Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
I know everyone is always banging on about the camaraderie of the road and how all grey nomads help each other out as they travel, but I don’t have to play ball, do I? There are a few little camping spots that I want to keep under wraps in case they get too popular … even if we won’t be back there ourselves for years. And I don’t generally feel inclined to help out people I don’t particularly like. I was in Kakadu last week when this bombastic bore started asking me for fishing tips and even wanted to ‘borrow’ some of my bait. Unbelievable! My wife Allie says I’m mean spirited and I should help everyone whether I take a shine to them or not. She reckons what goes around comes around, but I say treat people as they deserve to be treated.
Trev
There are no rules and regulations about how grey nomads interact with each other, Trev. Every caravanner and motorhomer is different and the camaraderie of the road is a catch-all phrase which, to most people, sums up the spirit they find out there. You are not going to ‘click’ with everyone you meet and you will certainly feel less inclined to go out of your way to help some people as you would to help some others. That’s just human nature. However, it is important not to be too quick to judge others or to use the experience you have gained as some sort of weapon. For all their differences, grey nomads are united by a common purpose and common needs. Sometimes the biggest beneficiary of shared advice is the person who offered it. It feels good to help people, Trev.
Jaclyn
Okay. There are two sorts of travellers, those who are sharing the open road with fellow grey nomads, and those who are in some sort of imagined competition with them. It sounds like your mission is to ‘beat’ others who are doing the same thing as you. Why should they enjoy the beautiful gorge that you ‘found’, why should they benefit from your research into the cheapest fuel outlets, what gives them the right to fish the same waters as you? You are just one of those people who just doesn’t ‘get it’ and you never will, Trev. Suck up all the advice you can from more generous-spirited travellers and then keep it to yourself … what a winner you are! And I shouldn’t even worry too much about your ‘secret’ spots being discovered by the crowds. I suspect most people will quickly learn to give you a wide berth!
Heidi
