Higher, faster, further – these are the standards of the sport. Everyday life in Germany is also hectic. Every day packed to the brim, stress, excitement, madness. The first hours at the Women’s World Cup in Australia show that things can be done differently: comfortably, with a lot of rest.
After a 28-hour journey from our own front door to loading in Sydney, we dive into a new world. It almost seems as if time has stood still. And on every corner. Okay, it’s also a bit unlucky if your suitcase is the penultimate one to be thrown onto the baggage carousel. But good.
After that, the passport must be presented no less than three times before leaving the airport. At passport control, logically, then when queuing, when the luggage is checked. And finally immediately after the actual check by the officials. All of this takes time, of course.
A maze of metal and iron bars
Interesting then how to get a taxi. Standing in line – of course – and that too in a labyrinth of metal and iron bars, between which the trolley with the luggage can hardly be pushed. After all: after half an hour the car is there.
Accreditation, which is authorization for access to the stadiums, was very special later on. Exactly five people are initially in a huge office. The ID card has to be checked again, but it takes almost three quarters of an hour before the shrink-wrapped document and photo are hanging around your chest.
Cutting, welding – and everything again
To explain: Normally it takes about five minutes. Unfortunately, the employee keeps cutting the multi-page document in the wrong place before it is shrink-wrapped. Means: It has to be reprinted and that takes time.
Colleagues from all sorts of countries, quickly there are 25 people who are waiting for their accreditation, take note of it calmly. In Germany it would have quickly become loud. Here we now unexcitedly discover the slowness.