SENSES

The first sound that played an important part in my life was the war time air raid warning - the siren. I would only have been a toddler but when it sounded, I would hold out my arms to my eldest brother and say 'Siwen please', whereupon my brother would carry me out to the Anderson air raid shelter.

The most spectacular sight was when I visited Cairo, Egypt aged 45 years and saw the exalted pyramids. I was riding a horse across the sand - the first time I had ever ridden a horse. I could feel the strong, muscular, sinewy power of the horse as I laid my hand flat on his neck and caressed it. The experience is one that will stay with me throughout my life.

One of my favourite smells was when I used to go on errands for my family ( whilst I was a young child), and take our shoes to be repaired at the local cobbler's shop. The wonderful smells of glue, new leather etc. in the interior of the shop would make me take in great gasps of air to appreciate them even more.

One taste that stayed with me from childhood was - locust beans. They had a wonderful, indescribable taste. Their appearance was similar to a pod of broad beans only very dark brown in colour. As I grew up they seemed to disappear from greengrocers' shops.