In January 1969, Bill Peirson decided to move the family to Australia after finding out there that they needed experienced civil engineers in an ad in the LA Times. Bill and Donna Peirson and their children (Rob (Kelly), Susan and Julie) boarded the Ocean Liner S.S. Oriana and set out for Melbourne, Australia. After arriving, the jobs were not to Bill's liking as they required small plane travel to job sites. So on March 5, 1969, we boarded the Northern Star to return to California. We stopped in Sydney, Wellington (NZ), Rarotonga (Cook Islands), Tahiti and Acapulco (Mexico).