DRIVING!

I think the challenge with driving here is not all the differences, it is the pace. Traffic is often really heavy and fast, and drivers are very aggressive. To try to keep up you end up making mistakes because of lack of familiarity.

Speed limits are in miles per hour, as are the distance signs. That was a surprise, I expected kilometers. Highway speeds are mostly 70 MPH, city speeds are generally 40 MPH.

The UK solves traffic problems with roundabouts, we'd call them traffic circles. Generally 3 or more roads intersect at a big traffic circle and there is a controlled free-for-all to get where you want to go. Traffic on the circle has the right of way, so you jump in when there is an opening and try to jump off when your street comes by. Not always as easy as one might imagine. And there is a grading system. No honks means you did okay, one honk means you did it right but not fast enough, more than one means you are me.

The first days on the road were pretty nerve racking. I drove all the time and Shirleen watched the GPS unit. We were both pretty tense leading to some 'lively' conversation at times.

Judging your clearance on the left side of the car was initally a real problem. The first few days I drove over many, many curbs. And the entrance way to each floor of the parking garage at Wolseley is very narrow, so I scraped the side of the rental car on the wall. Twice. I'm surprised they didn't charge me.

Taking a right turn into the left lane just doesn't seem right, but I haven't made that mistake for a couple of days. It's hard to overcome 40 years of practice.

I'll be confident I have it down the day I walk to the car and unlock the door to get in - on the right side. About half the time I still go to where the steering wheel is supposed to be, not where it is.

We get to use our North Carolina driver's licenses for a year. Then we have to take the UK test. By that time we should just about have it figured out.