A group of strangers who took a London double-decker bus to travel thousands of miles have reunited fifty years later. A group of 11 people lived in the vehicle, braved extreme temperatures and travelled long distances before their journey came to an unexpected end after the bus sank into the River Chira in Peru, according to a BBC report.
Five members of the group shared their stories over 50 years later. David McLaughlin, the driver and mechanic, told BBC, "We travelled close to 40,000 miles over the 20 months or so. It was great driving the bus, I must say."
He added, "America, Canada... well that was technically straightforward. Move into Central and South America, the roads are entirely different and it was an adventure.
"You were climbing mountains - and double-decker buses are not geared for climbing mountains." "
Speaking to Metro, Bernice Poole said, "It modelled my life. We've all learnt so much from it."
The credit for the epic trip goes to Roger Poole and his wife Joan, who has since died, reported the media outlet. The pair advertised the idea twice in the local paper - roping in their friend, John Winter, who agreed to come along.
However, their adventure soon came to an abrupt end. While in Peru, the group came across a low-lying bridge that the double-decker could not pass. To try to solve the problem, they floated the bus on the River Chira using a special raft. As it drifted across, the bus slid into the depths below, BBC report said.
After the experience of travelling on the bus, Ms Mears loved the idea of travelling. She told the media outlet, "When I talk about the trip I still get itchy feet and want to do more travelling. I love exploring the footpaths and rambling in the UK and think how lucky I am to live near Stroud and the Cotswolds."
The experience and memories of the group are now published in a book by journalist John Winter, who was also part of the journey.
