Tuesday, May 26, 2009

DRIVING!

Well, today I woke up very late, which was nice, I wandered downstairs, ate some Jamaican ginger cake (lovely) and sat around watching Gilmore Girls. Someone knocked at the door and when I went to get it, it was my driving instructor. I then remembered that I was supposed to have a lesson. Whoops. I rushed upstairs, got changed, grabbed a house key and went out (took me roughly 2 minutes - good practise from often running late for the train). I did some comfortable driving around the estate nearby that I practised on last time I had a lesson in this area. My instructor then got me to go on slightly more major roads. Up until today I had only got up to about 20 miles an hour and second gear- (it was my 5th lesson), now I've been up to 40 miles an hour and fourth gear. I had a strange 'very stressed but kind of calm' sort of feeling going on. The worst bits were when I had to change gear in the higher ones, going at 30ish, change to fourth gear without looking, or slowing much and keeping in lane holding the wheel with just my right hand. Too many things to think about. Along with upping the speed and gears, the circuit I was doing included two sets of traffic lights and two (possibly three?) mini roundabouts (both of which I hadn't done before) and I had to keep pace with traffic and overtake a cyclist. I wasn't even very comfortable with travelling on a road with oncoming traffic because I hadn't done that much, and having to do it at 30-40 miles an hour is extremely nerve-racking. Particularly as I hadn't even remembered or prepared for the lesson in the first place!
Still feeling rather tense (I got back about 15 mins ago). I feel a bit like I've just had flooding treatment for a driving phobia.
I also realised, on returning home, that I left the oven on. Luckily I was just preheating it to do some food so I didn't leave anything to burn to cinders in there. Still, leaving the oven on in an unattended house for an hour is generally not a good idea.

Anyway, I've now cooked some food so I need to go eat something. Apart from the ginger cake I didn't have anything to eat before I left. Need some proper food.

No comments: