I suffered travel chaos on way to Germany but US Military came to my rescue

Murnau Station in Bavaria.

It’s 10.21pm and the last train has gone. There are no more buses to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the taxi rank is empty. In fact, the only vehicles on the town’s one main road are tractors. A growl of thunder rumbles in the air as the sky turns black. And suddenly, your Record Sport reporters are starting to wonder if they’ll spend the night sleeping against a vending machine.

This, after a journey from Glasgow that had already taken in two flights and four trains. What a start to Euro 2024. But then we think about what Steve Clarke said last week. This isn’t the time for Negative Normans. We’re in Germany with Scotland for a major tournament. Positivity is the key here. For once, we’re fuelled by optimism. And just like that, a rescue act. Jennifer, who works for the US Military, is also trying to get to Garmisch – the Scottish team’s base camp. She manages to get us a taxi and pulls off a save Angus Gunn would be proud of.

We got here late on Friday night but through the street lights, there were posters with Saltires. Clearly, the arrival of Clarke’s squad is a major event. And on Saturday morning, the sheer beauty of our surroundings became evident. The Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, was glistening in the sun.

You can get a cable car to the top and from our hotel you can see hand-gliders regularly flying around. My Record Sport colleague, Keith Jackson, claims he fancies trying it out. Which is about as likely as Scotland winning this thing.

Anyway, this picturesque toy town seems to be the perfect base for Clarke’s team before their Group A clashes against the hosts, Switzerland and Hungary. Even the weather is right up our street. One minute, it’s bright and sunny. The next, grey skies and torrential rain.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is officially one of the stormiest places in Europe, according to research done in Karlsruhe. So when the players set off for training on Monday – it probably felt more Blantyre than Bavaria. But the beauty of this Alpine retreat has to be seen to be believed.

It’s just over an hour from Munich, which is where we had to go to collect our Euro 2024 accreditation. Unfortunately for yours truly, there was a problem. UEFA didn’t take note of the middle name on my passport so I have to go through security checks again.

I had to go back to Garmisch without the pass I needed – and with the prospect of another trek there in a few days’ time. Surely nothing else could go wrong? Thankfully, the local Mayor, Elisabeth Koch, is as excited as anyone about the Scots being here. The rain threatened to ruin her big welcome.

It was planned for an outdoor stage at the Kurpark but had to be switched inside to Bayerhalle. That’s where John McGinn showed everyone his dance moves alongside the Oompah band in their lederhosen.

Hopefully, that moment will become iconic as the starting point ahead of a memorable tournament for the Scots. All we need now is for Super John to score against the Germans on Friday night and pull off that dance as his celebration.

At an open training session, the residents of Garmisch turned out in their numbers to get a glimpse of Clarke and the players. Apart from the big security guard on the door – who didn’t take kindly to my lack of accreditation – everyone was in good spirits.

Until Andy Robertson and Lawrence Shankland walked off the pitch with injuries, that is. That has to be a worry ahead of the big one in Munich on Friday, isn’t it? No, they’ll be fine. Of course they will. The skipper would play on one leg if he had to.

Remember what the gaffer said, Norman. Positivity. That’s what will make our Euro 2024 a successful one for the team – and for us.