This was taken a few years ago, when we spent a week on the west coast of France. I recall being terribly confused, the west coast of France is east of the USA, I kept thinking it was the east coast of France. Thankfully Ms. Garmin can find her way around, except in Bayeux, she was terribly confused and stopped talking to me until I escaped the old part of the city. Garmin sells SD memory cards with regional maps, they are worth their weight in gold when traveling.
The rental car this trip is a Nissan Juke. I have driven them before, a four door, kind of cross over, not really an SUV, but not a hot hatch. This one has a manual transmission, my first time driving a manual in nine years, I was pleased at how fast the skill comes back. It took a couple of tries, but we changed the language on the car to English, including the built in GPS (Sat Nav.) We have gotten the lady lost a couple of times, but generally we go wherever the little voices tell us to go. Ms. G is onboard if needed for backup. We also reset the home location, the Gite, in the middle of 12 acres of greenhouses.
Roundabouts take a little getting used to. So far so good.
I find France fairly easy to drive in. Take the extra insurance, and drive so you never need it. I always think of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" when I am saying yes, $10 a day extra and if I return a smoldering wreck to you that just fine. (If you have not read the book, it is a wild-wild ride through a Drug Enforcement Convention in Las Vegas by a stoned journalist - it is a unique read.) And be patient, if you make a wrong turn, or miss a turn, don't panic there will be a round about shortly ahead to give you another try at finding the road you wanted. The important thing is don't panic. And drive slower than you normally would. Even the tortoises are slower here. (I was called out in a comment for confusing turtles who live in water with tortoises who live on land - a nit picking comment - but a lesson remembered.)
It doesn't pay to be American-centric when traveling abroad.
ReplyDeleteFor sure.
DeleteI naturally drive a wee bit slower when I'm somewhere I don't live ... even in the US.
ReplyDeleteI can pull over and let them pass, that is how we ended up at the remains of a Roman Aqueduct
DeleteThe last time I drove a car in France was in 1991. I was much younger with a quicker response time. I don't think I'd try it these days.
ReplyDeleteIn rural areas it can be very pleasant.
DeleteYou are staying in the middle of acres of greenhouses? Remember that people who live near glass houses should not throw stones! I hope that you have both bought French berets as souvenirs.
ReplyDeleteBought a beret many years ago.
Delete'Round these parts (pun intended) roundabouts are being railed against as unAmerican like vegetarian meals
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget your towel
ReplyDeleteSassybear
https://idleeyesandadormy.com/