they escape for the Easter holiday, although he confesses that cross country skiing is not for him! It has taken David a while to get used to traditional delicacies such as cured meats, very smelly with a pungent salty taste, washed down with Aquavit and beer, and raw reindeer! He loves the scenery and friendly locals, and now he has residency he can access the excellent health service! One gripe is the price of beer, £10 a pint in Oslo! A footnote: Sir James Cobban visited a family who lived in the same street, an account of his visit is recorded in the Abingdonian some 50 years ago! William Chislett (1969) William has lived in Madrid since 1986, returning there after covering Spain’s transition to democracy for The Times (1975-78) and spending six years in Mexico and two in London for the Financial Times. Spain got very much under his skin, so much so that he and his English wife Sonia decided to make it home, enabling their two adopted Mexican sons to be much more bilingual than their parents. Since leaving the FT, William has written 19 books, mostly on Spain, including one published by Oxford University Press, but also on several Latin American countries, Turkey and Finland. In 2002, he joined the recently created Elcano Royal Institute, Spain’s leading think tank. He has no regrets about moving to Spain, particularly in light of the UK’s exit from the EU. Last year he was granted Spanish nationality in a Royal Decree signed by King Felipe. The picture shows William thanking King Felipe for signing the Royal Decree granting him Spanish nationality. David Hunt (1968) After a career in the UK at The Times newspaper, and various law firms in marketing roles, David met Bente, a Norwegian, eight years ago, and moved with her to Landøya (Nesbru), 15 miles south west of Oslo, to live on the Oslo Fiord. Winters are chilly (down to -20º) but usually dry at their mountain cabin close to Hardangervidda where OAs in Europe G R I F F E N 2 0 2 3 | 2 3
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