Driving diary update

Early morning spin to Newcastle beach - 8th May

I'm still a bit obsessed with recording all my driving, lol.. Starting with the early morning spin I did, to Newcastle. I actually needed to get petrol, but I hadn't done a petrol station stop on my own yet, so I didn't want to do it for the first time, during the busy hours of the day. I also wanted to go for an early morning spin in general, so I combined the two - Routebuilder.org route here.

I got petrol at Kilmacanogue, without causing a fire or an explosion.. =) Then, I drove to Newcastle beach. Even before stopping at the petrol station, I'd had some trouble with the fourth gear - it didn't feel right, and it was all noisy =/ (Yes, I'm certain that it was actually on the fourth gear, etc..) So, I kind of didn't dare to use it, after trying it a few times, and having the same problem every time. I thought, staying on it might cause some/more damage, so I just stayed on the third gear, then phoned D when I got to Newcastle.

He said he'd do a test spin, so I drove home - this time via Kilcoole & Greystones, instead of the N11. Then, D did a little test spin in Bray, and had no trouble with the fourth gear! (I've had no trouble with it since, so it's a bit of a mind fuck as to what happened and why, but at least it's functioning fine now. I was dreading it might need fixing, and take all my savings..)

On the following day, I went to LIDL Greystones again - Routebuilder.org route here (it's the same link than before, for that route ... however, my OCD forces me to mention that I parked on a different spot, this time, LOL.. I parked where it says "Lidl", when you zoom in..)

After my shopping trip, I had my 10th driving lesson - Routebuilder.org route here.. Having been just fine, on my lone spins, this driving lesson was a complete confidence killer. I was all over the place, I drive too fast (well, I am Finnish..), I avoid using the handbrake (guilty..), etc.. I just find it intimidating to have another person in the car as I do everything alone. Also, I want to know where I'm going, which I do, when I'm driving on my own. I don't like just driving aimlessly, and having someone else tell me where to turn, etc. I understand that I'm going to have to tolerate that until I get through the driving test (which I haven't booked yet), but it really sucks. My driving test might end up being something like this;

Esmeralda's tyres needed some air, and again, it was something I hadn't done on my own yet, so I did it at night, at the nearest Topaz station (on Dublin Road) - route. Total nightmare! My left hand is weak, so it was extremely difficult to keep the yoke in its place while pressing the handle with my right hand - I need two right hands.. Also, that yoke wasn't showing any numbers, so I had to just trust my eye and stop when the tyre looked fine, and before it burst =P Oh well, I got it done, and bought some cat food while out there..

There was also yet another weekly shopping trip to Greystones LIDL - route here (the same link again, and I parked on the spot where it says "Lidl".. also, I didn't drive around the parking lot when I left, this time, I just reversed out of the spot and drove straight out.. *OCD rules*)