2002 March 29th back from Germany

Hello!!!! I am back from Germany and Holland.

Germany and Holland are very nice and together places I think. The light switches are big and the loos work. Also you bring the tyre pumpy-up-thing to the car not the car to the tyre pumpy-up-thing plus no-one nicks it.

Holland is very interesting even though I thought that it might be tiresome due to lack of hills it actually isn’t at all. Everyone there is very laidback and very nice especially my Holland Tour Manager Gosse which is pronounced Hosser with a hhhhhhhhh. Everything with a G is an aitch actually and it’s a most wondrous language. In Holland we have got described as firs end sprankelen which means fresh and sparkling. Gosse will say it’s wrong spelling which I know but I like spelling not mattering. So there.

Holland is actually a wonder to behold.

Also grand pianos everywhere.

Germany is fabulous as usual but even more so as Chris and Kate were with me. We had great fun playing NEST (see separate section coming up called CARGAMES) and hide and seek. We were very pleasant to each other, had great food, great drinks and lovely gigs meeting loverley people all around.

The best person there is ULLA she is most brilliant and organises my German tours each year. We have spent many a happy hour playing NEST by text message, drinking, eating at places she leads us to and staying in spectacular hotels which some do have caviar for breakfast. Also shopping most things are cheaper in Germany. She will be organising some stuff for January which we are most looking forward to. Chris and Kate played perfectly. Kate = played beautiful clarinet bubbles which are most pleasing to listen to and Chris = sang with his gorgeous mellow yet has edge to it voice which was very blending of perfect quality.

Plus what was amazing is the Fairports have copied me by going to Germany as well. They did come to Australia too. I suspect they are stalkers.

It was very nice indeed though because we did a gig with them at Mulheim which was fab and great. THe Fairports are my very favourite people and it was wonderful to find them again like I found them in Australia. They are off to Canada and America in a few days. One day I will go to there.

Anyway I will tell you more when I think about it when I have some time. I will tell you that I am going back to Australia next year same time as I have made my mind up almost immediately I got there to go back. It is not surprising when you see what it’s like.

Last night did first Fairport Supporters Gig in Sheffield which took me 5 hours to get to cos of the accident on the M40 which affected the whole country and Easter when everyone decides it would be a good idea to get in the car and race off at top speed. Except it isn’t top speed as everyone else is in your way.

The gig was good and fun. Bob and Steve are very nice and I think it will get funner.

Must go now – have found that you know my pond I told you about well it has frogspawn in it!!!! It’s so exciting.
I am wearing my pink corduroy surf long shorts which I got in Oz and feel very holidayey. Look out for new sections on web which will be called something like MUSICIAN’S CARGAMES and annA rydeR INTERNATIONAL inwhich there will be reviews, saying, phrases and emails in different languages.

byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee