How Travel Became My Lifeline: From Manchester Parking to Mountain Sunrises

There’s a crumpled parking ticket tucked in my passport that marks the day everything changed. 29th March, 2019. Gatwick North Long Stay. I’d spent the 90-minute drive white-knuckling the steering wheel, replaying my manager’s "restructuring" speech on loop. When the barrier lifted, I remember thinking: This is it. Either I crumble here, or I let this trip save me.

I didn’t know it then, but that £11-a-day parking space was my first act of self-preservation.

The Breaking Point

For two years, I’d perfected the art of "fine." Fine through my divorce. Fine through 60-hour work weeks. Fine through nights staring at the ceiling, counting panic attacks like sheep. Traditional therapy felt like dissecting wounds under fluorescent lights. Then, on a rain-lashed Tuesday, my sister shoved a cheap flights alert into my WhatsApp: "Manchester → Porto £32. GO."

The catch? My flight was at 6:15am.

The Parking Epiphany

Pre-trip anxiety spiked at 2am. Did I lock the door? Turn off the oven? Where does one even PARK at Manchester Airport at 4am? Scrolling frantically, I found a comparison site listing Manchester airport parking deals. Ten minutes later, I’d booked a covered space at JetParks 3 for £8/day. The relief was visceral – like unclenching a muscle I’d forgotten existed.

That small victory set the tone. Driving straight to Terminal 1’s drop-off zone, handing keys to a smiling attendant named Bev ("Love your suitcase colour, pet!"), walking into the quiet terminal… It felt like I’d hacked the system. For someone drowning in chaos, this tiny control was a lifeline.

Why Travel Heals What "Fine" Cannot

The Ritual of Planning

Scouring Skyscanner. Sketching itineraries in a Moleskine. Comparing cheap airport parking deals like a strategist. This became my cognitive behavioural therapy. Planning forced me to look forward – a radical act when you’ve rehearsed worst-case scenarios for years.

Must Read Articles:

How Getting Lost Found Me My Confidence.

How I Overcame Social Anxiety Through Solo Travel.

The Unexpected Gifts of Flying Blind.

How Solitary Travel Held Me Together After Loss.

How Airports Became My Unexpected Therapy Rooms.

Why I Book Flights When Life Feels Like Quicksand.