**Where Alan's itinerary took a different path, the route is indicated in another colour
Day Date From To Via Night
1 26/8 Worcester Dover London
26/8 Dover Ostend
26/8 Ostend Copenhagen Cologne Train
Monday 26th: Got the Scandanavian Express from Victoria at 11pm and reached Ostend at 17.50. (can that be right? It's what I put in the diary!) Spent the night on the train and reached Copenhagen at 8.55. Two girls on the train; one called Rosa Wöger and another who got on off Copenhagen. Bought some food and ate it in a park.
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| Copenhagen |
2 27/8 Copenhagen Oslo Helsingborg
27/8 Oslo Bergen Train
Tuesday 27th: Got the train to Oslo and arrived at 10pm. I wanted to spend the night in the station so as to see Oslo but the waiting room didn't look too inviting so I joined Jez and Steve and went to Bergen. Train journey was comfortable and we arrived at 8.55.
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| en route to Bergen |
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| Mount Floien, Bergen |
28/8 Bergen Oslo
28/8 Oslo Trondheim Train
28/8 Oslo Stockholm
Wednesday 28th: Spent Wednesday morning and early afternoon there. Went up a hill on a train and got the 3pm express back to Oslo. Scenery was great. I left them in Oslo at 22.15 and got the train to Stockholm.
Thursday 29th: Arrived Stockholm at 8am. Had to buy a new water bottle as I left the other one on the train. Plan to rejoin Jez and Steve in Köln on Tuesday. Not looking forward to train ride to Hamburg. 15 bloody hours and 5 Krone reservation ticket!
The train compartment was full to start with but the ticket collector chucked out a sexy french girl as she had to reservation. The others were a fat, greasy Swede, ancient intellectual Swedish woman and a moody Swedish girl and later on an Alsace French bloke. Had a long chat with an Irish bloke. On the Helsingborg ferry I bought some chocolate.
4 29/8 Trondheim Bodo
29/8 Bodo Trondheim Train
29/8 Stockholm Hamburg
30/8 Trondheim
30/8 Trondheim Stockholm Train
30/8 Hamburg Hannover
Friday (30th): Arrived Hamburg at 7.25 and went for a stroll. Took a bus to the Reeperbahn - not a patch on Stockholm. Took the 12.30 train to Hannover. It's bloody hot as I write this. Looking foward to a shower and change of clothes in the hostel and some decent grub.
Wandered around Hannover in a stifling heatwave and caught the tram to the Hostel. Had good meal and shower. met a bloke from high Wycombe who was at Brasenose, 2 army blokes and an Aussie who was reading Homer.
6 31/8 Stockholm
31/8 Stockholm Turku Boat
31/8 Hamburg Karlsruhe Baden Baden
Saturday 31st: Took the tram into town and caught 9.53 to Karlsruhe, arriving at 15.17. Got off the train in Karlsruhe HBH but got straight back on as I found it went to Baden Oos. From there got but into Baden itself and marched up the hill to the hostel. Dumped my gear there and went back to town to buy some food but it was Saturday and everything was closed. Rained heavily. Went down to town with two English blokes and had a Currywurst and chips for 3.50DM. Got back to hostel and had a chat with various Germans. Warden's wife was rather a battle-axe and made us all go to bed at 9.30. The lads made jokes about the poor condition of the hostel.
7 1/9 Turku Helsinki
1/9 Helsinki Turku
1/9 Turku Stockholm Boat
1/9 Baden Baden Mainz
Sunday (1st Sept): She woke us up at 6.30 and after a lousy breakfast we had to do a few chores. Saw Corinne's house in Baden Oos and got the train to Karlsruhe where I had a look around the town. Landesmuseum, and a pharmaceutical exhibition. Got the 15.09 for Mainz. Arrived at hostel at 17.10 after effortless journey. No meals at hostel but there was a big fair right next door so I had a Wurst and Brötchen and herring and onion roll. Looked around till 9pm then had a shower, watched a bit of TV and retired to bed.
8 2/9 Stockholm Copenhagen
2/9 Copenhagen Cologne Puttgarden Train
2/9 Mainz Bingen Oberwesel Köln
Monday 2nd: Got bus back to town and waited for train to Bingen. stopped for hour in Bingen and got 10.31 to Oberwesel. Climbed up to Schönberg and stayed till lunchtime. Went back down - lunch of wurst w brötchen and ½ liter milk. Wandered to end of village and back and caught the 14.53 to Köln. Arrived at 17.30. Met a girl from london (physiotherapist) who guided me to the hostel via UBahn. It was expensive and offered no meal but went back to station and ate at a Schnellimbiß. saw film 'die Ausgebufften' (Les valseurs) and went back to station. Talked to an American who was friend of president Ford and his son. Stayed in station till 3.30am when we were chucked out. Bummed around till 8.17 train arrived with Jez and Steve
9 3/9 Cologne Oberwesel Koblenz
3/9 Oberwesel Frankfurt Hostel
Tuesday 3rd: Back to Oberwesel and up the Schönberg again. Took the 15.25 to Strasbourg but ended up in Frankfurt as we couldn't get connections in time. Walked to Frankfurt hostel and paid 7DM. Went out for a meal - 3 Rühreier mit Schinken, Pommes, Salat und Bier for 6.40DM
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| coming down from Schönberg |
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| From the terrace of the Schönberg. |
10 4/9 Frankfurt Strasbourg Karlsruhe Hostel
11 5/9 Strasbourg Basle
5/9 Basle Berne
5/9 Berne Zurich
5/9 Zurich Milan Train
Wednesday 4th: Got the 8.55 to Strasbourg arriving at 12.19. Looked round all afternoon. Bought beer for 1.10Fr, plus yoghurt, cheese and cake. Got to the hostel at 17.20. Steve and I went into town at night and saw a minor car crash on the way back. My diary notes do not mention Karlsruhe
Thursday 5th: Took the 9.45 to Basel and spent a couple of hours there before moving on to Berne, where we had some grub in a park and climbed the cathedral. left for Zurich at 17.19 and looked around there for 5 hours, had a pizza for 3 FS. Got the 23.40 to Milan.
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| View from berne Cathedral |
12 6/9 Milan Interlaken Brig
6/9 Interlaken Zurich Lucerne Hostel
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| Brig Spiez |
Friday 6th: Arrived Milan at 6.10. had a cappucino and got the train to Switzerland. 2 Aussie girls in the carriage. Took trip over the Simplon and Interlaken but it poured with rain all day. We got to Zurich at 4 o'clock and went to the hostel. Had a meal there for 5 FS and met two interrailers from Cardiff university.
13 7/9 Zurich Interlaken Lucerne
7/9 Interlaken Zurich Olten
7/9 Zurich Vienna Train
Saturday 7th: Made a repeat journey of the day before and got to Interlaken at 13.30. Bought food and headed up the hill for a view of the Jungfrau. we hid our rucksacks in a wood and went up to the Heimwehfluh where we took a few photos of the mountains, though they were still in mist. Took the night train to Vienna from Zurich and had a compartment to ourselves.
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| Interlaken |
Sunday 8th: Arrived Vienna at 8.00 and went to town. Saw Big Fun Fair (Prater), Donau, Parliament, Opera, university and a fat man driving coach and horse. Walked for miles, Had meal of frankfurters and chips for 24 AS. Took 24.00 train to Munich
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| Wien |
14 8/9 Vienna
8/9 Vienna Munich Salzburg Train
15 9/9 Munich
9/9 Munich Oberammergau Hostel
Monday 9th: Got to Munich at 7.06 and I went to the Olympic Stadium. Steve and Jez went to Löwenbrau. Got 13.10 to Oberammergau. Ver hot. Arrived 4pm and headed to hostel. We got a bit lost but eventually got there at 4.50. Only 2.80DM and another 3.50DM for meal. A few school kids were there. Went to town in the evning for a beer.. Had to run back as thunder and lightening threatened. Storm.
16 10/9 Oberammergau Innsbruck
10/9 Innsbruck Ljubljana Schwarzach
10/9 Ljubljana Belgrade Zagreb Train
Tuesday 10th: Left hostel at 8.45 and sped to station for 9.00 train. Arrived Innsbruck at 12.00. Had lunch of milk, cheese etc. and got 12.45 to Ljubjana. A German girl from Freiburg boarded at Jesinice. Got off in Ljubljana. After a beer in a dodgy pub where all the locals stared at we walked around the town then made an abortive attempt to get get on an overcrowded train. We eventually got the 0.50 to Belgrade. Bloody cold on train. Few seats. I slept in compartment with girl, Jez and Steve found room in another.
17 11/9 Belgrade
11/9 Belgrade Ljubljana Zagreb Train
Wednesday 11th: Arrived belgrad 9.00. Walked around the town. Met a few Jugolsavs. had a Turkish coffee - expensive and pretty horrible! Got 15.08 out of Belgrade to Ljubljana again, then to Venice. Bad night on train. Ran along the track at 1.30 whilst changing compartments
18 12/9 Ljubljana Venice Trieste Hostel
Thursday 12th: Arrived Venice at 9am. Did some sight-seeing. Spent an hour at the post-office. Accidentally stole 2 postcards. Pizza at 10am. No lunch, just a few cappucini. Went to the hostel on a vaporetto. Arrived at hostel early and sat in queue for an hour. Lots of English. Dinner at hostel. Met Cambridge bloke from Queens'. He told me that I'd likely have to share a room at start of term as my block was being refurbished. He'd been warned in a letter. Went into town with New Zealander. Saw St Marks Square by lamplight. had bottle of wine. and got boat back. Sat outside with G. for half an hour. Magic of Venice!
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| St Mark's Square, Venice |
19 13/9 Venice
13/9 Venice Florence
13/9 Florence Rome Train
Friday 13th: Got the train to Florence and did some sightseeing. Went to the station to catch the 2.19 to Rome but it didn't arrive til 4.00 and was so full that we only found a space outside the toilet - 3 people were even squashed in there! Very hot. Felt sick. Had bad stomach and the journey was hellish.
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| Gertraud on Ponte Vecchio, Florence |
20 14/9 Rome Hostel
Saturday 14th: Reached Rome at 7.30am Decided to see the Colosseum. Saw the forum and had a nap with G. on the Colle Palatino.Met Jez and Steve again at the station intending to go to Sicily but the train was packed , so we went to the Rome hostel. Had a meal and slept early.
21 15/9 Rome Marseilles Genoa
15/9 Marseilles Irun Lourdes Train
15/9 Day in Rome
Jez and Steve left. I went to the Vatican with G: and then to Catacombs. Sat in a nice cafe. Walked along the Appian way. After a meal in the hostel we had a serious talk and she wanted to go to Naples, I to France as Italy was too hot for me. Agreed to meet in Bordeaux. In four days. Slept well despite some sort of football match going on outside the hostel.
22 16/9 Irun San Sebastian Hostel
16/9 Rome - Genoa
Monday 16th: Gertraud got 10.15 to Naples, I took the 11am to Genoa. Carriage full of typical Italians. Some bloke gave me some sausage and bread and another family played cassettes and danced. Arrived Genoa 17.35 and met a Japanese chap. Went to the hostel on a bus with him. Hostel well situated but full of les Anglais. Looked around the town in the evening.
23 17/9 San Sebastian Bordeaux Irun
17/9 Bordeaux Lyons Train
17/9 Genoa Marseilles Lourdes
Tuesday 17th: Got the bus to Genova station. Carriage full of Italian family with a push chair, piles of suitcases and kids who spelled orangeade over a bloke's accordian. Met a schotch guy and had a drink and sandwich with him at Nice. Sat on promenade des Anglais and wandered around town. Bought Iliad and La Nauseé. Got 21.57 to Bordeaux. I should have changed at Marseilles but I met a guy from Harrow who found me a nice compartment, so i stayed in it after ge got out at marseilles - went on to Lourdes.
24 18/9 Lyons Geneva Hostel
18/9 Lourdes Bordeaux
Wednesday 18th: Arrived Lourdes 11.30. Rained hard during the train journey and cold in Lourdes but lovely after the heat of Rome. had breakfast for 4.50F. Town very nice. Took train to Bordeaux. Found hostel, bought food and ate it in the kitchen. Spoke to English grape picker and Danish guy. Went at bed at 11pm
25 19/9 Geneva Lyons
19/9 Lyons Marseilles
19/9 Marseilles Cannes
19/9 Bordeaux - Vierzon
Thursday 19th: Got up and as I was pinning a note for G. on the board I saw a note for me. The warden said she had left 5 minues previously. Made for the town to find her and then thought that she could be at the station. Passing a café and saw her through the window. Took the train at 12.00 to Vierzon as I wanted to visit Corinne. Hostel there was completely empty apart from us. Spooky place. Spent the evening in front of the TV.
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| en route To Vierzon |
20/9 Chateauroux - Paris
Friday 20th: Woke Gertraud at 7am, breakfasted and went on 8.42 to Chateauroux. Unable to contact Corinne. Waited for train to Paris intending to go to Freiburg. Travelled via Paris and spent the night in the carriage with Jugoslav bloke who spoke no English or French.
27 21/9 Laval Friends
21/9 Paris - Basel - Freiburg
Saturday 21st: Arrived in Basel and got train to Freiburg. Got to G's flat and went to town. Sausage and Sauerkraut for meal. Bought Vergil's Hirtengedichte and slept all afternoon and evening.
28 22/9 Laval Paris Le Mans
22/9 Paris Dover Dunkirk Boat
22/9 Day in Freiburg
Sunday 22nd: Stayed in bed late. Went to see American Grafitti. Evening of Glühwein and Bach music.
29 23/9 Dover Worcester London
23/9 Day in Freiburg Monday 23rd: Gertraud had to go to uni to matriculate. Bought Pliny's Letters. Had lunch at Mensa and then stroll around Physics and Medical departments. Her flatmates, Rafaela and Eda, arrived. Saw Le Voyou by Lelouche on TV. Drank Sekt and went to bed.
24/9 Freiburg - Strassbourg - Paris Tuesday 24th: Got up at 10 and went to shops with Eda. breakfast and washed up and left at 12. Took 2pm train to Strasbourg. Saw the Dom and Emmanuelle. Got 11.30 to Paris. 2 guys from Strasbourg in the compartment. Very hot.
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| Strassbourg - Dom |
25/9 Paris - Rouen
Wednesday 25th: Reached Paris at 6.40. Changed some money. Got bus to St Lazare and then to Rouen.
26/9 Rouen - Dover - Aylesbury
Diary finished after Rouen - I think we must have spent the night in the hostel. We went back to Aylesbury, arriving after midnight, and Gertraud stayed with me for a couple of days and then we hitch-hiked to Cambridge. Andy Keep put us up for a couple of days as he was doing a science course in the summer and had a big room at Caius.
Gertraud then went off to Ireland as she had another week at least on her Interrail ticket.
I visited Gertraud that Christmas and New Year in Freiburg. We stayed in touch and when I was in Wiesbaden 1977-1980 we met up a couple of times. Her daughters stayed with us when they were on a UK trip in 2011.
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| Titter ye not ! That's how we dressed and looked back then. |
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