Getting Around

In the States, you can typically get around with simple instructions and/or a decent paper map. Most major cities were planned on a grid and sooner or later you'll get from here to there even if you had to take a few wrong turns. Little bit harder here in the Old World. In Barcelona, for example, there are no street signs. Instead, street names are posted on little plaques on the sides of buildings. Provided that the sun is not casting a glare, you have 20/20 vision, you can read and comprehend the Castilian street names and can read the small printed plaques at 30 kph (and that there is a sign, often times there is not) -- there's a 60% chance you will make a correct turn at the upcoming intersection.

Did I say intersection? I should be more clear. Most traffic interchanges are "traffic circles." See the picture below. No stop lights, etc. Just merge into the blender and try and pop out the other side without getting honked at too many times. This was definitely and adjustment! When you come upon several traffic circles in a row it can be extremely disorienting. Especially given I am not hard wired to gauge North at all times like some people I know. North? How about what side is up? The kids think we are on some sort of roller coaster ride at times.

An directions for navigating the traffic circle can be a challenge too ... Here's an example of a fairly tame traffic circle.

... so we turned to technology to help us along. I think I mentioned before that we got a TomTom brand GPS unit with our rental car. Still unsure if the model is just so old it doesn't work right, or was designed by blind monkeys. What ever the case, it barely works and often "locks up" at the most inconvenient time. Convinced DH that I would be far more pleasant to drive with if we had a decent GPS unit, so we got a Garmin 3790T at an electronics store. This unit is so thin and light it reminds me of an iPhone. DH upgraded all the maps, plugged in all my necessary locations, and now we have a fighting chance at getting around. The thing I like about it the most is that it actually responds to the touch easily instead of having to pound in the letters like the Dumb Dumb, I mean Tom Tom.

I've been driving around quite a bit lately, figured at some point our bread winner would have to return to a real office and I'd be on my own so now was as good as time as any. I've got all the important destinations loaded into the new GPS (Carrefour, the school, our new home - for when we finally get the keys) and I'm feeling a little more confident after a week abroad. That's not to say that it doesn't take all my concentration and extra strength deodorant to get from point A to point B.