Driving around...Portugese style.

Another week in my temporary home of Portugal and all is going well. I now have a car and am driving!

This may not sound so exciting but for me it's a big deal as have never really driven on the 'other' side of the road before. In Australia we drive like they do in the UK - left hand drive and on the left hand side. Here it's all different (dare I say backwards?).  I was so scared picking up the car as, although I have lived in Italy for almost 2 years, I have never really driven there. 

The first time I properly drove in Italy was a few weeks before leaving when I went to visit bel ragazzo. He took me out in his families ancient Fiat Panda, and let me drive around the deserted mountain roads for a while. I was so scared and drove so slowly, my left hand kept reaching for the gears when in fact I was touching the door! A few weeks later I am happy to report that not only can I drive (manual car of course!) I am a now a fantastic driver. Well fantastic driver here in the sleepy west of Portugal. The roads are wide, spacious, new, well signposted and there are hardly any other drivers. It is better for me to take the freeway as there is less traffic on it, like no one wants to drive at high speed. So you see, I am well aware my fantastic driving is reserved for Portugal as the thought of driving back in Italy terrifies me.