Today, I drove by myself for the first time. EVER.
I’ve never driven by myself before as Fu is usually sitting in the passenger seat, acting as adviser and extra pair of eyes.
I got my license only about 2 months before I left for Japan and have only driven a couple of times in Singapore. I can’t drive in Japan, so that was pretty much all the experience I had. To do this alone for the first time in America, with the opposite directions and huge cars, on top of little experience… was pretty daunting to say the least.
*deep breath*
(ok wait. historic moment, so need to take photo first, even though I just woke up and look disheveled)
LET’S GO!
Suffice to say… I got myself and the car safely to table tennis lesson!!! I had a bit of a buzzy feeling when I finally parked. I think it was the blood rushing to my head. Or hands. Or wherever it was that had a lack of blood supply. I swear even roller coaster rides don’t give me such a rush!
Feeling emboldened after my earlier success, I ventured to a Target store. But I got lost along the way, got myself trapped in a traffic jam – where did these people come from?!!, and got honked at when I took just a tad bit longer to turn left into Target =_=
After I made my way back to the hotel (uneventfully, fortunately) I had to make another trip out to the post office to mail out some overdue post cards.
Yes. From the Grand Canyon trip a month ago -_- Fu only finishes work after the post offices have closed, so I didn’t get any chance to mail them. Until today!
The route to the post office was absolutely treacherous. After a right turn out the hotel, it’s a left, a right, a left, a right and then a final left turn. Exactly in that order. I’m not even making this stuff up. It was a total nightmare! Changing lanes is the most stressful thing to do and it’s like this route was deliberately mocking me -_- Because seriously, what are the chances of it alternating like that?!
To the 6 people who are going to receive these postcards: I RISKED MY LIFE TO GET THEM TO YOU SO YOU’D BETTER CHERISH THEM AND HAND THEM DOWN TO YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS LIKE A TREASURED HEIRLOOM.
After maneuvering the insane number of turns with crowded roads – seriously, don’t people have to work??? why are there so many vehicles on the roads crowding the lanes?! – I was going to make the final left turn when I got honked at again -_- Bloody hell. All because the car’s butt wasn’t completely in the lane (I didn’t realize I wasn’t on the special turning lane until too late)
On my way back, there was a car from the opposite direction turning left and cutting across the 3 lanes of my direction. For some reason, it decided to just randomly STOP AND BLOCK UP TWO OF THE LANES ON MY SIDE OF THE ROAD. The cars in front of me simply swerved around the car and went on their way.
I was honked at twice today but this guy didn’t even get a tiny toot?! Life is unfair.
By the way, I noticed a couple of hilarious things and you might find it helpful on…
TELLTALE SIGNS OF A NOOB DRIVER
1. Driver’s seat
Chair pushed all the way forward, check.
Chair raised all the way up, check.
Back is uncomfortably straight, check.
2. Parking
Tires smooshed against pavement, check.
I’ll be driving again by myself tomorrow! Let’s hope I meet less of those drivers terrorizing Austin roads and newbie drivers. (you couldn’t have possibly thought the title was referring to ME, could you?)
