Deciding on National Days

It is observed that the winner writes and interprets history. History is utilised as the primary basis for celebrations and reinforcement for the future of a country. National Days are examples of such celebrations. The problem starts when the concept of a nation is viewed only from the perspective of the ruling power/majority population and not for all groups co-existing in a so-called nation.

Think about the origin of National Days around the world. In Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, most of them involve religion, race and/or the anniversary of liberation from the rule of colonists or parties with strong opposing philosophies, and where there had been hectic and intense battles in mind or spirit, political conflicts and physical toll in loss of life, coupled with economic destruction, before reaching the marked day of freedom. Nations become stronger with a greater sense of unity and shared philosophy when a certain extent of blood has been shed in a common cause and much sacrifice incurred to reach that point of most recent independence.  This is most effectively attained when there is a sense of us against them and when us ultimately wins control of government and society. Think about China's October 1st, Vietnam's Day of Reunification, Argentine Declaration of Independence Day, Indonesian and Malaysian Merdeka Days, the Filipino Day of Independence or India's Republic Day.  History did not commence in those countries with the curently recognised National Days, but a sufficiently significant event did occur which still requires the nation to remember it as the National Day.

The Fourth of July in the United States is still marked with parades and a collective pride after more than 230 years.How this is managed, despite changed demographics, new dangers and different imperatives for its future, reflects the very strengths in how that nation was formed and born with. A Constitution and Charter that transcends the immediate events of 1776 has laid viable foundations that still carries a federation of different states confidently to the future, despite unknown waters and problems.  Where countries base their National Days on arrivals in a foreign land alone, it is hard to convince the natives of the conquered land to join in the celebrations. Observe Australia Day, now also spoken of as Invasion Day for the many Aboriginal nations existing when Captain Arthur Phillip claimed the lands around Botany Bay for the British crown..  New Zealand is cleverer, for Waitangi Day celebrates the day a mutually agreed treaty was signed between the arrivals and natives on more equal terms. 

The Repiblic of France celebrates the momentous events - and meaning - of Bastille Day.  Royals lost in this change of social order.  Spain had a more recent turbulent time in politics and societal disorder, and so did the separated nations that once formed the Yugoslav Republic, togetrher with all the various states that once were under the lock and key of the rule of the Communist Soviet Union.  All these aforementioned nations have been truly reborn, sometimes with boundaries redrawn, and how a reconstituted nation goes forward is also echoed in how it selects its new flag and National Day.  A national flag belongs to all in a nation and should not be hijacked by some to the exclusion of its other citizens - just like the meaning and spirit of a chosen National Day. In increasingly multi-cultural societies, the challenge of a foresighted Government is to utilise a National Day as one of reconciliation and common purpose, and not one of exclusion and divisiveness. How one began its first National Day at times may not matter - Brazil was freely granted independence by the then King of Portugal - and what is more critical is how a nation uses the day for its future.

Trivial But True

About Me

I am not keen on the same kind of retail outlets in most Australian shopping centres (we need variety and uniqueness!); individuals not communciating when they can - and should; global warming;  racists who dare not speak their mind but operate behind our backs; baggy jeans; people asking how are you but do not really want to know; the FOX News channel; sex tourists;  people without compassion; politicians who benefit themselves more than the voters who put them in the first place; vehicle drivers who belch exhaust and think they are cool; sludge snow; haughty persons; working too hard for nothing; hairy backs; loud mouthed women and men with attitude; cheap perfume (you can smell it!); individuals who take credit for things they did not do; double standards; plastic Christmas trees; people who stab you in the back (okay, not literally, and actually much worse); people who take you for granted; being singled out for extra security checks just for being an East Asian male, when I have not broached any thing required; team leaders who exclude you from celebrations and only include you for problems; restaurant owners who have three sesions an evening and restrict your dining time at the table; not being able to window shop after hours; and people who make a show of forgetting that you have treated them well.

and I love:
lying on my back and take in the view of clouds rolling by on a big blue canvas sky; looking at swimming goldfish; discovering budlings springing out of the moist soil; making the most out of a challenge; reading a book on a dark and stormy night; cooking with whatever I have in the kitchen while the rain pours outside; the blue of the ocean and sky; chatting with mates; discovering new places; re-arranging things; once in a while, being caught in a time warp with nothing planned; watering plants, wherever they are; celebrating festivals; surprising someone special, and more; getting out of the comfort zone and testing unnatural limits; sharing, doing and giving something without expecting anything in return; giving my time and resources to make someone happy or grow, when I do not need to: special individuals who do not say much but whom you know love you in the only way they can, under the circumstances; meeting pro-active leaders and operators, whether on an airflight or with a innovative acting guy or woman in retail anywhere; talking with individuals with experience (aka elderly people); talking with individuals who have fresh-eyed perspectives (aka youngsters); taking the less travelled road; spending time with family; being drawn into laughter by humorous mates; eating Mum's home cooked food; house parties; and getting things done.

My Wine List for the Holidays

Not The Way to Do Business

A few weeks ago I took the Sealink from Cape Jervis in South Australia to Kangaroo Island.  Most of the passengers came from Europe, were all snugged up for the sea crossing and had an inherent interest for the outdoors, wildlife and adventure. Visitors on the Sealink can either drive in their own vehicles or join group tours operted by Sealink itself.  Some stay overnight or longer on Kangaroo Island, others take the fully packed and time tight day tour on a circuit round the isle.

I joined the one day coach tour operated by Sealink itself. The lunchtime caterers for a sit down meal were friendly and food served was within our expectations for that kind of location.  Around 1200 people currently populate Kangaroo Island, which has no industries but lots of land, wind and native or introduced animals.  Human tourists can watch animals roaming mostly free in the habitat rather than in cages or fenced off areas. My best experience on the island was the effective and friendly interaction provided by the so-called wild bird demonstration in a clearing in the bush.  The birds are not truly free, but seemed happy and well fed.

Time was already running short for one day trippers who chose the Sealink tour package and yet it was wasted in two significant ways.

Takeway food was not pre-packaged and made available on board to coach passengers as part of the ticket price. Why have a group of fifty people queuing and huddling in one small cafe with passing rain falling outside? It induces unnecessary tension on both the cafe providers and customers who were obviously in a hurry. This was especially critical in the hour before the Sealink ferry was scheduled to go back to the mainland in the evening.

Many felt the effects of unnecesary petty bureaucracy in requring the Sealink coach driver issue small laminated cards to disembarking or arriving passengers (for both the ferry and mainland bus services).  These are customers who have already fully paid in advance and confirmed as valid clients of the tour service.  Why not have the necessary passes issued to them when they pay upfront? It turned out that our coach driver even ran out of the laminated cards for the full busload of passengers in our coach.

Eco-tourism has to be balanced with not treating the group tour passengers in a condescending way. Some passengers of my Sealink coach tour realised that they had to make their way to the Adelaide central bus depot by themselves in the wee dawn hours, whilst others had the privilege of being picked up from their hotels. This was a very  un-Australian way of doing things - you must treat all customers in the same manner if they are charged at the same ticket price.

In addition, going forward, the variety of the one day tour program could be reviewed and made more flexible, instead of having to drive through all of the major circuit road around Kangaroo Island.  There was a lack of time allowed for passengers to relax in any one outdoor spot,  when they could otherwise stroll freely with a better schedule and itinerary.

This Sealink, in another State and part of Australia, brought back some memories of my experience on the Spirit of Tasmania that operates from Port Melbourne in Victoria to Davenport in Tasmania.   The Spirit, even on Boxing Day evening, lacked festive fervour, closed its food and drink facilties early like a dour convent head and a couple of individual staff on board did not welcome passengers even in the most basic way.  Even before dawn, cabin passengers had their doors knocked and told matter of factly to vacate their rooms fast for cleaning. Most things were done from the perspective and comfort of the staff and not so much of the passengers.  I think of my other sea crossings in Greece, Japan and the English Channel - and recall them with fondness.

Both Australian carriage operations mentioned above are monopolies and run in relatively remote parts of the world.  Could this be linked to the potentially lack of business on both operations?

The Airline Test

Here are some observations on my personal experience with three different airlines in July 2009.

At Qantas, they do not seem to stock copies of magazines aboard the aircraft, whether for domestic or international flights. This is a far cry from travel expectations on long haul flights or those above three hours in duration. Perhaps the current global financial crisis has dictated cuts in such basic services.
I did love the user-friendly navigation logic of Q on-board entertainment, better than that of Singapore Air (SIA). Your personal remote control for movies, audio and the like also rests in a more ergonomic way than that for either Malaysian Airlines (MAS) or SIA.

The stiff upper lip is still well alive and kicking in some Qantas cabin crew members - some individual staff members have perfected the art of saying goodbye or thank you to disembarking passengers by looking at the ceiling and not at the customers. However, the demographics of the Flying Kangaroo staff in the air are beginning to reflect the crowds on a Melbourne or Sydney CBD street. Although MAS crew are beginning to perhaps level the playing field by also smiling at non-Caucasian passengers, the best vibes of welcome for every customer are still sent by the beaming smiles of SIA cabin crew. The reality of joint code sharing between two or three airlines on a single consolidated flight may be the best thing to infuse the best of a service culture amongst airlines in alliance.

Qantas does not even print a menu booklet for some passenger sectors on domestic flights. On the other hand, the airline is conscientious to supply gluten-free, dairy free and organic stuff once you have made requests ahead of the flights.

The state of Qantas toilets made me think I was in some crowded city suburb. They no longer meet the standards met only ten years ago - wet, unkempt and perhaps not cleaned on a regular basis for flights of more than three hours.

I applied a simple test on the flights I took on the three airlines recently. This was me asking simply for a pack of playing cards. On the flight from Sydney to Perth, the Qantas crew member said they do not supply such things on domestic flights. From Perth to Singapore, they did not have stocks aboard. The MAS crew were so busy trying to serve rolls and drinks even on a 45 minute haul between the nearby cities of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. When I made the same request on the flight from Penang to Singapore, the lady instinctively gave me three packs instead, surpassing my expectations. And yes, I can confirm that SIA staff members politely look at you when talking to you - they take it to heart that they are in a service industry and business.