Abuse and privilege - an international childhood

What is described in this book is all true, as close as I can remember. It is not exaggerated for interest or to make it more shocking. This was not necessary.

The physical and mental abuse had a massive effect, but so did the travel and the brushes with danger and death. Some, but not all, of the names have been changed.

Abuse was not and is not confined to places like Children€s Care Homes. It can happen to the most privileged children and be every bit as damaging and leave immense psychological scars. However being privileged and being brought up and exploring Malaya, Thailand and North Yemen whilst visiting places like the Soviet Union, the Seychelles and Kenya may have been marvellous therapy. I hope that this grew me where the boarding school abuse had stunted me.

So the story may be about a balance of the negative and the positive. The combined result is complex and it is for the reader to judge what it all means for the development of a human being, and how this sort of upbringing may affect some people now in positions of power.