Monday, May 29, 2006
A reminder of times past – part 2
From Bombay the journey continued by the Indian ship “State Of Haryana”, via the Seychelles, to Mombasa in Kenya.
A number of people had left the trip in India and others had joined, and we were to meet more replacements upon arrival in East Africa.
On January 6, 1971 this article appeared in the Nairobi newspaper the Daily Nation:-
What a way to go
It started with small hand written advertisements in men’s and women’s loos in London. It is continuing with a round-the-world motor-trip for a dozen hardy adventurers who are taking their time – a year – to see the varied cultures of this globe.
Twenty-three-year-old Graham Strachan, an Australian farmer from a Melbourne suburb, has a bit of Marco Polo in him. He has driven half a dozen times from Britain to India. But last year he wanted to do something more adventurous.
A number of people had left the trip in India and others had joined, and we were to meet more replacements upon arrival in East Africa.
On January 6, 1971 this article appeared in the Nairobi newspaper the Daily Nation:-
What a way to go
It started with small hand written advertisements in men’s and women’s loos in London. It is continuing with a round-the-world motor-trip for a dozen hardy adventurers who are taking their time – a year – to see the varied cultures of this globe.
Twenty-three-year-old Graham Strachan, an Australian farmer from a Melbourne suburb, has a bit of Marco Polo in him. He has driven half a dozen times from Britain to India. But last year he wanted to do something more adventurous.
Top: Graham Strachan, John Smith, Peter O'Neill and Peter Froment. Bottom: Sandy Thompson, Noel Huntley, Jenny Jones, Carole Proctor, Heather Storey and Margaret Curry.
So he struck on the idea of a round-the-world trip in his mini-bus from Britain overland to India, thence to Mombasa and down south to sail over to Australia. From there on to New Zealand and again across to South America. Then it would be north to Canada and back home.
To recruit passengers for this global bus safari he posted handwritten advertisements in the men’s and women’s toilets at every party he attended in London last summer.
It was not taken as a joke and more than a dozen adventurers from Britain, Australia and New Zealand turned up, Graham charged them ₤520 for expenses for the year-long trip.
They roared off from misty London for more sunny lands in their diesel mini-bus dubbed “Stanjun”. “Now we have seven girls and five men on this trip who have taken a year off from their work and are determined to see something of the varied culture and lands of the world,” he told me.
They are clerks, secretaries, nurses, teachers and engineers.
When I rode their bus in Nairobi I was greeted by cheerful people who take bumps in their stride. Aren’t you fed up by being bounced along the dusty winding roads by now was my first question.
“We love it,” said a couple of girls visibly suntanned. Graham added: “It is cheaper to travel this way and you also have a one-year holiday.”
What have been the memorable experiences on the trip?
“Treading grapes for wine at the Daphni Wine Festival,” said one. “Being chased by wolves in Yugoslavia,” said another.
“Driving up 50 miles on a dry river bed in Iran.”
To recruit passengers for this global bus safari he posted handwritten advertisements in the men’s and women’s toilets at every party he attended in London last summer.
It was not taken as a joke and more than a dozen adventurers from Britain, Australia and New Zealand turned up, Graham charged them ₤520 for expenses for the year-long trip.
They roared off from misty London for more sunny lands in their diesel mini-bus dubbed “Stanjun”. “Now we have seven girls and five men on this trip who have taken a year off from their work and are determined to see something of the varied culture and lands of the world,” he told me.
They are clerks, secretaries, nurses, teachers and engineers.
When I rode their bus in Nairobi I was greeted by cheerful people who take bumps in their stride. Aren’t you fed up by being bounced along the dusty winding roads by now was my first question.
“We love it,” said a couple of girls visibly suntanned. Graham added: “It is cheaper to travel this way and you also have a one-year holiday.”
What have been the memorable experiences on the trip?
“Treading grapes for wine at the Daphni Wine Festival,” said one. “Being chased by wolves in Yugoslavia,” said another.
“Driving up 50 miles on a dry river bed in Iran.”
This was a part of the daily exercise regime in Nairobi. The slacker (not pushing) on the right is Margaret Curry
After spending Christmas of 1970 camped on a beach at Mombasa, and New Year at Malindi, we set off on the African leg of our journey.
Luxury campsite at Mombasa, Kenya. Note Graham's genuine Indian carpet being used as a picnic blanket on Christmas Day 1970.
# posted by Brutus : 1:31 PM
