This is the first bank holiday after “the happening”
This is also the first time I am driving for a trip after getting my driving license. My travel insurance consider “any journey with a destination over 100km away from where the policy holder usually live in, or has a pre-arranged accommodation” as a trip. So yeah I am officially on a trip although I didn’t leave the country. Even my insurer confirm my vacation.
Vacation is important even for the unemployed.
Arguably it is even more important because the boundary between “working” and “not working” is so unclear. When I had a job, switching off the work laptop is the confirmation of “not working”. I put it into a drawer and take out my personal laptop, connect it to my magic mouse — because I only have one, and it does not auto-switch between devices like a AirPods. I started to appreciate the lacking of seamless switching because there are things I don’t want to be too seamless.
I was surprised how many people use their work laptop for personal use. If you are on a budget, I don’t judge. If you can afford an iPad or lower-end Macbook / Lenovo, they do worth the investment just for the sake of your mental health.
My vacation was in a B&B at the seafront in the quiet part of Southend-on-sea. We had absolutely no plan except I need to practice my driving, parking and hill starts skills. And, of course, my very first time driving on the highway. It’s insane that highway is not part of the driving exam in the UK.
I usually found driving helped me cut off the noise ad emotion, because you really have to focus. It’s a life and death matter, although my mind did wonder a bit about “How many cars on this highway are the first timer like myself?”
At least I stopped thinking about job search, income source, interviews, wrong answers in the interviews etc, for a long weekend. A proper holiday. Driving became a therapy.