Well after Sundays drama, things could only get better right?

Clearly, after making my application Sunday evening, any new documents wouldn't be available until later on Monday at best so it was full steam ahead for the trip to Koeln, i'd cut things a bit short to hopefully find out what was happening when i got back. Even early on a Monday, the train south was heaving, the markets don't really get going until @ 11.00 but i had plans so arriving around 9.30 i put them into action. First stop was a model shop, the Germans just do them so well, pretty much any city will have one at least, Cologne used to have several but i only know the one now, it wasn't so much a desire to buy anything, after all Saturday had pretty much used my 'allowance' in Hilden! No, i just like to see what they have, there will be different stuff, maybe limited runs or special bargains, i ended up adding two more to the pile!

Then i took a look at the huge Globetrotter outdoor store - you always see something - this time it was an updated version of my folding kettle, maybe something for next summer? It was after 11 now so i started on my market odyssey at Neumarkt then it was across the main shopping zone to do the three Altstadt sites before finishing with the biggest of the lot at the Dom! There are others but i've never been very taken and they are all situated beyond comfortable walking, It was about 2.30 when i got the train to return north, some delays meant it was over an hour to get back, i went directly to the Consulate to see what was doing. Long story short, i needed to return first thing Tuesday, given i was booked to leave for home later on Tuesday, the anxiety levels shot up again. Well there was nothing doing but to go get some scran with a last look around the Dusseldorf markets.

I was pretty much waiting at the door when the consulate opened next morning, case packed, hotel checked out, it only took about twenty minutes to sort things out, by 8.45 i was custodian of a one hit passport that would get me back into the UK. I recovered my case and took the train to Aachen, this time arriving about 13.30, the case went into a locker and i set off to explore the popular market of Charlemagne's capital. I won't bore you too much, i found another model shop, one extra car model added, feasted on Grunkohl, drank gluhwein, bought Printen (its like a ginger biscuit), got myself a light meal and bier by the Rathaus before recovering my case and making my way to the coach stop.

The return journey was much less busy, i had a double seat to myself all the way, the passport did its job and after some traffic issues in London arrived behind Buck Palace @ 8.30. My onward bus wasn't until one 'just in case of delays' so once again i hocked my case and after grabbing some food i took a walk past the King's residence and up to Hyde Park, by the time i returned to the coach station it was lunch, a quick snack, collect the bag and a short wait later i was on the Brizzle bound last leg of the journey.

So apart from 'the episode' its been a successful trip, in total I’ve been to at least 16 markets in 8 towns/cities and there are 18 gluhwein mugs in the case! Along the way I’ve munched through a wide variety of foods and gluhwein variants - everything you’d expect on such a trip The model car collection has increased by about a dozen and i found a variety of gifts for family and friends. It was great to get back into the swing of these trips that i did so often in the past, i'd like to think i can do another trip next year, if anyone fancies joining me, i'm not against some company!

Well that's it for now, so until Sunday,
Tschussie,
Mads.

PS I know its now Friday but i've had posting issues!

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