August 10th

This trip started out in a very strange way but it did finish up very well.  Monica and I had left for the airport about an hour after we heard the news of the terrorist stuff from London.  We used to fly everywhere together and it was always a lot of fun but after 9/11 Monica had become a little nervous and uncomfortable.  Last week’s trip to Norway seemed to suggest that she was finally getting over this but then the idiots struck again and by the time we got to the airport in Alicante she was literally shaking, so I suggested she return home since I was the only one who actually had to go.

Everything was fine and I arrived in Frankfurt a few minutes late and we drove to Homburg which is a small town in Saarland, not far from the German border with France.  Checked into the hotel and left for dinner… there really wasn’t time to do much else and I was soon to find out that there really wasn’t much to do in Homburg either!!

August 11th

With no internet connection in the hotel I decided to have some breakfast and try to find an internet café.  With so much stuff going on in my musical life at the moment, there’s really no time to let up and I eventually found a place after walking through the town’s main shopping area.

Homburg was going about it’s business and everyone was looking at the weather, always the potential enemy of outdoor shows but one over which no-one has any control!!  Karola called to say that Circle of Hands had arrived so I went to the venue which was a small amphitheatre in a forest… very nice.  Bernie arrived and so did some rain but everyone was happy and, even though progress was slow, things started to take shape.

Sound check went smoothly enough so I went back to the hotel to rest and prepare for the show.  The plan was for COH to play about 40 minutes before I joined them to play, among other things, Tears in My Eyes, a song I haven’t played since, well, for a very long time!!  In spite of the potentially dodgy weather, the people turned out and the atmosphere was happy and spirited.

COH definitely nails some of the Heep songs they play and the crowd were very enthusiastic.  As I approached the stage, it was raining lightly but that didn’t stop the crowd from listening, singing and really enjoying the evening.

I want to thank Karola and COH for inviting me to this show.  It was fun and totally relaxed and I am happy that we did it.  I look forward to seeing them again in Apeldoorn.

After the show I signed stuff and took pictures with lots of people but I was hungry and the promised after-show food didn’t materialise so I began a crusade for “chips”!!

This is where Julian & Johannes from the band “Lion Estates“ come in!  They had heard me whining about chips, they knew that just about everything in Homburg was closed, so they made it their personal cause to find me some!  I didn’t know they were doing this so when they showed up with them I was amazed!

Everyone was in great spirits and it seemed that show (and the whole event actually) had been a success so Bernie and I snuck out and went back to the hotel for a quiet beer.  As usual, we solved a few of the world’s problems and finally gave up!  It was time for some sleep. 

August 12th 

Originally Monica and I were going to spend a day off here but, since she wasn’t with me I spent some time trying to re-organise my flights so I could go home early… like today!!

Homburg is a lovely little town but I just couldn’t see spending a day here with nothing to do, watching boring CNN re-runs, no internet etc. but Air Berlin wanted too much money to change my ticket so Bernie and I decided to go have a coffee and then drive to Frankfurt where I could at least do something and be there, ready for my morning flight home!  On the way we stopped for lunch in Mainz and, by the time I got to the airport hotel I was ready to chill out.

Now I had an internet connection and a choice of four equally banal English language 24-hour boring news channels to choose from so things were a little better!  I could also have a Swedish massage for 85 Euros or an oxygen drink for the price of a small house in Costa Rica but I decided to order a cheeseburger from room service and get an early night.  Somehow travelling is not so easy and not so much fun any more, especially without Monica! 

August 13th 

I am happy to be going home!

The flight to Mallorca was full and definitely not fun but I was at least getting closer.  As if to emphasise what I said about travelling not being fun anymore the flight from Mallorca to Alicante was delayed by some unspecified amount of time… so near and yet so far!  But, by now I was close enough so I went to the microscopic smoking area, had a coffee and… waited.

I think I am going to put chips in my show rider from now on!!

God bless,
Ken
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