Ian and Debbie are in Europe …

I’m not going to dwell on the trials and tribulations of long haul flights – suffice to say that we departed on time, arrived about 20 minutes behind schedule, and the highlight of the whole 24 hour saga was the free lemon sorbet being handed out in Dubai Airport (it’s the little things that count).  We had a bit of a scare over luggage when ours took what seemed like an eternity to appear on the carousel; but all things considered we survived in reasonable shape, with Ian happy to have received his GF meals on cue.

Last time we flew to Germany, we were delayed by 6 hours, and we checked in to our accommodation at 10.30pm – not very convenient for ourselves or our host.  This time we got smarter, and booked into a hotel with 24/7 checkin, so any delay would not cause problems.  Even better, we were able to take the S1 train direct from the airport to Moosach, step off the train onto the platform, down and up a flight of steps, walk about 30 metres, straight into the lobby of Harry’s Home Hotel.  It couldn’t have been easier; perfect for anyone in a state of jet lag.

From there it just got better.  We were swiftly given our room key, whisked up to the third floor, and into our room.  Harry’s Home Hotel (and yes the owner of the chain is called Harry) has been very carefully and thoughtfully designed for business travellers in particular.  Our room features a small kitchen with fridge, hotplates and microwave; a comfy king sized bed; plenty of room for spreading out stuff; and the Best Shower Ever!  It also has nice touches like lots of power points and shelves to put odds and ends.  They are happy for people to bring bikes and pets; and if you are here for a long stay, they will even lend you a goldfish to keep you company!  A sign on the bathroom wall invites you to sing in the shower, as the rooms are fully insulated.  We even have a nice view; from what we can see, Moosach looks like a pleasant, leafy suburb, not far from the Olympic stadium, and only a handful of stops by train or tram from central Munich.

After both of us gave the shower a full assessment to reach the above conclusion, and wallowed in self congratulation on choosing such a splendidly convenient place to spend our first two nights, we headed for the even more ridiculously convenient supermarket, right next door.  The first thing we saw as we walked into the barn-like interior of Kaufland was the gluten free selection; Ian made a beeline and bought pasta, cereal, biscuits (doppelkeks), bread, and chocolate muffins.  We stocked up on everything we need for the next few days (supermarkets are closed on Sundays throughout Germany), spending a happy hour re-acquainting ourselves with our favourite grocery items.  I whipped up a quick dinner consisting of turkey, steamed potatoes and salad, dressed with remoulade.  And so to bed – fed and watered, scrubbed and polished, and hopefully rested and ready to explore Munich tomorrow.

Sing loud and proud – sign in bathroom

Our little kitchen

O2 building and telecom tower from our window

Supermarket right next door!

View from our window