Consolidation The not so very secret diary of Atropos, 11 &1/2

[Atropos]

I have some of your neighbour's relatives living above me - was having to listen to their music at 2a.m. a couple of nights ago which I didn't find amusing as I was exhausted. Are you feeling a little rested? Hope so.

Ugh - I wish them a lifetime of stepping barefoot on stray lego pieces!

I am feeling quite a bit better - I have a whole evening free and the flat to myself, and a managed to sleep last night by sticking an audiobook on and a set of earbuds in. I feel asleep to a classic story of murder, suicide and adultery - sheer bliss.

 

[Maintainer]

I'm glad you finally got a good night's sleep! Hope last night's was more of the same. Why are people so inconsiderate? grrrr!

So when do you leave Atropos? How are you now managing food wise or are you still on Dukan?

 

[Atropos]

The Australians actually made sweet likeable sounds on Saturday nights as they squealed and ran around in the first snow they had seen in their short and sheltered lives. And then, bliss, they shut up again.

I'm back on the straight and narrow at the moment - meeting the deadline won me some valuable time to rest and organise and shop, so although the next 48 hours are still pretty packed they will also be pp all the way!

After that it will just have to be "which of these options will do least damage between now and getting home".

So yes to soup and stew and cheese and no to hot chocolate and chips.

(And yes to currywurst in Potzdammer platz, but I'm not admitting that to anyone)

 

[anjuschka]

The Australians actually made sweet likeable sounds on Saturday nights as they squealed and ran around in the first snow they had seen in their short and sheltered lives. And then, bliss, they shut up again.

awww how cute....

After that it will just have to be "which of these options will do least damage between now and getting home".

So yes to soup and stew and cheese and no to hot chocolate and chips.

(And yes to currywurst in Potzdammer platz, but I'm not admitting that to anyone)

Well GUTE REISE and I don't blame you for dipping into interesting / tasty foods while out on your travels. Have a safe trip and hopefully enjoy most of it too!

 

[jaqys]

Hope the weather dosent muck up the travel arrangements.

Keep safe.

 

[Atropos]

Back off the train and on the wagon again.

Berlin was amazing - and I didn't even eat the curry-wurst!
The whole trip started out in sub-zero tempretures - taking gloves off for more than a few minutes, even at midday, led to real pain (and another cup of coffee to clutch on to try and get the circulation going again).

Oddly enough while the cold made it essential to eat/drink every few hours just to stay warm, it also snatched the appetite away.

I managed to steer myself away from hot chocolate and chips, but I did eat a lot of bread (the staple at breakfast time) and didn't drink enough water (I carried a bottle everywhere, but the dry air just sucked it out as fast as I could drink it. And then there was the time it started to freeze in my bag - ouch!).

But by the time I reached Paris on the way back it was positively tropical - above freezing and I could ditch the hat and gloves to walk about St Michael. Mouched in Shakespeare and Co and found a hardback copy of Simon Schama's account of the French Revolution for only 10E, so I holed up for a couple of hours over tea and (shhhhh - icecream) in Cafe Flore d'Isle to enjoy some guillotining in comfort.

Then home via Eurostar, and 12 hours sleep. I think I remembered to take my boots off before I lost consciousness - but I'm not sure.

 

[robinhood]

Sounds like a great trip (excluding dreadful temperatures).

Welcome back!

 

[alottolose]

Wow Atropos, what an adventure!!

I'm really impressed by how amazingly you travel, take in culture and yet seem to do it all without breaking a sweat

where's the "i lost my bag/s" "got mugged/verbally abused/chased out of a shop" ...or is that just my travels? lol

glad you're back safely xx

 

[ellie1969]

sounds like a lovely trip

 

[Vixx]

Sounds like a fabulous trip. Welcome back!

 

[Atropos]

It's great to be back, guys!
It's also great to discover that despite the random eating I haven't actually gained weight - I must have burned up the bread staying warm!

 

[Atropos]

where's the "i lost my bag/s" "got mugged/verbally abused/chased out of a shop" ...or is that just my travels? lol

Oh, I've had my adventures over the years, just nothing that spoiled the fun too much - I don't think I'm particularly adventurous, I just like cities and watching people and things. I travel alone which I think actually helps, I don't expect to cram too much in to a single visit (one or two pieces of "culture" a day max, the rest spent just exploring and watching and listening) and I always try to start conversations in the other person's language, even if I can't follow up - I am now a master of bad French, dreadful Italian, incoherent Portuguese, lousy German and worse Spanish!

 

[anjuschka]

Sounds like you had a great trip. I like you attitude to travel, sounds very much like us (pre-kids!), we explored quite a bit of Turkey (inland) like that.

And welcome back!

 

[Maintainer]

(wobbly bottom lip)... and you didn't look me up :-(

 

[Atropos]

- and I so needed guidance towards Dukan friendly restuarants! (although to be honest by then I barely had the energy to eat - the soup I ate in St Michael took hours to spoon up! )

 

[CHRISR]

good to have you back for your very good dukan words of wisdom

 

[Atropos]

Rats. I'm home. The eggs have been delivered. I'm too tired to make a galette.

And it's paaaancake day.

 

[Atropos]

Oh my the weather in London today! It's bliss. Sunshine, sweet breezes, blossom, bird song.
We have all the windows in the office open.

 

[Vixx]

I wish we had windows in my office. Apparently the heating is set for the whole building so I had to endure a heat-induced headache until 2pm when I retreated home with my laptop...

 

[Atropos]

Back in the cockpit after a two month "adventure" - basically off plan because when working 6am to 11pm in other peoples' homes and offices with a dodgy foot that stops you shopping or cooking you eat what you get given!!!

Not too much damage - I'm 4lbs over my original goal weight, and back on cruise to get back down. But still limping, gdi!