The International Jet-Set

A Hard Life?
My sleeping-patterns still hadn't settled down yet, so Mark and Luke had to wake me around eight otherwise I'd have slept through to midday. A converted jeep was awaiting us after breakfast, and we jumped in the back and set off for the boat.

If the short journey in the jeep was an indication of the boat ride we were going to be in for an exhilarating day. We bombed down narrow, bumpy dirt tracks that twisted all over the place with the jungle canopy looming over us. Sunlight would occasionally come into your eyes and then it was all about the warm breeze rushing past, the metal frame you were clinging on to, and the roar of the engine. A few other tourists got picked-up and then we gunned down the island's main road to the port in the main town, the driver keen to show us that the jeep was good on the flat too.

Our party was the last to board and the boat left shortly afterwards. Unfortunately, the jeep ride hadn't been a good indication of what to expect for travelling over the waves. The sea was pretty flat and we coasted along too far from any landmarks to give us any real sense of speed.

There's something strange about the allure of pleasure boats. From your average landlubber's perspective, such as myself, the dazzling white hull, the trim of silver railings, the black-tinted windows, all hint at something cool going down. Homo sapiens is one hell of a curious species and if there's one thing that gets us off our butts it's seeing other people having a good time and wanting to get part of the action. Pleasure boats or yachts are a prime example. The windows must be tinted black because of all the naughty but fun adventures going on behind; white tuxedoed waiters serving flutes of champagne to supermodels and great wits. The silver railings hinting at danger. Masts and rigging to be used for high-sea heroics.

The reality is a little different. At least for me on this boat.

Behind the windows below deck were a few sorry looking tables and a wooden-planked floor around which sea-water sloshed. This meant everybody was above deck. Now maybe this boat was a little slimmer than normal, and maybe there were more passengers than usual, but the upshot was that everyone was practically on top of one another. The combination of fifty strangers, the early hour, and no spaces escaping the blaze of the sun is not a good combination for interesting conversation. I gazed at the sea, got sea-sick, and then gazed back at my fellow passengers.

And got thinking about national stereotypes. Now the word stereotype is often used as a pejorative term. I think it comes from a personal desire not to be stereotyped ourselves. We are bigger and more complicated than any of the generalizations which can be made about ourselves. Of course we are. I wouldn't dare to try to understand one person's life through a list of attributes: race, sex, nationality etc.

But...in a complex world, stereotypes allow us to function without crippling ourselves into inaction. Everyone makes judgements based on imperfect information. And the gaps in our knowledge get filled by things like stereotypes. The one thing I would say is that everyone should try and make their own stereotypes and not just rehash the ones that have gone before--ones that are often more to do with power struggles, disagreements, political or religious animosities. The other questions are how much do stereotypes shape people, and do we get influenced by what we've heard before?

So with those caveats in place, on this boat with my limited observations over this day I found people from the Low Countries were outgoing and respectful. The Americans were self-confident and energetic. The English were reserved. The Japanese were serious, and the Israelis were strong-minded.

After we moored up at a small deserted island I spent a lot of time snorkelling, peering down at the colorful shoals of fish and the coral which had an other-worldly feel. Spectacular! I can't imagine what a proper dive on a place like the Great Barrier Reef would be like.

When I got out the water my back was as pink as a lobster. Sleeping was painful that night!

More Interesting Below the Water!