It’s safe to say I did very little today except sit around, seething.
I had in mind I’d do stuff in the morning, but this did not happen because the bed in my cosy little boudoir was comfy and warm. I had a meeting planned at 8:30, but the other person cancelled last-minute, so I feasted on a packet of Haribo for breakfast then had a shower and faffed about a bit. I, had a perfunctory wander round the immediate vicinity then got myself caffeinated and to the station in time to catch the 12:47 train to Copenhagen.
Thankfully I mentioned to someone that as I’d failed to have lunch I was looking forward to the dining car and was swiftly warned that there wasn’t one. German stations seem to be suitably well-equipped for people travelling, and there were plenty of choices of thing to have for lunch from various shops. I had just enough time to grab a falafely something from a woman in the the station who’d already lost her will to live by lunchtime which I eventually munched on at about 14:00, just as I was starting to lose mine.
There were children in the carriage. Really loud, irritating children, whose parents seemed little concerned that they were the only people making noise in the compartment. I seethed for a while and the nice girl in the seat opposite and I exchanged rolled eyes, but nothing was said. Perhaps I’m wrong, but the expectation that I might be entitled to travel in some semblance of peace and quiet rather than listening to some unconcerned couple’s devil-spawn seems a natural one if I’m paying to not sit in the cattle-carriage which, for the love of god, contains an actual ‘family zone.’
Apparently in Finland they have special carriages for children which, while not compulsory, are designed to avoid this problem. Perhaps that’s why they’re the happiest nation on earth. Personally, I think a carriage is too good for them and would just have cages, but that’s exactly the reason why I’m not in charge of anything in this world.
The train stopped in Padborg few a few minutes for border checks, and then we were on our way again. A woman joined the train with a 7Eleven backpack from which she sold many yummy things to people on the train.
In first, a DSB woman handed out free things to those of us who wanted them, so I worked may way through what was available. The chocolate thing was nice. The last thing I tried was a lakrid (by Bülow), apparently an expensive delicacy but in reality a deceptive chocolatey outer layer of joyous chocolatey expectation followed by gelatinous liquorice (emphasis on the ick) that takes you by surprise, and not in a nice way – the gustatory equivalent of a really turd that’s been rolled in glitter in a box that’s been nicely wrapped.
After five hours of those fucking children, their incessant fucking noise, at least two hours of hearing Dr fucking Seuss being read aloud in German, at least an hour of the little bastards playing hide and fucking seek, I arrived in Copenhagen devoid of the will to live.
Gastiganto met me at the station and after having my wallet violated to the tune of 20€ for 48 hours’ public transport, we got the 5C bus to his house and started my discovery of Danish beer.
