Sometimes the “Day One’s” of my journeys are pretty laid back.  Such as today.

Yesterday was my first day back in the world after Covid.  And today was three train rides to Wuppertal, Germany.

I’m sitting in the King’s Head Pub, run by a Brit who fell in love with a German woman.  He’s a happy soul.

Less than a kilometre down the road stands the Historiche Stadthalle.  On Tuesday evening, I’ll join other devotées of Chris de Burgh to hear him sing in the concert hall.

The King’s Head is virtually empty … and I miss the energy of a full pub.  Still, the Ohara’s craft beer and steak and mushroom pie fill up my soul.

How strange to have so little energy.  Three times today a human being smiled at me and offered to carry my suitcase up or down.  No resistance from this guy.  I needed the help.

On the trains I had short conversations with fellow travellers but it wasn’t the 100% Bruce.  I often cocooned into my comfy seat, retreating into my latest beloved book – La Belle Sauvage from the universe of Philip Pullman.  He’s a marvelous creator of human beings.  I wrote a few days ago about Lyra, an “out there” 12-year-old.  In this book she’s been on the planet for only six months.  Her journey begins.

My Airbnb is on a hill way above Wuppertal centrum.  I haven’t figured out buses so my feet are the engine of returning home.  A slow slog.

But now I’m here, on the Zunftstraße.  Ready for some reading.  My zip may return tomorrow … but if it doesn’t I’ll still create happiness.

Goodnight.