Today I tackled my first time driving on the left side of the road for an extended time period in Western Australia. It’s certainly a learning process and a bit disorienting having everything on the other side of the car.
Everything is backwards from what I’m used to. I instinctively reach over my left shoulder for my seatbelt. I think the rearview mirror should be on my right side not my left. I’ve put the windshield wipers on instead of my blinker on more than one occasion. I reach my left elbow up while driving expecting to rest it on my door. My blind spot is on the left not the right (we good over there Alan?). I have to use my left hand to put the car in drive or reverse. And finally, there is a whole lot more car on my left than I’m used to!
It takes some time to adjust and empty streets are actually more challenging than following the flow of traffic, but slowly and surely I know I will figure it out and hopefully by the end of my time in Australia and New Zealand it will feel normal to me. For now I force myself to be dialed in while driving.
Driving on the other side of the road means that I have to be paying complete attention to everything that’s going on. No half-on brain zoned out driving “how did I end up here already?” I think that’s a good thing. I also have to be vigilant in watching out for kangaroos and emus that could do serious damage to my car and/or me, just like the annoying deer in the US. There are a lot of kangaroos in Western Australia. I’ve seen them dotting open fields and even right at the entrance of my campground.
My palms may sweat even more than usual on these road trips, but it’s another thing I’m proud to be slowly tackling. This sabbatical is all about stepping outside my comfort zone, following my own path, and facing my fears. It’s how I hope to learn and grow from this whole journey.
Speaking of the journey, I am currently about as far away from my hometown in Connecticut and my home for the last ten years, New York City as you can get on the globe (or placemat for you flat earthers…). The northeast United States antipode lies off the west coast of Western Australia and the very southwest of the state marks the furthest landmass and cities from where I’ve lived my whole life. I literally cannot be further from home on land. It is a cool and also slightly scary thought but I’ve made it as far as I can go!
Turns out if you dig a hole you won’t end up in China but start digging if you’d like to see me, I’ll have Australia send out a rescue boat for you.
Margaret River Australia
November 2024