Thursday 28th November 2019

Dateline: Aarhus.

Weather: Raining. Always raining.

One day a real rain will wash these Danes off the streets.

Apparently.

I look outside at the ring road beyond the barbed wire fence (seriously) even at six there are jams.

Better get among it then.

I have a shower, get dressed and pack, as I am to be in a different hotel that might. One last look round the room and I go down to the lobby to check out, then have breakfast. Fighting fit.

The drive to the office was horrible, pouring with rain and misty. Like driving in a hot shower. I was glad to reach Randersvej, turn right beside the tramsline then along to turn off at head office.

I had arrived safe.

Phew.

Inside, colleagues had arrived, I nab a hot desk, have a coffee and get down to work.

I have now tasks to get on with. Not a huge amount, but in my first 1:1, I am given something extra to do, as you know about that. I was told.

I doubt whether I know much about anything, to be honest, but I'll give it a go. Call me odd, but I like writing procedures, gathering the information, sources and so on. I plough on with that for the rest of the day.

And, I am told, I have to find a minion. A minion to go around the country with me auditing. A minion of my own. Do I know anyone?

No, but I'll think about it.

In the afternoon, people begin to leave for home. Outside the traffic is mad. If I left at three, or before five, there would be queues to get out of the car park, to get onto the main road, queue to get onto Randervej, queue to get on the motorway and queues at every junction. I stay and work, drik tea. Even though I tell the Danes the water's not hot enough. It needs to be boiling. But its better than the coffee.

Which is saying something.

At five, or just pass, I leave the office. Everyone else has left. Outside the rain has stopped, which means once through the traffic the drive should be OK. In fat, there is little traffic, or much going my way. I crise down to the motorway, ease onto it, and then motor along near the speed limit until the city is left behind, and the speed limit is 130 kmh.

I turn off at junction 57, taking the main road to Gove then cross to Billund.

I could have stayed at the travel hotel next to the runway, and be kept awake by starting and taxiing aircraft, and it has no kitchen so you have to phone for a pizza. Or, you could book in the Legoland Hotel, with it being term time, almost no children, apart from the grown up ones.

I chose wisely.

I have a pirate-themed room, and on the way to it, walk past a lego beagle dog having its dinner of lego bricks. Just like real life!

There is a lego cutlass above my bed, a dragonfly on the other wall, and the carpet is a treasure map.

All I want to know is when the restaurant was open. It's open now!

I grab my book and go, to fnd there are just two other occupied tables. Not much choice, steak or burger. Burger and the seasonal ale I order.

And it is good. I tell myself i can have burger every night as I don't have lunch. Though there was a lot of cake at work that day. Cake.

I try some just for quality checking purposes. And because a cuppa's too wet.

I have another beer and see if the chef will allow me to have the cheeseboard although its on the Christmas menu.

He does.

So I have a little cheese, some bread made mostly of nuts. And the rest of the beer.

Back in the room I put the radio on and watch the football. Arsenal were playing. I say playing. Falling over mostly. They lose 2-1, but I have slept through most of the second half, missed both Frankfurt's goals, and had to check the internet for the rest. I lay on the bed to listen to more radio, and fall asleep again.

I wake up, turn the radio off, and go back to bed.