Is it just me? Whenever I have to drive for more than 100km in one go during a road trip my mood goes through a few different stages.
Stage One: Isnt-this-great-that-I-get-to-drive-this-huge-car (Port Arthur to Hobart, 113km). The car we hired from Hertz is a nice silver-ish green Avalon ($71 per day), and it is quite different driving it comparing to driving Yuting's Corolla, Sharky. It is much bigger and more powerful and makes you feel like a better driver than you really are. We stopped at a petrol station for their $7 per dozen oysters that comes with bread and butter. Mimi's Tearoom is a weird place because no one can seem to remember where it is. The first time I heard about it is when my friend Cecilia told us that we had to make sure we had its oysters but she couldnt really remember where it is. She said it is on the way to Port Arthur and it is also a petrol station and it is really cheap. And then Yuting's friend Clarence met us at a party a few months later, and told us 'there is this petrol station that sells oysters and you must go', and he couldnt really tell us what the town is called, or between which two towns either.
When we drove past the huge $7 per dozen sign we knew this must be it and everyone was happy with the big oysters, even that was right after breakfast. And as I am typing now, only after two weeks, I have no recollection where Mimi's Tearoom is, I studied the map for about 10 minutes and still I couldnt pinpoint it - maybe this was all just a dream?
Stage Two: Who-says-girls-shouldnt-drive-I-am-not-a-princess (Hobart to New Norfolk, 53km). I quite enjoyed the feeling that I am doing my share of driving for the trip and no one has complained about being car sick yet. We got stuck in the traffic a little bit when going out of Hobart, which was weird cos I really didnt expect traffic jam anywhere in Tasmania, not to mention that it was lunchtime on a Tuesday.
Stage Three: Why-hasnt-anyone-offer-to-take-over-the-driving-yet (New Norfolk to Bronte Park, 105km). The novelty of driving a big car and being a feminist was wearing off, and the scenery was getting a bit boring. There were lots of trees. It also started raining as I tackled the steep slopes and sharp turns. We had a stop at Bronte Park to get some quick food and realised that the climate had totally changed. It must have been only 10 degrees or so and we were all wearing shorts and t-shirts (it was very warm in Port Arthur). At Bronte Park Eric took over the driving so I could have some food, until he got frustrated with this car in front of us. The bloody Echo must had been going like 30km per hour and because we were in the mountains you dont come across an over-taking opportunity easily and I got back in front of the steering wheel.
Stage Four: Now-I-am-really-pissed-off-why-is-Yuting-still-sleeping (Surprise Valley to Derwent Bridge, 26km). Why? Why? Why??????
Stage Five: Inner-peace (Derwent Bridge to Queenstown, 108km). It was dead silent in the car as everyone else have fell asleep, the same CD was doing its 3rd round ('Simply the Best Love Songs', which does strange things to you after listening to it for more than two hours - you started singing along Tommy Page's 'You are my everything'), I suddenly felt like I was the only one in the whole universe and also felt this sense of huge personal space although I was in a car with my friends surrounding me. It was a good moment, I was singing along and fantasising about what I should put in my travel blog. The scenery started to change too, instead of trees after trees there were lots of lakes, red boulders, rocky mountains and beautiful wild flowers. After a few really sharp turns suddenly we were at the top of a hill looking down a township and I realised that we have arrived Queenstown.
Stage Six: Are-we-there-yet-my-legs-are-hurting (Queenstown to Strahan, 40km). I am still not quite sure why my legs got so sore from driving, it is hardly considered working out and my only possible explanation was that my legs are too short and it is not coping well with constantly having to try to reach the paddles - does that make sense? We were still on really winding-y roads and I couldnt wait to get to Strahan, a small seaside town who became famous after the controversial Gordon River Blockade.
Strahan seemed like a well-earned prize after my pushing-my-personal-limit kind of day. Lonely Planet claimed that it has become over-commercialised. The thing is that after driving in middle-of-no-where's for a whole day I really appreciate anything commercial. It was good to see shops and great to see people having coffee in open-air cafe's. It was also good to check into Wheelhouse Apartments, a very special two storey building that was built to the shape of the wheelhouse of a ship, which stands on a clifftop overlooking the Macquarie Harbour.
I didnt do any more driving for the rest of the trip...
2 comments:
To make you feel better, I went directly into stage 4 one time when I was driving iching & chiayun home after a long day of shopping. They just knocked themselves out while I had to sit in the traffic for, like, 25km (speaking of zero tolerance). I guess I never got out of that stage as I still remember it...
Personally I believe that everyone falling asleep is the ultimate compliment. They were saying they trusted you with their lives. They had complete faith in your ability to not only do the driving but get there safely. the fact that they could sleep soundly is further testament to your skills as a driver.
Or else they could be like me. When I ride I fall into a deep coma-like sleep. That way if I die it comes as a surprise. One time I fell asleep and my sister had turned up the heat unexpectedly. I awoke with a start thinking I had died and gone to hell.
Nice log. Do you work?
PEACE
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