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We got to Dover with about half an hour to spare and came to the Passport checkout. Yvonne had her passport with a photo of herself and John while I had mine with a photo of Pamela and myself. The Pass Port officer looked at the 4 photos than at us and to our surprise said: “This isn’t legal” He then explained that Yvonne could not travel on John’s passport unless John was with her! What were we to do? I asked he would stop us leaving the country and he said no but pointed out we might have trouble passing through other countries!! I said well we will try our chances and we passed through! On the boat I suggested Yvonne should loose her passport and from now on we would use only mine, for I had to get to Belgrade quickly and Yvonne was not keen to return home alone!

Three hours later we arrived in Ostend and as the cars queued for the customers shed about three cars ahead there was the Belgium Passport cabin window andn I noticed the man inside was indicating to the nearest car to pass up their documents. So I thought if I walked down from our car to the cabin I could offer our documents and the officer would only see Yvonne at a distance and would not see her clearly. After all Yvonne already put on dark glasses and rapped a thick scarf round her neck to hide her face, if anything she made herself look very guilty but she just would not take advice on the subject! The Officer examined my passport seemed quite happy, waved me on and wishes me a good journey and I returned to the car. As I got in Yvonne was in panic, “He’s looking at us! He’s coming up behind you” We sat waiting and the man came to Yvonne’s window and indicated for her to lower it! When she had he said “Pardon May I see your passport again please Monsieur” He examined it then said I see there are two of you! With that he returned the passport to me and again thanked us and wishes us a happy holiday.

We continued our journey travelling mainly over 95 mph in the Alfa Sud I was driving at that time we passes the Belgium/ German, German/ French frontiers staying the night on route at Bonn. And drove to Austria and to a small customs post with Yugoslavia south of Salzburg. We arrived very late sometime after 10.30 PM We had to wait for in front of us was an old car which appeared to have a group of Arabs in it. They were being given the full treatment all the seats had been removed and everything had been taken out of the car with the occupants waiting around while everything was examined!

Yvonne started to panic again, she had never visited a “Communist country” and here we are with a car load of crane spares loading the car well back on it’s rear springs with no approved entry papers. She was sure we were going to be arrested for this if not for travelling on a false passport and I had to use all my efforts to keep her quiet and to sit still. After about half an hour the other vehicle left and the two officials came each side of our car. I held up the passport and they waved us on without even looking at us! By now it was getting on for two in the morning we drove for about half an hour and stopped at a small hotel but found it all locked up. We could not get anyone to open up so continued our journey for another half hour. This time we arrived at a hotel, the door was open but nobody about and we just could not find anyone so we left to try again. The last establishment was reached about three AM in the morning this one was a Motel type place and there was someone in charge we both went into the office and the man in charge asked for our passport which I gave him, He did not seem to look at it just take the number and other details filling in a long form which he then stamped and gave us a copy He then indicated for us to follow him and we walked across to a group of huts.

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