Following on from the success of last weeks film footage of life as a child onboard a Mediterranean cruise on on Orcades in 1968, I bring to you part two…..
Looks like most of my time onboard was spent either in the playroom or around the pool area, which I dont suppose would be to different from a child of today, apart from the fact that a wooden playhouse and a orange see saw seemed to be the main toys of the day! You might recall me telling you that we didnt have shallow pools for children to swim and play in, so at around 3.00pm the depth of the main pool would be lowered and we were allowed in for ‘childrens swim’. I remember that it always seemed a very long way down that vertical ladder inside the pool until you got to the icy, freezing cold salt water! I look pretty pleased to have made the descent down to the water though. Those P&O issue ‘rubber rings’ really did have a rubber smell to them. The pool water would be lowered for about an hour before it was refilled back upto its normal level, which would bring us nicely upto childrens tea time. But before that it was upto the changing rooms to run the swimsuits through the mangle!! I used to love putting my swimsuit through the big iron mangle, but that bit of fun soon stopped when they introduced electric spinning machines in there.
I would guess that this was also my first visit to see the famous apes on the Rock of Gibraltar, and I see that one of the cheeky apes has taken a ladys pink chiffon scarf, which Im sure would have caused me to have one of my cheeky little giggles.
5 Comments
Denise
Loving your matching bikinis and dresses – is that your sister?
That climb down in to the pool looked very long LOL – and you can see by the way you kids are acting how cold it must have been. Our kids don’t know they are born today.
Keep the films comimg – I love it. I especially love the bit with the woman and the megaphone – I wonder what they would think today LOL
Jane
Im guessing that woman with the megaphone would have been the childrens host maybe? Imagine that blasting across the sun deck. Thankfully the idea didnt catch on – can you imagine the art auctioner let loose with one of those on a cruise today, lol!!
My outfits are great arent they? My sister and I were always dressed alike as kids. I particulally like that navy swimsuit with the little skirt – very ‘GoCruisewithJane’ dont you think?
Lisa
Fab films Jane! i am too loving the matching outfits!! you are sooo lucky to have this on film, what great memories!
liz
I was on the Orcades (age 6)in 1961 from Manila to Sydney as my family were immigrating to Australia…my dad was American and my mother Spanish from the Philippines….long story short, we ended up back in the Philippines where my siblings and I were born and grew up and left for all corners of the earth!!! I have wonderful memories of that trip and watching the film was a treat…do you have anymore on board the ship?
Jane
Hi Liz
Great story of hiw you emigrated etc. Yes I do have more films of cruising in the 60’s & 70’s so keep checking back for some updates.
Jane