Here's another blast from the past—an article I wrote a few years ago:
I’m not talking about the movie with Miss Daisy. I’m saying that after our recent family vacation in New Zealand and Australia, “Driving: Me Crazy!” (Of course I know it would be more grammatically correct to say, “Driving: I was crazy!”)
Let me explain. I had great anxiety about this vacation. It was not about being in a plane, in coach, for many hours. My concerns were not about figuring out what day and time it was as we crossed the international dateline. I wasn’t worried about exchanging American dollars for New Zealand and Australian dollars. I must admit, I had a bit of panic over what to wear. The weather said the temperature in Queenstown was 3 degrees, but 14 in Auckland. I thought Centigrade was a bug with lots of legs! I didn’t even have to be concerned about the language. (They speak English in New Zealand and Australia—sort of!)
My greatest concern was about getting behind the wheel of our rental car. So, with sweaty palms and shaking knees I headed from the airport in Christchurch, New Zealand to our rental car agency. I was greeted with a cheerful, “G’Day, Mate!” I could barely speak. Along with the car keys, I was given an atlas, a first aid kit, and advice to rent snow chains too (you see it’s winter south of the equator now!)
Now here is where my worries were amplified. If I damaged the atlas, it would be an extra $25.00. I was advised that if I found someone injured on the road I should first collect $50.00 because if I opened the first aid kit, that’s how much I would be charged. As for the snow chains, I did rent them. We were shown how to put them on the tires but I was really thinking, if I use these snow chains, I’ll never be able to get them back in the case.
Well, here is when the anxieties really became overwhelming. I got behind the wheel. Now what you need to realize is that the wheel is on the right hand side of the car (as you’re sitting behind the misplaced wheel). In New Zealand and Australia (like in England and Bermuda) they drive on the left hand side of the road. My fears were confirmed as I tried to use the signal indicator and turned on the windshield wipers instead! Now this was a problem for me but on the bright side, it brought great laughter to the other passengers in the car—my loving wife and two children! My son, who had been living (and driving) in New Zealand for a few months said, “You know Dad, every time we used the wiper control by mistake, we had to put a dollar up.” You’ll be happy to know I’m back from vacation with only $3,459 in the “missed signal” kitty.
Of course, it’s a nice relaxing vacation, free of stress as you hear people shouting, “Dad, you’re in the wrong lane! They drive on the left side!” And don’t get me going on the round-abouts (or as we sanely call them, rotaries) or the one-lane bridges through the mountain passes.
Fortunately, no one in the family was there when I got into the car before they came out and got into the seat and wondered why the steering wheel disappeared. I quickly got out and used the right door before they came out of the hotel.
On top of that I’m trying to figure out the speed limits. We were traversing the beautiful mountain roads, looking at the scenery used to film “The Lord of the Rings.” Of course, instead of enjoying the scenery, I’m trying to figure out what 100 kilometers an hour means. And we complain about the price of gas here! If I figured correctly how many liters are in a gallon, I paid over $8.00 per gallon in New Zealand and Australia.
Speaking of Australia, my anxieties were augmented even more as our rental car was a stick shift and I’m grabbing the gear shift with my left hand! Talk about complicating an already complicated situation. I must admit, it was fun to see the signs indicating to be careful of kangaroos crossing the road!
Well, needless to say, but I’ll say it any way: I made it back from our family vacation near the bottom of the world and somehow survived driving without any casualties other than a few grinding gears and worn out windshield wiper blades. As they say down under, “No worries, Mate!”
I’m not talking about the movie with Miss Daisy. I’m saying that after our recent family vacation in New Zealand and Australia, “Driving: Me Crazy!” (Of course I know it would be more grammatically correct to say, “Driving: I was crazy!”)
Let me explain. I had great anxiety about this vacation. It was not about being in a plane, in coach, for many hours. My concerns were not about figuring out what day and time it was as we crossed the international dateline. I wasn’t worried about exchanging American dollars for New Zealand and Australian dollars. I must admit, I had a bit of panic over what to wear. The weather said the temperature in Queenstown was 3 degrees, but 14 in Auckland. I thought Centigrade was a bug with lots of legs! I didn’t even have to be concerned about the language. (They speak English in New Zealand and Australia—sort of!)
My greatest concern was about getting behind the wheel of our rental car. So, with sweaty palms and shaking knees I headed from the airport in Christchurch, New Zealand to our rental car agency. I was greeted with a cheerful, “G’Day, Mate!” I could barely speak. Along with the car keys, I was given an atlas, a first aid kit, and advice to rent snow chains too (you see it’s winter south of the equator now!)
Now here is where my worries were amplified. If I damaged the atlas, it would be an extra $25.00. I was advised that if I found someone injured on the road I should first collect $50.00 because if I opened the first aid kit, that’s how much I would be charged. As for the snow chains, I did rent them. We were shown how to put them on the tires but I was really thinking, if I use these snow chains, I’ll never be able to get them back in the case.
Well, here is when the anxieties really became overwhelming. I got behind the wheel. Now what you need to realize is that the wheel is on the right hand side of the car (as you’re sitting behind the misplaced wheel). In New Zealand and Australia (like in England and Bermuda) they drive on the left hand side of the road. My fears were confirmed as I tried to use the signal indicator and turned on the windshield wipers instead! Now this was a problem for me but on the bright side, it brought great laughter to the other passengers in the car—my loving wife and two children! My son, who had been living (and driving) in New Zealand for a few months said, “You know Dad, every time we used the wiper control by mistake, we had to put a dollar up.” You’ll be happy to know I’m back from vacation with only $3,459 in the “missed signal” kitty.
Of course, it’s a nice relaxing vacation, free of stress as you hear people shouting, “Dad, you’re in the wrong lane! They drive on the left side!” And don’t get me going on the round-abouts (or as we sanely call them, rotaries) or the one-lane bridges through the mountain passes.
Fortunately, no one in the family was there when I got into the car before they came out and got into the seat and wondered why the steering wheel disappeared. I quickly got out and used the right door before they came out of the hotel.
On top of that I’m trying to figure out the speed limits. We were traversing the beautiful mountain roads, looking at the scenery used to film “The Lord of the Rings.” Of course, instead of enjoying the scenery, I’m trying to figure out what 100 kilometers an hour means. And we complain about the price of gas here! If I figured correctly how many liters are in a gallon, I paid over $8.00 per gallon in New Zealand and Australia.
Speaking of Australia, my anxieties were augmented even more as our rental car was a stick shift and I’m grabbing the gear shift with my left hand! Talk about complicating an already complicated situation. I must admit, it was fun to see the signs indicating to be careful of kangaroos crossing the road!
Well, needless to say, but I’ll say it any way: I made it back from our family vacation near the bottom of the world and somehow survived driving without any casualties other than a few grinding gears and worn out windshield wiper blades. As they say down under, “No worries, Mate!”
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