Just married, I travelled out to Australia in 1970 on the Angelina Lauro, as a Ten Pound Pom. When we first arrived in Southampton to embark, we discovered the ship in dry dock. We had to dry our tears (my Mother and I, about to be parted, especially) and go back home to Surrey for another week or so. Folk from further afield were put up in local hotels. It was an extraordinary trip - or so it seemed at the time. I was distraught at the beginning, leaving my family behind ... but we soon made friends, and I joined the dance troupe, put together by our Entertainment Officer, Beppe (quite a character). The captain had his fiat on board, which had to be lowered first, every time we arrived in port. Only after he'd departed in a puff of exhaust, were we allowed to disembark. Visiting Cape Town was an eye opener - to see apartheid first hand was shocking and had a lasting effect on me. Earlier in the trip, the stops in Genoa and Naples were fascinating. I was thrilled to visit Pompeii, although felt for those poor people all those years ago, who were petrified in a moment. I remember our guide for the day - another character, who sang an aria in the car park while our coach driver and another motorist had a spat. Most of the travellers on board the Angelina were emigrating, and most of them were young, some with small children - which must surely have been a huge challenge. There were many Yugoslavians on board, with their whole families - ie grandparents down to tiny babies. I felt my whole life stretched ahead, and that the two years we had committed ourselves to would provide an adventure. We ended up living in Australia for fifteen years. :rolleyes:
Achille and Angelina Lauro
in What Ever Happened To........???
Posted
Just married, I travelled out to Australia in 1970 on the Angelina Lauro, as a Ten Pound Pom. When we first arrived in Southampton to embark, we discovered the ship in dry dock. We had to dry our tears (my Mother and I, about to be parted, especially) and go back home to Surrey for another week or so. Folk from further afield were put up in local hotels. It was an extraordinary trip - or so it seemed at the time. I was distraught at the beginning, leaving my family behind ... but we soon made friends, and I joined the dance troupe, put together by our Entertainment Officer, Beppe (quite a character). The captain had his fiat on board, which had to be lowered first, every time we arrived in port. Only after he'd departed in a puff of exhaust, were we allowed to disembark. Visiting Cape Town was an eye opener - to see apartheid first hand was shocking and had a lasting effect on me. Earlier in the trip, the stops in Genoa and Naples were fascinating. I was thrilled to visit Pompeii, although felt for those poor people all those years ago, who were petrified in a moment. I remember our guide for the day - another character, who sang an aria in the car park while our coach driver and another motorist had a spat. Most of the travellers on board the Angelina were emigrating, and most of them were young, some with small children - which must surely have been a huge challenge. There were many Yugoslavians on board, with their whole families - ie grandparents down to tiny babies. I felt my whole life stretched ahead, and that the two years we had committed ourselves to would provide an adventure. We ended up living in Australia for fifteen years. :rolleyes: