Tag: travel

A wheel is better than no wheel at all

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On July 15, 2024, I’ve had the driver’s license for three years. At first, I had my dad with me, but now I have to drive alone. If he wasn’t, I wouldn’t be the driver I am today. He gave me the courage to drive. Before, I drove alone a short way. The first time I drove alone was when I drove him to the hospital in January this year. I didn’t know then, but it was the last time he was with me in the car. Because of him, I wasn’t scared of driving alone. He taught me how to drive his car. It’s a manual, so you drive it a little differently. Before continuing, you can read an old post about getting the licence below.

Passed the test
Originally posted on July 16, 2021

It’s true that when you get a wheel under you, you feel freedom. In 2017, I didn’t think I needed a driver’s license, but my opinions changed. I didn’t like to drive when I first got my temporary license, so I didn’t finish driving school then. But how things change. I have driven longer distances, and the more confident I get, the more I enjoy it. I will still use the train or buses if I go even longer distances. My hands and legs get tired if I drive too far. All those long drives to the North of Finland that my dad had to do, I admire how he could manage all that driving. I couldn’t do it. It took almost 14 hours to drive there, rests included. We only went there once a year to ski, but that was enough. I probably won’t go there again, even if you can go by train. We did that a few times because Dad didn’t feel like driving that far the older he got. Dad also drove in Europe when I was 6 years old and then in Germany in 2008. I won’t do the same. I would be terrified driving on the motorway in Germany. Finnish motorways are enough for me.

You get used to driving when you do it often enough. At first, I didn’t like driving on the motorway or in traffic, but now it comes naturally to me. A wheel is better than no wheel at all. Owning a car isn’t cheap. I could rent, but that isn’t very convenient because I never know when I will need one. I could always be without a car, though. But then there wouldn’t be the same freedom that comes with having wheels. I’ve thought of buying a new car one day, but I got used to driving my dad’s car, so maybe not yet. If I replace it, it would feel like I’m hurting the car’s feelings. I know it’s only a car, but I was with Dad when he bought it, so it’s like a family member. We had it for years. It’s not in my name yet, so it’s not my car. I don’t think I know how to buy a car even if I’ve been with Dad at the car dealer. One thing is sure, once you have wheels, you can be without one again.

Things that makes me yawn

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yawning man in front of laptop
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Everyone has a topic that fails to capture their interest. Online, you can escape from boring things, but in real life, interacting with people is not easy. You don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings, so you deal with what they discuss. I find it difficult to talk to people I don’t know because they usually don’t like the same things I do. It feels awkward when a stranger talks to you, so you only smile and leave. As an introvert and Finn, I don’t like small talk. That’s one of the things that makes me yawn. I don’t mind discussing the weather, but it still comes up. In a way, that’s an icebreaker, but nothing happens after that.

Listening to other people’s conversations is also a bore, especially on public transport. You think Finns are quiet, but you would disagree if you met one on a bus or train—with someone they travel with, that is. You don’t see us talking to strangers that easily. I don’t know how people become friends if they don’t talk to people. That’s another thing that makes me yawn. No matter where I see others, no one ever talks to me. I haven’t had contact with former classmates. Not that I mind because I didn’t have anything in common with them in the first place. They seemed not to want to get to know me either. Who needs people who aren’t at the same level as you are anyway? Over the years, I’ve stopped caring about it.

The European Champion in football is on, but the whole topic makes me yawn. I only care about football if Finland is playing and how my home teams are doing in the Finnish leagues. Other times, I don’t care. I love watching sports, but not all of them. Sports I don’t care about make me yawn. Those who don’t watch any sport probably know how that feels. The media is full of news about it, and I bet people who don’t care about the sport wish there would be less news about the topic. Fortunately, everyone has a choice. You either care about sport, or you don’t. You can always change the channel or turn to the next page in the newspaper (if you still read one). If someone talks about it, you can leave and do something else.

The last yawning moment is when people talk about movies or TV series that I don’t care about. It feels like people don’t like the same new movies as I do. The same goes for TV. I like watching classic TV shows, but sometimes I check out new ones. I don’t care about Netflix and their shows. Are people still watching it? I have only one paid streaming service provider, and that’s Disney Plus. You see commercials about different providers, but none of them interest me. I couldn’t afford it anyway. Disney Plus has all that I want to pay for. There are a lot of interesting documents to watch, and they are not only made-up stories. They don’t make me yawn, and that’s all that counts.

A trophy for my efforts

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a trophy and stars
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The reasons why I should get a trophy for my efforts.

On June 2, I turned one year older than last year. That means I’m one step closer to death, but hopefully, I won’t die in many years. I went on a cruise to Stockholm alone for the first time ever. Before, I went with my parents and on class trips. Of course, I travelled alone inside the country. This was the first time I was alone abroad. It was only a cruise, but that’s a start. I stayed on the ship for 23 hours. It was kind of lonely since Finns don’t talk to strangers. But I didn’t need to go through the hassle that I went with my dad. He always wanted to sit and drink beer. But at least then, I had company. A good thing about travelling alone is you can go as you please. If I was tired, I would go to bed. I did that without telling another person if I wanted to sit on deck and read a book. On the cruise, there were a lot of families, so there weren’t young party people. It’s calmer to be on board when there aren’t drunk people there. In general, there weren’t many people on the cruise, which was nice. You didn’t need to queue anywhere. It’s been a heatwave in Finland, so sitting on deck with the wind blowing was nice. The best part of a 23-hour cruise is the buffer and tax-free shopping. I only buy sweets/candy because I don’t like alcohol, and I don’t smoke. Unlike some people in Finland.

For some people, unemployment brings them down or being single. It brings me freedom and confidence that things will get better. The only time I get depressed is when I’m forced to do things I don’t want to do. I’m selective, and I’m not ashamed of it. I don’t go for the 2nd best as Madonna sings in Express Yourself. It’s better to be alone than socialise with the wrong people. I have had enough of those when I was younger. Life is too short to have toxic people in your life.

I should get a trophy for tolerating people in the first place. I don’t need to get it from others because I can get it alone. Treat yourself with a trophy of your choice once in a while. I will award myself with sweets/candy that I bought from the cruise ship. I have always had a sweet tooth, no matter how I feel.