SHE was so badly injured in a boat crash on the way to a full moon party in Thailand her family didn't think she would survive, but Natalie Hensby's passion for travel has soared.
Since the horrifying accident three years ago Hensby, 22, has been to Borneo, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, Europe, back to Thailand and is planning a trip to South and Central America in May.
But knowing how lucky she was Hensby, from Manly in NSW, said she feels "an overwhelming sense of obligation'' to warn other young Australians about the importance of travelling safely.
A three-minute video she produced about her experience recently won a competition held by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller advisory website.
As well as working in a full-time job as a paralegal, Hensby also travels the country speaking to Flight Centre travel agents at conferences about the importance of travel insurance.
Natalie Hensby was injured in a boat crash on the way to a full moon party in Thailand with her friends in 2010. She is fronting a campaign by Smart traveller to raise awareness of the DFAT travel advisory website.
"I'm incredibly lucky - I don't know how I'm here,'' she said.
"I'm paying it forward.''
One agent she spoke to encouraged another young Australian Erin Langworthy to buy travel insurance.
Langsworthy was injured during her trip when she fell headfirst into a crocodile-infested river after her bungee cord snapped in Zambia.
Natalie Hensby is evecuated from the scene by Thai emergency workers.
Hensby was knocked unconscious and thrown into the water when the boat she was on collided at full speed with another vessel in the dark on the way to Koh Phangan Island.
She suffered a brain haemorrhage, swelling and bleeding on her brain, a punctured and collapsed lung, shattered her pelvis and wrist, broke five ribs, fractured her collarbones and cracked her foot.
She was taken to Bangkok for surgery and hospitalised for three weeks.
"I was touch-and-go twice in hospital,'' she said.
Natalie Hensbyin hospital recovering after the horrific full moon party boat smash in 2010.
"My travel insurance claim was over $100,000. The policy saved my life.''
Fortunately, her friend had registered the group's details and travel plans with Smartraveller and her travel insurance company was on the phone to them about another case when they were alerted to the accident and stepped in to contact the victim's families.
But Hensby is furious at the punishment given to those involved in her accident.
One boat operator was charged with negligence, given the equivalent of a $200 fine and suspended from operating for a year.
Natalie Hensby back home in Sydney after the accident that almost claimed her life.
"I think it's honestly outrageous,'' she said.
"I learnt the hard way that most countries don't have the same regulations and safety standards that we have in Australia and unfortunately there are a lot of tourism operators in developing countries who are only interested in chasing the next dollar.
"The boat we collided with has been patched up and is back out on the water.
"I wouldn't say don't go to the full moon party because it is a rite of passage for young Australians, but make sure you go in daylight and make sure you have accommodation on Koh Phangan.
Natalie Hensby before the life-changing boat smash in Thailand in 2010.
"It's just too dangerous at night and that's where you get dodgy boat operators.
"If we had read the advice on Smarttraveller we would have known not to go at night.''
For information about Smartraveller and DFAT's consular role, please visit www.smartraveller.gov.au
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Boat smash backpacker warns of perils
Dengan url
http://andiplinplan.blogspot.com/2013/03/boat-smash-backpacker-warns-of-perils.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Boat smash backpacker warns of perils
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Boat smash backpacker warns of perils
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar