Ulm
Guten Morgen Ulm, The Aussies are here! Albert Einstein must have been turning in his grave after witnessing the mighty green and gold army roar into his birthplace. We arrived on the overnight train from Amsterdam, got some breakkie, nerded it up and had a much required shower! Around midday the bush telegraph reported that we were to report for duty so we strolled over to a small pub near the train station. After a few hours of drinking and chanting the army made its way up the main street to the stadium (stopping in on a tiny pub on the way... who decided it was too difficult to pour 500 beers in 3 minutes... so we continued on). Once at the stadium, the press was out in force and the ggarmy set up shop in a small biergarten overlooking the training pitches. A few German kids were kicking a ball around and that soon turned into an Australia vs Germany competition... (I think we won 30-3 or something - Stoney was on the court in goals and I believe let one of those through! :> ).
Anyway, the game was okay, an own goal wasn't the best start and we lacked a bit of sting in the first 20-30 minutes, but it was good to see Kewell out there and Kennedy have a run. So back into town and back on the beers (and for some stupid reason... the schnapps!!!). We left the pub when it closed (around 12) then headed to some Irish pub (maybe) until that closed (about 2), then some locals took us over to a nightclub somewhere in the suburbs.. at about 4am however it was time for bed. I was surprised by this one dude who asked me if I knew what time the bar we were at closed... I said I wasn't sure... maybe 6am... he thanked me and said he didn't have accom so he would sleep on the bar... Champion! (Incidentally... that bar was called Pufer (or as the Germans say Poofa) so it took a bit of German-Australian translation to agree that it wasn't a G-A bar!)
I managed to lose my sunnies in Pufer or at least somewhere that night. So to wake to blazing sun wasn't exactly the best feeling. Luckily I found the greatest pair of sunnies on earth (looked identical to my $180 arnette's) for E1.99 - bargain!
The next day consisted of getting our Tunisia-Saudi Arabia blockbuster tickets transferred into our names. A quick jog down to the ticket centre... then 4 hours of waiting later we got them!! (long story... but I think I found the only task the Germans are NOT efficient in!!) This of course destroyed our plans of getting to Bruxelles or Eindhoven overnight so we rocked into Koln and got a room. Turned out the best idea ever cos this room had a BATH!!!! sooo goood to soak and wash!
So we are heading back to the Netherlands before the first game.. going to catch up with Hux and Jas, check out Varsseveld and maybe a day trip to Bruxelles or somewhere. We will watch the Dutch play their first game in a Dutch pub, then the Aussies the next day.
Oh and saw Pete Feign at the Ulm game. He is backpacking over here at the moment - such a small world! :)
