Buzz’s comments on his Western
European vacation Summer 1971
After my
junior year in college, I spent 6 weeks touring Western Europe. Part 1 was with two friends and a Renault 4
rental car. That year there were many
inexpensive charter flights. We arrived
in London and immediately took a train and ferry to Paris. We explored Paris then picked up the rental
car and traveled south through Chartres and Versailles. After a quick pass
through the Alps, we traveled down to Rome.
After Rome, we spent time in Florence then through the Alps via
Switzerland and onward to Munich. We then traveled up the Rhine to Amsterdam
and returned to Paris to return the rental car.
My two friends returned home.
Part 2
was a solo hitchhiking adventure, travel south to Spain to go to the running of
the bulls in Pamplona (San Fermín Festival).
I arrived in Pamplona, a few days before the festival and was able to
rent a room just outside the middle of town.
I made friends and eat many of my meals at the bar/restaurant across the
street. After several days in northern
Spain, I traveled up to the channel and caught a ferry to Brighton Beach
England. After a couple of days there, I
caught a ride north to wherever the ride took me. My destination turned out to be Bolton were I
meet several others my age who introduced me to spelunking in the Yorkshire
Dales, Northern English bitter and Newcastle Brown Ale. I then returned to London and found out the
my charter flight was rescheduled leaving in two days, so my time in London was
truncated, but since I was running out of money that was okay.