Great & Crap Driving Roads
-
@mariner4life said in Happiness Scale:
@MN5 said in Happiness Scale:
@nzzp said in Happiness Scale:
This is a great thread, thanks everyone for sharing. Everyone struggles with 'happy' and how to to get there.
I'd recommend taking a listen to 'the happiness lab' (https://www.happinesslab.fm/). Series of podcasts by Dr Laurie Santos from Yale, talking about why people don't feel content or happy. Lots to unpick, but really interesting and challenges ideas and perceptions.
One of the key takeouts I had was that happiness isn't a place you can go and build a house; you' can't live there. What you can do is recognise when you are happy, and make sure your brain recognises it -- and there are things you can do to increase the number and duration of trips to 'happiness'.
That said, christ there's some struggle mentally. I keep saying to people I know that there's no success without sacrifice, and the older I get the more I believe it to be true. Success takes a toll - it's almost always tied to responsibility, and having to deal with stress in an ongoing and challenging way. Personally, while the last few years for me have been very successful professionally and financially, it's taken a massive toll on my mental health and having to adjust to the stress. Shit's hard y'all.
Don't underestimate burnout either. I saw three elements of burnout being
- exhaustion,
- cynicism (less identification with the job),
- feelings of reduced professional ability
All of these can drag you to a place you don't want to go to.
So, all of that, and things I've done that help: turn off email outside work hours, be less available, try to live in the moment, avoid social media like the plague (except the Fern), and allow yourself to feel less than 'ok'. Open up to people if you can -- it really does help.
Kia kaha everyone
I love my job and they look after me.....but I’m fucken shattered and I need a break. Holidays are so important for the soul, I can’t wait to lie on a hammock and do nothing for a few days
Boxing day we jump in the car and drive to.the Gold Coast. House on the beach for 10 days. I am going to do 3/5 of fuck all
Probably a bit late for the heads up but there's a fuck ton of roadworks, particularly either side of Rocky (from somewhere in the middle of nowhere to about Benaraby - but I repeat myself).
They may have eased up some of the 60km sections as they shouldn't be working.
P.S. where are your overnighters?
(We're in Bowen and Rocky on the return, but GC is another 5 hours on us.)
-
-
@MajorRage said in Happiness Scale:
You guys know those really noisy things overhead are planes right? You sit in them and have a beer whilst you go really really fast .... Which means you could have breakfast in Cairns then an early lunch at your new spot on the GC ....
Its not about the journey, its about the destination
-
@MajorRage said in Happiness Scale:
You guys know those really noisy things overhead are planes right? You sit in them and have a beer whilst you go really really fast .... Which means you could have breakfast in Cairns then an early lunch at your new spot on the GC ....
Can't speak for @mariner4life but for me part of the deal was to see bits of QLD that I hadn't previously.
Not sure if it makes sense but it is
A.
FUCKING.
BIG.
COUNTRY.Back in the day Mrs Boo and I had a map of NZ and used to highlight the roads we travelled. In the 6 or so years we were together in NZ we covered probably 90%* of the NZ State Highway network. (IIRC, we missed Gisborne to Whakatane, Greymouth to Wanaka, The Catlins and Mt Cook. Colour in the rest).
- estimate only
Colour in the bit on the Aussie map from Hervey Bay to Cairns, then stand back and look at how much we covered this week. Sweet FA.
In addition to that we got three days at holiday destination Airlie Beach where we jet skiied, sunset cruised/boozed, lounged by pool, wined & dined, and generally added to the holiday.
(As an aside, I remember absolutely nothing about Mackay which I'm pretty sure we had to pass through at one stage ... )
The trip back however is purely just getting back home as best as possible with two stops in somewhat uninspiring spots.
In discussion with Mrs Boo if ever (whenever) we come back up here it will either be part of a many week Queensland wide adventure (stopping everywhere of interest along the coast and through the interior, up one way, down the other), or using one of those new fangled flying machines @MajorRage refers to.
Good holiday though.
-
@booboo said in Happiness Scale:
In discussion with Mrs Boo if ever (whenever) we come back up here it will either be part of a many week Queensland wide adventure (stopping everywhere of interest along the coast and through the interior, up one way, down the other),
Camper trailer. Stop anywhere pretty much but pull into a holiday park and/or motel when you need to freshen things up.
-
@NTA said in Happiness Scale:
@booboo said in Happiness Scale:
In discussion with Mrs Boo if ever (whenever) we come back up here it will either be part of a many week Queensland wide adventure (stopping everywhere of interest along the coast and through the interior, up one way, down the other),
Camper trailer. Stop anywhere pretty much but pull into a holiday park and/or motel when you need to freshen things up.
Do not want to turn into a Grey Nomad
-
@booboo said in Happiness Scale:
@NTA said in Happiness Scale:
@booboo said in Happiness Scale:
In discussion with Mrs Boo if ever (whenever) we come back up here it will either be part of a many week Queensland wide adventure (stopping everywhere of interest along the coast and through the interior, up one way, down the other),
Camper trailer. Stop anywhere pretty much but pull into a holiday park and/or motel when you need to freshen things up.
Do not want to turn into a Grey Nomad
You will, eventually.
-
@NTA said in Happiness Scale:
@booboo said in Happiness Scale:
@NTA said in Happiness Scale:
@booboo said in Happiness Scale:
In discussion with Mrs Boo if ever (whenever) we come back up here it will either be part of a many week Queensland wide adventure (stopping everywhere of interest along the coast and through the interior, up one way, down the other),
Camper trailer. Stop anywhere pretty much but pull into a holiday park and/or motel when you need to freshen things up.
Do not want to turn into a Grey Nomad
You will, eventually.
Got the grey part ... what's left of it anyway ... caravan unlikely
Another term I heard used once was the rheumatoid road menace.
-
Any reference to Grey Nomads belongs in the Grumpy Old Man thread. fluffybunnies the lot of them holding up traffic and not giving a shit.
-
Take a plane and miss put on the interesting and varied central Queensland landscape...
630km to Proserpine yesterday
850 to Burrum Heads today
Nice easy 4 hours to the GC tomorrow
New ranger is glorious on the highway
-
We did 2,500kms between Darwin and Broome in July-19, 2 families, 2x motorhomes, over 2 weeks. Farking epic. Loved every bit of the driving, the subtle scenery changes, the random stops at watering holes and outback towns...
Some depressing stuff seen also, but a magic time.
This country is huuuuuge!!!
-
Jealous.
My wife fucking hates sitting in the car for hours. Road trip with cricket on the radio watching the landscape unfold? Fucking heaven.
Can I beat Google Maps' estimate to my destination while still staying legal? Or at least, not getting caught?
Let's find out...
-
@NTA said in Happiness Scale:
Jealous.
My wife fucking hates sitting in the car for hours. Road trip with cricket on the radio watching the landscape unfold? Fucking heaven.
Can I beat Google Maps' estimate to my destination while still staying legal? Or at least, not getting caught?
Let's find out...
That’s me, the other half and my boys tomorrow. Mahia here we come. Forecast says there won’t be a single day over 18 so I’ve sensibly packed a couple of hoodies.
Fuck, maybe Greta is onto something
-
@mariner4life said in Happiness Scale:
Take a plane and miss put on the interesting and varied central Queensland landscape...
630km to Proserpine yesterday
850 to Burrum Heads today
Nice easy 4 hours to the GC tomorrow
New ranger is glorious on the highway
Burrum Heads? Really?
... I mean ... err ... interesting choice...
Silly question but where is there to stay there? Campgrounds would have been heaving with bogans-with-boats and booked out for months. Can't think of motels (?).
Air BnB?
Friends/rellies?Also requires a bit of a deviation off the highway ... and it's not exactly prime swimming (less box jellyfish, irukanjis and crocs than up your way not withstanding).
-
@booboo air bnb. Ice little brand new 3 bed townhouse. Great fenced off area for the dog.
And it's only 15km off the highway. I travelled further for Airlie, 1770, or Yeppoon on the last trip.
-
@mariner4life said in Happiness Scale:
Take a plane and miss put on the interesting and varied central Queensland landscape...
630km to Proserpine yesterday
850 to Burrum Heads today
Nice easy 4 hours to the GC tomorrow
New ranger is glorious on the highway
With the wife, sounds great.
With two kids in the back. Fuck. That.
-
@MajorRage said in Happiness Scale:
@mariner4life said in Happiness Scale:
Take a plane and miss put on the interesting and varied central Queensland landscape...
630km to Proserpine yesterday
850 to Burrum Heads today
Nice easy 4 hours to the GC tomorrow
New ranger is glorious on the highway
With the wife, sounds great.
With two kids in the back. Fuck. That.
Don't hear from the kids. Faces buried in devices. Dog sleeps. Wife and I listen to music and chat. Share the driving. It's nice
-
@mariner4life said in Happiness Scale:
Share the driving
That's the other thing: I do all the driving.
In part because she doesn't do a lot of Highway kilometres, but also because she refuses to use cruise control* and is nervous behind the wheel.
While I would get the chance to enjoy the passenger seat view, I think I'd find it frustrating to have the constant tension from the driver.
The Boy is old enough to get his learners licence, and that's my goal: get him behind the wheel
