I know-I need to catch up on my blogging. I did have a draft of the final days in Morocco, but it has disappeared into the depths of internet space.
Crappy week to say the least.
I finally took my driving test as it looks like we will be here for another year past the initial contract of 2 years. Plus Jason threatened to take away my keys if I didn't.
So-my instructor took me out for a few more lessons, said I was good to go and he felt I would pass no problemo. HA. We went out for an hour of driving before the test-and I had no problems. Ten minutes before the test time, we drove to the center and maneuvered the car into a space and made our way on foot to the waiting area. Even though I've been driving for a long time, I was nervous.
There were 4 other people waiting to take the test and one by one they disappeared as their examiner called them to their cars. Mine seemed like a friendly chap, talking to me to ease the nerves. Until we stepped into the hall and he introduced me to his supervisor, who was going to ride along with us. Brilliant.
First step was to stand in the car park and read the license plate on a distant car (eye test). Then I showed him my car. Most people have tiny cars and he was taken aback by my VW Touran, which in reality is narrower than Jason's BMW. But I let him think it was big. I had to show him I knew how to check that my lights were in working order and I knew how to honk my horn (duh-I'm American of course I know how the horn works). Then we set of for our 45 minute driving test.
Right off the bat I made an error. I wasn't sure if a light was for me and started to slow. They make a big deal here about putting on the break without the clutch, so I was doing that and stalled the stupid thing. I NEVER stall. Grr. Then we went around Cambridge, me showing him I knew how to turn down narrow streets looking for on-coming cars because there is really only room for 1 car at a time. I had to be sure to look in my mirrors every few seconds for bikers. A couple times I had to just pull over in a convenient spot, to show him I know when its safe to pull over (no bikes in the way) and pull out, again the bikes.
You have to perform 2 of 4 maneuvers on the test-I was only worried about 1 but my instructor said the examiner would be nervous about the size of my car and not make me do it anyway. First maneuver for me was to perform a 3-point turn in the in middle of a street without hitting the curbs. With my car it was more like 5 turns, but they only want to see clutch control and that you are observant of what is around you. No problem.
Next he took me to a round-about on the A-14 near where Jason works. There is always road works going on here and the road way changes on a daily basis. Not fair if you ask me. I thought I did fine, and he had me go onto the A10. Good, this was just testing me to see that I went slowly around blind curves. Second maneuver, back around a corner staying close to the curb and straight back until he tells me to stop. Fine, did that perfect, even when the garbage truck decided to back into the road perilously close to me. We drove around a bit more and went back to the test center. The other maneuvers I could have been given are backing into a parking space and parallel parking.
Here he told me to park and turned to me and said, “Well I’m sorry to tell you that you have failed your test today. Would you like a briefing?” I requested my instructor hear what had to be said. Turns out I failed because I stalled the car and drove 40 in a 30. The sign is posted just after you come off the round about on the opposite side of the road that I was looking. My instructor was a bit miffed; the same examiner failed another student of his the day before for something stupid like ‘undue hesitation.’ On the way home we decided that the supervisor was doing a ride along because he had been passing too many people.
I really just want to be in America where I understand how everything works; I can drive an automatic and have large signs in obvious places.
Then to top it all off the landlord came by for a visit to see her garden today. I asked her if she was going to let us renew the lease in December. No go, she wants her house back. Double bugger. So now we have to look for a new place to live on top of everything else.
On the plus side-I was offered a place at the Chelsea Physic Garden’s garden design program next September. It’s a 1 year program, 2 days/week in London and 3 days of work from home. We also have to find a new nanny as our current one doesn’t want to nanny full time.
