DELPHI, GREECE - AMONG GODS, PIGEONS AND MURMURING CROWDS, 1976

WEDNESDAY 13TH OCTOBER, 1976

"Left Athens.  Dropped Nanette.  Making for Delphi. Incredible amount of shrines along roadside - only seen 1 vandalised yet had loads of small crosses and cups etc inside.  Began to get mountainous - Delphi in big mountains - ruins all the way up mountain slope.

Made my sacrifice of 30 drachma (i.e. full price) and went in.  Got in on bad tour, woman couldn't find the baize of the tripod!  Saw Temple of Apollo and amphitheatre.  Decided to climb even further to see the Stadium - went up dusty windy path, cheap of birds, disturbed a few pigeons.  Reached Stadium, really high up and hidden among trees.  FANTASTIC sight, just me and the gods up there, could almost see the chariot tracks in the dust.  A gust of wind in the trees sounded like the murmur of the crowd!  All the seats around one side of the stadium still well preserved; big square pillars at one end.  (Went to the loo looking down over the stadium - what a boast!)  Fantastic view of the mountains looking down from the top.

Travelled on through striking mountain scenery (much hazier and drier that Jugoslavia.  Idyllic pastoral scene cant have been so idyllic on such arid, dusty mountain slopes).  Clouded over.  Worked way down hairpin bends to a small town where we stopped for a "coffee stop" - taken to drinking nescafe to avoid sweetened Turkish coffee.

Camped again at Stylis - different part of coast, very near beach again and a quiet bar (with great toilet facilities!)  Had a nice Amstel beer then a good camp supper of steak and kidney and fresh melon!  Ground really hard; dark when we pitched - think it's on a road in an orchard!"

ATHENS - ACROPOLIS AT DUSK, FLYING SHISHKEBAB AND TAMLA MOTOWN, 1976

TUESDAY 12TH OCTOBER, 1976

" Late morning - 8.0!  Wrote pcs and lazed around in sun during morning.  Snooped round other Swagman bus and played Tamla Motown - they've much better selection than us.  Few of us left, had omelette and beans for lunch.

Lift in with Magic Bus.  Tried to get Nanette [girl we gave lift to from Methoni] away on the bus to London, but got there too late.  Chased round square to contact Geoff and get her luggage back to camp.  By late afternoon finally started sightseeing!

Made way up narrow lanes to Acropolis, kept losing everybody.  While at Acropolis most tourists were leaving and sun going down between the pillars of the Parthenon, hazy view out to sea.  View of Temple of Zeus and other hill (Athens not an attractive city - much of it dug up and half built, very dirty).  Guards and band appeared and played while flag lowered.  Men blew whistles frantically when anyone tried to go inside Parthenon.  One attendant gave us a pollo; another called Jan Athena, me Aphrodite and Rob Zeus!  All seem very friendly.

We wandered down small streets, little leather shops etc, till came to restaurant with tables in street, waiter just about dragged us off street and sat us in front of menu.  Presumed this was where we were to meet Fred.  Had Demestica while waited then ordered meal.  Had disappointing shishkebab and greasy cheese salad - flung half on floor trying to get off skewer - dogs ate it!  Loads of cats too.  Nanette came across us - had been lost in area.  Eventually Fred and other Swagman driver Steve found us.

At 9.0 we went up to see Son et Lumiere looking across at Acropolis.  Thought it over dramatic, some of it quite hilarious. "Thwack, wack, build and build" and mad dash of running feet, like something out of the Goons!  Afterwards several of us went for a coffee down from Acropolis in big empty restaurant with carpets and bags on the wall.  Got lift home with other Swagman bus."

THERMOPYLAE TO ATHENS - HOT SPRINGS, COLD SHOWERS, HOMESICK, 1976

Aussie Jan trying to climb out of hot spring at Thermopylae

MONDAY 11TH OCTOBER, 1976

" 1st stop, small town, had coffee.  2nd stop was the hot sulphur spring at Thermopylae - bathed feed in the water - fantastic, just like a hot bath (really slimy on bottom).  What a boast!

Then stopped to take picture of Spartan memorial, quite impressive. 

Very dry, hazy countryside.  Felt bored and a bit low.  Got to Athens in the afternoon, camped and had fantastic cold shower.  Felt human again.  Met up with other Swagman bus - talked to nice Aussie bloke.
Had drink at bar (Chris, Nikki, Adrian, Chris, Rob, Sue, Pam, Diane) Felt really depressed.  Went and talked to Di and Frances, doing washing, they felt bit homesick too.  Pam pissed off too."

DEATHLY WET IN VENICE - BUT SWAGGIES LOVE OF PARTYING NOT DAMPENED, 1976

LETTER HOME REMARKS: "The day had been full of sight seeing in Venice  ... we got caught in the alleyways of Venice in a real torrential downpour because we couldn't decide where to go!  It was a bit miserable wandering around, soaking wet jeans flapping around our ankles.  Still it's a really fascinating city - (was rather surprised to see Dirk Bogarde lurking around the Rialto Bridge, but no doubt it added to the atmosphere!)" [As a family, we had gone to see Death in Venice just before I went away; my Dad and brother Rory had hammed up the parts of Dirk Bogarde and the youth with which he's infatuated]

SUNDAY 3RD OCTOBER, 1976

"Into Venice for sight-seeing.  Boat to Rialto Bridge, wandered around very narrow winding streets and over small canals.  Rain began again!  St Mark's Square - quick look in church, but mass was being said - tourists very noisy all around. 

Went to Doge's Palace with Heidi [from Germany] and Frances [from London] - great rooms heavily gilded and decorated, impressive parliament room.  Over Bridge of Sighs and round prison - graffiti on ledges, very dark.

Decided to look for pizza - easier said than done!  Couldn't find cheap pizzas, only lots of restaurants.  Rain was pissing down by this time - got drenched and more hungry!  Eventually dashed out of rain - lousy pizzas!(pleasant wine).  Made way back to Rialto Bridge, and up river again.  Frances bought a leather pouch and then bartered for belt to go with it just before bus left.

Barbecue in bar - lovely chicken and salad (which had to be eaten indoors because of the rain!) Lots of wine - some came back from getting left behind at 84th birthday party in a bar.  Very rowdy night, people on tables, under tables!  I got wine spilt all down my back.  (Paul and Mark singing and dancing on tables).  Ended up in bus.  Ann collapsed, Mark collapsed - scars all over.  Fred turfed us off bus - wine not finished.  Escorted home again.  When Ann was carried into cabin, a sleepy befuddled Neva asked who it was.  On being told it was Ann, she made the classic remark, "but there's no Ann on this trip"!!

(T-shirts for Swagman handed out - mine was out of shape because Fred had worn it first thinking it was his - then it got spattered in wine later on!)"

SWAGMAN TOURS HITS TOWN - booze and bad jokes lead to police and irate campers, 1976

[Swaggies hit Pisa and Florence to the consternation of some, as I record in a letter home - "All the more cushy tours (the type who use camp chairs etc) look in either amazement or derision at 'Swagman Tours' - people almost fall out of windows when Swagman hits town!"

Janice, Little Jan, Aussie Jan, Little Pam

At Pisa (or Pizza as I miss-spell it in my diary) I write home, "I'm getting good at pitching a tent in the dark.  My tent mates are 2 Aussies who've been 'doing' Europe and a Londoner who has been doing nursing.  Unfortunately 3 of us are called Jan, but we seem to manage without too much trouble!"  We became identified as Aussie Jan, Little Jan (me), Janice and Little Pam.  When I refer to Jan in the diary it usually means Aussie Jan who became a good friend.

THURSDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1976

"Saw round the Tower (or rather up it).  Felt dizzy because so uneven.  Lovely setting, next to big cathedral and area of grass.  Lots of grockley shops too.  Good view from top.  Cathedral cool, dark, empty, few candles.
Quick coffee (Mark, Jan, Rob and me) then off to Florence.

Camped at Michelangelo campsite.  Walked around (Janice, Hans, Mark and me), nice view looking down hill to Florence, lots of trees.  Bar, shop, jukebox and pinball/football machines.  Did washing.

Early evening drove into Florence, saw round Cathedral square, lots of little art shops, leather shops, pizza smells. (Mark fancied a photo in a window that looked like himself).  Got dark quickly, place began to come alive, lots of people suddenly appeared.  Driving back, saw all the lights along the riverside.

Lots of people drifted to the bar.  Good camp meal.  Back to bar for the night.  Too much wine and beer and bad jokes!  I ended up making coffee in the bus for Geoff, Rob and Jan - sucker.  Camp police or whatever (after a good session themselves) told us to keep the noise down, then one irate camper.  Various people spewed up, coffee knocked over, Jan put into her tent after falling among the foamies!

(C.C.T Tour pulled up today - another posh tour - camping chairs etc!  Classic looks all the way when people see Swagman ride into town!)"