April 2025 – Page 3 – The Curry Apple Orchard

F for Finding Work Moving Furniture

April 7, 2025April 7, 2025 lindamaycurry12 Comments

This is the story of Will and his two friends who sailed to England in 1967 to see the world. Aerogrammes. letters, diaries and postcards help to tell of their adventures in this A to Z.

“Right Said Fred”   Bernard Cribbins  • 1962
"Right, " said Fred, "Both of us together 
One each end and steady as we go" 
Tried to shift it, couldn't even lift it 
We was getting nowhere 
And so we had a cuppa tea ...

52 Weltje Road, Hammersmith, London, England. 11-4-67

Cooee Cobbers. Received you letter from “Down Under” the day I arrived back from Scotland and it was sure good to sit back and read all the news.

Well, over here things have been pretty hectic as usual. I arrived back from Wales and stayed at the flat a few days while I got some clean clothes together from the laundromat and even worked one day as an employment agency rang me up but I told them I was going back to bed. Anyway, they rang again an hour later.

Extract from Diary Friday 31^st March

Manpower Employment Agency offered us a job. Graeme and Phil accepted but I went back to bed. Phone rang again 9 am. Offered me the job again working at London Business School near Trafalgar Square moving furniture – new office building, modern desks etc. I arrived at 10 am, worked until 3.30 pm, had breaks for morning coffee and afternoon tea and 1 ½ hours off for lunch which cost 4/3 for soup, fish and chips, trifle, coffee, bread and kangaroo butter. Also had Danish beer 2/1. Got paid for 8 hours – 48 shillings.

I only did 3 ½ hours work moving furniture. Still, that’s the first money I’ve actually earned since leaving Australia as my teaching pay still isn’t through. They owe me about £70 so should be good for a few beers the day it arrives. Took off the following day for a tour of Scotland and if you get my card from Glasgow you would have heard I at least got there.

*Keith and Will sewing the Australian flag on the duffle bags for easy identification*

Extract from Diary Saturday, 1^st April

I slept in, packed bag, left home by tube at 1 pm to Hendon Central (North London) reaching the M1 at 2 pm and walking two miles. I hitched a ride at 3 pm in a red Morris 1100 along the M1 for 130 miles. The guys were Grenadier Guards – parachutists who had had spent 25 years in the army. One was migrating to Australia in December (on the Fairsea). He saw my Australian flag on the bag and gave me a ride to Nottingham.

However I got lost and hitched a ride by 110 back to the M1. There I almost got arrested by Feds for standing on M1. The driver of an Austin A30 gave me a lift to Derby and gave clear instructions so I caught a bus back to Nottingham, strolled around the town and then asked the Feds the best place for accommodation as there were no hostels for miles. At 8 pm I thankfully checked into Glenhaven Guest House. The B&B cost 18/-. Mrs Simpson, the landlady, was pleasant and the room was very comfortable. Feeling hungry, I walked up street to have a bite to eat and enjoyed ham, egg and cheese rolls, milkshake and coffee. I moved on to a crowded pub where many young couples were around as it is Saturday night and had two beers.

Summing up – interesting day, fantastic road, that M1, maximum speed 70 mph (crawling with cops in jags). Will read my maps more carefully in future but time for bed now, ready for early breakfast and Scotland tomorrow with a bit of luck.

Sunday, 2^nd April

At a quarter to eight I was up and ready for a breakfast of bacon, savs, baked beans, eggs, cornies and three cups of tea and toast. The radio was playing Nottingham Fair by Frank Ifield. I left the guest house at 9 am and strolled out to the road north. First off I had an offer of a lift in a Triumph to out of city limits, walked a mile and then thumbed an AEC lorry which I rode in all day. Its a good way to see the country, high up with lots of windows and a good view.

*Hitched all day (280 miles) with this guy to Scotland*

We drove through Doncaster, Ferrybridge, to Scotch Corner, Applyby, Penrith and Carlisle. Just before Carlisle we stopped for lunch at a Truckies Diner high in the hills. It was very cold, with patches of snow lying around. There we had a good meal in front of blazing fire. From there we travelled to Gretna Green where I saw the Blacksmith’s Shop, scene of runaway marriages just across the border. Thence to Lockerbie and Abington where the lift ended after 280 miles. I waited ten minutes and got a lift all the way to Glasgow (30 miles), with an Irishman from Derby (Furniture Van) who is going to Australia in December.

After strolling around the town and seeing the Clyde River I walked to the Youth Hostel. Dinner was canned meat and vegs but there were no plates or cutlery provided so some French birds offered me a spoon and I ate from the pot. It is truly an international hostel – three Scotchmen (pissed), two Swiss, one Italian/Swiss, one German with an American accent, plus a few French and Aussie women. I talked for hours with these guys about things to see etc. If I had more time I’d go to Ireland tomorrow as it is only about a £1 from near here. But I must see Scotland first.

Monday, 3^rd April

I arose at seven and strolled around the town. – pretty grim old place. Down to the Rubbity for a Scotch and tonic (3/6) and lunch. (Ed. Rubbity is short for Rubbity Dub which is Australian slang for Pub). After catching a bus to the outskirts I waited ten minutes for a lift in a lorry followed by another short lift in a Vauxhall. The driver nearly rolled it trying to pull up to give me a lift. He spun it almost into the wall. I then took another bus to Alexandria near Loch Lomond where I started to walk to a pub for a beer and decided to go on past Loch Lomond Hostel. The road was too narrow for hitching and there was no place for cars to stop.

View of Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond from Luss. Postcard from Dixon Studios Photo by J Arthur Dixon

I walked 14 miles in the rain along “where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond”. I reached the little village of Luss where I dined in style at the Calquhoun Arms on grilled trout (I earned it- cost 14/6). This made me feel stronger so I set out again for another three mile walk to a youth hostel at Inverbeg. At 8pm, where the road was too narrow even for a pedestrian, a Scottish baker pulled up even though I wasn’t hitching and gave me a lift – through the mountains, past Ben Lomond, through Tarbet, Arrochar and Cairndow, beautiful little villages on the banks of Lochs with snow capped mountains rising steeply behind them. Over “Rest and Be Thankful” Peak and down to the village of Inverary on Loch Fyne which is a testing place for submarines we found an Australian sub was at anchor and the pub was full of Strine (Australian) sailors. The Youth Hostel was comfy and I met (among others) two Aussie birds who have done quite a bit of sailing.

Inverary, Scotland. The pub was full of Aussie Sailers.

Next day I took a ride with some Lord in his Rover who bought me coffee and biscuits in a posh Pub. We pushed down to Lochgilphead and up to Oban, a fishing port which is also a popular seaside resort in the summer season for lunch. There are no steamers from Oban to Fort William until the Summer season so my cruise I’d planned on Loch Linnhe will have to wait. I took a bus as far as Ballachulish and then travelled across the loch on a four car ferry. A guy on the ferry offered me a lift for the remaining twelve miles and took me through Fort William, up the valley to Glen Nevis where I stayed at Glen Nevis Youth Hostel. Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Britain, was in front. The snow-covered mountain dropping steeply to the lochs looked fantastic.

My next lift was with a Ford Cortina to Fort Augustus, including a personally conducted tour of Loch Ness (didn’t see the monster but the driver insisted it is real) to Inverness which is a higher latitude than Moscow and it was bloody cold.

Swinging Road Bridge for fishing boats, Loch Ness

Bolted out of there by Healy Sprite to Carrbridge (a small village) for lunch and then through the Scottish Highlands Ski Resorts by lorry to Perth, Scotland with a couple of Aussies from Perth W.A. I crossed the Firth of Forth bridge the next day (longest suspension bridge in Europe) to Edinburgh, the capital. The guy in the truck who offered me a lift from the layby was telling me about a little racket the toll collectors were running last year. They put in 2/6 for every third or fourth car and after making much money they are now in gaol. The city isn’t as depressing as Glasgow and the shops look fairly modern. The buildings still look dirty but the castle on the hill is interesting. I caught a bus to the Youth Hostel which is large and very international.

The idea of hitching back to London wasn’t appealing so I caught the coach (£2/10 to London, 350 miles, 12 hour trip) for air conditioning, heating, reclining aircraft type seats, plus toilet) Very enjoyable after all the effort to get to Scotland.

E for England Swings Like a Pendulum Do

April 5, 2025April 5, 2025 lindamaycurry13 Comments

This is the story of Will and his two friends who sailed to England in 1967 to see the world. Aerogrammes. letters, diaries and postcards help to tell of their adventures in this A to Z.

"England Swings Like a Pendulum Do"   Roger Miller •  1965
England Swings Like a Pendulum Do
Bobbies on bicycles, two by two
Westminster Abbey, the Tower of Big Ben
The rosy-red cheeks of the little children

52 Weltje Rd, Hammersmith, London, England 30-3-67

I received your letter with the clippings, photos and it gives me nostalgic feelings to see those bleary-eyed people who obviously have been drinking real beer. Don’t waste a drop of it.

We are only 50 yards from the Thames River, where there is a sailing club (Enterprises, Fireflys, OKs and 14s) but you have never seen a worse place to sail. They started a race at 6.00 pm the other night (winter) just on the turn of the tide and half the fleet went A over Z in the freezing water within minutes. I met an Aussie from Speers Point who knew the 16ft mob and sailed skates etc.

First flat close to the Thames and the Hammersmith Bridge

The Oxford-Cambridge boat race went practically by our door and all the Poms get very excited about this. I saw the race on TV in Monmouth, Wales as Jan (a schoolie from NZ) and I, Graeme (one of the blokes in our flat) and Raewyn (schoolie from NZ too) hitched for a five day tour which started on Good Friday and took us about 500 miles through Oxford, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Monmouth, Swansea and Cardiff (capital of Wales), across the Severn Suspension Bridge (4^th largest bridge in the world) and back to London.

We stayed in Youth Hostels which are very good and cheap and one night in a little pub in the Welsh village of Brynmawr where the hospitality of the people and their liking for Aussies and Kiwis was amazing. They sang us Welsh songs and shouted us pints of beer. In the middle of one Welsh song they came out with “Up the Wallabies” and we all finished up singing “Waltzing Matilda” and “The Maori Farewell’. The night with supper and breakfast cost 7/6d each.

We passed by Aberfan where the 240 children died in a landslide disaster that flattened the school. Over the whole trip we got about 20 lifts in cars, trucks and even an ambulance. The people were very friendly and quite interested in Aussie.

Tomorrow I’m taking off again for a week in Scotland, mostly Glasgow and Edinburgh and hope to get a tour of a whisky distillery (free samples) as the Scotch in Scotland is dearer than in Australia. I’m off by myself this time for a change. I should be more mobile and I have to be back in London by Saturday to meet one of the girls from the Fairsea who disembarked in Naples and has been in Europe (Michelle).

We are living very well and the financial position is fair. I think I’ve put on about half a stone, my hair is long (I haven’t had a haircut since Wollongong, over three months ago) but everyone’s hair is long in Pommie land anyway.

You should see some of these clothes! Talk about being way out gear! We are very keen on the mini, mini skirts though. They’re nearly up to the neck!

I have seen quite a lot of the sights of London, but there’s so much to see it should take ages. Think I told you we visited St Clements (Oranges and Lemons) built 1066 but destroyed, all but walls and steeple in 1941 and rebuilt. Also went aboard the Cutty Sark – she could do 17 knots under 32,000 square feet of sail – that’s faster than the old Fairsea.

Will, Keith and Phil in Greenwich in front of the Cutty Sark

I stood on the 0 degrees Meridian, one leg in east longitude and one foot in west longitude at the Greenwich Observatory. Also have visited Carnaby Street (way out clobber), Soho (sort of a Kings Cross) where the strippers take off the lot, one after another but with no finesse at all! Portobello Road is interesting with all its street stalls selling all sorts of junk very cheaply. Antiques are also very moderately priced and you should see all these shops selling old uniforms. It’s the new craze in MOD gear.

I have been to London Zoo. Pretty fair but wouldn’t say it was any better than Taronga Park. We found a wallaby but didn’t see one kangaroo! London’s biggest building is the GPO tower – 36 storeys. We kill that with Australia Square of 50 storeys. Oh well, the Poms will find out one day what a great place “Down Under” is. Meantime we are having a great time looking at their country but we don’t knock the place to them. Well, I’ll send you a card from Scotland. Write and let’s know how things are. It’s good to get mail from home and hear all the news.

Saw my first colour TV yesterday. Only fair but slight improvement on black and white.

PPS

Snowed here at Hammersmith yesterday but only lightly.

D for Dear Old England

April 4, 2025April 4, 2025 lindamaycurry10 Comments

This is the story of Will and his two friends who sailed to England in 1967 to see the world. Aerogrammes. letters, diaries and postcards help to tell of his adventures in this A to Z.

"Streets of London"   Ralph McTell  •  1969
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
Show you something to make you change your mind

Wednesday, 15th February, 1967

Hello! Well, here I am writing this letter to you from a room with three beds (very comfy) at the Overseas Visitors Centre (OVC) in London.

The OVC offered a range of accommodation services, a restaurant, entertainment venues, assistance with finding work, a poste restante and travel information for the Continent and for those wishing to return home. (photo from Blog set up by founding members of OVC)

We arrived in Southampton at 4 am this morning but didn’t get through immigration and customs until 12 noon. It’s very exciting leaving the ship after those six happy weeks as lots of new experiences lie ahead. I was rapt to get your two letters on the ship before we disembarked. So good to hear news of home and how everyone is getting on. I read them three times each. Congrats Dad, I never thought that you could sail that boat without me – looks like I was wrong.

We left the docks by coach at 1 pm today for 85 miles through the English countryside, past villages and into the city which we have seen little of yet. I’m in bed writing this and the temperature is 29°F outside but so far I’ve not been too cold. At least they speak English here and the money system is a little familiar. Things so far don’t appear too cheap, but we will save money by not spending too much. Everything – the houses and roads, cars, schools, people, are much as I had imagined them to be.

21st January, 1967, Dear Len and Iris, Lennie, Steve and Keith,

(Ow yer goin’ mate. Orright?)

England is quite an adventure. We stayed at Earl’s Court (known as Kangaroo Gulch because of the accumulation of Australians) for a week but at last we now have a “flat”. At least that’s what it’s supposed to be. In Sydney you’d call it a slum but in London it’s practically first class residential. It should be as it costs 12 Guineas Sterling (AU$32) a week but we call it home and have decorated it with posters (of Australia) and signs and it’s much improved. Flats are very expensive, and prices are approximately Australian (some cheaper, some dearer) but pay is very low. We can’t understand why all Pommies don’t migrate to Australia.

The first flat at Weltje Road in Hammersmith. The accommodation was on the first floor with other tenants above and below. This is a recent photo from Apple Maps.

The tourist attractions however are endless and it’s a bit like a game of Monopoly as you stroll along Trafalgar Square to Regent Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly, Mayfair, Fenchurch Street, Pall Mall etc. We visited old Buckingham Palace to say hello to Liz but the guards wouldn’t let us in. It appears I’ll end up teaching during my stay here although I would prefer something else for a change. £15 a week is big pay here in London Town. The clothes here are incredible. 50% of the chooms are ultra conservative (bowler hats and brollies) and the other 50% wear the most way out Carnaby Street clobber. There seems no middle of line policy. As you always hear, London is cold and we’ve seen very little sun at all.

Well, three months here will be interesting but after that I’ll be doing a tour around England and Scotland, then we buy a car and head for Europe.

Extract from Diary

Wednesday, 15^th February, 1967

The girls woke us up at 6:30 am as we had berthed in the harbour at 4:00 am. Permission to stay in Britain six months was granted without trouble. We were excited to have reached our destination but apprehensive about things to come. OVC Rep met us and we were through customs without bother and to London by bus 85 miles away. English countryside and city just as imagined. Stopped at pub for first English beer.

16th February

Underground to Westminster and saw Houses of Parliament. Went to County Council to apply for job supply teaching. Interview appointment made for Thursday. Strolled all over London. Went to bank and collected passbook, visited Australia House and read the Australian newspapers, then along the Strand to Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s column where thousands of pigeons don’t get out of the way. To Elephant and Castle for X ray. Must have walked 20 miles and have sore feet to prove it.

17th February

Covered miles in the tube (underground railway) which is fast and efficient. Out to suburbs for look at a flat. London Accommodation Bureau is helpful but not much good to us. Still looking for cheapest food – fish and chips, cottage pie and spuds – anything to keep hunger away.

18th February

Visited flat at Croydon very nice, dear and too far from the tube we think. Looked at half a house and saw another where board was 12 Guineas. Ate at the Curry Bowl for 5 shillings and twopence.

19th February

Moved out of OVC at lunchtime and into a flat at Hammersmith in afternoon. 12 Guineas per week for two bedrooms, share bath with four uni students upstairs, no fridge, pretty Spartan and dirty but it’s home anyway. Unpacked at last. Posters and cleaning will brighten things. At least we will save money on food and accommodation from now on. Had lunch at club with free dessert. Flat now looking at least livable.

*The view of the backyard from our flat. No-one ever went out there!*

20th of February

Bed was fairly comfy. Shopping now under control. Buying food, utensils at cheapest rates. Roster for cooking and cleaning. To laundromat tonight as clothes are running out. Laundromat is very good, quick and all clothes are dry. 2 shillings a wash, sixpence to dry, sixpence for soap. Played cards, wrote letters.

21st of February

Still eating very well and fairly cheaply. Visited Earls Court to collect mail. Graham and Neil collected some Australian posters to brighten the flat from NSW and Queensland House.

Listened to Normie Rowe and Seekers on the radio pirate stations “Caroline Ann” and “Radio London”. Normie (Rowe) to appear at Hammersmith with Trogg, Sounds Inc and Gene Pitney.

22nd February

Interviewed for job supply teaching at London County Council. Appointed to Camden Westminster Borough with possibility of permanent temp job. Lunched at Double Diamond Pub near Big Ben. Visited Discovery, Scott’s ship on the Thames.

24th of February

Phone rang in arvo. Schools LCC offered me a permanent position at Essendine Primary School, Maida Vale. Report on Monday. School starts 8.55 am. Head Mr Hepple. Keith offered permanent temp at Primrose Hill and Phil, supply at Brickfield School. They were very keen to give us permanent appointment to July. That’s too long but it will have to do.

Sunday 26^th February

Up at 9.00am and caught a train to Liverpool Street Station. Strolled up World Famous Petticoat Lane and surrounding streets where all sorts of hawkers and street sellers were. Lots of dressed up monkeys, swarming with people between 10 am and 2 pm. Bought a deer stalker (Sherlock Holmes hat £1) and GB army badge. Visited Dirty Dick’s Pub, an amazing hotel where everyone writes their name on the wall. Visited the Tower Bridge and the Tower built by William the Conqueror in 1066.

Monday 27^th February

Arrived at Essendine School. Boss is OK. Building is large and old but fairly well furnished. Staff consists of three New Zealanders, one Canadian, one American, one Australian (me) and seven Poms. Class is a 4^th year class due for high school in July. English schools are so different – attitudes are much more casual. Kids are abour 45% West Indian with deprived home backgrounds. Described by headmaster as “a little wild”. Standards of work are not as high, but this is the “liberal” education.

Tuesday 28^th February

The day was cold with snow that melted as it flaked down to the ground. School is very different to home as morning and afternoon cups of tea breaks are long. There is very little playground duty (10 minutes a week). Lunches are fabulous. For 2/4 you get a full sized baked dinner with the lot, as much as you can eat and dessert. Kids haven’t worked out who’s boss but they will soon.

Wednesday 1^st March Tuesday 28^th February

Shero (Will’s headmistress in Australia) would haemorrhage at these schools. Chaos is normal procedure. Looks like I can have the job to the summer vacation if I can stick it. This will include pay for 3 ½ weeks but I could have an ulcer by then.

Neil and I are on cooking and washing up roster. We have eaten quite well since we moved into the flat. Pommies from upstairs visted the cave and Gus walked in with nine birds on a social visit. Bed late again 1 am. Must get some sleep one day.

Front view of the flat at “The Hammer” – the original inhabitants

Tues 21^st March

Finished school today for three and a half week Easter break which is the end of 2^nd Term. Sherry Party in the staff room at lunchtime is customary for any staff member departing. All delightfully cheery as class resumed. Can’t help remembering Shero’s little “get-togethers” over lemonade after school amid the sparkling conversation.

C for Camels in Cairo

April 3, 2025April 3, 2025 lindamaycurry18 Comments

This is the story of a young man and his two friends who sailed to England in 1967 to see the world. Aerogrammes. letters, diaries and postcards help to tell the adventures of “Will” and his friends in this A to Z.

"Like A Rolling Stone"    Bob Dylan • 1965
How does it feel, ah how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Red Sea, Friday, 3^rd February,1967

Hello! How are things? I’m writing this letter from a deck chair. Tomorrow, we arrive at Suez and will leave the ship for a 16-hour excursion to Cairo where we will visit the Pyramids of Giza and Cheops (the Pharoahs) and the Sphinx. It’s costing us $15 each including lunch and rides on the camels through the desert (we sound like a bunch of tourists).

Since I last wrote we have visited Aden, Southern Arabia. We stood on deck as the ship came into harbour at 9 pm and the lights were quite bright. After berthing alongside a pontoon, the ship began to refuel as oil is plentiful and very cheap there. Hundreds of little boats selling transisters etc and lots of Arabs surrounded the ship. Of course, we weren’t allowed off because of the curfew and had heard over the radio of people who had been killed in the street the day before. The prices were comparable with Singapore, maybe even slightly cheaper. I had itchy fingers for a tape recorder, shaver, typewriter, polaroid camera etc but no use carting them round Europe so maybe I’ll get something on the return trip. I bought, however, a share in a slide previewer for $2. Watches – good ones – ranged from $4 up. We fuelled up at 2 am. Phil bought a flash attachment ($9), Gus a record player and radio ($20).

The Red Sea is wider than I thought. I saw only a brief view of Africa but there are many ships, especially oil tankers. (It’s not Red but ordinary Blue).

We crossed the Tropic of Cancer yesterday and the port of Mecca so now the weather should start getting more piccadilly (chilly) as it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The hottest day we ever had was 90° F and the moving ship creates a pleasant breeze. Life on board sails sweetly by. I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll have enough strength left to carry my bags at Southampton since we don’t get enough exercise.

Last night was a United Nations feast and the Aussies and Kiwis put on a floor show. I didn’t go in it for a change, but it was still a good show! The Kiwis were sensational with their Maori act while the Australians provided the amusement and laughs. The feast was mickey mouse with roast pig and lobster. Some guy who was Ceylonese and studied down at Adelaide sang like Nat King Cole and stole the show. (Ed. Research indicates it was very likely Kamahl, who became a well known performer in Australia). We adjourned to the cabin for a party – finally got to sleep at 5.30am.

Postcard from Egypt

We arrive in Naples tomorrow so only time for a card. Egypt was fab. We left the ship at 5 am and drove 100 miles through the desert in a Mercedes Benz bus to Cairo and the Nile River. On the way we passed a Bedouin tribe (Nomads) with camels, goats and sheep. We saw an empty palace which once belonged to Farouk’s grandfather. There was a bad road accident on the narrow road. Saw the mummies of Tutankhaman, the Pharaohs etc and then to Giza and into the tomb of Cheops, climbing along a claustrophobic tunnel. Rode on a camel to Pyramids and dined in the Nile Hilton Hotel. Cairo was surprisingly modern in some ways but pro-communist with Nasser’s picture up everywhere. Later we passed the ships as they came through the Suez and reached Port Said where we boarded the ship after 20 hours in the United Arab Republic. Well, Italy in a few hours as we can see it out the porthole and to Mt Vesuvius, Pompeii – Arrividerci – Will

Will on a camel. The camel owner said “If you don’t give me big tip camel go very fast”.

Thursday 9th February, 1967

The last note I wrote was on a card before Italy so I’ll keep you up to date. The trip through Egypt was fascinating but it was a long time (22 hours) away from the ship. On the way into Cairo we saw rows of planes, tanks and army trucks originating from Russia. They were preparing for war against Israel. (Ed. Six months later the Six Day War broke out and the assembled war equipment was systematically destroyed by Israeli bombers).

After we boarded again at Port Said we had a smooth crossing of the Mediterranean. About a third of the passengers were disembarking in Naples including the current girlfriend so I will be free-lancing again. There is no shortage of girls and they even buy their own drinks (most of the time). We had a Farewell Dinner (feast) and Dance which was a great show. Italy (Naples) was so interesting we decided to return at a later time by car. We spent quite a few hours in Pompeii which was buried by Mt Vesuvius erupting in 85 AD and is very well preserved. They are still excavating. Also saw a cameo factory where brooches etc were reasonably priced.

*Ruins of Pompeii with Mt Vesuvius in background*

Snow was on the mountains in the background and the temperature was cool. We did some shopping for a couple of little things and managed on a mixture of Italian and English (mostly English). Capri and Sorrento should be worth seeing in the Bay of Naples. We’ll see them at a later date. We passed the Rock of Gibralter at 3.00am one morning so we had a party and saw it lit in the night (us too). After passing the coast of Spain and Portugal we thought the Bay of Biscay was disappointing (not rough enough). We really warmed the ship up on the last few nights as we said our farewells and exchanged addresses of all the people we met. Had a bugger of a time getting everything in the bags since I had a bottle of Scotch, 400 cigs (5 shillings and fourpence in Choomland). We will sell at 250% profit (duty free). I might drink the Scotch however, as I hear it’s very expensive in Scotland.

B for Bargaining in Singapore

April 2, 2025April 2, 2025 lindamaycurry19 Comments

“World”   Bee Gees   •   1967
Now, I found that the world is round
And of course it rains everyday
Living tomorrow, where in the world will I be tomorrow?
How far am I able to see?
Or am I needed here?

Fairsea, Colombo, Wednesday, 25^th January 1967

I am now seated on the fore lounge, and we are 100 miles South East of Ceylon at 12 noon. We will arrive in Colombo at 5 am where this letter will be posted. We have a conducted tour arranged for $3 and should get a good chance to see the place.

Since I last wrote we have been to Singapore. Although life on board is tremendous, excitement was running high as we entered Singapore Straits with our first chance to walk ashore in a fortnight. We were running a day behind schedule due to gale force headwinds and engine trouble and as we entered the harbour at 5 pm Saturday the rain was teeming down in a typical afternoon tropical storm. But it cleared quickly and we had a good view of the harbour, the world’s 4^th largest – ships everywhere. We docked at 6.30 pm and walked ashore at 7 pm.

Taj, our Malaysian mate, had a guide arranged and six of us boarded a Chev Impala for a good look at Singapore. What a fascinating place! We could have spent a couple of weeks there! Two million people are living on an island 285 square miles in size. The atmosphere is so exciting and it is different to anything we have ever experienced. The people are about 76% Chinese, 20% Malay and 3% Indian.

We went shopping and you, Mum, would love it. The bargaining is hectic. You tell them you’ll take about half their price and even a third in some things. I bought a National 10 radio (bigger and better model than I had) for $10, a watch, Swiss brand Titus for $5, an Instamatic 104 Camera (they didn’t have any 304s) for $11.00, Sunaroid sunglasses for $2. We were shown through many sights and ate at the food stalls where food is cooked in the streets. There were sautés and cuttlefish, chop suey and sweet and sour pork. Delicious. People everywhere kept trying to sell us everything and are they persistent! “You want to see blue movie?”

We were taken for a tour of the red-light area. There are dozens in Singapore but don’t worry we didn’t go in. We saw a short performance of Chinese Opera and then moved on to a cabaret where Archipelago beer was a $1 a bottle. What you could do in Singapore with $500 to spend! Everything is generally very cheap and apart from the goods I bought it only cost $5 for the car, the food and the beer.

Keith and Phil both bought Canonet cameras for $26 each. I’m clicking away while they are still reading the instructions. We returned to the ship at 4 am. Singapore was still seething with life. The ship sailed at 6 am and since then the weather has been fabulous.

Will seated next to Phil who is trying out his new camera

We could see Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula as we passed through the Malacca Straits with hundreds of ships going by. We saw our first Chinese junk under full sail and lots of fishing boats quite close, visited the bridge and have put the camera to good use.

On my radio yesterday I heard “Over the Rainbow” sung in Chinese! The ship is now making excellent time. Yesterday we had a run of 407 miles and 405 miles today which is the best yet. The sun is still warm to hot even considering it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere. We are meeting lots of people on board and now I have a girlfriend from Tasmania who is a French teacher (Michelle). Will close hoping you are all well and will hear from you at Naples if not before. All the best. Having a ball.

Monday, 30^th January, 1967, Arabian Sea

Hello again! I hope you are getting all my mail and I am looking forward to seeing a letter from home sometime (Naples or Southampton or Overseas Visitors Club, 180 Earls Court Road, London). This letter will be posted tomorrow night in Aden, South Arabia. There is a 7 pm curfew there because of all the people getting killed in the streets with grenades etc. so we won’t be allowed off the ship as we arrive at 8 pm. A bit of bad luck but I’d rather be alive than see Aden. All the cheap buys will be available however as the boats come out to the ship and the bargaining is on again. I intend to buy a chess set with case (magnetised) for $3 or less but that’s all.

Ship life is as good as ever with lots of food, sleep, beer, parties, entertainment, girls, sport, table tennis, swimming, water polo, deck tennis and the sun has us all very tanned. Today the rest of the cabin is flaked at 3 pm (although we got up for lunch at 11.30 am) after a hectic “Roaring Twenties Night” in which six of us played Can-Can girls and really brought the house down. The ship shouted us free beer afterwards.

Since I last wrote, the day before Colombo, Ceylon, we have visited our second foreign port. The ship moved in the harbour at 5 am and I was up to see her tie up. After 6 am breakfast we headed ashore at 7.30 am by launch and to a bus for a conducted tour of Colombo. The streets were swarming with people wearing not so clean saris (including the men). Colombo is very poor with old buildings and very smelly. It was completely different to Singapore, much poorer with fewer cars and fewer good buildings. Red London buses are jammed with people who wait patiently in long queues. There were a lot of ox-carts around.

We visited a Buddhist temple, removed our shoes and took some photos. We visited a museum and since it was Australia Day we raced over to the Embassy and shouted “Cooee Cobber”. Two girls (Australian) came out and said it was good to hear Australian accents again. They were having a party with 700 guests to celebrate the occasion but we were leaving so we couldn’t go. I took a photo of a snake charmer with a live cobra in the streets.

*View from Hotel Colombo, Mt Lavinia. We lunched here.*

The bus took us to Mount Lavinia where there is a grand English hotel. I ate hot, hot curry and rice and pineapple etc plus beer. The pineapples are very juicy and very sweet. It was the only thing that put out the heat of the curry. Souvenirs were mostly quite expensive except for jewellery for which Ceylon is quite famous. Michelle bought a cat’s eye moonstone for £10 sterling. Boats were alongside the ship selling all sorts of artefacts like bongo drums and carved elephants and one even wanted to swap my Singapore sunglasses for one. “No dice”, said I. I spent very little here (a change after Singapore) but lost a little money changing into rupees as the people wanted Australian money.

*Boats coming to ship in Colombo Harbour*

We passed the Cannibal Islands (off the coast of India) a few days ago where 3,500 people live. There is a leper settlement one mile from the town.

Today is Resignation Day. We officially are unemployed schoolies at 12 pm. Tonight, is another party. It was the fastest six-week holiday I ever had. Glad there’s no school for us tomorrow.

Last night a baby boy (Adam) was born in the ship’s hospital.

(Editors note: This baby and the ship’s captain were photographed on arrival in Southampton and appeared on the front page of a London newspaper.)

A for Across the Seas

April 1, 2025April 2, 2025 lindamaycurry26 Comments

“Twist and Shout”  The Beatles ‧ 1963
Well, shake it up, baby, now (shake it up baby)
Twist and shout (twist and shout)
Come on, come on, come, come on, baby, now (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out (work it on out)

Friday, 6^th January, 1967 Timor Sea

Distance from Sydney: 971 miles
Sea Temperature: 63 degrees
Average speed per hour: 15.98 knots
Address Noon Friday: Lat 39 34’ s Long 170 07’E
Seas: SSW force 3 wind

Dear Mum, Dad, Jack and Gail,

By the time you receive this we will have visited New Zealand and be heading back across the Tasman for Brisbane, even though we don’t call there. All is well. I have not even felt like being seasick and have missed only one meal. We slept in after a long, late night at the Tasman Sea Party. The porthole was closed so no one knew it was morning until 10 am.

Meals are good and the Italians are very entertaining. We have learnt quite a few words so far including lots of Italian swear words. We call our waiter “Buono Formagio” which means “good cheese”.

The weather has been changeable – rough seas, cloudy, sunny, cold, warm, you name it. I spent one day in the pool with the gang – about 20 of us have formed a club, “The Green Seals”. We hook our toes over the railing on the edge of the pool, clap our hands and bark like seals. Membership is exclusive to Cabin 245 but we have nominated 16 other honorary members.

We have just come back from the engine room with Bruce Tobler. Phil and I conned the guy into an inspection, strictly off limits. The ship is an old troop carrier, 27 years old with two big diesels but only one propeller. She’s a bit slow but quite comfortable. She really rolled yesterday in a Force 4 Southerly but it’s down to Force 3 today and now swinging to Westerly.

I intend to go ashore at Wellington in the morning for a tour. We pass Cape Farewell at 10 miles to starboard at 8.00 pm and enter Cook Strait at midnight. The plan is to dock in Wellington at 4.00 am. We should be just finishing our Farewell Party by then. There must be half the ship disembarking there. We can’t count the number of Australians going to New Zealand and New Zealanders returning home.

There are plenty of social activities arranged. I play deck quoits, table-tennis and paddle slide, clay shooting from the stern plus poker in the lounge. I saw Elvis Presley in “Fun in Acapulco” the other night. Dances are to the “Turin Quartet” and Bingo is on right now.

Things are cheap on board. Cigarettes are 20c a packet (no good to me), beer 15c a can, Scotch and gin 15c a nip, electric radios, shavers etc are also cheap but we will get them cheaper in Singapore. I have met a Malaysian student from Perth Uni named Tahja who is going to take us to his cousin’s wholesale place. So, duty free wholesale cameras should be cheap.

Our cabin mate is Garry – a dress designer but a real great China plate. His nickname is Gus.

We have not seen land for four days and the only other lifeforms have been a school of porpoises, flying fish and two or three albatrosses which always follow the ship. So, it will be good to see land, even in the distance, for a change. It’s getting near dinner time so must finish and have a fairy bower (shower). It will be a while before I get another chance to write but might send you a card from Singapore.

Thursday Island, Cape York Peninsula, Friday and Saturday 14th January, 1967

Hello, ten days at sea and life on board ship is just one great big, beautiful ball. Since the last letter we have had some improvement as the trip from England officially ended in Wellington, NZ and the new trip to Southampton began. Meals are excellent and the social life is really good. The day’s activities are placed up on a board and you can follow whatever you like. We have seen some good movies in colour and dances have been on every night.

Wellington was OK except it was Sunday and all the shops were shut so it was very quiet. We nearly got sea-sick walking down the street which seemed to roll under our feet – a horrible feeling. The government buildings are the largest wooden buildings in the Southern Hemisphere. We had milkshakes and walked up Mount Victoria. Also rode in the cable car. It is a city of hills around a magnificent harbour but bloody cold for the middle of summer. Cars are varied types, many old and rusty and very expensive by Australian standards. For example a 1962 VW is £700 Australian.

We reached the coast of Australia at Moreton Bay after seeing our first island with five trees and a lighthouse about 20 miles out. I felt mildly homesick. Since then, we have seen thousands of islands and the Barrier Reef is just beautiful. We passed Brampton and Hayman Islands in close and saw the “New Endeavour” under full sail about 100 yards away. Saw also one of the “Roylan Cruise Boats” and now realise why you rave about this place.

*Islands of the Great Barrier Reef Postcard*

The pilot, Captain Carter, came on board at Gladstone, and just as well by the look of things as there are coral islands in abundance and a fair bit of shipping about. The pilot leaves Saturday afternoon 2 pm at Thursday Island where you get the last Australian stamp for some time. We passed Cairns at 3 am this morning (Fri) and lights were visible. Inside the reef it is as calm as Sydney Harbour and we have forgotten what a rocking ship is like.

I have missed only one meal (dinner) as the whole cabin got dysentery (me last) for 24 hours but am eating well now. I couldn’t get sea-sick even in a hurricane and the weather was quite rough in the Tasman with a strong southerly blowing. Weather is hot and humid but comfy below decks in the air-conditioned cabins.

We had a pirate night last night and our mob stole the show.

Will is unrecognisable as the pirate at the back between the two in the front

We are all sporting good suntans and the pool is good fun. Air temperature is 90°F and the water temperature is 86°F. We have a deck chair ($2.50) where we spend a fair bit of time. There are lots of birds on board and a lot of schoolies. I have danced with about 20 or 30 different girls in the last ten days. Cheap grog is not hard to take and there have been some funny photos taken late at night.

Days fly by and there doesn’t seem much time for anything, Writing letters is rare and our cabin motto has become, “Tomorrow we wash” (our clothes, that is). I’m down to a pair of shorts and a shirt so I’d better do something about it today.

Rehearsals started this arvo for a Roman night in which I’m a senator and have to shout, “We want women”.

Equator, Thursday 19^th January, 1967, 1 ½ days to Singapore

Hi, you must be lucky because this is my third letter in 3 weeks but the paper and envelope is free and the stamp costs 17c Australian.

Well, life on board since my last note from Thursday has been as good as ever. The view was never better as we rounded Cape York Peninsula in sight of islands and coral reefs, and many were on deck to see the pilot leave. It must have been tricky navigation as the radar worked all night and numerous lighthouses were visible. We passed the Gulf of Carpentaria and into the Timor and Arafura Sea, close to an island with a smoking volcano. Then with continuing hot weather we sailed into the Java Sea where we struck heavy rain and now the pool water is 84°F. The weather fined this morning and sun came out at last.

Everyone should have a sea-trip! I have been really enjoying it. Our revue, “How Rome was Built” went on at 10.30 pm last Saturday. It was a tremendous success and the crowd went wild. The ship shouted us two beers for the effort.

This afternoon was the crossing of the line ceremony at which we remained comfortably out of target range as ten poor souls were splattered with spaghetti, chocolate sauce, eggs, soup, tomato sauce, cream and meringue cakes for initiation in front of King Neptune and his mermaids. Quite a crowd came to watch and it was funny as long as you weren’t in the firing line. Tonight will be the Equatorial Ball.

As yet the only cabin parties have been in other people’s cabins like the one the other night where the ship’s butcher came too and we ended up eating salami and bread rolls with our Victoria Bitter about 3 am. One of our occupations is thinking up a reason for a celebration. Some of the best so far have been Muslim Christmas (where we sang Jingle Bells and all) while Taj bought the grog. We have our Farewell to Taj night soon. We had George Washington’s birthday. Bobby Burns birthday is the 25^th and Australia Day on the 26^th January and I’m sure we’ll find numerous others.

Tonight is a secret menu for Crossing the Equator celebration so I’d better get cleaned up and put on some clobber. The shower room and toilets we are convinced are our own private ones as there never seems to be anyone else around.

Later: As for the spread one fellow who had travelled on all the P&O ships said he’d never seen anything as good. The Equatorial ball was a great show. When the ball finished amid streamers and balloons we had another party on the afterdeck. I received my certificate for the Kingdom of King Neptune and was baptised “Octopus”.

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