16 Sep 1927
John to Mother / Lord Nelson Hotel, Liverpool, England
I arrived safely after a very pleasant voyage. We went into the harbor about 5:30 but it was after 9:30 before we landed. We got by the Custom officials in England very nicely. I don't know how it will be in Europe. It was quite a thrilling sight this morning to wake up and see the pretty coast of Ireland after having not seen land for some six days.
We were met by three missionaries at the docks. They arranged for everything and all we had to do was stand around and look wise. Quite different from what I expected. I was really quite surprised the way the Custom official treated us. Of course they all know we were missionaries. In some cases they didn't even ask us to open our trunks. Quite a contrast to the bawly old English on the ship.
Liverpool (what I've seen of it) is an awful funny place. They told us about all we would find here was saloons and public houses. You will notice the hotel sign is marked "Temperance". The streets go twisting in every direction and the buildings look like they were built way back in King Henry VIII's time. There are very few electric signs and everybody is in bed at 10 o'clock. They roll up the sidewalks at 10:30. It's worse than Ephriam.
The automobiles are a scream. they look like the pictures of the old wrecks we had back in the 1900's. What's considered a really classy car couldn't be sold at a second hand car market for $10 back home, and worse yet they all keep to the left. It sure gets on my nerves.
We have an awful time with the money. I had $5.00 changed into English money and it took the bell boy a half hour to count it out and tell me what it was all about. We went into a restaurant and everything was marked "2d-4s" etc. We just lay down a coin and get the change.
This hotel is - well, I don't know what to call it. The bedroom paper is worse than any of Dad's imported papers he has down at the store. You can tell by the pictures what it's like from the outside; however, it is fairly nice inside. I forgot to tell you about the auto horns. they are the old bulb kind that you squeeze and make the darndest noise.
We go to a meeting tomorrow morning at 9 and leave for Norwitch at 2 p.m. Here we embark for Antwerp and from there go to Brussels. We will arrive in Antwerp early Sunday morning. Brussels is only about 25 or 30 miles from Antwerp. In Brussels we will be assigned to our field of labor.
Well, Mother, I'm having a wonderful time but I'd give it all up just to be back home. There's no place like good old U.S.A. and no place in the U.S.A. like Utah. I tell you, we have the best place to live in that there is in all the world. I do wish though that you could someday go on a trip and see what the world is like. I do hope you are felling better and that everybody is well and happy at home.... Write me lots of letters. I get so lonely. Give my love to the family.
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