Monday, 8 May 1978

Up and away on our motor tour!

Picked [the] Marina (808 miles [on the clock]) up at Sidcup (£60 dep). Followed route numbers to Purley and Leatherhead. Elsie then found Maries parent’s address was in Surrey so we backtracked and after a couple of attempts found Rectory Lane, Long Ditton.

Woke Marie’s [teacher friend of Jims] brother Mick up out of bed – he was back from 3 month stint up in the Baltic. His parents weren’t home. He made us coffee and we had a yarn. We are to contact his parents some time.

Elsie discovered she had a cousin in Hampshire but could not decide whether she lived in Obelisk Rd, Hampshire or Southampton. We eventually sorted that out and then headed for Southampton. Found a cafe at the docks area. Looked for a phone, found a local map, looked for another phone – only one in the phone book. Rang her up and found we were only about a mile from her. We visited Roseanne and I met 3 of her 4 beautiful daughters. Left at 5.15 and headed for Bournemouth. Came down A35 instead of A31 through Lyndhurst towards Christchurch.

Stayed at White Gates Guest House at Somerford  – B&B £4.50. Very well set out room. Tea at a Little Chef. Drove around Christchurch and Bournemouth after tea, without too many wrong turnings.

Cup of tea in the lounge and spoke with a farmer and his wife from Coventry. Has been a misty week for them.