1982 - Home Leave to England - Heading Home

Friday August 27, 1982 –  Abu Simbal

I’m just completing this at 29,000 feet over Egypt at 02.30 and we’re told, Abu Simbal is below us.

Poor old Rab developed toothache during the course of last evening so neither of us slept too well last night and she is still feeling under the weather. Despite the lack of sleep I was still  up at sparrow and when the other two finally emerged we got on with the last of the packing. I really don’t know how I managed to get it all in, but I did and we were only 9 kg overweight in the end. Mind you that excluded six pieces of hand luggage, one of which contained the wallpaper rolls.

We went up The Strand for a last bity of shopping before having a cheese roll and a beer back at the flat. Our radio cab turned up promptly and was driven by a very pleasant Nigerian suffering badly from rhinitis. At least I assume that it was this that caused him to sniff regularly all the way to Heathrow. The taxi was an old Cortina and the ride, laden down as we were was not the most comfortable.

We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and after a look around the duty free we boarded our Swissair DC9 for Geneva. Lovely flight – so quiet and smooth – with very good food and wine. It was drizzling as we came in but we had a good view of the lake. Having had such a good flight until then we were given the news on checking in at the transit desk that our flight was delayed “indefinitely”. We were given meal vouchers and we hung around until about 20.15 because one of the ground hostesses had said that the delay would be at least three hours i.e. 22.30.

Of course no sooner had we sat down to eat than the announcement was made that we would be taking off at 21.30. The meal – we all had schnitzel – was very good but we barely had time to bolt it down before the flight was called. Once we were off and on our way, dinner came around and although I managed a little, I couldn’t eat much, to my regret because it was delicious.

We landed in Athens at about midnight and took off again just before 01.00. The plane was not full, so Rab was able to lie down in the three seats in front of us and Matt could stretch out a little in the two seats next to me. I didn’t get much sleep until Rab woke at about 04.30 and very generously offered to trade places with me. I slept like a log until about 06.00 when we got our breakfast ahead of landing in Harare at 09.00

It has been a lovely trip and we have all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, the odd squabble notwithstanding. Last time we had a vote on the best bits, Switzerland came out tops so no doubt we will be back there again – tentatively the plan is for January 1985.

In fact we were able to get back in December 1983 and were able to go on to the USA for our first white Christmas. That story will follow in due course.

1982 - Home Leave to England - London Winding Down

Wednesday August 25, 1982 – London

It was a lovely day today – probably the best since we arrived in England and therefore obviously the most suitable for me to spend a day in the office. I started with a most pleasant meeting with Dugdale (he was the MD of the entire global operation) and then saw various people ending up with a drink with Ken Saunders and Don Robson at the Jamaica Inn. Matt and Rab reportedly had a very good day shopping in the West End, their highlight being seeing Larry Hagman – J.R.Ewing himself – in the flesh and then eating a half pound hamburger.

Derek and Sheila Bryant together with son Michael arrived at the flat at about 19.00 and we had a drink before going to the theatre with them. Matt towered over Michael who is turning fifteen next month.

We saw an Agatha Christie play starring Gordon Jackson which was a bit disappointing because the murderer was the obvious suspect. Still, it was a nice evening although darned expensive - £45.00 for the six seats.

Thursday August 26, 1982 – London

It was another lovely day this morning as I set off for the office via Boots to pick up the last of our batch of photos. Matt and Rab were going to have a last minute bit of shopping and then go on  a tour of London on an open bus.

I had a most interesting day at the office with various people landing up with Gerry Lloyd just before lunch. It was a good lunch at the Managers’ Mess at King William Street with Ken Saunders as President. There were a number of good people whom I had met and a good time was had by all. If I had not had a date with Peter Greenfield (one of the two General Managers who had Africa in his portfolio) I would certainly not have packed it in as early as 15.00. After that meeting there was a party for one of the managers who was retiring and all insisted that I should go along there. If it was not for the fact that Rab and Matt were at home waiting I would not have got away as early as 18.00. (This was a fairly typical day in the life of our Head Office – long lunches with plenty to drink followed by early evening drinks and, for the visitor, a dinner)

It is very difficult to get hold of a cab at the Royal Exchange but I finally managed it and got home about 18.30. We had a pleasant snack of bratwurst and bockwurst with latkas (courtesy of Harrods) for old times sake and then after finishing the packing watched a hilarious Des O’Connor show with Terry Wogan as the main guest. Thjis was followed by a good programme on the Battle of Jutland which I watched so I got to bed quite late.