Wednesday, September 15, 2010

confusion on the left

It is amazing how relatively simple things can send your cozy world into chaos.

From cars that drive on the other side of the road (making a half-awake pedestrian crossing hazardous to one's health) to making change with unfamiliar coinage (especially without my eyeglasses) -- adjusting to life in the U.K. is, well, an adjustment.

The oven in the kitchen of my hosts is on an unfathomable system. In fact, I can't even find it on wikipedia at the moment. Most of their appliances need to be turned on twice -- once at the electrical source -- then again (actually a good idea -- though I had forgotten and momentarily thought I lost the usage of the top of the stove.)

Besides the drivers, pedestrians and cyclists use the opposite side on walkways and paths -- and even the escalators are reversed.

Tonight I'm attempting the washing machine as my hosts have wisely gone on a week's holiday.

Not quite as perplexing as Alice's journey through the looking glass. Gradually, I suppose, the 'curious' and 'curiouser' will become the familiar. Or will the familiar become 'curious' and 'curiouser'?

1 comment:

  1. Whoo, boy, I hear ye about the appliances! My oven (wait, it's not called an oven in these parts, but a "cooker") needs to be turned on about three times!

    Left will feel right, in time. :-)

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