Unfortunately we were in Cyprus when nothing was in season as apricots had just ended but all the way up there were orange groves, currants, grapes, pomegranates etc and it was an unusual sight for us to see that nearly every house had its own grape vine growing round the porch. This has the advantage of not only purchasing grapes but giving you shade to sit in. The weather was much cooler on the mountains but it was still warm.
There are a lot of castle, 
monasteries etc in Cyprus and Kantara is a typical castle. It was built on the very summit of a mountain and well into the rock. It was impossible to reach it except from one direction and it had an excellent view of the surrounding plains for miles around. What astonished us was how they built such places for there were tons of stones that could hardly have been quarried there and the only way they could have carried the stone was on mules. I took a few photos while l was over there so if they come out I'll send some.
The detachment to South Africa leaves on Monday and there has been a big panic this week to try and make them look good. 5 aircraft & about 10 blokes (not counting pilots) are going. They will call at about 10 different airfields to see that RAF equipment on loan to the airfields is being serviced properly. The blokes have been given 4 different currencies ie Egyptian, East African, Rhodesian & South African.
I have gone back onto embodying modifications in to the aircraft as I was doing before leave. It is a good job for there is plenty variety for it is unusual for a job to last more than a day or two and gives you experience of most parts of the aircraft. I have put in for my Corporal Technician board because on April 1 the time qualification was cut from 5 years to 3 years from leaving Halton so that if l pass I will be able to tum my tapes upside down straight away. You have to have a specialist subject such as instructing or aircraft inspection duties but they will also accept an ordinary national as one, for you could claim drawing as your specialist subject so will you send my National certificate so that I can show the board. It is in my drawer probably in a cardboard roll so will you send just that.
That is all the news so cheerio.
With love from
Peter.
