An efficiency study

My ordeal with Fisch

Not going into any detail save to say that I spent a turbulent night.  I got up early went to the lobby,and waited for Stephanie, our blonde Teutonic receptionist (with orange shoes, but I digress.

I told her I ought to get checked over by a doctor, as food poisoning can be nasty.

Himmeltag! she said.  There are no doctors.  This didn't seem to be the German Way.

You will have to go to the Krankenhaus (Hospital).

Which is the nearest?  

Altona.  I will call you a taxi, it will be one minute.  And it was.

17 euros later we reached the Hospital.  A young female doctor said:

Your Englisch Dokuments!

I looked mystified. EU passport and NHS number (YB 042812A)

I need card.

Nummer

Karte

Nummer

Karte

How much?  160 euros ($200) 

No way!

I waited by the hospital gates.  There were no taxis, only a young girl called Sibylla, who knows Australia better than I do.  "From Cooktown in the North we go, but we cannot get across Kimberley without 4 wheel drive!"  Sibylla guided me onto the correct bus and then the S Bahn railway to Landungbrucken near where I was staying.  Stephanie had had a difficult time with a couple of visitors.  I went to the cakeshop where I had a latte and one or two other small things.

Then I had an idea which cost me only 3 euros.  I got a box, wrote on it "Glucklicke Himmel Tag!" had a strawberry slice put into it and gave it to Stephanie. She was delighted.

One never knows when one might need another palazzo for the night! :)