Llundudno Sunset

A most fantastic holiday in Cape Town has unfortunately come to an end. Pictures and photos to follow in February…

I have started playing Skyrim…

Mountains near Whiterun

This brings me to the end of the Post-a-week 2011 challenge. Taking a look at the posts I have written over the year shows that I managed a total of 46 posts which means that I only missed 6 weeks throughout the entire year – not too shabby eh Nige?

Well, I start by fitting everything onto the fold out table and positioning it so that anything that may fall off is something that will cause the minimum amount of damage. The exception to this is usually the wine which balances precariously over the edge of the indent in the table specifically design to fit the base of either the coffee cup or the wine glass but cunningly, not at the same time that the plastic dinner tray is on the table.

The next step involves very careful use of utensils in order to eat the food without knocking anything off. This can usually be accomplished fairly easily when the meal doesn’t actually require cutting anything other than a bread roll. If you are lucky enough, the butter won’t be frozen solid and therefore may actually be spreadable which also helps with the 3D gymnastics taking place in such a confined space directly over your lap where a spill would make the remaining 9 hours of an 11 hour flight very uncomfortable – not to mention embarrassing at the other end.

Having successfully completed the meal, it is now time to try to put everything back on the tray in order to give it back to the crew. This is more challenging than it sounds because the plastic wrapping has a habit of not crumpling up into a convenient ball and fitting inside the now empty hot meal container. Inevitably it unfolds itself and the lid springs off when you least expect it. After sitting for the next 15 minutes and trying not to tough anything in case it explodes, it is now possible to relax, extend one’s legs and look forward to the next 7 hours of being stuck in a small cramped economy class seat until having to repeat the procedure with breakfast served two hours too early.

Sweetiepies

We even found the fried fish we like so much in Aachen, although there was only one stall selling it and that was in Köln. A few acquisitions, some time spent watching the craftsmen making their wares in Düsseldorf and eating under the light tent in Köln made for a really enjoyable day, despite the crowds.

Smoker

Janita with the light tree in Köln in the background

Janita and our new red Jazz

Janita and I have a new car! And what a fantastic difference that makes. After 16 months using public transport, the sheer convenience of having our own car is appreciated like we never did before. Unfortunately, this also meant that my good friend and colleague, Alex, whom we bought the car from, has left for greener pastures. Good luck!

Aachen Weihnachtsmarkt 2011

We went shopping for Christmas presents yesterday and despite the rainy weather, stopped to enjoy some Glühwein at the Christmas Market. Today we went for a drive and then a walk in the forest south of Aachen, Preuswald – a place we have been wanting to go for ages but just never made it by bus.

Telecomms tower in Preuswald

Aachen Weihnachtsmarkt

The Aachen Weihnachtsmarkt opened last weekend and Janita and I have walked through it a few times since.

Illuminated tree

Its pretty, and was fairly warm until the cold front rolled in yesterday. Now the wind is howling and its bitterly cold.

Nose job required

A small accident on Sunday afternoon caused the nose to break off after a perfect landing… Just once it would be nice to have two successful flights in a row without having to glue the aircraft back together.

Looking North

Janita and I went for a walk around Lousberg yesterday to enjoy the good weather and beautiful scenery.

Hammocks