The Ship of Consolation

In the second part of his childhood recollections, the writer recalls the summer of 1965. It was a time of the Vietnam War, the Beatles and their Ticket to Ride and the start of package holidays. It was also the time the writer took a holiday cruise with his family. His memories revolve around just four photographs - all that's left of the family mementoes. Was it a golden time for travel? Was it a holiday of a lifetime? Was it really as exciting as it sounded? And could an eleven-year-old stay out of trouble? Amidst the deck quoits, excursions and fancy dress competitions, he starts to question his own motives; is he retracing his steps for pleasure or is it guilt for having disposed of the family archives? In an attempt to retrace his steps, he boards a modern-day luxury cruiser and makes some intriguing discoveries.