Going to Johannesburg

Tuesday minicab to station where lift not working and train to West Brompton then underground to Earls Court then Hammersmith. Stood all the way to Hounslow west where we changed onto tube to Heathrow terminal 4. Arrived in good time and through security. On to Etihad flight for 9 p.m. but it took off late. I was soon asleep. Watched a bit of Great Gatsby had a nice meal and dropped off again. Landed at 3.15 a.m. London time in Abu Dhabi and trek to terminal to await another 7 hour flight to Joburg. Strangely computer connected to wireless network but no internet access!

Flight to Joburg went smoothly. Liz’s sewing scissors were confiscated by Abu Dhabi security. I told her not to put them in her hand luggage. I listened to Mendelssohn string quintets, Franck violin sonata played by Joshua Bell, Wagner on the piano, and Szymanowski symphonies conducted by Gergiev. Picked up Avis car which is bigger than we usually have Toyota Corolla and also got a Satnav. It took a while to work out how to use both but I’m glad we had it as it was getting dark as we left the airport. We had arrived on time at 4 p.m. Old Johannian club much as we remember it – the new manager is very pleasant. We met Ant and Rosemary Gear, Patrick and Julie MacPhail and Paul and Liz Britton and had a nice meal and chat.