Cleveland, Ohio

Hit Cleveland at about 7:30am. Bit of a smoggy industrial city. Anyway we enquired at the bus station about transport to Euclid. Everyone very helpful. Took several buses to get what to Lake Shore. Spoke to a lady who had been to Russia. “Those poor people – not one owns their own home – not one!”

We finally found the address given in our letter of employment. It was a private house and what was more depressing was that there was no answer at the door. We trudged to a payphone and rang the other number we had been given. Steve Atkinson said he would come out to us. We had tea (without milk) in his front room whilst waiting for him. (Steve’s wife had been in the ‘beathroom’ when we first called). Turned the TV on to find another prize show. Advertisements every two minutes it seemed. Steve arrived in a big US car and we zoomed over to the depot. I was surprised at the lack of legroom in the bak of his car. About the same as a Reliant Robin.

Penguin consisted of a large warehouse type garage with a big cold-room and a lean-to office tacked up inside. The odd truck lying about here and there. How different from expectations. The trucks, it turns out, are ex-PO vans, with a freezer thrown in the back and 2 or 3 stickers on the outside. Junk inside all over the place. Met a guy called Mike who said he was taking the day off because after 1.30 pm it was not worth going out.

We left our bags there and decided to go off looking for somewhere to live. Bought some local papers off a lady who gave us an address just off the main street. No joy. We tried several other places. John eventually decided to try the Catholic priest. He couldn’t help either. Gave us the address of a motel for a temporary solution. We decided a car was a must. We could then widen our scope and more easily find a place.

Anyway, that night we trudged what seemed miles to Vink’s Motel. We hired a 4-berth room for $20.90 and I cursed leaving my trunks at the depot for there was a beautifully inviting pool in the grounds together with a floodlit golf course. The first thing I did in that room was peel off my filthy smelly clothes and have a shower. After that I just slumped on the bed and slept. The noise of the TV and AC could not keep me awake. DB and John went out later but I just decided to sleep some more. The TV had the usual win-a-prize show on.