Around the World in 1980s Days - Part 6

In the final and penultimate part of her world trip in 1980, Josephine Parmeter travels from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) back to Jersey. I've also completed a print version, complete with maps, and copious annotation in same page with notes I've put together detailing all the history, geography and culture of the places visited, and how they've changed since 1980.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/around-the-world-in-1980s-days/12657008

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Wednesday. Sri Lanka -- farewell to the Canberra!

We found a P&O agent on board - a very efficient Singhalese who gives me Hector (a Goanese Cabin Steward) to take my luggage ashore. I depart the ship carrying my umbrella, with Yvette and Frank - and Hector carrying my luggage on his shoulder. The car is ready to take us to Kandy on a very interesting local colour trip. Temperatures up to 100°F, humidity about 80°. There are very beautiful palm trees, banana trees, rice fields, buffaloes, paddy fields, ox carts etc route.

We have a picnic lunch at the botanical gardens in Kandy and a lovely tea with lime slices at a cafe there. We visit the temple of the Buddha's Tooth and monastery. Afterwards, we see the lake and the Royal Boat House and gardens. I managed to get the camera opened and film inserted in a little shop by the market. The people are very friendly and nice.

Schoolchildren finish lessons at 1.30 pm having started at 8 am. The girls wear white skirts, shirts and ties à la style anglaise and look very charming and intelligent.

We return to Colombo visiting a tea factory - blue tea.

There is extreme poverty in the back streets of Colombo. The driver is very nice and says he'll take us back to the Galle Face Hotel and then take Frank and Yvette to the quayside. He'll take me to the airport on the next morning although it's his day off.

The Galle Face Hotel is like a maharaja's palace -- it has marble halls, Indian carpets, and a dining terrace by the ocean. I am given the Royal Suite overlooking the ocean and beach. There is a vast bed which could fit four! There is also a sitting room and bathroom. The service is marvellous with white robed silent smiling men bowing and producing baskets of pineapple, bananas etc. The Brigadier personally greets us and conduct us to my suite.

Frank and Yvette come up to the suite after the day trip and see me installed. We say farewell and they go back to Canberra. I had dinner in the suite -- sweat pouring off me despite the ancient air-conditioning. However my chicken and rice is so spiced as to taste like fire -- burning its way down to my stomach. It cools me down like magic!

I have two beers and cigarettes and feel great - like a maharaja. Poor Yvette must asleep in the hair drying room on the ship as cabin mate snores so loudly that she can't sleep in the same room.

I saw Phyllis and George at Kandy and said farewell. George was very nice and said I'd made the trip for them. Why? They were a good laugh too.

There is fantastic sheet lightning over the ocean outside my room which was very spectacular.

Breakfast in room. Down to taxi at 9.15am and then out to the airport along dusty dirty road. The temperature in the airport is 100°F plus. And there is no plane!. The Super VC 10 coming to fetch us left Muscat early in the morning and had engine failure in the number 2 starboard engine. The plane turned back to Bahrain for a new engine. We have no idea how long the delay is. It could be 24 hours or more.

British Airways sent me a taxi back to Galle Face Hotel with a voucher for lunch, dinner, room and breakfast and taxi for the next day. It is boiling hot. Humidity over 100%. British Airways Telex my London hotel and cancel the reservation.

Several other passengers are also sent to the Galle Face. So the tables are all full of at lunch except for one seat at my table. Along comes a chap with long hair in T-shirt and jeans and asks if he can sit at my table. What now? He is also a passenger and is suffering from "cultural shock" at the prospect of 24 hours at the Galle Face Hotel having done his thing in India for the last four months and slept in the YMCA Colombo last night where his friend was robbed!

I spend the afternoon wandering around bookshops and bought a Jack Higgins book to pass the time.

Later, I sit on the terracing to watch the sunset and am joined by young chap also waiting for the plane. He's been in the Maldives Islands with Cable & Wireless installing a system there. We share a table at dinner and I suggest that the Hippy join us as he's all alone. We swap amazing travel stories in the lounge until midnight, dropping cigarette ash on the cockroaches and watching the geckos chase the flies!

I am awakened by a dog barking at 4:30 am and looking out of the window, I see a dormmobile parked on the walk and near the Hotel, just above the beach. Apparently, a man got out to stretch his legs and disturbed our guard dog and now the poor chap can't get back to his caravan! Two White Robed chaps from our hotel try to create a distraction and meanwhile two little boys sneak up to the caravan. The police finally come and quiet reigns again.

The airport bus picks us all up at 10 am and takes us on the along dusty journey -- still 100°F -- to the airport. One of our passengers has very bad stomach upset and looks dreadful -- poor guy, he ate the steak last night!

Onto the plane at noon. Just before, I get a nice British Airways chap at the airport to Telex London and re-book my Jersey flight for 24 hours late.

I sit next to a young British Airways staff officer and wife on their free trip to Sri Lanka. The wife has also been very ill with an upset stomach. Her husband and I take turns to give up our seats so she can lie across them.

We come down in Muscat through razor sharp mountain peaks onto flat desert strip and disgorge a few passengers, taking on a few more.

Come down again at Doha, we change pilots and cabin staff. New Senior Purser is very concerned at illnesses and touched by my giving up my seat. He chats a bit, asking where everyone's been on holiday. On hearing I been to China he tells the Captain who suggests I might like to sit up front on the flight deck! I do so and have a very interesting time plotting the flight over Turkey. I leave the deck about 8 pm for dinner. The sick people are really bad by now and the Captain radios London for wheelchairs to meet them.

We finally arrive at Heathrow and getaway by 11.15. British Airways book me in to the Excelsior with a voucher for dinner, room and breakfast. I have to wait half an hour for a Hotel Bus and finally get to the hotel. Bed at last!

Back to airport next morning for the Jersey flight. I sit next to a woman whose son is in Doha working for the Sheik and who has herself just flown overnight from South Africa. I am met by Peggy. Lunch has been ready made by Anne. The house feels damp like a barn. I am home.