Because he did not have money to buy a plane ticket, British teenager Brian Robson asked his friend to pack himself into a box and send it from Australia to his homeland by air.
Brian Robson and the suitcase were packed neatly in the package. Photo: Getty Image
As soon as he took a flight from Wales to Australia, Brian Robson quickly realized he had made a big mistake when he emigrated to the other side of the world.
Unfortunately, the 19-year-old does not have the money to cover the costs of the immigration plan nor can he afford a plane ticket to return home. Realizing he had not many options, Robson came up with a plan to pack himself in a box and send it home by air.
Now, more than 50 years after his risky journey, Robson once again tells his story hoping to help him find two old friends to help him pack and send them back to the UK.
“The last time I spoke to John and Paul was when one of the men knocked on the barrel asking if I was okay. When I say okay, they wish me luck and hope to see each other again soon, ”Robson told CNN Travel.
Spectacular idea
A year before deciding to pack himself back home, Robson was a bus assistant in Wales. He found another job at the Victorian Railways railway company – the main railway operator in Victoria (Australia) at that time.
Immediately after his 19th birthday, Robson bought a plane ticket to Australia in the hope of changing his life. However, when he came to Melbourne and took a job, Robson found that the living conditions here were too big and decided to return home. He worked for a railway company for about 6-7 months, then changed to work as a paper mill worker.
Despite wanting to return to his homeland, Robson had financial difficulties, when the Australian government asked him to reimburse the support fee that brought him here just as he needed money to fly home.
“Costs fall from about $ 960 to over $ 1,000. But every week I only earn 41 USD. That’s not possible, ”Robson calculated.
Robson met two friends John and Paul while on his way back to the inn. The three quickly became close. When they went to a trade show, they saw a booth from UK-based shipping company Pickfords with the ad: “We can deliver anything, anywhere.” .
That advertisement gave Robson the idea of risking. The very next day, Robson went to the office of Qantas Airlines in Melbourne to find out the process of sending a package abroad. He carefully notes the size and weight of the allowed package, as well as the required documents and shipping fees.
After having enough information, Robson returned to the inn and discussed with the two friends. They take at least a month to prepare everything. All three bought a wooden box with dimensions of 76 x 66 x 96 cm to ensure the inside of the box has enough room to hold both Robson and suitcase.
Robson brought a pillow, a flashlight, a water bottle, a urine bottle and a small hammer to open the box when he arrived in London. All three also rehearsed once before officially suing Robson sent back to England.
Airport staff checking the cargo box discovered Robson inside. Photo: Getty Images
The journey is full of pain
“The first 10 minutes of being in the box is pretty good. But my knees started to tighten when pressed against my chest, ”Robson recalls. The parcel with Robson was loaded onto the plane just hours after he arrived at the airport.
Robson’s first British journey to the UK was a 90-minute flight from Melbourne to Sydney. However, Robson was in great pain.
When the package arrived in Sydney, the staff members put it upside down on the runway. “I was upside down on my neck and head during the 22 hours in transit,” Robson describes.
Due to running out of cargo space on Qantas to London, Robson’s cargo had to board another plane to Los Angeles (USA) and the journey was extended.
“This flight takes about 5 days. I couldn’t take any more pain and couldn’t breathe normally. I fell asleep and lost consciousness, ”said Robson, trapped in the shadow of a box and struggling with pain and hallucinations. “There was a time when I felt like I was going to die. I just want everything to happen quickly ”.
When the plane landed at its final destination, Robson waited until night to use his hammer to remove the nails from the box and escape. However, his plan was not flawed because two people working at the airport discovered light from inside the cargo box.
“Those people must be amazed. Someone kept screaming, someone was here. I cannot answer. I could neither speak nor move, ”Robson realized he was in America because of the voices of the other two employees.
After confirming that the people in the cargo box were alive and not posing any threat, the airport staff rushed Robson to the hospital. The guy takes at least 6 days in the hospital to recover.
Although Robson came to the US illegally, he did not face any charges. Robson was even arranged to fly to London in the first class seat.
The media hunted as soon as Robson arrived at London airport on May 18, 1965. Robson said his family felt very happy when his son returned but they were not satisfied with what he did.
In the days that followed, Robson haunted his time in the box and guilt over his two friends. Robson never thought of the case that if he died on that trip, his two friends would face criminal charges.
Now, as a 76-year-old man, Robson wants to see his two friends again and apologize to them.
You must log in to post a comment.