I woke up with a scratchy throat and despite trying to tough it out and just not let myself get a cold… I have got a cold. I got through the working day all right, but this evening feel very empty so time for a hot bath and hopefully tomorrow I will be OK. Various bugs have been doing the rounds and we’ve not had a full house at work for weeks now (and there are only 12 of us). Still, it doesn’t feel too bad and probably a good night’s sleep will see me on the road to recovery.

I certainly hope I do get better by natural means because if not I’ll have to go to the “Apotheke” – the chemists. The chemists in Germany have a monopoly on selling medication – you have to pay their extortionate prices for even the most benign drugs such as Aspirin or Nurofen. It’s nothing like in England where you can get most of the everyday stuff in the supermarket for less than a quid. No, here you queue up and a well turned-out lady in a white doctor’s coat takes your order and gives you a pack of Nurofen for five times the price you would pay at Boots. She will then give you a bit of advice on the benefits and dangers of Nurofen whether you asked for it or not. That’s because she has to demonstrate that she’s an expertly trained chemist and so must charge the extortionate price for a basic household product. I have to hold myself back from saying, “I am a man in my late forties who has had a few hangovers over the past few decades – I know how Nurofen works, luv.”

Short one today, I’m afraid. I’m going to have that bath and take a couple of (cheaply bought at Boots in Leeds) Nurofen and hopefully be fit in the morning.

Bis morgen.