[pompeyfan]

CANBERRA PART EIGHT(HONG KONG)

I have mentioned Hong Kong in the last episode, but having already written this part, I will repeat some of what I said, adding more about this wonderful place.

On Thursday 28th October 1971, Canberra arrived at Hong Kong. This was to be the most amazing experience of my life to date. I had already had a taste of Japan, opening up a new world I had never seen the like of before, and still could not get over what I had seen. But Hong Kong was to really take my breath away.

It was a superb passage into Hong Kong what I had time to see of course in between working. Passing Kai Tak airport (as it was then) into our berth at Kowloon on the Chinese mainland also passing the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong on Hong Kong Island, the most noticeable being HMS Tamar naval base, but the Army and RAF also having bases there.

Hong Kong Island was one of three territories, which made up the Crown Colony of Hong Kong, the other two being the peninsular of Kowloon and the New Territories. Britain acquired the island under the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, as a base from which to provide protection for British traders operating in Chinese waters. Hong Kong Island is separated from the mainland by Victoria Harbour the island is very hilly. Hong Kong was returned to the Peoples Republic of China in 1997, but throughout my many visits after this first one, it was very much under British sovereignty.

As we made our way in Victoria Harbour opened up a very large harbour as we turned to Kowloon full of ships anchored and hundreds of junks. As we were coming alongside the passenger terminal, junks had come alongside on the seaward side. I looked on from my hospital deck totally dumbstruck as the people in these junks scrambled aboard scaling the side of the ship like ants setting up stalls on the Promenade Deck, and other decks as well as inside the ship. In no time, decks were teaming with goods like market days in towns around the UK, yet even more variety everything under the sun including cameras and radios. If only I had sense enough to take pictures. But this became such the norm on future visits, I did not think about taking pictures. Can you imagine that today with the security surrounding cruise ships?!. These stalls were everywhere including crew quarters. Like the Japanese, the Chinese people were way ahead of us. Even in 1971, they had what we today call boxer shorts, years before they were sold here. I could buy five for a pound . Also in Hong Kong we bought Hings, gents briefs. I was visited in my cabin by a Tailor who asked if I needed any made to measure suits, trousers, jackets, shirts, the lot. We were in Hong Kong for three days, and these people came to your cabin, measured for suits etc, and brought it on sailing day one of these Tailors was Mr B. Smith from Kowloon, I still have his card another came to measure for shoes, one to put a photo onto a plate. His name was S.H. Chan also from Kowloon, an artist who specialized in porcelain, art photography, charcoal portrait, and oil painting. I still have his card also. You name it they came calling right to your cabin, and delivered to your cabin.

If what was happening on board was an eye opener, so was what I found on the terminal. This was not just any old passenger terminal. It had everything you would find in a town, shops of all types, opticians, dentists, barbers the lot. Glasses were really cheap so I always had my eyes tested on the terminal, and new glasses. I had the best shave I ever there. You did not have to leave the ship or the terminal to find everything you needed. What a place. And it was not only us who had a wash and brush up. The ship had one as well. The entire family turned up chipping away at paintwork like woodpeckers, driving is mad all night. They would scrape and paint the entire side of the ship in three days. Grandparents, sons daughters the lot turned up totally taking over the ship. Most seemed to live in the junks, and those not selling goods were hanging on the side of the ship on a dodgy looking board that looked like it may give way any minute as they chipped away at the paint work doing in days what it would take shipyards at home weeks to do. I have never seen people work like they did. On day three, the ship was painted, often the funnel too. My tailor came back what I had ordered, all made to measure. When I was there in 1972, 31st October to 3rd November to be precise, this man made my wedding suit, measuring me on the 31st, and delivering on the 3rd November. It cost me £20. Everything I wore at my wedding in 1973, suit, shirt, shoes were made to measure in Hong Kong measured on day one, delivered to my cabin on day three. Underwear was bought there, as was my socks and tie.

Shore side, well, what can I say about that. Downtown Kowloon selling everything you needed. I like James Last, so record shops would record just what you wanted onto cassette. If you didn’t like every song on one LP, no problem they would stick the songs you wanted onto a tape from each LP going back to pick it up. No doubt it was illegal, but they didn’t seem to care. I think all their cassettes that were on open sale were recorded from LPs anyway, copying the cover as well as the songs.

Then there was Hong Kong Island. A trip on the Star Ferry was a must, and down below with the locals. Those who have been on these ferries will know what I mean, in those days at least. For those who don’t know, the ferries were first and second class the first class about 25 cents in those days (HK dollar), second class 10 cents. We loved going second class with the locals. If you missed a ferry, which was almost continuous, you could go across with a ‘walla walla’, motorised sampans, which again operated continuously between Kowloon Public Pier and Queen’s Pier Hong Kong Island they took 6 to 10 passengers at about $1 per person. If no other passengers, it cost around $10 to take you across alone. Even today, I would prefer to cross by ferry, not tunnel. We went up to the Peak on the Peak Tram.

Wonderful Hong Kong, there was nowhere in the world to come even close to this amazing place and amazing people. We sailed at 1300 on Saturday 30th October bound for Sydney. I picked the sound of our whistle up with my new Sanyo Music Centre dangling the microphones out of my cabin window. It was the old steam whistle, very deep and loud, better than any I had ever heard, even Queen Elizabeth and Mary. I also picked up the tugs engine, and blowing her whistle. We carried on blowing out to Kai Tak airport as airliners roared over us, the very transport taking our ‘line voyage’ trade away from us.