Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Forty years on and I can still picture Awali School in my head, the configuration of the classrooms, the playground and the teachers – most notably Miss Potts (reception) , Mr Lawson (Junior 3) and Mr Clingley (Junior 4).
I attended Awali school from 1962-1968. My parents, Hugh and Shirley Thomas lived in House 39, Awali.
I recall grazed knees from playing chase (no soft sand or grass to cushion the fall), a fantastic collection of marbles, lunchtime chess club, rounders matches and swimming lessons after school.
The most amazing thing is how we managed to get ourselves to and from school without parental escort – something many 5 to 11 year olds don’t experience nowadays.
Swimming was a very big part of Awali life.
Firstly, the swimming lessons covering every stroke (front crawl, breastroke and back crawl) plus diving lessons. Then having mastered proficiency in all these then there were evening swimming coaching sessions.
Exhaustion after an hour of pounding up and down the pool. Red eyes due to the chlorine in the water (no swimming goggles in those days!) and the excitement of the swimming galas at the upper pool.
Parents on the benches on either side cheering us on. Individual races, relay races, diving competitions. Cups, trophies and individual badges. I still have my badges and certificates – souvenirs of those proud moments.
A word of thanks to the Frings family (as well as the many other volunteers) who helped us to get the most out the sport.
In the years since Awali, I studied Business Management at
The company is based in
A publishing subsidiary, Zenith International Publishing, was established in 2000.
I have been married for 28 years and have three daughters aged 19, 18 and 14.
Sports continue to play a major part in my life thanks to the fantastic facilities and opportunities provided in Awali by Bapco.
Travel is also a passion – no doubt attributable to the exciting days of air travel as a teenager when flying between the
