Friday 10 August 2012

Plans, Plans and more Plans - May 1952

By now it was May 1952, and the Cotswolds house had already sold.    We then needed to decide where we would live until the business was  sold too, and all further arrangements made.   There were a few more family discussions, which generated the idea of living in a caravan, until the time came for us to take to the road southwards.   We all thought that this was a great idea, as the caravan could be then be sent on to Rhodesia by rail/sea when we left, and the problem of a temporary home on arrival would be solved! Many hours were spent looking at all the caravans available. Even in the fifties, there were many shapes and sizes available, at every price imaginable! We really had to find the right one, if we planned on living in it in U.K. for the next ten to twelve months and who knew for how long we would be living in it on arrival in Rhodesia?   We travelled many miles in search of our 'new home', then Mum found just what we were looking for! Not at all the cheapest on the market, it was a real Rolls Royce of caravans at the time! It had all facilities, including a shower and a toilet and we snapped it up very smartly, before someone could beat us to it.   What a beautiful home on wheels we became the proud owners of!
A shot of the caravan, parked outside my Dad's Fiveways garage.  A double bed folded down from the inside wall for my parents, and the seats, either side of the dining table which folded away, converted into single beds for David and I.
The caravan was towed to our house, where we decided just what was going to move with us to Rhodesia.  After packing it out with the necessary items, the removal van arrived and took all remaining possessions off to the sale room.    I was given a bottom cupboard in the caravan and was told it was exclusively mine for any toys I wanted to take.  Amazing what I managed to fit in; very few toys went off to the sale room!    We owned the meadow across the road from the garage, so the caravan was parked there, in a lovely spot by the river Avon, and meanwhile we waited for a buyer to pop up and take over the business.    We thought that eager buyers would flock in by the hundred, but of course these things never happen in real life!   In this hiatus, we were being anything but idle - not a chance!   Many hours were spent lying on the floor, poring over maps, which were spread in all directions!  David and I were involved in all these discussions, as it was definitely a family trip.   Where should we go and what route should we take?  Decisions, decisions! We did in fact complete the trip many times and on many routes, long before we ever left the wet and cold shores of England!    

A note book was purchased, (a great idea), for us to list everything we all thought that we might need for a couple of months on the road in unknown terrain, where shops could well be non-existent.   This list became so long we would have needed a trailer to carry everything. This was obviously out of the question, so the list then was reviewed, cutting out the less necessary items.  Dad was getting more and more enthusiastic by this time and he spent many hours working on the Land Rover, making it more suitable for the very long trip ahead of it.  Strong metal roof carriers were put in place to carry our camping equipment, together with a large water tank.   The tank was placed right at the front of the carrier, directly over the seats, as this was thought to be the best position to keep us cooler - or so we hoped!  The tank held thirty five gallons of water; we were determined that we would not die of thirst, whatever else might happen to us in the wilds of Africa!   A large canvas sheet was made to fasten over the top of the tank, camping equipment and cases, which would hopefully protect the tank and keep the remainder of the roof-packed items dry.    Dad then extended the back of the vehicle with canvas to fold up and down like a pram hood.   This brainwave extra extension was so that at night, it could be folded down to provide a five foot by six foot bed.  Mum then covered the whole of the inside with netting which could be tucked in to give us protection against flies, bugs and mosquitoes.  During the war, Dad had already experienced malaria, caused by a parasite introduced into the blood by the Anopheles mosquito.   No repeats were wanted of this, as we could not afford to have a sick 'chauffeur'.   Two rubber mattresses were bought to fit snugly into the available space and these could be rolled up during travel.
You can easily see the pram back extension here, let down so that my parents had room inside to sleep.  The water tank can be seen at the front of the roof carrier, and already the important spade for digging us out of sand in the Sahara Desert!
I was lucky enough to have the front seats to sleep on, while David camped under the back of the Land Rover.
An extra 55 gallon petrol tank was then fitted inside the vehicle; this would be needed to travel the long distances between petrol stations.   Extra leaves were added to the springs to take the abnormal weight that it would be necessary to carry.   New heavy duty Michelin tyres were fitted, together with everything else Dad thought was necessary for the now much-modified Land Rover.   A list of spares was composed and purchased, then packed into every nook and cranny, along with a mini work shop of tools. 
To be continued : -)


The following weeks of the next part of my life story I have put on Kindle and you can obtain it at www.Amazon.com orwww.Amazon.co.uk I will however continue writing it here as well so that the blog is not interrupted.   It can also be downloaded to computers, smart-phones or tablets see Here


18 comments:

  1. It's getting exciting Diane. I can't wait to find out what happened next!

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    1. Gaynor it really was exciting times, sorry but you will have to wait :-) Diane

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    1. Rosaria you are right, extraordinary is a good word for it especially in those days. Watch this space...... Diane

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  3. Your Dad was a clever and imaginative man. He did a great job on the Land Rover. It must have been an exciting time. You have an extraordinary memory too. I keep making parallels with what my family were doing at this time. My parents were much poorer than yours and they migrated to Australia to try to make a better life than England could offer them at that time. My story of their struggle to make that better life is on my blog's sidebar.

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    1. diane b I have just followed your link and enjoyed reading the first part of your story. I will read it all over the next week or so. You are right my Dad was imaginative and a good engineer so his ideas came naturally to him. Diane

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  4. It is a marvellous tale such a travel in that time. It is a nightmare just thinking to have it nowadays.
    All the best and... I long for the next chapter :-)

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    1. Pille I would love to do the trip again but only with my Dad who sadly is not with us any more. Politically it would be very difficult!! Keep well and have a good day. Diane

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  5. Your parents had a lot of courage to leave their life behind, sell everything to go to a place they might not know so well. Especially with 2 children. Planning is really important and it sounds like your parents did not take their decision to travel lightly. Incredible people!

    We moved our small family (1 child at the time) in 2008 from the UK to Sweden. I remember the amount of planning necessary...and that was just to another country in Europe. The funny thing is that we moved to another country since (with 2 kids this time round). When you do it once, you can do it again.

    Your experience is amazing. Please tell us more...

    Awena.

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    1. Awena, at the time I did not realise what a major move this was! We were just driving to another country to live!! It now makes me realise what a huge undertaking it really was and driving 1/2 way across the world! I have now done my share of moving, I hope and that here in France is my final resting place :-) Diane

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  6. you have had such an exciting life full of adventure Diane. :)

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    1. Linda lots of adventure in my life but I don't not think I want ever want to change it :-) Diane

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  7. I envy you. Just love your adventures in the 50's. The jeep is way too cool!

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    1. JM my Dad did a fantastic job of the Land Rover. Between him and my brother they did a great job of working on it together. David learnt so much from Dad. Diane

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  8. Must be a thrill-some years for you having to ride in that extravagant caravan!

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    1. chubskulit we never actually got to ride in the caravan, illegal so far as I understand. We did have a lot of fun living in it though :-) Diane

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  9. I adore the caravan Diane. Although I do not know how to drive, my dream (should I win the Lotto) is to purchase a van and then kit it out so that myself, Roxy & Maria can live in it as we travel around Europe.
    We would, of course, pop in for a cuppa as we traverse the Charente!

    A dream yes, but as you know through the wonderful examples set by your amazing parents, dreams can come true.

    I look forward to the next chapter. X

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    1. Dolly the caravan was quite special at the time. Looking forward to you visiting for the cuppa LOL. Yes dreams can come true, I hope that yours does Diane xx

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