June 18, 2018

Berlin, Germany

What a splendid day, and week. We’ve just arrived in Berlin, fresh from filming a live TV show for the NDR programme ‘Das!’. It was great fun, and kudos to Johnny and Jules, who sat on the host’s red sofa and spoke in very convincing German for a total 30 minutes. We sung two songs, and had good fun getting our hair & make-up done, and having someone iron our shirts for us just before the show! These last few concerts have been really special; we’ve been singing in some beautiful halls, and the audiences have been really lovely and warm. Standing ovations don’t come cheap in Germany, so to get a few this week has meant a lot.

In the last 5 days, we’ve done 1 live TV show and 4 concerts, in 3 different countries. So tomorrow feels like a well-earned day off. Tim and Chris G are heading back home for the day to see their offspring; the rest of us are having a day in Berlin, to have some meetings (2019 will be upon us before we know it!), to do some shopping, to catch up on admin, and to enjoy an evening off duty. Berlin is such a beautiful and vibrant city, it’ll be a lovely place to have some down time. I need to buy a new suitcase, as my trusty silver one now has multiple holes in it, and only 3 wheels. It’s lasted me 2 years - and given what we put our suitcases through, it’s a miracle it’s lasted this long... I also need to buy some Bonjela®️, as a sudden shift back into hectic touring life gives me terrible mouth ulcers, and ironically I literally haven’t had time even to buy the medicine to heal them!

On Wednesday we have a concert here in Berlin’s beautiful Konzerthaus, and I can’t wait to meet our Berlin supporters (we haven’t sung in the city in these last 2 years). Then it’s only a matter of days until I’m back with Ellie, and based in the UK for a week, which will be bliss!