CENTRAL EUROPE 1 - 1959
CENTRAL EUROPE 1 - 1959
Itineracy for Central Europe-1 (CE-1) 1959
June 10 Embark on TSS New York from Port of New York -Group tour begins
19-22 LONDON - Boat train Southampton - London
23 DOVER - Rail London - Canterbury
24 OSTENDE - Steamer Dover - Ostende
25-26 BRUGES
27 GHENT
29 COLOGNE - Rail Brussels - Cologne
30 BONN
July 1-2
BACHARACH Rhine Steamer part way
3 BIEBRICH
4 DARMSTADT
5-6 FEUCHTWANGEN Rail Heidelberg - Crailsheim
7-8 MUNICH - Rail Ansbach - Munich
11 GARMISCH - Rail Munich - Weilheim
12-13 INNSBRUCK - Rail Scharnitz - Innsbruck
14 WESTENDORF
15 ZELL AM SEE
16-17 WERFEN
18-19 SALZBURG
20-21 VIENNA - Rail Salzburg - Vienna
22 En route - night train Vienna - Venice
23-25 VENICE
26 VERONA - Rail Vicenza - Verona
27 SIRMIONE
28-29 MILAN - Rail Brescia - Milan
30 LUGANO - Rail Milan - Lecco
31 BIASCA
August 1 GERSAU Rail Biasca - Goshenen
2-3 LUCERNE
4 BRIENZ - Rail Giswil - Brunig
5-6 GRINDELWAD - Rail Interlaken - Grindelwald
7 FAULENSEE
8 BERN
9 En Route - Night train Bern - Paris
10-13 PARIS
14-18 FREE TIME
19 Embark boat train Paris - Le Havre, sailing on the Arcadia
26 Arrive Montreal or Quebec City, Canada
MERRY’S GO ROUND
This is being written for selfish reasons; in the years ahead I’ll want to be able to read about my travels through Europe this past summer, by writing everything I can remember I won’t forget what happened and how wonderful it was.
To those of you who shared this experience with me -Jeanne, Marcia, Mindy, Fran, Sue, Marty, Bob, “Redbird”, and Sheldon - I hope my words will recall your own memories of these places and events. Although what each of us remembers probably differs greatly, this might be a way to start you recalling. To those of you who are reading this to find out more about Europe and the hectic, wonderful way of traveling and life called hosteling I assure you that all I write is the truth and actually did happen no matter how impossible it seems now as I read it and write it.
Not very long ago I arrived back in the United States after three months and three days abroad; not very long ago I flew home from Rome’s Ciampino airport I write these words easily and effortlessly but much effort and excitement passed between the day we sailed from New York City and the day I arrived home.
And so to begin my recollections of a dream that came true.
(singed)
Meredith Henschkel
Boston, Fall 1959
In The Beginning-
We, American Youth Hostel group CE-1 (Central Europe and the first C E group of the summer), sailed from Pier 88 in New York City on June tenth aboard the T.S.S. New York found for Southampton. Between the time I was about ten years old and read an article on youth hosteling and traveling by bicycle, when first dreamed of hosteling in Europe and day I finally sailed ten years later, many things happened. I decided I wanted to pay for my own trip. During high school I saved my baby- sitting money. The summer before my freshman year at Simmons College in
Boston I worked in a department store and the summer between my freshman and sophomore years I worked on the college board of another store. At college I served in the cafeteria and lived on half my allowance in order to save. By the beginning of my sophomore year I knew that by the following June I would have enough saved to l make ‘59 THE SUMMER!
After writing American Youth Hostels at 14 West 8th Street In New York City for their current descriptive bulletin on AYH trips I decided on a Southwest Europe trip as my first choice with Central Europe as a second. I then preferred the SW trip because its itinerary included London, Paris and Rome where the CE trip stayed mainly in Germany and Austria. I was a little disappointed after passing my required health report and filling out AYH questionnaire, when AYH assigned me to CE-1, my second choice, but now I couldn’t be happier that they did.
Much of last spring was spent getting my equipment, clothes, shots and passport. To make life more hectic my roommate also planned to travel to Europe via the National Student Association and my boy and my boy friend to work on an oceanographic Mediterranean ship.
The AYH sponsored trip cost $910 less $5 for early registration, plus $4 for my Senior Youth Hostel pass and $3.25 extra my berth on board ship. The $910 included aa $50 emergency fund returned unused at the end of the trip. My total expenses for the summer including everything my bike, clothes, passport, shots, spending money while with CE-1 and all traveling expenses for a month after CE-1 broke up in Paris were $1546.37. This was $150 more than I had counted on since I decided to change my scheduled Westward sailing to a plane reservation. Besides the extra expense of the flight there was a $20 cancellation fee to pay to Greek Line.
I bought a bicycle like many other trippers from Raleigh House in London through AYH in New York for delivery in London. By buying the bicycle in Europe we saved the #10 fee for Greek LIne shipping. My bike was a brilliant yellow with dropped handlebars but I traded with Marcia for here more conservative red and black Raleigh Trent tourist with plastic fenders. The bike cost approximately the equivalent of sixty-five American dollars complete with tool bag, pump and rat trap carrier to hold bags.
My saddlebags were crammed full when I left. In Heidelberg I sent some of my extras home. I then carried-
1 pair slacks
1 pair bermudas
1 ski parka
1 poncho for pack
1 raincoats (opaque plastic doubled as a bathrobe)
1 pair sturdy shoes
1 pair heels
1 heavy sweater
1 bathing suit
1 long sleeved sweater
1 skirt and blouse
1 jacket dress
1 small clutch pocket book
1 towel
cosmetic kit
3 sets nylon underwear
1 slip
3 pairs sox
knife, fork, spoon
can opener
starchy clothes line
dish towel
1 sleeveless blouse
1 short sleeved blouse
diary and pen
stationery
British YH Guide to Europe
first aid kit
canteen
camera and film
sheet sleeping sack(for sleeping in hostels)
My clothes were packed in plastic bags which kept them fairly neat. The next time, if there is one, I wouldn’t take a dress, only a dark, pleated skirt wearable with all the blouses. Nor would I bother with high heels which were worn only twice - sailing and flying back and both times they hurt. Sneakers, mundane as they seem, are more practical for biking and sightseeing. I would take vivid colors and prints whenever possible since white become pearl grey. Sandals are good for “dressy” occasions. Lightness not chic looks is what mattered most. I carried my passport and vaccination certificate, wallet, travelers’ checks, AYH pass and comb in my money bag on my belt most of the time. Money bags are wonderfully practical since you don't need to clutch them in your hand, yet know you have all your valuables with you at all times. Jeanne, our leader, wore two, one on each hip for CE-1’s funds and her own, looking like a cowgirl with a double gun holster. Twenty single American dollars came in handy when we needed a small amount of money to be converted.
In the third pre-trip bulletin AYH sent copies of our scheduled itinerary, instructions for meeting GROUP the night before we sailed at AYH headquarters and the names and addresses of CE-1. The list of names then was only black ink on white paper, but now they're dearest friends.
I was excited to recognize Marcia Weitz of Natick, Massachusetts and Boston University, name on the list, since we had hosteled together across the U.S. And Canada five summers previously on a rolling AYH trip by bike and train. All the others were strangers yet now they're all familiar, my vier Bruder and sechs sexy” Schwesters. Jeanne Shearer, originally from Georgia, Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Duke University and now a professional girl scout in New York City was the group leader filled with laughter and vitality she knew twenty songs for every one we knew. Marty Bury, with whom I traveled from Paris to Rome after the group trip was over, was from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and had studied at Lawrence College and planned to enter Chicago Nursing School this Fall. Mindy Murray from Charlottesville, Virginia and Emory University, had a southern drawl, and a hill-billy repertoire. Fran Judy from Seattle, Washington planning to be a doctor at Carleton College was interested in people out every thing about every place we visited. Sue Leichsenring, cosmetologist, who kept us all in trim, from Chicago had a fast wit that remind me of Hermione Gingold. Bob Nelson from Redondo Beach, California and UCLA introduced the song “For California” to our group and every time thereafter we sang of “carrying Harry to the ferry” he groaned. Rodli Pederson surely the man about his town in Kenmare, North Dakota wore a pretzel on his belt that was the native Icelandic dress, had a infamous spleen scar and is now at Antioch. (This must be strange reading for non CE-1ers, but those who know will understand) Sheldon Singal who found and lost an Ardvark, from Toole-le-oh, O.H. 10 and Toledo University was a camera bug.
“Red bird” Whittlesey from Bard College had carrot -- colored hair and a laugh or caw that shocked waitresses. No matter how hard I try to describe the ten of you I fail, but I remember you so well and you and how have lost a bit of my heart to each.
On board
The night of June 9, before meeting CE-1 for the first time my parents drove me past the French line pier 88 where the Greek Line's T.S.S. (twin screw ship) New York was docked. How unbelievable it was to see her in the harbor and know that she was my ship, to read the ship schedules and see my sailing listed for 11:00 am. Wednesday, June 10th!!
Embarking was exciting but very hot. My father noticed that I was listed twice on the passenger list as Mr. Meredith Henschkel. One room that I was assigned to was a boys’ cabin; the one I finally occupied was a one- woman-hole-in- the wall, B539. I walked in the door and hit the bunk, had to climb on the bed to shut the door, sat on the sink to open the closet door and stand against the closet to turn on the water faucet. My saddlebags had to sit under the bunk or else there was no free floor space. Crowded! I don’t know which was worse - the tiny room I wriggled around or the large twelve girl dorm packed with luggage, washlines and chattering hostelers. At least I didn’t have to watch my cabin-mates getting seasick, but unfortunately the New York Bar was directly above my room and it stayed open to two each morning filled with noisy, happy drinkers.
It was thrilling to get bon voyage wishes on board, telegrams, basket of fruit, and hear the band play “Auf Wiedersehn” and “Auld Lang Syne” with us waving as we steam out of the dock. The Queen Elizabeth also sailed that day, promptly passing us. Although we boiled while in port the ocean breezes were cool and when we later heard all the Italian liners scheduled to sail had been delayed for days due to a sailors’ strike, we realized how lucky we were.
The T.S.S. was far from a luxury liner but to us she was pure pleasure, keeping us happily occupied for the nine days at sea.
posted by Rødli @ 8:41 PM
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