Overcoming white knuckles

If you have read any of the earlier posts, you might have noticed that one of the items on my to do list while we're away is to learn to drive a manual car. It's embarrassing to admit it but I've never learnt how. I was taught to drive on an automatic and never needed to drive anything other than a manual....until now.

Shane has been looking at buying a car whilst we are here, which, assuming we don't right it off and can sell it before leaving, works out cheaper than hiring a car for the entire time we're os. Unfortunately for me, the cars he has seen have all been manual. Does nobody drive an automatic over here?
As he shows me the cars on offer online, I can feel my stress levels rising. But...but...what about meeeeee???? How am I going to get around???? Learning how to drive a manual was always on the B side of my to do list, not really something I thought I would have to do.

As Wikihow tells me, "Luckily, the basic concepts of starting to move a manual transmission car and shifting through the gears is a process anyone can learn." Reassuring. How about doing it on the wrong side of the road at the same time?
I'm starting to understand how people feel when they lose their license. Disempowered is a word that springs to mind...


Anyway, 4 weeks in, and without going into too much detail because some things are better kept to yourself there have been a couple of little hiccups but all in all I am proud to say I have made it, I did it!


Small challenges have included:

• Previously mentioned heckling and Sam screaming 'CLUTCH', followed by forced words of support by offspring so I don't throw them out of the car
• Stalling in between an automatic gate as it closes with Shane pushing the gate out so we don't get 'crushed' 
• Learning the hard way that despite most cars moving into the far lane so cars coming onto the freeway can merge, not all of them do it, so don't expect buses and trucks to do it for you
• Stalling repeatedly at the entrance to a carpark, and having to get out to let your husband do it - I hang my head in shame
• Stalling the car so many times on a hill that a) the car alarm goes off because it thinks you're trying to steal it and b) a lovely old man stops on the road to offer help because he thinks you've broken down.

Enough said.