OFF ON ANOTHER ADVENTURE

We are very lucky to be going on another tour. This time we are going to explore Far North Queensland and right up to the tip of Australia and Thursday Island. Tomorrow we fly to Cairns (3hrs) where we stay overnight then we are doing a 4 day trip on the outback train "The Sevannahlander"which goes inland from Cairns. Each day we leave the train for a guided tour and to sleep overnight and then we board the train again for the next day. Then we return to Cairns for another 2  days including tours. Then we join an APT tour in a four wheel drive bus/truck and travel up to the tip of Australia through 'Crocodile Dundee" territory. It is very remote and rugged. There will not be much internet service so you will have to wait until I return to read about our adventures. Although Bill has done a scheduled post for each day to show you where we are. I think he has used brochures and the web to illustrate where we are.

Far North Queensland

Where the rainforest meets the sea.

The outback Savannahlander train.

APT 4WD bus

Gear provided by the tour company,
packs, toilet bags, towels, torches, drink bottles, bag tags, wallet and map.

Sorry that I wont be visiting you all for 3 weeks unless we get service for the iPad.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

We have made it to 44 years. We were married in Pt Moresby, P/NG and we do not have any decent wedding photos the photographer was hopeless. However, we have our memories.

In the early days of dating. We are in the beer garden of the RSL Club
 on Ela Beach in Pt Moresby.

I was so happy to have met this cute young man with a Swiss accent in November '68. 

We were married 6 months later, friends said it wouldn't last and here we are 44 years later still going strong.

The wedding reception at The Purple Parrot Restaurant. Hee hee is that a prawn cocktail I can see-sooo 6o's.

CIGARETTES IN THE PAST

My mum and dad started smoking in the 30's. It was supposedly very fashionable to smoke and my mum was very fashionable. During the war smoking was claimed to calm the nerves. My parents lived in London and often had to rush to bomb shelters at all times of the day and night carrying two little children. I can see how they both got hooked on smoking. A habit they wanted to ditch in later years but found it very difficult. It wasn't until they were in their 60's and 70's that they managed to quit. 

Mum and Dad in the 30's

When I was going through my mum's belongings after she died I found this old cigarette tin with buttons kept inside. I nearly threw it away until I thought this looks like a really old tin so I removed the label she had stuck on it and kept it not really knowing what to do with it. Now I can use it for Sepia Saturday's meme about cigarettes etc. My guess is the tin of cigarettes was purchased in  early 50's.

An old Benson and Hedges cigarette tin.

The Royal Crest

 Benson and Hedges was founded in 1873 by Richard Benson and William Hedges in London. The business was formed to supply cigarettes to Albert Edward who at the time was Prince of Wales.

The partners were successful, and in the early 1900s started to market their product in the U.S. and Canada.Of particular honour was that the company was issued a Royal Warrant in 1878 to supply their product to the Royal Family.

Due to limited demand in the royal family, Benson and Hedges's Royal Warrant was revoked in 1999. The removal of the crest was greeted positively by anti-smoking groups as a step of reducing cigarettes claim as a legitimate product.

This is a cigarette vending machine dispensing lit cigarettes. See more by clicking on the image.