Exactly forty-three years ago on June 22nd, I stepped onto a thirty-passenger Autotours Bus in London, England, for an adventure of a lifetime. It was a seventy-day camping trip with twenty-six strangers. It rocked my world.
Onboard our bus we had one Brit, four Americans, seventeen Aussies, and six New Zealanders (aka Kiwis) and visited sixteen countries. We sailed on a ship in Greece for a week, visited the Munich Olympic Stadium, explored the Catacombs of Rome, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the magical city of Dubrovnik, Paris, and many other amazing places.
Our tour guide kept a running diary of the trip, which we were invited to write in along the way. One of our campers contributed amazing drawings. At the end of the tour, back in London, the Daybook was given to one camper based on names drawn out of a hat. With much joy, it became mine.
I still have it. As the official keeper of the Daybook, I figured I should launch this little blog post out into the universe and see what happens. I know the locations of five members from the trip. For the American and New Zealander who met on our bus and later married, I did mail them a photocopy of the diary.
This was all before the Internet and social media. Thank heavens! At the time, it was my last summer before completing my Journalism Arts Technology degree. I talked my parents into giving me the money they saved for my wedding, added my savings from my part-time jobs, and headed for Europe.
Along with seventy rolls of thirty-six exposure Kodak 35mm film. One for each day. Popping the lids on every one of those seventy gray plastic cannisters at Gatwick Airport customs was a challenge, but I did it. That was a very patient customs officer.
Watching the World Cup match yesterday between the USA and Australia brought back warm and wild memories of that trip. The party vibe is real. I’ve wanted to post about the adventure on recent anniversaries, but life just happens.
Plus, as an American, I feel I should apologize to our NATO allies and partners for my country’s chaos. Perhaps now is a good time.
NATO’s Article five has only been activated once, when the USA was attacked on 9/11. Our allies came to our aid with comfort and support. It is not forgotten.
The many football/soccer fans from around the world who have come to visit us during the World Cup, have done it again, but this time by bringing us joy and hope. Which we dearly need.
The majority of Americans are hardworking, good people, who want world peace and a prosperous life for our families. We are working to fix our nation. Trust me.
We understand our Allies and partners have to do what is necessary to protect their own citizens.
But I wanted to say thank you for coming to our aid with emotional support right now. You have no idea how much we need it and our gratitude. We will clean up our mess and get back on track, but it requires commitment and fortitude.
In the meantime, I am now an official World Cup fan. I enjoyed the match, sorry Aussies, here’s hoping you make into the next round too. Complete with those yellow and brown inflatable kangaroos I saw in the crowd, that I desperately want. So stinking cute!
Because on that trip in 1983, I had the solemn honor of walking the battlefields of Gallipoli, Turkey, with the descendants of those who fought that bloody battle in World War I, while my own grandfather fought in the Meuse-Argonne, France.
We are bonded. Now and forever.
Thanks for bringing the parties!
Welcome to America World Cup fans!
P.S. If this post finds some of my former EX 57 campers, I’m at @instagram.com/kimberlyacookauthor
P.P.S.S. This was our itinerary, except for some detours, and our bus breakdown in Athens… Easy stops means we did not pitch our two-person tents. We were either in a taverna, Gasthof, pension, chateau, or on the ship.
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