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Penny Lumley

MALDIVES 1985 - PART 2




Thoughtful

In my absence,

TV Maldives sent

A film crew to capture

The Workshop at work.

To report to Penny,

Sick at Sosunge.

“The best thing about today”

Said Fazhula,

“Was the short eats.”


Suspense

Divehi TV News,

Every mention of ‘Workshop’,

Sends my camera into

Poised readiness.

Education Minister,

Now quickly recognised,

Speaking at some conference,

Suddenly mentions

“Penny Lumley”.

No-one to translate.

Await English News,

Mention of Workshops,

Run by Penny Lumley,

Ending and beginning

Today.

But no film in camera!


Infuriation

Tired, weary but relaxed,

At last able to anticipate

A good night’s sleep,

When remember

Musical alarm watch.

Hunt high and low

Without success but

Knowing, at 1.00am,

If it’s not been robbed,

It will make

It’s musical presence felt.

It did.

At 1.00am precisely.

Awakened by the muffled tones

Of Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Infuriation!

By the time

I was awake, up and hunting,

All indication of

It’s whereabouts,

Had disappeared.

Ring, Ring,

“Hang on!

I want to dictate this letter

To the Ambassador,” says

Sugary American voice

From behind me.

“It’s mostly concerned

With volunteers.

‘Dear….? What is it?

What do you call him?

Honorable Minister?

Dear Mr Minister?.......

‘I am honoured

That you would request

Assistance from the Peace Corp,

For the evidently important work,

Being carried out by your Ministry.

However, before I proceed,

I must obtain,

The agreement of the President.”


Recommence school visits before Workshop 2

Science lesson.



End of school day at JPS.


Nodding terms

Nodding terms,

Nodding agreements.

Three Sri Lankan Supervisors

Noddling their comments,

Nod right to left,

Then left to right.

But what do they mean?

Yes, no, no, yes?


Miss Tenacoon

My Sri Lankan colleague,

“Where do you want to go?”

“Well, come on,

Let’s go there then,

I know some people.”


President gayoom's Palace.


Moon

“The moon didn’t shine today.”

A twinkling of local

Understanding dawned.


House Name

Cauliflower.



HELP!

HELP!

There’s a non-clockwork rat

Scuttling across the marble floor

Of this vast hotel dining room

Housing twenty-two tables for four,

And me, alone,

HELP! Feet up, vibrate table

To pulsate intruder

In opposite direction.

Relief, a waiter appears.

Shriek out the situation!

“Oh, a little rat, just going for

A little walk, won’t hurt you,

Don’t be scared.”

“CHOKE! Suggest a cat.”

“Cat? Here? No.

Cats here don’t eat rats,

Not hungry, eat fish.

Don’t worry.”

Do I really feel like dinner?


Early Morning

It all happens before seven am

At Sosunge Guest House.

Seeing no-one in foyer,

Hearing music, seek life in garden.

Gardener awake, assuring me

That kitchen awake.

Find waiter Ali, corpse-like in sarong,

Crashed out on table top.

Breakfast belatedly, hastily.

Gardener knocks, announcing,

“Ford, Ford.”

Grab my bags, run to road.

Discover Ford gone.

No-one to help,

Grab phone, ignore Divehi,

Demand “Taxi, Sosunge, Now!”


Workshop one group.


Havsa’s Home

Mummy - one room.

Me, husband, one kid – one room.

Sister, husband, three kids – one room.

Sister,husband, two kids – one room.

Sister, husband, two kids – one room.

Brother (single), one kid – one room.

Store room. Kitchen. Dining Room.

Havsa, receptionist at Sosunge.


Builders at work.


Onion Soup

Idiot! For onion soup, in nearby hotel,

Brave second monsoon downpour

Since my arrival.

Paddle around corner in plastic shoes,

Nearly slip into hidden depths of

Lagoon in forsaken street.

Bones could be crushed by

Vehicles passing in the darkness.

Flesh eaten by voracious vermin.

Bones lifted by crows

When the water dries out, if

Plough and rake-sand machine

Hasn’t first found me,

Shell-shocked.


Workshop Hilarity

Hilarity hits Workshop unexpectedly,

Laughing at spectacle of bungling,

TV Newsmen stumbling in again,

Unannounced, to film, without request,

Same items on wall,

Meant to represent work of

Workshop 2 members,

Just arrived.

Stumble out again.

Laughter.

Back Again

Turn around from

Talking to teacher,

To find TV cameraman

Leaning over my shoulder

Taking close- up of game,

About to pick up.

Followed around the room

By zooming lens,

Till ignore it.

A while later, Gone.

No “Hello, goodbye,

I’d like to.”

Suspense, when will we

Be seen again!


Mohammed

Mohammed trailing

A loaded suitcase,

Like a dog

Reluctant to walk.


Awaiting Lamplighter.


Lamplighter

4.29 pm the lamplighter,

On his bike,

Clutching long metal pole,

Clicking on the tall lamps.

One by one,

Main streets light up.

6.00 pm Workshop members

Pick up their lamps,

And cycle home,

Along small, dark streets.


Throw Away Time

Evening cyclists

Skim the sea front,

Fling blood-filled

Plastic bags,

Into the waves,

And cycle off,

As plastic bags

Wash up onto shore.



Movement

Evening, male movement time.

Joggers in healthy clutches.

Young swim in lagoon.

Boys, clutching guns, march

To distant music of a band.


Mohammed

Our little Mohammed,

Fifteen years old, likes

Not only raucous pop music,

And Hindi movies,

He likes little boys,

And little girls.

He goes with little boys

And earns some money.

And then he goes

And spends it

On little girls.


Quarreling

“Haven’t heard

Anyone quarreling.”

“That’s because

There’s a law against it.”

But,

Did hear some boy say,

“Shut up.”


Houses in Male.


Accosted

Accosted by

A knee- high tot.

Unusually,

Not practising the habitual

Textbook English lesson.

“What?”

“Two rufia.”

“What?”

“Two rufia.”

“Why?”

“Chocolate.”

Oh,

Law against begging?


Floating and Sinking

Water transport topic

In Workshop 2. Anticipate

Floating and Sinking experiments.

“No, no ideas, no books.”

“So, how do young boat builders

Get their practical experience?”

“They don’t.”

“‘Sea Bird’,

Revolutionary design for

New UNICEF boat,

Launched into the harbour,

With no initial design?”

“Model trial.”

“Well?”

“It’s floating.”


Storm Bound

Bump into Dr Cecilia

At Sosunge Reception.

Waves swept,

Was storm bound

In an atoll.

Now husband awaits her

In Delhi,

Before she takes off

On WHO projects in

Khatmandu, Nepal and Burma.


Lost and Found

Been trying to contact

VSO Administrator.

By chance, in the process of

Getting lost and found,

Nearly crash into him!


Sorting wood for building, for cooking.


Headline News

Sandwiched between

Headline TV News –

‘Women’s Conference in Nairobi’,

And ‘Arrival of

Three Saudi Arabian Officials’,

Workshop News!

‘Today teachers from two schools

Began their Grade 3 Level studies.

The Workshop is organised by

Miss P… Perry..

L…Lu….Lovely.’

‘Lovely’ expires into laughter,

Turning to choke as

Watches next news film of

Three Saudi Arabian officials,

Arriving at the harbour.

When, from a sidelong glance,

Recognize the hook nose

And bulbous girth in

A long white frock,

Dozing indecorously

On my right in

Sosunge Guest House.

Ronald Reagan and

His bad financial growth,

Came a poor fourth!

Cinderella

Living out Cinderella Story,

When notice a boat

So named in the harbour.

After TV stardom and

Executive living,

Become a feature of life,

Decide, when Workshop ends,

To forget the expense and

Stay on at Sosunge Guest House

‘Till post-Independence,

(From Britain) Celebrations.

But a blow! At Sosunge,

Rooms all to be occupied by

Guests of the Government!

Will kick this Britisher out.

Cinderella no longer ‘Lovely’

Return to little old ‘Slumley’.


Family Vibrations

Call from home,

As anticipated, Sister.

Mrs Chandrasenah

My Sri Lankan colleague

Throughout the Workshop,

Announces,

“When we finish with ‘Weighing’,

I’ll take these shells.”

“No sorry, they’re borrowed

From English colleague’s friend.”

“Are you taking those shoes

Home with you?”

“Maybe, why?”

“They’ll fit my daughter.”

“Are you stopping over in Colombo?”

“Maybe, why?”

“You can take a parcel

For my daughter.”


Family Ride

Bike, best thing

To transport family.

One child standing,

Stiff as a board

On each pedal.

One on the saddle,

One on the crossbar and

One on the back.

Father pushes the bike.



Saudi Arabian Officials

Come to carry out preparations

For Maldivians Haj to Mecca.

Two sit in white frocks ,

In Sosunge garden,

Playing cards.

The third, dress

Whistling in the wind,

Watches the girls

Walk by.


Sosunge Guest House Entrance.


Overheard

Overheard at dinner,

“I can do anything

I fancy with my life now.

Don’t have to work but

I fancy getting a job with

Some international organisation,

FAO or Atom Nuclear Energy.”


Newspaper

Pick up the daily paper,

And on the front page,

Just happen to notice,

Alongside,

‘President Sends Greetings

To Women’s Conference’,

‘Third Suicide Car Bomb in Beirut’,

‘Teachers’Workshop

Is supervised by

An Official from British Council’.

Ronald Reagan relegated to Page 2.

Search for Divehi edition.

Seems it appeared a few days earlier,

Translation takes some time.


Sunshine Travel

All hotels of middle- repute

Report full bookings.

Sosunge remains annoyingly

Empty at Government request.

What to do?

Relax.

Wandering the shoreline,

Watching the waves,

Whisking wildly onto

The crossflow,

When accosted by

A certain Ibrahim,

On a bicycle.

“You looking for room?”

Well, fancy him knowing that!

Investigate Sunshine Travel

Office and rooms.

Tiny rooms, occupied by

Downtown wanderers,

At 33 rufia a night.

Well, if all else fails,

Now have number to ring.

Wonder how Report Writing

Will fare on red check mattress,

‘Neath infra-red light and

‘Soon to come’ fan?


Shower

Water cascading from the heavens,

As all dressed up, prepare to go to

JPS Slide Show. “Taxi, please.”

“He no come quickly.”

“Why not?”

“He go take bath.”

Slide Show

Transfixed in the darkness,

By sound of my voice,

Emitting the previous sentence,

Whilst I about to send forth

A second, to match next slide.

Growing accustomed

To talking to sixty plus mass,

Sitting silently in the darkness

Behind me.


G’od Timing

Started Slide Show at 6.30pm,

After the Call to Prayer

Had ended.

Luckily finished before 8.00pm,

When next Prayer began.


Call to Prayer

Ever increasingly familiar,

Call to Prayer rings out

Before Divehi News.

Five Prayer Times a day,

But only 2 times 15 minutes on TV.

A recitation of the Koran daily,

Chanted from Surah to Surah,

By imported video singer

From the Middle East,

Teaching Maldivians,

The right intonation.


6.15am

Arise, no fan, no electricity,

Phone ringing.

“Poor fools”, I thought,

“Don’t realise all asleep

At this time of day.”

Sudden thought,

“Maybe it’s for me.”

Fling on frock, in case.

Hammering on door,

Gardener, “Phone! Phone!”

“Hi, Australia.”


Return to Mecca

Saudi Arabian Officials notable

By their absence.

“Gone back to Mecca?” “No,

Gone to Bandos for drinking.”


Postcard- A Resort Island.


Postcard- Resort Beach.

Lazy Day

Lazy day spent relaxing

In a basket hammock,

Swinging from a palm tree,

Twixt green fronds,

Watching creeping crabs,

Exploring sand.

Spy Male in distance.


Postcard Resort Swing Seat.


Postcard Resort Typical View.


Jam Jam

A sweet tart,

Or a new arrival?

Jam Yung,

Engineer from Bhutan,

Sitting in bar of Palace Hotel,

As I arrive to eat.

Join for drink and natter.

Joined by Captain for

Yet another fizzy drink.

Most expensive bar

On island.

Walk home to Sosunge,

Plan sightseeing tomorrow,

New friendships, so nice.


In Focus

Cast eyes down into JPS playground,

Focus in amazement.

Now familiar TV camera man,

In action below, filming

Kids running up and down,

Down and up playground.

Relief, not us.

Sosunge at lunchtime,

Noisy arrival of newcomers,

Bearing TV cameras and sound gear,

From Sri Lanka.


Understood?

Sosunge reception.

Does the Sri Lankan

Understand or,

Is he questioning whether

He has made himself

Understood?


”Hello, Hello!”

Hailed by short, saronged man,

Barefoot at Sosunge gate.

Hauls papaya from bag and

Waves it. “Hello! Hello!”


Flying Off

A new arrival

Bit heavily into a

Betel nut sandwich and,

His two front teeth

Flew off.

Next day, he flew

To Singapore,

In search of a dentist.


Now Habitual

Turn around in Workshop,

And in doorway spy,

A camera crew.

Now habitual.

But,

Not familiar Maldivian crew,

But fellow guests from Sosunge,

Sri Lankan film crew,

Invited by Maldivian Government

To make a propaganda film,

Including teachers in training,

Now habitual.


Cows

Nostalgia for

A field of cows,

As find attentive teachers,

Focussed on my words

After short eats,

Enjoying betel nut chews.


In haste

British Council colleague

In haste.

“Must dash,

Off to a tea party,

At the Pakistan Embassy.”


Hairdresser

“Rashida, where is there

A ladies hairdresser?”

She thinks.

“I think there was one,

But now there isn’t one.”

“So how do you

Get your hair cut?”

“Oh, we do it ourselves.”

I think.

“Glad I’m only staying

For six weeks!

Faza’s House

Searching for home of

Jam Yung and Eilat.

Searching supposed street,

In vain.

In vain seek an English speaker.

In desperation cry,

“Faza, Faza, Faza.”

Ah, see a nodding response.

Schoolboy procured to lead me,

To Divehi-written door name,

Of casual bachelor pad.

Water filter in porcelain,

A prominent feature.


Tuition Centre

Searching for Sameen’s Tuition Centre,

Down dark side streets, skirting lagoons,

Small, dimly- lit palm leaf houses,

Industrial machines pounding in the darkness,

And no English guidance.

Nearly giving up hope when,

Hear a buzzing like bees,

And know a school is near.

In the darkness, an open doorway.

Walk into an ill-lit corridor,

Lined by brown-painted, half-wood walls,

Divided into small cubicles, each open to the others,

Each crammed with about twenty children.

One teacher, a blackboard, textbooks, exercise books,

Busy cramming repeat of ‘The Reign of Terror’.

The heat, the perfume of sweat and

The buzzing of voices quite overpowering.

Approximately two hundred children,

Aged from ten to fifteen,

Crammed into the Centre for two hours each day,

From 7.45 am till 8.30 pm, six shifts,

One thousand two hundred children each day,

Government sanctioned.


Women queue daily for a pot of fresh water.

Fresh water brought in huge tanks from the mainland.


Snap!

Beaming smile from returned,

Sri Lankan cameraman.

Been filming lovely islands.

Anxious, immediately,

To know my marital status.

He, a beaming, single, twenty-eight years.

Placed me about thirty-five.

Close.


Prayer Time

TV pm viewing,

The masses at Mecca,

Swirling around the Kaaba.

Quick news switch,

Live Aid, massed crowds in Wembley Stadium,

World famous pop groups singing.

Odd contrast.


Male Graveyard.


Captain’s Crew

Captain’s crew,

Speaking only Maldivian,

All kitted out in

New T-shirts bearing

Details of their ship’s name,

And ports of call.

How sweet.

Mother Hen looking after

His chicks.


The Greek Captain.


Lost

“Each year three hundred people

Are lost in The Maldive Islands.”

Quotes the Sri Lankan film producer.

“Drowning is never mentioned,

Just ‘lost’ as though, someday,

They’ll reappear.

Greatest loss, surfers and snorkelers.

The problem,

The mushroom formation of the coral,

Growing up from the seabed on a spindly leg,

With a widespread mushroom-like top.

The snorkeler investigates the reef above,

Finds the edge and dives down,

To have a peep at the hidden depths

Under the rim and is swept under,

Into the darkness beneath the island.

Lost.”


Sting Rays

Arrive at Kurumba Island,

All rush to the edge of the reef,

Where two sting rays are splashing.

Some, with snorkels,

Dive in to watch them.


Evening fishing in the harbour.



Typical evening view - man taking home meals for the following day.

Tuna and rice three times a day.


Crutch

Support for fish, strapped

To a lame man’s crutch.

Hang on till home.

Dinner time.


Fishing

Fishing from back of dhoni,

As head back to Male.

Long stretch of cat gut,

Wrapped around dhoni support,

Then tied to big toe.

Other end flung into the sea,

With hook and bait.

The toe waits expectantly,

Success!


Dhoni wreck, and dhoni 'taxis' anchored offshore awaiting return to Male.


The Stick Method

“Used the ‘Stick Method’ on my trip,

To the Southern Atolls”,

Announces VSO Officer.

Others nod and smile knowingly.

“What’s the ‘Stick Method’?”,

Asks ignorant I.

“You take a stick.

Dig a hole in the coral.

Squat over it and crap.

Then cover it up.

Even when you’re staying,

With the Island Chief.”


Air Cooled

Aboard Dhoni chugging

Air-cooled across

Indian Ocean,

Home to Male,

Not so different from

Speeding down M4

In air conditioned coach,

Back home to Wales.


Confinement

Women here continue to work

Until they have their labour pains.

Then they go home

To have their baby,

And one month’s rest.


Oops

Slip of tongue,

Suggest that next Workshop

Be for the Island Chiefs,

Rather than,

The Island Head Masters.


Closing Ceremony

Relaxed and easy speech,

Constant clapping as each

Teacher received certificate.

Ubiquitous TV Maldives cameraman,

Filming Lumley again.


Final TV Instalment

Foiled in final instalment

By editor of Divehi News pm.

Closing ceremony of Workshop.

Long view of Director of Health,

Making a speech,

Manik making a speech,

Endless teachers shyly coming

To collect their Workshop Certificates,

A faint flutter of fingers from

British Council Consultant,

Sitting at far end , well behind Mr Manik,

Speech not filmed, apparent in name only.

Whilst in translation, TV English News,

Our teacher presentations replaced by

Embroidery Workshop.


Independence day - Secondary boys.


Independence Day - Secondary girls.


Independence Day

Green, red and white flags flutter,

Against a midnight blue sky,

Welcoming 20th Anniversary

Of Maldivian Independence.

Backcloth to ladies in traditional costume,

Fitted long-sleeved tops with long skirts,

And small, dainty headdresses.

Men sweating in suits.

Old grannies dressed

In green or in red, lined up

In a mass, to form the flag.

Tiny tots dressed in green or red,

Mirror image of their grannies.

President Gayoom present,

No need of bodyguards,

Crowd around to protect him.

Converted school grounds,

Freshly whitewashed for

Celebrations.

Short eats stretch all around.


Independence Day - Colleague Hameed and I.


Heading home after Independence Day celebrations.


Rashida Calls

“I didn’t get to celebrations myself,

But saw you there on television.”

Still in focus!


Independence Day Memory

Chuckled away celebrations

With Cable and Wireless Rick.

A memory to treasure,

Young ‘fisherman’ ,

Who took more interest in

Drifting balloons than his’boat’.

Hopped around the territory

Collecting dead ones until,

Found a live one, and then,

Squabbles began.

VIPs in stitches whilst,

Little girls danced on.


Over the Edge

Leave swinging string seat,

Hanging near edge of shore

On Korrumba, and swim

Beyond dying coral edged in gold,

Out to blue, Deep, Deep, water,

Beyond the mountainside of island.

Panic! Rescued, calmed,

With companions return to Deep,

Relax, float like a hang glider.

Marvel at a New York

Ticker tape parade of

Psychedelic coloured

Shoals of small fish.

To think,

Back above the calm blue water,

This spectrum of colour existed,

Before paint of any description

Was ever invented.


Last day at Resort Island.


Lunch

Last lunch at Sosunge

Disturbed by influx of North Koreans

To join their Ambassador.

Plus, one toweringly large Arab,

In flowing desert robes,

Rustling past for

A piece of papya.


Ready

Ready to go,

Now no role to play,

But tourist sun seeker,

Ready to go.

Farewell to Sosunge favourites,

Havsa and Ahmet.


Manik and I awaiting boat to airport.


Farewell Male.

Final Day in the Maldives

Speed boat to Hulule airport.

Bags hauled away,

Plus ticket and passport.

Taken to relax over drinks ‘neath thatch,

Alongside greenery masking sand and

Sparkling blue water.

Time passes, familiar faces pass by,

Captain, Rick and Ibo,

Columbian engineer on last leg of

Three month round the world trip,

New York based,

Many Spanish connections,


Concern

“Manik, isn’t that girl from the Ministry

Taking a long time? “

“Probably talking to a friend.”

But she rushes in in diplomatic panic,

“Something wrong with visa!”

Manik off! Girl off!

I sit alone in agitated silence.

“Last call for Colombo”,

Agitate on main step as time passes.

Ever present TV Maldives,

Farewell to Korean Ambassador, ex Sosunge,

And Indian High Commission.

Manik rushes in bearing desired stamp,

Five minutes too late, plane has flown.

Promise from Air Lanka,

A confirmed flight tomorrow.

Manik depressed.

Dejected calls to Colombo,

Reorganises my schedule.


Worrying

Airport query re “What

Would happen if I lost

My Apex connection

To London tomorrow,

Who would be responsible?”

Reply, “No-one.”


Excuse Me

Later, walking seashore,

“Please could you tell me.

Exactly when it is

That you are leaving?”

Fulhu, cycling past, confused.

President’s Office

President’s Office calls me.

PPS highly irate to hear of my dilemma.

Ironically, was sorting out problem

For someone similarly held,

Bound for Australia.

“They may be independent

But they are not immune.

They have no right to hold

People against their pleasure!

Heads will roll.

It’s not your fault.

Can’t let this go on.”


Hulule A Day Later

At the airport,

Truth of yesterday,

Air Lanka’s prompt departure,

A need to clear the tarmac,

For the President himself,

Waiting on SIA jumbo.


Farwell Maldives

At last get the seating right,

Perfect view of Male atoll,

Ring of tiny islands,

Surrounded by pale turquoise lagoons,

Amidst the deep blue Indian Ocean.


Postcard of typical atoll view.


Columbo Airport

Four hours in transit,

Awaiting plane to London.

No problem with luggage,

But Maldives fish to deliver.

Wander outside, taxis, tourist offices,

Time to get informed at leisure,

When spy two familiar faces.

British Council Columbo link, and

That funny little drunken fat man.

Offload the fish, sad farewells.

Into transit lounge and find

Five familiar executives from Male.

‘Beyond the Fringe’ humour at bar,

Not opening till our aircraft takes off.

Shop refusing to accept rupees.

Cat strolling around.

Big-boned sun-pinked bodies,

Brightly coloured fashion clothes,

Dyed blonde hair, dagger red nails.

Companions boost deflated morale.


Aboard B.A. Flight

Companions a bulkhead away

Acknowledge my presence,

Invite me over the metal divide,

Into Executive Club sanctum.

Hostess noting my bare feet,

Swiftly issues executive blue socks.

“You don’t know what’s

Walked over this floor.”

She doesn’t know where

My feet have been walking.

A retired high level executive,

Smothers my arm with kisses,

Twixt whisky, wine, Drambuie,

Whilst enquiring after

My ‘special tour’ career.

Following my ‘no drinking’,

‘No smoking’, he comments,

“Are you a missionary?”


Clouds

Clouds over the Indian Ocean,

The Gulf,

Western Asia,

Europe,

Pierce the clouds,

To cold, grey, England.

Feeling of coming home,

To familiar tube across London,

Back home alone.


Culture Shock

Big-boned, fat, bulging bodies,

Lurid makeup,

Bleached blonde hair,

In way-out styles,

Individualised dressing and

Faces of races worldwide.

Dog droppings.

Fat cats.

The neighbours increasingly into

Animal Rights Posters.

‘Opening of the First

Hedgehog Hospital’.


Voices

Voices in my head said,

“You were there,

It isn’t a closed door.

Be Positive,

Great Personal Progress!”


Gifts from Male Workshop Participants

Turtle shell jewellery - from the teachers.

From Jaynee - my British Council Counterpart.

__________________________________________________________________________________

For a clearer visual understanding of the Maldive Islands :

GOOGLE:

1. Free World Maps – Maldives

2. World Atlas – Map of Maldives Atolls

3. What is an Atoll?

4. Maldivian Language - Wikipedia

5. Adults Only Maldives Holidays – 2020

(1985 – Resort Islands were then very rudimentary by comparison)

6. Maldives Rubbish Island - 2020

7. 6.2.21 – The Guardian – ‘The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation is using virtual reality to showcase experiences such as beach yoga and snorkelling.’

________________________________________________________________________________

No numbering in this section. Annoyingly, discovered that Part 2, awaiting editing, had somehow been deleted! Fortunately, I had an earlier version.

__________________________________________________________________________________

1985 - Belatedly rang a bell for me, for any of you? See My Book gifted a few years ago, the Highs and Lows of Life.

1985 - Also, Father had begun taping his Life Story.

It's now in the Llyfrgell Genedlaethol - National Library of Wales, awaiting digitization. (Thanks again for advice Steph and Brin.)

__________________________________________________________________________________

Next Week - Maldives 1986 (Yes, the Education Department in Male thought the Workshops yielded positive results and they asked me to return!)

__________________________________________________________________________________

For Art Lovers - http:www.naomielfredross.com/post/the-anxious-artist-creative-solutions-to-the-challenge-of-travel











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