Page 55 - NHS Beyond the Classroom

guided tour through the McDonnell Douglas Our last performance as one big family was
Aircraft Factory. This was followed by a film on the given at Edinburgh. After our performance everyone
“Birth of the DC1” leading to the 747 aircrafts of mingled for the last time and then boarded the bus
today. with broken hearts and very watery eyes.
We were unable to concentrate on the film as From Edinburgh our group travelled by train
“jet lag” settled in at this point, i.e. we all fell asleep down to Exeter. We toured the souther part of the
during the film! U.K. giving 12-15 performances in nine days.
The last three days were spent in London
LONDON U.K.: where (without the trailing of teachers) we were
London: very cold and very closed in. There permitted to do anything and go anywhere (within
we stayed at Surrey University in Guilford for four limits).
days. We left Gulford by train. Our destination was From London we flew to Singapore, BUT 130
Aberdeen. Aboard this particular train the beginning miles before we reached Bombay the No.1 engine
of a two-week-long relationship with the members on our aircraft was causing a concern. Therefore we
of other performing groups eventuated. had to stay at a hotel in Bombay for 10 hours until
the engine was repaired.
ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND: BOMBAY, INDIA:
Once in Aberdeen we were all taken to the A broken-down environment. People young
University where we were to stay as one big multi- and old begging for want of nourishment for their
cultural family. The weather was one we were aching bodies. The housing is disgusting. To believe
accustomed to. That is the sun has a mind of its it is to see it - to see it is never to forget.
own! SINGAPORE, 4th September 1978:
Our performances in those two weeks created Arrived in Singapore to be billeted by the New
a strong magnetic bond between our audience, our Zealanders from the Army base. Singapore is an
new companions and ourselves. And, for the first extremely hot place. We were informed that
time in all our performing years, our whole team Singapore is the same size as our Lake Taupo.
really felt a great amount of enjoyment in our A fine of $500 Singapore is charged to
performances. anyone found littering. The shopkeepers in the
The people of Aberdeen were very friendly. Chinatown stores are VERY persuasive.
All our spare time was spent talking to them or the
members of other performing groups, or just NGARUAWAHIA, 6th September 1978:
walking through the town. There were loud cheers from the team as our

The tour group’s performance at the New Zealand Services School in Singapore.