"Enjoy your holiday!" 

If you want to infuriate a sports journalist ahead of a big tournament these are three words certain to provoke a reaction. And now I see why.

I was just 16 the last time Scotland made it to a major championship on foreign soil so the chance has passed me by - until now. It's only in the thick of it you see the myriad complexities such an event turns up and why the suggestion of any kind of  'jolly' causes wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Some of the problems that crop up are self-inflicted calamities (losing phones, chargers, laptop chargers and the like) but most other stresses are situational (bad wi-fi, temperamental technology, late trains). The challenges are relentless and it's been knackering since we touched down in Germany. Part of that is because in addition to doing the normal day-to-day sports reporting that's our bread and butter we're trying to bring as much of what we experience back to those who can't make it via social media, through this diary and our writing. We know how lucky we are to be here, despite the ups and downs and want to offer our readers a window into this brilliant country as well as the Euros tournament.

We are based in Augsburg, widely regarded as one of the prettiest cities in Germany and it certainly lives up to its billing in the flesh with a truly impressive main square with a vibrant cafe culture. A prominent university town, it's a little reminiscent of St Andrews in its affluent, old world vibe.  Everything you'd want is here but there are still challenges. Speaking zero German leaves you at the mercy of Google translate as there are fewer English speakers than in the big cities like Munich and Berlin. 

As someone who likes to experience the culture of a place I'm visiting, a breakfast visit to a local coffee shop ends up with me ordering vaguely described 'Old Bavarian Breakfast'.

What arrives is certainly not what I'd normally eat at 10am. I'm delivered two pale white sausages in a bowl, still sitting in their cloudy cooking brine. Alongside them is some mustard and a pretzel. My colleague Gaby Mckay, who ordered a croissant, smiles with the confidence of a man who played it safe and was vindicated. He's less than enthusiastic when I offer half a sausage. All that said, it tastes very herby and interesting, if a little heavy on the stomach for that time of the morning and the ever so slightly rubbery outer skin may not be for everybody.

We spend the afternoon talking to fans on the street and gauging the slightly shell-shocked mood. Everyone was in agreement the scenes in Munich city centre will live long in the memory despite the result. There's no doubt we witnessed a world class performance by the fans, even if the players didn't do their part.

After a 15 hour day on Friday, we were afforded some downtime to watch Hungary vs Switzerland in the grand old square in Augsburg alongside a solitary Swiss fan and a horde of Scots.

Like us, many opted for the far cheaper room rates just 30 minutes up the road rather than stay in Munich. The beer flows freely during an engrossing game in which the Swiss look worryingly sharp. 

Having a couple of pints in the sun and enjoying an enthralling game, it almost began to feel like a...