OS MEMORIES OF GLOBAL ADVENTURES
experience between us . First , we went to Dover for the ferry to Calais , there to lose each other before leaving the dock : Bruce raced away on the faster Puch Cheetah with our luggage and tent , oblivious to the fact Chris and I couldn ’ t keep up on the Capri scooter .
Above : Aldo Hanson summer 1962
Top : Chris Shepheard-Walwyn next to the scooter , Bruce Kilbank and Bruce ’ s parents in the background
The story of this trip was originally published in the Winter 1962 Sennockian .
TO ATHENS AND BACK
During my last year at Sevenoaks , 60 years ago , I applied for The Parks Award – one of the school ’ s travel awards – to moped to Athens and back with two fellow pupils .
The Parks Award came about when a new teacher pay scale was introduced – those who taught Sixth Formers were given extra money . The Revd John Parks did not agree with this and proposed using the extra salary to fund a travel award , which he instituted in 1956 . The award was £ 25 per boy , to be given to at least one pair of boys , who came up with the most unusual , arduous and enterprising journey . To my astonishment the school agreed to fund our trip .
Young people take much for granted and I was no exception . So , while I kept a journal , I didn ’ t record the funding details . I think we expected £ 30 and were surprised to receive £ 300 , but could that be ? The sum sufficed to buy a small motorcycle and a motor scooter and pay for the trip .
So it was that Bruce Kilbank ( OS 1962 ), Chris Shepheard-Walwyn ( OS 1964 ) and I set off on 25 July 1962 , licensed only provisionally in the UK and not at all abroad , with less than a week ’ s motorcycling
A severe thunderstorm stopped us in the middle of nowhere and we huddled under a groundsheet all night in torrential rain . We caught up with Bruce at his parents ’ home in Strasbourg before continuing our adventure . In northern Italy Chris parked too close to a river and fell into it , followed by the scooter and luggage . When he failed to reappear there was nothing for it but to jump in the river after him . No serious harm was done though a miserable 24 hours followed while everything dried out .
By southernmost Italy , fair-skinned Bruce ’ s arms were severely sunburned and a pharmacist advised him to go home to a doctor . Bruce and Chris retained the traveller ’ s cheques and turned north for Venice and Strasbourg while I set off on the Capri to Corfu and mainland Greece , taking all our available cash which would be barely enough to complete the trip .
Despite my economies and the kindness of local people and other travellers , money was running out . I found a way to ride the scooter when the gear cable broke which was tiring and a constant worry , all worsened by a lack of food . So it was that I returned to Bruce ’ s parents , four weeks after leaving their house , tanned and a lot thinner . Six days later the scooter and I were restored and ready for the 400- mile ride to Calais and home to Sevenoaks . The Capri recorded 5017 miles . I was greatly saddened to learn that Bruce , who became a doctor , died in an accident in 1975 and Chris died suddenly in 2007 .
Aldo Hanson ( OS 1962 )
142 OLD SENNOCKIANS