A warning to drivers in the Bay area
G'day all!
If any locals see a blonde woman gripping the steering wheel too hard in a new burgundy Sentra and randomly using the blinkers and the wipers, that will be me. I'm probably be trying to remember which is right and left, hence the random use of the wiper-washers as I'll be flummoxed and in Australia the indicators are on the other side of the steering wheel. The apparently random use of indicators demonstrates that I don't know where I am going and still can't tell left from right, so there are likely to be shouts of "NO! The OTHER left!" echoing from the car.
I drove around for an hour and a half yesterday trying to find my way around town without a map.
A map is a Really Good Idea.
I still don't have one but we did find the enormous Wholefoods out in Cupertino without a map. And when I got lost, I did eventually find my way home - I had thought that the main roads are mostly a grid system, but I found some "main" roads that didn't fit the grid very well, plus I was 90 degrees out in my directional sense. Stupid directional sense. Plus I had not really been able to see the mountains on the west side of San Jose very well before - it's rained and been misty a LOT. I didn't realise that they were so big!
Hopefully this weekend I will get a photoshoot of all the socks (except one pair that I gifted) that I've knitted over the last few weeks. I want to go into the mountains and to the beach. And find a place to live in either Campbell or Mountain View/Sunnyvale/similar.
anon!
If any locals see a blonde woman gripping the steering wheel too hard in a new burgundy Sentra and randomly using the blinkers and the wipers, that will be me. I'm probably be trying to remember which is right and left, hence the random use of the wiper-washers as I'll be flummoxed and in Australia the indicators are on the other side of the steering wheel. The apparently random use of indicators demonstrates that I don't know where I am going and still can't tell left from right, so there are likely to be shouts of "NO! The OTHER left!" echoing from the car.
I drove around for an hour and a half yesterday trying to find my way around town without a map.
A map is a Really Good Idea.
I still don't have one but we did find the enormous Wholefoods out in Cupertino without a map. And when I got lost, I did eventually find my way home - I had thought that the main roads are mostly a grid system, but I found some "main" roads that didn't fit the grid very well, plus I was 90 degrees out in my directional sense. Stupid directional sense. Plus I had not really been able to see the mountains on the west side of San Jose very well before - it's rained and been misty a LOT. I didn't realise that they were so big!
Hopefully this weekend I will get a photoshoot of all the socks (except one pair that I gifted) that I've knitted over the last few weeks. I want to go into the mountains and to the beach. And find a place to live in either Campbell or Mountain View/Sunnyvale/similar.
anon!
I quite like those sort of lost drives - you never know where you'll end up :) Hope you find somewhere good to live.
ReplyDeleteSo funny, Lynne! After nearly 15 months in Australia, I still have those moments of randomly hitting the wipers for the turn signals...sigh! I'd put it down to my aging brain!
ReplyDeleteA car is a very good idea in the Bay Area...so spread out, isn't it? There's lots to see and do, and some stellar road trips to take around Northern California. I think you'll have a lot of fun. The Sierras beckon, and Yosemite is a must, plus the Mendocino Coast, Monterey Peninsula and the Monterey Aquarium...you'll be a busy girl!
Good luck with the apartment search.
Oh no!! Here we have cars with both wiper/indicator figurations. It is very confusing and I think my brain would explode from the whole wrong side of the road thing. I think you did extrememly well. Yep, get a map!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow you wont know yourself with wheels even if you do go in circles at times!!!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to those sock piccies!
Im in the STR Club this year too,bit shocked at the cost mind....
Just wanted to let you know that almost EVERYONE gets their orientation off by about 90 degrees on the Peninsula side of the Bay Area. It's because very few of the roads actually run NS or EW! My husband was always off and we lived in our Santa Clara house for 11 years! You'll get used to it ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the driving? It will be a nice thing to have. PT is great, but definitely limits your "reach".
How are you finding potential housing? Don;t forget Craigslist!!!!
If you have transport why dont you try out one of the local knitting groups? There is a knitting meetup
ReplyDeletehttp://knitting.meetup.com/48/ on Wednesday in Cupertino. You have to sign up for details.
My, but you have a lot going on since I last went through my blogs! I love the picture of you driving on the wrong side of the road with your wipers on. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you find everything you are looking for, including a wonderful home!
Just checked out Colarado Dreaming,great photos!!!!
ReplyDelete