Waterloo Station, Wed. 13-6-73

Dear Father and Mother,

Since writing to you on Monday I have done more of the "done" things, like viewing HMS Discovery and the National Portrait Gallery, wandering about the "City" to view Mansion House, Guildhall, Watling Street, St. Paul's etc. Last night (1830, though, is hardly "night" at this time of year) I had a cup of tea in the crypt of St. Mary-le-Bow and went on a "Dickens ramble" with a lot of dear old biddies and a couple of innocuous "City" workers.

I have also changed my abode to Golders Green where all the Semites get on and off the trains. I feel quite at home there. The last two nights I have slept on a mattress on the floor of the flat of a fellow I knew well at Prudential Australia. (He was the DP Manager and I was the IBM SE on his account.) He and his wife are both working for Pru here and hating it. He has an offer of a job with IBM Lausanne which he is eager to take up.

Yesterday I looked up an IBM Sydney salesman at his parents' place off Kings Road, Chelsea - a very interesting area. We wandered about the West End, trying to hire him a morning-suit from Moss Bros. etc. for Ascot next week. Must be great fun to move in High Society. His father is a retired Air Commodore who writes travel literature and produces short stories which he reads on the BBC! I'm sorry I didn't meet him!

Today I'm on my way to IBM's Hursley Park Estate via Winchester. The IBM personnel fellow told me that the train left at 0956. The reason I am writing to you now is that it left at 0946 and they run hourly.

This letter is largely in answer to various matters arising from the five letters I received from you at Aust House.

To get my German work permit I have to produce a certificate from the NSW Police Commissioner as to my lack of convictions etc. Do you think you could obtain one of these as a matter of some urgency?

I wasn't terribly impressed by the sort of job I could have with IBM Hursley, though if I wanted a career with IBM it could prove invaluable and the rural Hampshire setting is out of this world. The main building is an old manor house, now with closed-circuit TV and Big Brother watching from every corner (they have development labs there too). Winchester is a very pleasant city: I viewed the cathedral etc. at IBM's expense (they paid my fares). I haven't given them a final answer yet, though I think I'll ring Sherwood tomorrow and say "Ja!"

I may ring Donald today and see if I can visit them tomorrow night. I hope to be safely leaving for York on Sat a.m. with my host and hostess. I may take myself up into Scotland, try visiting EJF and perhaps TAP and come back here in a few weeks' time. I've also wondered if I might give G. Bacon a bell - I wonder if he'd appreciate it?