Winter Wonderland

I find myself in Germany, for work. For a few days. My flight was as terrible as flights are wont to be these days. I was in the 'easy access to toilet' seat. The non-reclining one. At least I was in the aisle and next to a lady who was not super fat and spilling into my seat - nice, I thought, as I put my stuff down and fiddled around with blanket, ear phones, the case to put my glasses in, my neck pillow, and so on. But smaller the lady, smaller the bladder I guess. She had to pee several times, usually coinciding with the time I had just drifted off into slumber. I think its called 'a dose of one's own medicine' in some cultures. Though the crying children orchestra? That was just uncalled for, fate, just uncalled for.

On balance though, I got enough sleep. I saw a bit of Modern Family - which is my most favourite show next to Big Bang Theory. I ate some food. Not the disgusting veg puff they chose to serve at 2 am, but the breakfast they served in the morning before we landed in Frankfurt. That was okay, as airline food goes.

You know how I love traveling in trains? Well I love it more when I have less luggage. I have just a backpack and my usual pulling suitcase thing this time, and it was just awesome. I wouldn't much have minded doing this alone, but my colleague was with me and that was not so bad either. Four eyes are better than two in spotting track numbers and such! And keeping sight of which stop to hop off at. I thought wistfully about the beautiful German roads - how one might enjoy driving on it. But then not for long! The train wound its way up the mountains & forests - we are in the black forest region here - and it was all so beautiful and convenient.

We had a bit of hike to get from the train station here to the hotel (more like guest house) we are staying at. A steep climb! I am happy to say that I was only slightly winded. And that I blame on just feeling fat from reduced running mileage in the recent weeks. I kept glancing around, trying to see if running is even a remote possibility. Then it started snowing a bit and my fingers were really freezing and red and I forgot about that.

Outside my window, a little into the distance, I can see this ruin (or whatever). I googled this image as of course I don't bring cameras with me. At some point tomorrow I have to figure out what that is all about. And there is some talk about this town being a spa and a thermal cure place. Not that that interests me in the least bit, but ought to figure that out as well, soonish, out of idle curiosity and because it reminds me of Bath as depicted in long forgotten Georgette Heyer novels! (What? The empress was a die-hard fan and she told me its okay to read because its 'Historical Romance' back in college. And I actually liked them, so judge me!)

Meanwhile, its another day ripped out of the calendar of life. I am done with this one. My presentation is ready (finally!), my breath is caught (was a tough week in Chennai!), loved ones have received status updates, dinner is consumed (and, as a matter of fact, digested... these western 6 pm dinners take some getting used to!), and a tiny box of a twin bed beckons now... Who know what tomorrow will bring? I am charging my garmin at any rate!