Part 3
Upper Deck: 23rd of March 1953
We are now in the tropics, and your father and I are lazily lounging in our deck chairs. Yesterday the swimming pool was filled, and it is been used a great deal. Between 10 and 11 am and 2 and 3.pm it is reserved for Ladies and children only, then the Men may use it. It is emptied each night, with a net over it to prevent fatalities. There are many lovely young men and women aboard. The women seem to be in pairs, some are going to the Coronation, others intend hiking through Europe, and some will work, returning when they feel like it. I think it’s advisable for girls to travel in pairs, especially if they are going to the continent. Of course the young people are busy all day, trying their hand at the various deck games, of which there is quite a variety. Yesterday it was funny, all the young folk decided to wash on the same day. So on the lower deck you saw dainty panties, brassieres, etc. and the boys had their shirts and undies hanging out. Then the fun started when everyone wanted the two ironing boards and irons at the same time. The boys are quite fussy about their appearance and iron their shirts to perfection.
We have a movie every night, and a very good orchestral concert each afternoon, and dance music each night.
It is 1,638 miles to Perth from Melbourne, by sea and now from Perth to Jakarta it is 1,865 miles. As each day rolls by we find ourselves more and more in the tropical sphere. More awnings are placed around the decks to protect us from the hot sun. The young ones are enjoying the swimming pool; today some young Italians threw another one in, fully dressed. A very practical joke I must say. Last night there was a very nice dance in the dining room, the Captain and all the brass where present, the festooned small colored lights on the ceiling, the men could not enter the room unless they where dressed appropriately and wore a tie. This kept the rougher element of Italians out. We saw several schools of flying fish today. They just looked like birds coming out of the sea, flying low on top of the water.
