SwissChris Holidays
TOURING IN EUROPE 1975
SATURDAY / SUNDAY 9-
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SAT/SUN 09
I’d arranged to collect Steve from his house early on the Saturday morning, but I had a small problem with the car, the horn didn’t work, so I’d arranged for one to be left for me at the petrol pumps where I worked. It was a quick job to change it at 7 AM, and then off to collect Steve. We loaded up the car with his stuff and set off for Harwich. My brother was leading us as he was going to see his girlfriend.
With everything on board, the car was not pulling very well and we struggled to do any speed at all. But we got to Parkeston Key in good enough time and I topped up the petrol tank. We boarded the ferry which left at Midday, had a couple of drinks then enjoyed the rest of the crossing, arriving at Hoek Von Holland at 7 PM. Then driving down through Holland into Belgium swapping drivers occasionally. Just after Midnight, I was driving and Steve was asleep. The car crested a hill and took off. Literally. We were at La Source Hairpin on the Spa Grand Prix circuit. Steve woke up, asked “What’s that?” I said “Don’t worry Steve, we’re on a Grand Prix circuit.” He said OK Dropped off to sleep for 5 seconds when what I’d said hit him. He woke up sharply then. We then did a lap and a half of the old circuit, with the exception of Eau Rouge which wasn’t open to the public and we had to use the pre-
The pre war Spa Grand Prix circuit
From there into Germany and on to the Nürburgring which we reached at 4 AM. I’d decided to stop there as I was getting tired and wanted a cup of coffee. I turned off the engine and within seconds I’d fallen asleep over the steering wheel.
I woke up 1 ½ hours later, by which time it was broad daylight, and it was decided that we’d try and have some breakfast in Koblenz. But we arrived there too early and nothing was open. In the end we made a cup of coffee in a layby in the Rhine Gorge. By which time the car was running low on petrol. It being a Sunday morning nothing was open, but I managed to get to the Autobahn and within a couple of miles, there was a service area and much needed fuel was obtained.
From there we had an easy drive to Heidelberg where we were going to camp for a couple of days. When we got there we set up beside the river and as the tent was erected, a voice came from a tent just in front of us. “Trust the English to spoil our view.”
The owner of the voice belonged to a girl from the Teacher Training college in Norwich who was travelling around Europe with her friend.
The tent by the Neckar River at Heidelberg. The girls’ tent is the small blue one. We got on quite well with Jane and Donna and went out with them for a drink that night. I drove down the road opposite this year (2019) and the campsite is still there.
Me with Jane & Donna
We went out for a drink with Jane and Donna in the evening, and ended up being bought a drink by a local who was looking for a pen friend for his daughter. On our return to the site, we discovered a group og Venture Scouts from Wimbledon had set up near us. An impromptu party developed with 9 people in our tent. At some point the scouts decided that they were going to go for a swim across the Neckar. 2 made it OK with the 3rd ending up a bit down stream. The same thing happened on their return and we spent a bit of time trying to find him. The party then resumed in the tent.
1975 Home
Monday 11th August