GIRL RUNAWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23083, 7 July 1938, Page 4

GIRL RUNAWAYS

SEARCH FOR ADVENTURE BOTH TIRED OF SERVICE TRAMPING THROUGH BRITAIN [from a spk( iai. coukksi'ondknt] LO.VDOX, .Tunc 11 Two 21-year-old Fnglish girls, who with only 4s between them ran away from the house in Tun bridge Wells where they wore in service, are hiking round the world in search of adventure. Alice Irvin and Joan Dean have just finished the first lap of their hike — the length of Britain. "We have no ties of any kind. Our parents are dead," Miss lrvin said this week. "We were absolutely fed up with the daily round of 'Yes, madam,' 'No, madam' and the awful boredom. "Although we had only two blankets between us, and not even a ground sheet, we have slept out every night of the hike, so far. We have slept under hedges, in barns and in waggons, in fact, everywhere except in a proper bed. We have enjoyed every minute of our freedom. "First we went to London,' but it is cold and miserable in London in December, if you have no friends there, so we went north to Lancashire." In Bolton, the flimsy clothes in which they set out were too worn for hiking, so they worked for two months in a milk bar until they had saved enough money to buy breeches and high hoots each. After that they made for John o' Groat's On the way they tarred boats in Arbroath, and planted potatoes in Inverkeithing. "We have even sung in the streets," said Miss irvin. "Our first real holdup was when we arrived at Newhaven after tramping down from John o' Groat's. \\e couldn't afford the faro across to France, and. although we were willing to work our passage, everybody said we were too young. "So we walked to Margate, where we hope to find a job for the rest ot the summer. We met a couple who have travelled all over the country hv caravan. They were very kind, and are putting us up until we can get a job. "We hope io leave, for France in about six months. We are making no definite plans. Wo will take whatever work we can get as we go. " We won't leave Europe until we have seen some of the fighting in Spain." After that they plan to work their passage to Australia.