Diary for Another Idiot Abroad


One night in Minga.....

2017-06-09

So, after a bit of a job,  I finally arrived in Munich.  Just found out it's known as Minga to Bavarians from out of town!   For a fairly serious bunch the Germans really do just keep on giving when it comes to amusing words, especially for us more immature Brits.  Could be plenty more of that on the way with Norwich’s new manager.  Hoping he's a lucky Farke etc etc.

First time I've been back here since that famous night in 1993 when City turned the mighty Bayern over at the Olympic Stadium (starring a Jeremy we could all like!)  Probably a night that will never be surpassed, unless our new manager's a lucky Farke....

Still looks like another fine City, although the area around the Central Station is a bit like all major cities, a bit of a magnet for the poorest, almost inevitably here, that's the asylum seekers and economic migrants. Unfortunately now that the television cameras have gone there are no longer crowds of locals holding welcoming banners and applauding them.  Merkel's idiotic phase of wanting to be seen as the next Mother Theresa has also long since faded as well, so these poor guys are now just left to beg and fend for themselves.  That's the view of the locals I've spoken to, anyway.  Not clever.

Always been lucky with my travel plans, but had an early spanner was thrown into the works this time.  Someone had unfortunately been hit by a train near Chelmsford, so after some good advice from the staff at Thorpe Station,  I took the Cambridge route to London.   Really didn't need any more delays as you never know the situation with getting through security at Gatwick and I knew I'd now be pushing it. Got lucky with getting on two consecutive tube trains and then my train from London Bridge to Gatwick just as they were all leaving.   Unbelievably also no delays getting through customs, despite the old hip setting off more bleeps and flashing lights than the amusements on Yarco seafront.  The flight was then delayed about half an hour anyway, it seemed for no other reason than complete gridlock on the runway!  We literally sat in a queue of planes waiting to take off and others to land.  Does our driver not know that in London you have to poke your nose out if you want to get going?

Fair play to him though as we landed pretty much on time, so I was at my hotel pretty much at the time I'd expected.  Decent little place and served up a good breakfast this morning, to follow a nice sausage based meal in town last night.

Sat opposite a chap on the train into town who showed an unnatural interest in my Aldi carrier bag when I got my sarnies out.  He went on to then explain the history of Aldi, run by two German brothers who split the company between North and South Germany. All very interesting.   He assumed I was a Yank,  based on my blue Aldi logo as apparently that's what they use in the States.  I hate to disappoint, so I went along with it.  Was gonna call myself Chuck, but he never asked for a name.

Just had a bit of time to see what's about locally before getting the rattler on to Prague. Visited where they have Oktoberfest, in September obviously and saw the Bavaria statue.   Hoping there's no dramas like on the way to London, as I don't know where the Czech equivalent of Cambridge is if I needed to do a detour.

Now on the 12::44 Karel Capec to Prague and it's a lovely ride.  Table service from a lovely lady called Katarina with food and beers a plenty here in first class, very reasonably priced too.  Lovely job.

Not sure the German football team in the next carriage really needed to bring three crates of beer on board with them and most of them broke the seal far too early, based on the procession through the carriage to the pan.  All very funny though when they left the train all singing the theme tune for the darts.  Catchy tune so I had to join in.  The Brits in my carriage nearby looked dismayed,  the Chinese looked baffled and the Russian guy, built like the proverbial brick sh*thouse looked like he wanted to kill me.  That shut me up!

Just arrived in Schwandorf, where we ditch the German half of the train and on we go....three mores hours and another new city to see.  Good times!