Chapter 2

On Saturday morning, I drove Belinda to her home, about two hours north, where we picked up her guitar, and had lunch with her parents. They were happy that she had found someone to share her first week. We were able to tell them that we would be sharing the next two weeks, as we were helping two other guides, in separate coaches, but following the same general route from London to Rome, where we would be flown back for a week off before our next trip.

The company had a local group of part-timers who picked up English-speaking clients from the airport. Sometimes they arrived as a single group, and sometimes over a period on different flights. These guides would get them settled in the hotel and then the tour usually included a couple of nights before they started the travelling. This was the usual process for our biggest market, the Americans. If the tour was one that went around England, and booked from non-English- speaking countries, those of us with the right language would be picking them up at the airport.

We went into the office on Monday morning and joined our mentors at the breakfast table. Jessica Pringle was my partner for the two weeks, and Helen Gardener was Belindas’. They were both experienced and tried to calm our fears. We took our bags out to the coach park, found our coaches, and had our things stowed away. As we drove to the hotel, Jessica got me to recite the welcoming speech and tell her where all the safety equipment was stored.

At the hotel, the two coaches pulled up and we welcomed our clients. We had a group of artist types in our coach, while Belinda had an amateur drama group. We would take different routes but stay in the same hotel on the last night. That Monday, we drove to Dover and took the ferry to France. It was odd, but watching the white cliffs receding was almost as magic as it was to our clients, all deeming it to be a specifically British thing to see.

We weaved our way through France, stopping at various places to see art galleries or homes of famous painters. Our coach was all adults, into their middle age, and were no problem. We got into Italy along the coast road from Nice to Genoa and ended the tour in Rome on the second Thursday. The coach driver would take them to the airport on Friday morning, but the four of us changed into our own clothes at the hotel and took a taxi to the airport, arriving back in London on Thursday evening. We had a taxi to the company offices to pick up our cars. Jessica told me that, as an Italian speaker, I could get future trips to join the tour that started in Rome and went back to London.

Obviously, the other two gave good reports of our work. Our next tour would be starting in France, on the Tuesday of the next week, with Belinda and I taking it. We would fly to Paris on the Monday evening and be with our clients when the coach picked us all up. The tour was two weeks in France, looking at great gardens, with a lot of the first day being spent in Versailles.

I did go home in the break, dropping Belinda at her home, and ran the tracks. The church was open again, with a new preaching team, but most of the worshipers were going elsewhere. The police Inspector called around on Sunday. I suppose that Daddy had told him I was home. He gave me a scroll that thanked me for my assistance to the force, without naming what it entailed.

He also gave me a cheque, as it appeared that a reward had been posted for information leading to the arrest of the rapist. Before he left, he told me, quietly, that the DNA taken from all the victims matched all three from the church, and that traces of all the victims’ DNA was in the car that had been found nearby, as well as the main bedroom of the manse. I gave Daddy the cheque to bank for me. It was a cash cheque, so he could do so, and then he would transfer to my account, so hiding my involvement.

Daddy told me that mother had sent a lawyer to get anything she had left behind. Daddy had escorted him around the house and took him to all the places he wanted to see. The false bottom of the vanity drawer was no longer there, so he went away empty handed.

After the weekend, I picked up Belinda, as arranged, and we did the gardening tour, flying to Paris and back to London from Cannes after a very interesting couple of weeks where our French was stretched to the max. When we checked in with the office, we were called in and told about a special tour. The fact that, between us, we could get by in French, Italian and German, we were asked if we could manage a different sort of tour. This one would start at the airport at Milan, Northern Italy, or Lyons, in France. It was a new product, an expensive trip that actually started properly in Baja, Hungary at the local airstrip, and having a local coach driver to take us to the hotel.

It was limited to thirty clients, and we were expected to be on duty around the clock if need be. The second day we would all join a river cruise to Budapest, along the glorious Danube, stopping at a few tourist spots along the way. We would have another coach at Budapest to take everyone around the tourist hotspots there, before everyone flying out.

“You two have done very well, with several calls of commendation and no complaints. This tour is not something that our usual guides would be happy with, seeing that you will really be nurse maids to the clients. I think that you have the attitude and the youthful stamina to make it work. This first tour are all Italians. A week after you complete it there will be one that are French. We may offer it to clients from England and America next season. There will be a translator if you need one.”

“That’s not a problem, ma-am, as I speak conversational Hungarian.”

“That wasn’t on your application.”

“I have no academic papers for it, but my father and I speak a lot of Hungarian at home, or with his relatives.”

“That’s a real plus. The interpreter will join you in Budapest for the first two tours, and then we may be able to dispense with her.”

“Where do we join the guests?”

“You’ll fly to Milan, the day before, and stay in the airport hotel. You’ll be at the arrivals gate, as they are all on Alitalia, but different flights. Then you take them to the counter for the regional airline that will take you to Hungary. The airport there is a grass strip. Being EU, the immigration will be completed before you take off. You’ll share a cabin on the riverboat, with one staying up late and the other starting early. It will be hard work, make no mistake.”

“Thank you for your faith in us. We’ll do our best. Will you want a report, seeing that it’s the trial run?”

“That would be good, and we’ll see if there’s anything that needs changing with the second trip. Now, while you’re on the river, the boat is crewed by another company, so you will need to wear good outfits with just the name badge on. By that time, the guests will, hopefully, be able to recognise you.”

We went to our flat and looked at the itinerary that we had been given. For us, it was just herding the small group until we were in Budapest. Then there was a whole load of famous places and entertainment to take them to. As far as we were concerned, it didn’t look too bad, with it just being all totally new that was a worry. At least we would have the interpreter the first couple of visits. In the few days before the first trip, I tutored Belinda on the basic Hungarian words she would need to know, with the first being the words for men and women, so she could point out the way to the toilets. Others included ‘get your hand off my tit.’

I also rang my father, telling him where I was going and asking him if there were any of the old family still there. He emailed me a short list of relatives that he knew were still living, mainly second cousins. There was one in Baja that ran a restaurant.

We flew into Milan and checked into the airport hotel. The next day, resplendent in our uniforms, we were at the pop-up company desk to welcome our arrivals and guide them to a seating area near the food court as we waited on later arrivals, handing out information packs and name badges. When everyone had arrived, we stored the pop-up and guided them to the counter where our next flight was. We had been instructed with this kind of mayhem before, making sure that the passengers didn’t carry too much into the smaller aircraft cabin was a bit like filling a coach.

We all had to go through the EU border checks and were then in a coach to be taken to the smaller plane out on the tarmac. Some of our passengers were complaining about the size of the plane, considering the money they had paid for the trip, while others were smiling at a new experience. That, alone, allowed us to weed out the ones that needed extra watching.

The flight to Baja was short, as far as the miles went, but longer because of the airspeed. The strip was only slightly rough, but there was a cheer when we rolled to a stop. The coach was waiting, and the airport staff were pretty slick in getting everyone out of the plane and into the coach, followed by the luggage getting stowed in the bins. Belinda had a walk-through of the plane before we boarded the coach, which was good, as there were a few things left behind.

In the coach, we were in our natural element, with Belinda on the microphone as we were driven towards the city and our hotel for the night. She gave out the instructions in Italian, French, and English, telling them about the hotel and the next day boarding the river boat mid-afternoon, after lunch. There were a pile of information sheets about Baja at the front, and I went through the coach handing them out, smiling at everyone and starting to fix faces with the names on their badges. Belinda had sat down, and I went to stand by the driver, who hadn’t said a word up to now. I said hello to him in Hungarian and complemented him on his pristine coach. He looked at my company badge and grinned. It was like turning a tap on as he started talking. I found out about his business and his love of driving. I showed him the phone number of the Halmi Restaurant on my phone, and he told me that he ate there a lot, as it was the one place in town where the service was good, the food was authentic, and the prices were right.

I rang the number and asked for my cousin. When she came on the line, I told her who I was and that my father had given me her number. After a short talk, I told her that I was in the coach with thirty Italian tourists and wondered if she may be able to fit us in but charging the local prices. She said that she would be happy to, so I asked her to wait while I got numbers.

I picked up the microphone and asked for attention, reverting to Italian.

“Ladies and gentlemen. I know that tonight has been listed as a free evening, with us trying to help you find a meal. I now have a restaurant that can fit us in. The thing is that it isn’t part of the package and you’ll be charged when you eat. I’ve been assured that the prices will be local, not tourist rate. Please put your hand up if you want to experience an authentic Hungarian meal tonight.”

They all put their hands up, the grumbly ones when they saw the others. I asked our driver if he would take us and bring us back to the hotel, and he told me that he was chartered until tomorrow afternoon. I got back on the phone.

“The numbers are thirty-three, including Damir, our coach driver, who is a regular of yours. We’ll be with you at seven.”

I chatted with Damir as we went into the city, picking up the microphone and pointing out the highlights to the others after he had told me about them and slowing down so I could pass on the information. Belinda could hardly wipe the smile off her face as this was happening. Before we opened the door, I told everyone that the coach would be outside at six-thirty to go for a meal, and to make sure that their watches were all on local time.

We got them out, with the luggage sorted, and checked in. The reception did have an Italian speaker, so we were able to take it easy. The two of us took turns to go and shower, changing into our red dresses. When we were both downstairs, we sat at the bar in the hotel lounge, with soft drinks.

“That was amazing, back there on the bus. You turned a normal transit to the hotel into a sight-seeing trip. How many others do you have on your phone?”

“Only another six, none that run a restaurant in Budapest. This is a real surprise to me, as well. I hope the meal goes down well.”

“The restaurant has the same name as yours, is it close family?”

“This one is a second cousin. You have to be careful here, as Halmi is where my family used to live, and there’s a choice in taking the town name as your family name, or following a family name from way back, which may have originated in another village.”

At the designated time, our thirty guests were helped onto the coach, all looking as if they had showered and changed. We arrived at the restaurant, where Damir introduced me to Helga, my relative, and we set about sorting out the seating. I was given the menu, and Helga pointed out the dishes with a lot of garlic. I called out when they had settled.

“Ladies and gentlemen. This restaurant serves authentic meals, so most of the menu has a lot of garlic in it. There are some items which don’t, so I’ll start with one that has, and is a specialty of the house, how many for the goulash?”

Eventually, we had all the orders. I asked Helga to give the two of us something nice that wouldn’t leave us smelly in the morning as we were on duty. Damir ordered his usual and was told that his, and ours, were free for bringing them a coachload of customers. The three of us had a separate table, and when Helga had organised the kitchen, she came and sat with us, asking me about my father and his strange wife.

I was able to tell her the story of recent events, with Damir listening and chuckling at some of the details. I found out that my father had visited at times, when I was younger and at home with my mother. When the meals came out, she took my contact details and promised to let the rest of the family know I was in the country. I gave her an itinerary and told her that if tonight went well, we’d be back in a few weeks with thirty French tourists.

The meals were good, with our guests tucking in, as well as having rather a lot to drink. After the main course, there was a trio that came in, setting up in the corner, and started to play folk songs. I could see that our group looked keen to sing, so I went over to the trio and asked if I could take over on guitar and sing them some of the songs in Italian. I was up there for half an hour, translating the songs on the fly, with the guitarist on hand to whisper the Hungarian in my ear as we played. It was a little fractured, at first, but the diners were able to repeat the chorus when we got to it.

We left at ten, helping some find the coach steps, and I hugged my cousin and thanked her. She told me that she should thank me, for bringing so many diners and so much joy to her restaurant.

That night, once we had made sure that everyone was in their rooms, Belinda and I went to ours, where we undressed, got into bed and put the lights out. There was a voice in the dark as I waited for sleep.

“Sleep in, Mikkie, I’ll get up early for the guests, although there’s a few that we won’t see until later. For the first night of a new tour, that was one hell of a success.”

She was up and dressed in some of her own clothes as I opened my eyes.

“Morning, Belle.”

“Good morning, Mikkie. I’ll see you when you get downstairs.”

I dragged myself out of bed and went into the ensuite. When I had dressed in a skirt and top, with a cardigan that had my name badge pinned to it, I packed my case and sat it by the door, next to hers. After a quick look around the room and the ensuite, I went down to have breakfast, being greeted by Belinda and even hugged by a couple of our lady guests. As I was eating, Damir came in and told me that he was parked outside and would take us all for a trip around Baja before dropping us at the riverside. That wasn’t part of the official tour, and I was grateful. I told Belinda what was happening, and she got both of our bags down to put on the coach.

Eventually, we had everyone fed, packed, checked out and in the coach. Damir took us around the old city. He took us to the Serbian church, Trinity Square and a few other places, before stopping for a late lunch at a magnificent grand house that was part of a winery. Nobody complained about the small cost of this, as they had seen a lot of sights that weren’t on the itinerary.

When we arrived at the riverside, Damir gave the two of us a hug, and told me that he would organise things better, next time, and would text me with the details after I advised him of the day that we were arriving. He stayed as we got our guests aboard and settled, and then another couple of coaches arrived with the boat tour guests, who had been on their own excursion. Damir waved at the other drivers and kissed my cheek.

“I only drove you, this time, to check out the arrangements. I was going to pass it to one of those drivers, next time, but will continue to drive whenever you’re here, Mikala.”

“Thank you, Damir. See you in a few weeks with a group from France.”

He went to get in his coach, to find his cap upturned with money in it. He was laughing as he drove away.

I joined Belinda on board, and we unpacked our cases for four days and five nights on board. Then, we went to talk to the skipper and let him see that we would blend in. Those days, cruising the Danube, were almost like a holiday for us, with very little in the way of problems with our crowd, who were being looked after by the crew. In fact, we ended up joining them for meals and being social but weren’t included in the few day trips they had on our way to Budapest.

On the last morning, we dressed in our company uniform and packed our bags for the next part of the tour. This was when we would meet the interpreter and get taken to the hotel, one that was a bit grander than our usual stopping places, to justify the tour price. The wharf had several coaches lined up, with one showing Topper Tours on the front. I went first, with both our cases, and spoke to the driver and a rather good-looking girl beside him. The fact that I greeted them in Hungarian made her start and him smile.

Her badge said that she was Jelana Miskolc, which is a large town near Halmi. When she read my badge, she hugged me and welcomed me to the Homeland. We chatted while Belinda was waiting for our guests to gather, and I found that Jelana only translated from Hungarian to English. We decided, at that moment, that Belinda would go with her, if we split the group in half, while I took the other half.

When we had everyone on board, we headed for the hotel, and I introduced Jelana to the guests. The hotel had an Italian speaker, so we were easily checked in. Jelana came with us as we took our cases to the room, and we sat for a while as she went through all the places that would be seen over the next week. Belinda was brought on board with being at Jelena’s side to translate from English to Italian, and I studied the descriptions of the sights.

Today was lunch and dinner in the hotel, with free roaming, although we ended up with the two groups, going off in different directions, me with a map to follow, supplied by reception. I took my group, mainly the females, where they wanted to go, which was shops, and helped translate as they tried things on and haggled over the prices. I caught a couple of the salesladies smiling at remarks, so surmised that they understood Italian, even if they weren’t letting on.

It was a slightly poorer group that returned to the hotel for dinner, with some of the purchases having the first outing for the meal. I, of course, had my red dress, as did Belinda. Jelana sat with us for the meal, and Belinda related the fun they had in the afternoon, with the predominantly male group wanting to see shops selling leather, with many buying new jackets, even though they could have bought better in Italy.

That set the scene for the rest of the tour. I took half a group around wherever we had stopped, cheat sheet in one hand and a bottle of water in the other, while Jelana translated the details to Belinda who was the one speaking Italian. The groups weren’t fixed, and some went with me one day, and with Belinda another.

We got our guests to the airport on the last day, and helped them through the procedure until they were on the other side of the check-in. Many gave us hugs, not a common occurrence with other tours we had been on, even if that still didn’t make up a hands’ worth. That evening, we had dinner with Jelana and our coach driver, discussing the events of the week and any changes we would make.

In the morning, we were in our own clothes and off to the airport for our own flight home. We had decided that it had been an interesting tour, with the language being the biggest problem. We would suggest that Jelana needed to be with us next time, and beyond, with her limitations that we could overcome by having Belinda team with her.

For me, it had been more than interesting, with phone calls from a few more of the family in the evenings. It turned out that Jelana and I had distant relatives in common, seeing how the population tended to intermix within the small area in those days.

Back in London, we collected my car from the long-term park and went into the office that afternoon. When we went into see our manager, she stood and shook our hands and told us to sit down.

“Well, you two. You really know how to make a splash. One of your Italian guests is our Italian Area Manager. He was calling me every couple of days to tell me how well you worked, and how friendly you were with the group. He was very impressed, and his wife was, as well.”

Marianne Gregory © 2026