To set the stage: it was c. 1971; before PCs, the INTERNET, or Cellphones. The purpose was business. The route was fixed; appointments were firm; travel arrangements were ...ammm, flexible; potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Weeks of planning, scheduling and rescheduling preceded departure. Last minute ticket rewrites at the airport took at least 90 minutes. Apologies to those poor souls later in line.
Plane change.
Plane Change.
An 18 hour layover with airport change provided an opportunity for some accelerated sight seeing. The adventure included: the view from atop the Eiffel Tower; Standing on the Champs-Elysees joking about pronunciation; a scamper through the Louvre catching a Picasso exhibit and the Mona Lisa; dinner at a sidewalk cafe, complete with rude service; and a bus to the next airport.
Plane change. It was the inaugural 747 flight on an old 707 route.
Scheduled Plane Change. Ground service was a comedy of errors: Hatches couldn't be opened; boarding ladders too short, etc. Deplaneing took over an hour. Transferring passengers were held in the international lounge by armed guards. After three more hours of delay, transferring passengers were returned to the rerouted original aircraft .
An en route passenger stop. Apparently the belly landing light couldn't be turned off. Flight crew fiddled around hitting the light cover with a flashlight; no help. Took off anyway; lost another hour During the stop, passengers were allowed runway access for "fresh air."
Another passenger stop. They messed with the belly light again; lost more time.
The original plan was to change planes and continue on to Saigon. Needless to say the connection was missed owing to very late arrival. The next flight out was the following day. The airline provided ground transportation and lodging to cover the gaffe. Airport construction, in progress, appeared to use Bamboo sticks rather than Rebar for cement work reinforcing. In the city raw sewage ran in the gutters. The smell was overwhelming as was the culture shock.
Time for business. Deplaning, I was immediately hit with a new odor, Eau Du 'Sewage, Diesel Roasted.' Oh for the umbrella concession.
Foreigners with beards could be denied entry. So I shaved. Accommodations were provided at the Tan Son Nhut AFB BOQ. Each room came complete with pet lizards. Little ones 3" - 5" long. They required no maintenance. Creepy but you get used to them.
I recall lunch in a coastal city. The skeleton of a 35 - 40 lb. lobster was prominently displayed in the restaurant. Apparently warm waters is good for lobsters. Speaking of water and beaches, the setting was beautiful. Beaches were unofficial DMZs. Hard to tell political affiliations when dressed in swimwear.
The weather was hot! Hotter than Guantanamo in July. Racquet ball was not a recreational option; however Squash was. The courts were open air. The coolest time of day was around 0200 and the most popular court time. The longer handled racquet took some adjustment. When in Rome ...
A certain amount of socializing was required. When off base, local children were paid to surveil transportation and report any tampering. Chains welded to frames and locked through steering wheels to discourage theft. Dinner and drinks at the VNAF "O" club were part of a "secret" visitor initiation. Entry included an unusual hand shake. Chopsticks were the only dinnerware option. Seems only fair ..
A day of sightseeing in Saigon was complete with a dinner at the Press Club. It was open to the public. Posted prices seemed reasonable. Had a pleasant dinner. A world class shock came with the bill. The prices were a la-carte. Paying the tab cleaned me out. took even my cab money. Had to walk to the USO and bum a free ride back to the base.
Foreigners with beards could be denied entry. So I shaved. Accommodations were provided at the Tan Son Nhut AFB BOQ. Each room came complete with pet lizards. Little ones 3" - 5" long. They required no maintenance. Creepy but you get used to them.
I recall lunch in a coastal city. The skeleton of a 35 - 40 lb. lobster was prominently displayed in the restaurant. Apparently warm waters is good for lobsters. Speaking of water and beaches, the setting was beautiful. Beaches were unofficial DMZs. Hard to tell political affiliations when dressed in swimwear.
The weather was hot! Hotter than Guantanamo in July. Racquet ball was not a recreational option; however Squash was. The courts were open air. The coolest time of day was around 0200 and the most popular court time. The longer handled racquet took some adjustment. When in Rome ...
A certain amount of socializing was required. When off base, local children were paid to surveil transportation and report any tampering. Chains welded to frames and locked through steering wheels to discourage theft. Dinner and drinks at the VNAF "O" club were part of a "secret" visitor initiation. Entry included an unusual hand shake. Chopsticks were the only dinnerware option. Seems only fair ..
A day of sightseeing in Saigon was complete with a dinner at the Press Club. It was open to the public. Posted prices seemed reasonable. Had a pleasant dinner. A world class shock came with the bill. The prices were a la-carte. Paying the tab cleaned me out. took even my cab money. Had to walk to the USO and bum a free ride back to the base.
Landing was spectacular with water views in all windows. Ground transportation was a ferry across Victoria Harbor to Kowloon City.
The colony's border with Red China was a must see. Hong Kong was shopper's paradise. Camera stores offered amazing deals. "Bottoms Up", a night club decorated in chrome and mirrors offered interesting non-political views. Not back in Butler, PA ...
The colony's border with Red China was a must see. Hong Kong was shopper's paradise. Camera stores offered amazing deals. "Bottoms Up", a night club decorated in chrome and mirrors offered interesting non-political views. Not back in Butler, PA ...
Exiting ground transportation from the airport two things were obvious. Tokyo had a serious smog problem; and I was at least a head taller than most of the natives. I recalled Gulliver and the Lilliputians.
A day was spent seeing the Tokyo sights, gardens, shrines, the Tokyo Tower, etc. A traditional dinner included hot Sake. Interesting but not my cup of tea ...
Tokyo and Mt. Fugi are both on Honshu Island. This discovery prompted a side trip, by rail, to the famous peak.
A day was spent seeing the Tokyo sights, gardens, shrines, the Tokyo Tower, etc. A traditional dinner included hot Sake. Interesting but not my cup of tea ...
Tokyo and Mt. Fugi are both on Honshu Island. This discovery prompted a side trip, by rail, to the famous peak.
The overnight flight from Hong Kong was restful. After clearing customs the next stop was a dive shop to rent skin diving gear for the day. Then off to Hanauma Bay, underwater, State Park for reefs and tropical fish. Angel fish seemed a foot high. A far cry from those in my aquarium. The water was warm, clear, clean and wonderful.
An early morning arrival and plane change. Reverse culture shock struck. Continental breakfast was again a cup of coffee and slap in the face!
Home! Back to work and expense reports.