Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
Two weeks in, and I’m really worried that the Big Lap is going to turn my brain to mush and me into a de-motivated lazy slob … like 90% of my fellow travellers! I’ve always been a hard working, disciplined and focussed person and I enjoyed a successful and rewarding career. I can’t believe how far some grey nomads have let themselves go. Many seem to sit around all day waiting for the time when it is ‘acceptable’ to open a beer, or they wander to the amenities blocks with their bellies hanging out of their singlets, or they engage in the most inane facile conversations. Is this really living the dream? I’ve already noticed my wife, Mona, trying to fit in with other travellers by ‘dumbing down’ … and I don’t want to be next! I’ve go way too much self respect for that. Is this it?
Nathaniel
I think it takes some people longer than others to adjust to the different pace of post-retirement life and I think you are probably in the ‘adjustment’ phase, Nathaniel. The fact that your ‘status’ has changed can hit particularly hard when you go direct from the workplace to living in campgrounds. Give it time, Nathaniel, and try not to take out your ‘adjustment frustration’ on your fellow travellers who are doing you no harm at all. I think you will find in time that a good percentage of those singlet-wearing grey nomads at Happy Hour have themselves enjoyed successful careers and are intelligent and interesting people. If you want to make a success of your Big Lap adventure, then stop judging people and accept you are in a new environment where you don’t know everything. Listen, learn and enjoy, Nathaniel.
Jaclyn
Well, Nathaniel, it seems like you’re well on your way to living the nightmare instead of the dream. When you set yourself up as such a superior, pompous, judgemental traveller, I think you can look forward to many more long months of watching bitterly from the sidelines as other grey nomads have the time of their lives relaxing, wearing comfortable clothing, and engaging in ‘inane’ conversation. I am not sure what you were expecting … perhaps an endless procession of sycophantic underlings awed by your intellect? Sorry, Nat, you’re not the boss any more. If you manage to be bored and unhappy travelling through this beautiful, fascinating, challenging and ever-changing country, then you have absolutely no one to blame but yourself. Poor, poor Mona! Shape up or ship out, Nathaniel.
Heidi
