DALMATIAN DELIGHTS - COFFEE, CAKE AND DELICIOUS DUBROVNIK, 1976

WEDNESDAY 6TH OCTOBER, 1976 - Part One

"Up early again - porridge oats for breakfast!  Lovely view out to sea - not raining!

Stopped at small town, posted pcs and had turkish coffee and lovely cakes in small cafe (Me, Rob, Jan and Sally).  I said cakes good and made slurping noises - he went away and brought us some water as a result!

Everyone singing as sun came out.  Lovely views of mountains and coastline.  Stopped by small village quayside and ate sandwiches outside of bus for first time - snotty dog took a fancy to me!

Dubrovnic was fantastic.  No traffic allowed within old city wall.  Walked around wall- very high, lots of photos.  Great view out to sea, then rain came. 

Caught unprepared - sheltered under tree (and in it!).  Then got really drenched coming down from wall.

Wandered around old city - (incredible hordes of dishy males).  Lovely red-tiled roofs, lots of cats, some keen people playing basketball in rain.  Washing strewn everywhere, some very high up on roofs.

Had coffee in front cafe outside walls - very expensive."

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."

IS THIS YUGOSLAVIA OR SCOTLAND? - STUNNING SCENERY, FRIENDLY FOLK AND RAIN, 1976

IN A LETTER HOME: "I've really fallen in love with Jugoslavia, although the rain has been following us relentlessly until today!  It's getting beyond a joke, as soon as we stop to pith the tents, or step out to see the sights, it pelts down.  We've taken to singing 'Singing in the Rain' in the bus and other such optimistic songs! ... The coastline all the way down is reminiscent of Scotland and every now and then I see glimpses of Loch Bracadale and the Outer Isles!  The only difference is the very white rocky slopes of the hills and the little towns - all clustered at the end of peninsulas, lots of re-tiled roofs built in higgledy-piggledy fashion."

MONDAY 14TH OCTOBER, 1976

"Early up!  Made for Jugoslavian border.  Lot of people began to feel rough as journey went on!

At border, exchange lady could have shot us all happily - not too friendly.  Stopped at Ckricvenica for a coffee and shop - horrible coffee, nice friendly people though.  Walked out to small pier - clouding over again.

Coastline beautiful though, lots of inlets, steep chalk terraced slopes, roads winding round them.  Picturesque villages and fairly industrialised ports - a few ships.  People very curious of Swagman!

Made way to campsite.  Near sea, nicely situated among trees, good facilities.  Seemed deserted apart from us.  Someone (Chris) found dead green snake!  Sat in bus talking about films.  Early bed for a change.  It poured at night of course."

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!)"

FLORENCE AND THE BUS MACHINE - MORE PIZZA THAN UFFIZI? 1976

[18 year old Jan is more impressed with the Italian pizzas than Old Masters - "such early stuff not that appealing" - but at least the dresses were lovely!  A taste of Florence nightlife at the Red Garter is rounded off with yet another spectacular downpour - the expensive beer may not have been flowing but the rain continued to do so.]

FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER, 1976

"Cold shower.  Some were the worse for wear.  Into Florence to sightsee.  Queued for ages to cash cheque in bank.  Wandered towards river, looked round market, lots of lovely leather bags and pill boxes etc (Went with Janice, Ann and Mark).

Went into Uffizi gallery.  Nicely presented but such early stuff not that appealing; dresses in portraits lovely and views from windows of square and river/Ponte Vecchio.  Veranda on the top floor looks over the square.  Then went over Ponte Vecchio and found small pizza house over the other side - real Italian pizza!

Over another bridge and wandered towards Acadamie - tried to see around Modern Art Gallery - ancient lift deposited us at some doctor's appartment!  Eventually found gallery - closed!

Acadamie also closed by time arrived there (lovely little Italian gent directed us down unimposing street).  So wandered long way round to camp - lots of little side streets - all stops for siesta (although raining), lovely gardens with friends cat - only spoke Italian.  Crossed river again, walked along and up to camp.

Went into the Red Garter disco in evening - good crowd.  Band quite goo too, beer very expensive.  Bus left early so walked back with Mark.  Pam and Sue went off with an Aussie and Italian.

Incredible thunder storm - whole earth seemed to be shaking; thought we'd be struck with all the trees nearby!"

OVERLANDERS HIT THE RIVIERA - 14 HOURS ON THE BUS AND MORE RAIN THAN THE ISLE OF SKYE! 1976

[14 hours on the bus as we press on through the rainy and misty Riviera - and I think nostalgically of the sunny Isle of Skye!  But a sing-song and dried apple keep spirits high.]

WEDNESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER, 1976

"Sunny Provence is still wet.  Up at quarter to 7.  After breakfast walked through gardens (camp is on a hill) to look down on the amphitheatre of Orange.  Statue in middle; seats repaired, lighting, so obviously still used.  Mass of irregular red-tiled roofs and narrow streets hemming it in.

Making for Riviera - lots of vineyards.  (Geoff handed out free toilet roll each - pink!)  Countryside gradually more rocky, small bushes and square red-tiled farm houses.  Further south - hilly, forested, towns on hillsides.

Seen the Med! - very grey and misty.
Nice - palms, blocks of flats, little stations, 2 triangular multi-storey luxury hotels.  Drove along famous Boulevard des Anglais - beach front and exclusive hotels.  Up mountainside and along coast - very steep, lots of trees and houses perched high up, view should normally be incredible.  Superb bays.

Into Monaco - saw palace on hill; very densely housed.  Brief glimpse of Monte Carlo Casino as drove past.  Very prosperous looking restaurants and boutiques; lots of young people.  Made a stop for shopping outside "La Madone" hotel, as yet haven't been told to move.

Extract from letter home:  We bombed down through the Riviera - Nice, Monaco - all in the pouring rain!  Typical - always knew the weather on Skye was the best!  So we went on into Italy along the new auto-route which is a series of tunnels and bridges across valleys and towns.  At the border the Italian customs man tried to get us to give him a bottle of whisky so that he wouldn't ask us to unpack all the luggage!  However, we managed to get away with doing neither.

At Italian border, customs officer tried to barter for a bottle of whisky (unsuccessful!)

Italy wet, houses rather drab in rain.  Road follows coast, tunnels and viaducts crossing valleys and towns, views out to sea.  Making for Pisa - had a sing-song in back of bus and Shirley's dried apple!
14 hours on the road."

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OVERLANDER LETTER HOME, 1976 - Angel Delight, Pernod, cards and camping in the rain.

FIRST LETTER HOME WRITTEN ON THE BUS THROUGH FRANCE:

A touch of envy at Contiki Tours; no camp stew and Angel Delight for them ...

 

On the bus!

(Provence)

Dear Mum and Dad

Hope you got my p.c. from Paris.  We had a good evening - some of us got a lift from Contiki Tours into Paris again.  A very smooth bus - tinted windows, luxury seats and a courier who tells sick jokes!  (They even had a marquee affair where they doled out breakfast - not real camping!)

They drove up the Champs Elysees and round the Arc de Triomphe all floodlit - and round and round ... the traffic being Parisian it took some time to work our way to the outside of the race-course and take one of the roads again!

And a brief encounter with a formidable female French patron in a bar ...

They all went to a restaurant for a meal but as we'd eaten the soup/stew? and Angel Delight? concoction at the camp we all piled into a bar down the road.  We were "stung" by the awful prices because we sat down rather than prop up the bar.  Two of the group tried to "persuade" the waiter that the prices were too much and disappeared behind the bar with him - far from winning, the lady patron appeared - and no one argues with French landladies (they ended up buying the waiter a drink!)

Aussie card games on the bus and putting up tents in the rain ...

Yesterday we were woken at 6.0 (ugh!) and were on the road by 8.30.  We had a few 15 min stops on the auto-route, but apart from that, were on the road for 12 hours!  Spent most of the day playing rummy than then learnt an Aussie game called "5000" - I was pretty useless (having excelled at Rummy) - perhaps it would help if I stood on my head!

In the dark and rain we pitched at a place called Orange, Provence.  Had a quick drink to fortify us - the exuberant barmen had been knocking back the Pernods, so insisted that the first round was free! (About seven people).  This morning was still wet and hazy."

card scores recorded on toilet paper!

FRENCH CAMPING - PERNOD AND SNAKES? 1976

[My first postcard home from France gushes; 'the people seem to be very nice - lots of single travellers like me, many Aussies.  About 26 of us, but few more to be collected!']

TUESDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER, 1976

"Woken at 6.0 in morning!  Remains of rice gunge for breakfast.  Set off from campsite about 8.30.  Down towards Lyon.  A few motor self service stops - luxury facilities!

Played cards at the back for hours - Rummy - I won!  Learnt '5000' (sort of!).  On the road for 12 hours.

Rained like mad, so pressed on to place called Orange, near Avignon.  Pitched camp in rain (so much for the sunny south of France - Skye is much drier!)

Had a drink in a local bar - barmen were all well away, drinking Pernod, so they gave us all a free drink (seven of us) and we only had to pay for the second - 2francs for 2 beers!

Dark by time at camp, so don't know what place is like - seems to be deserted!  Thought I saw a snake in the dark - turned out to be a long worm!  (Was teased about that!)"

THE HIPPY TRAIL: DURHAM TO KATHMANDU - DAY ONE rucksack, rain and rail, 1976

[1976: I was 18 and relishing the lyrics to Alice Cooper's 'School's Out'.  Having spent the hot summer holiday of 76 on the Isle of Skye, I was taking 'a year out' (as Gap Years were called in those days) before going onto Edinburgh University to do Social Anthropology. Inspired by stories of my mum, Sheila Gorrie, growing up in India in the 1920/30s where my grandfather was a conservator of forests, I took the road east.  

My grandmother, Sydney Easterbrook had gone out from Edinburgh in 1923 to marry Robert Gorrie in Lahore.  She had travelled by ship; I was going by vintage Bristol bus.  Granny Sydney was part of the 'fishing fleet' - the Brits who went out to India to marry those who worked for the Raj - while I was joining the 1970s hippy trail.  It was also money that Granny had put into trust for me, that was paying the £250 fare to Kathmandu.  The day I left Durham in the North East of England, I spoke to Granny on the phone; she'd had a mild stroke earlier in the month and I'd stayed with her in Edinburgh to help out.  It was the last time we spoke.]

"SEPTEMBER, 1976.  ASIAN GREYHOUND TRIP TO KATHMANDU !!!"
SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER, 1976

"The usual last minute panic, quick rush down town and cramming of things into the new (carefully waterproofed!) rucksack.  Not the same sinking feeling as going off to school though!

Phone call from Mel and also rang Granny before leaving.  Said goodbye to Puss and Ted!  (Played the Garden Cottage tape of "Odds and Ends")

Durham grey and rain pouring down.  Helen, Mum, Dad, Don and Barbara all came to [the railway station] to see me off! (The trendy ones wore cagoules! - Dad wore old mack!)

Watch Cathedral and Castle disappear in drizzle and mist - market place, well loved streets etc.  Went under Crossgate Moor bridge (usually walking to school over it and watching trains rush under!)

Taxi to Radnor Walk [Chelsea, London].  Drucilla [MacLeod] gave great welcome.  Friends round for drinks.  Two been in Kathmandu - gave me address of a home in India.  Drucilla and I had lots of chat over supper.  I slept on sofa.  (Car stopped outside playing Beach Boys!)"