Carl Tyler's Blog

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Where on earth would you consider a living nightmare?
El Adem, Libya. Spent 12 months in this dump when in the RAF. Only place I’ve been to where I never want to return to.

When were you the most nervous?
Hard to remember but for some reason I was very nervous when I had to walk my daughter down the isle. More nervous than at my own wedding. To this day I can’t understand why - the whole week before the wedding was a very stressful week - had to take the week off work.

First Record you ever bought?
Del Shannon - runaway

First cassette tape you ever bought?
Classical set of The Four Seasons

First CD you ever bought?
Malcolm Frager plays Chopin

First MP3 file you downloaded?
Never downloaded one

First flight on an aeroplane was to?
First flying experience as an ATC cadet flying in an Anson from RAF Valley Anglesey over North Wales. First flight was from RAF Wittering to The Azores in a Britannia of the RAF in February 1963 on route to Mexico city.

Worst airline ever flown?
Pan Am from Heathrow to New York. The stewardesses looked dreadful and beyond their sell by date. (All I can think is - they must have had a great time in London before the flight)

Earliest memory?
First days at school. Remember having to take a nap on a camp bed every afternoon. Also being given one white pill and one cod-liver oil pill with an 1/8th pint of milk every morning. Hated the warm milk.

Favourite business trip destination?
Don’t really have one but probably Brazil. Never enjoyed business trips - did plenty around Europe but much preferred to be at home. Must be one of the few guys who did a weekly day trip to Paris from London for a period of around 6 months. People are envious when they hear all the places you have travelled to - when you do it for one day meetings its becomes very tedious and time consuming. Leave the office at 18:00 Hrs catch the 19:00 flight to Berlin, arrive at 21:30 get to Hotel at 22:00 - too late to eat - next day attend meetings - leave for airport 1700 arrive home 22:00 - shattered after a hectic time travelling - having seen sweet FA of the place called Berlin.

Worst hotel ever stayed in?
A small private hotel in Northern France between Calais and Paris. The room was freezing cold and I had to remove the cover off the Electric Heater in the room to short out the thermostat as it was fixed at some ridiculous low setting.

Worst invention ever?
The computer - suppose to make the world a paper less society. Say no more.

Best invention ever?
The paper clip. Companies can do without people but couldn’t manage without the old paper clip.

Favourite toy as a child?
My first bicycle at the age of 11 (second hand at that - stripped and painted it myself - and it worked afterwards)

Most fondly remembered toy?
Wooden garage for my dinky toys made for me by my Uncle Jack.

Scariest things seen on TV as a kid
Didn’t have a TV until my teenage years. Scariest thing on then was Quatermass - I think that’s what it was called.

Most vivid smell you can remember?
Wintergreen - having to rub it on our legs before a game of Rugby.

Things your parents used to do that you thought everyone did, but now realise don't?
My Dad bringing down the big old TV aerial off the chimney breast once a year and painting it with aluminium paint. To prevent it going rusty when it was made of alloy. My mum darning the socks and polishing and cleaning all the family shoes (you could see your face in them) ready for us all to wear the next day.