Boris has been left to his own devices in Muenchen. It seems Hobson slipped through Franz Josef Strauss airport and onto the train to Grenoble while the bumbling spy slept. Well done Hobson!

Boris rose early, sometime before midday. He decided to get some exercise, so he walked from his hotel (Ibis Nord Muenchen) on Ungererstrasse and headed for the city centre. It was at Muenchener Freiheit that he found a small cafe with many suspicious characters (actually local people, but he wouldn’t know the difference) sitting outside, drinking coffee and discussing important issues.

He went inside and ordered ein coffee und brot mit kase. He stumbled through German. 6.40 euros (his attempt at account keeping)

After that repast he continued on his trek along Leopoldstrasse and Ludwigstrasse. He observed many suspicious characters, without realising he was in the university district. He walked through the middle of Ludwig Maximilian University, founded in 1472 in someplace else, but moved to here in 1826 (note to burgermeister – some buildings need a coat of paint)

Eventually he reached the city centre and arrived in Marienplatz at midday to see a very large crowd outside the Rathaus. He thought he had found civil discontent (but they were there to watch the clock on the town hall – performance of mechanical figures after clock strikes noon – Rathaus mit Glockenspiel)

Without finding anyone to participate in a putsch, he went to the hauptbahnhof and got on a bus. He was amazed that it travelled around in circles (it was a sightseeing bus). Finally in a disoriented manner he got off the bus, late in the afternoon. His route took him along Elisenstrasse, Marburgstrasse, Herzog-Maxstrasse Neuhauserstrasse , Ettstrasse, Promenadeplatz (strange memorial to Michael Jackson here) and to Maximilianstrasse. He was diverted to the Hofbrauhaus-am-Platzl.

He believed his opportunity for a putsch had occurred. The place was fully of noisy drinkers. (Actually the original bier hall putsch came from the Burgerbraukeller, but it was demolished in 1979)

At the table he met Walter and Helga from Hannover. They claimed to be pensioners. Walter was compelled to retire at 60 years. They were visiting Muenchen in the autumn. After 3 litres of dark bier they could have told him anything.

Somehow he got back to his hotel.

Perhaps a little too much luxury …

This travel log will be insufferable. For those who are students of the exploits of Boris the incompentent spy, this will come as a surprise. On his current misadventure, he is travelling to Germany. He thinks he might find enlightenment there (well someone has to turn on the lights sometime).

The first parts of his travels were to get from Brisbane to Munich (codename: Muenchen). He was to fly with the baggage through Dubai. Due to the misunderstanding on the part of Emirates that this fool was of some consequence, they upgraded him, not once but twice. On both legs the bottom jaw was awash with red wine and fine food in business class.

The first error was made by the Dnata staff in Brisbane. The young lady at the check-in desk was confronted with two entries in the computer. It seems something, akin to a Health payroll system, runs the bookings and automatically upgraded the fool. The poor girl was perplexed. Her supervisor decided the upgrade should occur, so off marches Boris with a business class boarding pass for the Brisbane Dubai leg, and an economy pass for the Dubai Munich leg.

In the interests of not boring you with complaints from Boris, I will summarize the experience. This flight normally takes 14 hours, but those chaps in the cockpit got the plane there in 13 hours. Seems they had a fairly good tailwind and it wasn’t too bumpy going over the Indian Ocean. Not a drop of red wine was spilt. While he was stuffing his face with good food, he made a sizeable attempt at a bottle of Torbreck Old Vines GSM 2005 from the Barossa Valley. (From the menu: Here the thick skinned grapes are very much at home and show their class when picked from the 100 year old vines. The GSM signifies the blend of Gernache, Shiraz and Mouvedre. The 2005 is described as hedonistic, dark ruby coloured, a fragrant nose of black cherry and wild blueberry (and possibly a hint of wine). Elegant and friendly on the palate with plenty of succulent blue and black fruits.)

Not sure if he slept well.

On his attempt to board the flight to Munich he was confronted by a large Arabian fellow at the gate when he presented his boarding pass. The oriental fellow presented the card to an electronic device which went beep (Everyone has to have one of these machines.) The fellow then tore up the boarding pass (finally someone has seen sense) and directed him to a security officer, who issues him with a business class boarding pass (the sense didn’t last long).

The flight from Dubai to Munich followed the route: up the Persian Gulf, across Turkey, on to Budapest and finally into Munich.