Driving.....Oh the Driving!

I thought it would be fun to do a post about the driving here in Australia. There are a few words that come to my mind-left left left!.....and round-abouts! It has been such an adjustment to learn to drive on the right hand side of the car and the left hand side of the road.

Matt was the first of the two of us to learn to drive. We got a rental for the first few weeks we were here so we figured better to learn on that than a car we actually owned! Here is Matt's first time driving. He may look scared but as the passenger I was even more terrified. I would routinely cover my face while sitting as far into the car as possible as I thought he was going to side-swipe every car we passed. And can I just pause for a second and say that they do not require us to pass any sort of driving test or even get an Australia license (although Matt has). Yes that's right.......they let us drive on our US license and just trust that we will be fine-No! I should be in driving school with the rest of the teenagers!

Matt took this of me on my first time driving. Is that concentration on my face? Terror? Confusion? All of the above........

This was my first time driving solo with the boys. They were just as concerned as I was. But I have to say, when I made it to my final destination on my own for the first time, I really felt like I deserved a medal. I felt like high-fiving everyone in the car park and yelling "I did it!"Such a feeling of accomplishment!

This is my Nav-Man. I cannot go anywhere without it. She has an Australian accent but I did make Matt change the settings into feet and miles rather than meters and kilometers. There is only so much change my brain can take at once!

We finally did go out and we each needed to buy a car. I ended up with a Toyota Rav 4 and Matt ended up with a Holden Cruz (Holden is an Australia brand). You quickly learn here the value of having a small vehicle. The smaller the better!

We've affectionately named Matt's car Little Boy Blue or just Blue for short. It has a lovely light blue hue to it and is definitely little for Matt. He usually has to open the cover to the sunroof so his head doesn't hit the ceiling.

I have to say we are coming along with the driving. I have only driven the wrong way up the drive way of the grocery store once. I am beginning to understand the roundabouts a bit more. I routinely put on the windshield wipers when i actually mean to signal, and I do still quite often go to get into the driver's seat on the left hand side. Once I realize my mistake I casually pretend "Yep, I totally meant to just put my purse in the car" and then proceeded to walk around to the driver's side......nothing to see here folks!