A Bridge Too Far

As I sit here looking out across the Thames with the beautiful christmas tree of the Albert Bridge straddling each bank, it makes me think of the amount of people who join this rat race everyday. Everyone in London takes on average 4 weeks of holiday each year, as opposed to the French and Spanish who take 6 and figures published recently show that the Finnish are the chief exponents of the holiday with a massive 8 weeks off each year. This begs the question: has anyone ever met a Finnish person on a mini break or traveling? Bizarrely enough the only Finn I've ever bumped into was Jaws on DVD about a month ago. Indeed, this makes it even more strange thinking that Sami Hyypia and Jari Litmanen would trade this luxury time off for the kop.

Why do we all punish ourselves in this country into not taking more time off? I'm just as bad as anyone. I know that I am going to get paid for doing 8 hours in the day 9 until 6 with an hour for lunch but for some unknown reason I try to make sure that I'm sitting in my drab air conditioned office from 8.30 and still remain eating at my desk over lunch with a no-bread sandwich or a panini. Why? (Furthermore, what on earth is a no bread sandwich - what's that I hear you shout... yep - it's a fucking salad.) 

This rat race is all started by the same pistol unfortunately - greed. It drives society, the majority of people want to "push the envelope", "go the extra mile", hell even give that ever elusive "110%" that we all hear so much about. This all due to the fact that I want to earn more than the guy sitting next to me, add another zero onto the paycheck and have a bigger house than the neighbour. It is clear that greed runs throughout society at a core and basic level. Do we think that Jane would've hopped onto Tarzan's vine if he didn't have such a big treehouse. Probably not.

That all seems a touch bleak but the key is to find a job that you desperately want to be skipping lunch for. Making money from something you really enjoy is the best holiday you can have.

Therefore, I will be walking over that christmas tree of a bridge tomorrow morning like everyonelse so that at the end of the month, I will be able to head into the Mayfair Hotel across from the my office and when the barman asks me what I want for a drink, I can safely declare loudly that I'll be having a gin and tonic at £7 a pop. 

Actually, make that a double.

Peace