ERF-Continental:
Andy, first of all my compliments for creating a wonderful story which is not easy in terms of verifying, research,
choice of pictures (resolution and cuttings) as well as the right tone to keep writing in.
Well, I have been told and experienced…never judge a book by the cover, regardless colour, title, photograph!
I am looking forward to obtain some copies and keep up the good work with checking your first sample-edition!
A-J
A nice, positive response to the thread . I know something of the contents and I can assure you that they will not disappoint you! As for judging; again you are right; and I would go as far as to say ‘never judge a book until you’ve read it’!
The corrected proof arrived yesterday with one glaring error (overprinting of a photograph onto text. This has now been solved and Amazon will publish within the next couple of days. The price will be £27.90 plus p&p. If you would like a signed copy from me direct please email me at jazzandy@btinternet.com. Great value 88000 words and 140 of my own photographs!
Hi jazzandy a question please,could you tell me when you had to stop at Police post when you LEFT Erzincan to get what papers stamped as I never went to Turkey I am intrigued. Dbp
peggydeckboy:
Hi jazzandy a question please,could you tell me when you had to stop at Police post when you LEFT Erzincan to get what papers stamped as I never went to Turkey I am intrigued. Dbp
There was a compulsory TIR check-point on the main road at Erzincan, DPB. You could get a good meal there, washed down with EFES pils.IIRC
(Looking forward to the book BTW)
Ro
EDIT. I’ve just looked it up on my old Turk maps. The TIR post at Erzincan might have been after Andy’s time, as it isn’t marked. They did tend to come and go over the years apparently.
Jazzandy,Andy,I feel I know you know,as I have just finished your book,as in certain parts I was with you however not in Turkey or Teheran,
Certain stories rang a bell?ish… Or similarities
however it was well written and I have no qualifications whatsoever .
As a avid reader I enjoyed it.
comments…=when you were ■■■■■■ atBOB for not taking hitch hikers,middle east or not (out of order)I would have done exactly the same as he did you were thinking of your. D…
Back then the ridiculous hours you men worked was 100%against what all us regular company uk drivers were trying to achieve a decent living.
The middle east driving attractive the cowboy element it was their choice as like yourself…to do the hours I hope your wages compensated.
Did you carry on driving after the middle east.
I was surprised when you mentioned you used to be a ferry man,obviously M.N.deck officer? I was a deep sea AB.
For my sum up, Double VG
Ps I read it on kindle unlimited. this is my entitled view to all the non drivers on site…
Hi deckboyPeggy, I would never have left a British hitchhiker adrift in the middle of Yugoslavia Even if they didn’t have a couple of nubile girls with them!
When you took out all the hours of thumb twiddling, waiting at borders, customs or for backloads, our actual driving time was well paid. I was always paid weekly plus bonuses and was almost always treated fairly.
I did three summer seasons in the mid-sixties as assistant purser on British Rail, mainly Dover to Boulogne.
> peggydeckboy: > Back then the ridiculous hours you men worked was 100%against what all us regular company uk drivers were trying to achieve a decent living.
Actually, the hours were quite natural, not having to bother with logbooks or tachos you just settled into your own rhythm.
Cooked, slept, stopped for a brew when you felt like it, drove when you were ready.
I would describe it more like a 36hr day, where you got enough sleep and enough miles.
Easier to stay awake than as a watch keeper on Coasters doing 6 on 6 off
Yes ok, i get all the hours ,i probably have worked as long hours as anyone who was at sea and EURO driving
What i was trying to say not very well, thousands of drivers in the 1970/early 1980s ,as company men, and the "unions "were trying to get better working conditions shorter hours and a drivers “worth”.
Owner drivers were a rear breed, not your ordinary lorry driver ,some may not like what i say however, they had bank accounts , drivers were all weekly paid, you could not get a bank account in the 1970s unless you had money or were salary paid they had the educated edge, working for themselves ,that is why many company’s … never survived ,i assume the drivers realised the hour pay ratio was not good that is why the lump sum for a trip was introduced by owners and that increased the hours worked by drivers.
and the romance of the trip, travelling long distances ,cooking like camping, did give a false sence of what the middle east really was, long hours, working for their self’s and their freedom ■■,but was it really,?
lots could not get home quick enough the ones who realised it perhaps was not what it was cracked up to, i personally had 3 children in the early 1970s the last thing i would have done was go to the middle east i had
already been around different nationalities .
,
As for leaving British ,or any nationality stranded they all knew what they were doing they were all intelligent university ex students, on gap years not many from the local council estate .
Jazzandys books and all the other middle east books are good reading i am just pleased i never did it.
Yes ok, i get all the hours ,i probably have worked as long hours as anyone who was at sea and EURO driving
What i was trying to say not very well, thousands of drivers in the 1970/early 1980s ,as company men, and the "unions "were trying to get better working conditions shorter hours and a drivers “worth”.
Owner drivers were a rear breed, not your ordinary lorry driver ,some may not like what i say however, they had bank accounts , drivers were all weekly paid, you could not get a bank account in the 1970s unless you had money or were salary paid they had the educated edge, working for themselves ,that is why many company’s … never survived ,i assume the drivers realised the hour pay ratio was not good that is why the lump sum for a trip was introduced by owners and that increased the hours worked by drivers.
and the romance of the trip, travelling long distances ,cooking like camping, did give a false sence of what the middle east really was, long hours, working for their self’s and their freedom ■■,but was it really,?
lots could not get home quick enough the ones who realised it perhaps was not what it was cracked up to, i personally had 3 children in the early 1970s the last thing i would have done was go to the middle east i had
already been around different nationalities .
,
As for leaving British ,or any nationality stranded they all knew what they were doing they were all intelligent university ex students, on gap years not many from the local council estate .
Jazzandys books and all the other middle east books are good reading i am just pleased i never did it.
> peggydeckboy: > Owner drivers were a rare breed, not your ordinary lorry driver, some may not like what I say however, they had bank accounts, drivers were all weekly paid, you could not get a bank account in the 1970s unless you had money or were salary paid, they had the educated edge, working for themselves and the romance of the trip, travelling long distances, cooking like camping, did give a false sense of what the middle east really was, long hours, working for their selves and their freedom ■■, but was it really,? > > Jazzandys books and all the other middle east books are good reading i am just pleased i never did it.
Peggy, I think you would have really, really enjoyed it if you had a good Bosun driving the lead truck (or Mate/Skipper / there were quite a few).
AND the food/cooking, I know from your previous posts you don’t like eating Foreign Muck, well you would have loved sharing Camion Stew with fellow drivers you met on the way.
PLUS no handball, in fact hardly ever touching the load, and if you had to it was only a few times a year.
As for leaving British ,or any nationality stranded they all knew what they were doing they were all intelligent university ex students, on gap years not many from the local council estate .
That certainly wasn’t my finding, it was just some random blokes with a bit more savvy than driving to Prato every week in Convoy.
> Wheel Nut: > > As for leaving British ,or any nationality stranded they all knew what they were doing they were all intelligent university ex students, on gap years not many from the local council estate . > > > That certainly wasn’t my finding, it was just some random blokes with a bit more savvy than driving to Prato every week in Convoy.
Spot On Wheelnut, I remember a driver called Biddle? was with Cantrells for quite a while, couldn’t read or write yet was an accomplished Middle East driver.
I never quite grasped how he got on with the paperwork etc, but maybe because everything was double dutch to him, there was no difference to him between Arabic Script & Latin and his skills to overcome a lack of literacy stood him in good stead in far off lands.
. I know something of the contents and I can assure you that they will not disappoint you! As for judging; again you are right; and I would go as far as to say ‘never judge a book until you’ve read it’!
