We had asked to get a night free accommodation in the Leipzig (East Germany) Interhotel which is associated with the Sheraton. This is one of the Sheraton employee perks, they get a free night in one of the hotels every now and again. So after one day of recovery at "home" (Munich) we set off hitching to Berlin on 29th April then to end up in Leipzig on 1st May and hitch back to Munich on 2nd May in time to restart work on 3rd May. We thought we were very lucky when it looked like we would make it all the way to Berlin with only 2 lifts. One business man in a Merc then a truck (these big big ones ) we were also thrilled that the truck only had to cover 500ks but the truck trip ended up taking 9 hours!! A waste of a day but a very entertaining trip.
Thomas, our truck driver, was very proud of his truck. In the cab(in) there were a number of gadgets and conveniences. He is from Denmark, was transporting cheese. First he offered us coffee or tea. We were very impressed. He cleaned our cups with "Ints" a strong disinfectant that we use to clean in the hotel. Then he merely wiped out the cups. He boiled the water in a filter coffee machine, poured it, added sugar and served it to us - all while driving!
We watched the road while he watched the cups. The seats int he cab were hydraulic - they could fold up, respond or not respond to suspension, lean back and best of all expand to fill out the curves of your back. This was in the passenger and driver's seats. Paz and I took turns sitting on the "bed" that runs behind the seats. The driver also had a finger joy stick which can be used instead of the peddles, so he can put his feet up - and he did - while driving. He also read and drew while driving. He had a computer keyboard and screen on a cord which he could pull in front of him, lean on the steering wheel and send messages back to his company in Denmark. Thomas also had a radio, C.D., cassettes and a large supply of food in a fridge. HE got all his food out and shared lunch with us. I was sitting on the "bed" behind so Paz had to "play mother" and prepare the food on the large table-like dashboard. There was a full range of kitchen equipment and Paz made sandwiches for all of us while we were in motion on a very bumpy East German road. There is only one main road in East Germany and it is in bad condition.
Paz and I were in hysterics as Thomas reverted to a little boy as he requested what he wanted on his sandwiches, and totally ignored the road. Paz didn't stand stand a chance filling all our sandwich orders. Thomas had one with Pate and gherkin then one with Bree cheese, sauerkraut, then sausage slices, mustard and dried onions! Thomas was very interesting but very slow.
With out warning he stopped at one point because - although he hadn't told us - he had to stop every 4 hours to rest by law. Thanks to the truck ride though we got a view of a little East German village where Thomas had to go to drop off some cheese. Thomas told us that when the Berlin wall first came down and he came to this village all the villagers came out to see the truck as they had never seen one like it before.
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