Zambia World Wide

I picked her up from her home in Caister and suggested a day out around the villages and part of the Broads and then return home via Reedham Ferry. The whole day was a disaster and yet fun. When I arrived to pick her up, she explained that an appointment had been made at the chiropodist which she had forgotten and asked if we could go there first. After leaving the chiropodist we went for a Knickerbocker Glory in a local café. We then rode out into the Broadlands, through local villages and then crossed the river at Reedham Ferry, which is a very pleasant spot on the Norfolk Broads and very popular in the summer months. It had been a good day even though it did not start as we intended it should. Having crossed the ferry we stopped at the pub for a drink and a chance to relax and chat, when we left the pub to go home “Disaster” the rear wheel on the bike had a puncture. I phoned my father who said he would come out in the van, we could then remove the wheel and take it for repair. This was ok by me but Janet had to get home, we asked a number of people in the pub if they were going to Caister and fortunately there was a couple going to Great Yarmouth and they agreed to take Janet home. The next morning when the man was leaving for work he found a handbag in the car, checked inside and found it belonged to Janet who he and his wife had taken home the previous night. Fortunately there was an address and phone number in the bag, so he contacted Jan and said he would take the bag round to their house on his way home that evening. Unknown to me she already had a boyfriend who happened to be at the house when the man returned her handbag. I was told later that she had quite a difficult time explaining how her bag came to be left in the man’s car. I never did get a full account of the explanation given but would imagine it was quite interesting. It was at this time we started going out together and dancing together at the dancing school. The year would be about 1966, the same year that England won the World Cup.

We went round local beauty spots and also had holidays in Yorkshire and the Lake District, areas I have already written of. That winter we booked a summer holiday in Spain at Tossa del Mar. In between booking the holiday and actually going we decided to get engaged if our parents approved which they did of course. We had an engagement party at the Garibaldi Hotel which at that time held dinner dances every Saturday night. It was not a large affair as we only invited our families and close friends but a good time was had by all.

We flew to Perpignan on the French\ Spanish border and went the rest of the way to Tossa Del Mar by coach. It was a very relaxing holiday mainly walking along the beach and swimming in the sea which was deep blue and crystal clear. Midday we would find a beach café and sit in the shade whilst having lunch and a long cool drink. Whilst there we took the local train to various resorts along the coast, at this time Spain had not been spoilt in the effort to attract foreign tourists. The towns and villages were completely natural. We also went on a number of excursions through the tour company, one of which was a Mock Bull Fight at San Cipriano. It was a real fun day out, people spraying and drinking champagne and of course those who had a few too many, who imagined they were Bull Fighters, were very keen to jump into the Bull Ring and take on the young Bulls. There was no real danger as the Spaniards running the show kept an eye on the would be Matadors. We also booked a table at a Flamenco Club as we were told it was worth watching and also a good night out. We had an excellent meal and then settled down to watch the show, the costumes were brilliant and the dancers were playing castanets while dancing. It was a really enjoyable evening, an evening we were glad we had not missed.

We booked a trip to Barcelona and although it was a very tiring day, was well worth it. We went round the Cathedral and walked through the Cathedral Grounds where they still keep geese to warn of intruders. At the back of the Cathedral we found a small candle shop where they made the most beautiful candles we had ever seen. We bought one and brought it back to England with us. We also walked along the Waterfront, The ships and activity was fascinating and we also wandered around the Waterfront shops. We were walking through the city when we spotted a church, it was a lovely building spires and ornamental stonework. It was called the church of the Holy Family and was being financed by public donations. The church has been under construction since 1882, which is a very long time and it had still not been completed. Tossa Del Mar was a typically Spanish Town with its narrow streets, town square and small market. At one end of the town was an old Spanish Fortress which was a nice place to walk since it was shady and cool under the trees, a nice change from walking on hot sand. We also spent some time in the local museum and learnt something about the history of the town.