When World War II broke out, Dan Ranfurly was dispatched to the Middle East with his faithful valet, Whitaker These are the diaries of Dan's young wife, Hermione, who defying the War Office, raced off in hot pursuit of her husband When Dan was taken prisoner, Hermione vowed never to return home until they were reunited For six years, travelling alone from Cape Town to Palestine, and meeting such charismatic characters as Churchill, Eisenhower and a parrot called Coco on the way, she kept her promise