German Hos-brutality

Okay I'm being unfair. I recently came back from 6 weeks in Deutschland and the Germans were perfect hosts.

However, on what I discovered was going to be my last day in Germany, the day pictured, I experienced the true pain of German hospitals.

Despite my happy-go-lucky expression in this picture (taken Nordic walking in the Alps) that particular morning I awoke with an abscess the size of a golf ball just below my right buttock. A quick inspection by my friend 'ooh that looks nasty', a small application of cream and I was convinced I'd be fine for a days hiking. Sadly that was not to be the case. The day in the Alps was highly enjoyed, but as we headed back to Munich the growth on my rear was not.

Back at my friends even sitting down was becoming quite literally a pain in the ass, so a quick call to my travel insurers and it was off to hospital. Now I did have to sit and wait well over an hour to get seen, having no idea what was install when I was.

A once over by the doctor and she said 'straight to theatre for you', which is where they proceeded to cut the abscess open with a scapel, no anesthetic, no painkillers, no nothing. I have to say it was one of the most painful feelings I have ever, EVER, experienced.

The likely cause? An infected hair follicle. Why, oh why, do I get the gayest infections?