The Pocket Gude to Aden

IT IS SUPPOSED to be colder today.  My house somehow felt hotter. The temperature this week has hovered around 80F, about 27C. That's the max UK temp, according to my dogged research. (Well I did check all of 2 websites and one had no weather information at all!)

I have been eating oven chips and a salad consisting of cucumber, spring onion, baby tomatoes and avocado all chopped and mixed with spinach, rocket and watercress leaves. I do not like lettuce and I barely put any dressing on any salad.

I went and took heroin yesterday. What a waste. Too weak for words. I blame the stress of my drunk friend Greg Arious. Well I have to blame somebody. OK I'll blame myself: I was weak. I've gotta go drug-free next week anyhow: I have another appointment at the methadone clinic to which I want to turn up clean. With my script "titrating" downwards, I have to abstain anyhow. Any using "on top" will only mess up my detox.

I found a hardback travel guide to Aden (modern day People's Republic of South Yemen) published in 1961. Packed with pages of ancient ads for Frigidaire: "The most exciting look in refrigerators to-day ~ that's Frigidaire's new Sheer Look"... Yardley: "Men who travel far make sure they are as well-groomed en route as they are when at home. They are not content, for instance, merely to include the best of shaving soaps or creams in their luggage. They pack Yardley After Shaving Lotion or 'Tender Skin' Lotion for Specially Sensitive Skins. Their bland, tonic touch braces and tones the skin: soothes every smart left by nicks and scrapes: leaves the fac looking and feeling its finest." (How wordy!) Oh yeah and Vauxhall cars: "Roll up! Roll up! Value is Vauxhall's theme for '61! Try the very latest Victors ~ see what the new rear window does for easy parking. Motor in the grand manner behind Vauxhall's stupendous new 113 horse power 'six' ~ power plant for '61 Velox and Cresta. Mitchell Cotts & Co. (Aden) Ltd. Cotts House, Crater, Aden. Telephone No. 2891 Cable MITTCOTTS ADEN. Your Vauxhall Dealer.

Even the editor admits: "It cannot be denied that the climate in the Colony is, for half of the year, unpleasant." That means summer humidity at 80% with a "temperature which rarely rises above 100F". Sounds marvellous.

There were only two radio stations and no television in Aden in 1961. "Those who are used to having ready-made entertainment "on tap", so to speak in the form of television, radio, a choice of cinemas showing the latest flims, theatre or music-hall and dance-halls will find Aden distinctly lacking in these amenities. T.V., in particular, has not reached Aden and there seems little immediate prospect of it doing so ~ in spite of the optimism displayed by a Little Aden resident whose house is decorated with distinctive aerials"!

I was going to send Welcome to Aden: A Services Guidebook published by Africa Publishing Company 1961 to the charity shop but haven't the heart. It makes very entertaining reading.



HERE IS SOME OF THE WORST MUSIC, THAT I DO LIKE, THAT WILL GO ROUND AND ROUND MY HEAD:~~~

BEE GEES: STAYING ALIVE



MADONNA: LIVE TO TELL



BRITNEY SPEARS: EVERYTIME