13th August 1961
Darling Alan,
I’m fed up, bored stiff and I want to go home! I might as well start from the beginning of everything.
We had a fine old laugh packing for this holiday. Everything we saw, we packed ‘just in case’. We’ve brought four times as much stuff as Lena brought to England for three weeks. The two cases weigh a ton. We didn’t get to bed til 12 Friday and we were up again at 5.45. We found the coach ok with Lesley’s help and it left at 8.30 Saturday morning.
Lena
15th August 1961
Hello Sweetheart,
This will be my last letter to you from Cyprus and to tell you the truth I am very glad it is. Time is passing so quickly now that I hardly have time to sit down and think.
Today has been very eventful in that I started the clearance procedure from the station. This entails wandering around with a blue chit and having my name crossed off various registers etc. I have handed in all my K.D. uniform to stores, so it only remains for me to pack up and go.
Alan in Civvies
16th/17th August 1961
Dear Diary,
This evening was the best part of today. No one had much energy after the barbeque last night and the gang spent the whole evening in the Sun Lounge. One of the crowd realised he hadn’t had much to drink all week and obviously decided to make up for it. He was making an awful row in my ear with his singing.
Holiday Crowd 1
18th August 1961
Dear Diary,
Last day of the best holiday I have ever had. Yet it hasn’t gone particularly quickly. It feels like we have been here for weeks.
Neither Lena nor I got up for breakfast, although we were awake.
Nothing spectacular happened during the day. The gang walked to the nearest village, Osmington Mills, during the afternoon.
Lena’s ankle has been a bit stiff and she went to the First Aid place after dinner so I walked back to the chalet alone.
Holiday Crowd 2
19th August 1961
Dear Diary
Feeling very, very sleepy. We crawled to the dining room for breakfast and crawled out again. By the time we had packed the last odds and ends it was ten to eight.
The taxi was already there when I reached reception. We said our farewells to David and Ian who were staying over another week- and, the taxi pulled out of the camp. Breaking the final ties of a marvellous holiday.
20th August 1961
Dear Diary,
Today has been very quiet. Just the sort of day needed to recover from last week. Nothing very interesting has happened and all thoughts, especially mine, are turned to Tuesday and Alan. One thing can be said about this holiday, it hasn’t ended in an anti-climax like all the others. Usually, coming home from a holiday especially one that has been enjoyable, is terribly and depressing. This year there has been so much to think about and worry about, we were home before I realised it.
21st August 1961
Dear Diary,
Of all the absolute rotten luck. I’ve never known anything like it in all my life! I had better start from the beginning before I get carried away with my tale of woe.
Uncle George came round as arranged and took us to Rush Green Hospital. He waited outside and I went in the Outpatients Department with Lena. Half an hour later, I was informed that they were going to keep her in ‘for 2 or 3 days’. The swelling had gone down as expected but they were frightened of tetanus. They said they do have to keep a special eye on foreigners as regards to tetanus – something to do with the different air.
ALAMORE 