Laws of the road

 Sunday September 22
So on Sunday we had our first real adventure driving. We needed a few things from the grocery store which required a trip down the mountain. Our friends were away for the weekend and were so kind to leave us their car to use! We have not had a lot of time to go out here, or I should say Seth hasn't had the time to take us out. Yes, I know I could drive alone, but give me time! I'm still adjusting to the ways of the road. We don't know our way around yet, but have been out enough that we thought we could figure it out. With Seth as the driver and me as the navigator we set out.

We found our way with only one wrong turn! Pretty good I'd say for a first time.  

Really, the driving here isn't so bad. With just a few trips out on the road one learns very quickly what the rules are. The rules here are rather like the jungle rules, survival of the fittest! Drive like you are the only one on the road and you'll do fine! Start being too polite and you're likely to have an accident. Treat all traffic signals as mere suggestions, and if you want to merge you just have to stick your nose out there even if it looks like no one will stop for you! They will let you in if you force yourself in. Oh, and honk your horn a LOT!! People aren't being rude most of the time, it's just a great way to say "hey, I'm here where you may not be expecting me to be so beware."  

Below is a picture of us following another car through a red light. There was no one there at the light so why waste time sitting there?! Really, it makes sense, right? Haahaa

These are pictures of the street going up the hill to the University.

As you can see there isn't much good parking, so people park along the road and sometimes in the road if there isn't a convenient parking spot near the shop they need to go into. This can make driving a little more interesting making it necessary to swerve into the other lane to go around the parked cars. No one is upset about this, it's just the way it is.

 Tuesday September 24
 I had a little adventure all on my own today! Seth is away all day today in the refugee camps and I needed water! I know, it's a funny thing to need, isn't there water where you live? Well, yes there is even hot water right out of the tap! However, we can't drink it, or at least that is what I've been told, though some people have said they drink it. Who knows, but I'm not willing to risk it yet. So we have to buy our drinking water from the store. I'm not used to this yet, so last night we ran out of drinking water! I had hoped that my friend was going into town and I could just hitch a ride with her, but alas, she had already done her shopping the day before and didn't need to go, but I was welcome to take the car. I tried coming up with all kinds of ideas of why I couldn't go, but non would stick! We needed water! I took extra long getting ready to go, just psyching myself up. I didn't need to worry, I got there and back all in one piece!! I did a great job of swerving around the parked cars in the road, and squeezed past the trash truck that kept flashing it's lights at me. I'm still not sure what he expected me to do. Then I parked practically in the road just like everyone else! When I was finished I went down a side street to turn around to get back to the main road. The intersection was basically  gridlocked so I just waited till there was a little opening, stuck my nose out and got going in the right direction. Shew...I did it!!

All in all, I feel quite accomplished!