Mum's letter tells you of my trip up here and the country so I'll tell you a little about the people. They are far superior to the Wogs [native Egyptians] - cleaner and whiter, many of Turkish origin, have grey and blue eyes. They wear (the men) baggy black trousers, especially drooping between the legs and the leg parts are buttoned up tight round the calves. The shirts are usually sort of coloured smocks with many buttons.

The currency here is great. We are paid £10 Syrian for £1.2 Sterling. We feel quite rich until we start spending it. The pay goes just as fast as anywhere else. The notes here are very varied and most are bigger and multi-coloured. The pay one gets would almost wallpaper a room and they certainly resemble wallpaper.

Many of the natives come to barter eggs, wood and goats milk with us. They are very poor and prefer old clothing or food to money. The eggs are as good as NZ not like the little pale Wog ones. The land is mainly owned by huge landowners. All cultivation is most old-fashioned - this country must have changed very little from before Christ days in customs and habit.

The villages nestle on hillsides and houses are made of mud and stone - one can look around surrounding country for long enough without seeing any habitation at all. The sheep and goats are similar to those of Egypt and run together in herds with a shepherd. The sheep are brown and white with floppy ears and big soft tails. Here they have pure white turkeys - they are queer looking at first. There are of course numerous free French in this country. God grant the Japs don't make us "free New Zealanders." One source of amusement to us here is the tortoises which are plentiful. They are grotesque looking things and of course very awkward. There are also lizards, asps and snakes although I have not as yet seen a snake.

Syrian banknotes.

I'm glad you liked the photo. [this photo appears on page 34] You ask why I look so pleased with myself. Well Darling I had had a bath (first since NZ) and shave and haircut and my suit cleaned and pressed and I was alive and free while 80% of my cobbers were gone. Surely I had a right to look a bit pleased with myself. Take care of yourself sweetheart and don't let the Japs catch you.