Owls

I've discovered something. Found it out actually. I like driving at night.

I don't usually like driving, it's not something I enjoy nor look forward too. To me, driving is a basic thing that has to be done, like brushing your teeth. I don't like going out "for a drive", and I am definitely not a petrol-head.

But tonight, as I was driving back from London, I realised that I was actually enjoying myself. As I was driving out of the city on to the motorways, I was watching the road twist and turn in front of my eyes, all bathed in the light of a thousand street lamps, and with only a few more drivers on the road, everything looked just right. Beautiful even.

Which made me think. Whenever I can, I plan to drive at night. For as far back as I can remember, each time I've needed to drive from A to B, I've done it at night. Even if I wasn't busy and could've left earlier, I don't. I wait until it's dark.

There is something very surreal about driving at night. The empty roads, the lights, the parked lorries sleeping overnight, the lorries that are driving overnight, the hum of your car driving solo down a long motorway, the thoughts you think about, and the trance-like state you enter when everything is in complete harmony and you're not just driving anymore, you're at one with your car.

This, of course, has to be done solo. Not even the quietest, most unnoticeable person or thing must be in the car with you. That'll just break the flow of things. Music should be off, or kept to a bare minimum of ambient vocal-free music otherwise it'll just distract you. Want the ultimate experience? Put this on and watch as you, the car, the road, and the music all merge in to one euphoric state. And of course, you have to be on a motorway, or any long long road to wherever.

Ironically, I used to moan and moan at my uncle for driving late at night on motorways. I always thought he was mad, leaving at some unholy hour of the night. May be we're both mad, or may be we're owls. Who knows.

I do know one thing - never ever ask me to travel early in the morning. Ever.