Category: International trips

Please note this blog is a continuation of the North American Bicycle trip, also note that this blog is incomplete, I’ll be adding to it as time goes by. The photos are in slide form, at some time in the future I’ll get around to converting them to digital and posting them here.

15/9/83

The plane was an hour late leaving Edmonton Canada. The flight was ordinary, I read a bit, ate when I was given food. My window seat was over the wing so I couldn’t see much so I slept a lot.

16/9 45 miles

When the plane landed I got my baggage early and had no hassles with customs, at last an advantage to traveling on a British Passport. I met a cyclist looking for a bike box so I gave him mine then set about assembling my bike and gear, it took a while. So it was with 140lbs of gear I rode out of Gatwick England and on to narrow twisting roads, small villages steeped in time and so utterly quaint. I was later than expected getting away, and it wasn’t long before the famous British weather left its mark on me, I was heading for Headcorn and I was soon being rained on. There was a narrow channel of rain that followed me for about 1 1/2hrs and soaked me. It stopped at dusk and I arrived in Headcorn just after dark. The Vousdens were mildly surprised to see me but made me welcome.

17-18/9

These days I rode around Headcorn and environs, got to know the Vousdens again. When I left Janet was 2months old now she’s nearly 15 and cute as. One thing that struck me was just how narrow the back roads are, there isn’t even room for a bike and a car to pass. At one stage I was meandering along, when I became aware that there was a car behind me, I have no idea how long they’d been behind me, but waved at me as I let them by, people are so nice.

19/9 16miles

I taped some of Janet’s records and tried to finish my book but failed, I posted off a letter to Marsha, Servas and a local bike club the CTC. At 4pm I headed off for Paddock Wood winding through all the back roads using an excellent map I’d got. I had no troubles despite a good head wind but no rain. I got to Phillip’s at 5.30 a renovated oast house, very elegant. I thought I was going to feel out of place, but they are a good family, had a very nice meal then Phillip and I went to the pub, he had a beer, me a lemonade and we reminisced about the Jamboree for 2hrs, then back home and watched TV and chatted until 12.30

20/9 22miles

Spent the morning lazing and writing. At 1pm I met with Phillip for lunch which he payed for, then I was off up to Gillingham, there was one hard hill just out of Boxley, I missed the turn off to Wigmore so did a few extra miles. I arrived at 4.30 and spent the afternoon finding out stories of my father from his old friend. A light dinner then we went for a drive around some of the Medway towns like Rochester. The eve was spent chatting.

21/9 43 miles

Another cooked breaky this one not served in bed. At 9.00 I said farewell and I was soon in the North Downs on skinny roads 6’6″ wide. Some steep hills, but some lovely scenery, forests, orchards and hamlets. I got to Canterbury at 1.30 in the rain. I took shelter in the cathedral and the narrow streets, but on a dismal afternoon I’d soon had enough and hopped back on my bike and rode on to Minster where I met some more of Dad’s friends and spent a pleasant eve with them.

22/9 65miles

At 9.30 I took off and ran into an ugly industrial area at Sandwich, but by Deal they had diminished and gave way to pretty coastal towns. I had lunch in Dover and continued on to Hastings where I found a place to camp. I had some fish and chips for 80p and was soon asleep as the sun went down.

23/9 58miles

Up early and continued westwards along the coast on a beautiful day. Eastbourne was full of people over 50. The beachfront at Brighton was a caricature with two piers, show offs. From there it was a short hop to Rustington where after a few problems I found Guy’s place at 5.30, we spent the eve chatting and reminiscing about the Canadian Rover Moot, met his fellow mootist Kaz again.

24/9

We went walking on the South Downs, the scenery was nice but it was muggy and hazy. We had a ploughmans lunch in a small pub in Amberley and back home by late avo for TV until the eve, had pizza and chips again then went out to the local pub where I met Steve and some other friends, home around midnight.

25/9

Went to Guy’s grandmother’s for a nice lunch with the lovely old biddy. We went to do some water skiing but the boat broke down before we even got started, so we sat around in one of the guy’s houses and chatted. Back home for TV and dinner and back to the same pub as last night for another lemonade.

26/9 36miles

Left Guy’s place at midday and headed back in the general direction of Headcorn and camped.

27/9 34miles

Bought some breaky stuff in Uckfield where a guy spotted the Aussie flag on my bike and told me that Australia had won the Americas Cup yacht race, the first time anyone had beaten them Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy Oi Oi Oi! I continued on to Headcorn arriving at 2pm John let me in, relaxed in the avo, dinner then TV and chatted in the eve

28/9

Wrote letters and relaxed and sorted out stamps that the Vousdens had given me. In the eve I showed them my slides minus Janet who was out with her boyfriend.

29/9 57miles

headed north today. I left at 9am and waded through London around lunchtime cycling over Tower Bridge and up to Epping. The crossing of the bridge was the only interesting spot in the day. I found Gilwell park and paid 65p to stay there. I was really grimy from riding through the city streets with spots of soot all over me.

30/9 90miles

Rode up to meet Mr and Mrs Morely. I left late and had a problem with a rubbing mudguard and had a head wind so made slow progress, with many stops to pick blackberries from the side of the road with the result that it was dark when I got to Watton which is where I thought they lived, turns out they were in Thetford a further 12miles, but they were nice about it and Mr even came out to meet me on his bike. They gave me a nice dinner and chatted and watched TV for the eve.

1/10

We loaded my bike into his car and he drove me up to Sheringham after breakfast, and I road west along the coast through Kelling to Wells-next-the-sea for lunch with its colourful beach shacks. Then rode into a cruel head wind through Wendling where I took a wrong turn, and got back at 5 30, then another eve of TV and chatting

2/10 60miles

10am headed out into a nice day after the haze of yesterday and slowly into another head wind to Bourne. The only spark in the boring ride through flat fields came when I got a flat tyre the first in about 3,500miles due to a very thin back tyre. Found a field to camp in.

3/10 43miles

It rained most of the night, I had not put my fly over it so it had leaked badly, I had put the fly over my sleeping bag to keep it dry , but I was in a lather of sweat and so wet anyway. The tyre was flat due to a slow leak I couldn’t find so I changed tubes and found that my pump is broken but just usable. The rain dissipated and the boring flat farms gave way to rolling hills and rather nice scenery including a beautiful spot at Coston. I had somehow envisioned Melton Mowbray as some romantic place, but it was just another small drab country town. I rolled into Loughborough at 2.30 and uncle came out on Josh’s bicycle to meet me and took me back to his marvelous intricate house, where we chatted and watched TV

3-19/10

My stay with Uncle Ian and the newish Aunty Andrea was one of quietude and almost seclusion. I met one or two of their friends. The days were mostly spent indoors reading and sorting out Ian’s stamps. The evenings spent chatting and watching TV or showing slides. The quietude was sometimes shattered by the arrival of Joss. The first weekend Ian went to Wales and I went to The Peak District with Andrea. I went walking by myself and although I copped wind and rain, I enjoyed it. I walked from Eyam to the YHA at Castleton via footpaths and small roads, and returned the same way. I cleaned everything from my rainware to my bike, which I did at a local bike shop associated with the CTC so all I paid was £18 for parts.

20/10 43miles

The weather turned nicer so I decided to head off north, and had a hard day’s ride into a stiff head wind to Cheadle where I found no shops open so rode on and camped at the end of the Froghall Canal. I tried to light a fire but my lighter broke, so I had a cheerless eve.

21/10 34miles

I snuck out of my little cubbyhole that I’d found into a nice morning that was cold. I discovered that Froghall has a dearth of shops, so rode empty stomached to Ipstones. Once I crossed over the A523 I was up and down hills all day, through some really nice scenery the best I thought was just out of Glutton Bridge. I passed familiar scenery around Bradwell from my walk through there and found refuge by the Ladybower Reservoir. I was accosted by a ranger who told me to go camp elsewhere, I said okay but didn’t move.

22/10 51miles

I wasn’t disturbed by any rangers again and awoke to a frosty crystal clear morning, had breaky by the reservoir and headed out all bundled up along the A67 and got a specky view of the moors as I crossed into south Yorkshire. Sheffield was just an ugly city, I wasted no time there. I bought some film in Stockbridge. As soon as I got on the 6106 the scenery came back and the moors looked peaceful in the sun and seemed quietly amused but with a slight frown at all our activities. I was soon shooting wildly away at all I saw. To me the moors were marvelous, I saluted them with a thudding heart and labouring legs. The hills here have it over a barrel on the California hills. The small towns of Holmsbridge, Meltham and Slaithwaite nestled in steep valleys. The hill out of Slaithwaite was almost too much. I saw one hill on the map to get into Barkisland and quailed, so took a different route through Stainland into Barkisland. That road into Barkisland was the last straw, I’d had enough for the day, I’d run out of energy. I found a playing field by a river with some trees and camped hidden in the trees. Soon after dark I was asleep.

23/10 26miles

It was an easy day into Skipton, I looked around a bit before going to meet grandma, who seemed unchanged from the last time I saw her. her greeting was Ooh you starved! I replied yes I’m a bit hungry, no no no she insisted you look starved! When I still didn’t get it she acquiesced for the foreigner and said you look cold! I had to laugh at that, for indeed I don’t think I’ve been warm outside a house since I got here. Soon I was engulfed by family, some remembered some not, from aunty Hazel mum’s sister to cousins. The one that struck me most was Susan, I had remembered her as a big fat slob of a girl, she was big and solid but no slob, she had a husband and daughter so I’m now an uncle. Uncle Euan? We all sat and chatted during the adverts of a movie.

24/10

Met Uncle Arthur and Aunty Hazel’s husband, I haven’t seen them since we immigrated to Australia. I played word games with cousin Mat, at 8yo he’s pretty good. Lunch, then in the arvo I went photographing, Mat tagged along. Eve was spent at the TV.

25/10

Sat and watched TV most of the morning, went out after lunch for another look around and went to see Grandad Harold’s brother just up the road, I don’t remember ever seeing him before. Back for tea then some of us went to see Return of the Jedi.

26/10 38miles

The last of my cousins came this morning and after a big breaky cooked by grandma I was off at 9.30. I came a cropper near Kettlewell negotiating a curve onto a bridge, the road was unexpectedly slick, with all the weight on the rear, I slipped, corrected and went over, skidding about 15ft, putting a hole in my nice warm cords and grazing my knee, putting a hole in my wool gloves, damaged a pedal and brake lever. The bike was basically okay though. A lady in a Range Rover who was just behind me stopped to render assistance. Once the shakes from my adrenaline settled down I was off. In Kettlewell I met 2 local cyclists so rode with them, but we came upon a long steep hill where I needed to rest some way up the climb, whereas they walked on. It was blowing a gale at the top with clouds scudding by just above me. The Yorkshire Dales were spread out below me. Then the long steep downhill into Hawes. At Garsdale I tried to find my grandparents on my father’s side graves with no luck. I camped On the Clough River just downstream from there.

27/10 45miles

I had another test with a long hill before the junction with the M6 and then a nice ride into Kendal which looks like a remake of Skipton. Thus it was into the Lake District, the mountains set off the lakes to make a dramatic scene wherever you look. Another nice hill to get by Rydal Water, and I was rudely interrupted by RAF jets as they screamed along Thirlmere by me. Keswick YHA was closed on Wednesdays so I went looking for a campsite, it was almost dark before I found what I was looking for then rode back into town for some fish and chips.

28/10

I left my tent standing and headed out for some packless hill climbing. There was a high wind as I tackled Whinlatter Pass with no problems and came back via Crummock Water and into Honister pass which was a real beauty with steep sides and as I got to the head a 4 in 1 or 25% grade, and to make it more difficult the rain came down, but I just made it. Took a breather at the YHA at the top then scooted down the other side which was just as steep. Back in the soaking rain to arrive back is Keswick by 1pm, depitched the tent and took up at the hostel where I met a Montreal boy and a Newcastle boy, we went to a local pub where I found good form with a cue. 10pm was bed time.

29/10 56miles

Filled up with a big breaky, the same meal as last night and on a cool clear morning with a lot of sunshine about I rode out along the 66 to Penrith where I stocked up and finally found a peaceful road along the 6412 and 6413 though I had an icy head wind. The scenery was great, my favourite being the bridge over the Eden River at Lazonby. I took a steep short cut to the 69 which was terribly busy, almost shattering after the other roads. Just on nightfall I rode into Once Brewed to the YHA which was expensive but gratefully warm. I cooked a nice dinner and sat around chatting with a father and son out on a short ride on a tandem.

30/10 55miles

After breaky went for a walk along Hadrian’s wall. Just after 10.00 I hit the road for a nice ride along the top and into the Tyne Valley and up the other side for a nice view of Corbridge. Later I had a nice snack in Prudhoe, and then the inevitable long hard route around the metropolitan areas of Newcastle and into Tunstall just on sunset and met Rita and her husband Ron, their daughters Rhonda and Raelene, the latter being married and soon left. We sat around talking until after midnight.

31/10

After breakfast and an apparently record breaking awakening by Rhonda, especially considering it’s a Sunday we hopped into the Chrysler Ambassador and tripped up to Newcastle mainly to see the famous bridges across the river, we then walked through the bustling jostling market. Then we went to Durham where I went for a walk along the river and a look at the cathedral, then a quick visit to the seaside at Whitburn and the lighthouse there. The icy wind was ripping through me. We got back to the house after dark and had a turkey dinner, did our chores then watched TV

1/11 37miles

On a really nice but still windy day I said goodbye to some really great people and headed for Darlington, but my map didn’t show all the roads and I soon got lost. I came across a bridle path with lots of oldies walking their dogs, I looked out of place. I came out at Murton station and decided to take a different route to my original one. I went through a small place called Wheally Hill which has to be a place of high unemployment with sad little houses and deserted shops, a common sight in many villages, but they still had their coal fires burning to keep themselves warm, the air an unpleasant wasted despondent befouled smell to it. In contrast Sedgefield had a few busy industries with happy children playing. I had lunch here in the sun. After lunch the clouds rolled in and I put my coat on and casually made my way to Darlington arriving there at 3pm gave Hilda a peck on the cheek and told her my story. Later Mac came home and Julie and her husband came around for dinner. Julie is still as beautiful as I remember her, but I feel she’s manipulating her father and her husband, much as she used to manipulate my brother and I as we competed for her affection. She was very tentative towards me, with an almost accusatory look in her eye and a decidedly lack of friendship attitude which hurt. So I had a despondent evening feeling ugly, lonely and unloved as are my usual rejection symptoms. I bore my gloom inside and kept up my facade. Later I read to keep them there until I was tired enough to sleep.

2/11

A rest day today, Hilda went out so I chatted with Mac, read and ate and watched TV

3/11 44miles

After a cooked breaky I loaded up for an overnight ride and took off for Teesdale through the lightly trafficked back roads. By the time I got to Middleton the clouds were getting lower. I had a look at the falls at High Force and on to Langdon Beck where I found the YHA closed. I walked and jogged up to Couldron Snout, another waterfall and back to the bike. I talked with the proprietor of the hostel who told me the nearest open hostel was in Alston, the other hostel I’d had as an alternative not being open either. So it was a strenuous climb up to the pass then down to Alston, it was a superior hostel ie they charge you more. I met a couple from Ballarat and a group of young girls doing the first leg of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Played cards with the couple til 11pm and bed.

4/11 48miles

Up and off after the usual breaky and cheerio. It was a light drizzle day so I had my wet weather gear on which made hill climbing more difficult. I had three hard ones in a row a long 1:7 a short 1:5 and a medium length 1:6 when I got to the top I was buggered. There was a close mist and deathly quiet. From there to Darlington was a mainly dreary afternoon the only highlight being the viaduct at Bishop Aukland. I had to wait in the dark in the drizzle until Hilda and Mac turned up. We had a nice dinner which I ate with suitable gusto and watched TV til bed late.

5/11 39miles

Again a satisfying cooked breaky said goodbye and I headed out along the 67 in light drizzle then into the N York Moors which were under cloud but were still a nice ride through all the same. I found a bit of forest to camp in out of Helsmley and walked into town for supplies, and was soon asleep as the sound of rain and drifting leaves on the tent ushered me out of consciousness.

6/11 40miles

At my arising I was pleased to find a clear blue sky with golden light filtering onto the fallen leaves, packed up and wound my way into York, locked up the bike and went for a pleasant stroll around the walls and through the town. At 3pm I again mounted the saddle and went to meet my first Servas hosts minus Rolf. I arrived just after the crimson sunset had displayed its last glory and the grey of twilight was coming creeping in. They were an unlikely couple he was a genial tattooed giant, they had a daughter still sucking her thumb at 13yo. It was bonfire night so in the back yard we fired up the best of the pathetic things they call fireworks these days. The bonfire was welcomely warm on the cold night. All about the haze lay around with the smell of spent fireworks that filled the air. They had a few friends who came back for a cozy chat and supper and not much later we could all be found asleep in bed.

7/11

After breaky and some distractions I rode off into a misty day to the Humber bridge and took a shot of it disappearing into the mist. Had an expensive fast food lunch at Kingston and then north to Beverley where I chatted with a sweet shop owner until too late and found myself on a busy main road in the dark. There was no sunset, it just went from grey to black. A light tea and I was left with the grandfather who was in need of a bit of sympathy and my book til bed.

8/11 61miles

At 8.00 I was on the road and with a lively headwind I struggled all the way to East Retford where I bought some dinner then I headed off on the wrong way on the new road and went 4.5 miles to Torworth before I realized I’d made a mistake, and cursed myself. I worked out a new route then found a bit of forest and stumbled about in the dark, eventually getting to bed, and had listened to all my cassettes but was still awake and feeling lonely and tired and wanting to go home.

9/11 46miles

Up early, The rain brought back my malaise, this is getting too much I thought. I soggily packed up and hit the road, I couldn’t escape the traffic. Thankfully the rain ceased and soon what there was of the sun came out and heightened the eternal haze. I had lunch in Nottingham and over the wolds to Loughborough where I sank into the warmth of Uncle Ian’s sofa.

I spent Christmas and the new year with my uncle not doing very much. I had got myself a job as a photographer and bought myself an old Landrover for 900 pounds to get around in. It was not a smart buy as it had a problem starting in the cold mornings, and had no heater, no heater in winter in England, foolish indeed, but I was proud to own my Landrover that I named The Thing. I wasn’t earning much as a photographer so I’ve been looking in to being a taxi driver in town. I had also been asked to start a Venturer Scout group in town, which I acquiesced to.

5/1/84

Up .9.30 and picked up the car, it had started okay for the garage people, he said the problem may be a lazy starter motor so he will get me a new one. I had a photo job in the area, then drove down to Quorn for another job. Then on to Sileby where I sold one photo, they may buy others. Back to town to have another go at seeing the taxi boss but he wasn’t in, so back home for lunch, then paid £13 for a watch and a diary, a light tea then watched the first episode of DR Who, not as scary now that I’m older. Had a go at getting hold of the parascending people but had no luck. At 7.15 I drove to Venturers where we organized this weekend’s walk, home 9.30 and TV til 1.30 bed.

6/1

The Thing wouldn’t start and some guy jump started it for me and I got to my 10.30 job okay. Then went to see about the taxi job. I have to pass a knowledge test of Loughborough which isn’t going to be easy. Read my book in the arvo until it was time to go to the garage, but they told me the starter motor wasn’t in yet. He put in a new fuel filter and replaced the positive terminal head since it was smoking. I got back just in time to get my stuff together and be off to the church to pick up the Venturers, and by 7.30 we were off. We found a camping spot not far from Wirksworth. I reversed into a wall and broke the casing, thankfully the lights still worked. We had a cuppa soup to warm ourselves up then hit the sack at 11.00.

7/1

The wind came up during night and found my tent wanting, crackling noisily in the wind. We arose at 8.00, only one guyrope on the fly had come loose. Breaky was sausages, burnt on the outside raw on the inside and eggs. I parked the car at the top of the hill at Wirksworth and after doing the dishes in the toilets we started walking at 9.30. It was an hour’s walk up to the High Peak Trail where we filled up our waterbottles and put on our wet weather gear as it was snowing. It soon stopped leaving the hills with a white freckled look. The walk was fast and flat through gently rolling hills along an old railway line. We cut across to the Tissington Trail and found a deep gully with water that was out of the high winds and occasional hail that had dogged us all day. Not long after dark we were all in bed asleep.

8/1

Up 8.00 I had to get up twice to replace a pole guy but otherwise the tent stood up to the wind that howled up the valley all night. There was a loud clap of thunder just once during the night, and a few bouts of rain and hail. It was 9.30 by the time we started our steep ascent out of the gully and onto a very icy trail. At 11.00 we cut back via fields with right of way or footpaths, and occasional road back to Wirksworth. The day was mostly sunny with much less wind than yesterday. With a bit of protest the car actually started, after a slow drive back and dropping off the boys I got home and sank down in front of the TV til 10.30. I tried ringing Zag my photographer boss a few times with no answer.

9/1

The blasted car wouldn’t start again, so I rang the garage, he came down and it started no probs for him, I couldn’t believe it. I was late for my job this time but I got it done. Back before lunch and studied the Loughborough map then went down town to take the taxi test. I only got 7 out of the 16 streets so I failed, so made an appointment for next Tuesday to try again. Zipped out to Coalville to sell a photo, then to Nottingham for another job. One child was sick, the other troublesome, but I think I got a good shot. Put £30 of diesel in The Thing then over to Melton and chatted with Zag til 10.00 got paid £28 and drove home.

10/1

I had a couple of boiled eggs for supper last night one tasted funny, but had looked and smelt okay, I felt nauseous all night and into the morning, but wasn’t sick. Drove back to Nottingham this morning and went 5miles the wrong way before realizing my mistake thus got to the job 15min late as I also had problems finding the place, I had to ask around for directions. Had a few problems shooting the girl, but got a good one in the end I hope. The mother wasn’t very gentle with her kids, she had no patience. I found a lake park on the River Trent and sat and finished The Thornbirds book, good book, though I hadn’t liked what I saw of the TV series. Then to a poor part of town to take a double lot of two kids at the same place. On the way back I managed to get the Raddington job done early. I know I wasted 3 shots today, 2 were when the film didn’t wind on as it should with the result that I took the second shot over the first. I also had one child that was hard to keep still long enough for me to be sure of a good shot. In the evening I took the photos around the Belvoir Rd area, selling most of them. Uncle had cooked a curry for dinner, not such a good idea on a queasy stomach, but I ate it so I’m not too sick. Bath and bed at 12.30

11/1

Up late, still not 100%. Earlier this year I was on my way to a job when I cut a corner at an intersection. I didn’t see a bollard at the T junction until late and went the wrong side of it. A policeman saw me do it pulled me over. Today I walked down to the police station to produce my documents. I complained about the visibility of the bollard, but that’s no excuse for cutting the intersection. The policeman said they may just issue me with a warning rather than a fine. Bought a cream dooughnut each for lunch, banked my cheque, had lunch then over to Melton for a meeting with Zag that lasted until 7pm, dinner was Chinese takeaway, TV til 12.30 bed.

12/1

Up 10.00 and off to Dalby, for a photo shoot, chatted with the parents afterwards, back to Loughborough, withdrew £100, got another £10 of diesel, had lunch by myself then over to Breedon for another photo shoot, had a cup of tea with the lady afterwards, they were both really nice to be around. Went to pick up Greg’s camera, it’s not fixed and will cost £47 to be fixed by Olympus, so I said I’d have to talk to Greg first. Dinner then to Venturers where we sat and talked about what we want to do, then sat and watched TV. Home 9.30 and watched TV til 11.00 bed

13/1

Up 10.00 went to deliver the postal things for work and got hailed and rained on and came back with frozen hands, had lunch then took my book back to the library and got another one out. Put in an application for an interesting looking job, then back home and moped around on a windy wintry day. Dinner was almost a remake of Christmas dinner with a crown roast, jolly good too. I went around in the evening and sold a lot of photos. There’s only one left now and I’ve given up on them. I couldn’t get hold of Zag to see if my latest batch of photos were back so now I’m late delivering them again, not good enough. TV bath and read the new book til late.

14/1

A day with nothing to do. I read a bit and learnt the streets of Loughborough. Got a call from Zag to tell me that my shots were coming back, so I went to collect them, but there was no one home, sigh. Back home on a bitter cold night and watched TV til 12.30 bed.

15/1

A non day moping around watching TV and keeping one step ahead of Josh. The only good news came when Zag called to give me some work tomorrow.

16/1

Up 8.45 to Nottingham for the work. the first street was a misspell and I was lucky to find it, they told me to come back in the avo. The next one I thought was local but was 5miles away, so over there and then back to just around the corner from the first one. To Broadmarsh where I was supposed to meet Zag, but he didn’t show up, so I had some hamburgers a doughnut and milk for lunch, back to the car and parked in a private car park whilst I did a job, then a 3mile trip west to find no one home. Back to the original area for a difficult shoot, I almost gave up. Back to the people I first went to and then a final job that again wasn’t easy. Sold some photos of my first trip to Nottingham, then back to Loughborough on the smell of an oily rag, filled up The Thing, dinner and TV.

17/1

I had a worrying letter from DHSS they’re sending someone around tomorrow. Went for my taxi license and failed again I got 12 out of 20 this time. I get a feeling that she’s giving me deliberately obscure small streets because she doesn’t want me to get the job. At this rate I’ll get it just before I want to go home. Went to go to Shepshed for a job and got a flat tyre. After the shoot which had been a struggle went to the tyre place, who said that the trye has had it £80 for a new one. I haven’t earnt that much yet! After lunch went to Hatton, the people were out, back to Sutton Bonnington where they told me to come back in 2 weeks. The Keyworth lady still isn’t in, that’s three attempts. Then sold 4 out of 5 shown photos at my next attempt. Josh came for tea, and I fell asleep before dinner. After dinner I went out and sold a few photos with a few more promises. Home 9.30 TV bed and read til 12.00

18/1

I fell in love this morning with the receptionist at the DHSS, she was absolutely beautiful. I think I’ve sorted out the situation with them. I decided that I’ve had enough of hanging around here so after a tour around the continent I’ll go home. Zag rang me up and asked if I could do a job in Harly, I had to go via Melton to pick up some pictures to sell to people nearby, Zag took them but told me I’d get the commission for petrol money which was a nice gesture. The eve was TV and book.

19/1

Went to the travel agents today and found an airfare back to Australia for £425, and an Interail pass costs £115 per month, though I was told there may be extras. My job today was in Whitwick but The Thing wouldn’t start so called in the boys, 1/2hr later they arrived and got it going. I was 1hr late for the job. The kid got upset and I had to play with her for an hour before she settled down enough for me to get what I hope is two good shots. At Venturers I broke the news that I was leaving to them, they were disappointed, but there you go. I do feel bad about leaving them so soon though. Read book til late.

20/1

The Thing started okay this morning, went over to Melton and told Zag I was leaving, he wanted me to leave my stuff there and then, talk about wanting to get rid of me! He paid me £49 which will just about cover expenditure for the week. They still haven’t got the starter motor for The Beast yet. Sold a few photos, then back for a nice dinner with some pleasant guests, then watched old standard 8 movies made by Uncle Ian, and chatted til late, then read my book.

21/1

A non day of reading and TV.

22/1

There was a heap of snow outside when I woke up, so after breaky I went for a drive. The countryside was beautiful even with the dismal cloud cover.

I don’t know why I swallowed the fly, but I didn’t need any spiders because I cheated death anyway. She entered the room all smelling of expensive perfume, but you’ll have to wait until next week to hear what happened because as she did so the hounds of hell were let loose and their baying brought me back to pain and suffering and in the eerie silence I drowned. Standing in the middle of the plains just surveying the bumps and ravines when along came a bad fairy who told me to go to the edge, so I went. I was standing on the edge staring into the abyss when along came another bad fairy who told me to move along the edge until I came to a corner, which I did. I was warily looking in to both abysses and searching the plains longingly when along came The Devil who pushed me over the edge. It was a long way to the bottom, so I had plenty of time to reflect on what had happened, and as I hit the bottom I realized that all my prior strugglings had been in vain. I put the gun to my head and blew my brains away, but something strange happened. I discovered that I was immortal afterall, and I walked around for the rest of eternity scaring all the little girls and boys. They just didn’t understand that all I ever needed was love. If you look closely at my mutilated face you can still see lines of hope etched there plainly for all to see. The only problem is of course that you have to see past all the blood and brains that keep oozing down my cheeks.

23/1

This morning there were 1 inch snow flakes falling, great globs of it, which unfortunately melted soon after landing. Went for another drive. On an icy patch of remote lane I ran off the road and nearly tipped over, and was luck to get out of the ditch I ended up in, in anything else I’d have been stuck. I had my windscreen wipers fixed since they had stopped working, also an indicator, both were loose wires. In the eve I took my last shots which were of a family not just the usual child.

24/1

There were one or two short light falls of snow today, but there was a general clearing trend. In the eve I went to Melton to settle up with Zag. It was really cold and icy since now it was clear sky.

25/1

Today was a day of reading checking things and planning what I want to do over the next few months. The usual TV and whatnot in the eve.

26/1

Withdrew £300 for my Interail ticket and went up to Nottingham to get it and found that I can’t get one because I’m too old! I couldn’t believ that they have no concessions for me since I’m over 26yo. So dejectedly I drove home. uncle suggested that I look into student concessions, so went up to the university but it was closed. I had my bike fixed up with new spongegrips on the handlebars and a grease and oil up. It looks rearing to go. To Venturers and chatted most of the eve.

27/1

With £300 burning a hole in my pocket I decided that I wanted a 500ml lens that I’ve been looking at by Tamron. I drove down to Jessop’s in Leicester and after a long time deliberating I decided it wasn’t worth it and got a 2x converter and a nice camera stand for £130, so with my 300ml lens I can get 600ml though I loose a lot of light. It should be good for long range shots of people and wildlife.

28/1

Up early and picked the Venturers up for some tobogganing at Brodgate Park, first time I’ve done that in a long time. The hill was rather slushy but we had a fun. We got wet and dirty and put a few cracks in the sledges. We finished the morning off with a snowball fight and got home for lunch. I washed the front windows. I watched on TV a gut make the perfect break at snooker and he got £10000 for it. I’ve got a lovely hole in my exhaust which makes the coppers on the beat look twice at me whenever I touch the accelerator pedal, the garage won’t fix it til Monday.

29/1

A day of reading and watching TV including the end of the B&H Snooker tournament.

30/1

Took The Thing around to the garage where the boys toiled over my exhaust until 12.30. I then took off for the Peak District. I wound my way through the back roads through Buxton and on to Derwent Water where I parked The Thing and after listening to a few cassettes fell asleep on the seat.

31/1

Up 8.30, haven’t got up that early for a while. I went for a walk up a hill to get a view of Derwent Water. I drove through some marvelous country with shades of snow piled up against black stone walls all over the fells and moors. In some spots they’d just shoved a snowplough through a 2-3ft snowdrift to make a one way channel. I saw some people digging a Landrover out of a small lane. They seem to have had twice as much snow here as we’ve had in Loughborough. Eventually I rolled up to Skipton and spent the eve watching TV with grandma falling asleep trying to watch it.

1/2

Up 9.00 and by 10.00 I was in the Dales in the rain and slush. My first choice of routes turned into a dead end due to snow. Up the top the wind was howling and the snow stung as it ripped into my face. Even the sheep looked cold. I did a trek up to Summer Water which was frozen. The sheets of rain let up enough for me to have lunch here. Across to the railway, but again the route I wanted to take hadn’t been cleared, so I had to retrace my steps and got back to the railway at Dent Dale crossing. I wandered around in the rain for an hour trying to get a good angle for a shot. I also found Arten Gill Viaduct in the middle of nowhere.

2/2

Up 10.00 After taking a picture of grandma against here house in Pembroke St I set off. Had a look at Bardon Tower , but the Wharfe River and bridge were more photogenic. Even moreso was the apex of the road out of Skipton, the sun came out to display a truly magnificent valley that I was on top of, with snow and fields, a factory and little ribbons of roads wet and shining. The wind was whispering in my ear. Too soon all was drowned as a flight of jet fighters roared into the valley all filled with potential disaster and bristling with doom. After they had gone it was no good it was as if they had dropped their bombs and I had to stand there and watch them, helpless and angry. I drove off. Through Leeds where I wandered through an ancient graveyard. Got caught in a traffic jam in Chesterfield and got back to Loughborough. To Venturers wher we planned the walk on Sunday, then we played squash. Spock was new to the game so was no challenge. John played a good game and after an original lead we ended up in a draw.

3/2

Went to DHSS and saw my lovely one again and was assured that I wasn’t eligible to pay benefits, so that’s all clear. To the travel agent, I have to pay the money and will get my ticket on Monday. To the bank who assured me that what I want to do is okay, and even the police were good in that they told me that if a summons comes up regarding the bollard incident they will dismiss it. The Government Surplus shop was a dingy useless place, had lunch then went to Leicester to the Scout Shop where I bought a Pea Pod tent for £78.70 and saw the exact same sleeping bag that I’d recently bought in Skipton for £20 less. Back home for more TV and reading.

4/2

Up 9am and into Leicester to attend a British Association of Parascending Clubs (BAPC) meeting, although the lecturers were nothing special I met a few people and actually got up in front of everyone and told them my story, I was scared Witless! I organised to get some stuff relevant to Scouting and got myself booked into do a course in 48 days time. After the meeting I went and picked up John and Spock the Venturers and we headed up to Edale in the Peak District arriving at 11.30pm after a very wet and windy drive. It was still windy when I tried to erect my new tent that has fibreglass poles that needed to be threaded into small holes to form two hoops one at either end of the tent. I struggled in the dark in the wind, and got very frustrated, but after 1/2hr or so I got it up and was soon safe and snug inside, had some supper and was asleep by 12.30.

5/2

The wind was still cool as I arose when the sun rose over the ridge, I cooked my own breaky the boys had theirs and up the valley we trekked. As we got out onto the moor the wind was icy despite a brilliant blue sky there was no warmth in the sun. To stop for long was to get cold so we short breaks by large rocks sheltered from the wind. We sank up to our waist in snow in the dips with a light dusting on the moors and grass tufts. We got to the top of Kinder Scout then followed the ridge eastwards to its end. We had a short fall of snow as the day gradually deteriorated. The scenery and the wind remained the same, beautiful landscapes and knife sharp wind. We had lunch in a dip nearly out of the wind. We were back at the car by 2.30pm via the valley roads. I drove back through the winding roads whilst John and Spock dropped off to sleep. The eve was spent looking at the gawkbox. I’m pleased with my new tent and sleeping bag. My Dachstein walking boots though have had the sole come adrift on one boot, not an easy fix.

6/2

Up late. The garage will buy back my Landrover tomorrow at lunchtime. Got a holder for my rear mudguard which has got lost somewhere. Got some brightly coloured waterproof covers form my shoes and a can of oil. Lunch with Uncle Ian and to the bank where they described me as a pain in the neck after asking for only £500 in travelers cheques after asking for £1000 on Friday, but they did it. I took £400 in cash to the travel agent and got my ticket back to Australia on 12th May. The train to London will be expensive, they only have one per day where I can get my bike onboard for free, it’s at 9.00am, so I decided to ride. Wrote letters then tried to work out a route from an ancient atlas and failed, so I still don’t know where I’m going.

7/2

Up 9am, packed and hung around til 12.00 when I went to sell The Thing and got £650 for it. So in the end much cheaper than renting a car, though it’s been an interesting experience, and not altogether wonderful, I’ve kind of had fun with it, and will remain a good memory. Fiddled and faddled around a bit, had lunch and eventually left at 2pm. I had a good tail wind and despite weakness and a lack of stamina I made it to Kettering where I camped on a dismantled railway line

8/2

I had a terrible night’s sleep. a storm came up and battered my tent with wind and rain, but it didn’t win. However I woke up with water all over the place, at first I thought it was from the rain, but then I found that I hadn’t put the lid on my water bottle properly last night and I had knocked it over, so it’s rather ironic that although the tent did it’s job, I still got wet. Up at 6am and off by 7 with another good tailwind and rolled into central London to the YHA shop where I renewed my membership and got maps of France and Switzerland. I found that the YHA directory was expensive and I was indignant at having to fork out more money for it and so I did something that I’ll always be ashamed of, I snuck it into my pocket, paid for the other stuff and walked out. I hadn’t gone far when a heavy hand came down on my shoulder, it was the store detective. I was marched back to the store where eventually the police turned up and I was charged with theft. I was taken the police station and spent 3hrs getting my fingerprints taken, photographs etc. They took my passport and travelers cheques and set me free with an appointment with the court at 10am tomorrow. They were really quite good about it and didn’t make me feel any more awful about it than I already felt. I rang up BP house and got a room there for £12.50, and went to collect my bike that was waiting patiently for me where I’d left it.

9/2

Up 7.45 had their breakfast and rode over to Bow St arriving just before 10am. There was all the scraggy ends of society smoking at fag ends of bent cigarettes. I felt like a white rabbit surrounded by cruel wolves, fangs all bared. My case didn’t come until 11.30 so I watched as drunkards, prostitutes and all manner of crooks were swiftly dealt with by the judge or magistrate. I was no different. There weren’t many people left when it was my turn to stand in the cage. The policeman told the judge about my trip around the world, at which he shot me a perplexed look, and I couldn’t help but smile back. I was escorted to the bank to cash a cheque to pay my £50 fine. It was 12.30 when I was released from Bow St with a cheerio from my arresting officer. I cycled down to Victoria Station and was on my way to Folkstone and Calais for £20. We hurtled through the Kent countryside, a short delay and I was aboard the ferry. We arrived in Calais in time to watch the sun go down. I found a sheltered spot by the beach and pitched tent. The shops were all shut except for the cafes, so after a walk around I went to bed and listened to French radio for a while

10/2 150km

Up before the sun and headed inland via Guines, Ardres, Saint Omer., Houdain and Arras to Cambrai. The countryside was gentle with steady rolling hills, though some were quite steep, the fields open and fairly large compared to English ones. The village pleasant but all looked the same. Every 5km or so was a war cemetery. The drivers often gave me a honk and a wave, which the English didn’t. When overtaking me some were way too close for comfort. I found a factory being built to camp and hung up my tent to dry. I found that it doesn’t breath well so as well as the dew on it this morning there was condensation on the inside.

11/2 140km

Up at 7am which is before the sun and on the road by 8am which is light enough not to be dangerous. Rode to Reims and saw the flooded river there. A few shops were open so I stocked up since I anticipate none being open tomorrow. I searched for the YHA without success. I checked out how much it would cost me to get the train to Zurich and found it costs more to take my bike than me so decided to cycle. Found a small wooded area outside Reims to camp.

12/2 130km

Up a bit later this morning but still on the road by 8am. The sun came out into a clear day by 9am, but a naughty little crosswind sprung up which intensified as the day wore on, so I rode most of the day in the middle gears. I got to just south of Joinville and found a field with a good stream running through the middle of it.

13/2 120km

Up at 7.30 and had just pushed the bike onto the road when I noticed I had a flat so it was 8.45 when I finally got under way. The wind was up again, but it was a nice clear day. It was icy cold, all the puddles were frozen up 1 1/2 inches down. My water bottle was also frozen. Around Chaumont was lunchtime and the sun was still out. Out of the wind it was quite warm. I now passed through dead and decaying towns where the people never came out onto the streets as the trucks hurtled through. Fountains all overgrown, roofs and walls all caving in. I got to just before Vauvilliers on the River Saone where I decided that the sun was low enough for me to stop for the night.

A HARD DAY

When the breath freezes on your beard

When your nasal drips freeze on your beard

When your face is red and fingers blue and toes gone altogether

When there are only drops of ice

Then you know it’s a cold day

When your hair is soggy and bedraggled

When your shoes only say squelch

When the winds rips right through three sodden jumpers

When your face is red and fingers blue and toes gone altogether

When there are only drops of rain

Then you know it’s a wet day

When there is no safe spot on your posterior

When there is no comfortable spot on the handlebars

When your kneecaps, elbows and neck are all straining

When your face is red and fingers blue and toes gone altogether

When there are only hills

Then you know you’ve had a hard day

And let me tell you when it’s cold and wet and hilly

Well that’s when you know you’re alive

14/2 110km

It was further into Vauvilliers than I thought. The sun was futilely up again and I struggled up a few good hills today glad that I had left a lot of gear back at Uncle Ian’s, so only had rear panniers. Most of the day was into a light head wind, but today was just cold. I got to just beyond Dannemarie. All the ponds and lakes are frozen but the creeks are running. An enjoyable day’s ride on the whole through some nice towns.

15/2 110km

It was a pleasant ride into Basel where I crossed into Switzerland. I rode up the Rhine with industry all around. I did a small pass to get into Brugg. It was similar to Canadian ones with a long gentle incline to just before the pass with a steep section to get to the top. It was a cold run down the other side. I found a nice campsite by the river. It wasn’t til later that I realized I’d camped by a railway line with a train every 1/2hr. I went to a chemist where I changed my coins to ones usable on the telephone and did a bit of ringing around to see who would take me in with mixed success. I then went to the Post Office where I couldn’t get the staff to understand what I wanted, so went back to the Chemist who interpreted for me, and I got my Swiss stamps. back to the tent and sleep.

16/2 130km

The trains either stopped running last night or I didn’t hear them. Up at first light and boy was it cold apparently -18C. I had problems with the cold all day with my breath freezing on my little moustache and beard. I must have looked quite a sight all red faced and ice. Despite the cold it was an easy day so I took it easy. I got lost in Zurich but eventually found my route to Uzwil, again it was cold but enjoyable. jean came to meet me at the station and we walked up the steep hillside to her home where I had a nice warm bath and chatted and watched German TV til 11pm and went to sleep in a nice warm bed, bliss!

17/2

Up 8.30 Went shopping with Jean then lunch. Arriane got out all her old letters and I got all the stamps off the envelopes. Watched TV in the avo then went shopping again. Visited Jean’s sister in law both times we went shopping, first time we got something like a little doughnut, second time her son was home, was into computers so spent a bit of time with him. Back up the hill in time to be whisked by motorbike in the freezing sunset to Wil, had a game of squash with Roger, we had a good game, and although I beat him he played well. A short ride to visit some friends of theirs and talked til midnight. Phillip, Jean’s eldest came in from Geneva and I nearly got a ride in his Porsche back home but we couldn’t all fit in so we had to settle for the Volvo.

18/2

Up 9.00 in the morning we sat around and watched TV, for lunch we had Spaghetti Bolognese which was on a par with my mum’s, scrumptious. Then Phillip took me to Saint Gallen we walked around the old streets and into the cathedral which was incredibly ornate, and it’s only a minor one. had a qick visit to a local pub, which basically like an English one. In the eve we sat and watched TV and I taught Phillip how to play idiot 66, we won one game each. Showed Jean and Phillip my slides, they were suitably impressed bed midnight

19/2

The boys didn’t get up til 12.00 so I watched the Olympics on TV. After lunch Phillip Roger and I went for a walk up into the forest and down the other side to a frozen lake where people were ice skating. An hour later we walked back in time for afternoon tea which was sugar heated into a caramel, add orange juice liberally, heat until all liquid, add a small glass of Cognac, and some Grand Marnier, heat again until all liquid, add bananas sliced longways, add more Grand Marnier and flame. Serve hot with home made icecream. Delicious. Also special little chocolate biscuits, we sat and chatted, or rather they chatted in their language with frequent translations for me. Soon it was goodbye to Phillip and back to TV and later we had egg sangas, which was egg with cream cheese, lemon, raw onion and a seasoning again delicious. Then more German TV til late.

20/2

Up 9.00 and packed my backpack, rang Heidi to let her know I was coming, at 11.45 got the train with some assistance from Jean who wanted to pay the fare, but since they’d already given me 30Swiss Franks last night I was able to say no and make it stick this time. The change of trains was done nervously and with the help of platform personnel. The pass that we crossed the Alps through was marvelous despite being cloudy and snow in Zurich. One striking little settlement I saw was perched on a knoll just below the railway line. The roofs all had a foot of snow on them, and the church stood on to of the knoll with a view down the valley, it looked like a magical place. I wanted to get off the train and take a look around that little village called Wassen, thta’s the trouble with trains, I could only gawp longingly at it as we passed by. At Locarno Heidi met me and we caught the bus back to Ascona, where I moved in to her one room flat above a shop. We went out for pizza and to another place for sweets and then chatted until 1.30 back at the room. She’s such a lovely girl, beautiful and easy to be with, I could easily fall in love with her, especially since she’s also a cyclist. We’d met when I was at the Canadian Jamboree deconstructing it, we’d stopped to chat with her on the side of the road and invited her back to the camp and we’d spent a few days doing things like rafting down the river after work. I think we’d make a good team.

21/2

Up 10.00 Heidi had gone out. I went for a walk down to Ronco and up the hill from there, but I couldn’t get away from the big houses, cars and aroplanes. The birds sang bravely but they were lost, so I walked back. The shops here close for 2 hrs from midday, so I went hungry til 2pm, spent 12Swiss Franks on lunch and didn’t eat it all. The rest of the avo I did nothing. In the eve Heidi showed me her slides a lot were of people she’d met. A friend of hers came round and he drove like a maniac to a restaurant where we had dinner where they talked to each other in Italian, then back to the room where the discussion soon turned to sex, they both wanted to have sex with me, I declined and he went off in a disgusted huff, Heidi was more conciliatory but still I think disappointed in me. I felt so uncomfortable. I believe that sex is part of a long term relationship between a male and a female, whereas they believed you could do what you liked. How am I supposed to be a good Christian when everyone else goes against my beliefs? I get no help from any quarter and God remains silent. How hard it is to be a servant of The Lord sometimes. The trouble is that I know if she’d made a pass at me without that bloke there I wouldn’t have had the will power to say no, so maybe it was God’s way of letting me know that this woman is not like me after all, shit. I hate this. I’ll never find true love.

22/2

She left at 10.00 and didn’t come back so I think she’s still upset with me, so naturally I became lonely. I’m still attracted to her. After moping about til after lunch I went for a walk but could find no peace in the misty hills so came back down to the sadness and spent the eve in belligerent silence, I refused food and to go with her and her friend who seemed to flaunt his promiscuity at me. I could tell that if I wasn’t there they’d be at it. I decided to leave tomorrow.

23/2

Up 8.00 and with barely a word we shook hands and she wished me well. I don’t know who was more disappointed with who, but I was glad to be out of there. I got two rides hitchhiking to Verbania in Italy where I changed 20 Swiss Franks to 10000lire. I bought some grapes and apples and walked for a way, then got a ride with a teacher to a village 5km short of Cuzzago where I spent all but 1000lire on stamps. 2 more rides saw me in Varzo, I walked to Iselle, then a ride to the border with Switzerland and got a Swiss stamp in my passport. Then walked a long way with virtually no traffic and then got a ride to Simplonpasse. The sun was out. There were spectacular icicles hanging from an avalanche protector over the road. Got a ride into Brig with an interesting guy who only had broken English, so with my broken French and sign language we managed to converse. Go t a train to Kandersteg for 12.50 Swiss Franks, rang up from the station to get directions to the Scout Centre, and found that Greg and Heather were already here. So went and found them and spent the eve chatting.

24/2

Up 7am breaky and into town to hire some skis, we got one set for free from a girl at the chalet. Greg hires a full set, I hired the boots but bought my skis for 100Swiss Franks and another 8Fr for poles we paid 55Fr for the all day tows. I started badly by falling off the T bar and my first fall resulted in a bit of a hyper-flexion of my thumb. Soon though I got into the swing of it and by lunch I was zipping down the easy slope. Greg and I took the 4km ski trail back to the bottom with a drop of 800m. It was a great track with some steep bits on the twisty track. My legs were like jelly by the end. After lunch we only got a runs in before the fog came in and we had to come down. Greg and I took the track back again, it took 27 1/2 minuites with 2 falls that took me some time to gather myself together. One ski comes off to easily. We went into town changed a £100 travelers cheque, got some food and back to the chalet to cook it.

25/2

Up 7.30, porridge for breaky, made lunch then took Greg and Heather’s car to the other set of ski lifts. Another 22Fr for a full day of skiing. Heather took a ski lesson. Greg and I just kept herving the slopes gaining in confidence. I seem better at speed, Greg’s better on the steeper bits. I have better balance, he has better technique. In the avo Greg developed a leg problem making it impossible to ski, so we came back a bit early. Greg cooked dinner whilst Heather and I used the landlough trail to get into town and bought some icecream. Came back via some beautiful snow laden pines, very picturesque and peaceful. Dinner and bed not long after a nice hot shower.

26/2

Up 7am more porridge for breaky, made lunch. Greg swapped his skis and boots to try and alleviate his leg problem. paid another 22Fr for the day of tows. The clouds in the valley stopped just above where we were skiing so during the day I increased my herving ability. Lunch was taken after another run down the 4km track, this time taking 12.5mins. I skied with Heather during the avo as Greg’s leg packed in again and he managed to sell his ticket to a French guy who didn’t speak English for 10Fr, we took 2omin going a new way back, I did it by myself in 8min then 7.5min and the last run in 8min as the snow fell. Dinner was wiener-schnitzel roast carrots, potatoes and onions, with cabbage and omelette, stewed apples for desert. We talked with a Finnish staff girl after dinner, we swapped addresses. Supper and bed 10.30.

27/2

I woke up with a bit of a cold this morning, so it wasn’t easy to get up, my eyes were swollen and sore also. It was 10am when we set off for the chalet in the mountains on cross country skis. My shoes were racing ones which I put my waterproof cycling shoe covers over. Our skis were Trak fish scales, they had no heel locators so my right heel continually slipped off. We managed the trip in 2hrs. Right near the chalet I had a problem. I went a bit below the track and with a fresh fall of snow yesterday I couldn’t ski up or even step up. I’d get my right ski up but the left one would slip away and I’d topple over. There wasn’t enough grip on the skis to go forward. My show was coming out of the ski. I was soon spitting and cursing. I hurled the ski up to the track and tried one foot and one ski to step up, but again the ski slipped, they had no edges. So I took the other ski off and hurled it up and tried to walk up and fell flat on my face. Greg remarked that it was the hardest work he’d seen me make of a 10ft height change. At the chalet we had a disappointment as we couldn’t get in, most of it was snow bound. We had lunch in the stables underneath. Greg eventually found a way in, it was dark and dingy inside and unexciting so we soon left. It took us 1hr to get back along easy tracks that our useless skis had no problems with, though I did fall over at my nemesis spot. We saw some deer which was nice. Dinner was rissoles and vegies with rice pudding for desert. I rang up Jean to let her know I was on my way back.

28/2

Up 8am I went and got the bread as the others packed up. It was 11.00 when we left. We visited Adelboden which was a totally different set up with organized activities and meals cooked for you, 20-30Fr a night. I bought some stamps at 2Fr a pack. At Bern we split up as they headed back through France to England. After trying the main road for a while I tried hitchhiking the freeway and got to Zurich on dark. and got a 13.50Fr train to Uzwil where after saying hello to Jean and watching TV a bit I soon went to bed.

29/2

Up 10am, went for a walk into town and back with Jean. Lunch was another marvelous meal. Spent a bit of time sorting my stamps then went to Wil with her mother-in-law so she could visit a friend there. We walked through the old town and to the lake. After a quick visit to Arianne we had cake and lemonade. It’s the beginning of carnival time so all the children are dressed up, some had pigs bladders blown up and attached with string which they’d whack the ground with in their devil’s masks. Others just dressed up and threw their confetti all over the place. The streets were covered in it. I bought my German map at 14.80Fr expensive but necessary. We had a some time so went to visit a friend of Jean’s, before catching the train back. Home at 5.30 and spent some time poring over my route through Germany. Sandwiches for tea. Roger took me to Oberuzwil to a pub where I had my 4th lemonade for the day and talked in stunted English, home and bed by 10pm.

1/3 110km

Up 8.00 and had 4 pieces of toast and milk for breaky packed up and kissed Jean goodbye and was on the road by 9am. I went via Konstanz and although it was cold I started out overdressed. My cold was still with me and gave me breathing problems. By the end of the day my left knee was sore and I cut off an 1hr or so off the day to rest it. I can walk okay on it but it hurts to push the pedal down. I went for a walk and got back to the tent at dark, had my dinner and bed at 7.30

2/3 130km

Up 7am. At first I was worried about my knee, but it soon settled down and didn’t give me much trouble during the day. I rode by rivers then up and over to change rivers, in each valley the sides were steep. The wind was gentle behind me so I made good time to finish at Sternenfels as the rain started to come down I camped. I had just pitched the tent when a thunderstorm came through, afterwards the rain turned to sleet, I can hear the flump as the soggy snow hits the tent with the hard tack tack tack of the rain. I had my usual dinner of salami and cheese with a new innovation of a salad mix with 1 1/2 eggs with pimentos set in aspic with a meat, onion and salad dressing cream mix over the top, then yoghurt which when I opened it I tipped it over so I ate it off the tent floor, an apple and a few sultanas washed down with Fanta. After I’d satisfied my tummy I was soon snug as a bug in my sleeping bag and listening to radio and cassettes until I was drowsy enough to sleep.

3/3 145km

Up 7.00 When I hit the road it was still icy and dangerous, but I had no problems. I filled up my tucker bag in Brackenheim. It had looked like it was going to be a sunny day, but black clouds soon dispelled those hopes, and as I rode up the 37 to Ederbach a heap of snow came down and covered the road to 2.3cm depth which made it dangerous again, especially since I had to ride in the clear spot where the cars ran. From Ederbach I headed up a long river valley where the snow had made a winter wonderland. Over the pass and in to Grossheubach where I filled up my tucker bag again, then looked for a place to camp but it wasn’t until past Monchberg that I found one and was soon munching dinner and pitching camp. It had been a long hard day.

4/3 75km

I don’t know what I consumed that I shouldn’t have but bu boy was I crook this morning. I ate some breaky anyway but it wasn’t until 10am that I got up, and put some things out to dry or at least air in the sunshine. At 11am I rode slowly of with a definite dearth of energy. The route I’d picked out took me over 6-700m roads with lots of skiers out on a Sunday. They all had bulging eyes staring at me as I rode slowly up hills and even slower downhill wary on the icy roads. I went through only small villages today with not one shop open. Eventually I’d had enough and pulled up not far from a busy road and ate the last of my food. Even though I’d set out late and traveled slowly I’m happy with today’s progress. I still feel nauseous but can keep the food down. Boy am I going to pig out tomorrow!

5/3 80km

Up suitably late and rolled into Basslittal Shillenbach (not the correct spelling) and bought a heap of goodies and devoured a few of them including most of the cake. I had a long but not hard climb to the 275 then a very cold downhill run to the split with the 276 then it was up and down and along rivers to Freinseen (not correct spelling) where it flattened out. At 3.30 I camped near Homberg (correct spelling) and went for a walk into town. I had a big dinner which didn’t settle well since my stomach is still upset with me. About 15min later I brought it all back up, what a waste, but I slept well after.

6/4 70km

Off at 10am, it was a flat start, but a gradual climb brought me to Feudingen where I camped above the town with patches of snow all around, I bought a bit of food in town, my stomach still isn’t great. I kept it down this time, but I couldn’t find any pancakes for Shrove Tuesday.

7/3 120km

Up late again it had rained a lot during the night. I figured the road would follow the railway line back to the main road, no such luck, it right over the top of the hill, and as I saw the railway line disappear through a nice cutting, as I toiled up another steep incline I cursed the engineers not for the first time. The road eventually did link up with the road I wanted to Kircheimbolanden which went through a high and lonely pass. Once I’d wound down into the valley the traffic started again. By now the road had dried out, there had been no more rain, but my tent was still wet. I took off my waterproofs as the sun came out, but there was no warmth in it. The wind came and blew down the valley cutting into my face no matter which way I went. Despite my discomfort I rolled into Arnsberg at 5pm. I wanted to stay in the YHA so I went to the railway station to ring up. I had to change my money to a 10pfennig coin, not an easy task! The person at the YHA didn’t speak any English at all, great. Outside there were some taxis but the drivers didn’t speak English. Eventually a kid helped me get a basic understanding of where it was, but he wanted me to go to his uncle just up the road who spoke good English. At the shop an older lady said she knew where it was and I could follow her in her car. Well it turned up to be at the top of a long hill, I really hurtled up it after her. She pointed it out. It was closed. So I went into the forest nearby and camped, then walked back into town and bought some food including a turkey leg and devoured it. Again my stomach protested, but I kept it down.

8/3 15km

It was windy last night which dried out my tent. The sun was shining weakly through this morning with a light but icy wind. It was 11am by the time I hit the road. It was a steep hill out of Arnsberg so I had a rest at the top and enjoyed listening to the birds and watching the light clouds float by. I came across a youth hostel at Mohnesee and by sign language with the cook found that I could come back at 6pm, it was 2pm so I ditched the bike and walked in to Korbecke, bought some batteries for my player for 9Deutchmarks and walked back across the bridge over the lake. I got back at 5.45 and got a room and breaky for 11.50DM . I had a lovely hot shower. I stood there for ages getting a week of grease, dirt and smell off me and got into my dirty sleeping sheet in my sleeping bag. had some supper and bed.

9/3 40km

The breaky was decent at 2.50DM that was included in last night’s fee. I was the only one in this huge hostel. The guy who looked after me was on his service, he was doing civil service rather than go into the army for his conscription. I left at 9.30 and mosied through gently undulating land with farmland reminiscent of Norfolk. I had a moderate head wind. I got into Oelde at 1pm, there was no one home until 2pm. Uli’s mother speaks some English so we were able to communicate. He has a younger sister who’s quite attractive and still in school. A brother who is sick with a fever and a father who speaks no English at all. Uli arrived at 3pm and we sat reminiscing about the Canadian Jamboree. His girlfriend came around later, she’s small and attractive but smokes. I taught them the basics of 500 card game again, but dinner interrupted. After dinner it took all night to show my slides as Uli had to translate everything I said for his father. It was midnight when I got to bed.

10/3

Up 7.45had a nice breaky similar to the YHA one of bread rolls with either meat or jam, then Klaus drove us in his old Mercedes to Bielefeld a small city where Uli goes to school. They dropped me off in the centre, and I walked around. There was nothing photogenic here but a nice walk all the same. At 1pm we drove back at the usual breakneck speed and had lunch of eggs and rolls. Uli has come down with something, not quite the fever at least not yet, his sister does have the fever, will I get the fever?

11/3

Uli took me to his winter meeting place, a window in a cafe where you can watch the people walk by. I wrote some letters during the day. In the eve we played cards and watched TV

12/3

Uli was too sick to go to school so we played cards until Sabena came and we went for a walk. In the eve we watched TV until we went to his Rover meeting. I didn’t enjoy it, they all spoke only German and puffed away on their cigarettes all night and drank wine. Uli and his brother both were coughing badly.

13/3

Uli drove me to a small town west of Oelde where the local scout HQ is, I sat chatting with the workers there who are all volunteers except for the secretary. They gave me the address near Enschede in Holland and the HQ in Nederland. Back home for lunch then at 2.30 Sabena came and we went for s drive to Munster for a walk around. There were some nice looking old buildings, but they are all reconstructed from after the second world war when this town was destroyed by allied bombs and most of these buildings were reduced to rubble. Even the main cathedral is a reconstruction. What a sad legacy to have and grown up with. And still they are paying with so many foreign tanks rumbling around their territory due to the threat from behind the iron curtain not so far from here. The never ending threat of violence against each other.

14/3 140km

Uli has developed a really bad cough so didn’t go to school again. I packed and by 10am I was on my way. I had originally planned to go through Munster, but decided to go around and went through Drensteinfurt, Senden, Coesfeld, Ahaus to Enschede where I tried my luck with the telephone numbers that I’d got the other day but drew a blank, all wrong numbers. So went to a nearby lake and camped.

15/3 120km

Up 9.00 and went to Haaksbergen got a map for 9.90Guilders then to Neede, Borculo, Hengelo, got mixed up with the semi bike tracks to Toldijk, got the ferry across the IJsell to Brummen then what were supposed to be scenic roads to Ede but were just forested rather than farmland. As my stamina began to fade I found a lake just north of Maarn where I spent a pleasantly serene evening watching the sun go down.

16/3 130km

I rode to Amersfoort to try my luck with the last of the phone numbers that the German Scouts had given me, surely they’d gotten one right, not so, but with some help from the operator I found that they’d moved 5 years ago and was able to give me her new one. With some help from the police and 2 phone calls later I finally meet Jenny at the Scout office, she gave me an address in Amsterdam and Groningen, and I arranged to meet some Rovers tonight in Den Haag. I left at 12.30 and cycled to Utrecht where I got lost on the cycling tracks. I got very frustrated and went around the town once before finding the right bike track. I’m not allowed on the roads here. It was 2.30 by the time I was headed in the right direction. Rode flat out to Gouda and after messing about there also with badly signposted bike tracks and getting even more upset I found the track that followed the freeway to Den Haag, to find that the YHA is on the other side of the city. At 7.00 after an hour of searching I gave up and found a sand pit, dropped all my gear there and found the central railway station with help from the police. After a while the Rovers turned up. they dumped my bike in the car and went to play darts and chat the evening away, they also shouted me a dinner of hamburger and salad, then they dropped me back at my gear and I pitched the tent in the sand pit eventually getting to bed at 1.30am.

17/380km

Up 8am to the curious gaze of dog walkers. I decided to go to Amsterdam but found I’d lost the address that Jenny had given me. I went via the small roads by fields where the tulips will soon bloom, with the hints of the coming colour already there. All day was against the wind so it was a slow day in 2nd and 3rd gear middle cog. I eventually got to Amsterdam and managed to find the YHA where I chatted with a few people and had dinner. I spent a good time chatting with a German girl named Judith till midnight after a short walk through the park. She’s a medical student and is here just for tonight and tomorrow, we have little in common, she’s into classical music and plays a 17th century recorder, she’s not physically attractive, but I found her attractive nonetheless and we got on well together.

18/3

Up 8am and met Judith, with tact and subtlety we slowly got around to agreeing to go see the Rijke Museum together. I had to change 50DM she had to put her luggage in a locker, so we re-met at the station and walked around Amsterdam together all morning. At 12.30 we had lunch McDonalds style, then to the museum that opened at 1pm. Most of the artists here are Dutch though no Van Goughs as they are in their own museum. This one has Rembrandt prominently displayed. There were all sorts of art artifacts including doll houses. two paintings I found struck me, one was of a swan who’s nest was being threatened and the other was of a small village scene seen by moonlight, it was a beautifully different and done well. The girl bought some postcards and gave the one with the swan to me and put her address on it. she had to meet another guy at 4.30 so left, I wandered around until 5pm closing time and walked back to the hostel. I had my dinner and talked to a few people, did some work on my bike then talked with a young American from Minneapolis until they shouted us out at 12.30am

19/2 85kim

Up 7.30 and had breakfast with the American girl, it’s lucky she was heading off today or I might have been tempted to try and wheedle her into wandering around Amsterdam to the museum again! I said goodbye at 8.30 and was on the road by 9am. I felt really good, almost bursting at the seems with exuberance. I followed the route to Uitdam through the beautiful little village of Durgerdam, there were no cars adding to the pleasant ride. I met the E10 at Monnickendam, took a quick detour through Edam adding to my cheese featured towns. On to Hoorn and through small villages until I got a flat tyre just over the canal at Medemblik. It took 1/2 to fix. At 2.30 I headed off again. I picked up my tucker in Middenmeer and found a really nice campsite in the forest just south of Den Oever where I took a self portrait photograph.

20/3 110km

Off at 9.30 am and onto the Afsluitdijk. It took 1 3/4hrs to cross which didn’t include the stop at the monument, it was windy, very windy. I followed the coast along small roads to Dokkum and on to Lauwersmeer where I camped on the dyke looking out to sea.

21/3 80km

The wind had stiffened during the night to prove not a nice headwind all day today. I headed straight for Delfzijl where I bought 57Guilders of stamps, then down to Scheemda where I had a blood nose for no apparent reason, and decided to camp in the forest nearby. Even though it had been a sunny day it had been very cold with many of the small canals still frozen. As soon as I take my gloves off, my hands get too cold quickly. My eyes are hurting at the end of the day even though I had my sunglasses on today. The wind came steadily out of the east making it slow going today and flagging my spirits, I’ve still got a long way to go.

22/3 80km

It was a really cold morning, well below zero. The wind was light but still out of the east. I had a flat 1/2hr after setting off and ruined a tube trying to put the folding tyre on as the rear tyre looks too weak to ride on. As the hours rolled on the wind picked up until it was as bad as yesterday. I decided to have a stop at Bremen YHA so stopped short of Oldenberg. I spent 17DM on food and 21.60DM on a new tyre. The main difference between Holland and Germany is that Germany has more trees by the road making for a better wind break. I camped by the roadside at a canal and watched the traffic and the barges go by. There was a pair of ducks that moved seemingly contentedly up the canal, they mated in front of me and moved on browsing as they went. What a life! At one stage today I was doing y usual struggle against the wind when I noted that there was a huge truck coming the other way, nothing unusual there, I braced myself for the extra blast of wind as usual, but just as I looked up into the drivers face to watch his face turn to wonderment at the sight of me, I had but a moments notice of a car as it emerged from behind the truck going like a bat out of hell. I had no time to react as it screamed between the truck and me, narrowly missing both of us, how they managed that I don’t know, but it was the closest call I’ve had so far, it was a while before the adrenaline dissipated but for the next 20-30km I ran it through my head time after time.

23/3 60km

Up and off by 8.30 I took it slow because my right knee doesn’t feel good, it’s a bit worrying. The head wind was still there and my energy level was about+1. I was lucky in finding my way through Oldenberg by the freeway easily, and after a stop for lunch I rolled into Bremen at 2pm and went to the hostel and promptly had a shower, changed some more money and went for a walk to the Weser River. Didn’t do much in the eve. Just before bed I talked with a French guy who studies languages, and works for six months and travels for six months each year.

24/3

They gave us a measly breakfast for 3marks then I went for a look around on my own. I found a war memorial for the 1st world war and it seemed strange to think my grandfather may have killed some of the 10,000 names of men that are etched into the wall. There was a statue of a lady who looked for ever at the sad and hopeless memorial that had anti war slogans sprayed all over it. The city was pretty ordinary with a few older houses and a nice open city square. In the avo some Scouts that I’d been talking to came around and took me for an afternoon tea, and I met their Rover group that looked quite rough but were indeed civil, we walked around town again and they showed me the old part of town that I’d missed, the houses here had largely escaped the ravages of our bombs during the 2nd world war. We had hot dogs for dinner and I showed them my slides. At 11pm they took me back to to the YHA and I talked with the French guy for a while again.

25/3 45km

Breaky was better this morning, we got a boiled egg each. By 9am I was off. It had rained a bit last night, but apart from a steady easterly wind with southern tendencies which made it a nice cross tail wind I headed through deserted streets and wound my way north through smaller roads towards Bremervode and was 8 or so kilometres short when a car pulled over in front of me and out popped a guy. he spoke English and asked a lot of questions. he was an American, a teacher rather than a serviceman and asked me to come and have lunch with him, so I said okay, so we dumped the bike in the boot and drove back to Osterholtz Scharmbeck where I had to play a practical joke on his fellow teacher who once taught in Yarram in western Victoria. The we all had lunch together, a marvelous roast. Much later at 6pm they drove me up to the Wischhafen ferry, via Kohlen (they took a wrong turn) and at the ferry we said so long. I rode on from the other side for a while and camped in a car park.

26/3 120km

The wind was the same as yesterday but got stronger as the day wore on with a few light showers here and there. I hit the road at 9am. and camped at 5.30pm at Bredstedt. The day was the average day with the smallest roads I could find going the right way, small towns, the occasional wave from a motorist and the occasional rest by the road. I tried ringing Rolf but the phonebooth was no good for international calls which is stupid being so close to the border.

27/3 110km

It was raining when I got up, so had to pack up in the rain for the first time in a while, I didn’t do a bad job. It didn’t take long to cross the border and in Tonder I got 250kroner for £20, got a map and a little snack for lunch. A few kilometres up the road as a light rain was falling I ate lunch in a bus shelter. I rode into Gram at 4pmbut the YHA had a school group so no room for me, the man sent me 7km west to another hostel but there was no one there. I waited for 1/2hr but when no one turned up I decided to camp so went up through Fole to camp. I rang up Rolf’s place and talked to his grandfather, Rolf is in France but he said I could come and wait for him to return.

28/3 60km

It rained again last night so my tent is still wet. It was an easy day despite a cruel crosswind. I rolled into the farm at 3.30pm and met Rolf’s brother. Soon granddad rolled up and said we should come over for dinner, we chatted for a while, dinner was a long affair, then we sat and watched MASH on TV and bed early.

29/3

Went to the bakery where Rolf’s brother is an apprentice, a messy little place that produced nice cakes. Came back for lunch with grandad, lazed through the avo and went over to grandad’s house for dinner again. Played cards after, I won 1kr, but gave it back.

30/3

Another day of doing nothing with lunch thrown in there somewhere. later that avo grandad’s daughter with husband and kids came for dinner so it was a large gathering, we played cards afterwards, I won 3ore this time, not much but I gave it back anyway.

31/3

At last today I was able to contribute. We went into the woods and used a chainsaw to cut wood, during which it snowed on us. We cut a cart load before lunch. After lunch we cut another cart load. By the time we’d finished I was tired and sore but happy to have been of help. Rolf turned up at 4pm, we had afternoon tea which included cakes made by his brother, they were all eaten. Rolf was tired so went to bet, the rest of us played cards I won 2kr70ore this time and gave it back again.

1/4

Rolf and I yattered the day away with a break for lunch which had at grandparents. He showed me round the farm then we cooked our own dinner.

2/4

A day of doing nothing, when Rolf came back he went to bed. later when he got up he found me a heap of stamps, so after dinner I went through them til midnight.

3/4

Up 8am and played with stamps all day, in the evening Rolf insisted that I go through his spare Greenland and danish stamps and take one of each so that was the evening taken care of.

4/4

Finished off what I wanted to do with the stamps by lunch then sat around all avo. We had rice pudding for desert but Danish style, it was delic. Later in the eve I went to say so long for a while to the grandparents and got sucked into the inevitable card game, this time I lost 10kr30ore. Bed 1030pm.

5/4

After much fiddling around including shower and breaky I hit the road at 9.30am and followed the 441 that seemed to take forever to get anywhere. The first 20km or so were hell, my bum just wouldn’t settle down to a comfy spot and my legs threatened to cave in. I managed to find my rhythm and a reasonable pace later and via a short cut through some very thin roads I got to Middelfart for lunch, but I went 1km too far and had to go back. It was 2.30pm before I found a cafeteria with a seat for lunch, then it was a slog against that damn easterly to Ullerslev where rain forced the end of play, it hung around til10pm and soon after I was asleep.

6/4

No rain this morning but the tent was still wet from last night’s rain. Went the long way to the ferry terminal and missed the ferry so waited for the 10.45 one. I had a slow day against a steady easterly to end up on a soccer pitch at Solrod Strand with a clear sky above.

7/4

It rained from 5-9am this morning so my tent was sodden as were the bushes that I’d camped amid. As I hit the road though it became a nice day. I ate my apple as I rumbled along and took a left turn to see a no bikes sign, so I turned around with one hand but ran up the divider and capsized the bike, I threw down my apple core in a minor tantrum and heaved the bike up, as I did so a car drove by with the occupants laughing their heads off I must have looked quite ridiculous. The rest of the ride into Copenhagen was okay. I arrived at the hostel 15mins too late to check in so I put my bike aside and went to stock up on food. On the way I saw some Scouts at their hut so I went and introduced myself and had a yarn with them for a while then sat by the lake watching the birds til the hostel opened at midday. Checked in and went for a ride into town, and went for a wander around, it’s a nice place. When I tried to find my way back to the hostel I went in a big loop and found myself back at the centre again but I recognised it as the road I’d originally come in on so I was able to retrace my way back. There weren’t many people in but I talked with a guy from Vancouver BC and a girl from Norway named Lajla, we chatted until they closed down the dinning room and we went off to bed.

8/4

At breakfast Lajla came and sat next to me so we got talking again and decided to go exploring together. We re-met at the famous mermaid statue and strolled through the parks and streets to the round tower. We couldn’t find much of interest for lunch and ended up at a fast food place that played music, it was full of people with weird hairstyles. We both had salads. Then some more walking and sitting in parks til 7pm when she tried to contact her uncle but couldn’t. We went back to the hostel and chatted with a Scottish bloke. At 10pm we walked and jogged to the railway station to get there by 11pm. After a hug she boarded the train and off to Oslo she went. After she’d gone I realized that she’s affected me as much as the Judith had in Amsterdam and I went through a heap of emotions as I slowly strolled back to the hostel. I hope I get to meet her again. It was 12.15 when I got back and was soon asleep feeling happy and sad all over.

9/4

By 9am I was off on a foggy morning after some rain in the busy city streets to Dragor to catch the ferry to Malmo. There I changed £20 and got 200 Swedish Kroner and change, got a good map and found my way through well signposted cycle tracks to Lomma and Bjarred, then up via some dirt tracks to Svalov where I bought something for dinner and in the forest south of Kagerog I found a lake and an open faced hut with benches, so after some dinner I got the sleeping bag out and slept on the bench.

10/4

On the road at 10am, I went through some small villages to Helsingborg to catch the ferry to Helsingor and along the 205. I had lunch by a lake then along some nice forested roads to Liseleje where I camped at 5pm on the sand dunes overlooking the sea. It had been a short pleasant day with light winds, though still cold.

11/4

Up to the sound of the army playing games. They came over to tell me I was on military land (only just). At 10am I was on my way with a wet tent from the dew, that had collected a lot of sand as I packed it up. It was another no wind cold sunny day. The Hundested fishing fleet was in port where I waited for the ferry. Stocked up in Nykobing and had lunch just outside Lumsas. It was an hour’s wait for the ferry at Havnebyen (yes I have). On an almost glassy sea it was a pleasant sail to Jutland. Ebeltoft was all closed up so I rode on to Lyngsbaek Strand where I found a nice patch of grass by the sea to pitch camp, another relaxing pleasant day, the only downer is a slow leak in the front tyre.

12/4

Fixed the leak before I hit the road so it was 10.30 on a really nice day despite a wind from the NW. for the first time I headed out without a jacket on and no frozen fingers, it was a slow comfortable day through pleasant countryside for most of the way. I saw a group of cyclists at one stage, a rare sight in Europe, we waved at each other as we passed. On through Ry where I rang up Rolf to tell them to expect me back tomorrow. Went to Salton Langso a nice lake but had to go down a farm track to find a good campsite amongst the whispering oak trees. I put everything out to air and sat down to soak up the afternoon sunshine until the wind got too cold had dinner then in the gloaming took some interesting shots of reeds by the lake. bed at 8.30pm

13/4

I had a sleep in this morning so didn’t leave until 11am. The sun tried valiantly to make it a nice day but the wind won as it came whipping out of the SW, exactly the way I was going. Even the hills made no difference it kept on blasting into me whether I was going up hill or down hill. So I was happy when at 3pm I got into Give and out to the farm. I soon had myself cleaned up and went to say hello to the grandparents and had dinner with Rolf and his brother, and watched TV in the eve.

14/4

Up 7.30, breaky then Rolf and I went for a drive to Holstebro where we had some morning tea, then on to Lemvig where we met some Rovers at a weekend house. We had lunch with them, then down to the beach and saw the sunken bunkers that the Germans built during the second world war. Back to the same place for dinner and while some of the others proceeded to get slowly drunk I just sat and daydreamed. At 10pm we drove back home (Rolf didn’t drink).

15/4

A day of work, we cut large logs into short ones and split thick ones into thin ones, all to go into the fireplace. We used a tractor driven saw and splitter and I did some splitting by hand. at 4pm we had afternoon tea with the grandparents. I then made sure I could get everything on my bike then dinner of burnt butter milk entree and burnt omelette, not too badly burnt though. Then to some friend’s place where I showed my slides and chatted with Rolf until midnight.

16/4

Up 7.30 and on the road by 9.00 after booking my seat on the ferry. The wind was the predictable head wind but not until Arre did it start to pick up enough to annoy me. I got to Esbjerg in plenty of time bought my Danish stamps and payed 650Kr for my passage and at 4.30pm boarded the ship bound for Harwich UK. I chatted with a few older people then checked out my bunk in the bowels of the ship. Dinner was an all you can eat for 70Kr, sat around for a while and turned in at 11pm. I was to have no peace. The ship was okay, a gentle swell and a bit of engine noise, it was a bit hot and stuffy, but the main problem was the people. First it was schoolies with their incessant nonsensical natter, then 2 guys in my room joined in perfect snorting harmony to keep me awake, joined occasionally by a guy in the next room. It was 2.30am before I was tired enough to get to sleep.

17/4

Up by 9am for a pig out all you can eat breaky that included Danish pastries. I then found a spot in the sun on the leeward side of the ship and dozed until it was time to dock. it was 16C when we landed but it was windy and cloudy as I headed inland. I got to within 10miles of Cambridge and camped on a disused railway.

18/4

Up early and tried ringing uncle Ian but no response I went through Cambridge and tried again with no luck, so they must be away. I put my head down and after many miles which seemed like more I arrived in Loughborough at 4pm. I couldn’t find the key, next door was no help, so I sat around and hoped they’d eventually turn up. Later I went for a second look for the key and found it. I was disappointed by the mail, only the Sandersons had written.

19-20/4

Days of sunshine and helping uncle in the garden.

21/4

Up 5.30 and left at 6.15, arriving in Grantham at 8.45am. We were soon on the airfield and rolling around trying to get the hang of a landing roll. The main group was a Coventry Venturer unit. I got 4 flights in before it got dark. I had a good look through their parascending operating proceedures. I was to sleep in a back yard, so my gear went into the Landrover and my bike went into the guard room and off to Stamford. after a Chinese restaurant dinner I ended up on a loungeroom floor. It was midnight before I slipped off to sleep.

22/4

Up 6.45 and back to the airfield, today’s group was army. I didn’t have to roll around as much. It was windy and I got in 3 flights none of the landings were any good and hurt my hand twice. I left at 6pm with a headache to ride back but made a wrong turn and ended up camping near Belvoir Castle.

23/4

Up late, it was a 2hr ride back to Loughborough. In the avo Greg and Heather came around and we chatted, I had my stamps out all over the floor. I got all my gear that I didn’t need together and gave it to them to take down to Guy’s as a last rallying point before I go back to Oz.

24/4

I rode down to Birstall, met up with Greg and Heather and we went to the British Association of Parascending Clubs (BAPC) but it was closed for Easter still so back to Birstall and sat around in the sunshine chatting and occasionally trying a landing roll. later rode back to Loughborough, uncle and aunty had gone out so I catered for myself.

25/4

Greg and Heather picked me up and we went to the BAPC for a while. I told them of my change of address and got a few badges. Then to see one of Greg’s relatives and on to Harlow where we met one of the makers of parachutes for parascending. He was showing some army majors a few tricks. A young chap was taking them up as a passenger on a large wing. 2 of them went up with 30ft risers, they looked rather precarious there dangling below the chute. One move they tried twisted up the lines and he lost steering. I tried to get a train back but couldn’t find one that worked so ended up going to one of Heather’s relatives on a little property near Norwich and slept on the longe floor after an evening of chatting.

26/4

After breaky I helped Greg fix his car but we couldn’t get the horn to work. I was taken to the ringroad and A47 junction and hitchhiked my way back to Loughborough. It was 3.30pm when I left Norwich but I got a long ride on my third ride that got me to Newark. A few more short ones to the A46 and got home at 8.15pm. Round to my Venturers to organise the weekend

27/4

The day just disappeared!

28/4

Up 5.30. Uncle came down to say his final farewell and I rode off into the sunrise. Rolo and Simon came for the day and said that they’d enjoyed themsekves. I only got 2 flights in the first one wasn’t too good, but I was happy with my second. I did a lot of launch marshaling and briefings with the Lincolnshire Scouts. I went over to a wood that I’d spotted from the air to camp. I’d just pitched my tent and was getting ready to eat when there was an almighty bang nearby. I nearly hit the deck as I thought that the farmer was shooting at me, but it was just a scarecrow. It only banged once more before it got dark and silenced.

29/4

I was awake before the first bang, and had only two before I headed over to the airfield. Today’s group were Rangers, 18 girls, some were very friendly. I only got 1 flight in because of high wind so I a lot of time to chat with the girls, 2 in particular I found attractive. I got to do a lot of launch marshaling and made a few mistakes. All in all a good day. I camped again but a bit further down the road away from the bangs.

30/4

Off by 9am and rode into Leicester through pleasant hills. I bought two Gortex jackets for £49ea one for me and one for Greg then on south. I got to Buckingham with constant cross winds.

1/5

The wind wasn’t too bad today and I found myself within reach of Rustington W Sussex with the look of rain in the air. I checked to see if was okay to arrive tonight then I pushed on to make sure I had a comfortable bed to sleep in for the night.

2/5

It took all day to dismantle and clean the bike ready for its trip back to Australia. In the eve Greg showed us his slides of their European trip some were very good.

3/5

More packing and not doing much.

4/5

I bought one of the Thomas Covenant books by Stephen Donaldson, my favourite series of books ever and read half of it by the end of the day. We were supposed to head over for the BAPC course today but Greg hadn’t finished packing so we’ll go tomorrow.

5/5

Up 7am breaky and hit the road at 7.30am went via motorways to Ashford to some of Heather’s relatives. I got my money to pay for the course and at 11am we got into West Malling Airfield and registered. We were late getting started. Barry gave us a welcome then we went to lectures on NOTAMS, airfield rules etc. Afterwards Greg Heather and I got together and discussed the day’s activities and how we thought we could improve on them for our activities in Australia. Later Greg and I went for a run around the perimeter track.

6/5

It was too windy to fly even the wings today so we spent the day in lectures and landing roll practice. We had some novices come and we went through the drill with them, but after lunch it was still too windy to fly so they went home and we went back to the drawing book learning things like canopy collapse.

7/5

The wing people got a few flights in early before the wind got up but they weren’t getting any penetration so soon we packed up. It was too windy to practice canopy collapse so we went inside and did pseudo ones. later after more briefings Bernard and us had a drive of the Landrover and do and instruction on the tensiometer and lookout jobs, I did okay. On one scenario Bernard shouted first rotation, I slammed on the breaks but when he said the supposed canopy was till out of control I couldn’t get the word CUT! out, it took 2-3 seconds to say it. One guy shouted out LINE!

8/5

After discussions with Bernard we got out into the field. When it Came to my turn I found that my harness slipped, I had to get out of it. After lunch Suzanne was our instructor, I got to drive Phyliss twice I was the first to fly the sand body, it was a reasonable takeoff but the wind was really low and the sand body came down too quickly and hit the ground too hard. In the end I missed out on more driving and was promised more tomorrow.

9/5

Straight out to the field, I got 7 tows all reasonable though I tend to snatch them up too quickly, the tension goes 2,4,10,11,12 and the guy goes whoosh upwards. I got to drive all three of the Landrovers. We stayed out til it got too dark to fly. We had a semi formal dinner during which mark got a bit pissed. I got into his room and removed all his stuff distributing it all around the place

10/5

Mark hadn’t found his bed last night and had slept in a chair, I was first up and got all his stuff back together. It soon got to him what I’d done and muttered bastard at me in a jovial sort of way. At 9am we went out to the field and were asked to set up and run two operations, which we did though were were a bit slow. It was drizzling when Bernard called a halt. We then debriefed. We were given an unservicable parachute and filled out a foolscap sheet of faults. After lunch I did three tows then some flying I did okay though my stall was incomplete and once I turned the wrong way towards the other operation. Later as we all sat chewing our fingernails they decided that I wouldn’t do the exam tomorrow, Greg with do both wings and parachutes and heather will do just parachutes

11/5

Greg and Heather both passed their exams so we’ll be able to set up an operation in Australia for the Venturers and Rovers.

12/5

I flew home on Philippine Airlines flying via India and Manila, it was a long flight but the cheapest. I calculated that the entire trip encompassed about 33,000km of bike riding. That equates to an average of 34km per day and about 80km per day when on the bike. I was well pleased with myself.