Your right on several fronts PKJ. I could have painted a diffent picture, although both are true.
Young people do indeed have more opportunities and real freedom now than when I was young. However, all is not what it seems. I work professionally within Outdoor Education as opposed to commercial recreational adventure activities. I'm of course generalising, but it seems that it is a modern blight amongst many Young people that they require instant gratification/reward for their efforts. Note the rise in micro-chip based 'entertainment'. Witness the rise in the 'pay your money' Adventure market for young adults. You can climb Everest for £15K, go White water rafting in South America for £3K or Tandem Skydive in Birmingham for £250. Instant gratification - low skill level. They rely on other people to supply the skill, experience and decision making . Don't go trekking in Nepal for £5K, go do some research, buy a guide book and a map and go do it with some mates ! Just don't leave your baggage unattended at the airport !
Real satisfaction comes in mastering an activity, not being taken for a jolly. It's hard work, laced with disappointment, but can be very rewarding. To educate young people to go for the long-term option is getting increasingly difficult. I used to say that 'you get out what you put in', but, as we all know in life, this often isn't the case. However, I still believe it's a good starting point.
Having opportunities, recognising opportunities and taking opportunities are three different sides of the same coin (!!?!)
I smile when I see that spotty teenager on his skateboard in Tesco's car park. The one being given a load of verbal by the Security bloke.
In a supermarket car park or on shopping mall steps some where in the world, as I write, there's a similar young man, covered in scabs and bruises whose going to 'nail that move' before he goes home for a 'ticking off' for being late back. Ten years time, he'll be the world champion. Some of the things he's learnt along the way are much more fundamental than skateboarding.
This is all beginning to get a bit philosophical. Sorry, it's supposed to be 'Banter' !
RISK !
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Re: RISK !
grubby wrote:Don't go trekking in Nepal for £5K, go do some research, buy a guide book and a map and go do it with some mates !
Just so. Ten years now since I did this. we laughed and sang the whole time and wondered about the glum faces on those in organised groups - one day a guy from a group asked if he could walk with us "you seem to be enjoying yourselves".
If you could run forever ......
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Kitch - god
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Re: RISK !
Kitch wrote:grubby wrote:Don't go trekking in Nepal for £5K, go do some research, buy a guide book and a map and go do it with some mates !
Just so. Ten years now since I did this. we laughed and sang the whole time and wondered about the glum faces on those in organised groups - one day a guy from a group asked if he could walk with us "you seem to be enjoying yourselves".
I'd like to second that. It is also far too long since I was last in Nepal, but those climbing trips with mates were the best fun on the planet ever
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johnloguk - green
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Re: RISK !
When I went treking in Nepal - a very, very long time ago, I was told that independent travel was frowned upon as it had very little benefit for the local economy (no guides, cooks or porters etc) so I joined a group which was perhaps no bad thing as I was travelling alone (perhaps that was risky enough) and had a very good time and made a lot of friends.
but then again i suppose if I'd had a couple of burly blokes like you lot for comapny. I might have felt differently
but then again i suppose if I'd had a couple of burly blokes like you lot for comapny. I might have felt differently
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Mrs H - god
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Re: RISK !
a convenient argument for trekking companies
DIY
paying for a bed in a locally run village tea house, paying for and eating meals in tea houses and buying all your food and snacks on the trail (all food grown locally or portered in by locals and sold by locals)
Tour
Paying all your money to a UK company and then sleeping in a tent in supplied by your trekking company, eating food that is at least in part carried in and prepared by your trekking company. True the company pays a number of locals and probably some non-locals to carry and cook for you
going independent I reckon you get a truer experience of the way of life and culture, more money ends up in the local economy you have visited, you have more flexibility and it costs you less. Plus hauling your own gear gets you much fitter.
DIY
paying for a bed in a locally run village tea house, paying for and eating meals in tea houses and buying all your food and snacks on the trail (all food grown locally or portered in by locals and sold by locals)
Tour
Paying all your money to a UK company and then sleeping in a tent in supplied by your trekking company, eating food that is at least in part carried in and prepared by your trekking company. True the company pays a number of locals and probably some non-locals to carry and cook for you
going independent I reckon you get a truer experience of the way of life and culture, more money ends up in the local economy you have visited, you have more flexibility and it costs you less. Plus hauling your own gear gets you much fitter.
If you could run forever ......
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Kitch - god
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Re: RISK !
i have to admit i'm going to stick up for organised trips, kind of.
i went away for five weeks this summer to zambia with a loal organisation called borders exploration group. it was the best five weeks of my life, but it was on an organised trip. we spent a year however building up to it and fundraising the 2700 we each had to contribute as well as around £6000 we raised for the community out there. we spent three weeks building a chospital building in a remote community over two hours drive from the nearest large community, in that time we lived with the local community, ate there food, learned their language, their way of life and at the same time we taught them stuff and helped them with their community projects, as well as leaving funding in place to expand the school, ran by local volunteers.the twenty people on the expedition, (all 17-18) had a huge amount of input into the running of the trip and what we did. (we also worked in a wildlife park, and did "adventure activities)
so yeah some of these organised trips might be lame, but not of all of them................
i went away for five weeks this summer to zambia with a loal organisation called borders exploration group. it was the best five weeks of my life, but it was on an organised trip. we spent a year however building up to it and fundraising the 2700 we each had to contribute as well as around £6000 we raised for the community out there. we spent three weeks building a chospital building in a remote community over two hours drive from the nearest large community, in that time we lived with the local community, ate there food, learned their language, their way of life and at the same time we taught them stuff and helped them with their community projects, as well as leaving funding in place to expand the school, ran by local volunteers.the twenty people on the expedition, (all 17-18) had a huge amount of input into the running of the trip and what we did. (we also worked in a wildlife park, and did "adventure activities)
so yeah some of these organised trips might be lame, but not of all of them................
"pain is temporary, quitting lasts for ever" -lance armsrong http://www.roxburghreivers.org.uk. harvester 06
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andrew T - yellow
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Re: RISK !
Following a week when I have drowned 'neath the weight of paperwork required to send half a dozen sixth formers to a conference unaccompanied...... (I can hear the tutting developing ) grubby's post came as a nostalgic reminder of those days when common sense reigned.
Muddy two shoes
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Wendles - diehard
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