Author: Christophertrier

The problem with planning a trip nearly five months in advance is that you can never know what last-minute hiccoughs will arise. Travelling from Dorchester South to London Waterloo is generally speaking straightforward. I drag myself out of bed, clamber awkwardly through Dorset’s county town and board a direct train. Track work and industrial action made this impossible on the one day I had to travel to London.This necessitated drastic action; namely, National Express. Continue reading “California Dreaming (Via Sweden)”

Over four months have gone by since the last Hunnish election. At last, Hunland has a government. It will be another grand coalition. Despite having earlier misgivings, the Swamp Beast former EU “Parliament” President, Marty What’s-it caved in after extracting key cabinet positions. The Social Democrats will get the foreign ministry and finance. Merkel will be re-elected Chancellor by the Bundestag next week and will will go on as normal. Or it won’t… Despite being a grand coalition, this time there are far fewer seats. After all, both parties saw a marked decline in support. On all three sides of the coalition there are grave misgivings. Continue reading “It’s Not Over”

I wanted to go to Lyon. Continue reading “Going South”

I am not a romantic. In fact, in some ways I might be extreme enough as to be an iconoclast. This isn’t in the sense of being a nihilist — far from it. I’m a moderate monarchist, Low Church Anglican with high church attendance and hobbies that are so sedate that even the most curmudgeonly of Dorset grandmothers approve. Continue reading “I am not a romantic.”

Germany is the sort of country that, romantic notions aside, leaves the sane person scratching her or his head in shock/horror/bemusement/utter confusion. Continue reading “The Infinite Wisdom of the Hun”

I am content with my lot. No, really, I am. I see little reason to change. My integration has progressed relatively well. My social life is making good progress and I’ve found a way to make myself at least a mildly tolerable resident of western Dorset. Continue reading “Eureka?”

As my cherished fellow Charioteers will know Germany’s federal election was held some two months ago. It resulted in the most unstable and unpredictable Bundestag in the 70-some-year history of the Federal Republic. Perhaps my cheeky vote for Howling Laud Hope and the Official Monster Raving Loony Party wasn’t the most absurd thing to come out of that election. Continue reading “The Centre Fails to Hold”

When Australian politics makes international headlines, you know it will be farcical. Apparently our cherished Antipodean mates are having issues keeping senators and MPs in parliament. The reason? Quite a few apparently hold multiple citizenships which Australia bans. This is rare, if not unique. What’s even rarer is the stringency with which this rule is enforced. Barnaby Joyce and Jacqui Lambie, for example, weren’t even aware that they ever held a citizenship other than Australia’s. Continue reading “An Australian Conundrum”

My train from Dorchester to Waterloo arrived late and I was sent in the wrong direction at Waterloo. I arrived at Heathrow, thanks to a slight Tube delay, mere minutes after the deadline for dropping off luggage passed. I had to spend an additional £300 to fly to Copenhagen on the next flight.The gate agent looked and acted like she just won the Ilse Koch impersonator competition for the 20th year running. Due to the airline’s reluctance to squander time allowing passengers to store their luggage, I had to check over £1000 in German bone china. The reincarnation of the Witch of Buchenwald cost me over £350 in damaged property. Continue reading “Random Thoughts”

The date of the German federal election is quickly approaching. Continue reading “Tedium Descends Upon Europe”