I've done quite a bit of driving in the last few days. Having a car has made it possible to reach places such as Fishbourne Palace, well known to the Year 8 Latin students and Ashdown Forest, to play pooh sticks on The Bridge and lay a trap for Heppalumps in the 100 Aker Wood.
I managed navigating using google maps screenshot onto my iPad for the first couple of excursions but got geographically confused on the way to Ashdown Forest. I knew I was in trouble when the signposts were taking me to Hastings and there were signs for 1066 appearing. Fortunately a service station had maps and I was able to determine where I was and where I needed to be. Needless to say, the return journey to Brighton was direct and much faster. I've now driven motorways, highways and minor roads. The motorways terrified me on the first day because there were some driver going so fast I felt like I'd strayed on to the autobahn. Interestingly most of the cars were German makes. I'm used to them now, and enjoy the opportunity to get into 5th gear. The next stage down might look like highways but they are interrupted regularly by either roundabouts or little town where the speed limit is 30 mph (about 50 kph). The speed limit is 60 mph but it is rare to do that for more than a few miles before having to slow down again. I find that I can enjoy the view more on the motorways because the travel is more constant.
The smaller roads are slow but beautiful to drive through at this time of the year. Hedgerows lining the roads or overhanging trees clothed in autumn colours, little village houses with white washed walls and thatched roofs or tudor panelling, pubs called The Cricketers Arms, or The Priory, squat stone churches, one lane bridges over bubbling streams: all straight out of the tourist guide. I decided early on that if I stopped (if I could stop) to photograph I'd never get anywhere.
Over in Spain I had issues with directions where I was often 180 degrees out when I first arrived in a city - I'd noticed it the other times I had been in Europe also. I have a good innate sense of direction and I had assumed it was a hemisphere problem, but I think it is now related to the driving side of the road, because it isn't happening in England. Although I will admit that Taunton defeated me tonight, looking for my Bed and Breakfast. The map looked very clear, it was on a main road, but I was caught in peak hour traffic in the centre of the city and ended up completely lost. I had to get out on to one of the highways to reorient myself and try again, twice.
I managed navigating using google maps screenshot onto my iPad for the first couple of excursions but got geographically confused on the way to Ashdown Forest. I knew I was in trouble when the signposts were taking me to Hastings and there were signs for 1066 appearing. Fortunately a service station had maps and I was able to determine where I was and where I needed to be. Needless to say, the return journey to Brighton was direct and much faster. I've now driven motorways, highways and minor roads. The motorways terrified me on the first day because there were some driver going so fast I felt like I'd strayed on to the autobahn. Interestingly most of the cars were German makes. I'm used to them now, and enjoy the opportunity to get into 5th gear. The next stage down might look like highways but they are interrupted regularly by either roundabouts or little town where the speed limit is 30 mph (about 50 kph). The speed limit is 60 mph but it is rare to do that for more than a few miles before having to slow down again. I find that I can enjoy the view more on the motorways because the travel is more constant.
The smaller roads are slow but beautiful to drive through at this time of the year. Hedgerows lining the roads or overhanging trees clothed in autumn colours, little village houses with white washed walls and thatched roofs or tudor panelling, pubs called The Cricketers Arms, or The Priory, squat stone churches, one lane bridges over bubbling streams: all straight out of the tourist guide. I decided early on that if I stopped (if I could stop) to photograph I'd never get anywhere.
Over in Spain I had issues with directions where I was often 180 degrees out when I first arrived in a city - I'd noticed it the other times I had been in Europe also. I have a good innate sense of direction and I had assumed it was a hemisphere problem, but I think it is now related to the driving side of the road, because it isn't happening in England. Although I will admit that Taunton defeated me tonight, looking for my Bed and Breakfast. The map looked very clear, it was on a main road, but I was caught in peak hour traffic in the centre of the city and ended up completely lost. I had to get out on to one of the highways to reorient myself and try again, twice.
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