Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
When I was in the workforce, I was known as the cool, calm and collected type. However, I think being retired and travelling full-time is having a bad effect on me. I’ve started to get more worked up than ever. Maybe it’s because I hate people disrespecting this beautiful country but I find myself increasingly clashing with fellow travellers. Last week, I fired up at a group of youngsters who left rubbish in the fireplace, and last month I really gave it to a grey nomad using soap in a creek. My pet hate though is when people pour the contents of their portable toilet in the ‘wrong’ place. Disgraceful. I don’t mind the odd showdown, but I’m beginning to feel like I’m always worrying about what others are doing, instead of enjoying my own trip.
Adrian
I know you are not alone in being driven up the wall by the behaviour of others, Adrian. Sadly, grey nomads are not immune from dong the wrong thing and they risk giving us all a bad name. For the most part though it is grey nomads like you who end up tidying up other people’s mess or being upset by their poor behaviour. I am sure your efforts are appreciated by the wider community. Adrian. But, sadly, you can’t stop everybody from littering and you risk overbalancing your own adventure if you allow yourself to get hot under the collar all the time. You can’t be some sort of full-time grey nomad policeman. Just settle for leading by example, Adrian, and take satisfaction from the fact that you are doing your best to look after our wonderful country.
Jaclyn
Good for you, Adrian. Bad things happen when good people do nothing and we should never be frightened to stand up and shame those who are letting themselves down. Watching ignorant people trash our beautiful country without doing anything about it, isn’t going to make to feel any more relaxed. Of course it would be easier sometimes to look the other way or pretend you didn’t see something happening … but that’s when the litterbugs, the vandals and the disrespecters would win. There’s plenty to enjoy when you are taking the Big Lap, and 99% of people understand and respect how lucky they are to be able to enjoy it … don’t give the other 1% the satisfaction of spoiling it for you.
Heidi
