driverless cars

In Australia they drive on the left side of the road, the opposite of what we do in Canada and the driver sits on the right hand side of the car. Naturally, everyone warns tourists to look both ways more than once to avoid getting squashed while attempting to cross the road. I've been going various places in the car with my friend Robin while in Sydney (she's driving) and I repeatedly experience moments where I'm about to shout at her that she's turning into the wrong lane (I have learned to bite my tongue as to not continually embarrass myself). But the other phenomenon occurs when I look at the other cars driving towards us. There's no one in the left hand side of the car where the driver "should" be - to my North American-trained mind, there is no one driving the car. It provides me with endless amusement to watch these driverless cars, barrelling merrily on their way down Sydney streets.


Today I'm on my way to Adelaide to visit relatives. My grandmother and her sister were born in Britain. My grandmother married my grandfather and came to Canada and then to the States. Her sister Joyce, my great-aunt, immigrated to Australia. They didn't see each other for forty-nine and a half years until Joyce and her daughter Helen came to Canada about nine years ago. I'll be staying with Helen and her husband Richard. They have two grown children Matt and Emma. Matt has a wife also named Emma. Joyce also has a son Roy who recently married. I've never been to Adelaide so I'm looking forward to it.