"Congratulations" The head nurse was an attractive lady with the rank of squadron leader, I think." You have Amoebic Dysentery, that means you can't eat and you must drink at least eight pints of chilled water every day until you are clear, when you have eaten your first meal without any problems, you can go, until then keep drinking the chilled water, and under no circumstances must you eat any food at all"
We remained in the isolation hospital for about five weeks, It was tedious in the extreme but it had to be done, After the indignity of a medical, involving a swab of cotton wool on a pair of long nosed forceps, we were both given the all clear and discharged. We were instructed to go to the transit block and wait there for further orders, we would be sent for when a flight was available to take us to rejoin the rest of the unit in Australia.
the transit block was a huge empty three storied building that had once been used as a prison camp by the Japanese.  We chose a smaller room at the end of the ground floor, it was a bit more comfortable there.
We used it as a base, for exploring the camp, no one seemed to want us, and as the days passed we spent a lot of the time swimming in the pool at the Selarang barracks. which was only a couple of miles down the road.
The walking and swimming was good excersize, but we needed to keep our eyes open, there were often snakes on the road, ready to bite the unwary.
One afternoon, we were stopped by a redcap. He demanded to see our twelve fifties ( identification cards). "Where have you two been for the last three weeks." "In the transit block Sergeant."  "No you haven't, I have checked it every day." Where is your gear?"  "In the transit block Sergeant."  "Show me." he demanded. We did. "This is not the transit block, this room is reserved for fire pickets!" We have been searching for you two for weeks."  I couldn't help smiling. The sergeant was not amused!  Two days later we climbed aboard a twin engined transport .
We were bound for Australia via Ceylon and a small Island somewhere in The East Timor Sea. Of course nothing could go wrong, it was just  going to be a routine flight!

The waddle is a curious bird,
(with one leg long and 'tother short,)    
and loves to gallop round the hills
and frolic mid'st the daffodils
and eat the flowering clover.
But should it turn the other way,
  you will notice with dismay, it simply rolls right over.
A curious bird you will agree
and should you one day chance to see
one running around then do tell me!!

Once I had a Trilogy-a curious little thing
it had but three tiny legs and a little wing,
it used to flutter round the floor, in a manner most amusing
and settle snugly on my lap when 'ere it felt like snoozing.
It's little eye would follow me as I went about my duties,
and all my friends admired it, for it had a curious beauty.
But now the little fellow's gone to a better place,
which abounds with Trilogies, that curious three legged race.

Our next stop proved to be margially better. It was Karachi, a civil airport.
Surely there would be better amenties there, we were going to a brand new hotel! there were four of us in a room, I was first to attempt to take a shower, I stripped off and turned the shower on , There was a noise like a loud cough, and a horrible foul smelling watery mud blasted out. filling the room with an unbearable stench. Fortunately I Just managed to step back in time to avoid being sprayed with it. I dressed quickly and joined the lads in the bar. One of the aircrew spoke to me. What ever you do, don't drink the water, stick to beer.!  I had a serious Migrain problem, and I was not about to drink beer- it tended to bring on severe attacks. I and a corporal friend opted for bottled orange juice, not knowing that it had been (home made) in the hotel, using their polluted water, under the most filthy conditions. We were going to pay dearly for our mistake!
Our next stop was Singapore, This was a much nicer place. and we were given a good meal and settled in to catch some much needed sleep.
I began to feel ill. I was doubled up with massive stomach cramps. I managed to dress myself and headed for the doctors surgery, but collapsed before I got there, and ended up being stretchered in to the examination room. Gordon, my corparal friend was also there, and we found ourselves being admitted to the wards of the Isolation Hospital. !
                           more anon.

I slept like a log, inspite of the pains from my blistered feet. Harry woke me at six thirty. "Time for breakfast, better jump to it or i'll tickle your feet."  The thought of that was enough to set me in motion. After breakfast we assembled for role call beside the waiting coaches. Then we boarded, and left the camp heading for the airfield. Every one was expecting to fly from RAF Lyneham, we had heard that we would be flying in the new Dehavilland Comet, the first passenger jet. It was not to to be. The comet had crashed into the sea, there were no survivors!
Instead of that, we were driven to a remote airfield in Wiltshire, I believe it was called Cliff Pypard,  there we boarded an ageing hastings transport and set off into the wide blue yonder heading on a more southerly bearing than one would expect for a flight to Germany.
I tried to keep an eye on our progress by following coastlines, it was difficult, clouds obscured much of the coast line. I had the definite feeling that we were travelling in a South Easterly direction, and I asked one of the aircrew about it. "Don't worry, I expect we'll take a turn to the north soon." A little later, I suddenly realized that we were flying over the Med- Germany via the Med, never in this world!!
We ate chicken wings lettuce and bread for lunch, still flying at a steady one hundred and eighty miles an hour at mid day, below us dessert! We were all confused. Where on earth were we going?
Our first stop was at a place called Idris, it was an airstrip in the Libyan desert. There was nothing there only tents, and a place to refuel. I was a squalid stinking dump, and that was all. We left early the following morning after a laughable breakfast that no one ate. Our ext stop was a similar one but even more so, It was a place alled Habanya, I think, I went to use one of the two toilet's and discovered that the horrible brown stains in the toilets were actually enormous heaving masses of huge cockroaches, I went out into the desert insted. when I got back to our tent I was told off. "this place is crawling with snakes, don't stray about!" we didn't need telling twice! The tents were just as bad, infested with huge spiders, no one slept. We were glad to leave it.

Keep honour bright, so says the bard.
You will not find it easy-indeed it will be hard,
But honour is rewarding, in a thousand ways,
it will be of great comfort in your final days.
Keep honour bright-and guard your tongue with care
say no ill of any man-always be fair.
keep honour bright If any man offend you, smile and turn away,
he will regret his words ere the end of the day.
Keep honour bright, cause no man displeasure,
honour has it's own reward and seeks not treasure.

I spent hours walking, trying to thumb a lift, no one stopped. Near Slough, I caught the last bus going in my direction- at least it gave my feet a break- but not for long. In the early hours, near Marlborough I saw a car approaching, it's headlights cutting through the darkness along the otherwise unlit road.
It was two o 'clock in the morning and  my weary spirits rose as the car came to a halt beside me. It was a Police car! The two policemen questioned me, checked my twelve fifty, (identity card) rummaged through my belongings and then drove off, leaving me to continue alone in total darkness.
At six thirty in the morning a motor cycle roared up and stopped beside me. He wore an airman's greatcoat! "Where are you heading for mate."
"Innsworth I replied hopefully. "Me too, jump on if you want!" I did want, desperately! I arrived on camp twenty minutes late at eight twenty,  They were nearly finished kitting out, I just made it in time. "Where were you when I called the C's.?" The sergeant asked. " I could have been in the loo"
I didn't sound too convincing but he let it go. "Take off your blue uniform and put this on, then bring your blues back here." I was looking at tropical kit. "There must be some mistake. I am going to the second TAF in Germany."  (The Second Tactical Air force.)
The sergeant grinned. "You and six hundred others, you can get sorted out when you get there." I did what I was told and changed my clothes, and handed in my blues. There was quite a buzz in the accommodation block, Harry came to meet me. "What a monumental cockup! Harry said grinning. It must be ****** hot in Germany, that's all I can say! I spent the rest of the day resting my blistered feet, we were flying out tomorrow. I expected to fly from RAF Lyneham,  in a Dehavilland Comet but I should have known better, life was never that simple! To be continued.