The downside to paintball...

Photo from the Sgt Splatters website: http://www.sgtsplatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/146127917_a5c433e825_o.jpg

Yes, I finally managed to go paintballing after many years of fruitlessly trying to get my friends to go to Skirmish (Australian paintball) with me. The bruises aren't THAT bad guys!!

Drew, Austin and Johnny let me come with them to Sgt Splatters last Saturday, yay! It was pretty expensive if you kept on buying paintballs, so I made mine last, and survived on the generosity of strangers dumping their ammo when they had to leave... It was annoying, because everyone else had the same survival instinct as me, and it was very hard to ever get a remotely clear shot at anyone. Not to mention that it was dimly lit (indoor paintballing), and the helmet was kind of a pain. I'll let it slide - it protected my face :)

But in spite of all this, it was still mildly interesting... that is, until my annoyingly persistent brain started harping on about child soldiers in Uganda. That's right, CHILD SOLDIERS IN UGANDA. How are you meant to enjoy paintballing with that going on in your head???

The basic thought story goes, "This was pretty expensive. A whole bunch of young people are here, forking out cash (through the nose!! expensive!!) to shoot each other up with paintballs. (14's, 12's, and I swear there were a few 10 year olds at one stage - with all their own paintballing equipment - not the hired stuff.) We pay so much for this, when there are kids the same age being forced to use REAL weaponry against each other in so many places around the world???? How deranged are we???? They would pay alot more than this, if they had the cash, for the fighting to be over, and to never touch a gun again."

So I don't think I'll go again. Child soldiers in Uganda is a pretty good argument - what can you say against that??? And my sponsorship child, Emmanuel, who I still haven't gotten around to writing to, is from Uganda as well... I think. Or maybe it's Rwanda? One of the two.

What else do we spend our money on?