News! Big News! Huge News in fact!
I have taken the big leap and am driving. A Car. On the road.
Yes, you read it here first (okay, I might have *accidentally* already told some friends and my family).
In actual fact, I had passed my driving test back in the last century, on 31.08.1992. But, living in Hannover, Hamburg, Frankfurt and London I was generally blessed with brilliant and available public transport. (We Europeans should really acknowledge how lucky we are in that respect.) So, I never had the need to drive and therefore only gained a minuscule amount of driving practice, none at all after I moved away from Hannover in 1995.
All good and well until I moved to Abu Dhabi last year August, a mere 20 years after passing my driving test you might notice. Here in Abu Dhabi public transport consists of buses, the use of which is discouraged for Western ExPats, and taxis. Doesn't leave many options, does it? Even my personally preferred mode of transportation -my legs- are of not much use as Abu Dhabi is a city made for cars not for walking.
So, here's my journey from one of Abu Dhabi's best taxi-customers to becoming an independent free-wheeling driver.
In January my friend Manu visited me for a long weekend and I rented a car for us. During her 4 days here she was the dedicated driver but I had intentionally rented the car for a whole month so that I felt obliged to try my luck behind the wheel after her departure. Manu had the brilliant idea that I should start practising in my building's parking garage and I actually did my first few laps with her in the passenger seat there. I admit, at first I was shaking like a leaf and was very grateful for Manu's faith in me and confidence that I will make progress quickly. Nonetheless, I carried on doing one or two practice rounds in the parking garage for a few evenings, also conquering going up and down the ramps.
After I had gained a bit more driving confidence I ventured out of the parking garage onto the road around our building complex, and a few evenings later even drove up and down some slightly busier roads on Reem Island (the island I live on, off the main Abu Dhabi island) and even made my way into the parking garage of the towers where the Waitrose supermarket is located.
Next step was driving onto the main island of Abu Dhabi on a Friday and Saturday morning when there was little traffic. Might not sound like a big step to you, but for me it was.
So, as of this week Monday, I have been driving to and from work with my little rental hopper. I am so incredibly proud of myself and suddenly feel like a grown-up. Yet, I am far from being a pro or even enjoying the driving. The driving standard here in Abu Dhabi, or possibly the whole UAE, is so bad, absolutely chaotic and unpredictable. I strongly believe that a lot of these drivers found their driving licences in a packet of cornflakes.
Today I decided I'd try refilling my tank. I had already a few days ago made sure I'd know where the lever is to open the tank cap. The nice thing here is the convenience of having a service man filling up the tank for you, you just tell him which of the 2 petrol options you want and how much and off he goes. He even asked whether I wanted my windows cleaned which I happily agreed on for the windscreen. Here comes the best bit: I bought ca. 35 litres of petrol and it cost me AED 57. At today's rate that converts to €12 or £10! How amazingly cheap is that! No wonder everyone drives these huge petrol-guzzling 4x4's.
Tank filled, windscreen cleaned, I happily left the petrol station, having mastered another step along the way to being totally at ease with driving a car in any situation.
Watch out Dubai, you're next on my list!
Buckle up and drive safely.
I have taken the big leap and am driving. A Car. On the road.
Yes, you read it here first (okay, I might have *accidentally* already told some friends and my family).
In actual fact, I had passed my driving test back in the last century, on 31.08.1992. But, living in Hannover, Hamburg, Frankfurt and London I was generally blessed with brilliant and available public transport. (We Europeans should really acknowledge how lucky we are in that respect.) So, I never had the need to drive and therefore only gained a minuscule amount of driving practice, none at all after I moved away from Hannover in 1995.
All good and well until I moved to Abu Dhabi last year August, a mere 20 years after passing my driving test you might notice. Here in Abu Dhabi public transport consists of buses, the use of which is discouraged for Western ExPats, and taxis. Doesn't leave many options, does it? Even my personally preferred mode of transportation -my legs- are of not much use as Abu Dhabi is a city made for cars not for walking.
So, here's my journey from one of Abu Dhabi's best taxi-customers to becoming an independent free-wheeling driver.
In January my friend Manu visited me for a long weekend and I rented a car for us. During her 4 days here she was the dedicated driver but I had intentionally rented the car for a whole month so that I felt obliged to try my luck behind the wheel after her departure. Manu had the brilliant idea that I should start practising in my building's parking garage and I actually did my first few laps with her in the passenger seat there. I admit, at first I was shaking like a leaf and was very grateful for Manu's faith in me and confidence that I will make progress quickly. Nonetheless, I carried on doing one or two practice rounds in the parking garage for a few evenings, also conquering going up and down the ramps.
After I had gained a bit more driving confidence I ventured out of the parking garage onto the road around our building complex, and a few evenings later even drove up and down some slightly busier roads on Reem Island (the island I live on, off the main Abu Dhabi island) and even made my way into the parking garage of the towers where the Waitrose supermarket is located.
Next step was driving onto the main island of Abu Dhabi on a Friday and Saturday morning when there was little traffic. Might not sound like a big step to you, but for me it was.
So, as of this week Monday, I have been driving to and from work with my little rental hopper. I am so incredibly proud of myself and suddenly feel like a grown-up. Yet, I am far from being a pro or even enjoying the driving. The driving standard here in Abu Dhabi, or possibly the whole UAE, is so bad, absolutely chaotic and unpredictable. I strongly believe that a lot of these drivers found their driving licences in a packet of cornflakes.
Today I decided I'd try refilling my tank. I had already a few days ago made sure I'd know where the lever is to open the tank cap. The nice thing here is the convenience of having a service man filling up the tank for you, you just tell him which of the 2 petrol options you want and how much and off he goes. He even asked whether I wanted my windows cleaned which I happily agreed on for the windscreen. Here comes the best bit: I bought ca. 35 litres of petrol and it cost me AED 57. At today's rate that converts to €12 or £10! How amazingly cheap is that! No wonder everyone drives these huge petrol-guzzling 4x4's.
Tank filled, windscreen cleaned, I happily left the petrol station, having mastered another step along the way to being totally at ease with driving a car in any situation.
 |
| my little rental hopper, a Nissan Tiida |
Buckle up and drive safely.
