My traveling hats - Around the World in 98 Days

[Shanghailander]

Adam could be right - I see more hats in Melbourne than anywhere else I've been in the world in the last six months. Mostly Panamas, which is not unexpected, given the weather.

Since it is Saturday, a flock of weddings are taking place, and a whole fleet of vintage cars are out and about on the street - I spot a 1959 Cadillac convertible, but also a number of Bentleys, Daimlers, and Rolls.

Here is my favorite from the Golden Age!

I leave Melbourne via QANTAS for Aukland, New Zealand. I kill a few hours in their lounge at the airport - they know how to put on a spread! There is Moet Chandon and of course all sorts of Australian beers, and a very good feed if I do say so myself!

 

[John in Covina]

Melbourne sounds a bit like LA, fires, heat and low humidity.

Great travel log, have fune and keep us posted!

 

[kiltedjeeper]

yes, most definitely a great 'log.

What sort of speaking do you do, and what's this book you've written about?

 

[Shanghailander]

I have written a book about Japanese prison camps in China during WW II. I spoke at the Imperial War Museum, the London Friends of the Royal Asiatic Society, the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, the State Library of New South Wales, and to an ex internee group in Melbourne. You can learn more about the book at www.captives-of-empire.com

Now, I am in New Zealand. Unlike Melbourne, hats seem to be pretty thin on the ground here - even baseball caps are not that common.

Until I find some New Zealand hats, here is a shot of a hat worn by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles in the Middle East during the First World War.

After Auckland, I head north, before turning around and making for Wellington and the ferry to South Island.

 

[dtracy]

Wow, I've really enjoyed reading about your trip and all the hats along the way. The classic car shots are nice too. I'd love to have a shop like Strand Hatters in my area, but it's probably just as well.... I'd spend a lot of time and money in such a place.

Thanks for sharing your adventure!

 

[Shanghailander]

New Zealand is a hat wasteland - hardly even a baseball cap to be seen!

I did spot this great hat box in an antique store in Napier - an incredible town LOADED with Art Deco architecture - it can certainly give Miami Beach a run for its money!

Here's a shot of the newspaper office.

 

[Shanghailander]

Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931. When the town rebuilt, it did so in the current Art Deco style.

Each year, there is an art deco weekend with period autos, planes, motorcycles, and of course dress (with hats) straight out of the Golden Age to complement the architecture.

It sounds (and looks) great! Here are some shots of this year's poster advertising the event, as well as one from a few years ago. And some more buildings.

A poster from a previous year:

This year's poster:

Another building:

Check out the great details on this building:

 

[jimmy the lid]

Napier looks like an amazing place to explore!

 

[Shanghailander]

Some more shots of the buildings, and a 1930s Buick.

Note that a lot of the store signage is done in a "deco" font.

Some more details:

More architecture:

 

[Shanghailander]

 

[Shanghailander]

Here's a shot of the 1930s Buick:

 

[Razzman]

Looks like a wonderful place. A neat place to explore. Great hat box.:eusa_clap

 

[DOUGLAS]

Absolutely fantastic!

 

[Shanghailander]

Still no hats of note here, but I did spend a few hours in a great classic car museum. Here's a few shots of autos from the Golden Era.

A Bugatti:

And a Mercedes Maybach (the original version. Maybach used to make engines for Zeppelins as well).

 

[Shanghailander]

How about this 1930s Packard?

And here's a Willys-Knight, when the Jeep wasn't even a gleam in the company's designers' eyes.

 

[Shanghailander]

Something a little less glamourous, but still loaded with style:

 

[Shanghailander]

Moving on, I took the TranzAlpine train from the west coast of New Zealand's South Island to the east coast, arriving in Christchurch.

The tracks cross the South Island's Southern Alps, and the scenery is terrific. Waiting for the train to depart, I catch a little shuteye. That's the Balibuntal I picked up in Sydney on my head.

 

[Shanghailander]

Some shots of the scenery as viewed from the train.

 

[Shanghailander]

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and after six months of traveling around the globe, I must return home (and work).

The journey back is from Auckland to LAX to New York, the 24 hour trip made tolerable by going first class. Ah, for the Golden Era, when such a trip would have been made by ship, or perhaps by flying boat!

And here, an actual flying boat, seen in an Auckland museum

Back home, the Panama will be packed away, to wait for the Northern Hemisphere's summer. In the meantime, my fedoras, homburg, Tyrolean, and newsboy cap will once again make their appearance. It's great to travel, but its even better to come home, especially when you have a hat for all seasons!

 

[Barry]

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and after six months of traveling around the globe, I must return home (and work).

This was by far one of my favorite threads.

I enjoyed viewing all of your pictures.

Thank you!

:eusa_clap