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!)"

HOGMANAY IN DELHI - a ticket hunt that leads to mice at Ma Calaco's, 1976

[It's Hogmanay but Delhi is a long way from the Isle of Skye.  Nikki and I are on a search for tickets home, existing on coffee and toast and running out of money.  It's going to be a long last day of 1976 ...]

Nikki on the bus

FRIDAY 31ST DECEMBER, 1976 - Part One

"Both woke early and checked out.  Wandered around Place, nowhere open.  Found hotel so had toast and coffee there.  Then got rickshaw to Post Restante (one of million that we got that day!) 

At P.R. bombshell hit us - no chit saying we had registered mail.  (Got letters for Di and Rob).  I asked if could check reg mail - sent to a different building.  Asked again at big school where to go - nice priestly looking men; boys playing cricket.  Found place eventually.  Asked to see reg. mail - bloke wouldn't listen because we had no chit from the post office.  Both broke down and cried!  So he relented and took us up to nice middle-aged man in charge of the mail.  Let us look through the book.  Nothing come the whole of December for either of us (although Asian Greyhound had telexed Kathmandu that Nikki's had arrived and mine on its way 2 weeks ago).

Told to come back at 4.  Decided to check p. restante under name Asian Greyhound - wouldn't let us when got there.  Decided to go to British Airways and see if booked with them.  Nice [Sikh] man very helpful, sent telex to A.G. asking for details of tickets - we don't even know the company flying with, let alone the date!  Told to come back later.

Went to Ariana [Afghan Airways] - but they'd moved.  So trailed over to new building - asked if booked with them - had no record of it.  Went to Iraqui Airways - sent upstairs (like following clues to a riddle!)  Nice man but no record of our tickets, said would telex on Monday if not arrived.

Exhausted, fell into restaurant and had coffee and omelette.  Hardly spoke felt so miserable - both on verge of tears all day.  Set off again - tried Indian Airways and Syria-Arab Airways but no luck - tickets don't seem to exist!

Decided to find accommodation.  Shirley had given us address of Mrs Calaco's, Janpath Lane.  Booked in - she turfed 2 weird blokes out [of room] and gave us their beds.  Filthy bare room, dark, with 4 beds in and nothing else.  Beds made of huge frames and canvas strapping for mattress.  Given 2 grotty sleeping bags because had nothing.  Both lay down - Nikki had sore throat and headache.

Watched mouse running over opposite bed and onto window ledge by bloke's food etc.  Both burst into tears!  Never known such despair - and on Hogmanay too!  Funny Dutchman came in and brewed up some tea - said there were loads of mice and proudly showed us a trap he had made!"

PATNA: RETURN TO INDIA - chilled beer and rickshaws but no Rolling Stones, 1976

[After the emotional farewell to Nepal, Nikki and I flew to Patna en route to Delhi.  A chilled beer, a rickshaw ride and pleasant people in Patna lulled us into a false sense of holiday.  We laughed at a mad American searching for the Rolling Stones and a cautionary tale that Swaggies had been left stranded in Delhi without tickets home ...]

THURSDAY 30TH DECEMBER, 1976 - Part Two

"Soon left the hills and below was the Plain of India.  Air hostess in sari said, 'Namaste' as we boarded.  Given nice snack and free Carlsberg beer! (chilled!)
Landed at Patna.  Met up with driver of Encounter Overland - cheerful hot-tempered Aussie.
Nice middle-aged Indian man - well travelled, amusing and very polite treated us to coffee then put us on a rickshaw and told the driver to give us a tour of Patna and drop us off for lunch then back for next flight.

Lovely day - felt on holiday as jogged through wide streets lined with trees and attractive bungalows.  Strange to be in India with no Swaggy bus in sight!  Familiar sights of men in loincloths; millions of bicycles and rickshaws pouring across traffic lights and mad drivers again.

Stopped and talked to funny American guy who'd missed the plane to Kathmandu because they had lost his luggage.  He asked our driver if the Stones were playing tonight in Patna!  He couldn't bear the idea of New Year in such a place! 

Went to bank then dropped at incredibly posh hotel - had a coffee!  Man was complaining behind me because he got cabbage and not carrots, just the limit because this morning he got orange instead of tomato juice!  What a fuss!

Back to airport - plane to leave at 2.55 - didn't leave until 4.30!  Talked with Encounter guy - he'd heard of Greyhound [Asian Greyhound] people having no tickets waiting at Delhi post restante!  Airport stood us sweet tea and gritty butties!

Air India flew us out - Indian music, bigger plane, hostesses in saris.  Gave revolting mango juice.  Landed at Lucknow then off again to Delhi.  Tiny snack and coffee."

LAST DAY IN KATHMANDU - goodbye bicycles, Freak Street, Yeti Travels, KC's! 1976

[The Thamel quarter of Kathmandu had become home and I was already growing nostalgic at the thought of leaving the place.  But the group were melting away and it was almost time for Nikki and I to make our way to Delhi to find the elusive return tickets.  One more day of cycling the backstreets of the city, mooching around Freak Street, drinking endless milky coffees - and of course a visit to KC's.

WEDNESDAY 29TH DECEMBER, 1976

"Di up really early - bus at 6.15.  Said a sleepy goodbye!  Said a second sleepy goodbye to Shirley a little later.
Morning - breakfast with Heidi at Shangri la - talked of education and interpreters!  Hired bicycles with Chris and Nikki and went to Yeti Travels - tickets to Delhi confirmed!  Signed away most of travellers' cheques!  Gave us sweet tea.  Chris's money come through too, so he treated us to coffee at the Ra Ra Restaurant!

Back on bikes - really good fun.  Lunch at Kathmandu Guest House with Heidi - had savoury pancake rolls.  Later set off on bikes again down narrow lanes - hair-raising ride avoiding cows, people, vehicles, gutters, porters with swinging poles of earth, dogs and babies!  No one gets out of the way - though we soon got the idea of ringing bells continuously!  No wonder Nepalese are addicted to bells and horns!

Went to Aunt Jane's (parallel with Freak Street) for their lunch.  Very small restaurant upstairs - very famous - perhaps first of the 'trendy' places to go.  In Freak Street plagued as usual by boys with Tibetan books and people offering hash.

On way to Yeti Travels again, nearly got knocked over at roundabout - one of many near collisions!  Great fun though.

Had coffee and apple crumble at KC's for last time - sob! sob!  After dark spent last of rupies on little presents eg Nepalese hats - shops are lovely at this time because still bustling with sounds and life and welcoming lights.  Know this narrow crossroads so well - on first night the bus got stuck there - quite nostalgic about leaving."

EVEREST COTTAGE - Tibetan bread, roaring fire and Eagles (Californian variety!) NAGARKOT 1976

[The strenuous puffing and panting of unfit overlanders that morning was rewarded with specacular views of the Himalayan range and Everest hidden in cloud that my Kodak Instamatic did not do justice to!  Magic surreal moment was after dark sitting by cosy fire in candlelight, eating simple meal to the strains of The Eagles, at the Everest Cottage ...]

MONDAY 27TH DECEMBER, 1976 - Part Two

"Lovely view over valley and jungle to the right.  Cay stop - sat on terrace step in sun.  Reached top at about 4.  Two vans up there at viewpoint - fantastic panorama of Himalayas - from Annapurna to beyond Everest (semi-circle).

Went for coffee at nearby coffee house - all really thirsty.  Then rushed out to see sunset over mountains -lovely pink light and gorgeous blazing orange behind clouds over Kathmandu Valley with dark trees silhouetted on hill in front.

Then rushed around trying to find somewhere to sleep - eventually went down very steep hill to "Everest Cottage" - opened it up for us because no one else there.  Lit a big fire in large room with hight matted ceiling.  Candlelight in all rooms - sat round fire relaxing.

Then had Nepalese meal - plain but good fare - rice, little omelette, veg curry and dhal soup.  Finished with Tibetan bread (like stodgy pancake).  Sat round fire drinking Chris's Country Liquor.  They put on tape - Eagles.

In room with Chris and Nikki (Mark and Pam other side of partition) - wall to wall bed and nothing else!  Mouse running above our heads in the roof!"