Chris Harris

I was driving down the 420 and I stopped in a lay-by

because it just dawned on me that I was in a red 205XS almost, I don't know, 30-something years before I'd done exactly that journey in a red XS.

My third ever car was a 205XS, a red one, and I used to drive it between Bristol and Oxford Poly where I was a student, if you can call it being a student.

where I spent time drinking.

And that was my wrap run.

And I suppose the muscle memory we have for roads is also particular to the car that we were driving at the time.

And the weird thing is I can't remember who I spoke to last week, but I remember approaching a section thinking, I know this bit should be in fourth, not fifth.

And it was.

My brain knew exactly what the gear change points were on the road.

30-something years later.

But I couldn't tell you what I had for lunch last week.

I really did soak up what it was like to remember being 19, 20 years old in that car at that time.

I'd...

I was so happy.

There were no troubles in the world.

I had no responsibilities.

I just had this little car and my father would give me fuel to put in it.

And I've bought this car to remind myself what it was like to be young.

And I think we should all do that.

Go and use a car as a way to burrow into your past.