Cedar goes German-Day One

Summary: Go straight to your gig after 18 hours straight travel and play a 90 minute purely improvised set while unable to stand. That sort of thing.

The English Bit:
We left town in Ben's big black van at 3am, driving east ever east, until we reached Harich in time for our 9am ferry. Watch the sun come up over flat Essex fields.

The Boat Bit:
First of all, I didn't know ferrys could take six hours. In my mind, anything longer than two hours is a sea voyage. We undertook a sea voyage, on what I know understand to be one of the choppiest seas around. The North Sea. I never had trouble with sea-sickness on the ferry to Vancouver island. This was not that ferry.

The Holland Bit:
We landed, finally, finally, in the Hook of Holland. Also known as Hoek Van Holland. We drove through very very slow traffic past very many windmills and general Dutch loveliness. No time to stop for Cheese, unfortunately.

The Germany Bit:
And then lots more driving. Loads of driving. This time in Germany. We ran late. Two hours late. Certainly no time to stop at the hostel before heading to the gig. We head straight to the gig.

The Gig Bit:
The audience was waiting. The opening act had been playing for two hours. There were open Becks from the down-the-street beer factory waiting for us. No time to set up drums! No time to soundcheck! Emma, Neil, go make stuff up! Which we did. For almost two hours. Ben and Ben sneaked in when they can. People seemed to love it. Not being on a boat made me dizzy and woozy, which is weird, but there it is, and I couldn't stand up. Played most of the gig kind of leaning against mic stands. More beer. We were given eggs on buns and then we were done.

And then bed. Two more gigs tomorrow.

Germany!

Germany.