Item 04: Memoirs of a Colonial Boy by Robert Joseph Stewart, ca. 1971 - Page 343
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[Page 343]
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coloured leis around the necks of passengers who seemed the most likely to reward them with a substantial tip. Honolulu was experiencing its first big building boom, and several multi-storey office blocks and big stores were replacing the smaller and older buildings, in its long main street. On going ashore, I first walked around the waterfront to the much publicised Waikiki beach in front of the huge wooden Moana hotel. I was rather disappointed with it and thought that it was not as good a beach or surf as at Bondi or Manly. I then took a long street-car ride out through the residential suburbs, as far as the golf course, near the big crater. It was a lovely, mild, sunny day with an ideal temperature and hardly any humidity. I was much impressed by the soft vivid greenness of the grass everywhere; on the rich volcanic soil of the distant hills, and around the scattered unfenced bungalows. Also, I was amazed by the constant streams of motor cars whizzing along the principal streets.
We arrived off San Francisco early one morning, just thirty days after leaving Sydney, and passed through the Golden Gate immediately after breakfast. A fleet of motor launches came racing to meet us, crowded with people shouting for Tilden and Johnson, and steam ferry-boats crossing the harbour began a repetitive whistling and honking. We went on up the bay, past the small Alcatraz prison isle, and as we bumped into one of the long wooden jetties, a khaki-clad military band struck up a patriotic march, and a reception committee of important-looking citizens moved forward to welcome the conquering tennis heroes home. Customs and Immigration officials were the first up the lowered gangway, and after I had taken my turn at being briefly interviewed by them, and had signed a declaration that I was not a polygamist or a communist, I was at liberty to set foot on the "Land of the brave and the home of the free".
Once ashore and parted from all of my pleasant ship-board friends, a great feeling of loneliness assailed me, but it soon passed and I taxied quickly up to the city centre, presented a letter of introduction at the Crocker Bank, and was put in touch