AUTOBIOGRAPHY

WILSON SILWANIS HANNA ABDEL NOUR

We flew on the D.C. 3 Dakota plane. Jerusalem was the first stop. The airport was too small and that caused he pilot to make a number of manoeuvres before landing. After visiting the Holy Lands, we continued our trip by air to Beirut, where sightseeing was provided for us throughout Lebanon. From Baalabak (Lebanon) we proceeded by land to Damascus (Souk El Hamidia) and returned the same day. We went back to Cairo from Beirut by Middle East Airlines.

At Beirut Airport we met an American couple with two daughters almost the same age as my daughters. They were playing together with their dolls. Before their departure they gave the dolls to my children willingly. What a nice gesture!

29th October 1956
President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal. It took Egypt, the Arab countries and indeed the whole world by surprise. which created the Tripartite Aggression of Israel, France and Britain on Egypt.

Accordingly, diplomatic relations between Britain and Egypt were cut off. B.O.A.C. closed down.

28th April 1957
God blessed us for the third time with a son, FARID . We named him after his grand Pa FARID (Marie's father). (Talet Farhetna).

Suddenly I found myself UNEMPLOYED, married, 2 daughters at prestigious American College, new born boy, grandmother (Teta) , and monthly rent 13 Egyptian Pounds.

As far as I remember, I was only granted three months' compensation without any other income apart from my BOAC salary. God only knows how we were subsisting. Needless to say, I was compelled to face these unexpected sad events and look for another job. Meanwhile, I found a clerical job with a pharmaceutical Lebanese firm. The company was located at Sherif St. The owner was Francois Gorra. The offered salary was 20 Egyptian pounds per month. I had to accept.

KARNAK TRAVEL AGENCY
12, KASR EL NIL STREET CAIRO
15th July 1957

Owner	Razzouk Homsi, millionaire and bank owner.
Manager	Emile Tewfik
Sub Manager:	Mostafa Kamel
Sales Manager	Edward Gayed

The company was a private sector and the three managers were ex BOAC colleagues. Nevertheless, I did not think of working there. Suddenly, I was called by Karnak management to occupy the post of travel agent. Salary offered was 30 Egyptian pounds per month. Consequently, I had to resign from the first job and join Karnak, General Agent for some airlines: Iraqi, Syrian, Sudanese, Pakistani, Lybian, apart from the normal dealings, as travel agency, with all airlines. The office was open 24 hours to cope with the tremendous volume of work

Some of the responsibilities carried out at my new job:-

• Dealing with all airlines in order to fulfil passengers' demand
• Studying rules and routes pertaining to these airlines (African, Asian, European, American).
• Supervising, guiding and training staff.
• Preparing statistics and reports.
• Doing aviation and tourist work.

My first salary was 30 Pounds and the last salary became 125 pounds.

My family and I were privileged to travel free by Egypt Air with confirmed first class seats.

9th July 1957

Marie's father passed away. He was 72 years old. After his death, her mother lived with us. We had to move to a more spacious flat, 27 Shebin St. Koubeh Gardens.

31st May 1959

My Grandma (Teta Mariam) passed away, she was 90 years old.

INCREDIBLE TELEPATHY
Adel Fahmy, tall and stout was one of my assistants. After some time, he resigned to work abroad. Years elapsed without any news about him. While reading a book by journalist Mahmoud Awad, the name of Adel Fahmy was mentioned amongst the successful Egyptians who were working abroad.

While working the next day amazingly I just saw him in front of me!

Coding and decoding difficult names over the phone.
To book seats on airlines , the quickest way was to use the telephone. In order to avoid confusion while dictating difficult names, we used codes, (A) for apple , (B) for baby etc. The word "for" was not used later, and replaced by Apple, Baby etc. to be recorded on the other line. While reserving a seat for a Dutch passenger, whose name could not be pronounced, three letters amongst his name were mentioned , baby, whisky, love. After putting down the receiver the reaction was, whisky, love and then comes the baby.

FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE
14TH -17TH SEPTEMBER 1958 SWISSAIR invited some travel agents, including myself, to a familiarisation trip within SWITZERLAND. It was the FIRST and most enjoyable.

FIRST TRIP TO ASIA
2nd to 6th November 1960
I was invited with some travel agents to Ceylon (now Srilanka) through KLM. On the day of departure the plane was delayed. I was offered spending the night, either at home or at Hilton Hotel. Naturally, I chose the second offer, but I could not sleep, may be it was the first time to enjoy Hilton facilities.

We visited Colombo, the capital and Kandi, second city. It was Asia's Attraction. On our way back to Cairo, some non Egyptian passengers were singing a popular Egyptian song (Mostafa ya Mostafa, Ahebak ya Mostafa)

Ahmed Orabi Pacha, ex senior Egyptian army officer was exiled to Ceylon for political reasons.

FIRST TRIP TO AFRICA
BENGHAZI, LYBIA
FEBRUARY, 1961
I flew there by Misr Air, (free ticket) to apply for a job with a travel agency. I was introduced to the owner by the husband of my wife's niece. I accepted the position, but cancelled the verbal agreement lately.

SECOND TRIP TO AFRICA
KENYA
1963
Two Kenyans political refugees were in Egypt. I used to invite them from time to time to a cup of tea at my home. Away from their families and friends they were home sick. Our home was considered theirs. Business relation started, gradually it became friendly. In an appreciative gesture they invited me to celebrate Kenya Independence in Nairobi I had received an invitation from The Government of Kenya inviting me to be present at "The: Celebration in Nairobi from December 11th to 13th 1963 to mark the "INDEPENDENCE OF KENYA".

I was physically in Nairobi, the capital of a newborn Free Independent Country I was honoured when my Kenyan friends introduced me to the First African Prime Minister of Kenya, H. E. Jomo Kenyatta . They said :"This is Mr. Wilson from Egypt who used to help us a lot".

FIRST TRIP TO ENGLAND
2nd to 6th OCTOBER 1966
I was invited by BOAC, with some travel agents for a free familiarisation trip in London, including, of course, accommodation and entertainment.

According to Abdel Nasser's rules, anybody travelling abroad was allowed

1. A pocket money of five English Pounds only.
2. Allowed to bring in gifts for about 100 English Pounds.

Frankly, I did enjoy the trip and went back with two gifts less than 5 Pounds worth, (a green tie and a biscuit cutter). There was a misunderstanding with a cousin and mine, living in London, I seized the opportunity to clear the matter face to face and everything was OK.

1969
Our daughter Eugenie completed her studies at the American University and started working at South Korea Embassy. She got married to Awny Salama Youssef. The wedding was held in Heliopolis Coptic Church on 24th April 1969.

31st July 1969
My mother in law (Katherine) passed away

5th February 1973
Our first grand child, , Saher (Eugenie's son)., was born in Cairo

1973
Our second daughter Magda completed her studies at the American University and started working at the Nile Hilton Hotel as a private secretary to the Manager. She got married to Danty Soliman. The wedding was held at the Presbyterian Church, Heliopolis, on the first of September 1973. She migrated to Australia to join her husband.

6th December 1974
Our second grand child Eman (Eugenie's daughter) was born

FIRST TRIP TO CANADA
AUGUST 1975
Marie's sisters were living in Canada. We decided, to travel there.

The sector Cairo Paris was booked on Egypt Air, confirmed first class , Regarding Paris Montreal Edmonton, travel was on Air Canada. When we boarded Egypt Air plane, to Paris we were seated in economy class. I complained to the steward, but he did not take any action. So I asked him if I could see the captain, who approved of our transfer to the first class. Accordingly, the three of us left for first class compartment. The captain invited our son Farid, who was university student, to the cockpit. The steward,, changed his attitude , did not stop offering us VIP services. We were the only first class passengers.

When we arrived in Paris airport I booked hotel room after paying 10% deposit. Before leaving the hotel, I asked for the accommodation bill, which did not show the deposit paid at the airport. When I objected in French, the concierge apologised for the mistake and accepted the amount less 10% of course.

Luckily I did the right thing to check, thus avoiding to be cheated.

22nd December 1976
Our third grandchild Mora (Magda's daughter) was born in Sydney

30th September 1977
I resigned from Karnak to join Bon Voyage Travel Agency .