THE TRAVEL PHASE OF SINBAD
THE TRAVEL PHASE OF SINBAD
Written by T. Christiansen 26 Jan 2020
My years in the travel industry in the UK and Norway
Having said goodbye to my Scottish wife as she flew home to the UK having spent 3 months on-board ms Sunny Girl accompanying me on our journeys between the Great Lakes and the Caribbean, my thoughts went back to the year past when we first met in the middle of the Atlantic on-board the emigrant ship ms Skaubryn on a one-off voyage from Southampton to Quebec which sealed our future for the next 32 years.
Having done another voyage from Bremerhaven to Australia, carrying yet another load of around 2.000 emigrants to their new future, I joined the laker ms Sunny Girl, with a first port of Kingston Jamaica where my future wife had already arrived from Canada.
After a brief ceremony we were man and wife as long as we should live.
A few months after my wife's departure, we both came to the conclusion that we missed each other too much and decided on a change of carrier. Her family were acquainted with the owners of a well established travel agency, Mackay Brothers in Edinburgh, where I later joined as a travel clerk, saying goodbye to my sailing days.
As the job was not vacant until a couple of months later, I took a temporary job as a driver for Wall's Ice Cream, visiting hospitals and asylums situated far out in the Scottish countryside. I remember especially a first visit to a ladies asylum where I entered the large kitchen with my ice-cream containers. Must have been a dozen woman there in different stages of sanity, approaching me slowly, smiling gleefully. I very quickly handed out ice-cream sticks to the nearest while I quickly backed out of the kitchen. WHOA...
Having traveled extensively around the world during my 10 year period at sea, I spoke several languages and had experienced many different cultures and did not find the transition too difficult.
Mackay Bros. Travel Agency was owned by two elderly brothers and their little but very firm mother. It was located close to the main Princess Street. Having got the grasp of the main features and movements of the travel service, I later joined the American Express Travel office at the top of Princess Street. This was a very different kettle of fish,up to date and modern, with their own travel catalog.
Our first dwelling was a little flat at Morningside, on the 4thfloor of a VERY old sandstone building, hosted by a tall, skinny Irishman with a past in the military fighting the Boer War in South Africa. He was fond of an occasional 'tipple' and often came back from the local pub a little sozzeled. I remember once opening the door for him at the top of the staircase when he made a little, involuntary stagger and said 'A little windy out there today'.
He was a great fellow with many stories to tell, and often invited us to his large kitchen with a large built-in bed and a beautifully set table with coffee, scones and cakes.
We later moved to a second floor flat in the neighborhood which was both comfortable and more centrally located to shops and buses.
After a year or so I was offered a fact-finding, educational trip to Norway on-board the ms Blenheim of Fred Olsen Line, plying between Newcastle and Oslo. My wife May accompanied me and we had a pleasant trip to Oslo and later by train to my home-town Kristiansand.
During our very pleasant stay in Kristiansand, meeting all family and friends, I was unexpectedly offered a well paid position with I. Bjorneboe
Travel I could not refuse, we traveled back to Edinburgh to pack our things. Shortly thereafter we re-joined the ms Blenheim for our new adventure in Norway.
Were moving to Norway
At first we obtained a nice 2ndfloor flat in Dronningensgate, one of the main streets of Kristiansand. My brother Erling also moved in with us. He played the violin and was studying for a degree in CHAOS THEORY and was daily pestering me with different aspects of the theory until one day on a trip in the woods, I put my hand in the pocket and offered 'have a caramel Erling'. He laughed and said 'perhaps I'm a little obsessed with the chaos theory'.
The Bjoerneboe Travel business was owned by elderly Council Maja Bjorneboe and her family Liv and the writer Jens Bjorneboe.
My boss was Jacob Social, a fine upstanding fellow I did not always agree with. Then we had Director Nils Iglebwk who had an office in one of the upper stories of the modern block located close to the piers, with a fantastic view of the harbor. The main reception area was located on the ground floor with a service counter.
The Agency had multiple functions, both for servicing and ticketing for several airlines and shipping companies. We also had the responsibility for the inn-checking of passenger and baggage at the local Kjevik airport. The national airline, Brathes SAFE, and later also regular flight from Gatwick to Kjevik by Dan Air. We were also booking agents for Loftleidir flying between Oslo and Reykjavik.
The Braathen's agency also included frequent unscheduled charter flight with ship crews to and from foreign ports.
ms Bergensfjord.
We had the reception and handling services for the Norwegian America Line, NAL, and remember especially the great event of Julebaaten', the Christmas arrival of the Bergensfjord from the USA. This was the honor for Director Iglebwk, who was the first representative to enter on-board, impeccably dressed in a grey suit and tie, with the relevant documents under his arm. OUR first target was the nearest bar for some Christmas celebrations.
We also had the agency for several smaller cargo-liners.
The airport flight clearances and passenger check-ins was done in turn by four of us, driving to the airport by the river in a new WW.
My first car was a Wartburg made in aluminium, with a two stroke engine and a 'door-handle' gear in the dashboard. For some reason it cought fire in the engine on two occasions, my wife called it 'Daisy', days she goes and days she doesn't. Either that or the BUZZBOMB. (the war-time bombs to hit London)
We then signed on for a modern new flat in the suburb of Slettheia, agroup of four story blocks in a wooded parkland setting and remember the varnish was not even dry in our anxiety to later move in.
At this time we also bought our first traditional wooden boat with an inboard 4hp petrol engine and registered as K-1 0. We had many a fantastic cruise in the adjacent fjords and inlets, especially at special occasions such has 24thof June called 'Sankthans'.
May and her visiting parents
I remember using a telex machine for the first time. It had a long thin ribbon where messages and bookings were produced as thousands of little holes in the ribbon. If you punched ONE letter in error you had to start all over again.
Then we had very hectic times when the airport was closed during foggy days and dozens of passengers streamed back into the office for refunds and re-bookings. Those were the days.
During the summer we had visits from my in-laws who very much enjoyed the sea breeze and Norwegian seafood.
The years went by until one day we received the sad message from the UK that my mother-in-law had passed away. We then decided to move back to the UK and take care of my father-in-law,who, by the way often had said he would not live long after his wife died. True enough, he DID pass away shortly thereafter.
MOVING TO LONDON
I had managed to get a good job with American Express in London and after a brief stay in an impressive house in fashionable Holland Park owned by a MI5 college of my sister-in-law, we moved to a little but attractive flat in Surrey and bought a car. We had only lived there a month before I also acquired a 1933 traditional wooden motor yacht from its original owner.
Now started a very busy time in my travel career, hosting thousands of Amexco clients visiting the UK and Europe. 'Kicky' the manager of our incoming department with 6 employees had shortly thereafter been caught embezzling some theater tickets and got fired, and I took over his job.
London travel executive
We had the briefing of guides as well as tour escorts and the preparation of passenger lists, tickets etc. for the arriving groups.
We had around 20 hostesses we also had to brief.
This was a busy time in London with great shortage of hotel accommodation, new hotels opening every month or so. We had to contract hotels, transport and entertainment for the many special groups and scheduled Amexco tours well in advance but still experienced many passengers arriving without accommodation we had to obtain somehow while the passengers traveled from the airport, for which they were often not so thankful, being a location and grade inferior to which they had paid for and often had to take the odd client for dinner at a nice restaurant to compensate.
A brief overview.
My experience in the travel business started in 1959 with Mackay Brothers Travel Agency and American Express Travel in Edinburgh, followed by I
Bjorneboe Travel in Norway. Thereafter joining American Express Travel in London, followed by Inghams Travel and Trust Houses Forte, then Pan
Ams World, and finally as excecutive director of Keith Prowse International Travel. I also worked for 2 additional companies I can not remember at the moment.
One of the earlier, smaller travel agencies I worked for had an interesting writer as a client. I can't remember neither his name nor the titles of his books but they were very creepy and contained factual details of the spread of occultism among the British high society, often in connection with Freemason's Lodges. I even read a couple of his books.
This was at the time of a big scandal of a very hot relationship between a top politician and a high class prostitute who often took part in wild parties in a mansion by the river Thames, a little North of Windsor. We actually visited the mansion with our dear cabin-cruiser the my 'Jabberwocky', anchored close to the shore at the foot of the property.
The other company I still can't remember the name of, had a tour operation to the Algarve where they were running a small, exclusive area of attractive little cottages in Albufeira. There was also a very attractive marina with an attached holiday village of chalets. Those were the pre IBM PC days and I was doing a little programing in DBASE and BASIC and wrote a little handy booking program for the agency which end product was an individual booking form\contract\invoice, calulating the complicated date-oriented prices for the air travel, hotel and other seasonal rates.
We had the handling of many coach-size special-interest groups from the US, visiting stately homes and mansions both Ireland, Scotland and England. ONE special visit with an American group of doctors spring to mind. Having stopped at various famous stately homes in England, we had an early evening arrival at an old Scottish Fortress located in a deep cleft between two hills on the Scottish border.
Two square black towers stood out against the darkening sky on top of a heavy stone construction with the only access up a tall and very steep staircase of stone. The main entrance door was so low one had to bend down to enter. The same size of doors were repeated throughout the fortress and towers, which were accessed by steeply sloping stone passages without steps. We were met by the manager of the property, owned by a Scottish Lord who also owned the adjacent land areas, and
escorted into a large somber stone hall with a huge stone fireplace at the end. She was a tall slim woman clad in an all black, anckle-lenght dress. She had a pale, serious face and wore dark-red lipstick. By her feet, a beautiful, dark Alsatian dog, which appeared like a shadow, never leaving her side as long as we were there.
A long, solid wood dining table were set with crystal and silver from ancient times, hosting a whole, large roasted piglet. A large fire was burning in the huge fireplace throwing shadows against the darkening ceilings.
The hall was totally lit by dozens of candles of various sized making a very creepy setting for our evening dinner with our hostess, appearing like a setting from The Adams Family. :(
Our host started telling us about the history of the fortress during the wars with the English in a soft and somber voice while we were enjoying the heavy red wine and delicious roast pork and it's accompaniments. Everyone listening to our host with great fascination, the Alsatian silently by her side. The visitors were listening to her with big eyes and their mouths hanging open. Mary Queen of Scots had a last visit by her lover at this fortress before she later was captured by the English and some years later decapitated at the Tower of London. A tragic story.
We visited yet another two Mansions\Stately Homes on our way back, but nothing surpassed the dinner evening at the Scottish Fortress.
While I was employed by Keith Prowse, we often had a director's get together at the Chairman's town apartment which was very enjoyable and in good company. Our Chairman was an excellent piano player, using his grand piano, to everyone's delight. He was also fond of his excellent Scotch and tended to get a little tipsy towards the end, the rest of us not falling far behind. :)
These became later quite troubled times for the company with many strange things going onn, ending in the High Court of East London where I also, incidentally was called as a witness. Interesting experience. One of the top directors, who was also a friend of mine, checked in to a small hotel in the London suburb and shot himself.
During my time with Trust Houses Forte, we often had to entertain foreign travel directors and newspaper editors, mostly at the lavish Cafe Royal in central London. They had an excellent wine cellar we abused on more than one occasion. I once entertained the San Francisco editor of The London Times at a Wimbledon tennis championship in the company's private box.
We first paid a visit to the London apartment of Lady Ampthill who often assisted us with the entertainment of our special clients. Her young daughter was also present. Lady Ampthill escorted the editor in her chauffeured Bentley, followed by me and her daughter in my new, canary yellow, Swedish run-about. Our Wimbledon enclosure offered champagne and light seafood as I remember. A very enjoyable day for all.
I attended the Royal Command Performance at The London Palladium on several occasions, usually followed by a private cocktail reception for the starts and visiting celebrities. I remember shaking hands with Liberache and Shirley Bassey. Our seats were right below the Royal Box above allowing us clear views of whichever royal was attending. This was during my employment with Keith Prowse which also owned the London Palladium.
Trust Houses Forte owned a large number of hotels in England and we often had special interest groups to host. I remember an interesting job we had for the US annual Christmas, deluxe catalogue of the Neiman Marcus store.
I travelled especially for a meeting with their representatives in Houston, Texas where I had lunch at the famous Cattleman Restaurant with two gorgeous blondes from NM. Following a successful meeting after lunch, a deluxe package was agreed where the top gift was a one-week visit to a British Stately Home as the guests of the Lord and Lady of the Manor. All transport was by chauffeured limousines and helicopters. The later visit was a success, passing without problems.
On another occasion, a helpful organisation in the US was invited to a small village called Rusper outside London in order to help them pay for restoring their old church organ. Lord and Lady Hawthorne who lived in the Mansion of the village had also invited 2 persons to stay with them. The rest of the group was accommodated in the village and surrounding farmhouses. I remember during the preparations for the visit, I went for a meeting with the local organizers, who were also setting up a typical old English
Following the meeting I was invited for lunch with Lord and Lady Hawthorne at their large dining room with a huge table, where traditionally, the hosts were seated at each end of the table and I at the middle. A huge old wooden buffet covered one end of the wall. They had no servants and we had to help our selves from the buffet. Lord Hawthorne was very tall and thin and fairly elderly in his appearance and behavior.
Helping ourselves from the antique crockery I overheard Lord Hawthore saying to his wife' I hope you told Mr. Christiansen there are only two pieces per person'. he he
The following group visit was very successful and sufficient funds raised to renew the church organ. At he end of a parting mass in the church, as we are leaving, Lord Hawthorne grabs me by the sleeve saying ' When do we get the money Mr. Christiansen?' I believe, a few days thereafter a cheque was handed to the village organizers. :)
Business visits abroad
Several of the companies I worked for in London had offices in Europe and New York. I had annual visits to the latter and became quite fond of the city and it's ways. I visited Zurich when i worked for Hotelplan, and on one occasion was forced to don skiis again after many years absence as the Swiss representative I was travelling with was a skii-fanatic. It all took place at the very steep ski-resort of Flumseberg right on the Zurich doorstep. I managed somehow, but would rather not repeat the exercise.
I once visited the Italian Alps, with a view to Matterhorn accompanying a group of English travel diretors. Here again, owing to my nationality, I was forced to prove my skiing-expertise from a 10.000 m plateau where you got kind of short of breath at times. With a non-critical audience, I passed without adverse comments. We had an Italian travel guide with us called Bruno who had difficulty keeping his hands to himself when close to females.
On the flight back after a hostess announcement over the speakers, we accidentally overheard the hostess uttering a little sexy scream, at which I exclaimed loudly to my fellow travellers: ' It must have been the hand of Bruno', which caused loud snickering. kkkk
Another tour operator's visit was to Mt. Kilimanharo in Africa, landing first in Nairobi, staying at the original hotel Stanley Livingston started his expeditions from.
We visited several national parks like the Amboseli Massai Park. We also visited a REAL Massai village and experienced these fantastic, very tall people with their own culture and way of living. We then traveled by a comfortable Mini-bus first along the West side of the Mt. Kilimanharo through severe rainstorms and a bush fire. We then entered a one-way dirt road to a recommended viewing point where we encountered a large sleeping elephant blocking our way. The driver quickly turned the van around and started backing slowly towards the elephant while rushing up the engine periodically in order to wake the beast.
Which it DID at a moment the driver was not looking to the rear, it raised it's trunk and bellowed while starting to trot towards us. Barely missing us by a couple of feet while the driver hurriedly drove back down the slope. The elephant had by now sauntered victoriously off the road and we continued to the viewpoint. By the time we returned, the elephant had disappeared.
Shortly before sunset we arrived at the beautiful Kilaguni Lodge with a fantastic view of the African jungle and mountains. In the evening having dinner in the restaurant of the lodge which had an elevated view of a watering hole where half a dozen elephants were carousing around splashing red-mud colored water on each other, all being flood-lit.
A few days later we arrived in the border town of Taveta on the East side of the Mt. Kilimanharo. Here we were invited to a special cocktail party with various members of the government and national parks. During a conversation with one of the dignitaries, I expressed my admiration for the Masai people, their culture and way of living. He seemed to get very angry as he exploded in a tirade about these useless Masai's contributing to nothing, unwilling to integrate with his idea of civilization. I hurriedly changed the subject...
We flew from Taveta to Mombasa on the African East-coast in a rather ancient DC-3 aircraft with a female British pilot. I remarked ' My God, it is like the DC-3's we used to see after WWII'. Well, she said, take a good look around, you're flying in one of them now'.
In Mombasa, we stayed at a modern hotel and during a visit to a famous nightclub in the outskirts of town we met a couple of 'hostesses' from London. They told us they regularly visited Mombasa during their holiday period when they made enough money to last the rest of the year at home. We later visited and stayed at a lovely seaside lodge at Kilifi, a few miles North of Mombasa, manged by a British gentleman. Mombasa had totally changed since my first visit as a 1 6 year old sailor and was now a modern city.
Some years later I visited Nairobi again, when my sister-in-law Anne had a 5 year period as a British vice-council there. She had a comfortable 3rd floor flat with a large terrace overlooking the city as well as the tall minaret of a Muslim mosque. While I remarked about the beauty of the mosque, she replied "you would not like to be awakened every dawn by a screaming fellow at the top of the tower hollering ALLUAH AKHBAR"
She and a work friend visited Mombasa on holiday one year in an old WW, each sporting a 30" panga (machete) under their car seat. Brave girls, but all went well evidently.
I often visited New York on business travels and again met Anne, who this time was serving another 5 years as a vice-council in NYC. We went to a show on Broadway followed by a nice dinner at the Staetler Hilton where I had Caesars Salad for the first time. Quite a performance.
At that time I worked for Milbank Travel where the directors had an arrangement with the famous Algonquin hotel located in central Manhattan. Entering, there was a little, famous bar on the right and an ancient open cage type lift by the reception taking me to a 4th floor suite with an old four-poster bed. Our US office directors often took me to dinner in the area sometimes visiting restaurants where some of the real NY gangster used to hang out.
Towards the end of my work for the UK travel and operators, I had become interested in computers and programing. I picked up my first Commodore programable calculator in NY with a fantastic memory of 127 steps. he he I created several handy programs for business calculations and valuta exchange, but the memory was VERY restricted.
At this time, many young computer freaks in the US came out of their cellars and were financed to start producing simple keyboard computers using tape recorders for storing their data, all connected to available monitors of various kinds.
These were mainly gaming machines, but there was a growing interest from small businesses to use them for word processing, business planning etc., so, a few weeks before Christmas, I managed to talk a photographer shop into letting me dispose of the back end of his large shop in the Twickenham main street. With his economic help we ordered a stock of home computers, cassette recorders and monitors, plus as many game and business programs which were available at that time.
I also ordered a new, smart looking, all in one computer, housed in what looked like a portable cooling box with screen and 51\2 diskdrive at the top, the lid being the keyboard. The whole thing wheighed a ton. he he It was very quickly sold with a word processing program to a writer of magazine articles.
A week later he phoned me in a panic saying he had by mistake deleted the entire article which was due for publishing in two days. I told him to calm down and not to touch the computer before bringing it inn to the shop. I had recently found a program, able to reconstruct accidentally deleted programs, which usually are retained for a short while elsewhere on the disk. The recovery was successful but needed a lot of editing. The writer however, made his deadline.