In SA, you unlock the garage, then unlock your car, then get in, fasten your seat belt , and make sure all the doors are locked and the windows are rolled up. You then reverse out into the street, keeping very aware of your surroundings, and speed off on a straight road or highway. You will not have gotten far before someone hoots or swears at you.
In St Helena, you stroll up to your unlocked car that is parked on the street, (the windows are probably still open from last night) get in and (without the restriction of a seat belt) reverse out into the street and drive away slowly up, or down a twisty street, waving at every car or person that you pass.
Hooting is used when approaching a blind hair pin bend in the single lane roads, to warn any oncoming car that you are there. There is no speeding – simply because the roads are so narrow and twisty and steep (either uphill or downhill – never level), that you can seldom get into 3rd gear, let alone 4th.
Graeme took off on his bike at about 8.30am to go and have a time of prayer with Vincent.
We went to visit our "girls" at 3.00pm. See photos of them :
Playing tug o' war with some rope that Graeme brought them
Abi does not like to stop the game
Cho, colling off in the long grass
5.00pm, and Graeme had to go off to a deacons' meeting while Hazel stayed at home and prepared for tomorrow's meetings, and cooked tonight's supper.
You quite succinctly capture driving on SH! My fear of the twisty roads was compounded by the fact that, as an American, I had to do it all on what felt like the WRONG side of the road! I was surprised by how comfortable I became. This was helped, I am sure, by the fact that most of the driving has to be in 1st or 2nd gear - you are going slow enough to think about what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteWhen we came home we kept waving to other drivers out of habit. We got more than a few strange looks!
Thanks for your interaction with me Genevieve. It makes me feel like I am chatting with you.
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