Spoiled American..

...thats how I drove yesterday. Ok I need to start from the beginning and give you the whole picture.

I don't have an AC in my car as you don't need it in Bay Area. The summer lasts for a month or so there and its not too bad. Maximum temperatures would be in order of 35 C but those are the hottest days. Here, on the contrary, 35 C is one of the coolest day. Temperatures are usually between 35 C and 40 C (well thst what had been so far). People have been telling me that summer hasn't started yet. The worst is yet to come. Temperatures will rise above 40 C to upto 47 C. July and August are supposed to be the hottest months. So I figured, if I want to go back to Stanford alive, I would need an AC in my car. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the public transport system here- not so good. My Londoner friend was complaining about public transport in Bay area...she should see this area. I have seen bus stops here but no buses so far. My guess is that they do have some sort of bus system here but frequency or connectivity isn't as good as in Bay area. Anyway, so the consequence is that I am getting my car AC fixed. Can't drive without it and have to drive on daily basis here. Its costing me a lot but then you have got to do what you have got to do.

Ok, now coming to the point of the post, finally. So yesterday morning I gave my car for repair (haven't got it back yet) and then I had to drive back to work so I rented a car. At Enterprise (Renting company) I asked for the smallest and cheapest car available. But they only had a Ford Escape available. Now as I have often reiteriated, I hate to drive. I never drove such a big thing in my life. To compliment it, I was in a new plcae where I don't know the routes yet. And the average speed limits on the roads here is 50 mph (~80 Kmph) while people usually drive at 60 mph (~96 Kmph). I was pretty nervous when I started driving but once my mind got used to dimensions of the car, it was pretty cool. I didn't feel any of those bumps on which my poor 93 Toyota Corolla starts performing gymnastic tricks. And later in evening when it actually cooled off, I thought about being a good person and switch off the AC and roll down the wiindows instead. That lasted 5 mins. Honestly yesterday I drove like a spoiled American whom I usually despise. I was driving a truck. I was the only passenger. I switched on the AC to the max and kept it so the entire time. I drove like that for approximately 60-70 miles. Guess I pampered myself yesterday... Hopefully I will get my car tomorrow and I will be back to being me again!