Road Trip

 

Illustrated by Emma Phillips

60 years ago, 16 young lads from Watford Boy’s Grammar School set out at the end of July, on a 6 week journey across Western Europe in a large lorry. We covered around 4000 miles and visited 9 countries. Much adventure, some hardship, enormous camaraderie and a degree of enmity. An experience never to be forgotten.

(Like being refused entry into Portugal, mainly for being “scruffy and unkempt”, something not tolerated by the Salazar regime, but spending a week in glorious Gibraltar instead).

All those years ago I wrote the diary for the 6 week adventure. I ended it thus:

“it was not so much a holiday as an endurance test but, nevertheless, a memory forever. We learnt a tremendous amount about ourselves and interaction with others, living as we did in very close proximity for 1 ½ months. We are all sure that the value of all of this will gradually emerge over the months ahead. It did!”