All posts by Les McLaughlan

I was born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland and grew up in Maryhill, Provan Hall and Linwood. After leaving my last School, Linwood High. I started my electrical apprenticeship with James Kilpatrick in Paisley. After 2 years as a tradesperson I went to work at Yarrows Shipbuilders in Scotstoun on the Clydeside. At 25 years old with my wife Linda and daughter Laura I emigrated to Western Australia. During my time working on the tools as an electrician I worked on various major Commercial builds including the Casino and Central Park and Industrial projects such as Worsley, Karratha Gas Plant and the Argyle Diamond mines. I then worked for the Electrical Trades Union for 26 years and held various roles from Organiser to State President, National President and State Secretary for the last 12 years until I retired from the Union. Since leaving the Union I have engaged in a number of personal projects, mainly writing, studying and my favourite travelling.
Family Activities, Travel

1978 From Scotland to Western Australia

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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.

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Scotland, Travel

1974 Isle of Arran, Scotland

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The Island lies at the entrance to the Firth of Clyde, 14 miles west of the Ayrshire coast. 35 miles to the south is Antrim, Northern Ireland. On the Island there are three groups of mountains with ten peaks. The most famous and highest being Goatfell.

Earliest known settlers on the island were Mesolithic people who fished and hunted. The next people to arrive around 3000BC originated in the eastern Mediterranean travelling through France, England, Wales then Scotland. As well as fishing they farmed the land. During the Bronze Age they built stone circles the most famous the Machrie Moor dated from around 1600 BC. Continue reading 1974 Isle of Arran, Scotland →

Scotland, Travel

1973 Lerwick

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Lerwick is the main town on Shetland Island. Just to put where the island is situated into perspective, on many maps Shetland is shown with a box around it, this is because the distance shown on the map is usually not to scale.

Historically the Shetland islands were given to Scotland as part of the King of Norway’s daughter Margaret’s dowry in 1469. It was only meant to be security until the moneys were paid. Since that never happened the Shetland Isles have remained as part of Scotland.

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Family Activities, My Holidays, Travel

1972 Majorca

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Me and Linda in September 1972 took our first flight and first overseas holiday. Two weeks in C’an Picafort. It’s hard to imagine how excited we were embarking on an overseas holiday.

We arrived at Palma airport and then traveled by bus to our hotel 60 km. Our hotel was new and luckily finished,which was more than can be said for many holiday makers at that time.

Thinking back I remember the best trip was to the Cuevas del Drach (Cavern of the Dragon) with its underground lake. Listening to the orchestra playing as it sailed down the lake.

We were ultra careful at the beach sun wise, ahead of our time, although others left with a much better tan.

My first Password photo
Linda’s first passport photo.
Linda with Lyn and John from Maidenhead.
Cuevas del Drach = Cavern of the Dragon
Travel

2019 Sydney New Zealand Sydney cruise

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After having enjoyed our Baltic cruise in 2018 we decided to take the 14 day Majestic Princess cruise out from Sydney sailing around New Zealand, back to Sydney. And whilst we had a great trip you only scratch the surface of New Zealand. We will go back and travel by road.

We left Perth WA on Thursday the 31st of October and spent that night at the Holiday Inn Old Sydney Hotel in the Rocks in Sydney. From our hotel room we looked out onto the Ocean Terminal, and in the morning when we looked out of our window we could see the ship towering over the buildings.

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10 Memory tips, General

2016—Ten steps to improve your memory, and seven steps to remembering names.

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10 Rules:

 1 Make a point of increasing your original awareness by using your powers of observation and focus.

2 Concentrate on one thing at a time

3 Visualise what you want to remember.

4 Understand that the brain has unbelievable capacity to store information.

5 use the Association/Substitution process to remember intangible or abstract information.

6 Link abstract objects to form a ridicules objects or names.

7 Practice memory pegs techniques.

8 Apply the seven steps to remember names.(see notes below).

9 Try linking numbers with letters to make words so that the number can be remembered.

10 Practice all your memory techniques daily.

Notes:

Remember Names the Seven Steps:

1 Have a positive mental set.

2 be interested in remembering each persons name.

3 Listen attentively and if unsure ask them to spell their name.

4 form some association with someone you don’t know or one of your pegs.

5 Use the substitute process i.e. a funny picture etc.

6 Link the silly picture to the name.

7 Repeat the name and substitution

Kokoda Trail

Back in Perth 

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Well we have now been back just over a week. It seems longer since the trip.

I am very happy to have taken part in this MIC walk for such  an admirable cause.

I also want to say that enjoyed meeting and making friends with everyone on the trip. I know I did not get to really know everyone from team 1, but did get to know all the members of team 2, Team Ultra.

I also want to say a special thanks to my covert secret team. You Know Who You Are. 

All the very best to everyone.

Les, AKA “The Puppet Master” ha ha