Dearest Dave,

Rumour, as so often happens, hath it partly correct. It was the journey fromIsrael that got delayed, not thither. Our plane was hit by lightning on its way from Teheran - that is, beforewe got on it! It came down for repairs in Cyprus, and waited there for five days for a couple of new engines from England. (When plane schedules gowrong they do it in the grand manner.) What time I sat biting my nails in Israel, first for two-and-a-half days at Lydda Airport and then for a further three days in Tel Aviv. By that time I was in such a chronic state of nerves from uncertainty that I decided to cut out Italyaltogetherandcome straight back to England as soon as the plane turned up. (I wanted to be back here by the 1st January anyway.) But it wasn't as easy as all that. The plane finally left Lydda on the morning of the 23rd; but when we reached Rome that afternoon they broke it to us that northern Europe was shrouded in fog and that we'd have to stay there the night. In spite of everything, I wasn't sorry to see Rome for a night at B.O.A.C.'s expense; and it also enabled me to pick up my letters! It's such a wonderful-looking city that I feel I must go back there at the first opportunity; but preferably in Spring or Autumn, and without the prelude of a six-days-thwarted plane journey. Eventually we left Rome at 8 o'clock on the morning of Christmas Eve, and reached Heathrow without further mishap shortly after noon. Pu nearly had a fit when I phoned her.

Israel was enormous fun. For the first ten days the sun shone ceaselessly. When not actually playing, we were able to pick oranges from the trees and watch the people bathing. Then the skies opened. One evening we arrived back from a concert to find our hotel in darkness, the storm having blown away all the electric-light cables. Later, one half of Tel Aviv was cut off from the other by floods. So no wonder the plane services were a bit upset.

Musically, we enjoyed ourselves greatly. Besides the concerts with Yfrah, I did a recording for the Radio of the Piano Concerto and the 2nd Violin Sonata.