Case Study

GOT up before 06:30, had an early breakfast, and walked into Weimar, the venue-hotel being just over a mile from the centre.

Overnight snow greeted me as I left the Leonardo 

I realised pharmacies (probably) and clothes shops (definitely) would not be open for at least an hour or two, but I hoped to have an espresso in a bakery to pass the time.

Unfortunately, the only bakeries I found open had push-button machines, rather than proper coffee-making facilities, so I had to tramp around until 08:00, waiting for another one (all the cafes were closed).

But later I was able to buy toiletries, and found a C&A that opened at 09:30 (virtually everywhere else opened at 10:00, and all shops were closed yesterday), so I was able to get some clothes, and catch a taxi back to the hotel, ready for the start of round two at 10:00.

After the game - more on that later - I received a message on behalf of British Airways stating that my missing suitcase would be delivered tomorrow, although at what time is anyone's guess.