page 16

5,000 Miles by double-decker

When one is brought up to believe that one lives in paradise and that belief is qualified by memories of cruel poverty and war, then there is created within a state great forces and potential for progress, a zeal that knows no bounds. Such briefly was the atmosphere encountered by on Oxford group when they entered Russia travelling in a London Transport double-decker bus. Rt 73. The trip, under the auspices of Oxford University Conservative Association, was arranged by John Cochrane who, with Carey Parker, drove the bus its 5,000 miles, across Europe and back via Scandinavia, taking one month to complete the journey.

The main party joined the bus at Hanover on August 12 and the same day moved off to repch Berlin by the late afternoon. At the East German frontier we saw our first Russian soldler who was duly "mobbed" and questioned, much the embarrassment of his officers. The autobahn through East Germany was in a poor condition and the height of the bridges across it could no longer be taken for granted—these were tested with the aid of a rather spectacular bamboo pole. The country is a land of pine forests, armed patrols and elderly women surviving on a diet of cabbage soup with macaroni and sausage.

West Berlin, forewarned of our arrival, put on a big press and television welcome lasting over an hour, and an escort into the city.

From Robin Gorham. of Oxford University and one of the Party.

The two-night stay was enjoyed by everyone—giving John an opportunity to show his considerable talents for juggling at a night club.

We entered Poland too late to reach Warsaw by nightfall. Travelling was slow on account of the low branches of fruit trees along the roads, the top deck collecting quite a few prizes. The red monster fought several battles for supremacy on the road with geese, chickens, cattle, horses and cars, some of which decided the ditch to be the best place of refuge. At 5.30 in the morning, six miles outside Warsaw, the bus broke down with minor engine trouble and shortage of fuel. Towed in behind a lorry, entry into the city was hardly triumphal. While repairs were under way, active bargaining took place with tins of Nescafe and chocolate for Polish zloty to buy much-needed food.

The river Bug, which marks the Polish-Russian frontier, was reached by evening, and here, under the setting of a red golden sun, took place the incident which cost Russian pride dear. At the end of the bridge stood an iron and steel ceremonial arch bearing the Soviet insignia. This was under the regulation height for Soviet bridges. It was also beneath the height of Rt 73. As there was only one bridge, the answer was to lake the arch down (with a spanner borrowed from our tool kit) but, worse still, the Russian soldier dismantling it let the arch slip so that it smashed to pieces on the ground.

Joined by our two (women) Intourist guides, Lilla and Natasha, two more days, travelling, with night stops at Brest and Minsk, brought us to Moscow in the late evening to see for the first time the red stars glowing over the Kremlin and the lights of the huge University building on the Lenin Hills. Of the eleven days spent in Moscow, under half were organised to any extent, the rest being spent in freedom to move around at will. Several evenings were spent in strenuous discussion with students who were all very earnest and anxious to know about Britain and our political views. Most were young, able, hard-working and thoroughly convinced in the right-ness of their cause. Two main difficulties arose. First, we could never start from the same basic assumptions because of the isolation of Soviet students; secondly their mentality differed to a large degree partly because of an authoritarian as opposed to liberal system of education and partly because their logical thinking seemed different from that to which we were accustomed. However, in spite of this, concessions were made on both sides and I think several important points put over and accepted by the Russians. There is no denying their eagerness to learn, ability and capacity (or work, all mixed with considerable confided almost amounting to boastfulness An invitation was extended to return Ihe hospitality of Moscow at Oxford.

Crossing the Volga the bus finally moved north to Leningrad on the way home—a detour which was amply rewarded by the magnificence of the Winter Palace (where the Revolution broke out) and the Peterhof fountains. Two nights Leningrad and on to Finland, lovely land of deep blue lakes, rich forests and charming people Who were especially helpful the night the bus went into a ditch.

The rest is briefly told—two nights in Stockholm, a night in Jon Ropiya, in Copenhagen, and Hamburg, and so back from Ostend across a shimmering sea to Dover.

One last incident remained, for the bus was stopped by a police car outside Dover for speeding (a mere 45 m.p.h.) with the crack, "When do you drive this thing on— vodka ?"—the winding English lanes were a strange contrast to the vast stretches of highway in Soviet Russia.

Farewells at Hyde Park Corners and not without regret, farewells to Rt 73 which for four weeks had astonished the goodnatured peasants of Eastern Europe and had served us well both as a vehicle and as a home.