This image is the cover for the book From Navy Blue Knickers to the Driving Test

From Navy Blue Knickers to the Driving Test

This book required a lifetime of experience and sixteen years to write. Mind you, there was an eight-year gap in the middle when the author had to return to full-time, salaried employment. The chapters are presented alphabetically, so in theory it is possible to take any chapter, and read it in its own right. Once a reader has read all twenty-six chapters, he or she will have a sum of all the parts: a completed ‘jigsaw’ of Hal T. Strapel’s story. Truth or fiction? Let the reader decide.
Jane C.:
“In ‘Turning Thai’, I think a very vivid picture of Thailand is presented — it all sounded very exotic to me sitting in dull old middle England. Lots of well-described local colour and all fluently articulated. The author met up with some colourful characters and gives an honest appraisal of how they affected him as a traveller in uncharted territory. There is definitely an eye for detail and the sights, sounds and smells leap off the page. I had a good laugh at the cockroach episode, which sounds very callous of me, but it resonated with me as I had a similar sort of experience in Sicily with a very large spider.”
John H.:
“I found ‘Bilious Belligerent Bowels’ highly entertaining, particularly when Hal was describing the attentions of the nurse and her colleagues.
Charlie H.:
“I found ‘Queenish Quirks’ an intriguing and easy read that connects cultures in a relatable way.”
Lee F.:
“I enjoyed reading ‘Lust for Lingerie’. It sounds voyeuristic in itself! As a man who spent his working life in ladies knickers I can see the author is knowledgeable!”
Johnny B.:

Hal T. Strapel

The author was born in Cambridge, England in 1951. He did his schooling in the city or surrounding area, and then spread his wings in 1970. He followed a chequered career, mainly because of his desire to play music. The music industry is not the easiest avenue in which to earn a steady income, so assorted employment was required to keep the wolf from the door. Having a very independent character, self-employment suited him the best, and he made successes in both retail and educational fields. His love of travel and foreign countries finally saw him move to Thailand in 1998.

Austin Macauley Publishers