MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1985.

  The alarm went off at 2.40am (12.20am GMT). I left the Casa Nova at 3.35am to walk a few hundred yards to await the taxi at the New Gate. This is an excellent service booked through the hotel, and eliminates a great deal of anxiousness about getting to the airport for checking-in-time - 5.05am.

  There was a little drama after the driver arrived! Two passengers were not at the pickup point in the Jewish quarter.

Their son, who had come to say goodbye, lived near their hotel and thought they had been delayed or got lost. He went running off around the streets but couldn't find them. Then we toured the area in the taxi to join in the search - another unexpected guided tour of the gates! Finally, a security man who had watched the activity said that the couple had gone earlier in another taxi. We wondered why he hadn't told us earlier. This was exactly the problem which, booking through the hotel, was supposed to eliminate. Their taxi would have been an unofficial one and the couple, who had paid in advance, would have had to pay again. Getting to an airport is always an anxious time, and we could have done without that excitement.

  It wasn't until 4.30am - over half an hour late - that the taxi left Jerusalem with Orion's Sword brilliantly visible in the Southern sky. As we pulled up at the airport shortly after 5.00am we could new relax - but not quite!

  Readers may have thought I suffered a thorough quizzing at Manchester, but that was little compared to the grilling I underwent at Tel Aviv! A young lady security officer asked me many, many questions. 'Why did I come to Israel?' 'Where had I stayed?' 'Where was the Casa Nova?' 'How had I travelled during my stay?' 'Any receipts?' 'Had I packed the case myself?' 'Had anyone given me a parcel?' - 'It could be bomb!' 'Did I know anyone living in Israel?'

  Then the young lady moved ten yards away to discuss the matter with another young female officer? Should I have been flattered that two young ladies should be engaged in such intense conversation about me?

  Meanwhile I was looking around the hall with what I hoped was a calm relaxed appearance! In a few moments, the second lady approached and asked a similar mixture of questions which continued through an examination of my case. She looked through some olive wood figures, didn't have an idea what the Last Supper plaque was. Finally after telling me that I could close the case, she smiled at me and wished me a safe journey. What a relief? The worn state of the map of Israel and the battered appearance of my old shoes, I think, helped convince her that all I had said was true! I should have thrown the shoes out but was bringing them back so that I could show them as holy relics!!

  The sun rose ever the Holy Land at 6.20am. At 6.50am, as I stood with one foot on the steps of the Boeing 707 and another foot on that sacred ground, a young man photographed that special moment. Would it be the last time I would ever stand on the Holy Land?

  We took off, as scheduled, at 7.05am (5.05am GMT), flying over Tel Aviv and Jaffa. From my window seat I tried to see the places of yesterday's picnics. I was sitting beside a Yorkshire couple, who had spent three weeks in Israel. What with breakfast, drinks, copies of the Jerusalem Post to read, lots of stories to exchange and views of Austria and the Alps to enjoy, the flight passed quickly.

  We made a scheduled stop at Brussels, under a heavily-armed military escort, and finally touched down at Manchester at 11.45am. My case came through very quickly and at 12.15pm walked through the 'Nothing to declare' exit - as you know from this diary, I had much to declare to anyone who was prepared to listen!

  I was the first figure to emerge at the arrivals' gate, possibly to the disappointment of a large number of excited people, but to the delight of my own reception party.

  For the second time in my life, I had to come down to earth after being a pilgrim in the Holy Land, and wonder how I could apply to my life and the lives of others, the Gospel of the extraordinary God and man, Jesus Christ, in whose footsteps I had walked.

    For the things he said were beautiful,

    and the things he did were wonderful,

    and he wants us all to follow in his way.