My Intensive Driving Practice

I have been holding a car driving license (SIM-A) for over than 10 years. But I took the driving course only in five years recently. Don't ask how I could obtain the license without any course...hahaha...it's a common practice here.

Anyway, the instructor said that actually my driving skill were quite good, but I was lack of confidence. Of course I was! Hahaha....! I am more used riding motorcycle. I could see clearly the space around me and the motorcycle, that made me easily navigate my movement on the road. It is so much different from driving a car however small it is. I couldn't see the space on the outside of passenger seat. It seems so far away to glance quickly and back again watch the road ahead. I couldn't see the bonnet of my car, unless I crane my neck. I remember I became panic whenever there was a car coming towards my direction when I was just trying to pass another vehicle at my side. And my instructor kept asking me to calm down and drive on...hahaha...

So, for quite a long time after the driving course, I still wouldn't like to drive a car. Only occasionally at Mom's insistence when we go shopping together. Her reason was to prepare me in facing any family emergency that required me to drive the car as I'm now the only one who still live with my elderly parents. At the time, my brother still lived with us, and Mom was still quite healthy.

The emergency time came two months ago. Dad had to be admitted at the hospital just one day before three days before Easter. Mom had to accompany him 24hr, my brother has got married and moved out from our house, and my sister came home to celebrate Easter at home, as usual. Actually, it has been decided before that I would be driving and pick my sister at the airport. But at the time, I thought Mom would be able to accompany me, since I had been only several times driving to the airport before. Anyway, as nobody else could do it, I pulled up myself and drove to the airport and pick my sister up.

Now, imagine.... First of all, I had to come and vote as it was the election day. I had to wait a moment too long because I apparently was too early. Then, I had to go my office to take something I left behind the day before. After that, I raced to the airport since it was only 15 minutes to the estimated time arrival of my sister's plane. And it was my first time driving without supervision!

As the day went on, it wasn't the end of my driving time. After picking up my sister, I took her visit Dad at the hospital. Then we went home. The pattern had created for the next four days. We drove to the hospital in the morning, and came home at the afternoon, then went to the Church in the evening to attend the three consecutive Holy days of Easter. Sometimes, I drove my sister to go shopping before visited Dad. Yes, it was my intensive driving practice! I drove around the city three days nonstop!

My right hand had become so ache from the unusual exercise. When my brother came home and gave his promise to stay for the weekend, I immediately got my hand bandaged to ease the ache around my wrist. The bandage surprised my choir friends when I came on duty for the Easter Mass. How couldn't they, when only at the day before we've met without it around my hand....hahaha...!

The positive result from the tiring period is the increasing of my self-confidence. Now, I dare to drive anywhere...well, almost everywhere. There are some places I'd rather avoid, like malls with a difficult maneuvers to park cars. Recently, I even dared to try the automatic car of my Boss's. The next target is driving out of town....hahahaha...since my sister has already hinted so many times to spend the next holiday at one of the cities close by.