Toni the Maldive Lady
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S A I N T   H E L E N A

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE  I  am coming to find you.
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Sixty eight years ago I boarded the Breamar Castle (part of the Union Castle shipping line) to start a journey of a lifetime. We left from Tilbury, London’s major port, and although I was on my own, in no time I made lots of friends.  A very pleasing cabin, delicious food, a swimming pool and deck games. Our first port of call was Madeira. We had very little time here, however it was very pleasant to stretch one’s legs.
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A S C E N S I O N    I S L A N D

We were not allowed to go ashore here and our stay was very short. However we were entertained by loads of large sharks and dolphins. Not long now until I will be at Saint Helena. Wildly excited.
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S A I N T    H E L E N A

Oh my goodness!  What a tiny island, high rocks, small beaches, pastures up high. I must get off the Breamar quickly as we are not here for long. Brazil, 5,000 miles to the west and Cape Town, 3,130 miles to the south east.
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J A M E S T O W N  is the capital of the island. I took a quick trot around the town. Saint James' Church is the oldest Anglican church in the southern hemisphere, dating back from 1774.
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The ship’s crew had told me there was one MUST! 
JACOB'S LADDER.

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Jacob’s Ladder is a run of 699 steps up from Jamestown to a fort at Ladder Hill and
is one of the Seven Wonders of St Helena.

Big panic!  I suffer from vertigo. Not just going up but somehow I will have to get down!  I have to make up my mind  to have a go or not. But then I see some kids coming down by rail! I will leave you to guess how I got down!! An amazing experience!
Time now to find a car and head to pastures new. Not much room for cars coming the other way! Indeed not many cars at all here at this time.
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The dark rocks below starts to change to all colours of the rainbow.
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Lonely lad!
I have found you Napoleon at last! Napoleon Bonaparte was here from 10 December, 1815, until his death at the age of 51, on 5 May, 1821.
St Helena must be the loneliest island in the world and likely not the place Napoleon would have chosen to be in exile.
I imagined him standing there, looking at nothing but water, pondering on his past, when I arrived at his home, Longwood House, 6kms from Jamestown.

No one was there to show me around. But this was a LONG, long time ago!

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However it was most interesting. His bed and very old-fashioned furniture. The garden was a delight, filled with flowers. Most of the animals had been brought in from abroad. Donkeys, sheep, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice and loads of rats!
The grandest house on the island was that of the governor, Plantation House, 3.6km to the south of Jamestown.
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In front of this picture is a marvellous land tortoise, his name was Jonathan. He came in from the Seychelles in 1882. I was told he was the longest living vertebrate in the world. He was 50 when he arrived. I could stroke him and another three smaller ones were not far away, he hardly seemed to know anything, I was told that he was very SEXY!
Well my time was running out and my dream had come true. Back on board with very mixed feelings. We head for Cape Town.
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The Maldive Islands


Ariyadhoo, Himithi, Mini Mas,
Gali & Maamigili
Fuah Mulaku

GAAFU ALIFU ATOLL SCHOOL
Gan and Feydhoo
Hanimadhoo & Uteemu
Ihuru
Kuramathi
Kurumba
Laamu  Atoll
Lhaviyani
Niyama - Dhaalu Atoll
Rashdoo & Noonu Atoll
Villingili

Holiday Of A Life Time:
Maldives, Sri Lanka & Dubai

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SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION - LETTER FROM BENEDICTA

MY ISLAND STORY

On My Way To Happy Days

Passenger Flying Log Book

My Very Good Looking Father

Through a Zanzibar Doorway

Lion Sands

Cape Town

A Night At The London Zoo

Wild Reef Child

Ashley

Flying With Hunting Clan

Love At First Sight

The Queen Mother

Romy Has a Surprise!

GEORGE

My Talk 2018

My Flying Diary

The Maldive Lady, by Jo Foley

LiveWire: First Lady of Leisure

Kunfunadhoo

The Lady In The Loo

First Round The World Flight

Tehran

PHINDA

Rat Story

Visha & Maya

Saint Helena

A Flight of a Lifetime

Diving Bangaram Island
Shark Circus
Richard Harley
Yusuff Moosa

I Dived To Victory
Memorable Muscat
You Must Not Wear Any Weights Or Life Jacket


A Magic Boat Launches

Angkor, Cambodia

Champneys

Country Life

Crown of Thorns

Having A Whale Of A Time

​Hurlingham Club Magazine Summer 2016

Kenya

​KASHMIR 1959

Lady Rose

Love of Skiing

My Magic Beans

My Outstanding Award
My Sandbank
Museum of Mankind
My 86th Birthday
Classic Wings: My 87th Birthday
My 88th Birthday
Magic Yellow File
RACEHORSE
Seychelles
South Africa
The Haute Route
Thrills & Spills - Dhoni Mighili
Underwater Ireland
Welcome To Stanford Bridge
***WEST OF ZANZIBAR***

Helicopter Bride
SCHOOL / FLYING
World Travel Mart
My Adopted Maldivian Family
Life Threatening Thalassemia
Himmafushi - The Young Offenders
Villingilli Orphanage
The Tsunami
Commemorative Coins

1986 Commonwealth Games
Guest Speaker of the Canberra
My Cocktail
Love & Marriage in Sri Lanka


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Flags
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A Maldives Symphony -
My Swan Song:

- Velassaru & Kuramathi
-
Colombo

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