Europe by London Taxi: Postcards from Friends - Peter, Terry & Clive

Friday, June 17, 2011

Postcards from Friends - Peter, Terry & Clive - 2.8.1968

Rosas, Costa Brava. Spain.

From:- Peter Waugh, Terry Watkins and Clive Brans - 2-8-1968

H. A. L. T.

Peter, Terry & Clive.

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In the beginning.

This is a multi level love story, the love between Pennie and David, their love of a 1958 London Taxi, their love of the United Kingdom and the realization of our love of Australia, our home. We never thought about the love of our country, the country we were born in, the country of our roots... until we left it.

David and Pennie met in 1965 at ‘Wollogorang’ a sheep station just south of Goulburn, NSW. David was a Jackaroo and Pennie, who was working at the Homestead, is the Great niece of Nancy and John Watson owners of ‘Wollogorang’. We were ‘just good friends’ and along with a number of other friends we wanted to rock’n’roll and we wanted to see the world.
Pennie went to Perth first, then Queensland, David went to New Zealand and then to England. This is the story of what happened after 22 months since meeting and more than eighty letters later.

‘Why don’t you come over and we’ll get married or something?‘

This was David’s proposal in early April 1968, he’d been living and working in Surrey and Sussex for a few months and wanted to start seeing England, Europe and the World and thought it would be much more fun if he had his best friend join him. Our parents were supportive so the rush was on for me to organize a flight, a passport, an International Drivers Licence and update the necessary inoculations

On the first of June, I ‘came over’ and we were married at Guildford Registry Office, Surrey on the 8th with seven guests none of whom I knew and I hadn’t seen David for 7 months.

Some of the World Leaders in 1968.

Australia - John Gorton
Canada -Pierre Trudeau
China - Liu Shaoqi
France - Charles de Gaulle
Germany E. - Willi Stoph
Germany W. - Kurt Kiesinger
Hungary - Jeno Fock
India - Indira Gandhi
Italy - Aldo Moro
Japan - Eisaku Sato
Monaco - Prince Rainer 111
New Zealand - K.Holyoake
Portugal - Americo Thomaz
Sth Africa - Balthazar Vorster
Spain - Francisco Franco
UK - Harold Wilson
USA - Lyndon Johnson
USSR - Leonid Brezhnev
Vatican City - Pope Paul VI
Yugoslavia - Josep Broz Tito

WORLD LEADERS IN 1969
Australia - John Gorton
Canada - Pierre Trudeau
China - Mao Zendong
France - Georges Pompidou
Germany E. - Walter Ulbricht
Germany W. - Willy Brandt
Hungary - Jeno Fock
India - Indira Gandhi
Italy - Giuseppe Saragat
Japan - Eisaku Sato
Monaco - Prince Rainer 111
New Zealand - K. Holyoake
Portugal - Americo Thomaz
Sth Africa - Balthazar Vorster
Spain - Francisco Franco
UK - Harold Wilson
USA - Richard Nixon
USSR - Leonid Brezhnev
Vatican City - Pope Paul VI
Yugoslavia - Josip Broz Tito

WORLD LEADERS IN 1970
Australia - John Gorton
Canada - Pierre Trudeau
China - Song Qingling
France - Georges Pompidou
Germany E. - Walter Ulbricht
Germany W. - Willy Brandt
Hungary - Jeno Fock
India - Indira Gandhi
Italy - Mariano Rumor - Emilio Colombo
Japan - Eisaku Sato
Monaco - Prince Rainer 111
New Zealand - K. Holyoake
Portugal - Americo Thomaz
Sth Africa - Balthazar Vorster
Spain - Francisco Franco
UK - Harold Wilson - Edward Heath
USA - Richard Nixon
USSR - Leonid Brezhnev
Vatican City - Pope Paul VI
Yugoslavia - Josip Broz Tito

What happened in 1968

. Vietnam War.
. Students Riot in Paris.
. Robert Kennedy shot.
. Martin Luther King shot.
. Kray Twins arrested.
. Alec Rose, single handed 354 day trip around the world.
. Black Power Salute seen on TV from Medal Ceremony at Olympic Games in Mexio.
. London Bridge is sold to an American.
. Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy marry.
. Pope Paul VI bans contraceptive pill.
. Dr Christian Barnard performs the first successful heart transplant.
. Spain and Gibraltar border is closed.
. Boeing 747 made its maiden flight.

1969
. Rupert Murdock buys News of the World.
. Brisbane Tramways end 84 years of service.
. Judy Garland dies of overdose in London.
. The UK and Rhodesia sever diplomatic ties.
. Soviet Union launches Soyuz 4 manned by Vladimir Shatalov.
. Ted Kennedy drives off a bridge at Chappaquiddick.
. Apollo 11. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin land on the moon.
. Prince Charles invested at Caernarfon Castle.
. Sharon Tate and friends murdered by Charles Manson.

1970
. First Earth Day celebrated.
. Boeing 747 makes it's first commercial passenger trip to London from Australia.
. Demonstration in Washington DC against the Vietnam War.
. World Population reaches 3.63 Billion.
. Rev Ian Paisley wins seat in Parliment.
. US & UK lower voting age from 21 to 18. (Aus. 1973)
. South Australia suffers it's worst bush fires killing 75 people, injuring 800.
. A nightclub fire in Grenoble, France kills 142, mostly teenagers
. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty goes into effect after ratification by 43 Nations.
. Japan becomes the worlds 4th Space Power.

Pop Culture in 1968

. The Beatles create Apple Records.
. 'Hey Jude' first single on label.
. The Musical 'Hair' opens in London.

Movies
. The Graduate
. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
. Bonnie and Clyde
. The Odd Couple
. Planet of the Apes

Musicians
. The Beatles
. The Rolling Stones
. The Supremes

1969
. Beatles give their final performance on the roof of Apple Records.
. John Lennon and Yoko Ono conduct a Bed-In in Montreal.
. Woodstock attracts more than 350,000 rock'n'roll fans.
. Bell bottom jeans and tie-dyed shirts become part of fashion.
. Sesame Street debuts.

Movies
. The Love Bug
. Funny Girl
. Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid.
. True Grit.
. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Musicians
. The Beatles - 'Get Back'.
. Rolling Stones - 'Honky Tonk Woman'
. Johnny Cash - 'Daddy Sang Bass'

1970
. Paul McCartney announces that the Beatles have disbanded.
. The Isle of Wight Festival takes place 600,000 people attend.
. Jimi Hendrix dies of barbiturate overdose in London.
. Janis Joplin dies of heroin overdose in a cheap motel.

Movies
. M*A*S*H
. Woodstock
. Hello, Dolly!
. Catch 22
. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Musicians
. The Beatles - 'Let it be'
. Simon & Garfunkel - 'Bridge over troubled waters'
. The Carpenters - 'Close to You'