| Hello Peter Let me introduce myself: my name is Robyn Johnstone and I am a very happy 63 year old. I feel comfortable addressing you as Peter as I am of the same vintage and I think we have lots of memories in common. How do I know this - because I have been reading your web page which I discovered last night during my Random Research. I start reading on something that is of interest and the links take me on a wonderful journey. Last night I was seeking another copy of ‘Faraway’ as I gave my copy away to another old Solomon Island expat. From that point I reached ‘your footnote’ to “And thereby hangs yet another tale”. It was wonderful reading and I then went on reading other parts of your personal website. It was a joy to read. My reason for reading about Pigeon Island is for me it was an ‘opportunity foregone’ [sic]. In about 1990 or 1991 I was asked by a friend (Ron Cross) who was promoting remote island tourism if I could house-sit for the owners who needed to go for a 6-week break to England. As I had 2 small children and a husband who worked for SIEA (an enterprise you are familiar with) I declined. Like so many other decisions in life it was a path not taken and still interesting to me 20 years later. It was very interesting to read your life’s travels and view your pictures. It so reminded that once (10 years ago) an acquaintance at a party said, “I guess no one is really interested in your stories as they have never been to the places you have so why don’t you write them all down at least for your own memory sake.” I have yet to follow this advice but after reading your web page I might now be inspired. Unlike you I was accompanying my husband who got the jobs on Pacific Islands so I had plenty of time to make friends and go to social gatherings while he worked. He was Deputy General Manager at SIEA (your BSIEA). We lived on Lengakiki Ridge in a house owned by SIEA with fabulous views of Iron Bottom Sound (there is a picture of this house on my Facebook). By the time he worked there, SIEA had bought up 40 houses for staff. Briefly we were there 1988-1993. Now you know why I love your web page and so admire what you have contributed to my reading pleasure. Just like you I now read all the books that relate to the places we have lived. I am a great Somerset Maugham fan and I read Lucy Irvine and passed on the book Faraway to heaps of contacts. I feel I know you from reading so much of your life on the web. Congratulations on your fabulously interesting offerings. I am on Facebook with lots of Solomon Island connections (you might know some). Hope you enjoyed my little input and thank you for all the information and photos you provided for the pleasure and memory prompts for myself and others. Regards to your wife Padma and yourself Robyn Johnstone |
Well, that's two bouquets in one day after a friend, on reading my UNA VOCE blog, had emailed me, "Good yarn --- perhaps you should write a novel? No joke; you have a way with the language and can build a good story, so why not? You won't make any money with it, but it will keep you busy and out of the boozer:-)"
I shall now sit down and 'tell all' about my time in Honiara in 1973, and again in 1977/78. Watch this space! In the meantime, here are a few photos to whet your appetite.
As for you, Robyn, heed your friend's advice who told you, “I guess no one is really interested in your stories as they have never been to the places you have so why don’t you write them all down at least for your own memory sake”. Feel inspired and write about your time in Kiribati, the Solomons, Bahrain, Samoa, Cooma, Mosul (Northern Iraq), and Alice Springs and Darwin. I'm sure I won't be your only reader!
P.S. Well, Robyn has got started and set up her own blog. Not much to see yet but 'aller Anfang ist schwer' ☺ .
