Camping Holiday in Greece (1963)

On the afternoon of Sunday the 28th July, seven boys and four masters set out for Greece in a cramped Bedford Utilibus. We crossed the Channel to Ostend and drove through Belgium in the night. As dawn was breaking we pulled out our groundsheets and sleeping bags and bedded down in a Belgian ditch.

Driving through Germany to Austria We discovered that Britain was not the only country with parking laws, and were fined three and sixpence for parking on the side of an autobahn! We passed quickly through Austria and across a small corner of Italy, where a smiling Customs official, flicking open our passports, said, "British eh? Queen Victoria and Mister Profumo!"

Inside Jugoslavia our holiday took a more adventurous turn as the number of tourists decreased rapidly. The peasants (and they were real peasants) waved at us as they scythed the grass or led their cows or water buffaloes. We entered Kumanov (just north of Skopje) late one evening and found it packed full of refugees from the earthquake. Many of the people were dressed in Turkish clothes and the whole town had the atmosphere and smell of the Bazaar.

On the last thirteen miles of Jugoslavian territory we struck the notorious Jugoslavian road, or rather lack of it. A track through a gorge of yellow rock was the main autoput between Jugoslavia and Greece. At the Greek Border a special military post checked to see if we were members of the CND. Having passed this test, we carried on and camped by the side of the Aegean Sea.

We went on to Athens and spent some time sightseeing and then we travelled along the north coast of the Peloponnese to Corinth, Patras and Olympia. We then retraced our steps, visited the fortress of Mycenae and returned to Athens.

The last day in Greece was a feast day of the Church and in the evening, when we were camped near the border, there was a feast in the local village with dancing and drinking and singing. Three boys stayed quite late, when the feast got into full swing. They danced with some of the local girls; then they sang "Rule Britannia". A local peasant promptly threw a bottle at them and they were nearly arrested.

We drove through Jugoslavia quickly but at Zagreb the weather suddenly changed and it rained heavily all through Europe. In Northern Germany we managed to set one tent on fire and it was only saved by the quick action of some Dutch campers, who rushed forward shouting "Fire! Fire!" and then mended the hole for us. Finally we arrived home very tired but exhilarated by our experiences.

I think all the boys will join me when I thank Mr. Dunsmore, Mr. Asher and Mr. Thompson for a very enjoyable and unusual holiday.

P. GARDNER, M6SC.