Do you enjoy driving? I am seriously curious.
If you were to ask me a while back, I would have quickly jumped and said no… Until recently. Not too long ago I discovered how much I enjoy driving long distances alone. Yes, the girl that barely likes to drive on a regular basis now enjoys long-distance solo trips. Very ironic! FUN FACT: Charlie and I constantly battle over who’s turn it is to drive and look at me admitting this now. Ha!
Things have changed…
With now several 4+ hours of solo trips under my belt, I have noticed they are quite enjoyable. I wouldn’t necessarily want to drive 12 hours by myself, but a 4-5 hour trip isn’t really that bad.
Most people might consider a quick flight to that destination, but I’m over here embracing the long journey.
OK, so why is that?
If you know me by now you know I don’t pass up any opportunity to enjoy solitude. We are social beings, we are constantly surrounded by people, distractions, etc. etc. When on the road alone I feel free and in charge. Plus, all the random things I do on the side. But, we’ll get to that in a bit.
I love hanging out and spending time with others, but I value my alone time. This time is precious and it does not come often. Please don’t take it like I hate people because trust me, I don’t. It’s that those moments we have for ourselves are just so special. I reflect so much!
Therefore, I started taking advantage of those instances where I can skip a flight and just drive. Without sounding cliché, there is something magical about solo drives. Looking ahead without any “distraction” is kind of soothing. As mentioned, I feel so empowered. How do you feel?
During one of my most recent drives (Tampa to South Florida), I mapped out pretty much all my future blog plans. This made me realize how these drives translate into our life. While driving from point A to B there is only one direction and that is forward. Am I right?
The rush environment of the highways to the quick stops at a red light when navigating through towns can all be translated into our life. If I had to decipher it I would say life is quickly passing by, but there will be moments where we have to stop, reflect, improve and be open to new experiences or scenarios. Would this sum it up? What would you add?
OK, I won’t keep you hanging. It’s time to reveal what I do when I’m driving alone. You know, the random things. We’ll get back to a serious topic again. My favorite is that I become the biggest and best singer ever! If you’ve had the honor of hearing me singing you know I. AM. TERRIBLE. Yes, plain and simple. There’s no need to sugarcoat this. But, the performance comes with me showing off my dance moves too. Not going to be humble about this. I am a good dancer. I often wonder what those around me think if they have a chance to see me on the road. Guys, it gets wild and loud. So fun though!
Like everything in life, there are moments of seriousness. Lately, I have been brushing up on my French and I started listening to a French podcast while driving to learn.
To use my time wisely is one of my life-long goals. This is definitely one of my favorite ways to do so. I know many people take the opportunity to listen to audiobooks, which very is smart, among other things. How does your commute look like?
The downfall is that as women we don’t often get to experience these adventures as often. Unfortunately, due to security reasons. It’s terrible! When I discuss my joy around this topic I noticed it’s not common among my gender. We are targeted because we seem defenseless.
QUICK TIPS:
1. Always map ahead where you are going. Google Maps is my best friend
2. Fill your gas tank before heading out and check on the map where you think you would need to fill up again if needed
3. Tell someone where you are going
4. Be aware of your surroundings
5. Try to relax and enjoy the ride
How has your solo driving experience been? Let me know in the comments below.