Youth in Asia...

In the Australian today I read an article about Australians overseas and how irresponsible they are and how they depend upon consular services and complain heavily when they´re not given absolutely perfect assistance.

One quote:

The latest figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs show that 2009 is set to become the first year when more than 1000 Australians are arrested and when more than 1000 Australians are expected to die overseas.

and another:

...at how Australians were abusing consular services overseas, refusing to take responsibility for their own care, ignoring travel advice and complaining about embassy staff.

"Australian embassies are not travel agencies, nor is it their job to provide free travel insurance," he said, adding that a culture of complaint had developed where embassy staff were blamed and abused for "not helping" or being "too slow" during emergencies or where people had got themselves into trouble.

Speaking as an Australian currently overseas and engaging in dangerous activities and ¨adventure tourism¨ I think that this harks back to my old message. People need to be accountable for their own actions. More importantly, as a nation we need to look after ourselves, not expect the ¨nanny state¨ to sort out all our issues. This is another example of us becoming infantilised by a government that looks after us from the cradle to the grave.

As a tourist, I have travel insurance. More importantly, I have a strong realisation that the places I´m going, the Ecuadorian Government is not going to be able to provide search and rescure for.

Even back home, my friends and I have an attitude of ¨self rescue¨ wherever possible. If you´re in trouble you get out. If you can´t kayak out you walk out. If you can´t walk, you wait until you can. You don´t expect the chopper overhead and you don´t ask for it´s assistance unless it´s an emergency.

I personally don´t have a problem with someone who wants to walk through Colombia, or take a peyote tour of Mexico, or live in a slum in India with a guru or even row a boat across the pacific (not that you´d catch me doing ANY of those things).

But when the shit hits the fan, as it will, because it always does, take some responsibility. Try and get out of there yourself. And when a hard worked embassy official, who doesn´t really give a shit about you because you´re the 19th Australian this particular guru has buried in elephant shit, comes in and saves your arse, try being grateful, not narky because they didn´t find your bong at the bottom of the pile or he refused to fly you first class back to Sydney.

Get some travel insurance. Be polite, because that´s a good rule in life. TAKE PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS. Don´t attack people who help you. Try and payback the money expended on your behalf.

If everyone did that, would there really be any problem?

cheers

Harry