This National Day Holiday, I'm Not Going Anywhere

Rumor has it that Sichuan "A" license plates are a mysterious force: every time a short holiday comes around, you can spot a Chengdu car anywhere in the world.

Sichuan people's love of having fun seems to be famous across the country. This year it's especially over the top. Lots of people went for the "take 3 days off, get 14" plan, so they're going to party like crazy.

I took nearly a week off last week, then worked the past three days. I only got back to Chengdu from a work trip at six this evening, so my National Day holiday has officially begun.

I don't have any special plans for the holiday. At most I'll go cycling and see some friends. I won't make a point of going anywhere, and I won't travel.

I usually don't travel over the holidays, because it feels like everywhere is packed with people, and I don't really like that.

My dislike of crowds probably goes back to Ciqikou. When I went to Ciqikou before, it was wall-to-wall people. Chongqing's streets aren't wide to begin with, let alone in an old town. People were shoulder to shoulder, and after walking around a while I felt like I couldn't breathe. And the worst part was I didn't get to enjoy anything. Last time, I went to the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macau on a Monday, and it was so crowded I thought I was back in Ciqikou.

So now I either don't go out at all, or I go when there aren't so many people. A while ago I went to Guangdong for three days while it was quiet. This holiday I'm not planning to go anywhere. In fact, I only plan one trip a year, and most of the rest of the time I'm at home.

Traveling like that is really tiring, though. While you're doing it, the dopamine makes you feel happy, but when it's over, it takes days to recover. In terms of happiness, a trip like that doesn't necessarily bring much. It's more the instant pleasure of getting lost in the bright lights, quick to come and quick to go.

I think holidays are never long enough. Back in school, holidays were mostly for being with family, going home to see them while we had time off. After growing up and starting work, being together isn't such a big deal anymore. Maybe because once we have money and time, we all want to go out and see the world.

I live with my mom now, so day to day we're already together. But when a holiday comes, I don't know how to have fun.

Maybe it's because after all these years of work, I've traveled almost all over China on the job, so I don't feel much urge to go out and play on holidays.

In the end, maybe it's because I still have a job and have to do my duties at set times, so there's something tying me down. If I could go off for a couple of weeks and not come back, I'm sure it would feel a lot easier.

I've always believed that happiness only exists in the most ordinary everyday life. Looking at it now, the happiness I feel really does come from ordinary days. Even just getting to sleep in as long as I want every day makes me happy.