Cars, cars and petrol
It's a continual challenge not to have a car! Every tourist brochure assumes you have one and gives you driving but never public transportation help.
Yesterday I did look into renting a car for a few days here but I'm too nervous to drive on the other side of the road AND the car is manual, not automatic! But it's not as expensive as I thought it would be, even with additional insurance. I would probably have to get a taxi just to go to the rental car office. It would be better for me to hire a taxi like I did in Clifden.
It makes me feel like a child or teenager not being able to make a phone call (local, without difficulty) or drive a car. Well, it's one way to feel younger, I guess!
It seems like with every (het) couple I meet, the man is doing all or most of the driving. Hmm, come to think of it, I don't think I have met even one gay couple traveling! (Another interesting side note: they call Roma or gypsies "travellers" here which might lead to a misunderstanding for tourists...but hasn't so far for me)
Gas ("petrol") is about $8/gal. Everyone here is anticipating higher costs for heating this winter and that will especially affect older people and low income people and it's all because of the war in Ukraine! The newspapers always have articles about the economy and the troubles people are anticipating with heating costs.
On a more cheerful note, Gizmo the cat (who lives here)! And the kitchen/dining room.
Yikes, that’s hard for the people who won’t be able to afford heat this winter, Who’ll go into debt or go cold or have to eat less or be more isolated because they won’t be able to afford other things. I think there are some pluses in not having a car even along with all the negatives. I hope it enhances your trip overall, brings you good experiences you wouldn’t otherwise have. What a cute cat! Noemie
ReplyDeleteYes! Being on foot forces you to slow down, see things more closely, appreciate the local beauty.
DeleteNot having a car also gives you more opportunities for spontaneous encounters and conversations on public transit! Does it feel comforting to stay in one place for a week and have a place to come home to? With petrol climbing close to $6 a gallon here, the less you need to use a car the better!
ReplyDeleteYes, I had a nice conversation on the bus with a local woman off to go thrift store shopping. On the walking tour I saw her pass me an hour or two later!
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