The antipodes
New Zealand & Australia
Lawson (Mic) Millett
My dad in the center
My dad is turning 90 years young next year. He spent most of his life
in Australia (and considers himself a dinky-die Australian now) but was born in
Yorkshire England. He was an orphan and did not leave the orphanage
until his teens; he was never adopted. His younger sister (whom he was very
close to) lived with him but unfortunately died there; she was very young. But
he was visited by his older sister who had escaped the confines and draconian life
of the home, because of her age.
His first stop, after spending his early childhood in the home, was
as an indentured farmhand on a remote country farm in the cold gray Yorkshire
Mores. It was very hard work, but he was glad to have escaped the orphanage. He
made very little money and exchanged his labor for room and board.
I know, it really sounds like a Dickensian tale, but it’s true.
My dad and my younger brother
Lawrence
He gained a sense of self on the farm and was not there long before
he joined the Royal Navy. He was in the Navy for many years and served on many
kinds of ships, boats, and traveled the world. He also saw action in the Korean
War where he came into contact for the first time with Americans.
He shared a story with me about his first contact with these enigmatic
Americans, that until then he had only seen in films.
Somewhere in the vast and icy cold Sea of Japan, his flotilla came
across a squadron of US ships. In amongst the numerous American war machines
was one of their pride and joys; an enormous Aircraft carrier.
The British sailors where invited to go aboard the mighty floating
city. My dad was amazed at just how big it was. They were directed to one of
the many vast cafeterias on board where he was presented, for the first time in
his service, with a choice of food to eat. Americans did not have to just eat
the gruel served them each day; they could choose what they wanted to eat. He
was flabbergasted.
My dad, me, and my older brother
John
But there was one thing the British sailors had the US ones did not:
rum rations! Yes, each British sailor was given an amount of rum each day for
personal use. It was claimed it was awarded to keep away scurvy. Perhaps this
was true once, but regardless a goodtime was had by all. Including now their
new American friends who had no such ration and would exchange anything for it.
Our Plan
Auckland New Zealand
Julia and I really, really, do not like traveling on airplanes
anymore. Sure, we have used them extensively in the past having traveled around
the world three times in our lives. But we were ignorant then, and not now. We
consider these modern flying machines indicted in the destruction of our
environment and the world’s climate systems. And we just do not like to sit for
fifteen hours being vibrated, dehydrated, and asphyxiated. However, given my
dad’s age, and the extensive search we conducted for alternative ways to get
from the USA to Australia, we have no choice but to fly on these carbon spewing
machines. This was written to alleviate my guilt in adding to the carbon
dioxide poisoning of the world. Oh well, party on!
Our first stop after departing the USA will be to spend a few nights
in the big-little town of Auckland in the magnificent New Zealand. Zealanders
are nice people, but the New Zealanders are amazingly friendly and so
hospitable.
From here we will hop across the Tasman Sea to Melbourne Australia
where we’ll spend time with my family in and around the lovely Frankston area,
the place I spent the most time in while growing up in Australia. I cannot wait
to see everyone again and to hear the unique chirping, whistling, and singing
of Australian birds.