A blogger like me

In a few days I'll be off to Vienna and so to kick off my blogging here area few thoughts about what lies ahead.

Firstly I'm feeling rather out of practice, having had a couple of years away from the madness of ESC fortnight. My last memory is the very VERY slow check-in at Baku airport at an ungodly hour on the Sunday morning after going there straight after the final (which after all finished at 3.30am local time). But you know, I'd go back to that city of jazz, of culture, of chaos and of slightly suspect taxi drivers. Although maybe not next year.

The first impressions of the Vienna contest organisation are, it must be said, very promising. Hopefully this won't lead to disappointment on arrival, and I'm fairly confident it won't.


We have a nice, central, sensibly-sized, tried and tested arena with adjoining press centre, which should mean things work. The rehearsal schedule is also very gently paced the first few days (OK, that's just a fancy way of saying we don't have to get up early).

But I think what seems most impressive isn't even directly related to the contest: the programme of touristy things which is being organised for the accredited masses, going under the no-nonsense and to-the-point name of Trips For Free (presumably Trips For Nothing would have brought about accusations of the Austrians offering subliminal support to their neighbours).

You always plan to see some of the city when your're at Eurovision, but it often ends up being a rushed day somewhere near the end of week two. By offering these excursions, nights at the opera and, erm, bungee jumping (thanks, but I'll pass), it looks like the city really does want to actively promote itself, something often mentioned as a benefit of hosting the contest but which does tend to get a bit forgotten.

So expect a few of my blog posts to be firmly focused on the touristy side of things, not just exclusive, exciting and obviously amazing witty updates from the press centre.

Most of all of course - this is the ESC Nation after all - I hope to bring you randomness.

Now, where's my suitcase?

*insert Anne Gadegaard joke*