This is the story of Will and his two friends who sailed to England in 1967 to see the world. Aerogrammes. letters, diaries and postcards help to tell of their adventures in this A to Z.

“Waterloo Sunset”   The Kinks  • 1967
Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night?
People so busy, make me feel dizzy
Taxi light shines so bright

52 Weltje Road, Hammersmith, London, 6^th May, 1967

Well, still fitting as much in as short a time as possible and time flies by.  Last weekend eight of us checked out London looking over Westminster Abbey where all the tombs of the illustrious of England are (Kings and Queens, also people like Dickens, Kipling, Gladstone, etc) and then saw Scott’s ship, the Discovery, anchored in the Thames.  

Keith, Phil and the other two blokes moved on, so Sunday night six of us had a few beers at “The Dove”, 250 year old pub down the road and I bet them  £1 I could swim the Thames.  So at midnight I stripped down to my U-tweeds, waded into the freezing water and stroked out.  The tide is very strong as there is a 20 foot rise and fall so I was delirious with joy when my hands hit the bottom on the other side. I contemplated swimming back but knew I would end up too far down the river to get home. Fortunately I was near the Hammersmith Bridge so ran back in my underwear. A lone walker on the bridge glanced at me in surprise but did not reply to my cheery greeting. My mates, who thought I had drowned, gave me a hero’s welcome and a warm coat. I collected my £1.  The next day it snowed (in May) in London but melted on hitting the ground. We’re still laughing over the whole event. The staff at school couldn’t believe it and asked if I had gone to the hospital to get my stomach pumped out. I don’t seem to have had any ill effects.

I’d better answer these questions you asked while I still have the space.  Keith and Phil have been back to the flat for a couple of days after a week in Cornwall sleeping in the van.  They didn’t see much of Scotland before, so are going back for a week tomorrow.  They are spending a bit of money and intend to be in Canada in September to earn some after touring Europe.  As for me I plan to stay for a while and may teach another two terms yet.  I have in mind a trip to Scandinavia and Russia in July for three or four weeks and am hiring a car to tour Ireland in the mid term holidays on May 26^th.  Sharing the flat at the moment is Ted (a Canadian, 20, not a bad guy) and Fred (31) and we are looking for another 1 or 2 shortly.  Michelle is a French and German teacher from Tasmania and Norma is a history teacher from Victoria.  The flat’s a little more normal as we had nine sleeping there one night and eight regularly.  We had to have two sittings for meals!

We have been getting out to see quite a few shows.  Wednesday night last we saw “The Seekers” at the London Palladium.  It was great to see four Aussie’s knocking them dead.  Friday night the girls shouted me to see “Fiddler on the Roof” which is a live musical comedy playing to packed houses and said to be the greatest thing since “My Fair Lady”.  A week or two ago we saw the movie, “A Man for All Seasons” filmed by Fred Zimmerman partly at Hampton Court Palace which we checked out yesterday.

This Saturday we explored Hyde Park which is quite huge and hired a 14 foot dinghy with red and white sails to give the girls a sail.  What a joke, sailing on a puddle hole like the Serpentine.  There was a 10/- deposit which you lost if you capsized it and I had my good clobber on so I didn’t bother to wash the sails.

Yesterday, Sunday, we had a free trip around the Thames Valley with a mini bus so anything for free is a beauty.  We were taken on a conducted tour of Eton School.  Started in 1440 and it’s a regular riot to see these kids in a school “uniform” complete with stiff collars and tails.  Top hats for the prefects.  From there to Windsor Castle where the Queen was in residence.  It’s a gigantic castle built in 1070 and added to ever since.  The Irish guards don’t even smile when you stand right in front of them but apparently if you annoy them too much they salute arms and drop the butt on your toe.  Saw Phil’s polo ponies but didn’t happen to see him or Charlie. Went to Runnymede after and checked out the spot where King John signed the Magna Carta. From there to Hampton Court Palace, once home of Henty VIII and a fabulous place with huge gardens and we managed to get lost in the maze of bushes.  Turned out a good day and a cheap one.

I hope you got your Mothers’ Day card in time, Mum.  Well, I’ve probably forgotten some of the news but afternoon playtime at school is nearly over and the kids will be returning any minute, so I’d better close. 

52 Weltje Road, Hammersmith, London, Thursday, 20^th July, 1967

Received your letter last week.  Good to hear all the news.  I’ve just found time to write as I have been out 20 days of the last 21 every night and all weekend also.  It’s a bit hectic and I must get some rest soon. We have been to see quite a few shows lately.  The play “Ghosts”, the musical “Oliver” starring Australian Barry Humphries, which was great, the open-air production of “Midsummer Night’s Dream” (sensational), the movie “Ulysses” which is banned in Australia and also in parts of England but is completely untouched here – (Wow! Name the four-letter word and they use it), “Zorba the Greek” – a good movie, “Blow Up”, again uncensored, “The Royal Tournament” – displays of music, marching, pageantry and skills by army, navy and air force. This was quite spectacular. 

I have also been getting a few free excursions to places I haven’t been by taking the kids to the Commonwealth Institute.  You should have seen the bus conductor’s face when we asked for 54 tickets.  We used up all the paper in his machine, and to Hamstead Heath where I took the kids swimming in the first open air pool I’ve been in over here.  I have been doing quite a lot of swimming, usually twice a week, once with the kids and once after school. The weather has been quite warm.  I didn’t realise they have such good weather occasionally. But this doesn’t matter as most of the pools are heated.  

We spent an afternoon at Wimbledon watching the tennis and of course we were clapping hard when the Aussies made a good shot which was often.  It was really exciting to see Newcombe win. 

The last two weekends we have spent away from London as its good to get out in the open air and sun again for a change.  Last week seven of us hitched in pairs to Brighton which is the Pom’s number one beach.  Not even a ripple where the surf should be of course, and their beach is all pebbles, but half of London was there. Stayed at a youth hostel, then next day we went to Hastings, riding for a couple of miles in an open top bus (sports model).  Stopped off at the spot where William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and then returned to London.  A cheap weekend as it cost only three pounds sterling for the lot.  

The weekend before we went to Portsmouth and caught the hovercraft, a rough ride across the Solent to Cowes on the Isle of Wight and saw some beautiful yachts.  We spent the Sunday touring the island by coach, got a ferry back to Southampton and then hitched home and it was a great weekend.