My Trip

Local Description

pp 94. Embossed, illustrated leather boards with strong Maori image, front hinge cracked but holding. Include original leather bookmark with tiki and "Kia ora from Christchurch, NZ".  Hand written diary of a voyage from NZ to England and return, through the Pacific, Panama Canal, Caribbean and Atlantic. The voyage to Southampton was on the S.S.Ruahine, embarking on Friday 10 March, 1961, and the return from Rotterdam on the "Pretoria" was on Sunday 12 November. Nice descriptions of on-board conditions and life on the ships at the end of the era when travel between NZ and Europe was still regularly taken on passenger/cargo ships. This was the third "Ruahine", operated by the NZ Shipping company, and her last voyage was in June 1968, She had a short life after that as the "Oriental Rio" before being broken up in 1973. The diary records travels in Great Britain, Paris, Amsterdam and the trip home. 

Description

Travel diary