Monteray on the high seas

We left off at afternoon tea on the first day after leaving Auckland, so now we will jump along a little faster to get to Hawaii - which was very special for me we were there at a very auspicious time.

As I was the only child on the ship I was treated with kid gloves.....pardon the pun! Most of the adults while I was walking past moved to one side - just in case they touched me - this is what I thought at the time but now probably 52 years on can imagine why - didn't wish to converse or become involved in any way with this sprog....

The staff were a little more polite but I spent most of my time sitting on the deck in a deck chair watching the sea go past colouring in in my colouring in book. There was nothing geared up for us (me) but it did improve after Fiji.

Fiji arrived at about 5 a.m. my mother and I went up on deck and couldn't believe how warm and balmy the air was. Neither of us had experienced the tropics and man was it kewl. Sun frocks at the ready after we had docked we went for a tiki tour.

This is 1958 so there were hardly any vehicles and not that many tourists. Their main buzz came when ships called into their port of Suva. We took a taxi with another three people to the Maggie Grey Hotel for a cup of tea and biscuits.

Walked through the streets and went back on board for lunch. It had been planned that there would be a visit to a village in the afternoon and this I was really looking forward to we had been told about dancing and singing wow I wanted to see it all. What I didn't realise was that there would be a kava ceremony and my mother would have to partake of this drink as did all the adults on this little tour.

The circle of guests around the kava bowl and making of the drink were totally enthralling as this man worked water through what looked like to me straw - just like on my uncle's farm in N.Z. - BUT this stuff as I now know has a wee bit of a kick.

Each person was offered a bowl and our tour guide from the ship had wised everyone up that you had to drink the entire contents of the bowl or it would be considered a slight....came to my mum - they handed her the coconut half cup about one third full. Bravely she took it with both hands as the others had done and placed it up to her lips. Now I knew my mothers perpensity to gagging.....any unusual smell, sound etc. made her stomach gag........evidently the aroma was enough to get the gag in motion but ofcourse being the 'lady' she was there was no way in hell she wasn't going to down this lot.....poor woman - it went down fast, came back up a bit, went down again, came back up a bit and finally after holding her mouth firmly shut I think it went down. At that stage everyone was laughing and her gagging could have been heard on the other side of the island. But I give her marks 10 out of 10 she did keep it down but took a day or so to get over the event.

In the lounge on the ship there was against a wall a box covered with a cloth. It had a sign that said do not uncover or touch - now for me as a nosy kid that was just too much. Every time I was near it though there was always a steward looking and saying or gesticulating NO don't touch. I would ask what is it? they would just laugh and say you will find out when we get to Hawaii. Hence this bloody box became my obcession and I watched it with caution every day in case it moved or the cloth was changed - whatever it was my major issue.......for the entire trip. Except for the lurking behind the potted plants watching the adults dancing in the bar at night.....now thats an entire blog of its own.....learning curve for young child.

In Fiji another two children had joined the ship so there were a trio of untouchables but at least we could play cards together and colour in and watch the sea go past - doubt a child of today would be able to sit still as long as we had to. No running no talking loudly etc. etc. but we were allowed to swim in the pool at lunch time only when the buffet came out. I loved it because these ships didn't have stabilizers and bucked and bronked quite a bit - therefore the pool was only about a third full as it would be at the top one minute on one side and then go up the other - backward and forwards like a wave machine (people pay money to play with that kind of stuff now)...hehe

The adults were allowed to swim at all other times but us sprogs only had from 11 through to 1 ish I think - we didn't have sun screen then so we all ended up like little red chillies but that was how it was.

One fantastic amazing person was on board - she was a famous movie star - I remember her as being the most beautiful person/woman I actually think I have ever seen even up to now.... She wore parios coloured with flowers and often one in her hair she had lovely dark hair that shone like gold and glass and always walked with grace....I was smitten. I was going to grow up to be her and look like her. I still have her autograph but I wasn't allowed to ask her, the purser organised it from my mother's request. See kids were to be seen and not heard.......Heddi Lamar from the Road movies....what an amazing woman I will always remember being in the elevator with her and she actually smiled at me and I can still remember her perfume think it was gardenias......if I smell that flower even all these years later I remember her. At night she wore tight fitting dresses with high heels and every man on the ship didn't watch anything except her - first time I have ever seen women frothing at the mouth and nodding to each other in her direction with I assume some form of semiphor unwritten but all the women knowing what each other was thinking....

We sailed into Honolulu at I think about 7 a.m. and we had watched the most amazing sunrise....it was even more balmy than Fiji and the smell was amazing it was soft and sweet. All the boats came up to the ship and gave over wonderful smelling flower leis. We had to hurry off the ship as friends of my parents were staying in Honolulu - they were a couple who never had children and spent our New Zealand winters at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel - he was eventually given a Knighthood and had turned blind at the age of 30 something - Auntie Dore and Uncle Noel we were to meet them for lunch at the hotel and spend quality time with them for a couple of days off ship.

There was this wonderful pink building with a portico entrance we pulled up in the taxi and got out - well I don't think they do it now but then in the lobby there was a fountain which you could take a cup and drink from - it was a pineapple juice fountain....wow I was in heaven, except for the far too many I snuck in over two days and will always regret. The rooms that they had overlooked Waikaiki (all my spelling will be bad) and I had never seen a beach be groomed before and of course it wasn't much of a beach originally it was added to and probably to this day has sand put on it to keep it up to scratch. There were also these few (and I mean 3 or 4) men on boards surfing - now that was new in 1958.

What I remember most about the days we spent in Honolulu was the fact that it had just been made the 50th State so we had arrived in America being one of the first ships to do so, prior to that America was San Francisco....what a kewl thing - all I can say now it was wonderful but it was such a very long time ago.

I was allowed to sit with the adults in the outside bar which overlooked the beach in the early evening and my mum would have a pimms with all the goodies (cucumber etc.) and also maybe have a maitai...(sp?) which made her as silly as a chook but also Dore as well so the ladies would be giggling and poor old Uncle Noel would be looking into space just nodding every now and then.

Back onto the ship and onward to San Francisco....as we left the harbour we threw our leias into the water which means that I will be going back - but hell its 52 years now will have to be pretty bloody soon or that ritual wasn't real.....

GUESS what was in the box in the lounge on the ship was? - IT WAS A BLACK AND WHITE TELEVISION SET -  when I finally saw what it actually was I fell in love with television and it has turned me into a techno nut from that moment forward. When I first watched it there was a cartoon on of Tweety and Sylvester I think.....oooooohhhh TV finally got to NZ in about mid 1960's so this was spectacular way back in 1958 - I was smitten...

Chat with you again soon.

Cheers

My early years in USA - 1958

Flying boats and other modes of transport...

I was 8 years old and my mother and father had just divorced and as a treat she took herself and me on the Monteray to San Francisco. There were two ships the Monteray and the Mariposa who travelled backwards and forwards from Auckland, Fiji, Hawaii and then on to San Francisco. These ships took turns and were a very popular way to travel to the United States. Don't forget in 1958 it was an epic journey to fly from New Zealand to America - took days - you slept on board the sea plane also had to stop for gas at various locations along the way one fill up and long flying was not going to ever be an option....ha ha ha look at 2009. Usually businessmen (didn't have women then lol) used these clippers as it was quicker than the ships which took about 2 weeks.

Thought I would spill the beans on how and what all this old fashioned shipboard life involved its history now and could be a bit of a nostalgic trip for me and you guys will be flawed at what went on.

Day one boarding - 10 a.m. no early start just a wait in the shed (and I mean shed here in Auckland) guarding your luggage which was enough to supply an entire army of fashion geeks. We only had 4 cases, 2 hand luggage and 1 large almost walk in case that opened up with compartments for all the goodies called a shipping trunk. Makes me think of the Titanic style of luggage.

There wasn't segregation on these ships no first, second, cabin, tourist or swim behind!!! they were one class only and so you couldn't disappear down into any fun areas. lol But - the big but...there were various styles of cabins from the suite to the dungeon. My mother booked a medium sized dungeon inside with no porthole but I'm happy to say it did have air and an ensuite, they were called toilets then.

Walking on board slowly to be met by the Purser and his assistant and you passed over your ticket which was then either smiled at, nodded at or looked at in disgust......told volumes about their snobbery. They were of course beautifully togged out in navy whites as it was December 1958 and was summer here. You were then given over to a minion who ran ahead (to bloody fast for my liking I was only 8) and your cabin door was opened with a flourish and in you went. One little event happened the young man held out his hand and as we were ignorant of any form of tipping my mother shook his hand and said - thank you young man.......his face was a picture..

Now the cabin was from memory probably 9 feet long by 6 feet wide with a bed and a bunk over it on one side the other side was a thinish bench with a mirror over it and shelves of tubular steel to put your trunks on until you unpacked. A small chest of draws beside it. The toilet area was 3 feet by 3 feet - no cat swinging in there possible at all.......Your luggage was already inside the cabin so there was no room for anything even us, omg.

Now it was 11 a.m. and all your friends were allowed to come and see you off, they just arrived said your name to the Purser and he gave directions to where you were. As my mother was recently divorced (this was absolutely unheard of in New Zealand and very rare) we had lots of friends arrive just to check that she was still in tact and able to walk and talk without the MAN who she was married to. She was breaking out and going and doing something on her own - how trendy was that? think most of them thought her mad as a hatter doing such a brave thing on her own.

New Zealand's Prime Minister and Government of the time had difficulty with funds from overseas and we were basically so far away from the rest of the world that no American dollars were available other than travellers cheques from Thomas Cook and the restriction was diabolical(haven't got a pound sign to use) 100 ($ = 200) for the entire trip on the ship and the stay in San Francisco. The idea was that you could survive on 3 pounds a day and as you were fed, watered and entertained on the ship really no money needed for that....wow they were stingy. Tipping not an issue not necessary....

There was a way around all of this - very very very quietly friends would do the following - give you a wrapped gift as a present for your trip, boxes of chocolates, books to read and various other small items to wish you well on your journey. Flowers were also given so we looked like a box room in a botanical garden filled with flowers, people, one child, all the luggage and drinks were being served by a steward with a big tray wow We did flow out into the passageway which caused a little concern from our steward who asked ever so politely to please try and stay inside (how bloody stupid was that) we wouldn't have been able to breathe.

The ship was ready to rock at 1 p.m. so the big hooter went off twice - long long screaches, so then the stewards came running and briskly asked people who were not sailing to please vacate the ship asap - in other words f off, but ever so politely said.

Tears, hugs, tears, laughter, giggling and generally too much champagne and off they strolled, rolled and walked. We left at the same time and went up on deck so we could wave goodbye. Now this is so kewl.....there was a Maori dance and singing party on the wharf and all the friends, relations and hangers on mulled around until the ship gave out the 3 toots for the tug boats to start pulling us out and away......then all hell broke loose. The Maori party started singing and everyone joined in (now there were probably 200 guests on the ship leaving) on the wharf were 500 odd maybe more - not a lot to do in Auckland so everyone brought their children to see any ship sail it was a cheap outing. The Maori party sang "now is the hour" and all those New Zealanders on the ship started crying the American and other nationalities just looked on in either horror or thought it sweet - thousands of streamers were thrown backwards and forwards and it looked like a ticker tape parade. I'm talking thousands of streamers.

Off we went....down the harbour. Now I digress for a moment yesterday here in Auckland was the anniversary of our one harbour bridge 50 years - wow - and we had all sorts of protests and funny stuff happening as the Transport Authority who monitor our Auckland harbour bridge wouldn't allow anyone to walk over it. But in 1958 as the ship turned out from the wharf there was the bridge in all it's glory with the two middle bits missing hadn't been finished so that was interesting!!!

Two hundred miles off New Zealand there is a very deep trench under the ocean until you get there it can be a tad bumpy on the seas so that was our first warning - many more to come. Please try and hold on to the available handrails until you can walk easily. Now its 3 p.m. afternoon tea.

After sailing, back into the cell at toot speed the steward called past to advise best to open some of the smaller cases and unpack a little so while we were at afternoon tea he could remove the suitcases that we had emptied into storage. The trunk was to stay in the cabin for the entire voyage....lol This we did with great gusto and in a great hurry, mother thinking that first in first served at the afternoon tea so off came the hat, gloves and into it in a big way. OMG - I had a nanny who had looked after me since I was born and Clemmie had assisted my mother to pack in the days and weeks prior to this voyage. One bit of a bummer my dearest nanny thought that my mother was being a little too strict/cruel and so unbeknownst to everyone Clemmie repacked my suitcase with certain goodies I would certainly need on my voyage. My favourite teddy, my best doll, my great set of Peter Rabbit books, the small doll I like to dress and all that doll's clothing. Only thing in there for me was a pair of shorts, a couple of dresses, underwear (not enough) and a party dress plus two pairs of shoes. My poor mother lost the plot - that damn woman she said - how dare she pack your toys instead of all the clothing I had especially purchased especially for you for the voyage. By the way no tops.

Afternoon tea - held in the large main lounge on the promenade deck level with lots of tables and chairs all coffee table height (new one on us - low tables - afternoon tea - what the HELL!!!) but there were stewards assisting with sitting people together in a friendly manner shuffling everyone around. Now one problem - I WAS THE ONLY CHILD ON THE ENTIRE SHIP - what to do with the sprog. Well the First Officer asked my mother to join him and his friends at their table which I suppose stopped a riot. My every move was being watched with disdain....ewwww

The only child part is another blog - it was fascinating and that is probably why all of this is totally burnt into my hard drive.

Next blog will cover dress, manners, who, where and what and the CHILD on board.

Enjoy - my goodness its all come back to me now - whew - need a coffee and a calm down.

Where to from here.......the future a mature view

Blog number 5


Maturity - what is it? Something that happens to all of us or does it? I am turning 60 this year but only still feel that I could be 40 or even younger. Attitude is the key. Looks are not as important as so many people feel they are, we are not going to disintegrate in front of everyone just because we have a chin that isn't perfect and matching everyone else's (these beautiful people must have been to the same surgeon who went to the same seminar) God help us all.....

Maturity is a state of mind. You can be 12 and be mature and you can be 79 and be in no way at all mature. Lets define it, I feel we need to rethink individually how to proceed. What do we need?

Confidence - well that comes and goes - Security - that has been taken away from millions of people for all sorts of reasons usually without their control (current world financial issues has taken security from many who felt they had "made it") now they have a learning curve which is going straight up, straight down and sideways. Piece of mind - now that's a good one!!! individuals think everyone other than themselves has achieved this - but none of us do unless, as in my life, being bi-polar gives me all sorts of piece of mind - daily - hourly - and it disappears a lot as well is an entire world suffering from this type of polarisation? Being comfortable in yourself is achieved with kindness and consideration of yourself and of others - will elaborate later on this one.

So where to now..........(a lot actually have) do we all turn into people who are heartless, violent, uncaring of our fellow man, vitriolic to all, self centered, and just plain awful which has happened at a fast pace in my lifetime OR do we sit down and think about our lives our futures and what, where and how we would like to end up. Age is just a number but to feel comfortable in ourselves we do have to think about how we treat ourselves and others - a kind word or deed doesn't cost money it gives us strength to improve our inner being and those we have assisted even in the smallest way may not remember what it was but they may also have more strength to go on.

My pet hate....money as it has been said it is the root of all evil. Why has the world and many individuals not assisted others and their fellow humans. There has been years of lets make our money off the backs of those who we don't care about why do we need 50 different types of one product that 90% of the world can't even afford to eat, buy or use. Money well its nice to have some but why did so may people bet on the future of our world by needing to progress over the tops of others?

SO to politics - such a mixture of attitudes, agendas and self interests - not all are like that but a majority are which taints all around us. This causes stress and grief which could have been avoided if the agendas had not been so self centered - always of course done for the best of intentions, but who's theirs or ours?

I have never been so pleased to finally see a President of the United States of America (and I have lived long enough to have lived through a significant number of Presidencies) who from what I have seen so far has a caring, humane, intellectual, thoughtful human side great carisma to make improvements that will eventually cater to many different groups President Obama in my view does have a belief in the betterment of not only the U.S.A. but a world suffering from so many sad and insurmountable troubles and supposedly unresolvable differences. Now this young man is mature beyond his years and has a belief in himself and a belief that others have the potential to do a good and helpful job as well, but often this is hidden behind self interest a new perspective discussed and acted upon as a role model by President Obama I feel will serve humanity and solve over time a number of issues that have plagued us all for many years.

In my lifetime the world has really gone far away from its most needed core values in so many areas that it will take a miracle to even dent a positive start to a healthy humanity and world changing into a liveable and sustainable world.

Think of the volume of issues to be dealt with - mind boggling - so where from here a better understanding of each other at a basic and humanistic level. Bring it on.

So much do be done and probably needs to be achieved in a fairly short space of time as deterioration has set in and isn't going to go away any time soon.

Corporate raiders etc. etc. people who get salaries that would keep entire countries fed, did those people who actually earn these amounts actually do any good with their physical money - or did they spend it on themselves or gobble up other not such lucky companies and people - they just gambled and gambled on everyone's future - not theirs they were safe...or so they thought.

This is my first blog OMG a rant and a rave without a lot of thought but will sit down and try and understand why we are now at this stage in what I hope will still be a beautiful world before it is too late.

I need to be forgiven for all the typos etc. its 4a.m. here in New Zealand and I decided to go for it.