Driving Around

My only job with this trip to the country was to return the car on Monday.
The rental place was shut by the time we got back, and Will had early meetings on Monday morning, so we had pretty limited options.
I had a bad gut feeling about it - driving in London always scares me - but seeing that SixT was just down the road, maybe a two-minute drive, it would be wrong to refuse.

So next morning I wait for rush hour traffic to calm down a bit and I get in the car. I knew it wasn't going to be easy when from the moment I couldn't get the damn thing into reverse... Stupid manuals!

But I managed to do that, got on road and started heading towards my destination. As much as I would like to think that I looked like an international man of intrigue in that sexy sexy cae, at some point I realised that to the unsuspecting Brits, I probably looked more like Mr Bean. Not only was I having serious issues with the gears (bloody clutch! Who needs a clutch in 2008!), every time I tried to indicate, the screen wipers went vrooom. Didn't feel very elegant at all.

And that's when it got worse. I get to where I'm supposed to return the car, and can't find the door to the garage. So I go around in a big circle (gear noises, car stopping, wipers going around like it's going out of fashion) and look closer, just in case I missed it.
Still not there.
So I go around in another big circle.
And another circle going in the bus lane, just in case.
The whole area is a red zone, meaning you can't stop the (let alone park!) and ask. So I go around one more time. Still nothing.

I go back and call Will, who insists I must have driven past it and just didn't notice. Just to prove to myself I drive there again- still nothing. Will in the meantime calls them to make sure they are open, only to discover that they have moved. Their sign was still on the building, they've moved!

Have you ever tried to explain (over the phone!) to someone who doesn't know your city at all how to get to some random backstreet? It ain't easy!! Will did a pretty good job I guess because I did manage to find the new location and return the car. I think they heard my PHEW all the way to Scotland.

Never driving a manual again. Never.