Bright Tracks

In 1959, four student friends from Cambridge join a party travelling by train to Greece. Their train, The Tauern Express, takes three days to make the journey across Europe from Ostend.

In 1959, four student friends from Cambridge join a party travelling by train to Greece. Their train, the Tauern Express, takes three days to make the journey across Europe from Ostend – a long way from the convenience of international trips today. Over their six weeks backpacking abroad, the travellers discover a way of life very different from their own and a country struggling to emerge from the ravages of war. As they make their way across Greece, they take the opportunity to explore Greece’s rich array of historical places of interest, and meet a host of colourful characters. In this fascinating re-creation of their Odyssey, Bright Tracks opens a time capsule into 1950s Europe and reveals attitudes of the time and adventures they will never forget. Bright Tracks is a lively, often humorous account of a world now lost to the modern tourist. Lavishly illustrated with over 160 photographs, including pictures Richard and his companions took back in 1959, it will appeal to those with an interest in Greek history and culture, as well as those looking to reminisce on their own travelling days.