Passages - Real and in time.

June Challenge
This is the first page of a travel journal or diary written by W.C. Clayton in 1873.

William was a cavalry officer who, with others, mostly un-named in the journal, made a six month journey reviewing troops, in particular cavalry.

The Journal starts with this : April 19th. "Left Charring Cross at 8.45 pm for Dover."

It concludes: Monday Sept 22nd "And after a roughish passage to Dover got to London at 6.20 am & very thankful & glad was I to find myself once more back again in England."

In between he travels by train to Vienna, down the Danube by boat to Instanbul and then along the south coast of the Black Sea, from where he went overland by pack horses to Tehran.
The return journey was via Moscow, the Crimea, and back through Europe.

This beautiful writing changes, first to pencil and then deteriorates to being almost illegible, following a bout of fever.

I have been typing up the journal and tracking the journey on Google Earth. With the poor writing and many name places having changed it has been a real challenge.

I bought the beautiful leather bound diary, padlocked at an auction for a few pence, it was only when the lock was broken to reveal the contents I realised my luck.

I have been thinking about blipping it since I bought it, today's June Challenge title - 'Passages - real and in time' make this the perfect opportunity.

One day I hope to replicate the journey.

Only one song to go with this - although from a very different era

Thank you so much for all the super comments on my 300th blip yesterday, I will get round to you all, but not tonight - it's quiz night!


June Challenge

1. Inspired by...
2. A toy
3. Green and yellow
4. Drink
5. Sky
6. Descend
7. Passages, Real & In Time
8. Dusk
9. 4 of a kind
10. A snack
11. A friend
12.Take 12
13. On a bench
14. A flag
15.Shadows
16. A phobia
17. A love for...
18. Flame
19. Colorful
20. Fast
21.Welcome summer
22.With wings
23. Pink
24.Make believe
25.Through a window
26. A passion
27. A tomato
28. Music. How you listen
29.Through a lens
30. Playful

I thought I'd give it a go!