Football hotel violence

So I had my first tast of the German hospital system today.

I was about to head off on a few morning errands before joining the brothers to watch the games on the big screens at the fan fest in central Berlin. I started having an animated discussion with our hotel window about the merits of automatic qualification to the World Cup of host and defending champion teams.

Things turned violent when the window cast aspersions about the state of Australian football. Incensed I head butted the window however I came off second best striking the sharp corner of the window.

Those who know me well know that I have a history of head butting things, usually because of my height, so I was not concerned until that warm sensation of blood running through my hair and and down my face. Unphased to begin with I became a little worried when cold tap water failed to stem the bleeding. The bathroom was getting red.

With help from Andrew I found an appropriate pad from my first aid kit and stuck it on the wound. I went looking for help from hotel staff for directions to a doctor or hospital just in case it was serious.

I must have looked as though I had kicked on, holding a pad on my head and blood all over my face and football jersey. With help from hotel staff and cabbie I was soon at a hospital, passport and insurance details in hand.

I was impressed with how quickly I was seen to. The male nurse who looked after me was very excited when he discovered I was from Australia. He was friendly and despite my poor German and his poor English we established the wound was only minor and needed only a clean. After a consult from a doctor to double check that I had no other problems I was free to go.

Happy nurse handed me my passport and insurance papers and ensured me that all was well and there was nothing to pay. I think he was just happy to meet an Australian. We are finding everywhere that Australians are warmly welcomed and have met people from all over the world, many wishing us well against Brazil.

White hotel towels are not good at cleaning up blood but thanks to Andrew I returned to find a hotel bathroom white not red. Alles gut-everything is good.