Traveller SHAME Files #3 - Space Invaders

Some time in the future, we'll reach a higher plane of consciousness and what we now know as mysteries will be made clear. I guess I'll just have to wait until then to find out why Type #1 Space Invaders, faced with the choice of multiple sites in wide open spaces, will invariably choose to set up camp right next to us!

Somehow, I don't think it's due to my magnetic personality … And if misery REALLY loved company, why would it voluntarily seek out the company of a grumpy, anti-social bitch?

My psychic powers clearly need a boost – so far I've failed to fathom why Type #1s do what they do!

Maybe staying in an out of the way spot requires some sort of validation. 'Are we allowed to stay here? Oh, it must be OK, there's people here already. Let's stay right next to them!'

Or maybe it's fear. 'OMIGOD! What if there are feral pigs/plants/campers? There's safety in numbers, so we'd better set up next to them!'

Or maybe it's perversion. 'HHHMMMmmm... they look interesting! Lets camp close to them and watch!!'

Or maybe not. Like I said, one day we'll all find out!

Type #2 Space Invaders, usually found in more structured camping areas are even more irritating. Many caravan parks have designated spaces of roughly the same size hired out to travellers at the same cost per site. SO … there's no incentive to impinge on anyone else's space, is there? IS THERE???!!!

Well you wouldn't think so.

But Type #2's have skilled, yet subtle ways to take more than their fair share of space. Like the chap who parked his giant 4WD RV across the space in front of his van and OUR awning instead of his van and HIS awning. We wondered why he bothered - keeping the space in front of his awning clear gave him a perfect view of the amenities block entrance. More specifically, the ladies amenities block entrance! Then the penny dropped ...
But the advent of rigs bigger than the average holiday shack has spawned the Type #3 Space Invader, for whom extra space is apparently a god-given right that comes with the purchase of said big rig!

Our Type #3 experience in the Blackall Caravan Park took us completely by surprise. We'd spent the day at Isisford and returned to an iceberg-like smooth white wall about 1.5 metres from our side door, rising well above us. This gave us an immediate, but unwelcome insight into the Titanic experience, and finished off any chance we had of actually enjoying sitting outside!

Because a drivers license upgrade is not required for towing something bigger than a small semi trailer, reversing into a small space is often a problem. And just because you've paid the same site fee as the smaller rig next door (even though you'll use WAAAAAAAY more power and water than them) doesn't mean you actually have to stay within your site boundary, does it? After all, they don't actually need the space. And look! If we move their table and chairs out of the way, that'll give us a LOT more room!

Cheeky buggers!

Having taken over half our space, these Type #3's then had the gall to ring their kids and whine about how small the sites were at this park! Tragically, because we were so close we could hear every word. Even more tragically, while I get a big 'YES' for bad tempered bitch, I get an even bigger 'NO' for murdering psychopath!

Incidentally, alert readers will correctly infer that the Type #3 Space Invader qualities often (although not always!) fit the Grey Nomad demographic ... but go ahead!  Prove me wrong!! 


Stay calm!!