News from Jupiter
From My Notebooks In 1974: On the Zoe.G
May 31, 2026
From Lourenço Marques my ship had to sail south and round the horn of Africa. Thursday, May 9th, 10th, 11th Sail along the coast [Mocambique, South Africa.] Calm sunny weather. On the 12th mountains of Cape Town barely visible in shrouds of mist. Then into Atlantic. Albatrosses. Small trawler. Disabled liner, listing to starboard, towed by tug. Chess games [with whom?] Sunday 12th Jog […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: Africa
May 24, 2026
Finally my ship, the Zoe.G, is ready to sail from Lourenço Marques for Brasil. It’s eight o’clock and dark. L.M. Wednesday, May 8th The pilot appears in the doorway of the captain’s cabin. A dark, bearded figure in a heavy coat. He seems shrouded in darkness and mystery. A portentous figure. “Are you ready, Captain? “The boat has been shivering gently for hours, a […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: Mozambique
May 17, 2026
Here I am, in Lourenço Marques, waiting for my ship to sail to Brazil. I can hardly contain my excitement. May 3rd 1974 Tomorrow, I sail for Rio and leave Africa behind. It’s the end of a journey that started in a war and ended in a revolution. In the aftermath of the Portuguese coup, Laurenco Marques simmers with a gentle excitement fueled […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: Mozambique, April/May
May 10, 2026
I arrived in Lourenco Marques at the end of May, and made contact with the shipping line that had agreed to take me to Brazil on the Zoe.G. I struck up a very good friendship with the shipping clerk, who was of Indian descent. He wasn’t sure when the ship would leave and I had to hang around. I spent a lot of time in […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: To Laurenço Marques
May 3, 2026
I left the Balmoral Hotel (which is still there today) to go back down to Durban, on the coast. Before leaving I parked my bike at the back of the hotel and left the engine idling while I checked on the oil pressure, which was still behaving oddly. Monday, 22nd April. Kokstad to Durban. Boy at hotel dancing to the rhythm of the engine […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: Port Elizabeth
April 26, 2026
I’ve come several thousand miles since Johannesburg and the bike is showing disturbing symptoms. I have already asked Lucas in Jo’burg for parts, and hope to get things fixed in Port Elizabeth, at Lionel’s shop. Friday 19th April Into Lionel’s first thing. Call Joe’s [in Johannesburg]. They have the parts. Just delivered [from England] but they won’t get to P.E [Port Elizabeth] today. Decide […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: South Africa’s South Coast
April 19, 2026
I’m still travelling through fairly civilised country – if you can call apartheid civilised – being handed on from friend to friend, and taking a day off in Hermanus, another delightful village on the South Coast. Just to remind you, these are raw notes – it would take a book to explain what they all mean. Sunday 14th April Idleness. Paperwork. Walk on beach […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: Johannesburg to Cape Town
April 12, 2026
From Pretoria, Lucas arranged to have the bike and myself shipped to Johannesburg. I had an introduction to some friends of Tony Morgan: Don and “Trish” Ord. He was a successful industrialist and also a yachtsman. They invited me to stay with them while I tried to find a passage from Cape Town to Brazil. All the shipping lines were in disarray due to the […]
From My Notebooks In 1974: South Africa
April 5, 2026
Leaving the hotel at Louis Trichardt I am hoping to get to Johannesburg, a good day’s ride away, but it’s not to be. Thursday, February 21st The unseen fate which has been working itself out inside my righthand cylinder since Alexandria, now manifests itself only 300 miles from Joburg where help is assured. Just beyond Louis Trichardt the power suddenly falters, and an unmistakable […]
The end days of Triumph in LA
March 29, 2026
Doing housework on my computer I just now came across this little piece about my reception at the Triumph headquarters on the edge of Los Angeles. It was 1975 and I had come half-way round the world. They greeted me with laconic enthusiasm. For ten days they looked after me in considerable comfort. They put me up at a quite stylish motel called the […]