So, the plan was simple: a nice, relaxing seaside vacation. Get away from the daily grind, you know? Sand, sun, the ocean breeze… sounds perfect. But there was this tiny little problem nagging at the back of my head – my Tarkov addiction. Yeah, I admit it. Leaving my PMC behind felt kinda wrong.
So, I figured, why not both? Packed my bags with the usual beach stuff – shorts, sunscreen, flip-flops. Then, I carefully wedged my gaming laptop, mouse, and headset right in there. My wife just rolled her eyes, but hey, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, right? It looked completely ridiculous, this mix of beach gear and gamer setup.
Got to the hotel, nice place, view of the sea and everything. First mission, though? Forget unpacking clothes. I needed to find the best spot for the laptop and check that Wi-Fi signal. You know how hotel Wi-Fi can be… let’s just call it temperamental. Spent a good hour getting things set up, plugging things in, hoping the connection would hold up for a raid.
And then, the moment of truth. Booted up Tarkov. The loading screen felt bizarrely out of place with the sound of waves crashing just outside the balcony door. Dropped into my first raid – Customs, I think. Heart pounding, listening for footsteps, the usual Tarkov tension. But then I’d glance out the window and see blue skies and people relaxing on the beach. It was the weirdest disconnect. One minute I’m stressed about getting shot by a Scav, the next I’m smelling salty air.
Had a few decent runs, actually. Even managed a nice extract with some loot. But also got wrecked a couple of times, which felt even worse when you know you should be relaxing on a beach chair instead of raging at the screen. Tried playing on the balcony once, but the sun glare was impossible. Plus, trying to explain the frantic clicking and occasional shouting to passersby wasn’t really part of the ‘relaxing vacation’ vibe.
Here’s the gear I somehow thought was essential for a beach trip:
- The chunky gaming laptop
- My reliable mouse
- Headset (can’t miss those Tarkov sounds)
- A nest of cables and chargers
Looking back, it was a funny experience. Did I manage to properly relax? Eh, sort of. Did I satisfy the Tarkov itch? Absolutely. Was it the best way to enjoy a seaside vacation? Probably not. Mixing the high-stress world of Tarkov with a chill beach environment is… an acquired taste, let’s say. Felt like I needed a vacation from my vacation gaming sessions afterwards. Maybe next time, I’ll just stick to building sandcastles. Maybe.
