Dateline: February 5th 1984 20:00. Toronto, Canada
I am starting here: December 11th, 1982
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| Hash House Harriers, Jeddah style. I have probably never been this fit before I am certain that I have not been this skinny since I was 17 |
I have decided that I'm desperately short of something or someone
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| Niagara Falls, Canada. We are back. But I'm not home |
Ilge and I have just finished our mega trek from Florida around a fair proportion of the US, heading west in the failing days of summer, then north as fall begins and back via New York and New England as winter approaches, finally arriving with our trusty vehicle in Toronto on November 30th.
Maybe 4 months
I am, to say the least, unsettled and still, very much lost.
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| Ilge my beautiful girlfriend, Rose (who you may remember I met in Johannesburg and introduced to her now husband Wayne) and her daughter Amy |
I should be relatively stable and excited with my prospects, but I'm not.
I'm looking for a way out of my angst again, and I decide that maybe I should head back to UK, So on December 11th, I head back to UK, and just like old times, begin living with Peter and Lindy in Harrow where Ilge & I had dossed down back in the heady care free innocent days of 1980.
They are still kid free, otherwise, I probably would not have got away with it.
I remember that I bring a Roxy Musics LP, Avalon as a hello gift.
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| I expect we freeloaded off of Wayne & Rose for a day or two, they lived close to Niagara, but I forget |
Sounds familiar.....
Somehow, even after out trans USA trip, amazingly, I still have some cash and buy a car. Another corolla
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| One of the few shots of me in UK at this time. Well, if I could make it on enthusiasm, I would have been rich |
I have kept in touch with all of my old mates in UK, so I start on a roller coaster of freeloading around the country
My folks is a major rest stop, but it's in Chaddleworth and has no strategic viability. Plus, the post office takes about 3 months to instal a phone, so thats out
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| The other pix I have from this period in UK I remember this very specifically. It was a cold day and Redmond and Sarah were sailing at a local club. For some reason Redmond got very angry with Sarah (his daughter) and just pushed her into the water Back home, things started to go downhill for all of us from there |
I have obtained, or generated a list of companies that are using the same software I worked on in Florida. This also does not get very far.
During this time, I occasionally call, but usually write to Ilge.
Lets just say that the path to marriage was tortuous and strewn with skeletons.
I remain lost for a considerable amount of time. Yes, I'm in hiding and will be for a very long time
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| Somewhere in the Smokie Mountains. It's good to be on the road again. Am I changed? No, but I'm not as desperate as I was 6 months ago. Still broken |
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| We sort of discuss if we have a future |
There was one especially gruesome event while staying with Red & Shirl. I see a small ad in the Evening Standard for an engineer to supply computing and software to Syria. I organise a meeting, and over the weekend, I use Shirl and Red's input. I head into London's East end, meet the guy, and it simply turns out to be a total fraud. I'm sent to a guy that sells Apple computers, but I'm devastated, more because I've wound everyone else up about this than the straight abject failure to investigate first. I obviously have a lot to learn in this business
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| Somewhere, deep in the Smoky Mountains I've zero idea how I was paying for all of this I hadn't made anything for almost a year |
Around this time, I hear from Sheila, somehow, maybe through Steve, the guy she went to visit in Kenya before shacking up with me (see first Nairobi blog).
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| On the road, camping and investigating ourselves |
She had responded to my letter believing that I was still in Canada, and sent it to Peterborough, Canada. I will never know if we could have become a couple again, as I never read what she said. By this time, I had decided that my future, for better or worse as the saying goes, was back in Canada, or at least the US, with an option on Canada
Being almost totally broke now, I decided to use the credit card, with scant regard to anything relating to paying it back, I booked a flight to Miami and got $100 in travellers cheques.
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| Usually, we have these parks to ourselves |
Just in case I was interrogated by US immigration, I made lots of entries in my diary which showed that I had a hot business prospect in the US
I arrive and Alex is there to pick me up, again
From Peter & Shem place, I make my peace with Ilge, sort of and decide to meet her in Boston
The
main reason for coming to Boston, was to pick up the car which, as it
had US plates, could not be left in Canada, so Ilge and her friend had
brought it down to New Hampshire (I believe) where we had a couple that had offered to look after it a few months back
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| It's thankfully, warmer here than UK We slowly amble down the easter US deciding if we want to live with each other again |
Well, something got screwed
Of course, I try to call Ilge from the Airport, but as her mother hates me, so she simply hangs up every time I call
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| Okefenokee, again. Quite a regular feature of Florida travels |
I think that Alex eventually calls Ilge's house and tells her I've been waiting at the airport for 6 hours
By this time, I've given up and slum it with Sarah and Dicky for the night
No naughty nuptials, of even a goodnight kiss for me tonight
We finally meet at Logan, and we head south to meet up with Peter & Shem again
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| All very relaxing, but don't expect an earth shattering experience |
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| I do enjoy it in the swamps here |
I don't really have much idea of what will happen once we arrive in Margate
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| very pretty once or twice in a lifetime. I'm done here |
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| First pass at Cape Canaveral |
I do keep Alex informed, he does after all have my potential future at his fingertips.
I guess that we take a week to 10 days to arrive at Alex's. We all catch up, and by the photo's, it looks like the entire family was there too
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| Shem and Alex. Margate June 1983 |
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| I guess it was quite a full house at the Alexanders Azeem, Alex, Shem and Mummy-Bai (and us) |
Oh well, it is all expenses paid here. I think I need to buy my lunch, and that's about it.
UK hotel rooms are tiny, and thats a double room. But I'm back, I have a job, and appear to be viable again. Financially, emotionally, psychologically? Well, maybe soonAgain, probably due to my familiarity with the homeland, there are no photo's of this stage in my life.
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| A room with a view. The hotel Al Jalaa It was about 1 Km from the head office right next to a military parade ground. I was quite intimidated |
I'm also able to splash out on some new kit. Sort of business attire, plus, a real life saver, a full side band / short wave receiver. BBC world service is mine! There's also, from Harrods can you believe, a wonderful aluminum brief case. I still have it (but don't use it now), nearly 40 years later.
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| The courtyard of the National Museum, Damascus I spent a few hours here in 1975. Now I can take my time |
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| It was incredibly relaxed and relaxing here Difficult to believe after all the propaganda you heard |
The place is run by the brother of Adib, the head honcho in Damascus. He's a pretty nice guy. They also have a holding company in Connecticut, so I take full advantage of this, get a letter from the US company, a new passport and yet another visa, this one a brand new US B1/ B2 (full business) from the US embassy. If nothing else, I'm set for the US.
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| I seem to remember this helmet dated back to the Crusades There were also a lot of old guns and long barreled weapons This was the home of "Damasc Steel" after all |
I missed the flight (the boss got me there too late), so I stay in a hotel for the night.
No one meets me at the airport in Damascus as everyone expected me the previous night. Eventually, I get Adib who is still in the office, he comes to pick me up and I'm all set
It was truly a wonderful time here. Well, once I managed to overcome my fears and trepidations relating to being in Damascus. Eventually, I discover the ex-pat community here. It's very small, and hence very hospitable.
I always head back to the hotel for dinner (Fi taboule? Mafi Taboule), and then start my nightly treck down to the Souk. It's a (well, was - Ed) a beautiful place, and wonderful experience
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| Just another happy group of Syrians, more than happy to have me in a photo with them I had never met them before, or since. Damascus, August |
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| The Golan as in captured by Israel From the border at Quentra Patrolled by UN peacekeepers |
Society, for all the control of Assad, Hafez the elder, society feel quite open. Beer (good local beer) is sold literally on the street. The most amazing aspect ater the friendly locals, is the amazing food, but EVERYWHERE. From an upmarket restaurant in Marje Square, to litteraly, a hole in the wall
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| Border at Quentra Mainly for UN forces |
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| Syria was hosting an international weightlifting competition in Damascus at the time The hotel I stayed at hosted Iranian (very paranoid) and North Koreans (very suspicious of everything) . I just hitched a ride in the bus as another tourist From the border at Quentra |
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| It was very relaxed here You could see the Israelis farming on the other (green) side |
I have made my mark, and the courses are going extremely well. I have discovered the Australian Embassy, (and with it, the "Hash House Harriers"), the British and American embassies. Each has their own expat drinks nights on different nights. One night, on the way back to my hotel, suddenly the sky lights up with tracer and munitions trail in the sky. I thought the Israelis were attacking, but it was just celebrating Hafez Assad's the dictators birthday
One Saturday, the hotel I was in was hosting I believe an Iranian and maybe North Korean weight lifters for some weird championship. There was a tour to the occupied Golan. Quneitra actually. It was a good introduction to war zones
I am here:
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| I hoped that this would be a bit of aka "arty" shot. Oh well. There was lots of propaganda from our "guide" about shelling a church Oh well..... |
I met an old Brunel Alumni, I believe that I met him in an electronics exhibition one day was kind enough to give me the expat insight.
Apparently, there's a great social based around the Australian embassy, just down the road from my hotel that organises the local chapter of the "Hash House Harriers". A running cxlub for a fun booze up and maybe some exercise, and maybe some other exchanges.
I head down on the Wednesday night, and we're off into the desert to run, anything from 7Km to 25Km, depending on your requirements
It's a riot, and from there, I find the Americans have a social night Thursdays, and the Brits Tuesday. Pretty much zero security (well, I was a white man after all)
I've been to Saudi and hated it, but as my Visa was only for 3 months, and this is Ramadan, I'm back in Damascus with lots of time on my hands. I go travelling around the country
My Saudi Arabian Travels
I'm assigned to a relatively crummy hotel until further notice.
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| Uptown Damascus. It is, well, was, very relaxed here |
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| I think this was outside of my hotel |
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| I think that this is one of the entrances to the famous Souk |
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| Once I was over my fear of Syrians, I headed into Damascus at every oportunuty |
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| This was the upmarket shoppers street in downtown Damascus |
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| The Umayyad Mosque which I was reliably informed contained not only a shrine but also the head of St. John the Baptist |
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| This guy really looked after me He was an employee at the company |
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| My all time favourite restaurant in Damascus Overlooking Marje Square, on the first floor I first sampled the full cornucopia of Syrian food |
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| A shortcut back to my hotel after my travels downtown |
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| One day heading back from the Souk, I stopped in for a sundowner at the Sheraton, I met another Brunel graduate Incredibly luckily, he set me into the local social life |
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| Daraa. A Roman Amphitheatre host a cultural evening. A group of us go from the office |
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| I've brought my telephoto lens |
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| It certainly was some form of culture. International solidarity etc etc with Mr. Assad Snr in ascendance |
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| I had been through here on my truck venture almost 20 years ago |
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| A lot of the buildings were made from amphitheatre bits |
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| I guess that I got here early. It must have been a Friday |
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| Quite the repository for the few remaining Roman items |
I've been to Saudi and hated it, but as my Visa was only for 3 months, and this is Ramadan, I'm back in Damascus with lots of time on my hands. I go travelling around the country
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| The super ancient (say 600 years) water wheels of Hama and/ or Homs All pounded to splinters and dust by the Russians by now of course |
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| Amazingly, they were still in use C1983 |
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| Quite the tourist spots I first saw these on my overland trip to Nairobi in 1975 This was 1984, In 1982, there was a massacre of the Muslim Brotherhood here About 20,000 got the chop by the army. I had a beard, a sign of a Brotherhood member apparently, I being whiter than the locals, my company boss thought that I would probably be ok, and not massacred like the other bearded folks. He was right |
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| The ancient citadel of Aleppo. Beautiful place, that was |
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| I visited when some form of civilisation was still the norm |
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| Aleppo, from the walls of the citadel |
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| I hitch a ride with some French tourists. We visit various crusader locales |
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| 40 years later, I forget this guys name. He took me around Palmyra, It was a great day out |
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| Some visiting locals, as ever very pleased to see me, being a westerner |
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| Lots of ancient remains, including bits of amphitheatre |
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| It's all a bit basic. No tourist busses, just local |
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| There's enough stuff here to keep a keen tourist occupied |
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| I seem to remember leaving Damascus bus station about 8AM probably about 4 hours each way, so maybe 5 hours on site |
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| Lots of it and my workmate was tireless in keeping me updated with whatever he could tell me. |
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| As the sun is going down (looks like), I remember finally having a tea break at a local cafe |
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| Actually, just about every Syrian, except the truly despicable obnoxious brother of Adeeb who ran the Jeddah office were wonderful people |
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| Back streets of Damascus just before Eid I seem to remember lots of blood in the gutters (goats and sheep folks) |
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| The Umayyad Mosque. I remember it always being cool here and I was never beaten for wearing shorts |
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| More of the Umayyad Mosque |
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| The local Souk kept me busy every night I would eat at the hotel, head down about 5/ 7 Kms to the souk and just walk through it Maybe a beer in an international hotel on the way back One day I noticed I'd lost a lot of weight |
My Saudi Arabian Travels
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| I arrive at Jeddah International. The first thing the immigration guy does is pull out my old passport. Luckily, I didn't have any non negotiable stamps in that one The local manager takes me to lunch at a local restaurant I still don't know he's an incredible ARSEHOLE |
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| I'm allowed to use a company car to drive around I head to the Corniche to view the locals in full dress jumping into the waves |
There's another Brit staying here, Colin who turns out to be born again, and who's sole purpose in life is to convince, or in my case, nervously wreck anyone he can, into similarly finding the true faith.
We became "good friends" while he was working on me and he was very helpful occasionally.
It ended badly
I suddenly realise that the workday here is split shift. 9 - 2 and 5 - 8, ok, BUT 5 and a half days a week.
There's no way I can handle this AND this jerk boss
Somehow, I track down a diving outfit, buy enough used Scuba gear (there's always someone leaving and selling stuff) and plan to meet them at their regular departure point. I only have a concept, nothing is confirmed
Like I usually do, I write a report and make recommendations regarding the company. I still have time for Adeeb, he seems like a decent enough guy
I start to get into the expat mode and now mobile, find (somehow) people to play squash with. There huge amounts of facilities at the gated communities that most expats reside in. My company is very cheap, so I get a fairly decent 2 bedroom apartment. There's lots of culture here I can't deal with
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| It didn't take me long to get my own vehicle. Quite an investment as it turned out The Diahatsu Jeep |
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| After a veritable age, I locate the local version of the British scuba diving activities |
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| Even though it's not allowed, I work an extra 5 hours per week and take 2 day weekends This is the route to one of our diving sights |
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| It's about 100Km north of Jeddah. Great diving |
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| Absolutely no one except us divers around, so no problem right? |
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| Not Quite The local police spot us from the road, about 5Kms away Who's married? Who's single? All you singles go away before we arrest you / beat you/ stone you to death etc |
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| Another Friday, local to Jeddah |
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| The expats have toys |
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| And all the local boys have their penises Yes, I did see one of them masturbating in the bushes at the sight of mostly naked white female flesh |
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| But this is what it was all about Note semi nakedness, beware of Fire Coral! Oh yes |
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| Without doubt, the best diving in the world |
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| And such a variety of it |
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| Brilliant coral and shallow enough to see all the colours |
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| I did hve my Nikon underwater camera and flash |
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| There were no boats required to get out, which was a plus and a negative |
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| The positive was that you just walked in |
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| This sort of thing was everywhere |
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| The negative was that sometimes, like a wreck dive or wall, it was nearly 1Km away Most divers knew about stonefish, I tried to follow someone |
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| Spectacular This made all the grind and obnoxious working conditions worth putting up with |
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| Hmmmm, no flash set up here |
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| Very clear waters |
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| My mate Hannis, in black suit. The only guy I would trust to dive with. Although the British diving mob have stringent testing (I certainly couldn't pass their tests), there was a Yahoo trend ignoring safety that I did not like |
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| A typical walk in dive |
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| Wherever we settled for the days dive, we soon had all the local perverts (most like all Saudi males) assembling with there Cadillac's and Jeeps trying to get views of western females |
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| The nearer you get, the more you can jerk off |
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| Us guys hated it, the ladies were very resigned to it as it was par for the course in this place |
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| This one was really funny. The guy/ pervert backed his Cadillac down into the sea to wash it. After washing, due to water covering the tail pipe, it wouldn't start (technical references required here). All us lads smiled and pretended not to understand what was needed when local pervert asked for help. We left as the tide was coming in |
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| I forget this guys name, but he hung out with the diving group He and his wife had lived in Saudi for 13 (?) years and was close to getting his Saudi pension Apparently, one guy who was under some investigation and couldn't leave the country, sailed across to Egypt. About 250Km away. Totally apocryphal of course |
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| At this time of day, everything cools down and you think of a beer Hold on, no beers, no place to go with these mates Strict married/ single separation everywhere |
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| I had reconnected with the Jeddah version of the HHH and was running, quite a bit, if still badly once or twice a week. I did leave Jeddah probably the fittest I'd ever been |
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| One weekend, Collin, his buddy at the embassy and I headed south on the super expressway, just to go somewhere. A salutary drive |
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| It's actually, not a bad drive Absolutely nothing to stop at except crashed vehicles |
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| Me, Collin and his British embassy buddy I had been to the embassy a few times Once for carol singing in the embassy grounds and once for a bacon (totally illegal in Saudi) I gloated as I walked out with a gutful of contraband |
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| There were still quite a few roadside hovels, all with shiny Cadillac and camels |
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| And lots of wrecks, mostly way off of the road Lots of death here folks InShaa Allah |
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| Didn't see Lawrence anywhere around |
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| By this time, I'd got the idea that Colin was a total jerk, just playing me, trying to break me in order to need his and celestial help. It didn't work, but it was close |
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| Last exit to Mekkah Keep right all non beievers |
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| As the sun sets, we avoid having to stop somewhere to pray |
Luckily, they all made it, so I was a few 10's of thousands of dollars richer then when I left North America last year
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| Almost Free! Shukran Illah! Al Hum do le Lah I am unbelievably hysterical to be leaving this shithouse place and people |
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| Next Stop |