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Waiting for Aeroflot

Unkindness to fellow travellers   Memorandum To: MR. PULAT, Ministry of [Soviet] Civil Aviation MR. ARDYMOV, Transit Manager INTOURIST From: M.A. HALL, PASSENGER ON SU Z44 HELD IN TRANSIT SINCE 12/7/81 Date: 19/7/81 Subject: TREATMENT OF AEROFLOT TRANSIT PASSENGERS               (TO BE READ WITH ATTACHED MEMO. OF 16/7/81) Tonight, one full week after arriving at Moscow airport too late to catch a confirmed onward flight to Mogadishu, myself and six other passengers are finally die to be released from Sheremetyovo transit hotel to fly to our destination. The missed connection was no fault of our own. Nothing was achieved in finding us an alternative flight within a reasonable time. I regret to say that in the following three days since I sent my memorandum of the 16/7/81, I can record no improvement in the treatment of transit passengers, except some improvement s in the quality and vari...

On the Ferry to Istanbul

Trabazon port, by Feyza Darling Mom and Dad, In a few hours we'll be arriving in Istanbul. We caught the ferry from Trabzon on Friday and it's been a very pleasant and restful two days sailing on the Black Sea . It's beautiful, and the little ports are crowded and not too expensive. We've stayed on deck, as it was much cheaper even than the dormitory beds. To and Phil slept on deck in sleeping bags, while the twins and I slept in the VW - everytime we stopped we bought bread and fruit and kebabs to eat on board. Only today did we have a meal in the restaurant and it was pretty expensive. It's fun, but alas, no place to wash, except your face! So after over 48 hours, we're pretty grubby and smelly! Yesterday, the twins birthday - not really celebrated, except that they got a few extra cokes, and a German lady in a Kombi made them each a chocolate pudding! The deck is pretty crowded- and agains we met a couple we first met at the border in Pakis...

Overland trip in July 1976

From New Delhi to Nice Helmand river Tony Hall's plans and notes based on Mary Barnett's log book 5th July Delhi to Amritsar 7am Leave. Arrive around 4pm - stay at Mrs Bandare's Guest House. 6th July Amritsar - Lahore Level fertile country - allow time for border crossing. 7th July Wednesday Lahore - Peshawar (443km = 275 miles) Industrial areas, then across fertile plains to Jhelum. Mountain road to Rawalpindi - busy fairly wide GT road to Peshawar 8th -10th July (Thursday to Saturday) Peshawar to Kabul (205kms = 90 miles) Peshawar to customs 56kms Khyber road, quite winding and narrow in parts, but not very difficult. Pass closed sunset to sunrise. 30 Afghanis toll payable at Sarobi (80kms before kabul) - through gorge to Kabul Sunday 11th July Kabul - Kandahar - pre-dawn departure Take ample petrol and food. 512 kms - 318 miles Modern highway, Resthouse (Petrol) at Ghazni (146 kms from Kabul) Gradual ascent (Highest point 9000ft) then ea...

The Shiela

By Eve Hall Published in TRANSITION Volume 4, number 16, 1964 They called her Shiela, because that's what she was, a Sheila, a Johannesburg Moll. She had three different surnames I knew of, Dreyers, the most infamous. She came to the prison with Victor as her alias, and I think she had used van Wyk not long before. She was not quite 19, and very pretty, tall, with short wild blond hair, (the black dye had grown out when I met her), blue eyes, a very snub nose, long firm legs, large perfect breasts and a small waist. She slouched badly and it was her pride that she had, in the seven months she had been there, worn out three pairs of the prison's shoes. She had tatoos on both her arms and an ornate Micky Mouse on one large thigh. When I was first hustled into the communal eating room, harassed by the very thorough search given to political prisoners, naked under my striped dressing gown, staggering under a load of blankets, sheets, uniforms, I hardly saw the women sitt...

I was Patti Smith's Pony

Picture of Bosham sunset from Jakeof  Andy , did a portrait session with Patti Smith , and while he took her picture he remarked: "My brother Phil used to really like you." "Yeah? Really. Well that's it. I have to go now." "Come on", said Andy, "it's only been a few minutes". "Well you got more time than I gave Robert Mapplethorpe " , she said, and left. Andy meets a lot of well-known people in his line of work. He said Roman Polanski was a wanker. Or was he talking about someone else? But you have to admire Polanski as a director: Le Locataire scared the hell out of me. In one scene the protagonist sees the sillouette of a man looking out at him from a toilet across the courtyard, and so he runs around the block through the corridors to find out who it is who it is. He finds the toilet. It is painted in yellow, and covered in Hieroglyphs, but there is no one there. He looks out back at his own apartment an...

Memories of Araminta - an Austin 10

From the picture gallery of cars in South Africa Women's NATION - Kenya The Friday Commentry By Eve Hall, 1966 I have often wanted to write a dirge on "cars I have known" - or more specifically, on one car.  Araminta a little green Austin who was born in 1935, and died an ignoble death at the age of 17. She was beautiful in her prime. Square as a little box, and just as comfortable. She embarassed our relatives, annoyed and frightened our friends, and invariably made us late for any appointment. She was also, unhesitatingly, not to be relied on; but she rolled down hills wonderfully - except for the time a fool mechanic forgot to tighten the screws on one of her wheels. She limped painfully down a very steep hill, with her family sitting inside her, unconscious of impending disaster.We didn't notice the extra wobble from the everyday ones, but it did seem that passing motorists looked at us with more than usual horror. But with a fine instinct of ...

Play list 5: I am a Stranger here

Mac Wiseman and the Osborne Brothers: I am a Stranger here Mac Wiseman: The house of the rising sun Ralph Stanley: I'll remember you love in my prayers Allman Brother's Band: Ramblin' Man The Band: The Night they Drove old Dixie Down The Del McCoury Band: Smokin' gun Ralf Stanley and the Clinch: I am the Man Ralf Stanley: Calling you James Carter and the Prisoners: Po' Lazarus The Dubliners: Dirty Old Town Sweeney's Men: Sally Brown Mark O' Connor: Appalachia Waltz Abigail Washburn: Old Timey Dance party Edgar Meyer: Please don't feed the Bear