We fully expected to find the "Lothian" in Townsville, but no, we were told we could go ashore that evening and sleep on board the "Clan McGregor" which was tied alongside.
My first impressions of Townsville was good, everyone seemed so relaxed and young and old seemed to ride bicycles. All bikes were ridden the same way- with the handle-bars reversed. This seemed to be so that a passenger could just jump up and sit comfortably on the handle-bars. This was done frequently and seemed to add to the relaxed atmosphere. The town itself was sub tropical and hotter than New Guinea though not as humid. We had a good night out there with plenty of Aussie beer which was quite strong (as we found out later). There were quite a lot of townsfolk of Chinese descent and most of the Aussies themselves had skins like walnuts, but they gave us a great welcome and I enjoyed the only night out we had there, though I was to revisit it later on the Lothian.
Back on the Clan McGregor next morning we were told to have our bags packed by ten o'clock as a jeep was coming for us and for the first time we were given details of our trip. We were to fly from Townsville to Brisbane and join the Lothian there.
It wasnt the first time I had flown- I had flown with the ATC in 1942 at Driffield, in Yorkshire. but this was a navy light aircraft and a bit bumpy, however we landed OK at Brisbane.
As we approached the dockside and saw the Lothian for the first time, I was a bit disappointed, she was painted in green and brown camouflage paint- an ex merchantsman she was once called the SS City Of Edinburgh. However after three months and a trip halfway round the world we had finally caught her. I wondered as we walked up the gangway what sort of ship she was and who my new mates would be.
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