Mon 1-Oct-56: Taking off for Vienna 12:20. Arrived and rushed twice to Rumanian Consulate. Cashed £2
Tue 2-Oct-56: Great trouble making conversation at Consulate – no English spoken – got visa Hungarian & Hotel Stefanie – had to leave at 4 for Budapest – arrived about 7 Grand Hotel by the Danube over night. Cashed £10
Grand Hotel Budapest
2 Oct. Tues night [1956]
My dear Dorothy,
It’s very late, something after twelve – but I’d like you to get a line from Hungary. See how dutifully I am supplying Graham with stamps from all ports of call. Costing me plenty. The letter from Munich was double weight & air mail postcard to Graham, and the same to Sharon [King Watson’s daughter], set me back about 8/-. Have had a heavy time of it in Vienna madly walking back and forth between the Hotel and two different legations. I had to get visas from both the Rumanian & Hungarian legations. The Rumanian Legation is a good two miles from the pub. On arrival at Vienna on Monday [1 Oct 1956] about 1 o’clock I struggled around the crowded streets with all my gear – weather hot too – looking for the travel agency to find me a room, which they did. More struggle till I got a bus they had suggested. Had a wash & like a fool left my heavy boots & hastened down to the Embassy – only realising when I had got there that my passport was at the hotel being entered up in the lodger’s book. (All European countries demand your visa when being booked in for accommodation.) Got there couldn’t find anyone to speak English – & with my pidgin German understood I was to bring it straight back. Which I did & left it on the hope that on the morrow they could dial up an English speaker. I was about zoosed the way back on the second trip & had a fairly early night. Went down early in the morning – got there & realised the time was only 8 instead of 9. Cooled my heels around the town for an hour & went back.
Doktor-Karl-Renner-Ring 3, 1010 Vienna, Austria
1010 Vienna, Austria
1010 Vienna, Austria
Universitätsring 4 1010 Vienna, Austria
Dorotheergasse 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Theresianumgasse 25 1040 Vienna, Austria
Bankgasse 4-6 1010 Vienna, Austria
Taborstraße 12 1020 Vienna, Austria
My God, what a conversation. My phrase book, which I can’t find anything useful in – my pidgin German – occasional words of English & French & we came to some sort of understanding. Went to Hungarian Embassy & did somewhat better with an English speaking girl. Left passport & had to return at 3 pm. Then went to the flight booking place & found I couldn’t alter the flight plan & so had to rush madly around, pack up & get passport & be ready to board a bus by 4 pm, which I did. Unfortunately left my grey pyjamas behind in Hotel – but will write them with this letter & ask them to hang on to them for my return. I hope they do. Budapest is only 1½ from Vienna & only two passengers on plane. Police boarded us soon as plane touched ground & looked at our passports. Anyway we cleared through without trouble & I am settled for the night in the above hotel. It is a very big place. Must have been pretty posh once. I’m tired – Goodnight darling.
We arrived in the dark & so didn’t see anything of B-Pest but electric lights. The hotel is a long way out but is beautifully situated in a park alongside the Danube, not that the Danube looks anything but industrial in this area. Big wide river though – splits in two just here & this place I’m on is an island in the middle [Margit or Margaret Island]. Odd collection of people here last night. Refined & unrefined – dancing to orchestra till after I went to bed. Magnificent big dining room – foyer, etc. – Also Chinese here & a great bunch of Indians in all sorts of dress. They were of both sexes.
Lots of love
Bill.
I am apt to get panic stricken about getting these planes when so few understand English. I’m on edge now waiting for the hotel bill & for them to change some Austrian money into Hungarian – would have been a lot easier if my cheques had had been properly endorsed. If I get this plane, I’ll be able to relax for some time. I’m to meet Buican or someone at 2.30 pm today.
I wish I’d had you in Vienna. It is a lovely city. I shall you more of what little I saw later. Things would been a lot more pleasant if you were with me darling. You’d better take some more lottery tickets because if ever we were to make the trip we’d need plenty. As it is with credit restrictions I reckon two people wouldn’t last more than a month for £300, i.e. paying their own fares etc. Be nice snooping around with you – and returning to the hotel – yes?
Lots of love dear and tell Graham I don’t forget him – I hope he is happy – and how about Trelly?
I hope you didn’t send any letters to Vienna, because I was in a different hotel.
Ta-ta Sweetie
Yours Bill
1138 Budapest, Hungary
Margaret Island 1138 Budapest, Hungary