Please find attached a
transcription of our Dad's diary from his around Australia trip in 1951. I
think you will find it an interesting slice of pre-television Australia when
hitching a lift was de rigueur, the sexes had their defined roles, having a
shot didn't make you a terrorist and sleeping rough was all part of the
adventure!! The "italics" are mine when I couldn't read something or
I had some query otherwise. If you have been to the areas and know I have the
names wrong, please let me know - ditto for the people's names if you knew
Bruce or the people involved.
On that note, I have been
trying to trace "Jack" (Cobby) who he went with as he was 10 years
younger than dad so thought he may still be alive and interested in the story.
Just this week I received an email from his son to say that his dad had passed
away in 1991 - shame.
I'm not sure whether he ever
intended it to be published but it has certainly given me a chance to get to
know my father like I never had the chance to know him in life. I dont think he
would have minded having the wider audience. I'm not sure whether mum ever read
the diary but I hope she did.
"A/T" I assume stands
for afternoon tea but I have kept the transcription as original as possible
despite my instinct to correct grammar!! I also have some photos to go with the
words but am in the process of scanning them so you will have to wait for the
"Bond" history book for those!!
I hope you enjoy and would
welcome any feedback/stories from those who may know anything more of the story
- maybe something that can go in the body of my book? - I guess I am thinking
the Dustings and Rob/Gav Youl here in particular.
Thanks,
Michael.
By the way here are some picks from the trip
