h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, I've been laid low (not literally, I have worked and carried on as usual - what's a working mum to do?) with a cough and a cold recently, but the cold part of it seems to have gone.

Yippeeeee!

Now I'm just hacking away as if I have a 60 a day Woodbine habit. But anyway, that is not the point of this.

Yesterday and today, completely surprisingly for me (because I am chronically tired) I bounced out of bed at around 8am (ok, not so early...) and spent a happy day on Saturday playing with my power tools and painting stuff that I had made out of wood.

I am now in the process of fixing the giant wooden daisies I made last year (which all fell apart) and have made (finally) a sheep nightlight for one of 's mates.

The sheep is cute: it is a flat sheep, with 15 holes drilled in the body through which I will poke fairy lights. I may even post a picture on my webbie. Oh, it is made of MDF not wood (because I couldn't get the right thickness - apart from the dust, it is fab to use, lovely smooth edges)

Next a heart mobile for Gruesome #1's bedroom and a star mobile for Gruesme #2's bedroom.



I finally got around to using my Black & Decker Scorpion saw (as a jigsaw) which will take a wee bit of getting used to, but it is 500% better than the cheapy no-name jigsaw I was using before.

(although, that one is pretty good and I will use it too sometimes)

But now I deffo need goggles and a dust mask because the MDF is awfully dusty.

Attagirl. I don't think spring will kick in with me ever again. Especially not with this awful rain at the moment.

Oh I hate to hear you sound so down...
we really will have to meet up.
Are you doing anything on the Tuesday after Easter Monday?
I have the day off, and is taking the Gruesomes to a Center Parcs thing for a few days. I was going to have a day in Köln, but I'm not averse to going further afield.

As for the weather, it is snowing here...

The gruesomes are basteling (there never seems to be a good English translation for that) Valentines cards for and their teddies.

The place is a mess but at least they aren't demanding TV or screeching at each other.

Actually, I'm thinking of taking the week after Easter off . My husband is away and I intend to spend it doing things at home. Really getting the place straight in my own time without people wanting meals while I'm cleaning the kitchen, or walking over floors I've just wiped.

But I could spare one day.

I'll see if I can get the holiday from work tomorrow and will let you know very soon.

Do I get a train to Cologne, or what would you suggest .. I come all the way and possibly stay the night? Next time I'll invite you here, but I'd have to get some sense of decorum into this place first.

How long would it take you to get to Cologne?
There wouldn't be a problem with you coming here to stay the night - only that I have to be up and out of the house by 7am the next day - but you're very welcome.

I'm hopeless at German geography. Gimme a few days and I'll come up with some ideas (including one which goes something like we meet up on Easter Monday evening, and stay somewhere....)

Well, I've got the holiday approved. So look forward to hear what suits you. I would like to book the train ticket well in advance, because I've heard it's cheaper.

Right-o! we're off then.

So, whatever takes your fancy. I'd really like a day in Köln, but I'm pretty easy about things. I checked with and if you want to come up on Easter Monday you're very welcome. He and the Gruesomes are off to Center Parcs on the Tuesday - I'm off all day that day, then I'm back to work on Wednesday.

How long will it take you to get here? And now... I think we could take this to email.


this is really exciting. Do you want to keep it to us two, or do you think there might be some more hootooers in the area, and do you fancy trying to meet up with them?

I'm not sure who's in your area. Lucky Star, perhaps, is the nearest. But I think she's in australia ... must check.

A day in Cologne would be nice, but I would spend most of it travelling and would be pleased to include a night, if your family really don't mind.

OK - Looks like Lucky Star is around. Have dropped her a note.

Cologne

Went there for Carnaval and hated it

I'm in Luxembourg, around over Easter although may be going to Warsaw for a few days....I'd be really happy to meet up!

Ooooh, a North-Central-European Mini-Meet

it wouldn't have to be Köln, I only suggested it because if I don't do anything else that is where I will go.

Any suggestions? I can get nearer down to both of you relatively easily.

Although it seems that now if I suggest leaving on Easter Monday in the evening/afternoon so I can get a night away will leave in a bit of a tizzy.

So I'm looking at a day trip at the mo, although anyone who wants can stay over at mine.

Where are you? And where's everybody else?


*gets out atlas*

I'm in Erkelenz... yes... it's a little north of Aachen, west of Mönchengladback and (I think) South West of Düssedorf. Near-ish to Roermond.

I'm about an hour away from the bit where Holland, Belgium and Germany join up. And don't mind travelling for a couple of hours (especially for TC - we really have been threatening to meet up for about 3 years now, I'm determined to do it this time)

I'm in Germersheim. If you follow the Rhine down just past Mannheim, then Speyer, you could find it if it's a big enough scale map.

Hmm.. on examining the maps and doing clever things with dividers and protractors, I've worked out that a central point would be somewhere near Koblenz, or maybe Bonn. Actually, it's somewhere between Mainz and Trier, but there's not much there to see.

So we could choose one of those cosy little towns on the Rhine, Bacharach, Andernach, Koblenz, Bonn, Mainz or Trier and all go there for the day. I only recently went to Trier, but wouldn't mind going again (when the shops are open!!!) I'm off to check out time tables to see if it can be done in a day.

What would you others like to do? Where have you already been? Would like to go again? Would not like to see again? etc etc

I'm easy. Koblenz doesn't take long (as far as I remember).

I'm checking.

I'm happy with lunch (or something) then sitting around talking until it's time to go - I'm quite lazy really.

If the weather is nice I like being outside, and I love looking at stuff. (art galleries, museums, churches - I'm quite easy to please)

which isn't helpful really.

Trier and Koblenz are good for Roman stuff, aren't they?

so if I use the ICE it takes around 2:28 hrs (according to Die Bahn - I trust them...)

I wonder if it will have stopped snowing by then?

And as you said, TC, if we book early we can get a good price for a return.

Koblenz is pretty - I went there when I gave up on Koln, and really liked it. Dunno about museums though.


But then, are we talking Easter Monday? Cologne's museums will be closed...


Trier is a hop skip and a jump from me, and any time I visit I never fail to enjoy it - full of many delights.

Liege and Maastricht are both places I've passed through and thought "oooh, must come back!"

You may get "2 for the price of 1" with me - if he plays his cards right, Reddyfreddy will probably still be around there 'ere parts

I hope we're talking about Tuesday after Easter Monday.

??

Koblenz is a 2 1/2 hour train ride for me, too, at a reasonabl-ish cost. I can arrive at 9:39 or 10:51. The last train back is at 20:48.

Trier would be slightly cheaper, but a much longer train journey (4 hours).

So I would prefer Koblenz: meet for coffee, wander around, have lunch, wander around some more, or just sit in a café, look at some sights, and split up around 8 pm.

Sights to see in Koblenz - according to their website - include:
(Will post in next post because it might be deleted beings as it's in German)

Rundgang Altstadt und Moselseite

Deutsches Eck
Ludwig-Museum im Deutschherrenhaus
Basilika St. Kastor
Peter Altmeier Denkmal
Deutscher Kaiser
Florinskirche
Mittelrheinmuseum im alten "Kauf- und Danzhaus"
Liebfrauenkirche
Alte Burg
Balduinbrücke
Münzplatz - Alte Münze - Haus Metternich
Vier Türme
Der Plan
Jesuitenplatz
Schängelbrunnen

Rundgang Rheinseite

Rheinkran am Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer
Theater und Oblisk
Kurfürstliches Schloss
Kaiserin-Augusta-Anlagen und Görres-Denkmal

Rundgang rechte Rheinseite

Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein
Beethoven-Gedenkstätte
Festung Ehrenbreitstein
Landesmuseum in der Festung Ehrenbreitstein

I'd be up for any of that - let's see how it goes.

Saw your thread on Ask, good idea. Let's see what happens.

As for the train, I will probably book this week, so I'll plan to arrive on the one nearest to 12am (before though)

I'm very excited now.