Monday Musings

I’m back from our holiday and things are all too quickly settling back into a normal routine. There is this thing that happens after a holiday, well for me and possibly for you too. We spend so long arranging these trips away, all the accommodation, where to go, what to see, often there is much excitement and the leadup puts you on a permanent high. Then there is the holiday itself, a whirlwind of activity and sights to see, trying to cram in as much as possible in such a short time (or maybe that is just me). I find when I get back, I feel a little flat. I could claim Jetlag, but I myself don’t buy it, Bali is only 5-6 hours away. I feel raw and drained and emotionally sensitive, silly isn’t it?

I keep getting emails from hotels, travel agents etc saying isn’t it time to book your next trip? Seriously? Isn’t that just a wee bit abhorrent? What if that was a trip of a lifetime and I had saved up for years, isn’t a slap in the face to say give us more money and have another one. Shouldn’t they wait a few weeks or a month? Like I said sensitive. Post-Holiday Blues…is this a thing? Like the Winter Blues. That’s another thing I come home from lovely warm weather to ugly grey wet Melbourne. Melbourne in Spring should be bright and colorful and sunny, but after Bali, it seems dull. Or is it possible that a destination I really didn’t want to go to, did leave an impression on me? I mean some of the scenery was breathtaking, I loved the abundance of flowers and critters to photograph. I had some amazing adventures, mostly the people we met were nice, and the weather was warm (perhaps even a little too warm a few days), I could have lived without the rain, but you can’t have a rainforest without rain, right? Mostly I loved being able to get up and go for a swim first thing in the morning, or last thing at night. I loved being able to bum around in shorts and a T-shirt and not be cold.

So, I guess I have warmed a little to the country, but then I started to get a few comments, sure most were people loving the photos, the scenery, the animals…I was taken aback and shocked by a few ‘hate mail’ comments. These were not random trolls either, these were people I know, have met face to face even…one I have known for more than 30 years. I didn’t make the world I just try to live in it. I rode an elephant, there I said it…why does that make me such a disgusting person? How is this different from riding a horse or a camel? I love elephants, I adore them to be able to get up close, to touch, to cuddle, to give one a scratch behind the ear and see the joy in its eyes…memorable. Did you know that the weight of a ride is less than 4% of an elephant own weight? Riding an elephant is good for their metabolism, bone density, foot health and general well being? People have been riding elephants for thousands of years and I’m the disgusting one?

I also took photos of white tigers and orangutans in a zoo…huh? How is this different to any other zoo, anywhere in the world? I liked the fact most of the animals were not in cages and could clearly be seen behind glass or even without (orangutan, not tigers). Perhaps some of the animals looked a little bored and unhappy in the photos, but that’s only as I was able to get so close. I am sure this is a fact in ANY zoo the world over. The fact is these animals would be dead in the wild. Either they are hand reared or rescued from poachers or farmers and their habitat is gone. Why does Bali get such a bad wrap for its conservation efforts? I think what they have done is amazing and doing it ALL on funds raised themselves, no government funding. And why do I cop the flack for it?

Sure I would love to see these animals out in the wild, but that is becoming increasingly difficult, due to physical ability, finances and the fact that so many animals are almost extinct. Animals all over the world are kept in zoos and swapped for breeding programs and various conservation efforts, but I get slammed because I rode an elephant?

Like I said I am feeling a little like I am on an emotional roller coaster. It’s been rather hectic few weeks, but now I am back at work and feeling the daily doldrums, once again. I NEED to get out of the house or do something to get the creative juices flowing again.

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Apologies for my little rant, but, if you truly believe I am so disgusting for such a trivial thing…please leave, don’t cast a shadow over my doorstep. There is so much atrocity in the world, people doing truly bad things, Mother Nature destroying lives and homes, I paid money to ride an elephant and help conserve them from horrible deaths from farmers and poachers. My money will help feed & look after these animals, who don’t seem terribly unhappy, they seem to enjoy the food and attention. They spend most of their life eating and playing. My donation will also help stop the slaughter and mistreatment of these beautiful animals in other areas. I’m sorry to go on about this, but it made me feel upset. I consider myself a good person, with a good heart, to be told I am a horrible person, is quite upsetting. Yes, I have deleted all these comments, but the sting is still there. If it was just some troll, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt so much.

OK….rant over…I hope you all have an amazing week

~ Julz

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