Monthly Archives: March 1970

Manchester England to Perth Australia, Overland

Farewell doo at the Vasa club in Blackley, thoroughly tanked up, left Loraine at home, very hard to do but necessary I think. I hope I was right. Didn’t arrive home till 4 am, supposed to be getting up early for a early start but not much chance of that. Finally were ready to go. 2 years … Continue reading »

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France

Up 10.30 picked Syl and Bev after numerous farewells and tears, we arrived at home 2pm loaded up, couple of photos, Sandra’s upset and everyone else! Good run to Dover, LD seems to be running  well. Exhaust bracket snapped at Dover. Not used much oil, slight bump on right wheel. Took my name at customs ” face again” … Continue reading »

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Belgium

First night in LD comfy but cold in the morning, bit cramped for getting organised but think we’ll do ok. Boarded boat 10.45 to Bologna £16.10.00. LD average 25 mpg. 2 gallons engine oil 4 pints gear oil. Ready to go. Drove till 4.30, sensible. Sorted things out quite comfy now, most gear on top. Parked up … Continue reading »

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Belgium

Left Mons 9.30 after good breakfast weather rough, mist and left over snow, a bit cold. Road fairly good. Down through Luxembourg on the same route Dave and I took 8 years ago, as far as Nancy. LD seems to be running well, tightened sump and manifold, fixed number plate to bumper. Stopped here 5 pm washed and … Continue reading »

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France

Stopped in Field overlooking Nancy. Went to town to buy 3 bottles of wine, stayed!! Left at 11pm didn’t get up till 9.30.Did jobs on LD both back exhaust brackets, Good Drive today as far as Luxeil. Throat getting sore. We changed £10 to get through France got 130francs, got about 16 left. Now for Switzerland. Stopped about 6pm had … Continue reading »

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Switzerland

On the road 9am, on to Poligny in the Culée de Vaux valley, then started climbing toward the Swiss border. It started to snow real hard and the roads became hard packed, good job we have a 4 wheel drive. The roadsides were solid walls of ice sometimes 15 foot high, Then as we started  dropping down into Geneva it thinned and became quite mild. … Continue reading »

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Italy

Good run today covered 300 miles. LD running ok, few drops of oil, tightened fan belt. Climbed up out of Geneva onto the Mont Blanc tunnel road. Snow really high again at sides of road. Mont Blanc Tunnel 14 kilometres long 52/- dropped down into Italy. Good roads from then on, payed tolls to use motorway 1200 lira but it … Continue reading »

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Italy

Best nights sleep so far,  My cold is clearing  Up bright and early  7am on the road for 9.30. Good run through to Venice. Splendid city I would like to spend a week here. Looked round for a couple of hours but had to rush off?? Not sure if we can park were we have parked. Travelled down Grand … Continue reading »

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Yugoslavia

Up on the road at 8.15 on into Trieste. Beautiful sunny morning, climbed up above the town. Changed £8 into Dinar, should go a long way value 1/8. Roads dead straight place very thinly populated could easily fall asleep while driving.  Pulled of the main road headed down a dirt lane small houses made of wood … Continue reading »

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Yugoslavia (now Serbia)

The longest most monotonous road ever drove down, from Zagreb to Belgrade the roadside littered with crosses for drivers who went to sleep at the wheel. Some marked with wreaths. Belgrade itself is like somewhere in Russia very poor, not much in the way of products in the shops. The people look poor, never seen to many disabled people about. The city itself … Continue reading »

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Yugoslavia

Parked up about 100 miles from Niz, changed the water then off to an early start. Niz was much better than Belgrade looked more prosperous and the people looked better too, getting to be less Ukraine looking and more Greek. Passed a hot creek on the way, also the first Flamingo since Morocco. Kept driving hard on through Skopje where the big earthquake was, not … Continue reading »

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Greece

Not done many miles today the road has been mainly un tarmacked through woods. Drove down from frontier into Thessalonica got lost Signs are all in Greek, eventually found our way to the lower road to Olympus over mountains a great run but bumpy. Water carrier flew off roof. Passing through the forest the wood cutters chopping … Continue reading »

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Greece

I’m sat by a bowl of red hot embers in a deserted little cove, just eaten hot potatoes with butter on cooked in the embers and a cup of hot whiskey, perfect. After a day of cleaning and servicing LD adjusted tappets tightened nuts and bolts in general, cleaned everything LD looks like new, had … Continue reading »

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Greece

Another day lazing about should be ready for a good run tomorrow towards Istanbul, Had a look round today for mussels but they were to young to eat. Tried panning for gold without success. Collected driftwood for fire, tried to make fire with 2 sticks, no good. The day has passed and it’s been a good … Continue reading »

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Turkey

Good start this morning LD started and is running well. Drove along the coast of Greece toward Turkey. Didn’t think we’d make it today but stopped only 110k’s from Istanbul. The change in people and places in such a short distance was remarkable. The Greek customs seemed keen to know what was being taken out! But Turkish customs didn’t … Continue reading »

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Istanbul

What a day we’ve had today Looked round the Blue Mosque, stayed during prayer time very quiet and peaceful. Visited Museum from 6AD and some from the Byzantine  Empire. The church has been both Muslim and Christian over time. Brass doors inside weighing 8 ton, and marble floor worn away where sentry’s have stood. Black market exchange … Continue reading »

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Istanbul

A very uneasy night went to bed expecting trouble. Left on our clothes and shoes and moved everything away from windows. half asleep about 3am, 3 faces prowling round, pushed his head through the window and flashed a card saying he was the police. When I went to get the card he moved it again, … Continue reading »

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Turkey

Pretty calm day after the hectic weekend drove most of the day just stopping for bread, changed another £5 in Samsun the first major port on the Black Sea. Pitched up on the edge of the sea for the night its cold and bleak, the seas choppy and its throwing it down. As cold as home and were … Continue reading »

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Turkey

Stormy night, seas blowing strong, rain lashing all night, Syl and Bev soaking wet, spent the day drying out bedding. From Samsun we followed the road to Trabzon before turning inland, then we climbed for 3 hours up and up thought we’d never reach the top into clouds then snow 6,600 ft Zigana Pass. Lots of people living on the lower slopes … Continue reading »

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