Every now and then, a whole bunch of people from E.On get together for food, alcoholic beverages and conversation. This is known as the English Stammtisch, organised by my American friend Maggi. She is kind enough to periodically send out invitations to English-speakers and people wishing to improve their English, and then we all gather at a watering hole of Maggi's choice. Last week we were at The Big Easy, a Cajun restaurant and cocktail bar in Neuhausen.

Lorna lives round the corner from there, so I popped over to hers for a cheeky bottle of white wine before we braved the ice & snow together and then braved the cocktail menu together. The cheeseburger I had was mighty tasty, and I got to meet a lovely lawyer from Malmö. She works for Sydkraft, but is down in Munich on the same sort of deal I was on with Lee all those years ago: a six-month stint at the mother company. I was heartened to learn that E.On's personnel department have been as shitty with her as they were with me.

Friday was of course Australia Day. I celebrated this in the morning by texting all my mates in Australia, and in the evening by heading over to Outland, the Aussie bar on Weißenburger Platz in Haidhausen, with a bunch of people. Whilst there I ran into my brother-in-law Tim, who had got there some hours earlier and was on fine form. Glasses of Foster's (yuk!) were raised to all my loved ones Down Under. Ah, the memories of Australia Day in 2005, where I sat on the Manly Ferry and enjoyed the aerial spectacle over Sydney Harbour!

The weather was icy and windy on Saturday, but I braved the elements to head over to Michaela's house, so that I could help Laurent move some of Michaela's furniture around while Claire and their kids kept the boys occupied. Sunday was a much nicer day: cold but sunny, with the snow sparkling on the ground and in the trees. I had the pleasure of Ferdinand's home-baked apple and cherry cakes, as well as lots of coffee and liqueurs with various friends at Ferdinand's place, including Tom who I hadn't seen since before Christmas.

The early part of this week was less than exciting. The days dragged on; perhaps this is due to the sadness in our room at work at the impending departure of Susanne for her new job on 1st February. It just won't be the same without her. But at least we will definitely keep in touch: Christine, Susanne & I now form a triangle across the centre of town, and lunch will be had in rotation.

I was distracted from thoughts of Susi's leaving us this evening by an unexpected phone call from my mate Thomas: did I fancy riding with him in his tram? Today he was driving the No 27, which is my regular tram into town. I jumped at the chance, and proceeded to travel the entire length of the 27 route from one end to the other and back, all the while poking my head into the front of the cab and enjoying a driver's-eye view of the city. It was fab!!

I got to see the points move as if by magic when we approached track junctions, and I learned that trams can drop sand into the track to stop the wheels slipping. It was ace! I even rode the tram into the depot, where it was parked up for the night. Thomas regaled me with stories of the traffic accidents he's had over the years, as well as other less harrowing stuff.

At one point along the route in Schwabing, a small child on the platform grabbed his mum's leg and pointed at me. I could SO TOTALLY read the envy written in his face, as he saw me grinning at the world at large through the front window! Trams rock, and that's for sure.