One of the things that I struggle with the most about living in England is getting lost. It doesn’t matter if I’ve been there before. I doesn’t matter is I have direction written down. I get lost. It’s something I still struggle with after 5 years of living here.
About 18 months ago we finally bought a satnav after a horrible horrible incident where I was supposed to meet my friend Byrney at a craft show in Liverpool. I got about 1/2 way there and then I got disoriented. So horribly horribly horribly disoriented I didn’t even know how to turn around and go home. I pulled off onto the side of the motorway and cried. I called Byrney and apologized AGAIN for being late, but that I was lost. So lost I didn’t even know where I was to tell her so she could give me directions. After 2 hours I finally managed to get to the show. I was stressed and pissed off and just had enough. When I got home I ranted and raved and told Wal– ENOUGH IS ENOUGH I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE GETTING AN EFFING SATNAV OR I’M MOVING BACK TO AMERICA!! A bit over the top but really I just couldn’t do it any more.
Yesterday I decided to visit the Antiques Village in Levenshulme. I know it’s on the A6. I’ve been there before. I did NOT take my satnav with me as I know how to get to the A6. You can see where this is going can’t you! I made it to Stockport centre and attempted to get onto the A6. I took a wrong turn. Ended up in a one way road. I wanted to go the other way but HELLO ONE WAY! I kept thinking I wanted to take a left because Levenshulme was LEFT. I pulled over pulled up Maps on my iPhone (iphone I love you!) and figured out where I needed to go. Unfortunately I was disoriented by this point and it didn’t really help. I finally after about 30 minutes made it to the A6 and eventually to the Antiques Village. I had a nice look around. Took some pictures. Fondled a piano and wished I knew how to play and had room for a baby grand! All and all a good morning doing a bit of window shopping. I’m looking for a 5ft bench or pew for our rustic dining table. I didn’t find what I was looking for.
On the way home I still struggled with disorientation. As I was heading home I kept thinking I needed to take a left– that home was on the other side of the A6. I followed the signs for the A560 which is cuts through my village but every bone in my body was telling me I was going the wrong way. My body compass was telling me no no the other way. I ignored by internal compass as it’s proven to be wrong so many times and I’m glad I did. I made it home without incident.
I wonder how long it will take my internal compass to reset. How long will it take me to be able to trust myself again. It’s frustrating but one thing I took away from my little trip through Stockport yesterday afternoon was… DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THE SATNAV. EVER! EVER! EVER!
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I have my satnav in my bag at all times. I have even used it in a two to get back to the car park where I parked my car. I dont have an internal compass. The boys tell me the right way to go, as I am truely pants.
I feel safe with Sat Nav
mine isn’t leaving my bag ever again!!
I get lost everywhere. I get lost in London, walking around. On Motorways. Everywhere. I had a built-in sat-nav in my old car which was fine, but now I don’t Flea is well used to the fact that we get lost. I like to think it improves my coping and problem solving skills.
I don’t feel so bad now!
Years ago I used maps if I didn’t know my way. Going to a new city or town, I’d stop in a gas station and get a map. Now it’s all GPS, and convenience stores sometimes don’t even have maps. I still use paper maps when I can, and look at Google Maps before the trip.
Dan I wish I could say writing directions down helped me, sadly I question everything!
I have a REALLY good sense of direction, so when I moved to England it was really frustrating to me how much it was thrown out of whack. I lived in Bath for 2.5 years and commuted to Bristol everyday for a year. If I look at a map I’m still amazed at where Bath is in relation to Bristol. It’s never where I think it should be. I think all those roundabouts are just there to make you dizzy!
My hubby moved from Australia to here and has a similar issue. It’s because the roads twist turn and double back so much that you loose a sense of direction. I also wonder if the change of hemisphere doesn’t help. But really the roads here are based on old droving roads that the sheep took — there are very few straight Roman roads. Even the motorways here are a mess (the sign for the airport M6/M42 is AFTER you have turned off!. My only advice is move to Milton Keynes — it’s easy there!!