In 1977 while working in Yarrows shipbuiders on the Clydeside’s, Glasgow’s River Clyde I decided that I had to move on but not just to a new job. I wanted to travel to Australia. I never thought this would be a permenant move I just felt it was something I thought I should do at that time. I was 25 married to Linda, with a one year old daughter. Linda, was less than happy but was willing to move if we were accepted. Later she told me she wished our application would be rejected, but that was not to be the case.
We were leaving Scotland travelling about 13,000 miles to Western Australia. We had no family or friends to meet us. No job, and only three nights accommodation in a Perth hotel. I should point out that when we decided to emmigrate electricians were not on the sponcered list, which meant we had to pay our own full fairs and were not entiteled to any of the services new migrants normally get. No subsidised fares, no new migrant camp accommodation, no new migrant support services. We arrived at Fremantle unsure how to get to our hotel in Perth. We got a taxi and the driver was very helpful and wished us all the best for the future.
With most of our family and lots of tears we left from the Central Station in Glasgow Febreuary on the start of our voyage the first stop was London where we stayed with our freinds Peter and Annette.
We travelled to WA on what was known as Jet Ship. We flew to Singapore, stayed two nights then boarded the Russian ship Turkmeania for a seven day sail to Fremantle.
The London break gave us the opertunity to settle before the big trip. With Peter and Annette we visited The Tower of London, Hampton Court as well as a day in the city.
Laura was 18 months old and was a great passenger on our 13 hour flight from London on 5th March 1978 to Singapore. In Singapore she was a great hit esspecially with young teenage school kids who were all smilling and wanted to talk to her.
On board the Turkmeniya was for me a backbreaking adventure. Why you may ask? Try walking around decks with steep stairs constantly holding the hand of an small 18 month old. Arrived in Fremantle on 13th March.
Just as a side note, our arrival is on the Welcome Wall Panel. Panel 10.
Les McLaughlan 
I was hunting down this ship for my own travel history project. Myself and a girlfriend at the time decided to do the London thing traveling from Melbourne. This was the cheapest and most interesting option at the time thanks to Aus govt/Qantas having the say-so on airfares out of Australia. We flew from Melbourne to Perth in May 1979, then Turkmenia to Singapore where we had 2 days in a hotel, then BA to London. We enjoyed the sea voyage but didnt have a small child to deal with, had a big cabin great weather. Thanks for putting up the pics, I took dozens of Kodachrome slide pics but they all disappeared somehow or other.
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