Das Fun Fun Fun of Das Autobahn

Das Fun Fun Fun of Das Autobahn!
The Golden Cloud 03/02/2013

Flying down the Autobahn, Alun and I were singing Kaiser Chiefs and “Da Fun Fun Fun of DAS AUTOBAHN” (our cover of the Kraftwerk song) at the top of our lungs. We had only a handful of miles to the German-Danish Border (and safety?). Suddenly it looked like our game was up. An unmarked police car sped past us, slowed down, then lit up and pulled us in. The sharply dressed plain clothed officer walked up to the window and as Alun wound it down, said in an almost perfect Middle Class English Accent “Good Morning” “Good morning officer, I’m sorry was I going too fast” Alun responded trying to act the innocent, but dobbing himself in! “Oh no no not at all, just a routine check” to which Alun responded in an comically surprised tone “Oh… :S Oh, Great!”

The officer after questioning and checking our papers, looked over Alun’s shoulder at the suspicoulsy large load in the boot. “Whats in the back” he probed. “Ahhh, Yes, I was wondering when you’d ask. Were going on a expedition in the North, its our food for the next few months!” Rather confused the officer asked “For the winter!?! May I have a look?” “Most Certainly” Alun said, obviously looking forward to the officers surprise when he opened the boot.

“Wow that’s a lot of food” staring at the too the roof, 2 tonne, mountain of food, [Kicking Wheel] “looks heavy” “Yes yes it is… Could I interest you in a pringle to lighten the load?” Alun joked “Ha. Ha. Ha. [in a very short german laugh] no I’m ok. Please get in the vehicle” To which Alun attempted to get into the backseat of the police car. “No! Your Car”…“Everything is ok … Good Luck”

The overladen axel of the van

Finally the Danish Border!

 Gleefully we escaped and made for Alborg, humming the tune of the Great Escape.

Not Far to Aalborg

And so on we went up through the bland North German and the boring monotony of the Danish Landscape. We tried to brake the meloncoly by playing “spot the turbine parts” as wind turbine blades, towers, and hubs were zooming past us on the motorway from the factory. I eventually won this game as I was first to spot the massive Turbine Part Holding Bay at Alborg Docks… I think I won by thousands.

A small part of the turbine holding bay!

The joy of winning the turbine game was soon bettered by the feeling of job-done as we drove into the carpark of Royal Arctic Lines container port. They sorted out our papers in a jiffy (signing the container as Danish food to make export easier. We were then led by a floating container (our mini container on a forklift reversing away from us in a way that we could only see a flying container) to a open barn where we got to work unpacking the van and packing the container.

The flying container

And so started an excellent game of rugby pass practise with 2 tonnes of food! Amazingly our hands survived and we only dropped one tin. The Joy in Alun’s face as he finally shut the container door was worth every ounce of effort!

The food mountian

Aluns Joyous Moment

On goes the clip!

Then before we had time to breath we were off again heading to Copenhagen with only 18hrs till check in closed on our flight and 15 hours driving still to do. Before leaving Alborg we picked up a breakfast/lunch/dinner from a service station of Cheese, Danish Rye Bread, and Hotdogs. It was soooooooooo good.

Enroute we decided to try our luck in the town of Arhus for a ferry to cut the corner to the island with Copenhagen. On arrival we found the ferry not too dear, and one leaving that evening, added to that as a cargo ferry you got a Free Cup of Coffee, and so into Alun’s primordial soup of a thermos flask went 2 free coffee’s!

Cutting the corner on the ferry

(To be continued....)