Adventures of an Inveterate Traveler

One of Peter Gandell’s earliest recollections involves the coronation of King George VI in 1937. The whole school assembled in the main hall to listen to his coronation speech, but at that age, the kids couldn’t comprehend the auspicious occasion.

At night, he’d enjoy listening to the BBC broadcasts on his crystal set. Radios were expensive large devices driven by vacuum tubes. Most children would build devices whereby a thin stiff wire would locate a spot on a crystal, that in turn would resonate to the broadcast frequency through headphones. Good crystals were sought after and constantly bartered to get the best reception.

Later, he was oblivious to the storm clouds gathering over Europe before England declared war on Germany in 1939. Knowing London would be a prime target, his parents shuttled him and his sister back and forth between London and Wales depending upon the severity of the bombing and the forecast for future enemy raids.

Join the author as he looks back at growing up in London during a tumultuous time, his travels throughout the world, and advancements over several decades in Adventures of an Inveterate Traveler.