Party time (part 3 - going home)

And then it was time to say good-bye to Stefan...

... and we got into the still non-airconditioned car and headed back home.

The people responsible for road construction in Germany are getting increasingly fond of roundabouts. They pop up everywhere in this country. But is it art...?

Susi, the lady who lives in this navigation system,...

... directed us onto the autobahn. She did a good job until we reached a route diversion. That's when she lost it completely. She even told us to make a U-turn on the autobahn. Now, call me overcautious, but a u-turn on the autobahn is not something that I would recommend, not even to my worst enemy. We switched her off, so she could get her act together again and then back on. She was silent for a long time (sulking, I guess), but when she reappeared she was back on track.

The monotony of long distance driving. "Wir fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n auf der Autobahn..."

No Kraftwerk on the radio, in fact no radio at all. We talked and listened to the engine instead. Along the road a great number of huge wind energy plants...

... closer...
German truck stops serve all the drivers' needs: there is a drive-in MacDonalds next to the drive-in erotic shop. Long distance driving can get very lonely.

It took us 15 minutes less back to Cologne than it had taken us the other way. Anna drove faster and it was downhill instead of uphill. Then on the train...

... and finally home and under the shower.