Welcome from Jan

Hi there!
This blog is for those who love both books and travel. I'm starting by travelling back in time to the 1970s and the overland trail to India which I took as an 18 year old. Have a look at my daily diary entries and photos. Some of these places are impossible to visit at the moment, but I can give you a flavour of what they were like in the golden age of the hippy trail.

The experience has inspired my new mystery novel, THE VANISHING OF RUTH, which is out now as an ebook. Find details and extracts at The Vanishing of Ruth

To buy: The Vanishing of Ruth

Also take a look at Facebook Page Overlanders for more memorabilia.
http://bit.ly/Overlanders

HELP ME FIND MY FELLOW PASSENGERS! TAKE A LOOK AT THE GROUP PHOTO (post on 30th November 2009) AND CHECK THE NAMES ON THIS LINK:
http://www.indiaoverland.biz/overland/passengers/sep26_76.html
Cheers, Jan.


Wednesday 17 March 2010

YUGOSLAVIA - ZADAR, THUNDER, SPLIT AND SLIVOVIC! 1976

THE RAIN AND PARTYING CONTINUES - YUGOSLAV STYLE ...

TUESDAY 5TH OCTOBER, 1976

"Grotty shower, drain flooded and muggins couldn't get hot to work.  Up at 6.0 - off in record time of 1 and a half hours.  Down Dalmatian coast, stopped at little town to shop.  Bought carrots at little market - lots of little fat women in black.

Coastline reminiscent of Scotland (Apin and brief glimpses of Loch Bracadale!)  Lovely small hamlets, peasant farming, lots of donkeys (donkey and horse pulling same rickety cart).  Lots of small trees and scrub.

Rain pelted down, thunder and lightning - had to stop while eased up.  Lots of card games (I was nearly hurled off table with the bendy roads!)  People picked at food (and drink) all day.

Stopped at Zadar.  Nice town, old streets and squares, flagged roadways and light coloured buildings.  Part of it for shipping, lots of boats.  (Lovely relief on the walls!!)  Bought booze at supermarket - beer nice.  (Lots of young people milling around - some canny looking fellas!)  Rob dropped his beer on the ground, foaming mass so beer obviously strong!

Stopped at Split.  Saw 3rd century AD (BC for thickies ie Mark) Diocletian Church.  Nice squares, stalls - grabbed by man to buy carpet - perhaps they come together.  Coffee at a little cafe with Jan, Rob, Mark, Paul and Julie.

Camped nearby - pouring rain again - always waits until the tents go up!  (Sang 'Singing in the Rain' today in bus!)  Sitting writing this in bus - Chris just announced that foamies escaping!

Evening in the bus.  Lots of Slivovic and beer.  Ann smashed again, wouldn't leave Geoff alone.  Nikki looking for Chris down the hill, commotion outside!  Man wandering around eyeing bus until all went to bed.  Nikki still insisting she wanted to go down the hill!  Hard core left were Jan, Fred, Rob, Hans, Heidi and me.  Got complaints about noise outside Mark's tent next morning - he was on cooking and so sent to bed early! 

Drank Whitbread Pale Ale!  None left for desert."

No comments:

Post a Comment