If you were stranded on a desert island...

...what would you wish for?


Modern society has taught us how to be very materialistic, and I am no exception.  My first thought is that I would holler for my iPod, a power point, a mobile phone with a good internet connection, maybe a couple of spare towels and an umbrella.  If I had the time between cranking out a tan, I may even wish for a rescue from a passing ship.


But then I thought a little harder in a more practical fashion and I have come to the conclusion that I would probably wish for one of my enemies to be flown in to join me.  Although the conversation and companionship would be minimal, I would have no compunctions about eating them should the seafood in the area be scarce.  One further consideration is that perhaps I need to be a little more picky in my choice of enemies - just in case I find myself in a sticky situation on a desert island in which cannibalism becomes a gruesome reality, it would be ideal to be both larger and better at martial arts than my diet of choice.


Which brings me to my next point:  Exactly how does one become stranded on an unknown spit of land nowadays?  Piratical-themed movies have normalised the idea, however the use of GPS and tracking technology mean that sea and air-faring vessels are monitored rigorously.  Pirates of the 21st century are far less concerned with buried treasure and sadly, far more focused on hijacking oil tankers.  It is a fair assumption that I and nobody that I know will ever have to put the desert island survival plans into practise (potentially a lucky save for any enemies I may have accumulated).


Gone are the days of messages in bottles floating romantically across the Atlantic; gone are the days of 'X marks the spot' on tatty treasure maps, and with a global population of over 7,000,000,000 as of Monday this week, the chances of even finding a deserted island (let alone being stranded on one) in this world are extremely minimal.  Cashed-up holidaymakers are flocking to the lands of white sand and palm trees awash with sprawling resorts.


Ironically, the Lonely Planet now sells thousands of guide books detailing the more remote destinations in the world for adventurous travellers.  Commercialised travel has taken hold over much of the world, and there are plenty of days when I would gladly give my iPod, phone, car and maybe even a kidney to be able to spend time on a deserted tropical island.