My Life in SA - 1962 - a busy year

1962

January
Have just returned after spending 3 weeks at Shangri La, near Nylstroom, a holiday hotel, owned by Jannie and Hannie K who are clients of UDT. Ian arranged a loan for them to buy the place so has an open invitation to stay with them. (Probably doesn’t cost him anything but the bar bill.) Swam several times a day with last dip in evening before bed. Water always warm. Sat out on dance floor each evening (no else staying at hotel) sipping drinks with J & H. Typical Afrikaaners but very friendly.
Surprise, surprise - Ian popped off every couple of days to go back to JHB to supervise at the office!  I was left behind to find my own amusement. Trying not to think of  the children but they are always on my mind. Ian still doesn’t like me mentioning them or anything about my past life.
Little to do so spent several morning with Hannie as she bottled up in the bar. She said I wasn’t supposed to be in there because of the laws about women in bars but it was out of hours. When she heard someone knocking at the door she panicked, thinking it might be a police raid, so hid me in the spirit store which was windowless, small, hot and airless and told me to keep quiet. Didn't help my claustophobia. She had to let me out eventually when the two Afrikaner policemen who were making a friendly call wanted drinks and wouldn’t leave. Knowing how hot it was in there she thought I would to pass out if I was in there for much longer - which was true.
They were OK about it but looked me up and down. I was wearing shorts so felt as if I was being undressed by them as they looked me up and down from top to toe.  Not knowing I didn't have a driving licence Hannie told them I was on my way in to town to do some shopping and pick up Ian who was there on business and I had just dropped in my room keys to her. Eventually I had to leave to convince them. Unfortunately they decided to leave at the same time but didn’t drive off immediately.  I dawdled around  for several minutes to give them time to leave before me but in the end  I was forced to drive off because it was early closing day. Felt terrible and very guilty  and was sure they knew I didn’t have a licence - they followed me all the way into the village. Talk about a guilty conscience!
Braaivleis one night. Just the four of us. No wonder Ian has had to keep extending their loan - they have practically no guests! The swimming pool filter stopped working in the second week and the algae and chemicals have turned my blonde hair green. Visit to hairdresser this pm to get it sorted.

Later:

Disaster with my hair.  When we got back to JHB my hairdresser re-bleached it and a lot of my hair broke off short. Had to have my hair dyed to my natural colour.

 February

Out to stay with the Bruntons at Hartebeestepoort Dam for weekend. Ricky took us out on the new motor boat last night - pitch dark - no moon - no lights on the boat. Quite frightening because he was going so fast. Thought we would run into something.
On return after anchoring the motor boat we rowed back in the dinghy to the jetty. The men had to pull the dinghy up onto the platform. Ian took a step back too far in the dark and stepped onto empty space and fell into the water - fully clothed. Lot of algae in dam! He wasn’t amused especially when we all laughed as we pulled him out and mimicked the sound of his squelching shoes  as we climbed back up the hill to the cottage.

Recollections:

The dam was quite low from lack of rain and very green with algae.

Ricky was very patient when trying to teach us to water ski and while I managed to stand up a couple of times generally I found that while floating in the water waiting to be pulled upright the two skis started floating uncontrollably in opposite directions. Even when I did manage to get upright my legs started spreading and Ian said that from the shore it looked as though I was going to splt up the middle!
I was so tired in the end that I had no strength to pull myself back on to the boat and Ricky towed me back. Halfway back I looked down to find the bra of my bikini had pulled up leaving my breasts bare and the green water was being strained through the bra. I never managed to get the lining of the bra white again!

Easter

Thu 19 April
Ian decided to drive to Natal and the coast on the spur of the moment. It being Easter I said I thought we should phone first to see if we can book a hotel but Ian is sure we will find somewhere to stay.  Just in case I am taking a pillow and blanket although Ian says they won't be needed. Driving through night - probably stopping at Vryheid for one night.

In Zululand

Good Friday
Drove on through Zululand to St Lucia Hotel who are, not surprisingly,  full up. Everywhere is full so we are sleeping (with the approval of the owner) in the car in the hotel grounds tonight. Fortunately I brought a pillow and blanket. Ian said, when we started out, that we wouldn’t need anything bedding and refused bring to anything for himself. So I hogged the pillow and blanket.

Sat 21 April

Slept on back seat of the Citroen with the pillow and blanket last night and Ian slept in the front which has separate seats. Not a good night for him because the seats are bucket type and there was so little room in the front and the steering wheel got in the way.
It was too hot to sleep in the car with the windows closed. Good night for me apart from the mosquitoes. They were everywhere and we had to fill the car with cigarette smoke several times to get rid of them! Spent a good half an hour each time searching out the remaining ones  and swatting them. The moment the light was out you could hear their high pitched whine again. In the end closed the windows and left one door slightly on the latch which seemed to fool the skeeters.

Easter Sunday

The hotel has rooms and cottages and a shower and toilet block with 2 showers for those in the self catering. Most people appeared to go in for a quick two or three minute shower and then finish off in their cottage. The hotel agreed we could use the toilets and showers for nothing. A lot of hotel guests  were up early which seems a busy time. I took my shower and was in and out in less than 5 minutes and already there was already someone waiting to use it after me. Ian went next and took his time, as he usually does, Shower, shave, shampoo and quarter of an hour later people were hammering on the door for him to get a move on. 20 minutes later he strolls out wondering what all the fuss was about! Lots of dirty looks and muttered comments from people who were waiting - and we weren’t paying to use the facilities.
Drove to Cape Vidal across marshes on a very narrow road. Got lost a couple of times and stuck in the sand once when we drove on to a beach. I hopped out immediately and put my shoulder to the car to keep it moving. Ian quite impressed! Not like SA girls, he said.
Lovely quiet beach at Cape Vidal but difficult to get to - only one access road with great tree roots across it. Not many people there. Beautiful blue sky and sea. Have decided, because we cannot find accommodation, to return to JHB tomorrow.

At Cape Vidal

 

Later:

Drove back via coast to Durban, past cane fields. Then back to JHB.

June

Ian has bought me a little Siamese kitten and I have called her ‘Piwacket’ (from Bell, Book and Candle.) Does he think the cat will replace my children? He now refuses to discuss getting custody of them and I think it is now too late to do anything. Getting a cat seems a little shortsighted in view of the fact we are planning to holiday in the UK soon. Piwacket is a sweet little thing and talks a lot.

27 June
Walk around Hillbrow every day - just to get out of the flat. I am totally cut off from everyone I once knew. We go down to the Casa Mia for drinks late in the evening two or three times a week. Life seems very shallow.

July

Went with Ian on business to Petersburg.  Said I should take car while he was in a business meeting. Accidentally hit a guinea fowl - didn’t stop to find out if I killed it. Next day drove to Magoeba’s Kloof.

 August

Ian is due for long leave so we decided some months ago to take the Union Castle east coast route to the UK. We talked about going overland and discussed buying a Land Rover and had it all planned but then he decided against it.

Sun 7 October

Visited and area in JHB known as The Wilds in Houghton and took photos.(Wikipaedia 2014:  In the midst of the upmarket suburb of Houghton is The Wilds, a conservation area since 2006, and 16 hectares of incredible indigenous vegetation and lovely koppies. Through all of this ramble paths up hillsides that give you fantastic views out over the city from a number of different angles.

 

Tue 9 October

Piwacket is in the cattery and is to be spayed in our absence. Have given up flat and our furniture is in store but not the piano Ian gave me as a Christmas present last year. It turns out that it was not a gift after all  - it had been repossessed belongs to UDT! We have just been storing it. Didn’t find out until a couple of men arrived to take it away a few days before we gave up the flat. When I asked him where it was going he mumbled that it had gone back to UDT. What a disappointment.
Have been in a residential hotel around the corner for a couple of weeks. Catch train to Durban this evening, night journey, and board ‘Braemar Castle’ for east coast trip to UK tomorrow. Ian worrying about how they will get on without him at the office. Feels sure he will be called back at the last moment.

Wed 10 October

Thel, Thora, Chris, Keith and others at JHB Station to see us off last night. Hated saying goodbye so was in tears. Good nights sleep in coupe but woke up a couple of times when we stopped at the odd station. Up early this morning. Now on Braemar Castle Cabin no. B10. We have a total (counting my handbag) of 14 pieces of luggage! We packed everything just in case we decide to stay in UK. Most in the hold but far still too much in our cabin.

We are visiting at Beira, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Mombasa, Aden, Suez, Genoa, Marseilles, Gibraltar. Ian still worrying how they are going to manage at the office without him! Said he was going to phone them before we sail to see how they were coping without him!! Managed to persuade him not to. What will he do if they are not coping? Cancel the trip?
On arrival on board we found our cabin and unpacked. Our cabin is L shaped with the porthole at one end of the L and a door at the other. The bunks are opposite the window and the other part of the L near the door has a small wardrobe. Pretty well packed to the ceiling with too much cabin luggage!
We are a day early - most people will arrive tomorrow - so the seating plan for the dining room was not posted. At lunch we gave the dining steward our cabin number and he showed us to a round table in the centre of the room. Just as my backside was about to touch the seat of the chair the Chief Steward arrived - and gloweried at us. Big man - very threatening manner. In a deep booming voice he said ‘AND NOW?’ The steward had seated us at the captain’s table by mistake!! Sure he thought we had decided to sit there ourselves. For our sins we have been seated this evening with a couple of elderly ladies that no-one else wanted. (Joan and Margaret.)

Thu 25 October

Still no call from Ian’s office. Hooray - looks like we’re free. We spend the day lounging in steamer chairs we had booked on deck which is very restful. Reading a lot and am re-reading City of Gold about the founding of Johannesburg.
We have visited Beira and Dar es Salaam so far and are at Mombasa today. Went ashore at all ports we have visited so far.
At Beira the tide was in so we docked at the quayside which was a long way below us. There are signs all over the ship telling passengers to keep cabin doors and port holes locked when not using them. Ian said there was no need to lock the porthole because we were 20 or so feet above the quayside and it would take someone with very long legs to reach it.
Spent the evening in a nightclub where there was a strip show. Nothing like that allowed  in SA so many SA men there. I was more interested in watching the men’s faces as they watched the stripper. Ian very embarrassed because the stripper came and asked him to undo her bra and then shook her breasts in his face. 
Returned to ship late in the night and straight to cabin. Did not bother to pull the curtains over the porthole. Stood by the bunks to undress and had got as far as bra and pants when I looked up and saw a face, topped by a pith helmet,  staring back at me through the porthole!!! Panic. The face disappeared as I scuttled to get out of sight. ‘I just saw a face at the porthole’ I told Ian. ‘Nonsense - it’s your imagination’ he said. I peered around the corner towards the porthole and the face was there again. Ian takes a look - the face has disappeared but a moment later it appeared again and then disappeared and we heard the sound of feet running off. We had forgotten that this was a tidal port! It was the nightwatchman doing his rounds.
Bought a silver bracelet and started buying charms for it - to collect at every port we stop.

Undated:

Zanzibar is very lush and green and the cobbled streets are very narrow. Many houses had massive, metal studded, heavy wooden doors. It is ruled by the Sultan of Zanzibar. We did a tour around seeing the house where David Livingstone stayed and the Sultan’s harem baths which were no longer used.

 

In the pm while shopping we heard the sound of a crowd shouting and the of people running - coming towards us but out of sight. I stood back in a doorway quickly thinking we had come across a riot or revolution. Round the corner came a great crowd of young children, shouting and screaming in fun as they ran in front of a sheet of falling rain which was moving fast behind them.

Undated:

Mombasa: We had two days there. Went ashore first day and in to Mombasa. Entrance road has two great tusks going across the road. Hated the place. Full of beggars. One with a deformed arm pushed it in my face.  Was told by the ship’s 3rd engineer that they sometimes deliberately made their children disabled beggars. He said they try to stunt their growth and also twist their limbs into different shapes.  I can hardly believe it - is this just a tale?

We decided to hire a car and visit the Tsavo Game Reserve although it is apparently the wrong time of year. The two ladies at our table heard us talking about it and asked if they could go with us and share the cost of hire.

We decided on a small beige coloured VW (engine in front) and Ian was supposed to be the only driver. One of the ladies, Joan, had been in the ATS during the war and had driven a lorry. She offered to help with the driving. I didn’t think it was a good idea as it would invalidate our insurance but Ian agreed.
The roads outside Mombasa soon became corrugated dirt roads and great clouds of dust billow up with every car that passes.
Half way to Tsavo Ian let Joan drive and she hooked her thumbs on to crossbar of the steering wheel, just as lorry drivers do, and proceeded to drive the VW with her foot flat down to the floor all the time. It not a comfortable ride in the back and several times my head hit the roof.

On arrival at Tsavo Ian, after much nudging from me and the excuse that it would give them a better chance to spot animals,  took over again. The speed limit in Tsavo is about 5 or 10 miles an hour. The ladies made it quite clear they really only wanted to see elephant because that was the only animal they had missed on their trip last year.  As it happened because everything was so hot and dry we hardly saw any animals except a family of wart hogs which ran off the moment they saw us - tails raised upright.

Every quarter mile Joan or Margaret would call out  ‘there, what’s that ‘ - whereupon Ian stopped the car and we would all peer off into the direction she was pointing - trying to see what it was. After 5 minutes of nothing moving, during which she insisted it was an animal, we all agreed it a termite mound. Off again. Stop again. 5 minutes later - oh, this time it’s a small shrub. Off again. Stop - oh, nothing but a mound of earth. We must have stopped at every smudge on the horizon but did not see a single animal apart from the said wart hogs. This stop-start driving went on for mile after mile. 

Then Margaret decided she wanted a pee so we have to speed up to find a loo but after a couple of miles she can wait no longer. Off she scuttled into the bundu to find a bush. Everyone discreetly looked the other way. She came rushing back  in a panic - sure she has heard a wild animal in the bushes. Off we set again. Then have to stop again for Joan to have a pee and go through the same thing again.

Eventually we reached a small rest camp with rondavel accommodation that was closed because it was out of season. There were just a couple of old wardens who looked after the unfenced camp and lived with their families in huts near a large pond/watering hole.

The ladies asked - did they ever see lion? Yes, sometimes the lion arrived to drink there. Were they big? Yes, they stood about ‘this ‘ high. Did they every go over to stroke them when they were drinking? Look of utter amazement on the old man’s face (and ours!). No, he said patiently, they all stayed in their huts until they were gone. He must have thought we were idiots. I raised my eyes to the heavens to him while he tried to keep a straight face and walked off.

Ian and I  took the opportunity to use the loos and have a cool drink we had brought with us. The two ladies didn’t need the loo now and took our advice not to drink too much because there were no loos on route.

One of the wardens informed us that there were some semi-tame animals, nearby which were looked after by a herdsman so off we go again with our ATS driver, Joan, back at the wheel with Margaret beside her and Ian and me in the back seat.

Over a terrible dirt track as directed, down a bumpy hill, across a dry river bed filled with rocks - everyone bouncing about due to Joan’s excessive speed. Nothing Ian or I said would persuade her to slow down.
At last, going up the hill on the other side we saw the animals some way off and being herded towards us. Turning the car round where the road was wider we parked and waited for them half way up the hill. At our suggestion, which she resisted at first,  Joan turned off the engine. 
Coming nearer were a baby rhinoceros, a baby elephant which was slightly higher than the VW and its mother (who was in front) and several water buffalo.
Soon we were completely surrounded by animals. Mother elephant right in front of us, baby elephant on our right, baby rhinocerous, with wet eyes and dribbling, on our left and water buffalo behind. Close up a water buffalo is large and solid looking and apparently, are usually very aggressive.
Margaret, seated in the front passenger seat, had her window open. The baby rhinocerous must have thought the beige VW was its mother because it started trying to get its dusty head through the window, and started making sucking noises with its drooling mouth.
Margaret panicked and started to scream - and tried to close the window but the baby’s head which filed the window was too large. Joan tried to start the engine and Ian told her not to but she was insistent and eventually the whole starter lock fell out of the fascia panel and dangled, held only by the wiring. Stuffing it back in the hole she tried again to start the engine  and Ian yelled at her - ‘don’t start the engine’. Ignoring him she got it going and then started nudging mummy elephant’s bottom to get her out of the way. Then I started to worry. I thought the elephant was going to sit down on the bonnet. With us yelling at her to stop and Joan refusing to do so Ian reached forward and removed the car keys. Meanwhile Margaret was trying to push the baby rhino out of the window without touching it.
Eventually the baby rhino decided there was nothing for him and all the animals moved off and back into the bundu. After giving  Joan back the keys, she started the car and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. She went hell for leather down the hill as though she was driving a tank. The car bounced at the bottom of the incline across into the middle of the river bed, where, with a loud jolting bang it landed on a large rock. The car to bounced up and down so violently that oiur heads to hit the roof. Without pausing to see if the car was damaged or anyone was injured she drove straight up  the other side, leaving a huge cloud of dust behind us.
When we got back to Mombasa we had a taxi ready to take us back to the ship before handing over the car keys to the hire company and, just in case they wanted to check the car underneath before we left , made the excuse we had to rush back to the ship to change. What a nightmare!

At the beginning of the voyage Ian entered our names for all the games on board. Bridge, chess, deck tennis, deck quoits etc. Told him it was ridiculous - we would be spending all our time trying to complete them. So crossed my name off most except Bridge and Doubles Deck Quoits.

There is an old lady on board who is a nuisance to the stewards. She will not allow anyone to sit in the seat in the lounge which she she sees as her seat. Turfed out one man who had the nerve to sit in it.

Partner and I were to play  deck quoits against her and the poor chap who had the misfortune to be on his own without a partner. Watched her play the singles match earlier and she was talking all the time trying to distract her opponent.
When the time for our match arrived I stuffed cotton wool in my ears quite openly when she started to complain loudly about this and that. ‘Why did she do that?’ she asked loudly to no one in particularl. Everyone around knew why I had done it and hid their smiles. We won.

Sun 28 October

Bridge today. Our opposition are an Indian Civil Service type of about 60 and a young lad of about 18, Martin, who, we learned yesterday, had never played Bridge before! What on earth possessed him to enter? Anyway took pity on him and asked if he played Whist. A little, he said. So tried to tell him how to play Bridge. On arrival at the Bridge table the CS type asked if we cared to place a bet on the match. I declined knowing what his partner was going to be like. It was a complete disaster. Martin’s lack of knowledge of the game soon became apparent and I had to keep coaxing him to play a card when it was him time without his partner noticing. meanwhile there is a lot of huffing and puffing and sighing soming from his partner. Of course we won - but I didn’t enjoy the game.

Mon 29 October

At Aden. Went ashore. Hot. Hot. Hot. From the ship you can only see a single tree growing. No deep water here so went ashore by motor boat. Found a taxi and agreed a price for him to drive us round. Ian asking him to make sure we saw the Camel Corps. Nothing much to see there. Saw the golf course (all sand), the camel market and the tree seen from the ship and Sheba’s Well.
On arrival back at the quayside the driver wanted to charge us more for the trip to the Camel Corps. No says Ian - we agreed a price. There were no door handles on the inside at the back of the car and only my side had a window winder so Ian could not get out. I opened my door and got out while the driver leant across to make sure Ian couldn’t get out. Tell Ian to pay him. He refuses. Soon a huge crowd had gathered around us with everyone shouting at us. Very threatening. Then a policeman arrived, listened to both sides and then said we should pay the extra. Finally Ian agreed to pay the original price plus half of the extra he was charging and I thought we were lucky to get away safely. Caught boat back to the ship and during this short trip saw a dhow in full sail so thought I would take a photo of it . Several fishemen seated at the back objected and bared their bums to us!

Thu1 November

Arrived Suez. Went ashore. Bought some charms only. Hot. Spent a few hours this evening with a few people we have met but because I doesn’t like me talking about my past I find I meet people I like and then cannot speak freely. Over a year since I saw my children.

Fri 2 November

Through Suez Canal and arrive Port Said. Strange standing at ship’s rail in the narrow passage which is part of the canal and seeing a man on a camel riding along one of the dunes. Very hot. Sun on the sand very bright. Made my head ache. 

Port Said:

The ship anchored in deep water near a pontoon  last night. Boats came out to the pontoon this morning to take us ashore. When we returned there were several boats moored at the pontoon, filled with various goods for passengers to buy. Toys, jewellery etc.
One boatman was demonstrating the latest toy machine gun which lit up, gave off sparks and a machine gun like noise - rat-a-tat-a-tat. He was straddling the boat and the pontoon and a wave made his foot slip on the pontoon and he fell in to the water hitting his head on the pontoon as he did so - still clutching the gun . The water was very murky and looked filthy and he soon disappeared from sight and we heard the machine gun sound growing fainter as it and its owner went to the bottom. The man’s arm, wearing a wrist watch, eventually surfaced but not his head. His hand was still clutching the gun which was quickly taken by another boatman - as though that was the most important thing.
The arm disappeared down into the water and the man who had taken the toy started examining it for damage - showing no concern what-so-ever for the drowning man. After a few moments, the arm surfaced again and the boatman quickly undid the man’s watch and took it off, letting go of the hand! The arm again disappeared again.
I couldn’t believe it and shouted to his friend ‘Grab his hand and pull him out, he’s drowning.’ Eventually he had the wits to do this and pulled his friend, gasping, coughing and spluttering for breath, back on to the pontoon.

Mon 5 November

Straits of Medina, Stromboli. We’re in the Med. Very foggy and getting colder.

Tue 6 November

 

 

Arrived Genoa. Went ashore on two days on both of which it rained a lot so had to take my umbrella. Strolled around the city. Bought a lovely Italian grey wool suit.  Colder today.

Fri 9 November

Depart Genoa, arrive Marseilles. Did not go ashore.

 Mon 12 November

Arrived Gibraltar. Went ashore.

Tue 13 November

In Bay of Biscay. Colder still. No heating on ship.

Wed 14 November

In English Channel. Nearly home.  Colder and colder.

Thu 15 November

Farewell Dinner on ship. Did not enjoy it because the ship is so cold and I wasn’t feeling well. (Later observation: Could this be because I was pregnant.)

Fri 16 November

Arrived King George V Dock. Bitterley cold. Bern and Dad met us. The gang plank had a cover over it but there was a gap between it and the ship. As I stepped into that gap  the wind took my breath away and I took a step back into the warmth of the ship. (No heating on ship but it still felt warmer.) Didn’t think it could get colder but the wind whistling through that gap - felt like anarctic wind.
Bern looked terrible - had a black eye. He was attacked while taking the betting shop takings to the bank yesterday.
Went first to Maureen's folks and then to Dad’s for the night. Told Ian he should send a telegram to let his folks know we would be arriving tomorrow.

Sat 17 November

Good old reliable Ian. He has concocted a story to tell his parents. He is going to tell them he sent a telegram yesterday from Stoke Newington PO informing them when to expect us. Leaving for Ramsgate (Orchard Close) in an hour.
Later:
His mother's first words to us were 'why didn't you let us know when you were going to arrive?' He told parents he had sent a telegram yesterday but had forgotten his Dad used to work for the PO and he was all for putting in a complaint to ask what had happened to it because every telegram is time and date recorded! His Mum nudged him and told him to forget it which he did grudgingly. Sure she realises Ian has lied.

21 November

Ian’s Dad is a miserable old devil. Mopes and moans and goes into sulks when things don’t suit him. Listens to every news bulletin and no one is allowed to speak while they are on. Sits huddled in his chair while his wife waits on him hand and foot - even stirs his tea for him - he seems a right misery. Ian’s Mum appears to be frightened of him. Does anything to please him which will stop him complaining. He complains if his dinner isn’t exactly the way he wants it and if the peas are boiled so that the skin separates from the outer skin. He really had a go at her over this. Such a terrible since. Bacon has to be cooked just right each morning and the eggs and toast have to be perfect or he sulks for the rest of the day. Can’t stand sulking. Ian does it a lot. His Dad is a bully.

She apologised for the picture of a nude with a parrot which they had on the wall in their main room. She was very kind and had been airing the bed for two weeks before our arrival, because Ian had not told her when to expect us,  and made sure the bed was warmed every night for us with an electric warming pan so we had a lovely warm bed.

Later: Have been all round Ramsgate this afternoon and drove round surrounding area taking Ian’s Mum with us. The old man did not want to go.

Later in month:

Returned to 2 Hollar. Letter waiting for us saying little Piwacket died under the anaesthetic. Visited several places in London including Trafalgar Square and now back here in Ramsgate for Christmas.

 

Wed 26 December

Returned to LND from Ramsgate today. This time by train. As we pulled in to St Pancras a few flakes of snow started to fall. Told his folks just before we left that we think I am pregnant. Bern and Maureen came over to Hollar Rd to spend the day with us and we told them the news and Maureen said ‘Snap’ and said she was pregnant too. Like Maureen a lot.

Thu 27 December

Ian off early at 8 to pick up car from Hertz in Knightsbridge. Thick snow everywhere. Due to sail on Capetown Castle at 2pm and by 12 I was pacing in front of window while looking out for him.
He arrived back in Stoke Newington a few minutes after 12 having become lost on way back.  Said there had been an hour’s power cut on the tube and was in such a rush when he poicked up the car that he forgot to use the loo. On the way back  in a stream of slow traffic, he had to stop by side of busy road outside a pub and stepped up to his ankles in slushy water in the gutter. Hammered on the pub door, brushed aside the man who opened it and made a dash for the toilets.
Mad rush to pile luggage in estate car which was packed to roof!  Hardly any room for 3 in front seat made tighter because Dad was forced to wear his overcoat. He had hoped to be able to take off when we stopped for a break on  all the way day but because we were late we drove down without stopping. Trip to So’ton slow because of snow and traffic on roads but scenery very beautiful. Trees looked like something out of a fairy land.

Fri 28 December

Just as well the ship was 2 hours late leaving yesterday otherwise we would have missed it. Still one mad rush to get the car to the Hertz office outside the docks and then the girl there had to drive us to the ship so the car could go back to the Hertz office. Ian had to sit on Dad’s lap on this journey. Talk about cramped.

We stayed on deck waving to Dad who stood on the quayside for quite a while and then went off and found he could get up onto the roof of one of the buildings and stood  up there in the icy cold waving to us. He must have been frozen.  It  is bitterly cold. Again no heating on the ship. Warmest place was bed so missed the departure but woke in time for dinner. by which time England was  just a speck on the horizon. Felt very tearful. Don’t want to go back to SA but cannot stand this bitter cold.