Job Hunting
I made several attempts at finding temporary employment while we were in Tehran, for example, at the British Council and ICI. It was a shame that we didn't arrive here three or four weeks earlier because we could easily have been employed by someone at the Asia '69 trade fair. Some extra income would have been most welcome.
Slept like a log until 10:30, read a chapter "Of Human Bondage" then got up. I went out and bought bread and "Jam Cherry Black". The bread was too hot to handle, and the jam was rather runny, so the bread had to be "opened" to allow the jam to sink in so that it could be eaten safely, without jam pouring all over the place. Then we went out to track down Monsieur Babian - a business colleague of Dad's. Here we were successful, and he knew who we were and had letters from Mum and Dad and insurance and Reids. He instantly arranged a teaching job for us - we are to lunch with him on Tuesday and go and see the people that afternoon. We left him in high spirits and bought eggs, cheese, tomatoes and a melon.
Came back here and went into lounge and talked to Heinz (Swedish-German DJ with Radio Iran) and others. At about 3pm we returned to our room and concluded lunch (we had eaten most of another "loaf" in the lounge). I went out for aerogrammes, postcards and ink while Brian washed clothes, and tidied up a bit. Then I sewed cutlery holder and we went out to "Neal's restaurant" for ragout - which was very good - and so into lounge for chai and pipe. At some stage Heinz was telling us how cheap it was to go Calcutta-Bangkok by air - Singapore by train then island hop by boat to Australia. The weather was very pleasant today and there was a beautiful sunset, but we were rather too late to photograph it with the hotel. Looks as though we're staying here for about three weeks till 12th or 13th November because car insurance in Afghanistan doesn't "kick in" till 15th. Good! I couldn't get a single company to cover car insurance for the whole journey from UK to India.
Another activity day partly because it's a public holiday for the Shah's 50th birthday (26 Oct)! Woke at 11:30 thinking it was about 9:30. Read for some while until Brian got up and made with breakfast while I hurtled out for bread. Then more reading until our usual ragout at "Neal's restaurant" after which we went in search of sticky bun. They wanted 20 rials for sticky bun so they stuck it. Bought a sweet loaf for 5 and came back for coffee and letter writing. A magnificent effort. Now 'tis bedtime.
Time is passing quite painlessly. Again it's a public holiday, this one to commemorate the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Again I woke at 10:30 thinking it was 9:30 and read for about an hour, finishing "Of Human Bondage" over breakfast. Remind me to read it again, it's an excellent book. After breakfast (or was it lunch) tidied room a bit and went downstairs in search of adventure. Spent a long-time reading visitors' book, interspersed by trying to knock dust out of rug. Made myself thoroughly unpopular, finally one of the lads went and dealt with it in the street. Swept out room and then read about Mahatma Gandhi. Washed car, then came and played recorder till supper time. Again, we went to Neil's (Herschfield) restaurant. Came back for tea and chess, and so the day passed admirably. Heinz is Carl Heinz (alias John Henry) and has worked for Radio Luxembourg. We are picking his brain about various aspects of the trip east.
Later it was disclosed that the man talks a fair quantity of bullshit.