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.

"Les Bicyclettes de Belsize"    Engelbert Humperdinck  • 1969
Turning and turning
The world goes on
We can’t change it my friend
Let us go riding now through the days
Together to the end

Extract from Diary

Saturday 2nd of September 1967 

Looking for flat. Saw one at Cricklewood. Michelle left for Europe. To OVC to watch TV and have a few beers. Decided to take Cricklewood flat.

14 Oaklands Road, Cricklewood. Will and friends lived on the ground floor. Photo from Apple Maps.

Sunday the 3rd of September 1967 

Late up. To Tate Gallery to see display (not impressed) and then to Imperial War Museum which was very interesting.

Monday the 4th of September 1967

Tube to school. My new class (2C) has a bad reputation from last year but still there are only 22 or 24 kids. 65% are West Indian and 50% are practically illiterate. 

A mother saw me this morning and said, “I buy this book for my little girl and she can’t even read “T-H-A-T” so please teach her to read and hit her hard if she does not try.”

All I could reply was I’ll see what I can do. Four new teachers arrived and we have a free hand to teach whatever curriculum we like. 

Tuesday 5th of September 1967

My new class is to have eight other kids added to make 32 and boy, do they need help! Reading ability is mostly non-existent and they can hardly count to 10.

Spent evening going out to Cricklewood to fix deposit of flat and letter writing.

Saturday 9^th September 1967

Spent the morning packing and made two trips in the Morris 1000 to the new flat.  Spent all arvo unpacking and moving furniture and doing some shopping. Pleased to get mail from my brother Jack.  Big news is Gail is expecting and I’m to be an uncle!

Sunday 10^th September 1967

Spent the morning after breakfast cleaning everything in sight. When landlord arrived, Phil was cleaning windows, I was sweeping and Keith was washing drawers and putting in clean newspaper. He was impressed. Flat now seems OK. Gus and Tommy came over at 5:30 pm and were the first visitors to the new flat. We caught tube to the Prospect of Whitby where ten of us met and were the star attractions leading the singing and creating the noise. All pretty cheery by the time we left. 

Friday, 29^th September, 1967

Today at school my class won the school cup for the week as the most improved behaving class in the school. The boss said he didn’t have to speak to one child from that class all week.

They’re pretty well set up here having their own assembly hall, gymnasium, library, art room, dining hall etc which is pretty good for a Primary School but the standard of education isn’t too high. 

14 Oaklands Road, Cricklewood NW2 London England 3^rd October 1967

I figure you owe me a letter but if I don’t write now I’ll never have room to fit everything in. I’m back at school after a great nine day holiday. The last of the leaves are floating down from the trees and the previous couple of days have been pretty cold, wet and dark.  It was pitch black by 5 pm this arvo and could be a cold winter.  The week in Belgium and Holland however was mostly good weather with quite a bit of sunshine. Only had rain in the last couple of days in Amsterdam.  

I left London on the first day of the holidays and hitched down to Dover.  It is very easy hitching in England and a couple of lifts I got first swing of the thumb.  Had a ride with a guy who raced Formula 1s and was on the way to time trials in his VW Beetle 1500.  I navigated a 90-mph trip to Dover so got there early in the afternoon.  Went to see the movie “The Dirty Dozen” that night and stayed at a Youth Hostel.  A Yank guy and I caught the ship to Ostende, Belgium after checking out Dover Castle and the old gun emplacements overlooking the channel.  

Dover was shelled about 40 different times by the Nazis from Calais.  Spent 2 days altogether in Belgium which isn’t a very impressive country really – although it’s quite modern and has a high standard of living, it hasn’t much character of its own.  I ended up near the German border after hitching through Belgium one afternoon. 

Most people who gave me lifts were friendly, about 50% spoke English and I have had some funny experiences trying to communicate with non-English speakers.  One fellow bought me a beer, another coffee etc.  It’s surprising though just how many people speak English.  It’s a set language taught in schools and easily the most international of languages (which is handy). 

I entered Southern Holland on Monday and stayed at a 140-bed youth hostel in a place called Sittard as the only visitor.  The youth hostels were very good – many are modern and interesting.  I hitched 150 miles the next day to Rotterdam where I had arranged to meet Ted (Canadian).  We hired a bike the next day for 5/- a day and pedalled along the special bike roads of the city- the largest port in the world.

  I’ve never seen so many ships going up and down one harbour. Went by train to the Hague where we hired another treadle.  It’s great fun being on a bike again.  I forgot and kept left instead of right and nearly had a head on argument with a tram.

We spent the next few days in Amsterdam which is a great city.  Visited Rembrandt’s house, Anne Frank’s house, toured the canals by boat, visited the Flea Market and sent Jack a card from the Heineken brewery which is being sent free (probably snail mail) Caught the ship and train back Sat night. 

A week before the hols Keith and I saw the Beatles attending the premiere of John Lennon’s new movie “How I Won the War” at Piccadilly Circus.  Big crowd! On the Friday we saw the Motor Show which was 7/6 for the Poms but as overseas visitors we got in for free.  We missed the first test but are going on Friday night under lights and to a party afterward.  

Keith went up the north of England for the hols to visit some distant relations and got a warm reception.  Phil stayed home – says he’s saving money.  Michelle is in Spain. We’re off to the footie on Saturday to cheer on the All Blacks.  Only 7 ½ weeks to Xmas hols.  Next Saturday is Guy Fawkes Day- Wow!