I'd be interested to hear your collective wisdom on my experiences.
First, the most frightening experience of my 32 year flying career was when I got into an "embedded" CB in a Canberra (IMC, no wx radar, flying about 15,000ft due pressurisation problem). So I KNEW about "Don't go into CBs".
Then, some years later flying a Nimrod north to Akrotiri from Nairobi (that should give the game away!) it was necessary to cross the ITCZ. Nimrod not a great high-flyer, so couldn't go over. ITCZ is there for months, so can't wait on ground (Queen unwilling to pay for extended holiday). Seemed to me we HAD to risk entering CB in that situation. Thanks to an excellent radar and excellent operator we weaved our way through some very dramatic flashing clouds. But we could have got into a cul-de-sac.
But what do those who say "never go into a CB" say about this situation?