1954 My 7th Birthday

On September 4, 1954, my 7th birthday, we were at the airport in Singapore on our way to Sydney, Australia.  

Singapore Airport 1954

Airport Restaurant

As we were picking up our luggage and checking in for the next part of the flight, the attendant asked me, as people do, “and how old are you?”  I proudly said that I was 7 and that today was my birthday.  “Well then”, he said, “let’s do something special” and he put me on the conveyer belt and told me to sit down.  

Baggage conveyor belt

I rode almost the length of the airport on that conveyor belt, with suitcases beside me and my mother hurrying along to keep up.  I never will forget that, one of the best birthday presents I have ever had.  Of course now it would be impossible for anything that wonderful to happen.

1954 Curry in Calcutta

In 1954, we moved to Australia.  We left New York and flew to London, where my dad had to meet with the London office of his company, Foster-Wheeler.   Then we flew to Sydney.  The trip lasted four days.  

We flew TWA in a Super Constellation (Super Connie), a 4-engine prop plane with a triple tail.  We even had sleeping compartments.  It was more like a train than a plane.

Calcutta Dum Dum Airport

 We landed in Calcutta and I remember eating at the 
airport restaurant.      
    
My mother ordered curry, and when it arrived, it looked like dirty dishwater.  My father said "Are you really going to eat that?".  My mother said "Yes, I am", and she did. 

She always said it was the best curry she had ever had.