Travel Bug

I recently had the pleasure of having a holiday that ticked off one of my bucket list items.  I travelled to Hong Kong then off to Hainan Island, SW from Hong Kong, an hours flight and a 40 minute bus trip later, we pulled into Mission Hills Hainan Golf Resort.  A 5 star resort complete with Spa’s, Volcanic pools, Shops, Restaurants and 7 Golf courses.

What an experience.  The bed was so big that my wife Adelle and I had to communicate by text message.  Met by our butler (Yes a butler) who was our co-ordinator for the visit, and not a thing happened without her ensuring that it flowed well.  A 26 year old local, who speaks fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and English as well as not bad in a few more.  Could not help but de-stress and relax.  It was just a surreal environment to be in.

The real reason for writing is to highlight how much we as Australians are appreciated overseas when we treat people correctly.  The Buffoon element will always travel and create disharmony and havoc, but we can still have fun, drink too much, sing songs and be appreciated, so long as we keep ourselves and our travel mates respectful of others.  We are so well appreciated that offers of reduced pricing, extra discounts, and certain things for nothing are frequently offered.

I was so surprised at the poor way and disrespect that was shown by fellow countrymen to the workers at this resort.  They were looked at as 2nd class citizens and spoken to with disdain and contempt.  Most staff faces lit up when we walked in from Breakfast to the bar for a nightcap.  We were a little louder than the other groups, but said please and thankyou and had a joke with everyone.  This treatment was also observed at offsite restaurants, the airport and on the Golf Course.  Now I know that some people take the game a little more serious than others, but berating a caddy that earns $80/month for supposedly providing the wrong club etc is absurd.  There is a reason we are on that course and not playing the tour.

Of course the worst thing about Great Holidays is coming back to home.  The reality that the money to pay for the next one maybe a long time in coming and that you can only earn so much.  Prices going up all the time for the critical stuff you need.  Health Insurance, Electricity, Gas, Car costs etc.

I’ve come to the result of the Epiphany that has been brewing for some time.  I am sick of trying.  Trying to achieve anything is just getting too hard.  Getting ahead financially, so much closer to retirement, having to fight defence still to accept they f#%^*ed me up, physically and emotionally and the effects that has on personal and professional relationships.  I shouldn’t be checking my bank balance constantly to make Peter pay Paul, living with a condition that stops me from working or living a full life.  I should be winding down not up.  You know 21 years serving your country, spending over 16 years of that away from family at sea on a warship should be enough.  I don’t mind working but after that commitment I should be Living to work, not working to Live.  The life of a military man/woman is a little different to other occupations.

I saw today that I can get free methadone if I was a Heroine addict, but I have to fight and prove that I may have seen some things that others haven’t and shouldn’t and may have some lingering effects.  It is just wrong and our local members will reply to us in Political speak but nothing changes.  Now we find out that the equipment and resources we used to train to put out fires, may have been Carcinogenic and some of the lingering after effects for Trainers is possibly Cancer, Leukemia and Parkinsons.

Sorry guys, bit down because I’m just tired of fighting the man.  I make this place a better place with my work, hopefully making people a bit safer in an Emergency.  I now speak at Parkinsons seminars of various sizes on not giving up just because we have a chronic condition.  I’m too stubborn to just give up, but……………

What concerns me most is that after Nov 11 this year, we veterans may just be forgotten.

Still in the last three years or so, I have had a couple of oversea holidays and done some reno’s around the house.  The passing of a relative contributed, but my argument remains the same.  A polly gets a large number of benefits when they leave Public Life.  I ask for one thing – Parity.

Until next time, take care.  How good are those roosters.