Blog2009 ≫ Munich

I was in Munich last week with work and haven't written it up yet, so here we go... I opted for the early morning start on Monday, instead of letting the trip intrude into my Sunday afternoon so was off and away just after 6am. Thought I was going to be on the same train as Clare to London when I first lined this up, but a) she was working at home that day, and b) I was on the train a good hour earlier than she would have been anyway. Don't do many long train journeys these days, gave me a chance to catch up on my podcasts. I was travelling light, hand luggage only, and had to take a computer, so unfortunately no room for the book I'm reading1. Train was fine, and because there was no delay I lazily got the tube one stop to Leicester Square. Normally I'd walk but it was freezing and I had the tube ticket anyway, and it was kind of nice remembering all the times of getting the tube in the past. I'm such a tourist these days. Then settled in, scanning the free papers on an hour's ride to Heathrow Terminal 2. not much there is there? Met my workmates I was travelling with, and had a leisurely breakfast in Wetherspoons. Of course I didn't have a beer, I was actually on the way to work.

Got picked up at the airport and had a long drive to the office. No need to go into detail of what we did in the office, mostly it was showing off the sort of things we do in the UK office these days, was nice to meet people I've emailed though. Hmm, there's no need to go into detail of my travel arrangements either, but I seem to have done that. I've built lots of web based systems to make work easier in my time at Holiday Extras, mostly to make things easier for me, but what do you know it seems to make things easier for other people too! So I was off to show the good people of ABC Holiday Plus de the benefits and advantages. They seemed to be pleased and mostly stayed awake while I was talking.

Our hotel2 was OK, not quite as glamourous as it looks on the web, but pleasant. Small bar, breakfast buffet, fully featured rooms. I did not hit the mini bar at all, hey there's a credit crunch on. I think I was pretty frugal with my expenses, I did not even use up my 100 advance.

We were taken out both evenings for food and drink, a traditional Bavarian place the first night that was very nice but I don't know the name of. As we were with locals they could explain my vegan requirements so I ate OK, and the local beer was good. I don't think it was the famous Hofbruhaus3, I will have to find out. My history is so bad, I didn't remember this until I got back and read about it in CAMRA's guide to Munich, doh! Second night we went to an American style diner that was also nice Dillinger Chicago Bar'n Grill. Guess they didn't want to overwhelm us with too much German culture. The people in the office were great though, so hospitable, I am not sure we show them such a good time when they come here but I hope we will next time.

Trip home wasn't great, heavy snow made the road conditions bad from the office to the airport, and the Germans all drive so fast. Then Munich airport is quite small, so there's not a lot to do there except get a coffee and sit. Then, the flight back was pretty turbulent, and I'm not the best flyer at the best of times. Sometimes I prefer a bit of turbulence, seems like a journey should be a bit bumpy in some ways, but did not enjoy this at all. Hand luggage only again on the way back, even with the souvenirs, so even though it was Heathrow Terminal 5 we arrived back at, we were out again in no time.

Was dreading the journey back from Heathrow the most, as I thought it would involve tube and train and hanging about in the cold and getting back very late indeed, but luckily one of my colleagues had driven to the airport and lives in Hythe, so we were away in no time. She'd done the Sunday option, otherwise I could have got a lift up too. Of course, if I'd got a car already I'd have done the airport parking option too, would have been cheaper and quicker!

Up early Sunday morning writing this, Clare is still asleep.

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Paul Clarke's blog - I live in Hythe near Folkestone. Married + father to 2, I'm a full stack web developr, + I do js / Node, some ruby, other languages ect ect. I like pubbing, parkrun, eating, home automation + other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, and TIME TRAVEL.