Sunday, 16 April 1978

Raw throat arrived. Redoxon & Disprin.

Taxi at 8.45 to Victoria [Station]. Queued up at sign for 3410 but no activity. After a while another large group came along looking for their sign. Alan Coggan, his wife Noreen and their two girls. A friend of his, Bob, his wife and their three children were travelling with them. They had had a minibus around Scotland & England.

Dover Ferry with Alan (ex-Oatley 13 yrs ago) on same tour

Names checked and moved off to the train about 9.45. Special carriages for Cosmos groups. About 9 bus loads.

Cosmos tour of Europe

1¼ hours to Dover. Through Customs to boat. Boat left 12.30. Smooth crossing 3½ hr trip.

Ostende at 5 o’clock Belgium time. About an hour before we started off in the bus. Very modern bus.

Drove along motorway through Bruges to Brussels (120km). Fully cultivated fields, very tidy houses and yards. Flemish & French spoken.

Some congestion of buses at hotel. Had tea at restaurant. Soup, chicken and chips and peas. Ice cream.

Stayed in hotel. Wit went out to change some money to buy some water £1 = 56 Bfr [Belgium Franc]. 1 bottle of spa water 50 Bfr. Dosed up with Redoxon and Disprin. Tea/coffee 45p each.