This story is an account of my experiences as a driver and later courier taking passengers on overland trips between London and Sydney over three years, 1978 to 1980. It commences with my first overland, describing each in turn until I reach my final trip - Sydney to London with the one group of punters over twenty-weeks crossing three continents and passing through twenty-one countries.
All of my tours took place during the very volatile and sometimes dangerous times in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The initial trips expose my status as a novice, experience was gained through progression, although a naïve tour leader still while on that final adventure. This final trip focuses on a core group of punters and crew while travelling the Sydney to London route, unique in it’s day and impossible today. This is not just due to the English deckers no longer in use, but to the now deteriorated political situation and associated obstacles along that well-worn route. 
 
Foreword, by Skroo Turner
Skroo, the founder of Top Deck and later the Flight Centre Group gives an insight into the way in which these two successful travel entities evolved.   
 
Introduction to ‘Top Deck Travel’
A brief description of the company mode of travel and trips carried out by Top Deck in the day. 
 
Part One
A three-week express, London to Kathmandu in early 1978 by the author, a 23-year-old novice teaching a converted punter to drive a 24-year-old Bristol Lodekka named ‘Grunt’. With only seven punters the trip is interrupted by the inaugural coup d'etat in Afghanistan followed by a massive detour in Nepal after the collapse of the main highway. The return trip to London with a full compliment of punters taking ten weeks, a fairly dull trip compared to the express.
 
Part Two & Three.
A more experienced novice departed London in late 1978 driving ‘Snot’, this story describes in detail the trying events and funny situations and the ongoing Iranian revolution. The outward journey culminates with the crew and punters leading the rescue effort after a local bus plunged off of the road into a river far below. The return trip in 1979 has an entire new set of punters with a new series of challenges. This trip has similar hurdles in Afghanistan and Iran with some dangerous incidents in Afghanistan being the reason for us not to return there. The trip continues with some issues with Snot accompanied by a few risqué encounters.
 
Part Four
Another overland, late 1979 aboard ‘Rags’ now an experienced traveller and tasked with being the courier to one and mentor to three buses all carrying inexperienced crew. The trip is relatively uneventful with a new unexplored route bypassing Afghanistan through wild southern Pakistan. Once our destination, Kathmandu is reached I continue with an amalgamated group, again as a novice through South East Asia to Australia using local transport and hotels.
 
Parts Five & Six
Sydney - London Overland dealing with the preparations or lack thereof of the longest land tour known at that time. The story is one where 30 odd Australian, New Zealanders and Europeans aged in their 20’s join Top Deck for this the longest and most enduring trip available. The trip commenced in Sydney in March 1980 aboard two 1947 ex Sydney double decker buses, each carrying 18 punters and fully equipped with bunks and a kitchen. 
The tour took 2 1/2 weeks to Perth where the groups combined bringing the tour group to 30 and under my sole control travelling through Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma to Kathmandu where numerous hurdles with hotels, airlines and local buses were encountered.
In South East Asia the punters were catered for all their needs other than meals. My story gives a daily account of our travels and activities as we progress. It also describes the mixing of personalities with different members of the group, some pairing off as we went. 
The finale before Kathmandu is the closed country of Burma which is navigated through the constraints of a controlled but simple society. 
We fly unscathed into Kathmandu, Nepal after spending 5 ½ weeks without a home. This group, now numbering 36 are joined by a further 24 punters, three drivers, two couriers and three English double decker buses, all virtually identical and equipped similarly to the buses in Australia except that they can cater for up to 22 persons each, a virtual 22 berth camper van. 
The three 1955 Bristol Lodekka buses Casper, Tadpoles & Dinger convey, sleep and feed over 60 people from Kathmandu to London over ten-weeks. I join Loxley (driver) & Casper (bus) and divide the 60 punters between the three lodekkas. We travel via India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, Monaco and France to London. 
The journey is interesting, but arduous, Loxley’s temper and mood become apparent and something that we adjust to. Our visit to Srinigar is a well-earned respite from the hard work of travelling through an oppressive Indian and Pakistani summer. We avoid Afghanistan with the alternate southern route to Iran where we become immobilised due to a decent prang and afterwards a major breakdown. But with ingenuity, luck and common sense we are able to continue with an ongoing and unknown mechanical problem.
As we travel through Iran the American Embassy hostages were still captive of the Iranians and the US rescue mission had just ended in failure. The ground in Iran & Turkey is covered speedily due to the political situation and the lawlessness in North-Eastern Turkey before a well-earned stop in the beautiful region of Goreme and Cappadocia. I describe the passengers and their life aboard the bus and the methods used by us to speedily pass through difficult borders before entering Syria and more problems with officialdom.
Turkey, Syria, Jordan & Israel are toured over a couple of short weeks, one of the other buses  (Tadpoles) suffers a more serious mechanical problem making ours seem insignificant. Syria becomes unstable and we quickly pass though with a quick excursion to Lebanon, the coast of Turkey makes us feel that the hard work is coming to an end and the commencement of a holiday. The ongoing mechanical problem with Casper persists until rectified in Turkey by the assistance a Turkish truck driver.
Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy & France brings us to trips end. A relationship between Hilde, a Dutch punter and I complicate things, an occupational hazard with tour operators. 
The tour for us finishes successfully after 22 weeks on the road with all punters and budget intact and we head our separate ways. Loxley and I continue with our work, him in Europe and I almost immediately return to South East Asia. 
I describe how I find it difficult to continue with the job and my return to Europe seeking a holiday where by 'chance' I visit Hilde. That short visit saw me finish with the travel industry and commence a partnership with Hilde in marriage, now 37 years strong.