Link to the First Day
Safely home, we gathered around the television to watch the news and listen to the broadcast of the Apollo 8 astronauts. To me, their was never a doubt that we would accomplish President Kennedy's goal. The long string of Mercury and Apollo launches during my formative years inspired me to want to follow in the paths of the astronauts and to be an adventurer. My trip to Europe was just the first step for me in that quest.
On this day, Christmas Eve of 1968, the three astronauts of Apollo 8 read the first 10 verses of the book of Genesis, as they orbited the moon for the first time in human history.
- William Anders
- "We are now approaching lunar sunrise and, for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
- Jim Lovell
- "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
- Frank Borman
- "And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas – and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."
Flew into Lawton, Oklahoma, from Love Field in Dallas. All the family was there to welcome me home. Everyone looked bigger. I must have looked a lot skinnier. It was great to be home with lots of stories to share.
Slept late. The morning plane was held back by bad weather. I spent the day watching television (in English, what a treat!), and playing with my cousin's guitar, organ and piano. The Cavnar's are a very musically talented family.
Got away to Atlanta at 4 am, only to find no room on the flight I had planned to take. After a boring three hour wait in Atlanta, I got on a Los Angeles-bound Delta flight to New Orleans and Dallas. Had a 20 minute stop in New Orleans at 8 am, on to Dallas arriving at 10:30 am. My Aunt Margaret Cavnar picked me up at 11:30. Went home. My cousins Nick and Dick arrived and we had a real American hot dog lunch. Still not a "Z" of sleep since waking in Luxembourg. Got reservations on a Frontier flight to Lawton for tomorrow. Visited with my Scoutmaster Lon Sailers, the one who led us all to Sweden in August. Picked up Jim at midnight at Love Field and got to bed at 1 am.
Well tomorrow night just never came. The day went on and on and I put in what was for me the longest day. I arose at 8 am, packed and set out in a wet slushy snow for the airport of Luxembourg, about four miles out of town. I met two boys from Miami and while we waited for the baggage check to open we talked about our experiences in Europe. [I flew on the new discount airline Air Bahama, which operated DC-8s between Luxembourg, Shannon, Iceland, and Nassau. ] After a long wait, the airplane took off at 1 pm. An American girl from Miami studying in Switzerland sat with me on the return trip. We read each other's diaries, and so I got to know a good deal about her. We had a 45 minute refueling stop at Shannon, Ireland, then we were off from Europe. It's a strange but old country, the USA. We arrived after a 12 hour uneventful flight into Nassau at 6:30 pm local. I was late for my connection but got on another one at 8:30. Got through customs okay and were soon off to America on Pan Am. I arrived in Miami too late to catch my plane, so spent five hours at Miami International airport trying to sleep, but it was impossible.
Got away to Atlanta at 4 am, only to find no room on the flight I had planned to take. After a boring three hour wait in Atlanta, I got on a Los Angeles-bound Delta flight to New Orleans and Dallas. Had a 20 minute stop in New Orleans at 8 am, on to Dallas arriving at 10:30 am. My Aunt Margaret Cavnar picked me up at 11:30. Went home. My cousins Nick and Dick arrived and we had a real American hot dog lunch. Still not a "Z" of sleep since waking in Luxembourg. Got reservations on a Frontier flight to Lawton for tomorrow. Visited with my Scoutmaster Lon Sailers, the one who led us all to Sweden in August. Picked up Jim at midnight at Love Field and got to bed at 1 am.
Carolyn Emerson
1551 Salvatierra Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Chateau Brillantmont
16 Av Secretan
1005 Lausanne
Vaud, Switzerland
Awoke at 8 am. Roamed Luxembourg until 2 pm, and went to see the move "The Killer Likes Candy" for 40 cents. Then I picked up the receipt for my suitcases at the Boy Scout Office, got the suitcases at customs, and started to repack in front of the luggage lockers in the station. As I started throwing things out I couldn't take, the bums started closing in on me to take what I didn't want. I retreated to my hotel room, carrying my luggage up four flights of stairs. Repacked and eliminated many things. I took the suitcase to weigh it. It came in at 16 kg and the bike weighs 16 km, so I may be a few kgs over the limit. Packed about six kg of books and paper into the flightbag, which I hope won't be weighed. Tonight is the last in Europe. Tomorrow night I'll be in Dallas.
Hotel $2.40
Movie .40
Snacks .50
Slept late again. Breakfast and went to Attillio's to have my clothes washed and read his [Boy Scout Magazine] Boy's Life which I hadn't seen. Had lunch with six of the family members. Went to the Scout hut with Marc's brother, Attillio's brother and a friend, all age 13, then to a bar for a beer and some billiards. Marc joined us later. I played him, then we returned home.
I realized that I should be in Luxembourg tonight, so I hastily packed, ate, said goodbye to all, and was driven to Hasselt by Marc and his Dad, Gustaaf and friend. They saw me off at 6:28 pm. The ensuing two changes of train, in Leuven and Brussels were ones to remember. Arrived In Luxembourg at 11 am, with a heavy snow falling. Checked into a real nice $2.40 hotel room across from the Gare [train station].
Train $8.00
Hotel $2.40
Slept late and had breakfast of bread and butter, salami, cheese and coffee. Went to Marc's house next door for lunch. His brother is 13 and aspires to attend the Scout Jamboree in Japan in 1971. I showed the family my patches, souvenirs and uniform. About 3 pm, Marc, his brother, father and I drove into Mastricht, Holland. We parked the car and strolled through the festive shopping area, listening to an old fashioned traveling mechanical band and eating ice cream.
Returned to Genk after dark in the rain. We stopped at a friend's house so Marc could show off his foreign visitor. Had dinner and an enjoyable evening with Atillio's family of seven youngsters and parents.
I left Brussels at 9 am, cycling to Leuven. Had some French Fries and waited in the cold for the 12:14 train to arrive. Got to Hasselt 45 minutes later and cycled into Genk 12 km away. I first was directed to Attilio Roncada's house, the scoutmaster of the Belgium Troop at Niagra-on-the-Lake, then went over to Gustoof's house. His mother died several years ago so he lives with his Father and has no brothers or sisters. Afterwards we went down to the youth club at the church and another downtown where I impressed them with my lack of billiard ability. Retired late.
Mileage: 25 m
Gustoof Roncada
Doninikanenlaan 77
Genk, Limburg, Belgium
Was awakened early by the adorable (death wish!) two girls but I rolled over and slept until daybreak. After a chilly breakfast in the unheated basement kitchen, Mr Abdellaoui and I jump-started the cold car. Went to pick up a Tunisian friend of his. We went out to the Atomium. We took the grand tour, including coffee in the middle sphere. Went downtown, parked, had coffee in a restaurant.
Took a walk, more coffee, same restaurant. Went to a Morrocan friend's restaurant for a spicy native dish with a beer. Spent two hours there, to another restaurant for more beer and billiards. Returned home at 7 pm. As you can see, of the ten hours in Brussels, nine were in cafes over coffee or beer. If this is the guys way to enjoy his day off (He's a bus driver) I hope indeed he's having fun. After dinner, wrote and retired.
Later entry. While I was eating and watching television the fact struck me coldly and bluntly why he had be acting so unusual all day. The news showed that a giant anti-American, anti-war demonstration was held in Brussels today. He did succeed in keeping me away for it so as not to embarrass me. Now I understand.
Slept until 9:30. Had breakfast by myself and left for Brussels. A heavy frost left the earth white and I found out later it had dropped to minus 14 Centigrade. I painfully cycled into Tournai, Belgium and got on the 12:35 train to Brussels Midi Station.
I wandered hopelessly for two hours, looking both for a cheap map or an Audergheml. I didn't find the first but found the second. The family wasn't at home but I was invited next door to wait. Mr and Mrs Abdellaoui arrived at 5 pm. Spicy spaghetti for dinner. Watched television and wrote.
Mileage 15 m
Train $2.80
French Fries .25
Map $1.00
Abdellaoui Mohamed
2 Av Walckiers
Auderghem
Brussels 16, Belgium
Awoke at first light. At 10 am, packed up and set out. The sun never rose more than 30 degrees in the sky all day from the horizon, crossing over from England the rain clouds cleared and left a sun shining through a cold atmosphere. Both yesterday, today, and tomorrow were real freezers. Each morning a little more white frost would be on everything, making it look like after a snow storm - but no snow. My feet and hands froze numb while cycling. Some orange drink I put in my water bottle froze solid before I could drink it. The intense cold in my hands and feet combined with the heat of my chest and a strong wind and an extra heavy load and hills up and down made cycling most miserable. Arrived in Tourcoing at dusk, 4 pm. Mr Xavier was not in town so his teachers at the University gave me another place to sleep. A castle more closely. After dinner I retired.
Xavier Brouaux
15 Place du Theatre
59 Tourcoing, France
Mileage: 60 km
Mr Voller took me up to Dover at 9 am. Wheeled my loaded-down bike on the ship and was off to the continent at 10 am. Arrived in Boulogne at 11:30. Met a Canadian cyclist on landing. He split south and I east. With no map, I wandered for two hours in the hills. Just as I thought I was really lost I found a bookstore and got a map, and found out I was lost. Three hours later I pitched my tent in a forest near God knows where, either in France or in Belgium, I still don't know. Read by candlelight until no more candle. Slept in full dress.
Mileage: 50 km
Map .30
Ferry 7.50
Awoke at four cracks before dawn (i.e. 7 am). Dismantled the bike to fit in Gwen's car. She let me off at Victoria but I had to cycle a nerve-wracking mile through early morning London traffic to Charing Cross station. Got the 10 am train to Folkestone. Arrived at noon. Bought my Dover-Boulogne ticket and returned to the Vollers. Washed clothes and packed and repacked. Susan and Clair came home first, then Andy. After dinner Clair, Andy and I went down to Lydd for a dance. Andy and some of his cool teenage cousins and I took a ride out on Romney Marsh for a little known pub. I told Andy I didn't want a weak English Lager so he bought me two of England's finest. They did the work of a six-pack of America's finest. Returned to the dance, no girls available. Returned home at 10 pm.
Awoke about 9 am. After breakfast Mrs Gough saw me to the bus station. Took the 9:40 train, arriving in London at noon. Bought a 1967 Great Britain coin set at a shop on Regent street. Took the tube out to Victoria and visited the Scout shop on Buckingham Palace Road. A friend of Jim Shepherd gave me some patches and said he'd send me more. Took the tube back to Highgate and Bus 134 to Muswell Hill. Gwen returned home soon thereafter. We watched "the telly" had a good Chinese dinner. To bed at 10 pm.
After breakfast on this Sunday morning, Mr Gough and I walked along the beach several miles, and I piously paid homage to the little village and school where my Aunt Roberta ("Boots") taught school for a year. We took the bus back to Yarmouth town and he showed me where the former home of Boots stood. Bus back home - had lunch and a quiet afternoon of reading and writing. Watched TV until time to dress for the evening. At 7:30 pm Sheila and I took the bus downtown, walked to the tower ballroom. Although there was a large crowd and a good band, there was little dancing, but we danced the little that we could. Had my first "Lime and Lager," a really good drink. Walked along the beach for two miles home as the buses didn't run late. Had some snacks and to bed.
Slept until 9 am. After breakfast, took the tube to Liverpool Street station. Took the 11:30 train to Great Yarmouth. Arrived at 3 pm. Taxi to the Gough's. Had dinner and wrote letters. Michael's away at Manchester studying. Shelia is working in a job employment office. At 8:30 Shelia and I took the bus downtown to the town's youth club. We played a highly competitive game of ping pong and had a Coke. Then we walked through downtown and home by way of the sea. Had tea and retired.
Train round-trip ticket $8.00
John and Nora Gough
51 Blake Rd
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
After breakfast I took the tube to South Kensington. Passed an hour in the Baden-Powell House Museum. [Baden-Powell was the founder of the Boy Scouts]. Spent five hours in the Science Museum, an absolute must to return to next trip. Took the tube downtown at 4 pm and walked around the shops until 6 pm. Met Gwen at Picadilly Circus. Had dinner in a restaurant on the South side of the Circus. Went to see the play "Oh Clarence" at a theater. Returned home late.
Slept late again. After a self-made lunch I packed up, took the bus to the tube, and rode to Oxford Circus underground. Bought a Churchill Crown coin in the shop on Regent Street. Walked through more of the shops before watching "The Graduate" at the London Pavilion. Returned to Gwen's at 6 pm. Dinner, watched TV and retired.
Churchhill Crown 10 shillings
Tube - Bus 4 Shillings
Movie 7 Shillings Sixpence
Slept late after that wild night. Wrote letters until 2 pm when John Long picked me up. He and his wife and I drove around Slough, showing me the sights, including Windsor Castle. Had tea at his house. John gave me some scout souvenirs and his wife gave me some stamps for my brother Stephen. John took me back to Jim's house. After dinner, Jim took me to the district's gang show practice to see Rex and John. Scratched a visit to the London airport because of rain and went home to watch television.
John Long
88 London Rd
Slough, Buckinghamshire
Jim Shepherd
165 High Street
Langley, Slough, Buckinghamshire
John Mackrell
16 Coleridge Crescent
Toll House Estate
Colnbrook, Slough, Buckinghamshire
Rex Lee
27 Moreland Ave
Colnbrook, Slough, Buckinghamshire
Brett Mildenhall
Brookfield Cottage
Datchet Road
Horton, Slough, Buckinghamshire
After breakfast Gwen took me down to the London University and let me off. I spent the entire morning in the British Museum. A Fine collection of oriental art, printings and paintings. Enormous rooms of Indian relics and historical books. I merely passed through in a hurry. Had lunch with Gwen in the faculty restaurant. In the afternoon I spent three hours in Hawley's, the biggest toy store in London. Only got two out of five gifts I need. Went home at 4:30. After dinner Gwen packed up her gifts and I my luggage, and we went to Slough. Sat around talking for several hours. Brett Mildenhall, a fellow scout dropped in. Jim Shepherd's son, now with a Jim and daughter of his own dropped in for a while. At 10:30 pm, Jim suggested a night trip into Picadilly Circus. Got home and to bed at 2 am.
Jim Shepherd
165 High Street
Langley, Slough, Bucks 42260
Letter to my Uncle Bart Strong written from London Dec 3, 1968
Dear Bart,
Sorry it's been so long. I've been "on the run," you might say, last week in Paris and this week in London.
On November 16th, my birthday, and last day in Switzerland, in Geneva, it snowed on my, so I was forced to take the train up to Paris and on to Boulogne. I stayed five days in Paris, but I could have spent months strolling along the Seine, through the Latin Quarter and the curious back streets of the city.
I took the train and bike up to Boulogne, crossed over to Dover, and cycled down into Folkestone, where I stayed with a Scout I met at the Jamboree. Then I visited another friend in Sussex County, then up to London. I'm now staying with the sister of Gwen Abbot, Boot's English friend. Last night he took me on the grand tour of London by night. At midnight last night I was sitting in the British Parliament's House of Lords, listening to a debate on the budget that lasted until 4 am! We drove through the Christmas-decorated shopping streets of Oxford and Regenet streets and the always gaily-lit Picadilly Circus.
After a week here I cycle back to Brussels and Luxembourg, from where I fly home on the 19th, and I'll be in Lawton on the 22nd. See you in Norman at Christmas.
Mike
After breakfast I took Bus 134 from Muswell Hill down into Trafalgar Square. Quite misty when we left but downtown it was better and cleared off after noon. Walked around the West End, looked inside Westminster Abbey, walked down Birdcage Walk to the Palace when I spotted a ceremony at Wellington Barracks. Not only were they changing the guard but they were changing the regiments of the guard. The Massive drill, parade to Buckingham Palace, and band, pipes and drums lasted until noon. Then I walked down Oxford street, had lunch, and continued walking through the city until 4:30. Took the tube home from Leichester Square.
A friend of Gwen's came over and we played a game of Scrabble. I lost the friendship of Gwen's friend when I messed up her chance to spell the word "quieter" on two double word squares. Total word value - 64 points. I lost horribly!
After breakfast Mr Simmonds put my bike and luggage in the minivan and we headed north to London at 70 mph. Got into the city at 11 am. He drove me around the popular landmarks: Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, the Houses of Parliament, Number 10 Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, Orators Corner, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, and Oxford Street. Got to Gwen Abbott's at 1:30 pm. Had lunch, then went to Madame Tussuad's, spending three hours there. Drove down Carnaby street on the way home. Had supper and went to the Baptist Church down the street where the preacher soundly cut the Catholic Church. Watched "The Citadel" and retired.Gwen Abbott
28 Duke's Ave
Muswell Hill
London North 10, England
[Gwen Abbott was a teacher for the deaf whom my Aunt Roberta Strong had met on her exchange teaching assignment to England in 1951. She and my aunt remained close family friends until Gwen died in the 1980s]
Link to the First Day
