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.

“If I Were a Rich Man” Chaim Topol. • 1967
Lord, who made the lion and the lamb
You decreed I should be what I am
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan
If I were a wealthy man?

14 Oaklands Road, Cricklewood, NW2 London 10th January 1968

Figured I’d send this to home as you’ll probably be bound that way by the time this letter arrives.  I’m dying to hear the results of the sailing so will nip down to Australia House to read the Melbourne papers on Saturday morning. This will only give me a rough outline so you’d better complete the picture.

Hope the holiday was a beauty.  I would’ve loved to have been sailing in the warm sunshine down there.  A little difficult to remember now as we’re in the middle of the “Big Freeze” here. Tuesday was the first day of second term and when we woke it had blizzarded.  London was buried under the most snow since the severe winter of 1963.  The transport system was in chaos, most of the roads closed and the trains late or not running.  I donned double everything, including scarf and ski gloves and arrived at school only 1 ½ hours late beating 3 or 4 other teachers.  The boss said how pleased he was to see me and sent me a cup of tea – conditions are pretty good in the schools though – the temp was 25º F outside , the central heating had the room warmed to about 58ºF (not warm but bearable). The snow had clogged up the hands of Big Ben and even it wasn’t working.  

I mentioned on the postcard that we went to Edinburgh for New Year’s Eve. And think I mentioned the sad story of how the pubs shut at 10pm (a Sunday) and we only had a double Scotch!  Every Scotsman was drunk within town limits (or out) but us, and no bottle sales!  I kissed a few nice-looking birds but even that didn’t cheer me up and at 12 pm in the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland stood four of the most sober, sad Aussies you ever saw!  However, we cheered up the next day on the return trip and had a few beers at a little country pub as the snow flaked down overlooking the Roman wall and ancient forts.  

Extract from Diary

Saturday 30^th December 1967

Swanee, Phil, Bill and I set out for Scotland at 8:00 pm for the weekend and finally stopped about 4:00 am for a sleep. Weather cold. 

Sunday, 31^st December 1967

Arrived in Edinburgh for lunch and a look around. Had a few guinnesses in the afternoon at a hotel. Back to Bed and Breakfast for a sleep. Out for late dinner and discovered that pubs and liquor sales shut at 10:00 pm so we were able to consume one only double Scotch and amongst hundreds of drunken Scotsman and many young birds (kissed a few for good measure) we were as sober as is possible. How miserable! Large crowd on the street and bagpipes played. 

Monday,1st of January 1968

The landlady was amazed to see us at breakfast the next morning and we left about 10:00 am and soon found the snow had begun. Stopped at the Roman wall in northern England for a few beers and walked through heavy snow to see the wall and old Fort that runs right across England, built about 10 BC. Snowed heavily as we drove on having a look at Whitby, a cute little seaside town where Captain Cook’s ships were built. Stopped at Scarborough for a fantastic Chinese meal, then to York which is probably the most interesting town we’ve seen in England, completely walled town with old lanes and shops (The Shambles) built between 14^th and 15^thCenturies – still in use.

 Tuesday, 2nd of January, 1968

Drove till 2:00 am. Snack stop at Rugby in Motorway Services place and drove on through a blizzard back to London in the snow at 5:00 am. Slept till 3:00 pm. At night went to see “Doctor Dolittle” at the movies (pretty weak).

Saw two good shows lately.  Sir Alec Guiness in “Wise Child” – a live play and he was tremendous, very amusing.  Last night we saw a new movie called “Poor Cow” which was a really A-1 show but imagine the censor will chop it to bits in Australia.

I sent Granny some Russian dolls I bought in Moscow and a couple of small novelties for Jack and Gail.  I will buy Dad a nice sweater (what chest size?). Ask Jack if he’d like one too.  Now can’t think what you’d like.  Any suggestions?  Things are very cheap here as every shop has a sale.  Good woollen blankets 25/- to 30/-.  Thanks for the money.  Received OK and spent on clothes (suit, overcoat, sports shirt etc) Out of space. Hope you cheered up Mum.  

Extract from Diary

Sunday 7^th January 1968

Breakfast at  Michelle’s flat 7:30 am back home to bathe, read, cleanup, write, lunch then to Michelle’s place at 2:00 pm. To Victorian Air Terminal to farewell Michelle for flight to Australia. She’ll be in Melbourne in two days, bathing in Australian sunshine. Lucky, but she doesn’t want to go. I don’t particularly want to go home yet either. “Parting is such unsweet sorrow”. Michelle’s bag was overweight so did some fiddling and made it. Bought her a carry bag and London address book.

14 Oaklands Road, Cricklewood, NW2London 15th January 1968

Things have been pretty good on the social side with lots of parties and Phil and I have long since decided the Pom parties are the best. I have been taking out a nice-looking bird from the staff lately or at least she’s been taking me as she’s got a mini and this beats public transport.  I’m not too proud.  

Saw “Fiddler on the Roof” again the other night and Topol, the Israeli who plays the lead, is still as great as ever.  Have seen three or four other good plays and movies lately too including a Gilbert and Sullivan last night by the Doyley Carte Company, supposed to be the top company in the world.  

We’ve decided to head out for Europe in Easter – hitching via France, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Rome, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Luxemberg and back to Britain.  Phil and I intend to soak up the sun for two months in Northern Africa and a Greek Island where we hope to survive for a £1 a day for 8 weeks.  Then back to Pom for a few days and will probably go with Bill for about a six week holiday on the French Riviera, sleeping out, camping and Youth Hostelling.  That will take me to August where I’m (also Phil) figuring on jetting out to Canada and a couple of weeks with Aunty Betty before beginning teaching in the Toronto area in September.  This is only tentative (all these arrangements) but at present appears the most inviting.  Hence I need urgently a photo-stat of my Teachers Certificate air mailed over so I can get an Ontario Teachers Certificate.  Could you do this please?

Haven’t done much sightseeing lately (seen most of London) although bought a 6/- bus ticket to travel on any bus in London all day and checked out Karl Marx’s grave.  Did you know the founder of Communism was buried a mile from here? I’ll bet the Russians or Chinese would like to buy him and put him alongside Lenin in the Kremlin Wall.

Keith appears to be getting on OK in Canada. Earning good money.  He’s just bought a 1960 Ford Zephyr – says he can save $200 to $250 a month and only $3,000 for a new Mustang. Met another two of the girls we went to college with at a London party the other night.  Can’t be too many schoolies left at home. 

We have a large Europe and World map on the wall here and I get a new idea every now and then of some place I’d like to see.  The way things are hotting up in Vietnam they’ll be calling me home to go to war!  Don’t fancy that too much. (Vietnam War very unpopular here and in Europe). Still they can’t get me while I’m here can they? 

 The other bloke in our flat (Geoff) is going home overland to Darwin in April, taking 8 months and hitching.  He’s been away 2 ½ years and his mother has been blind for 15 years – she has regained her sight following an operation and has not seen him since he was 7 years old so he’ll be home for Xmas.  We have two Canadians staying in our flat for a few days at the moment – nice guys.  Write soon.