Chartres, France. July 1972
It's been a horrendously long day - had to cycle through two towns because their Youth Hostels were full, but thankfully the hostel here in Chartres (run, it seems, by a British couple) has a space for me. I think it has been 80 miles since I set off from somewhere down the Loire. Maybe from Blois via Chateaudun, but I couldn't swear to it, not being able to put my hand on my notes. The bike is holding up well. Quite often a passing Brit motorist will hoot when they see the GB sticker on the back. Although it originally had drop handlebars, I'm glad that I was able to acquire some upright ones from a long-abandoned bike in the college bike racks. It means I can sit up and enjoy the view when the going is easy. But it wasn't today...
The bigger joy was that there was actually a letter waiting for me at the hostel. Professor Serjeant has arranged with the Minister of Education in Yemen for a couple of us to go there to teach English at schools in regional capitals, Hajjah and Zabid. He says in the letter that the pay will be about 300 riyals a month - £20 or so - but accommodation will be provided and it will be an excellent opportunity to turn my classical Arabic into something that real Arabs can understand. With luck, I'll be able to understand them too.
I've already applied to go on my second work camp organised by the Ministry of Social Affairs (or some such) in Lebanon, so my plan is now to hot-foot it (or hot-pedal it) back to the coast, and pack for Lebanon and Yemen. I should be able to afford the air ticket - Mum is still working at Exchange Travel in Birmingham and is a bit of a wizard when it comes to working these things out. I'm not even sure how you get to Yemen, or if the northern bit (where I will be going) has airports. Come to that, I'm not all that certain that I know where Yemen is in relation to the rest of the Arab world. I've only been to Egypt, a couple of years ago and last year when I got jaundice and missed the first three weeks of al-Bukhala, and Lebanon for their international work camp last year. Well I can look it up when I get back home. However, I do plan to spend a day or two here to catch my breath and take a look at the cathedral, which I believe is quite grand.
It's been a horrendously long day - had to cycle through two towns because their Youth Hostels were full, but thankfully the hostel here in Chartres (run, it seems, by a British couple) has a space for me. I think it has been 80 miles since I set off from somewhere down the Loire. Maybe from Blois via Chateaudun, but I couldn't swear to it, not being able to put my hand on my notes. The bike is holding up well. Quite often a passing Brit motorist will hoot when they see the GB sticker on the back. Although it originally had drop handlebars, I'm glad that I was able to acquire some upright ones from a long-abandoned bike in the college bike racks. It means I can sit up and enjoy the view when the going is easy. But it wasn't today...
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| Bike rest somewhere along the way |
I've already applied to go on my second work camp organised by the Ministry of Social Affairs (or some such) in Lebanon, so my plan is now to hot-foot it (or hot-pedal it) back to the coast, and pack for Lebanon and Yemen. I should be able to afford the air ticket - Mum is still working at Exchange Travel in Birmingham and is a bit of a wizard when it comes to working these things out. I'm not even sure how you get to Yemen, or if the northern bit (where I will be going) has airports. Come to that, I'm not all that certain that I know where Yemen is in relation to the rest of the Arab world. I've only been to Egypt, a couple of years ago and last year when I got jaundice and missed the first three weeks of al-Bukhala, and Lebanon for their international work camp last year. Well I can look it up when I get back home. However, I do plan to spend a day or two here to catch my breath and take a look at the cathedral, which I believe is quite grand.
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