FELLOW TRAVELLERS

I first met Marilyn in June 1971 when I was interviewed rigorously by her and other residents of the infamous “Cottage” student house in Brighton for a vacant room for the 1971/72 academic year.  And what a year it was.  Marilyn was at the centre of the sheer vibrancy of the place.  The crazy parties, spontaneous gatherings and very occasional washing up, plus people shouting “Knickers” throughout the day are my strongest memories of the place.  (Knickers was the name of the house cat by the way)
Angi, then my girlfriend, who was studying in London and visited at weekends, also got to know the cauldron that was life in the Cottage.

Then after university into the real world, we met up from time to time, swapping stories about our growing families.  Then on to the Cottage reunions which have reinforced the bonds that we established in those intense and formative years in that run down Victorian terraced house in Brighton.  Still don’t know why it was called the Cottage!  But it generated so many lifelong friendships.

..... and then in 2011 Angi and I received an email from Marilyn.  It was the outline of a carefully researched itinerary for a trip to South America and the Galapagos Islands, wondering if we might like to join her and Stephen on such a trip. By return we sent a one word email back.  It read “Yes”.

This was the start of the closest of friendships, literally and metaphorically as fellow travellers. We have shared so many experiences and laughs in our travelling years.  And what trips they have been.  We have enjoyed the benefits of Marilyn’s brilliant organisational skills from South America, to Africa and the Far East.  We’ve been under waterfalls, charged by an elephant, been on cable cars, river boats, in tiny planes, abandoned in the jungle at night, seen  mountains, beaches, salt lakes, geothermic springs and lots of restaurants and airports. We’ve appeared in the Radio Times and sampled spirits, wines and cultures around the world,  even stayed in a castle, a geodesic dome and a hotel made of salt. We’ve been on canals in France and the UK together with Allyson and Mick;  the WhatsApp group name for us six being “The Floaters” telling you much about the humour aboard.  But what have made all of these experiences so special are the people, with Marilyn at the heart of it all – but preferably not at the helm!.

Marilyn has indeed lived life to the full.  She packed so much into every day and being in her circle meant that we did too. So thanks Marilyn, for all the fun we had and the journeys we made together, for the food and drink we shared, but most of all for the love and friendship that have made our lives so much the fuller.  Keep travelling.

Fond memories

Ian and Angi