http://norman.walsh.name/2004/09/30/thinkLeft 7 173 2004-09-30T21:42:08+01:00 $Date$ Norman Walsh 2004 Norman Walsh Poor planning on my part forced me behind the wheel of an automobile in England on this trip. Poor planning on my part Doubly poor since I hadn’t the common sense to let Deb to review my itinerary beforehand. forced me behind the wheel of an automobile in England on this trip. I had a noon departure on Sunday and getting from Norwich back to Heathrow by noon on a Sunday started with a 5:05am bus and took three or four connections to arrive just barely in time. Better I should rent a car, I decided. Despite my considerable trepidation, not mollified in the slightest by the fact that I was starting at 7:00a after a couple of hours sleep on a transatlantic flight, it was mostly fine. Only once did I almost pull out in front of a car approaching from the right. I think it’s the nicest thing anyone behind an airline checking counter has ever said to me. It’s an almost civilized way to fly. Shifting with my left hand was…different. It’s a good thing the pedals are the same way around or I think it would be impossible. The first couple of roundabouts got my adrenaline going too, but I had the hang of it by the fifth or sixth. Happily, the driving rain held off until after I reached my folks place. I needed to stretch my legs, so Dad and I went for a walk in it. We looked like drowned rats, but this little toad was right in his element. After we got him off the road, that is.