When we arrive in London it will be almost exactly 40 years to the day since we first visited in May 1978. This got me thinking about the differences between then and now.
In 1978 we flew Wellington/Auckland/Nadi (Fiji)/Honolulu (Hawaii) to Los Angeles. After a two day stopover we flew Los Angeles/San Francisco/London over the polar route.
On the return it was London/Rome/Calcutta (now Kolkata)/Hong Kong. There may have been another stop, possibly Beirut, between Rome and Calcutta. After a two day stopover it was Hong Kong/Sydney/Wellington. Hong Kong was then still very much a British Territory (until 1997). All flights were Air NZ or British Airways. Air NZ on McDonnell Douglas DC8 and DC10, British Airways on Boeing 707 and 747.
There were no credit/debit cards as we know them, everybody used cash and traveller’s cheques (James Cook for UK and Europe, American Express for USA). Finding somewhere that would cash traveller’s cheques was often a pain. I had a Diner’s Club card but this was not technically a credit card but a ‘charge’ card as you had to pay any charges in full at the end of each month. ATMs were in widespread use in the UK but did not come to NZ until the 80s.
EFTPOS started in the USA in 1981 and was first used in NZ from 1985 in petrol stations.
1978 was still the technology dark ages. There were no personal computers yet. The internet as we know it didn’t exist. No Domain Names (1985), Google (1998), Wikipedia (2001), Facebook (2004), YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006).
The first (very, very small) commercial cellular telephone system had begun operation in the US. The first “public” mobile phone call in the UK wasn’t made until 1985. International telephone calls were hugely expensive and reserved for special occasions, Xmas, birthdays, emergencies, etc.
1978 in New Zealand:
Robert Muldoon was re-elected Prime Minister of NZ. Interestingly although National won most seats to be re-elected to government, Labour actually won most of the popular vote. Social Credit despite winning 16% of the vote gained only one seat. This was under the ‘first past the post’ system, long before MMP.
The Governor General was Sir Keith Holyoake.
The Mayor of Wellington was Michael Fowler.
After 48 years of trying, for the first time New Zealand beat England in a cricket test (at the Basin Reserve)
For the first time the All Blacks completed the ‘grand slam’ beating all four home unions Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales (the infamous Andy Haden dive test). The Irish will never let you forget that the All Blacks did lose to Munster.
It was the first time New Zealand’s population declined – largely due to emigration to Australia.
The international airline Air New Zealand (formerly TEAL) merged with the domestic airline NAC (National Airways Corporation) to form a single airline under the name Air New Zealand. It was 100% government owned.
At the Commonwealth Games in Alberta Canada, NZ won 5 gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze medals – total 20. In the just completed 2018 Games in Gold Coast Australia, NZ won 15 gold, 16 silver, and 15 bronze – total 46!
1978 in the United Kingdom:
The Monarch was Elizabeth II, in the 26th year of her reign (now in the 66th year).
Prince Charles had not yet married Lady Diana Spencer (she was 17 in 1978), they were to marry in 1981.
The Prime Minister of the UK was James Callaghan (Labour), Margaret Thatcher was the Leader of the Opposition. By 1982 Thatcher was Prime Minister but her government was on the brink of collapse when she took the gamble of going to war with Argentina to win back the Falkland Islands, and made her name in history.
Great Britain was part of the European Economic Community (joined 1975)
Inflation was 9.9%. Unemployment was 5.5% and rose to 12.5% (3,000,0000 people) in 1983.
Grease, Superman and Midnight Express were the big movies
The Bee Gees dominated music charts with tracks from Saturday Night Fever but mercifully disco fever was dying. Rod Stewart was asking everybody “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy”?
The world’s first IVF baby was born.
Our own three children were still years in the future. We were young, footloose and fancy free and enjoying our first big OE.
I had already been employed by the Wellington City Council for 10 years and only had another 30+ years to go!