Bruno queued for a long time, wondering why so many people want to travel abroad. What do they want there? Visit friends, move to another town, just travel around.

A woman, about 60 years old, with a magnificent hat, queued just in front of Bruno. She was carrying her little pretty dog on her arms. Two large old suitcases made of leather stood beside her legs, covered with many stickers showing their trips all around the world. When she turned her head, she asked Bruno if queuing in front of German ticket counters always lasted such a long time. Bruno agreed, but told her that it could be a good chance to get in contact with travellers all around the world. The l ady smiled. She mentioned that the earth was her home, from America to Asia, from the North to the South pole.Her husband, who had unluckily died a few years ago, had been in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There existed a rule which said that all people working there had to change the country every three or four years. Of course, to make sure that everyone had a chance to live in attractive countries; Italy is such a one, for example. Due to the limited appearance of Italies in the whole world, the rotation principle was implemented. Actually, her travel target was the Bahamas, not so cold for her old bones searching for a warmer climate.

Bruno asked her if she knew Achill Island, a small island in Ireland, but she had never heard that name. Perhaps, the person behind the counter could help Bruno to find the right way and to get the ticket.

Arriving at the counter, the thirty-three year old man was lucky. The person behind the counter only needed one minute to print the ticket and to show him which trains he should use to get there. Bruno was asked if there would be a special happening in Achill Island, because today four women and one man had wanted to get there,too.

"Really?" Bruno was astonished. He explained to the person behind the counter that friends and family of Brian O' Donnell, a famous painter, met there.

On the way back to his home, Bruno hoped to meet those travellers, showing huge interest which relationship to the well-known painter they have.

Back again, the young man brought his Merlin costume - in use the day before - to the cellar, waiting for the following year when the so-called Geisterzug, a ghost procession during the carnival period, would take place in Cologne again.

From the little cellar compartment, Bruno took with him his black suitcase for the journey the following day. In order to identify his suitcase among the large amount of black suitcases of other travellers, for example at the airport on a conveyor belt, a yellow sticker, good to recognize, was put on it.

Early in the morning, the young man woke up, went to the small bathroom to take a shower and to shave himself. "Oh, what a wonderful day!" - He imagined this song, because the sun shone so brightly.

After having a little breakfast, only some fresh fruits, Bruno took the underground to Cologne main station. When the red-coloured Thalys train arrived, Bruno entered the waggon and took his reserved seat.