cross to see if I could see an Azuma, but there were just the usual suspects.

I took the crowded Tube to Paddington, then cross the platforms to catch the Heathrow Express, at £26 for a 15 minute ride, mile for mile, the most expensive train in the country.

But it gets to to the airport in time, and as I had no bags to check in, I get my boarding pass and go through security, then walk to a Japanese restaurant for late breakfast/early lunch where I order something porky and with rice. Porku is the best they can do to describe it. Still, its good, and the water that I have with it, free.

I then have to wait for the gate to be announced, so find a seat where I can see a flight board and good for people watching.

And so the day passes.

My flight is delayed by over an hour, but it is only half full and I have a row to myself, and views now spoilt by the wings. Just like I planned.

But we are delayed further by waiting to move onto the runway to take off. We were two hours behind by then.

Nothing much exciting on the flight, just looking out on a total cloudscape. So, I snooze.

Hamburg is busy as ever, but easy to get through immigration, well, as long as we’re in the EU, and out to the S bahn station, getting a ticket and board a waiting train into the city.

I am joined by two young men, drinking from huge cans of Monster, and it smells disgusting, but they seem happy enough. As am I as I look at the window as the suburbs and graffiti covered fences zip by.

We arrive at the Hauptbahnhoff, I take some shots of the trainshed, then go to find a taxi to take me to Minatur Wonderland. The world’s largest model railway layouts.

Yay!

I get Germany’s angriest taxi driver, out of the dozens waiting, I get the one who hates traffic. In a city, he must have zero job satisfaction!

He weaves in and out of traffic taking me to Hafencity, then dumping me outside the building, anther of the countless huge warehouses that line the canals.

Its €15 to get in, but you could make it last all day, going from one layout to another, then back again as the way leads you up yo you can look down on some layouts. Sometimes the lights go down to simulate night, and all vehicles, trains and planes have working headlights and indicators. It is wonderful.

But after two hours, I am done, so leave and go outside to decide what to do.

I am thirsty, so go to a café for a Coke, which does help as I was so parched, then walk over the bridge into the city to my hotel, opposite the office where the meeting on Thursday is.

I check in, go to my room, look at my mails, and it is horrendous. So after half an hour, and with night having fallen, I go back out to snap the Hafencity, and a shot of the warehouses on both sides of a canal all lit up.

I walk and walk, but I know the shot I want, and this is a 15 minute walk. But think of the steps you are doing I heard my mind say, so I walk some more until I come to the bridge looking to where a canal divides in two and there is the restaurant on the point of the island inbetween.

It was worth it.

I get my shots, all hand held, then I am messaged by the boss asking where the hell I was as it was dinner time!

Be there in 15 minutes, boss!

So I cut through the city centre, past the baroque town hall, along Alter Wall and to the hotel where 5 colleagues have been waiting for me.

So we have a three course dinner, but with it being al a carte, small portions. And I leave some of the potatoes, but do finish all of the cheese for dessert.