For whom the bell tolls – it tolled for me on this holiday – In 1961 I was invited once again to accompany my friendly schoolmaster for another trip to Europe, but this time it would be southern Spain, staying in a hotel rather than YHA. We’d moved up market. I was also asked if a […]
There comes a time that when you are offered something and it sounds great, you should be careful – but I wasn’t careful and agreed. As MV Juna reached Fremantle in Western Australia I agreed to supervise the loading of freezer and chiller cargo, on the understanding that once is had been completed I was […]
The title of this blog is a dictate that is drummed in to authors – show the reader, don’t lecture the reader. A few years ago we were told that the e-book was overtaking the printed book in popularity – today I am not all that sure. I have an old adage that if I […]
Perhaps we should send # 4 & # 6 to the current PM of Australia! To be PC – No politician was hurt in the production of this message . . . 1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, […]
The red symbol is Nauru My next trip was to review our delivery agency in Nauru and two other Pacific Islands. To get to the other two islands I had to travel via Nauru, which under normal circumstances would not be a problem except that the Air Nauru service from Australia to Nauru was ‘intermittent’. […]
How things have changed since my first trip to Hong Kong in 1963. Note the clock tower to the left of the picture, right on the waterfront, more about it later. I found this old advert, which also shows Hong Kong of the 60’s. We entered Hong Kong harbour via the Tathong Channel on the […]
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. John Masefield […]
Dom Fernando II e Glória Picture from Lisbon web site. While in Lisbon we had one ‘damp’ day so we decided to experience Tram 28 – the oldest tram in Lisbon. When we arrived at the tram stop we were faced with a very long queue – many others had the same idea! Not wishing […]
Plas Newydd (or New Hall in English) overlooking the Menai Straits, Anglesey, where I lived for three months when training at HMS Conway. The site was originally occupied in the 13th century and was known as Llwyn-y-Moel, but by 1470 it was owned by the Griffith family, and they created a hall-house. Over the centuries through marriages, it became the home of the […]
The title of this blog is a dictate that is drummed in to authors – show the reader, don’t lecture the reader. A few years ago we were told that the e-book was overtaking the printed book in popularity – today I am not all that sure. I have an old adage that if I […]
How things have changed since my first trip to Hong Kong in 1963. Note the clock tower to the left of the picture, right on the waterfront, more about it later. I found this old advert, which also shows Hong Kong of the 60’s. We entered Hong Kong harbour via the Tathong Channel on the […]
Port Vila the capital of Vanuatu, which used to be called New Hebrides. The first Europeans to visit these islands were the Spanish, who arrived in 1606. They thought that they had found La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo or “The Southern Land of the Holy Spirit”. The largest island was named Espiritu Santo, which has […]
