Yesterday was one of those long transit days that never turns into a story, Reims to Munich, around seven to eight hours of pure highway, France into Germany, nothing but asphalt, trucks, and gas stations.
Then Munich fixed that in five minutes.
We’re staying right in the center at Platzl Hotel. Just around the corner we ended up at Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, the classic Munich beer hall, huge steins, proper beer food, and that old world atmosphere that feels like it’s been there forever.
After that we went on to Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski München, they’ve got a real cigar lounge, Kempinski Cigar Lounge by Zechbauer, and it was exactly what the evening needed. I smoked my first cigar in many years.
I’m careful these days because of the stroke, but I still let myself enjoy the moment. A litre of beer first, then a good cognac. I’m a cognac guy, always have been, and that last glass was excellent.
That’s also what the Defender X Expedition is about. The miles matter, sure, but the real fuel is the team. The conversations in the evenings, life, love, pain, suffering, the weird stuff we all carry, and the way people with different lives still somehow speak the same language when you put them around the same table. We’re trying to make a film together, learning each other as we go.
Munich is beautiful, and it brought back an old memory. Last time I was here was the European Cup final, Nottingham Forest vs Malmö FF, played in Munich on 30 May 1979. Trevor Francis scored the only goal. I remember that city feeling big, bright, and slightly unreal, just like it does now.
Tonight we point the cars toward Budapest, a few more hours on the road. And today I switch cars. I’m usually Jeff’s wingman, which I love, but we’ve got a film to make, so I’m moving over to April and Steve’s car, with Sophie filming as always. April’s new to the team, and she says she’s climbed Everest and worked for JP Morgan, so I’m curious to hear her story properly over the next stretch.
No drama yesterday. All vibe in Munich. More road ahead.
