FLYING LIKE A PENGUIN by JIMMY BROOK - HTML preview

might add, we docked at Dover. I felt OK on the crossing over

helped with a couple of cups of strong tea. Immigration was a

little dicey, despite my boat passage and air ticket and due

probably to my lack of funds. Sort of like when you take the car

down for a pink slip. Will it pass?

 

Then bang with the stamp and I got 6 months! A bit like a gaol

sentence, eh? Anyway, out of the customs shed and front gate and I

was back in England. And was I glad. It felt like home. First

stop was a waterside cafe in the foggy gloom where I splurged on

eggs and toast and coffee, and was it good. The YHA hostel was

not far up the road and I arrived at 8pm. Today was 43 miles in

Belgium and 2 miles in Britain. I had cycled 526 miles (847km)

since arriving at Calais some 9 days ago. It was an experience

and probably looking back and enjoyable one, despite the rain and

wind and strange cultures. But I did it and am richer for it.

 

Sunday the 15th October, 1967 dawned fine (for Britain that's

unusual) and only a light breeze. I cycled to Canterbury and

the country was that typical nice English green colour that

catches the eye of us colonials. I was back into the hills again

but it was nice cycling and soon Canterbury was reached. It was a

nice city with old buildings and of course the cathedral. Being

Sunday, there was a service on when I arrived, so it was not

polite to go inside. A quick look at the city centre and with a

wind coming up, it was time to take stock of what I was doing.

Kent was pretty but I had a sore knee and an acute shortage of

money, so the option to catch the train back to London was too

strong. I mistook the pedestrian subway at the end of the

station, next to the level crossing, as the station entrance and

dragged my bike down only to find I had to drag it up and end up

on the other side of the tracks. A few seconds on the roadway

would have produced the same result. Anyway it was finally onto a

train and whizzing back to the big smoke. In all, a wonderful

trip. I did 14 miles today and with the 3 miles from Baden-Powell

House to Victoria Station, I had clocked up 543 miles (874km) on

my trip around Europe. Now a new part of my overseas adventure

was to begin.

 

First priority was to find somewhere to stay for a few months

until the boat left in March. I parked my gear underneath the

hostel, and thanked my lucky stars that it had a rear entrance

for vehicles that never seemed to be locked and lots of nooks and

crannies underneath. After chaining the bike up as well, walked

around looking for rooms. This was the Kensington end of London,

also called Kangaroo Court on account of the large number of

Australians lodging here. I could find nothing that was

affordable in the windows. I couldn't ask inside as the real

estate agents were shut today. May be if I moved away from the

city a little. I took a stab and caught a Wimbledon Tube train to

Putney Bridge, on the Thames River as I had heard that Putney was

a good place to stay. Certainly not here. Just storage and not

for me. I walked across the river (by footbridge of course) and

into East Putney and things started to look up.

 

Here were houses and a big shopping centre and a little like say

Burwood in Sydney. In a newsagent's window full of cards and

offers, I found a room, which was £5.5.0 per week including

breakfast. A little steep but I walked around to the boarding

house which was a street of 2 and 3 storey houses and lots of

trees and quite homely. It was at the top of 3 flights in a newly

painted room that I decided to take up residence. I had a bed and

gas fire that needed 6d in a meter and there was also a gas ring

for boiling water. The toilet was a closed off portion of the end

hall so there was 10 feet between the door and the pedestal. The

bathroom was exactly a bathroom; 1 bath and nothing else. The

landlord who had a wife and young baby told me I would have no

trouble using it as the Poms never washed. Breakfast was at 8am

every day and consisted of corn flakes, one fried egg and a piece

of bacon and a piece of toast. No variation. I took it.

 

Back to Baden-Powell House and some dinner in the dining room.

Then taking my gear from downstairs, but leaving the bike (I had

a haversack to carry), it was back to Gwendolen Avenue, Putney

in the rain. I sorted out my gear and wrote up my diary. On the

whole, my trip on the Continent cost me almost £9 (appx. A$22) not

including the boat crossings. I thought this most reasonable. Try

and do 9 days in Europe in 2021 for this! There were a couple of

letters waiting for me at the Hostel and it was comforting to

hear the news from home. The tape Alan and I made in Canada had

been heard. Still waiting for the post office to refund me on the

lost Money Order I sent to Hawaii. My tax refund is still no

where in sight. 1am and time for bed.

 

The boarding house seems to have umpteen rooms but I like it. My

room has wall to wall carpet and there is clean linen every so

often. The walk to the shopping centre took about 5 minutes which

was good. Another 5 minutes and I was at the railway station.

This was shared by both British Rail (Southern Division) and the

Tube. Whilst the BR ran to the city, the Tube was a better

service and with infinite destinations. I put on a clean shirt

and tie and crawled into a suit and headed into London to look

for work. My other suit and pants went into the dry cleaners and

would take a week! Also 2 shirts went to the local laundry. There

was a photographic exhibition on at Charing Cross celebrating 

Scouting which was very good. Then a visit to BP House to see

about work. Having worked with BP for 10 years I thought my

chances were good, but they weren't. So much red tape and time

needed to write to Sydney that I put that idea on the shelf. I

tried some newspapers  but there seemed to be virtually no part

time or temporary work available. Several openings for office

clerks and accountants but all full time.

 

Then it was to an employment agency. I was told that as an

Australian, most employers were reluctant to take you on as they

knew you would not stay. Still they would contact me in 2 or 3

days if something came up. I was to ring them back in 3 days

also. The economy is not in good shape here. A big fight today on

a construction site in the city between pickets and police, and

the wharfies are out (normal) and the railways are thinking of

going out. Still the people seem very friendly.

 

Feeling a bit low, I was. Then you go and do those on the spur

things that you either regret later on or thank your lucky stars

for. I went back to the travel agent and was able to change my

boat passage to Australia for an earlier sailing. I was homesick

and the thought of a cold winter in London to a warm summer in

Sydney was too much. I was to sail on the same shipping line but

on the 'S.S.Australis' which would arrive in Sydney 2 days before

Christmas.

 

Living in a foreign country may have its romantic side but

separated by vast masses of land and water makes one feel so

helpless and restricted. In Australia, a few hours or days drive

in a car and you are where you want to be. Here I had no car.

I've seen the major centres of civilisation but Australia stands

out to me as the best. Perhaps it is because I'm an Aussie, I

don't know. Anyway there is a lot of Australia I want to see and

re visit. What I've done recently has been terrific experience

and I don't regret it.

 

Then I went to the pictures near Piccadilly Circus and saw that

film, 'You only Live Twice'. Brought back memories of the

Autobhan in Holland and lifted my spirits. At tea time it was

back to Baden-Powell House for dinner and some TV and reading.

Being Monday night, there was a meeting of the International

Scout Club and tonight a film and quiz on London which I was

getting to know. Also on sale were some tickets to the Scout Gang

Show, that famous comedy/musical review that Scouts do all over

the world and I had seen at Jamborees. This one would be special

for me as it was to be at the original home of Gang Shows, at the

Golders Green Hippodrome theatre. It cost 15/- for a front stalls

seat and since seats are hard to come by anywhere in the theatre,

I was pleased. Earlier today I had a browse around the Natural

History Museum. Then it was back to my digs at Putney, in the

rain. So far in Britain and Europe I had spent about £77

excluding my boat passage home. On the dresser I have 2 photos.

One of the family and a post card of Central Australia, a

painting by Albert Namatjira of the MacDonnell Ranges. The

Australian flag hangs over the mantle piece.

 

Tuesday it was pounding the pavement again for a while looking

for work then went to a Police Exhibition which was interesting.

From here it was to Oxford Circus to check out some second hand

book shops.  At Scout HQ in the city, I signed the visitors Book.

Then it was back to Cromwell Road to collect my bike and ride to

Putney. In the late afternoon it was back to Baden-Powell House

on the bike, and after securing it, catching the Tube to Covent

Garden and to the Ballet in the Covent Garden Opera House. 'Swan

Lake' was on and whilst I had to sit practically up in the roof,

I could still have a reasonable view of the performance. It was

thrilling to be here and the dancing and music soothed the soul.

I collected the bike afterwards and rode home in the cold night.

Luckily there was no rain.

 

Next day it was back to job searching and then some breaks. I

went to Berkley Square then Green Park and St. James Park with the

Serpentine Lake and all the white swans. I saw the Horse Guards

barracks and took a couple of photos then it was back home. I

walked around the shops and had a bite to eat, but was glad to

get to bed as it was so cold. Work was going to be hard to find,

especially as I didn't have a work permit or a National Insurance

number. As lots of visitors have jobs it means there is a certain

amount of luck and fast talking, but I suppose I had rung about a

dozen places and my name was in every employment agency I passed.

 

Today it was overcast and some drizzle, but I decided to have a

day off. I saddled up the bike and headed out through Richmond

Park to Kingston on the Thames River. There I crossed the river

and visited a once royal palace, Hampton Court. The gardens were

beautifully kept. I went into a couple of the outside rooms and

had a look but there was a tour fee so I missed the State

Apartments. I didn't take a camera due to the rain so I missed

some nice shots.

 

I rode back to London and tried the Manpower agency again but no

luck. I went to Baden-Powell House for dinner then caught the

Tube to Golders Green on the Edgware line. The Hippodrome Theatre

was big, like one of the old Odeons but the show was great and

full of hype.  A revue type show with lots of singing and music

and comedy. Strange but although London has lots of theatres with

top rate shows, this one is still the most heavily booked. My

ticket was actually a cancellation. Crowds everywhere. A

highlight was a personal appearance by Ralph Reader, the

originator of the Gang Show. Sort of a living legend. Afterwards

I went back to Baden-Powell House and picked up the bike from the

basement, then rode home. Luckily it had stopped raining in the

afternoon.

 

Next day, Friday, I went back to BP House again and phoned

Manpower who said they had a job I could try! It was only one day

and for a driver, but it was worth a try. I had to race over to

Hammersmith by Tube to the agency and get the particulars, then

back to BP House to get the bike, then ride home to Putney, to

change. Then it was a ride to Fulham near BP House to the Canada

Dry factory (soft drinks) where I was told the job was for a

labourer. I couldn't cope with that, not physically, so I rode

away a little disgusted.

 

I walked the streets of Putney trying all the shops and

commercial premises and agencies and the little notice boards

about. At the department store in the High Street, called British

Home Stores (BHS for short), I struck pay dirt when I was offered

a job, full time! The department store had 2 retail floors and a

store room on top at the back. The job was a 'fruit porter',

basically to keep all the fruit and vege shelves stocked and to

remove the cardboard from the store plus clean up. Anything the

storeman supervisor required I should 'assist' him. The pay was

£3.10.0 per 40 hour week and I would start on Monday.

 

The shop manager seemed very nice, but new at his job. I was

'obviously' intelligent, he said, but didn't pry. It was a job

and money for me until I left, so I was happy. The hours were

long compared to home. Monday to Friday 8.30 to 5.30 and Saturday

(yes) 8.30 to 6pm! Thursday was a concession, only ½ a day as

this was Putney's half day trading. There was a 1 hour lunch

break and 2 smokos of a ¼ hour. Still with a hot lunch for 1/7d

(about 14c) and with staff discounts and only 10 minutes to work,

it's not so bad. Only obstacle was getting a National Insurance

card but a little wait at the Labour Exchange and some vague

talking to the officer, and I got an interim one. I went to

Manpower and told them and then was informed they had tried to

ring me at the boarding house with a job but had to let it go!

The landlord never told me he had had a call, so someone was

slack or telling lies. Still there was a one off job going to

night through manpower, to pack boxes, so I took it.

 

I waited on a corner in Putney, and a van screeched to a stop,

the back door flew open and in I climbed. There were 4 others

sitting in there on the floor, and off we raced like bank robbers

or something to a warehouse where we sat at a long table and

packed a book and literature into a postal package for mailing to

customers. It was for Concert Hall Record Club, which I belonged

to in Sydney. The work was boring but we talked and it was

interesting to hear the backgrounds of the others, about 6 of us,

as we worked. One fellow came from British Guyana in South

America (he was white), and you got an insight into living in a

hot place where there were more black people that whites. He was,

like most of the persons here, very street wise and had seen

life. We did 4 hours and would be paid 8/- hour, so that was

£1-12-0 by post next week. That's another saga I will mention later.

Then it was back into the van and a race to Putney to be bundled

out on a street corner. An interesting night anyway.

 

Next morning was Day 85 of my World Trip and dawned fine and not

too cold. I picked up my dry cleaning and laundry but noticed the

collars were still a little brown. Then it was off to buy an

alarm clock so I could get up in the morning. On the bike and

into London to Victoria Station area where I located the airline

office and cashed in my Amsterdam air ticket. A little reluctant

at first, I walked out with £9-18-0 in cash which was most

appreciated.

 

Then over to Buckingham Palace and was lucky to catch the

Changing of the Guard. A nice cycle up The Mall to Whitehall, the

government office area, and took in a visit of the Tate Gallery

which I had heard about. It was worth the visit. As I passed

Nelson's Column, I noticed flags decorating it and then

remembered that it was Trafalgar Day. Still loads of pigeons

about. Cycling was a good way to avoid the public transport

system and I headed for Westminster Abbey where I did a tour of

the Houses of Parliament and the Westminster Palace. This was

certainly a great sight seeing day. Everywhere they are getting

ready for the Queen's visit here on the 31st. It was all very

interesting and educational. After a look in the Abbey, I cycled

along the Millbank, following the Thames and into Battersea Park.

Here there was a scout rally in progress with all the usual scout

activities and some stalls. It was low key and I rated it fair to

average. The uniforms are not so uniform as in Australia with

every shade and cloth type imaginable.

 

I then had the urge to go back to the Tate Gallery and take in

some of the modern art and sculpture they had. The creative minds

the artists had was beyond me. Some Cubist Art from

Czechoslovakia was on display which was 'different'. I stopped

off at the Royal Festival Hall and picked up a ticket to a

Tyrolean night next Saturday. By now the rain had set in and it

was pouring. I rode home and arrived absolutely soaked, including

my shoes. The gas fire was using up sixpences to dry out my gear

and warm me. Then my pen ran out, so I gave up writing home. I had

gone through £92 since arriving here but it was worth it. Look,

the rain has stopped.

 

Sunday was fine and beautiful. You can't predict it. There were

even no clouds so I decided to do the right thing and go to

church. It was in the High Street and was called St. John the

Evangelist. The actual church had been burnt out so the service

was in the hall next door. Only 6 to 7 old ladies and maybe 3 to

4 men were in the congregation! Then there was a small choir,

wardens and 2 ministers. There are 4 services a day so maybe this

was a less popular one? I found it very High Church ritual, but

was told Matins (early morning prayer) was the same. The carrying

of crosses down the aisle and everybody crossing themselves was a

bit much.

 

I went back home and wrote a letter then headed off on the bike

to Baden-Powell House. From there I walked to the Albert and

Victoria Museum of Fine Art and then to the British Museum in

South Kensington. Back at BP House, I read till tea time then had

dinner. Tonight was another tourist attraction. I went to a

concert at the Royal Albert Hall, that huge round building I had

seen earlier. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra was playing

tonight, so I was entertained on waltz music, and all for 5/-.

Back at my boarding house I decided to have bath. To do this you

put the money in the gas meter and leave the water running and

hope no one pinches it. Then whilst you are in the bath, you hope

no one comes in to use the bathroom.

 

Today was my first day on the job at BHS as a fruit porter. The

job didn't seem too bad but was obviously a junior's job. I

carted and stacked fruit and stocked up other counters and carted

waste paper from the press upstairs down to the garbage shed

across the lane at the back. Lunch was only 1/7d but felt a

little browned off when they asked me to sweep floors as well.

 

I solaced myself after work by going to see 'Those Magnificent

Men in Their Flying Machines'. The weather is starting to get a

bit nippy but there was no rain today. In Canada the trees were

changing and shedding their leaves, but here they were still

green. Obviously Canada was much colder.

 

My second day at work went without incident. I was hoping for

some mail but none arrived. I wrote home but had to limit my

pages as I only had a 1/9d stamp. Another page would have put it

up to 3/6d!

 

The next day was fine to start but rained just as I was

finishing.  My boat tickets arrived by mail, so I rode over to BP

House for a hot meal then took the Tube to Wimbledon where I was

able to visit the Motor Show at Earls Court. It cost nothing to

get in as I had a foreign passport. It was like the Sydney Show,

interesting and glittery but there were no commercial vehicles on

display.

 

Thursday was a short day, so as soon as 1pm arrived I was off. I

rode into the city and did some sight seeing before going to the

YHA HQ where I bought some small flags for all the countries I

had visited and would visit before I arrived back in Australia. A

quick stop at BP House then home where I did an illegal thing and

cooked frankfurts in my room. Rain on and off but there was some

mail. Oh life in a tiny room. After work next day (still wet!), I

went to a nearby scout meeting and watched, even running a game

or two. Very English sort of scout troop, but then being 3rd

Putney Group, I suppose it should.  Actually there were several

scouters who were dropping in and interrupting the flow of the

meeting. Suppose I was one. Afterwards I went to the local

Wandsworth Borough Library and joined. This meant I could borrow

books and I took two home. 

 

Saturday was wet but it would be pay day. They even had 2 juniors in today to help me, and I was glad as I had a cold. The pay packet had £10-19-4d in it, which after my board of £5-5-0d would leave me not a lot to live on. Tonight was when my ticket to the Festival Hall was to be used. I travelled in and saw the first half of the show on Austrian Tyrolean dancing, but with the way my cold was, decided to give the second half a miss. I had used British Rail tonight and

found it very quick. The rain continued and I went to bed feeling

washed out.

 

Next morning I was feeling much better and as the sun was again

shining, rode out up river into the country to Runnymede. This

was an historic spot for on this bit of England the great Magna

Carta was signed By King John, back in 1215. This was basically

the first time that a British monarch had conceded absolute power

and agreed to rule jointly with the people, at this time, the

nobles. It became the basis of Westminster type constitutional

democracy that exists today both in Britain and throughout the

British Commonwealth.

 

Also here is a part of the country that does not belong to the

British people. In 1963, the government gave one acre of this

land to the people of the United States of America as a memorial

to John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on the 22nd November that

year. The actual memorial wall is fairly plain but very

dignified. Also here was a memorial built by the lawyers of the

USA, dedicated to the future of freedom and democracy through the

judicial system. From here it was up the Windsor Road to Windsor,

where the Queen has a large castle outside the city. The grounds

were very extensive and well kept with one entrance coming in

across acres and acres of rolling green land. The main entrance

is in the city through impressive stone archways and gates. I

took in a basic tour that included some large rooms, galleries

and the State Apartments, including the Grand Reception Room.

Just mind boggling and the splendour of it all was almost beyond

belief. I gave Queen Victoria's doll collection a miss and went

out to look about the town. Distress for me as I left the gate

for I lost both my maps of London and Britain. I went back inside

and asked but they had gone. Maps are precious to me, especially

as I had used these two so much. Oh well.

 

The town was interesting and contained the crookedest house in

Britain. It was 3 stories high and leaning at an angle. Weird.

There were many old and small buildings, some very narrow ones.

Then it was down to Eton College and strange to see the boys

wearing white bow ties, stripes, waistcoats and tails. In all,

Windsor was worth the visit. The ride home became difficult when

the heavens opened and I was saturated. Not only rain but hail as

well. I dried off and decided to go to the pictures, which are on

Sundays here as well. The 'Mikado' was on and since I knew the

music, having performed in it at school on the stage of the old

Civic Theatre in Parramatta, I enjoyed it. Some rice was cooked

on my gas ring and then bed.

 

Daylight saving finished yesterday so there was an extra hour's

sleep in before work. Even the sun was coming into my window

before I left for work. It was still a cold day though. Some

letters on the breakfast table for me from my parents and my

brother who had bought a big Vauxhall car and one from my mate's mum. Also there was an invitation to a friend's (Peter Robinson) 21st birthday. Only problem was he sent it by sea mail and the party

was last September! A quick read then a day stacking fruit. I

rang Manpower during lunch to remind them of my money from the

book packing and also found out from the boat company that the

boat arrived into Sydney at 4am! By the time work was over, it

was pitch black. Next day after work I decided to go to the

pictures again (2 cinemas in Putney) and saw 'For a Few Dollars

More' with Clint Eastwood. Not bad. Another barney between the

landlord and his wife tonight. My mum had sent me some Christmas

bush, so it sat in a prominent place on my mantle piece. I would

dearly love to get a phone call from home but I know it costs the

earth to ring (at least $12 for 3 minutes) so letters will have

to do. I'm out of the political situation at home but there was a

mention somewhere that Harold Holt was being unpopular again.

 

On Wednesday, BHS gave me a half day off for last week, but it

was so cold I went home and sat in my sleeping bag, reading. at

night I went out for a short visit, seeing a