I’d been out East for just over a year and the Company decided that I should start making my way home. I signed off the Chanda (black & white picture above) and made my way to a hotel in Karachi called the Beach Luxury Hotel. This hotel was much better than the Bristol Hotel in […]
Eventually I was back at Funafuti airport waiting for the plane to Suva, which is the capital of Fiji. Large international airlines use Nadi, but as my aircraft would be a propeller aircraft our destination would be Suva. The airline that was supposed to fly us (fourteen passengers) failed to arrive, so a substitute had […]
I was a deck cadet on the above vessel in 1963. Arriving in Singapore on Saturday the 14th September 1963, the cadets were allowed to go ashore and have a swim at the Seaman’s Club. The ship was anchored off the wharf area, and we would take a small junk and be rowed, usual by […]
During WW2 the US Navy created a classification of ship as ‘Attack Transport’, which consisted of a specially built ship that would carry troops in to battle, but as normal troop ships were usually converted merchant ships, and relied on either docking or tenders to deliver the troops ashore an ‘attack transport’ carried her own […]
It is fifty years since Richmal Crompton died at the age of 78 in 1969. Her original idea was to write stories of children for adults, but they ended up becoming favourites of the children instead, and still are today. Over 12 million copies of her books were sold in the UK, at the time […]
On our first day it had to be China Town. Still the same feeling as our visit in 2012, but the prices are higher. In 2012, AUD $0.80 bought one Singapore dollar, today AUD $1.03 buys one Singapore dollar, a huge difference in buying power. We found the same corner bar that we used last […]
From the beginning the ship attracted a certain type of boy. 1860 Mathew Webb went on to be the first man to swim the English Channel. 1861 Warrington Baden Powell later in life was the founder of the Sea Scouts. 1868 Admiral Sir Sackville Carden Carden KCMG RN was asked by Churchill, who was First Lord of the Admiralty, […]
I was a deck cadet on the above vessel in 1963. Arriving in Singapore on Saturday the 14th September 1963, the cadets were allowed to go ashore and have a swim at the Seaman’s Club. The ship was anchored off the wharf area, and we would take a small junk and be rowed, usual by […]
Have you noticed that travelers write about travels, and the main people who read about those who travel, are those who are travelling? Even foodie blogs write about travels – because many have pictures of food from various countries through which the writer has traveled – not a complaint, because I love to read about other people’s food […]
As part of the cruise we were entitled to a complimentary visit to a specialist restaurant. Not being a great fan of Italian food or fish, I voted for the Crown Grill. In addition, we had a voucher for a bottle of wine not to exceed $70 (AUD). I’d never bought a bottle of anywhere […]
After the fall of France, in June of 1940 Benito Mussolini of Italy declared war on Great Britain. Benito Mussolini – 1883 – 1945 Mussolini ordered his general in N. Africa, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, to attack the British, which he did reluctantly in September 1940. Marshal Rodolfo Graziani 1882-1955 The British, supported by Commonwealth troops from […]
Our cabin (or to be PC our stateroom) The balcony was a decent size, with a table, two chairs and two foot stools. The Atrium or Piazza as it is called in this class of ship, covered three decks in the centre of the vessel. Each early evening a female string quartet, or a small jazz […]
Just a few pics of ground level in Perth. I told you that kangaroos roamed the streets of Perth! A touch of the old country – London Court Bell Tower over looking the Swan River – a gift from the UK. Twelve of the bells are from St Martin’s – in- the- Fields London, and a further five bells, […]
Puerto Montt is a town in southern Chile known as the gateway to the Andes. It began life quite late, not until 1853. For a ship’s tour of nearly eight hours the cost would be USD $169 per person, so it was research time to cut the cost. It wasn’t long before I found GV […]
