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| not my pic... but this is what the traffic looked like! |
On Saturday, I drove to NJ to visit some friends from high school. We all have kiddos now, and we have recently reconnected. Last month they came out to visit me, so it was my turn to go out there. We had a wonderful time - took the kids to Liberty Science Museum, and everything was great...
Except I had to drive through Manhattan. Let me say that again. I had to drive. Through. MANHATTAN. Not only that, but I had to cross three lanes of traffic! NYC traffic! I mapped out the route beforehand, and it looked like I had to drive 2 blocks, straight, in some neighborhood. No biggie. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Nope, the GPS says to stay to the right on the bridge. Ok, sure, I'll stay to the right in this narrow lane of this bridge - even though the lane is outside the bridge and over the water! But wait, in 4 blocks I now have to turn left! What?!?! Attempting to cross those lanes of traffic, where nobody will let you in so you have to find a crack in the traffic and wedge your way in - that was the scariest part, and I almost got in an accident, thankfully I didn't. That was followed by a right and a left and a couple more until I finally reached the Holland Tunnel. Insane.
And I had to do it all again on the way home.
(But it was a more direct that route that time).
I want to clarify - I LOVE driving. I prefer to drive. I am not afraid of driving in any U.S. city - except for Manhattan. I have driven in some of the biggest U.S. cities - Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, even among the older folks in Orlando - but just watching the way people drive in NYC made me never ever want to attempt it.
Sometimes you don't have a choice - you look ahead of you and BAM there are your fears, and you are hurtling at them full speed. You just have to take a deep breath, say a little prayer (or a bunch of little prayers!) and just get through it. You might make it to the other side a bit more stronger and less afraid - and maybe even with muscle aches from tensing your body and gripping the steering wheel so hard!
I survived one of my biggest fears.
What are you surviving today?
...just don't get me started on the toll booths...
Here is a pic of my kiddo in NJ... he makes me want to be braver and bolder :)
Thanks so much for visiting my blog and entering my giveaway. I am now following you too! You are one brave soul driving through Manhattan. I am originally from New York and worked in Manhattan for many years. Just crossing the streets were a challenge. Those taxi drivers were crazy. Have a great week.
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