Freeway Driving.

 I don't like driving and I am the first to admit that it sometimes scares me but I think that I am a pretty good driver though others don't always agree with me.  Aye T?  But I take care, I'm patient, I don't crash.  When going anywhere with the husband I prefer it if he drives.  Going with some others I prefer to drive, only because I trust myself more than them.  I don't like going with people that like going too fast.  I don't like going with impatient people that get cranky if they need to slow down for other vehicles.  I don't like going with people that check their phones or rummage around behind the seat for something in their bag. I don't like going with people that drive too close to the car in front or people that read the newspaper while they are driving.  Yep, I have been a passenger in a car with people that have done those things. I have seen people driving do all that and worse.  I know that there are idiots on the roads and I know that I am not one of them.  I know that I am not going to speed, I am going to concentrate, I am not going to get cranky and impatient, even with the idiots.  Well, not dangerously so anyway.   Knowing all of that I still get scared.  And it is this stupid scaredyness that is stopping me from doing what I want.  From going on adventures.
So when the daughter needed to get to the hospital in Perth again and no-one else could take her I said that I would.   It meant driving up on the freeway and seeing that I have cried quite a few times when in a car on this road, as a passenger!! I was kinda worried.   I was scared but knew that I had to do this because really, I'm 55 and it's about time I put my big girl pants on, sucked it up and got on with it.  So I did.

I didn't hate it, not all of it anyway but there were bits that I'd rather not repeat.  I knew where I had to go, knew what way I wanted to go, checked the map and even had a second way thought out, just in case I somehow missed the first exit.  Well I did miss the first exit and ended up in the wrong lane for the second exit I had planned.  Oops, now what, where do I go now...follow the road, in with all those bloody cars and hope I could get back onto the freeway.   We get back on and get onto the road that will take us to the second exit.  This is the way that daughter and her fella had been the last few weeks so I figured she'd be able to tell me the way.  I should have payed more attention the the map though, so I didn't have to rely on someone else, so I had more than a vague idea.   She knew where we were but I didn't and when she hesitated and I was at a road I recognised I turned.  Into Thomas which is the road I wanted first but different end.   Fine, go this way, turn right onto Bagot and we are there.  'Ceptin' that the lights that I wanted to turn at had a no right turn sign.  Bugger!  Now what.  Keep going, take the next turn, then again to get onto Bagot, find the hospital, turn around and find a park...Then when she was finished in there try and work out how to get out.  That bit was easy though as we were going into Kings Park for a bit as she had a 2 hour wait before having to go back.  This bit was easy, straight down Bagot, across Thomas at the lights, down Kings Park Road hoping all the while that I wouldn't miss the turn into the park because then I would have ended up...I dunno, lost.  Forever.  We got into the park, got out again and back up to the hospital, more driving and turning to find a park...I had a bit of an idea on getting out, but asked a few people just to confirm...got different directions from them so looked at the map and went my way, a bit of a reverse on how I wanted to get there.  Sitting in the hospital waiting for the results though I started getting a headache.  Mega bad headache caused from not having a morning coffee so the thinking wasn't the best and I was starting to worry a bit about getting back onto the freeway to get home.  I knew I'd be fine once on the freeway but couldn't think how to get there from where I would be when we left the hospital.. And what if I missed the turn, we'd be lost.  Forever!
Needless to say, we made it.  Easy to get onto Mountsbay road, get to the end of that and follow the sign to get onto the freeway.  There was no crying, a bit of worrying, some city driving maneuvers and I think I got tooted for pullin in front of someone, at least once...

I'm glad I don't have to do it again next week but will again if I need to.  Maybe.  Why anyone would willingly drive to and around Perth is beyond me so it's a shame that some of the places that I want to go are the other side of the city.  One day I might do it again but next time I will pay more attention, I will get over sooner when I'm told to get into the left lane, I will listen when I'm told that I'm not on the road they went on.  Maybe...