Yesterday was my first day back from holidays and you would think I would be run off my feet with loads of work but I wasn't.

I do believe a slow day at work is worse than a fast day. Time seemed to stand still and the day was incredibly long.

Not one to be unprepared, I always take my morning newspaper, a couple of entertainment rags to read, my trip planning file and my iPod *thank you Apple* to chip away at the hum drum, dullness of my day.

I am grateful for the job I do have but when time is slowly ticking by, I drift off into dreamland and imagine all sorts of other activities I could be doing.

Fact is, I need to work, not only for the money but I believe everyone needs a reason to get out of bed in the morning and work is a good reason as any.

Ironic now isn't it?

Now, the story about Padders, Brad and me in Germany trying to buy a dang subway ticket at the do-it-yourself kiosk.

In hindsight, it was something out of a Laurel & Hardy comedy sketch. There we were, standing in front of the kiosk, me at one machine, punching various buttons in a desperate attempt to get some kinda paper out of the machine and there was Paddy and Brad at the other machine, wondering why it wouldn't take the 50 Euro note and refusing to accept the debit/credit card as well.

What was hilarious was when we requested the transaction to be in English, the dang debit/credit card machine was only available in German, Rampie was at work (he speaks German and we do not) and we had no clue what the machine was asking us.

We fretted, discussed and finally decided that one solution would be for Paddy to go to the Apotek (pharmacy) to get a stick of deodorant in a devilish ruse to break the 50 Euro note and subsequently, we could then buy our subway tickets.

Paddy walked to the Apotek, a few moments passed and Paddy walked out of the Apotek empty-handed. The Apotek didn't have any deodorant and he didn't know what else to buy. (The Apotek only carried drug store, pharmacy type thingys).

Now that had me in stitches, dunno why, but the hilarity and absurdity of the situation was becoming another one of those holiday moments that you never forget.

After much deliberation, it was agreed to empty our pockets and pool our Euros together and lo and behold, we had just enough to buy 3 subway tickets.

*smiles*

In other news, Paddy has a built-in hamburger radar and I watched in amazement as he lifted his nose in the air, his head swirled around to the right about 3 o'clock and he calmly announced, 'There is a Burger King over there'.

*impressed*

A few steps later, we could all see the Burger King in plain view.

That is my Padders, Brad and Me story.

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