This trip to  Germany had an inauspicious start, and an inauspicious middle but I am hoping the end result will get better!

And well, to cut a long story short... it certainly did.

My journey here was fine, there was just a horrible half-hour when I tried to get a train into Hannover and the machines in the completely unmanned train station refused all my money and my cards... and then a German woman obviously felt I was taking too long to use the machine, pushed me out of the way and began trying to buy her ticket.

Let's just say we had words and she soon realised the error of her rude ways.

I then headed off on a search of the airport to find a shop or help (which was fruitless) but fortunately I came across a casino, found a machine which liked my money, played one game, got some change and headed back to the station for round 2 trying to buy a ticket.

By now my stress levels were through the roof, but as soon as I got off the train in Hannover, met the lovely Claudia Kennel from SeePerlen and made our way to the shop all was right in the World again.

The shop itself is absolutely gorgeous (who can resist a bead shop with such a fabulous deer head on the wall?) and full of some very tempting goodies.

After visiting the shop, where I got to meet the lovely Tina Wohler, it was time for dinner and a browse of a nearby beautiful shop which used to be a butcher's.

Soon I am heading to bed, excited for the next few days and hoping the international language of 'Beadish' will get us through.

You can see more photos I took on my Colour Blog.