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This page was last Updated: Tuesday, 21 January, 2014


SS Uganda log.
( as written at the age of 13 years on-board the school cruise ship, February 1979.)
Including spelling mistakes !

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UGANDA: The story of a very special ship
The SS Nevasa


SS Uganda 1st Day Feb 10th Sat:

Started out from school 3:00 am 10th Feb.
Got to Gatwick at 6:20.
We flew out to Venice on Skytrain DC 10 after going through customs.
There was a short delay of 40 mins when we got on the plane.
Arrived in Venice midday, it was raining so we stayed on the ship.
Lights out 9:45.

2nd Day Feb 11th Sun:

Walked around Venice , the weather was still abit wet.
Went up a tower that over looked St Marks Square.
It cost L.700 or 40p for the lift ride up the tower.
Took a ride in a speed boat round Venice.
The driver said he drove a boat in a James Bond film.
He let me have a go at steering and I nearly crashed it.
The trip in the speed boat cost L.500.

3rd Day 12th Feb. Mon.

Got into Dubrovnik at about ten to two.
On the way into Dubrovnik everybody was throwing up over the side,
I haven`t thrown up yet.
We had coaches to take us to the old part of Durbrovnik and a guided
tour around the city walls etc.
After about an hour and a half we where allowed to walk round
the city on our own.
We headed straight for a cafe and got a Coke which was
10 Dina or 25p.
Then we made our way to a shop across the street.
The shop sold sourviners and gifts as well as stamps.
The Jugoslavian for a stamp is "maracars".
I brought some postcards and a candle holder which was 36 Dina.
Went all over Dubrovnik trying to get some chewing gum.
Ended with 2 packets of chewing gum.
Everyone got back on the coaches at the right time.

4th Day 13th Feb Tues:

At sea all of the day, everyone was still being sick.
Had lessons and lectures in the day and up night there was a film.
Over night the wind was force 10 gusting 11, if it was any worst
it would have been a hurricane.

5th Day 14th Feb Weds:

The ship was not rocking so bad and we did about the same as yesterday.
And at night there was a funfair which wasn`t a lot of good.

6th Day 15th Feb Thurs:

Had lessons and a lecture on Egypt.
Food getting a bit better, docked in Alexander about miday.
At five o`clock we walked around the port area and bartared
for gifts and presents.

1 Egyption pound = 75p.

The Gully Gully man came onto the ship but I didn`t watch him.
We got sent down to the dormortry at about nine o`clock.
Woke up at about 12 o`clock with anose bleed which lasted
for about 3/4 of an hour.

7th Day 16th Feb Fri:
( journey from Alexander to Cairo )

Got woke up at three o`clock to get get breakfast and get on
the coach.
The first stop of the journey was at the rest house on the
desert rd.
Arrived at the Giza Pyramids at around 6 o`clock.

Only had 15 mins to look round the Pyramids.
Took a few photo`s of thr the pyramids.
Then moved to the Spinx.
I got a great photo of the Spinx and two of the Pyramids
in the background.
We then moved on to the Egyptian Museum.
The back to the ship.

8th Day 17th Feb Sat:

At sea all day and we had lessons, deck games and
a lecture about Turkey.
Other than that we didn`t do much that day as we sailed
to Izmir.

9th Day 18th Feb Sun:

Arrived in Izmir on Sunday and went by coach to Ephesus.
We spent the day at Ephesus.
As we entered the ruined city we had to buy a camrea permit
which cost 25 lire each.
But it was worth it because I got some really good photo`s
of the library and other ruins.
Then we moved on to the Basilica of St John,
here you also needed a camrea permit which cost
15 lire but I didn`t bother.
Then we moved on to Mary`s House which was on a
hill over looking Ephesus.
It was where the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life.
While we where there I brought a Kebab which was great.

10th Day 19th Feb Mon:

Sailed to Patmos but at sea all day.
Had lessons and a film at night. Food a bit better.

11th Day 20th Feb Tues:

Arived at Patmos miday and anchored in the harbour.
The lifeboats where lowered into the water and we disembarked
in groups on the lifeboats.
When we got of the lauchies some friends and I walked up
some side streets and decided to climb one on the hill
on the island.
When we reached the top we had a maravlous view of the
island and SS Uganda.
We climbed down and made our way to a bakery where
my friends brought a loaf each, and I brouh two cresent shaped
biscut crumb tye cakes.
Then ontoo the shops where I brought som postcards and
a minature wine jar.
After looking around for a few hours we all meet back at
the habour.
Then after a short wait we got on to a launch and back
to the ship.

12th Day 21th Feb Weds:

Arrived I Piraeus at eight o`clock in the morning we caught a
train/tube to Athens and two 5th formers got off at the wrong
station. But they got back on the next train.
We were allowed to wadder up and down the flea market in
Athens a brought one or ywo things.
Then it was back by train to the ship for lunch.
After lunch we went by coach to Athens for a guided tour.
The main aim of the tour was to see the Acroparlese and
the Parthanon, which we did.
The Acroparlese was O.K but it was a bit to windy to really
have a good look at it.
The tour was fairly interesting but I was glad to get back on
the ship out of the wind.

13th Day 22st Feb Thurs:

At sea on way to Naples.
Started to pack suit case.
Lessons and a lecture on Naples in the morning and a
disco at night.

14th Day 23rd Feb Fri:

Docked in Naples at six in the morning and we were
woken at 6:45 am.
Called to breakfast by flight numbers.
When we where called we had to take our suit-
cases up to the dance space and then down to breakfast.
Got on to the coach about seven - eight o`clock.
The coach had forced venterlation , recling seats and TV.
The coach took us to Pompell and
we had a guided tour of a small area of it.
Toock some photo`s of Pompell and the volcano (etna/vesu?)
From Pompell we carried on to the airport at Naples.
There I brought two large dougnuts which cost 500 lire each.

After about an hours wait we got on the Comet 4 Dan Air
plane and waited for air clearence but there where strikes at
air traffic control in the U.K
So we had to wait over a hour to take off.
After we had been in the air for about a hour ,
the stewardess came round with our hot meal.

This meal was :-
Main course - Steak and kidney pie, peas and potatoes.
Afters - Grape fruit , Almond slice and after eight type choclate.

We were flying above the clouds so we didn`t see any land
until we came down at Gatwick.
At Gatwick we went straight through customs and to our coach.
It took us two hours to get out of London.
We made a stop at Scratchwood for a drink.
Then on to Northampton where we arrived at 9:15 pm ,
where my Mum and Dad where waiting.










The film was " Hooper "
Starring Burt Reynolds.
The waves were that high
that they were breaking
over the boat deck .
Luckily SS Uganda was fitted
with a gyroscopic stablizer so
it didn`t roll as much as it could have.

Purchases included a leather bull whip
a brass ashtray and three small brass
pyramids also an onyx Sphinx.

Now visit the new


New Miscellaneous SS Uganda Information

The SS Nevasa

Latest SS Uganda pages:

SS Uganda sea cadets Wales,
Adrian Hughes remembers.


SS Uganda on FaceBook (community page)

SS Uganda related links.
Visit the `True Stories` Section of Grace4all for more Uganda memories. off site link
By Sea to Mombassa, includes information / pictures of Uganda , Nevassa
off site link

Sea-Dogs reunited, a really good web page of
Uganda during and after her time in the Falklands.

off site link

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