Page 25 - Transporter Talk Issue 195

or over seen by the victorious nations of WW2, Britain, Unites States and France the Soviet Union occupied the East. Our journey fell into the UK zone of influence so did the factories of Wolfsburg and Hannover, it also explained the large amount of British troop movement we saw on the roads, one column we snuck behind had the troops all waving to us, which seemed to please our female companions! I was interested in the tanks being transported of course.
Eventually we arrived at our base, the superb Hotel Heidesee in Gifhorn, situated just 20km from Wolfsburg and built on the shores of the magnificent lake Heide.
The Hotel was simply breathtaking my father being an architect marvelled at its design and facilities. Indoor heated pool, en-suite rooms - in Britain at the time most hotels you had to share a bathroom per floor - and a wet room which was unheard of in Britain. Of course these things are common place now but it just showed how far advanced the Germans
were compared to us poor Brits - we were definitely the poor relation of Europe. (Editor’s note – “were”?)
After a freshen up it was time for our evening meal, now my father had somehow gotten it into his head that the Germans dressed formally for dinner so both myself and my brother were made to wear collar and tie, and a sports jacket - how I complained, especially when the majority of our party had just put on a clean pair of jeans.
We all enjoyed a lovely steak meal cooked the German way (rare) which did not please my parents as they believed all meat should be nuked. I however enjoyed the taste of a decent steak cooked the way a steak should.
Once the meal was consumed and several bottles of German beer (not me unfortunately I was on a strict diet of cola) our party broke up and all retired to our rooms to prepare for the following day. Wolfsburg.
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