Portsmouth

1974.

It was a year for a decision to be made by dad.
After a preparatory year in Taylor's College along Jalan Pantai, dad aspired to begin his tertiary education in Australia. It is true that what man plans may not be God's plans. Dad did not get what he wanted but he was given something else by the good Lord.
He was asked to go to Portsmouth.
So he packed his bags and left home on his own. Back then parents don't travel here and there with their children. More often then not, it was a one -way ticket kind of arrangement. A ticket was bought for the journey to the designated place . The journey home was most probably foot by the wages earned through part time vocations by the child. Nowadays parents work harder and allow them to come home every vacation. The children don't stay behind to earn extras for themselves. Have we pampered them and in the process take away values learnt through hardship? Determination, perseverance and diligence can only be gained through difficulties in life. But they despise this whenever I try to explain. We must not compare; they say. Let's say they are more fortunate and at the same time we pray they will rise up to the occasion when duty calls.




So dad reiterated that the good old railway station still stays the same. It was at this very point that he was picked up by some friends and soon after that he found his first accommodation at a B and B before he found a more permanent place of rest.


The University of Portsmouth is spread throughout the town and different faculties stood at different locations. Dad was in the engineering department and he pointed here and there in excitement as he recalled the days of old.





Inadvertently, he drove around the place he left some 37 years ago to look for the place he loved most; the Baptist Church. Right where the blue board is was the spot where he would put up notices and information Sunday after Sunday at the request of the pastor. He was quickly absorbed into the family of God and made himself useful; painting, drawing, holding meetings and worshiping. The church was a big part of his stay there and with a couple of friends started the first Chinese Christian Fellowship in the University of Portsmouth. So he looked at the premises with great fondness.




Then he bravely said he wanted to find the house which he and Vincie stayed and lo and behold; he found it after scouring the streets of Portsmouth.

But it has been turned into a B n B place now. It looked exactly like "Waverly" the B n B that we put up at Portsmouth. Sara lamented that she should have found this place for our stay there. Zeda, another housemate of dad's related that dad was enterprising and helpful from the onset. He helped Vincie and spouse renovate the place evening after evening by laying tiles on the floor, carpentry work and painting too. He is still doing these for others even till this day. People know he is able to help whenever needs arise. So you see, values are acquired from young.



We then of course went around the town and the children were peeping here and there for HnM, Zara, Topshop and all the coveted shopping spots while dad kept asking when will the shopping stop?


This is new to him. As you enter it, you will find all what shoppers pined and looked for...


I could not help but notice this group of children doing I believe a survey. They were conversant and brave and asked questions without fear from the public so long as their task was achieved. This I believe must be practised back home too. It prepares the children for more challenges especially having the guts to ask for opinions.






Except for the new places, other places still remain the same. The flowers never change.They are forever beautiful.

The old, rustic clock still stands sturdy and reliable. It chimed at 10am.

It was the clock on top of the Guildhall of Portsmouth.

Dad told Grace to observe the building. It has always been his desire to bring his children here to see his place of study and to tell stories of old. We seem so old fashioned telling stories here and there but how else for a good bonding?




Yea. The City Guild hall looks really steadfast and grand. It was here that dad graduated and became a civil engineer.




Dad said; "Come take a pic with me." He later told me that even his parents could not come for his convocation for it was expensive then. The exchange rate was as high as RM8 to a pound and to go there for the occasion would mean a big hole in the pocket. So we are thankful and grateful to God that He has made it possible for us to attend our girls' convocations each time.
Thank you dear God.



Dad took us to the port too and the girls had a wonderful time looking out into the open seas and enjoyed the breeze that blew strongly around them. It was a beautiful Summer time when the sun never seems to set and the sky is still bright at 9pm. You forget to sleep because the days are so long and and the nights so short.




Portsmouth is pretty and cosy. The city that ends into the seas indeed is a good place to raise families as it is quiet and safe. But most of all, it has a history connected to dad and he was indeed so very pleased to make the trip back there after more than 30 years.

Portsmouth; dad remembers well.