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.


Friday 16 April 2010

METEORA, GREECE - BEESWAX CANDLES, SHY ORPHANS, VOTIVE CORN ON THE COB, 1976

SUNDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 1976

"No after effects [of Ouzo] at all!
Headed down coast - dropped off 6 at a campsite [Platamon] - not coming to Athens - Paul, Julie, Mark, Pam, Neva and Sally.  A lot more room and quiet!  They wrote rude messages on bus as we left.

Made inland - detour to trip.  Suddenly left plain and huge rocks and cliffs appeared - very dramatic scenery.  Convents perched really high up on these cliffs, amazing sight [Monasteria of Meteora].  Climbed up road and stopped at Convent of St Stephen - had a look round - not allowed in unless wearing a dress and arms covered.  Let in across drawbridge - nuns almost totally covered in black.  Small courtyard inside - orphanage made up one side - no signs of kids until just leaving, then little faces appeared from a window.  View out over small town at foot of cliff-face and hazy blue horizon of plain - quite hot.

Small chapel - seats like monks at Durham, with small ledge so when dozed off seat collapses.  Very ornate icons, beeswax candles, incense etc.

(Before reaching here we stooped at a spring - very touristy, stalls selling corn on the cob, nuts, sticky sweets as well as religious emblems and bags and Davy Crocket hats.  Little chapel at other side, across suspension bridge, priest doing baptisms - very noisy and chaotic, walked round reciting while mother and baby follow, then slams down book and slaps wet cloths on the yelling baby.  Another fellow rushed in, stood at the lecturn and recited too, tourists milling in and out all the time).

Fred hung corn on the cob above table [on bus] - health hazard with flies.
Stopped and camped by sea again - Stylis.  We cooked another fantastic meal - my elaborately prepared custard was revoltingly runny!

That evening 3 Greeks bought us some beer at the nearby bar and ended up paying for all beer that evening!  They kept chucking the empties under the table and ordering more!  (Spent about £6 worth)  By the end (after a million 'vivas!') everyone was calling each other philo and phili!"


"remains of deadly corn on the cob - property of Fred and Jan"

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