As I left Photokina in 2012, I started thinking ahead to my next visit a whole two years later in 2014. It's a massive event, there were about 186K of us who made the pilgrimage from 166 countries two years ago. I was also convinced I should prolong my stay, there's a lot to see in one day so I should consider a two day trip instead. So back in May I started hatching my plans for Photokina 2014, I asked around to see if anyone wanted to join me but when I couldn't get a definite commitment I went ahead with my own plans. The Photokina had some partner hotels recommended but I struggled to find out their whereabouts. I tried to copied their details into the dreaded but useful Tripadvisor but so many weren't even there which didn't fill me with confidence. I ended up with a curious boutique hotel very close to the main station. My flight got me in late and luckily I'd noticed the hotel didn't have a 24 hour reception so made arrangements for my hotel room to be left in a combination lock box on the wall next to the Turkish restaurant. Due to leaving the station by the wrong exit, I was at the back of the station rather than the front, I was tantalisingly close to my hotel but I just couldn't locate it. I did however, pick up a creepy guy who started following me through the deserted back streets common to a typical main city train station. Luckily I espied a hotel with a similar name to mine that had a reception and took refuge within. Creepy guy followed me in hoping to tap us for money and find a place where he could spend that money on drink. I waited as long as I could without stumping up for another room and tackled the station again. I eventually found the front entrance and by luck found my hotel shortly after. I had tried to use Google maps via my earphones but frankly it didn't help, I suspect it made me just look more like a lost tourist and hence a target.But the room was bizarre but fine and I could get some sleep, dream of new cameras before hitting Photokina in the morning.
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