The first time I travelled with my two sons, aged three and six months was a never to be forgotten journey! My husband was in the army and had been in the Canal Zone, as it was then called. He was now in Cyprus, and had an army quarter waiting for us to move into.
My mother travelled up to London with us to help and see us off. The children and I had to meet a special coach with a whole lot of army wives to take us to Blackbushe airport after assembling at Googe street tube station on Tottenham Court Road. We at last arrived at about eleven at night and hoped that we would take off soon. No such luck ! Everyone tired and fractious as you can imagine! After about three more hours of waiting, and wondering what was happening, we were told to board the plane to the great relief of all. Eventually after another hour had passed, we actually started to take off, or so we thought. Then the plane stopped and we were all told to disembark. We then had to do lifeboat drill in case the plane came down in the sea!! What fun!! Then of all things we were taken back to London and put up at the Great Eastern Hotel for the rest of the night.
After many more hours of waiting around, we were eventually taken down once again to the same airport and luckily after a short wait took off.
I was asked if I would like to go up front with the pilots, which of course I did. We were flying in and out of clouds and could see the ground, which was two miles beneath us I was told. It was so interesting.
We landed in Cyprus which even in November was extremely hot, and the plane was sprayed with some awful stuff to kill off the British germs that we might have brought with us! My husband was there to meet us and we got to our house feeling exhausted and worn out!
What a journey! I am sure you will agree. At least I have lived to tell the tale fifty-four years later!
Polly
Cyprus map sourced from here.
My mother travelled up to London with us to help and see us off. The children and I had to meet a special coach with a whole lot of army wives to take us to Blackbushe airport after assembling at Googe street tube station on Tottenham Court Road. We at last arrived at about eleven at night and hoped that we would take off soon. No such luck ! Everyone tired and fractious as you can imagine! After about three more hours of waiting, and wondering what was happening, we were told to board the plane to the great relief of all. Eventually after another hour had passed, we actually started to take off, or so we thought. Then the plane stopped and we were all told to disembark. We then had to do lifeboat drill in case the plane came down in the sea!! What fun!! Then of all things we were taken back to London and put up at the Great Eastern Hotel for the rest of the night.
After many more hours of waiting around, we were eventually taken down once again to the same airport and luckily after a short wait took off.
I was asked if I would like to go up front with the pilots, which of course I did. We were flying in and out of clouds and could see the ground, which was two miles beneath us I was told. It was so interesting.
We landed in Cyprus which even in November was extremely hot, and the plane was sprayed with some awful stuff to kill off the British germs that we might have brought with us! My husband was there to meet us and we got to our house feeling exhausted and worn out!
What a journey! I am sure you will agree. At least I have lived to tell the tale fifty-four years later!
Polly
Cyprus map sourced from here.
1 comment:
Well, that was an amazing tale - it even makes flying with Thomson and Gatwick in the holiday season seem bearable. Mind you if, ifyou think it was bad for you, think what it must have been like for me. At least you had a choice in the matter.
Your son, Jeremy (the three month old in this story!)
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