I'm a Leftie Now!

Today was the start of my Aussie roadtrip, taking me out of the pleasant cocoon of Sydney. I was right on time to pick up the rental car after an hour's trek by public transit and a not insignificant walk which involved pushing my suitcase up a hill. They quickly handed over the keys and I was left sitting on the right hand side of a compact car steeling my nerves for what was to come.

There wouldn't be any time to ease into it, I knew that Sydney's rush hour traffic was waiting for me. Off I went, Google maps on the phone attached to the window, a full tank of gas...what could go wrong? Well...I couldn't even find my way out of the parking garage! Eventually that was sorted out and I plunged into morning traffic. The one advantage to heavy traffic is you don't go very fast, definitely a plus this morning.

My observations of driving a right seat car on the left side of the road:
1. It just feels wrong, and it makes you hyper aware of your driving. Most of the time.
2. The turn signal and wiper levers are reversed. You would not believe how many times I turned on the wipers to make a turn.
3. Roundabouts go clockwise, when they should of course go counterclockwise. I learned this when I nearly  cut off another driver in my very first one. Lesson learned without dents or blood, so all is good.
4. You really need to pay attention at all times, no driving on autopilot. A good example would be stopping at a rest area and when you leave you turn right and stay right for a couple of hundred yards until you realize the words painted on the highway are upside down and you scream and jerk the car into the left lane even though there is no one on the road but you. Just saying.

After a couple of hours and escaping from rush hour traffic I was finally able to actually enjoy the drive. I was taking a route that I had read was "quiet and scenic". The scenery was indeed just fantastic. The landscape continually changed...forest, then undulating hills, mountains, plains...all of it just beautiful. I was totally in awe of it and just soaked it in. I drove about 300 miles, further than it sounds as it was almost entirely on 2 lane roads that were anything but straight. As to quiet, there were very few other cars, mostly just locals in trucks doing their chores. There was a nearly 3 hour stretch of the drive without even ONE town. No businesses, no stores, just a lot of scenery.

The animal count for the day was low, but that happens when you have to look at the road. I saw one eastern red kangaroo, who sat up and took a look at me as I drove by and probably disturbing his nap. Two turtles in the road, in my lane, who made me practice defensive driving, successfuly I might add, and many huge crows pecking at roadkill which I attempted to avoid seeing in detail along with

That's my ride...

I actually knew where I was!

I turned around and got out in the rain for this one.

This is a dobby, used to haul trees, but not anymore

This is for my sister Laura...very modern and smelled good due to the 20 urinal cakes they used!

Pioneer's Lookout

Apparantly this is not unusual, happened to me twice today!

a plethora of hawks eyeing said roadkill too.

I can't wait for tomorrow! By the way...Australia smells good and the sky is bluer than I've ever seen.