My Big OE - Travelling Around England, Ireland and the Continent in the 1950s

Some shelf wear.

Diane Nestor's has written about her adventures travelling around Europe in the 1950s.

Returning to New Zealand in 1959, Diane discovered she had tuberculosis and spent six months in a TB isolation hospital. While recovering, her father provided her with a portable typewriter, encouraged her to think positively and type up her hand written travel diaries. Diane borrowed a 'Teach Yourself to Type' book from the surgeon and turned her diaries into a manuscript.

When she came out of hospital and started to work again, the manuscript and photographs were put on a shelf and left there.

Nearly 60 years later when Diane was talking to a friend, the manuscript was mentioned and was subsequently read for the first time by anyone other than Diane. It was then passed on to a publisher who suggested it should be made into a book.

A book for everyone, but especially for those who have been on their own OE, and can compare experiences. For Diane the journey to London took many weeks on a ship. A trip around Europe was also very different in the 1950s.