Page 173 - Exile-ebook

172 AN EXILE OF THE MIND BROMIDE IN MY TEA 173

the doctors until an Asian intern
recognised malaria.
Marcel was born weeks later. It
was only fitting he should have a
French name since he was conceived
in French Polynesia by a French
Canadian mother. As a surprise
I bought a Fiat Bambino to take
Nicole home from the hospital.
Not the most practical of vehicles
considering my height and a new
family. But it did have a sunroof
through which to poke my head and
see the road ahead.
The travel bug struck again and
we boarded a ship for Acapulco. Ten
minutes after disembarking the very
same neck pouch holding our cash
and passports, previously dumped on
the train tracks in India, disappeared
into the busy streets of Acapulco. It Marcel asleep at Disneyland.
was found by an unemployed local
and handed in to the Tourist Office member to hide in the bushes after
with not a peso missing. We dubbed the public left, we emerged to enjoy
it the ‘magic pouch’. all that Disneyland had to offer for
In San Diego we bought an iconic the rest of the evening. Marcel was
VW Kombi van favoured by hippies in too young to remember this treat.
the 60s. We explored California and We called in at Bodega Bay to
discovered the Land of Disney. It was see our neighbours from the Greek
on the very day the Disneyland staff Island of Paros. They had shared
and their families had their annual our trip to Turkey and now lived
treat of free rides. Told by a staff where Alfred Hitchcock made The
Birds in which our feathered friends
Château Frontenac, Québec. went psycho. Following the scenic