Rob Humphreys

Ten Pound Pom And Beyond Rob Humphreys

In 1970 I sailed as a Ten Pound Pom from Southampton to Sydney, Australia. I was keen on the idea of working overseas and was determined to make things happen. At the time there were lots of opportunities overseas. Newspapers carried adverts for overseas jobs like Hong Kong Police or British Antarctic Expedition. Also, the Commonwealth countries - Canada, Rhodesia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand always wanted new people and tempted people with adverts for the chance of a new life. So I decided to apply for them all and the first to accept me I would go. I was not really fussy - they were all unknown but abroad and that was all that mattered. I was 27, single and no ties. I had no real trade and came from an office background. Australia was the first to reply and accept me, so that's where I went. The only stipulation was you had to stay for two years to take advantage of the ten-pound fare. Should you return before then you had to refund the fare - not the ten pounds fare but the full unassisted fare - and of course pay your own fare back. For ten pounds you could choose between a flight or a sea passage. The Australian Government also threw in a week's stay in a hostel in Sydney with meal tickets. Quite a bargain. I was in my twenties, single and anxious to travel so it was an easy decision to make. This book covers the voyage, my stay in Australia - work, travel and play and also travels beyond. Realising halfway around the world was not that far really and with so much more to see, I made a return to the UK. From there I went to work in Germany, Saudi Arabia and Algeria. The book also includes my experiences of travelling in the USA, Canada and Mexico mainly by Greyhound buses.