There are certain signs of the aging process it’s impossible to miss. Producing enough bio-fuel, in the form of earwax, to power a small outback town is one. So is forgetting where you put something, seconds after you placed it and having a sense of anxiety planning a driving holiday in Europe is another. Though it’s not our first rodeo. Nor are we going to places we’ve never been before, though different parts this time. As we book and plan, it’s easing a bit and as usual, once you get there, you adapt to the driving conditions. As for driving in places like Italy, yes it’s occasionally challenging but what you soon learn is that it’s not just expected that you’ll end up driving like a bastard, you have to drive like an Italian bastard.
But there’s still the PTSD of previous jaunts. Yes it sounds daunting and maybe you’re wondering why we put ourselves through it. In the end, we love the freedom of the open road, the drive through breathtaking scenery and ever-changing landscapes and the flexibility of deciding where do we want to go today? When taking an extended tour of England and continental Europe, getting from A to B can be a pleasure or a pain. The UK and EU countries all have excellent road and rail networks so it comes down to balancing cost over convenience. A preference for freedom of choice or tight schedules. Waiting around at train stations and putting up with the other passengers versus the challenges and expense of finding car parking and finally toll road charges.
Though we’ve been impressed by both French and Spanish high-speed trains when we have used them. Long inter city trips can be a great way to travel. But as city dwellers, long drives give us a sense of escaping the day-to-day pressures of modern urban living. So we’ve once again booked a long term rental car at a special discount rate. Yes we know we’ll be up for petrol which is twice the price but the cars are nearly twice as fuel efficient. We know there will be tolls and parking and hidden costs and Italian drivers but what the hell? It’s an adventure, right?
Just being able to get in a car and go anytime you feel like it and pull over where you feel like it is a very attractive option. Though occasionally the whole pulling over thing can present a challenge. Often there appear to be small indents in the hedgerows which are in fact lay-by’s but they’re often poorly signposted and it’s easy to drive past them. Then again, driving along the magnificent Verdon Gorge in Provence, the authorities have conveniently cut laybys into the mountain and along the banks of the gorge just to allow people to pull over and gaze at the river valley below. Depending on the season, like anywhere, even the countryside is busy but somehow you manage because when you’re not in a hurry, these are minor inconveniences. And it’s not till you get to an old regional town that’s been there for hundreds of years before cars were a consideration, that you understand the full implications of the one-way streets and diversions to get you anywhere but where you want to be. I.E. finding a car park somewhere convenient to the city centre so you can have a look around. Some places have park and ride facilities just outside of town but it’s not always immediately obvious where they are or how you get to them.
But experience teaches you to check the location for car parking thoroughly before you go and with google maps, you can blow up the picture to familiarise yourself with and note some useful landmarks as a visual guide to your GPS instructions. We found this to be of necessity because as we have probably all experienced, a GPS system is far from perfect and can send you in all directions. Down one way streets, into limited traffic zones, off a narrow mountain road into a farmer’s driveway and even through a street partially closed for market day. That was a chastening experience as we slowly brushed past the equally annoyed vendors and shoppers in one small Spanish village. Fortunately I was able to protect the reputation of Australian drivers abroad by apologising profusely – in French.
So I’m countering old person anxiety by recollecting the joy of driving on country roads with acres of lavender or wildflowers in lush meadows either side. Beautiful medieval villages, avenues of magnificent trees, up and down mountain roads through cool green forests and dramatic rock formations opening up before you and then far into the distance in a break in the range. So yes we’ll manage to overcome the daunting prospect of criss-crossing Italy and France once more, our trepidation in check and our sense of adventure intact. But to be on the safe side, I’m also booking some accommodation that invites you to just stay home sometimes. With a stone fireplace, books to read, wine to sip and smoky old oil lamps for ambience. The car conveniently parked, ready to take us wherever we want to go – or not as the case maybe.