NORTH AFRICA HITCH-HIKE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 36, 4 January 1946, Page 5

NORTH AFRICA HITCH-HIKE

EDGECUMBE NURSES EXPERIENCE

2000 MILES THROUGH SIX COUNTRIES

A CROWDED TWO WEEKS The many experiences encountered during two weeks leave spent "hitchhiking' through: six different countries in the Middle East are described in a detailed letter written by Nurse tlwen Ranby of the No. 2 General Hospital Staff 2nd N.Z.E.F daughter of Mr and Mrs Ranby of Edgecumbe, to her family which was handed on to the Beacon. The towns, and in some cases the buildings mentioned, will doubtless strike a familiar chord in the hearts of many Kiwis since returned. The trip in question was undertaken by Nurse Ranby and a girl friend. Approximately 2000 miles were covered the majority of this being done in Army vehicles, which happened to be going their way. The two girls started off at 1 p.m. on Saturday September 8 in an Army truck, which took them to Cairo Main Station, where they boarded the. leave train for Nathanya, finding themselves in a carriage with three of their Sisters. They say that just before reaching the Suez Canal the country was really desert the sand being a fine gold colour. A background of palms and a red sunset made a very pitetyy setting. Tea was taken at Kantara, just over the Canal and the travellers settled down to sleep. - This they found almost impossible, and definitely so when passing the Sinai Desert where a constant stream of desert dust seeped in despite closed windows and shutters. Breakfast came at 8 a.m. at Sidda and the desert was. left behind, acres and acres of orange groves taking its place. The train pulled into Tulkarm at 10 a.m. and Army trucks were waiting to transport the Kiwis to the Natlianya leave camp, a lew miles distant. •

The camp itself, consisted, of one huge building with lounge, hall and playroom, and a verandah along the front. Swimming was available, but the beach proved to have its drawbacks—dangerous bathing, pick pockets and unpleasant after-effects for anyone indulging in sunbathing.

Decision to HtfchxHike

The next day began i'or the girls at 6 a.m., as they had made their decision to forego the organised tours in favour of a fortnight's hitch-hiking. Despite the fact that not a Jew thought them mad } they climbed on the ration truck, and left camp at 7.30 a.m. They travelled for some 13 miles to a crossroad, where they were deposited, and be- 1 gan to wonder what next. Hardly had they put their bags down however when along came a big limousine' complete with chauffeur and picked them up. They travelled in luxury to Haifa. Here they betook themselves, to the NAAFI/EFI Club. before endeavouring to contact some vehicle going to Beirut. They managed to locate one and were soon heading towards their destination, in the company of two S.A. sergeants and a black driver, on a three ton truck. "Just outside, of Haifa" the lettet continues "the country is taken up with Jewish community farms, and is well cultivated. We passed the big oil refineries, which at one time occupied the headlines of papers in every country, and followed the coast line, which is very attractive, for most of the way. The Syrian border post is right 'on si point above rocks and waves, and is in a very handy position for catching tourists. Civilians have to empty all their cases and have their cars examined for firearms and contraband. We had only to show our passes, and, away we went."

Beirut was reached at about 4 p.m. and as the truck was going further in the direction which the two girls wished to take the party continued. •

Over the Lebanons

"We left Beirut and started climbing the Lebanon Mountains the first side of which is intensely built on. Here, there are some beautiful homes overlooking Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. As we nearjed the top the air became quite chilly but refreshing. The range is several thousand feet high, and the

other side is only sparsely settled." Among the interesting features which drew the girls' attention were ice boxes, approximately the size of a room, and built of brick. The tops of these w r ere opened during the winter months, and the falls of snow,, which came regularly each year, filled the boxes and turned to ice. They were then sealed and during the. summer, cut open, the ice cut out in blocks and sold. Some of the boxes were, still sealed.

Further on. the party passed, acres of grapes, not grown on frames, but left lying on the ground. Each plant covered about four square feet of ground, and when the fruit was setting, the plant was propped up on frames.

Galatea PSain Recalled

The S.A. Camp which was the clay's objective was between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains on the Bek'ka Plain, which re.miuded Gwen of a large edition of the Galatea Plain.

The. evening was spent at a village on the side of the mountains called Gatjlc which the girls describe as a beautiful spot very much like photos one sees of the Austrian. Alps.

The next day the girls took advantage of a truck which was going to Damascus and back, and a sightseeing tour of the town was made. The Mediterranean Coast

A jeep going their w r ay w r as the next means of transport, and took them back to Beirut. En route, they passed the Cedars one of the winter resorts of the Middle where winter sports were held in season. Most of the country through which the road passed (over the Lebanons) was terraced and laid, out in farms by the peasants, whose houses had flat roofs, which were utilised for drying seed. The road to Tripoli led through groves of olive trees anil then followed the coast to Beirut. The letter continues:— "The Mediterranean Coast is very beautiful. On the rocky parts, we passed many boxes about four feet square set to catch the salt from the spray. Some were full, and others were being scraped empty. The road ran parallel with the railway, and at each stream was a modern railway and traffic bridge, beside an old Roman bridge"

Back to Haifa

Beirut was reached in time for tea. The next day, a British Army truck picked them up and took them to Haifa, where tliey checked in at the CMP post, according to regulations. Enquiries as to how they could get to Cyprus elicited the information that as they had no passes for the trip it was impossible for them to They could, however, make the trip, so they discovered, by boat, across one night and back the next, provided they had passes, which might perhaps lie obtainable from Area 15 Headquarters. They booked in at the Windsor Hotel, where by a'strange co-incidence, one of the girls discovered that one of her acquaintances in Christ-, church was the hotel proprietor's son-in-law. Accordingly, they came in for many favours. They succeeded in obtaining a pass to visit Cyprus but the boat ti-ip was unnecessary as the proprietor, extending his favours, arranged for them to fly across.

By Air. to Cyprus

The next day, -they boarded the plane at the aerodrome, and - after following the coast back as far as Beirut, headed out to sea. When Cyprus was just in sight, one of the engines started smoking. Fortunately they were able to make the coast, and landed at an almost deserted aerodrome, before it caught fire. .

A taxi took the girls to Kyrenia, where hotel accommodation had been arranged, and the rest of the. day was spent in sight-seeing. The next morning a trip was made up the mountains to the Bellapaise Monastry partly ruined by earthquake, but still fairly intact. At 2 p.m. they were due back at the aerodrome, and this time a fresh plane took them across the water without incident.

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

The return journey continued, and .lie girls travelled along the const

once more,' and down to Tel Avi tlie modern Jewish town. From her a visit was paid to Jerusalem, ar they-were finally taken back to 11 leave camp at Nathanya two hou before the train was due to pull ou They arrived back at their St tion on Saturday, September 22, they said,, 'worn-out and :\yeary, bj very pleased with their two weel leave.'

Six Countries Visited'

The two girls' altogether visit six different countries all with d ferent types of money. Kgypti was 100 piastres to the pound, P estinian 1000 mils to the poun In Syria it was all paper mom £1 Syrian being worth 2/4 in Er lish money. In Cyprus, and inl other countries the money was | ferent again and the whole lot, the letter states, was 'enough to tt one grey.'

In conclusion the letter says:- ■> • "As you' can see, we covei quite a lot of territory, and it did cost us anything for transpo The iirst week we, travelled II miles and in the two weeks togeth approximately 2000. We had g< luck all the way through, and b« feel that it was one of the best hi days we have ever had."