Vacation is supposed to be the time you spend relaxing, exploring your surroundings, and letting your hair down in a positive sense. It is the time you have long waited for, saved monies to splurge, eager to execute the customized itinerary, to sample new cuisines, and other interesting prospects. However, vacation is never a time, whether at home or abroad, to behave badly, lose your common sense and sound judgement.
If you people watch while on vacation, you will observe many types of behaviors played out that you can rightfully assume wouldn’t normally happen at home. Being the “fly on the wall” would probably help to bare out what I am saying about two news articles I recently came across which spoke of vacationers who made poor choices and had to pay a price for their decisions. You may have a lot of questions, like I do, but the bottom line is this, because one is in a foreign land, or in a place where they cannot be easily recognized, does not give them the liberty to behave in a reckless manner, that may cause harm to self or endanger the life of another.
While inebriated with alcohol or some other mind-altering drug, the tourist who thinks they are having a grand time under the influence, may have lost the capacity to be in full control of their mental faculties. Inhibitions are loosened and what would be considered sport becomes offensive. Still liquor, believe it or not, is not the only incriminate to be considered for some egregious behaviors but also, peer pressure. Yes, adults experience peer pressure too. A visitor wanting to impress friends, might decide to show-off in an instant, but looking back in hindsight, they would see it was foolhardy and detrimental to their well-being. Also, because of their so-called ‘success’, they could influence others to follow suit and do the same lunacy.
Two examples come to mind as I talk on this matter. A visiting family to New Zealand recently caused a stir. The account of the family’s audacity, disrespect and disregard for the people, property and laws of the island-nation rippled out from the community onto international territory via social media and news headlines. Their obnoxious conduct preceded them as they traveled from city to city. Local authorities and hospitality workers were alerted to be on the look-out for them (bad news does not lack a carrier). Read about the whole incident here.
Another traveler on board a cruise ship decided to jump in front of laughing friends from the balcony of the ship into the aquamarine waters below. While the depth of the water is not questionable, or their ability to swim since they jumped, I wonder if they considered the possibility of lurking sharks nearby, or the strong undertow currents that could have drag them away. Those possibilities may or may not have entered their thoughts. I don’t know. What I do know is that a dare-devil stunt like that should not be acknowledged as brave or ballsy by those who watch the video but flat-out absurd. Read about the jumper incident here.
Videotaping with the hopes of ‘going viral’ seems to be another reason people do what they do these days. But why risk life or limb just to be viewed repeatedly? Are the bragging rights worth the trouble? So, what type of tourist are you?
Community Peeps, there are many types of travelers, but only one standard of behavior expected of all tourist. To obey the rules and carry yourself in a manner that is acceptable and respectful to the host nation. Have you witnessed questionable comportment of those you travel with? Please share your thoughts on the subject in the comment box below.
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