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Bye bye car…

Old car, pic taken in Luxembourg

Having been fortunate enough to have had a car since my late teens, I've grown accustomed to the convenience and feeling of secure independence that it brings. At any moment if I need to travel somewhere, I can. Or at least I could until four days ago, when I sold my car leaving me with an empty spot in the garage. The whole thing came about very quickly - a call from the dealer during the previous week led to an appointment during a promotional event on the Saturday. The deal was good, a trade-in was agreed and on the following Wednesday I paid a deposit and handed over my keys.

In less than a week I had gone from independent to dependent, on either public transport or access to my wife's car. I know it's not the end of the world, and the majority of people live perfectly well without a car, as will I. It's just a weird and slightly unnerving feeling to lose that independence. It also feels rather sad - the old car was despatched very rapidly and rather unceremoniously, and today I can't really find any nice pictures of it. There are plenty of heartwarming memories associated with that car, from trips to the Lake District and a long jaunt around Europe, to the year that we spent working down in Cornwall. The Kernow flag sticker (seen on many vehicles in Cornwall) has gone with the car, one of only a few constant reminders of a strong candidate for the greatest year of my life. I fondly remember strapping surfboards on the roof and driving down to the beach in the freezing cold over winter. Good times! Great times!

There's no doubt that this week has been pretty emotional for other reasons and that is contributing to my reflective mood, but I'm writing this mainly so that I may recognise the significance of this companion for the last 6+ years. It's pretty ridiculous to get philosophical about an inanimate object, particularly a luxury such as a car, but the time that was spent with that object is totally unique and it is the memories that it is capable of evoking that are the main cause of such pondering, not really the object itself. I find myself wondering what the next six years will bring, who will share the journeys and memories made in the new car and indeed, where on Earth we will be...!