A Country with No Phones: Libya

In August of 1965, Cynthia took a trip to Libya to visit her eldest brother, Charles. I don't know if her mother Lillian accompanied her but most likely she did. I don't know the exact dates, but definitely around the week of her wedding anniversary with John on the 23rd. Julian was definitely not with Cynthia as she was always consistent that Julian's first abroad trip was to Italy in 1966. In fact, it was fairly recently that I discovered that Cynthia went to Libya. There is a quote by John (that will be here momentarily) that he hadn't called his wife because she was where there were no phones. I always assumed it was a joke or some kind of innuendo that just didn't click together. Well, now it clicks! I did know that Charles lived in Libya as Cynthia mentioned it in both her books that when it was clear that she and John were getting a divorce, Charles helped get her an attorney after Lillian contacted him. Meanwhile, John was on tour with The Beatles in America, and was occasionally asked if he was in touch with Cynthia.

John, have you called your wife yet? (Press conference, 1965)
“No, she’s in a country where they don’t have phones." John

John, is it true that you were not home for the third year in a row on your anniversary? (Press conference, August 22, 1965)
"Why should I have been? Birthdays and such are a lot of rubbish. We don’t have birthday celebrations or anything like that. Don’t even bother with them. Besides that my wife is in Libya and I couldn’t see her if I was home." John

"I’d ring home, too, but my wife’s in Libya visiting her brother … You can’t ring Libya."

John (August 23, 1965)

There had been reports that during this time John was in a cranky mood. It was around the same time John wrote to Cynthia about not being there for Julian as he should be as a father. I believe he was certainly homesick and missed his family while going through the best milestones like performing at Shea Stadium and meeting his idol, Elvis Presley. 
Two years later, in August of 1967, John and Cynthia were considering going to Libya but plans changed to go to Bangor, Wales to attend a seminar by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (when Cynthia famously missed the train). 

"Cyn and I were thinking of going to Libya, until this came up. Libya or Bangor? Well, there was no choice, was there?"

John, 1967