Earl and the other hand has outfitted himself with some waterproof gloves and pants; long underwear; and boots for some serious trekking.We remember the last time we were in Scotland.....
Dateline: Stormy Edinburgh, November 1973
After several months in Europe, there were four of us Navy wives finding our way to Edinburgh to meet our husbands after the USS JOHN F KENNEDY (JFK) anchored in the Firth of Forth. This was to be the last stop of their deployment before sailing back to Norfolk. Earl and I were to travel to London together and fly home. We were in our B&B room the last night in Scotland when a someone knocked on our door. Returning to bed Earl said that due to increasing tensions between Israel and Egypt, the JFK had been ordered back into the Mediterranean for further operations. Leave was cancelled and Earl had to report back to the ship in a few hours with no ability to return with the funds I needed to get home.
I had $26 dollars to my name; was pregnant with Kate and all the friends I'd traveled with were long gone. In those days, we had one low limit Bankamericard. We'd depended on the military resources, the ship, the bases across Europe where we could cash checks. Next morning, I sat at breakfast and tearfully explained to the two gentlemen owners my situation.
They told me how to get a one way bus ticket to London for 13 of my dollars. I sat long at breakfast and ate everything they would serve me. I had 12 hours to wait for the midnight bus, so I walked up and down the streets of Edinburgh, finding occasional refuge in a tea house where I pocketed the biscuits anyone left behind. I bought an apple and a banana to eat on the bus.
Finally at 11 p.m it was time to board the jam packed bus. "Oh, happy day" I thought finding that I had a seat in a row to myself. I stretched out, and was about asleep when the bus came to a rural stop. A young mother carrying a chubby, wide awake baby boarded to sit next to me for the whole trip. Baby cried; baby needed nappies changed, baby needed holding whilst mum used the loo and on it went all night. I've had to laugh about this years later when traveling with my own needy, unhappy babies in trains, planes and automobiles.
That ordeal ended at dawn as the bus pulled into a London station. I found the breakfast counter and watched a friendly cook frying up bacon, eggs and toast...for everyone else. I felt I could afford a cup of tea, which remains to this day, the BEST cup of tea I've ever had.
I asked what was the cheapest way to get to Heathrow? The cook said, "There's a PanAm office next door with hourly shuttles to the airport." I could not believe my ears. PanAm was the one airline that allowed military family members to fly half price. But would it be open on Sunday? Would it take my credit card and my ID and the letter I carried stating I was the spouse of someone deployed to Europe?
I left the warm station found Pan Am which would open in 20 minutes. The agents took my cards, did some checking and pretty soon I had a $190 one way ticket to Seattle. What's more, they told me to go take a nap in the lounge area until the $1 shuttle to Heathrow came by. Unbelievable.
I was joyous and thankful, carried along by God's gracious surprises. One step at a time. I would not only make it back, but would still have $11. In Seattle, the flight attendant announced that the plane would continue to Portland, so I took a chance and stayed on. In a couple of hours, I was picked up by Jane with new baby Tim for a restful and happy reunion with the Clarks.
...Back to 2012....Cell phones, computers, e-tickets, debit cards, credit cards and a husband no longer on active duty. It is now much harder to be lost, alone and almost penniless.....
Okay, back to packing up; leave LAX tomorrow, arrive London at 10 a.m. GMT Apr 16.
Love the blog posts. A-Bear is quite a character.
ReplyDeleteNow that you've returned, what did you wish you had packed? What did you wish you'd left at home?