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THE JOURNEY | 95
the next coach at the far end and I hopped in from the near end. Seeing me in the same coach he panicked and threw my purse in the corridor and ran away. I was so relieved to get my purse back. I had all my money and travellers' cheques in it. I had only 1000 lira (equivalent of less than one pound sterling) on me. Imagine my plight if I hadn't got my wallet back!
After the Suez Canal was closed in 1966, I stopped going abroad. While ! was sailing by sea, I would drive around a lot by car in Europe and USA. In Europe, we would spend the weekends at castles in Germany and Austria and Chateaux in France. We also travelled to the south of France and the south of Spain. Instead of staying in big cities like Nice, we would opt to stay in villages near the sea or in the mountains. They were so picturesque and refreshing.
All my trips to Europe, the USA and Japan were highly successful from the business point of view and extremely enjoyable too. Bhagwati and I visited Japan again in 1960, 1964, 1970, 1974 and 1987. In 1970 we saw the Olympic Games and were privileged to watch India win the gold medal in hockey. Between 1950 and 1968 I always went to Europe and the USA by sea. I used to visit the US every two or three years and England practically every year.
In 1970 I went to Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Japan. It was a business tour particularly undertaken with a view to export SRM textiles. However there was not much success in this respect. In Japan, I renewed our business contacts. One new contact was made with Daikin.
. 1972 - Bhagwati and I went to Japan on business and the main purpose was to persuade Daikin to collaborate with us in the manufacture of Daikin airconditioning and refrigerating equipment. They promised to think over but later on there was no response.
In Japan, Kobe, we used to stay with Popatbhai and Manjula – the son-inlaw and daughter of Nagarkaka. Nagarkaka had originally sent him for our pearls business of Sea Pearls Trading Agency, but later he had taken over the business and the house. Whenever I was in Kobe overnight, we used to stay with them.
Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage - Confucius
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