Thelma's Diary 1935

Thelma’s Diary 1935 Thelma was fascinated and intrigued by what she believed to be life beyond the one known to her. At the age of twenty-nine, when this chronicle begins, she was looking for adventure and dreamed of traveling to places she’d only read about. Thelma’s Diary 1935 is a true account in Thelma’s own words of the dreams and travel experiences of two sisters. Thelma and Marge Dyke went on a journey, a voyage around the world. They received advice from a friend and travel advisor, Mr. Paul Forte, who also agreed to share the drive across America to the steamship in California that would take them to faraway lands. An avid and seasoned traveler, Mr. Forte tried to help them with their plans, but they wanted something different than the “specialty” cruises being offered; a planned itinerary just wasn’t for them. This frustrated and worried Paul, who warned them of the dangers they might face, but this only incited their adventurous spirits. They set out from Akron, Ohio, on Saturday, May 11, and for the next several months lived their dreams. They started with some sights in the United States; they saw the Grand Canyon for the first time, and they experienced a mudslide, a dust storm, and a magnificent desert sunset. They never forgot the view of Mount Wilson in California’s Sierra Madres. On the day they had waited a lifetime for, they raced from the Mayflower Hotel in Los Angeles to the Dollar Steamship pier in Wilmington, a death-defying ride as they thought they were running late. They made it to the ship in time, and their next stop was San Francisco. Their adventure continued as they set sail on the SS President Hoover on June 7, 1935, at precisely 5:00 p.m. As they headed under the Golden Gate Bridge, they wondered, What lies beyond that glowing horizon? Just before they left California there was an "incident". They had been asked to leave an establishment because they had been dancing with a couple of sailors. It made them think about making a mistake onboard, as it was their first time on a cruise ship; they just weren’t sure of proper shipboard etiquette, and they surely didn’t want to be escorted off the ship! Was it respectable to go to the captain’s quarters? Should they accept the many invitations they’d receive for drinks and dancing? One night, after hours, they wondered if it would be okay to jump into the ship’s swimming pool—fully clothed. Probably not, but after all, it was a dare. Not much stopped Thelma and Marge from having a good time. Honolulu was their first port of call. They took in glorious views of the majestic Diamond Head; the jagged cliffs of Oahu; the sacred falls of Hauula, where one must pay tribute to the grotto god; the Upside Down Falls, where a wall of water tumbles impetuously upward; and the grotesque cliff citadel of Nuuanu Pali, just some of the wonders that compelled them to vow to return to this South Seas paradise. Young and old Polynesian women had crowded the pier and had showered Thelma and Marge with scented leis. At sundown, as their ship drifted out to sea, they threw their leis into the water to signify their return someday. The streets of Tokyo were a colorful palette of parasols and kimonos. Many of the cyclists in Japan are trick riders worthy of being circus performers. The Imperial Palace and the Kiyomizu Temple were just a couple of the amazing places they visited. Their curiosity led them to a brothel filled with a dozen friendly geisha girls. Next stop, India. Passing several small islands, they entered Bombay’s harbor with its impressive buildings along the Apollo Bunder, the city’s pier. After lunch at the Taj Mahal, they persuaded their escort for the day, Peter J, to take them to Queens Road to a burning ghat, one of those wide, dramatic Indian staircases that lead to a river, in this case a ghat where cremations are performed. There they witnessed the most gruesome sight they’d ever seen, the funeral of an Indian mother. Her body rested on a pile of wood that was set on fire. India’s poor would save and save in hopes of having the luxury of a funeral like the one Thelma and Marge witnessed. The smell of burning flesh was something they never forgot. The women were glad to move on to a more pleasant scene, the beautiful hanging gardens of Malabar Hill. On the Nile River, Abdul, their dragoman showed them the spot where, according to Arab tradition, pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in the bulrushes. Thelma and Marge caravanned across the colored sands of the Sahara, where they camped for the night. When they reached Naples, their first task was to find a guido, and they were lucky enough to find Raphael Basille, who came from a long line of travel guides. They were fortunate to have a private audience with Pope Pius XI at his summer home in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome. China and the Philippines were just a few of the other places this daring duo explored. Venice was a unique encounter, its towers, domes, and steeples all afloat on silver trails of water. The gondolas, the music, there’s nothing like it in the world. Monte Carlo was the land of the rich and famous. Thelma and Marge stayed at the Hotel De Paris, known the world over as the finest hotel on the Rivera. Then on to Nice, snuggled between the French and Italian Alps. They embarked on the SS President Hayes, October 9, at 6:30 p.m., in Marseilles, bound for New York. They arrived home in Ohio, in late October, and were never the same. Experience the journey, the excitement, the adventure, and the romance in Thelma’s own words. Her descriptive style paints an entertaining picture. And so begins Marge and Thelma’s voyage around the world in 192 days.