Driving a stick

Fethiye, Turkey

I’m really proud of my stick-shift driving skills.

When we drove out of the Ankara airport parking garage, I revved and revved the engine like it was my first time. UGH. Sometimes when you book a rental it lets you add additional drivers for free, but apparently this one didn’t otherwise I’d have added Josh. At pick-up, he didn’t want to pay extra to be added, so off I drove. He’s the better manual driver by far, but it’s good for me to practice.

“Let me face my fears real quick,” is what Leo told himself a couple years ago when he had some nerves before a field trip. It’s a mantra I use myself, and it’s what I said when I had to drive us out of Ankara last week. Get behind the wheel and face my fears real quick.

Today, getting up and around the winding mountain roads from Fethiye to Kabak Beach, I easily shifted down on the uphills and traversed the corners with confidence.

Unrelatedly, a bout of carsickness for Josh meant we didn’t do the Kabak Beach and forest hike as planned, but rather just enjoyed the beach. Not a bad alternative.

Yesterday we hiked through Saklikent Gorge, which was fun, but the thing I liked most was the balance exercise. Building muscles to help maintain balance keeps you from falling or if you do fall, from getting severely injured. It was a challenge to remain upright walking through the murky water with a rocky bottom. I’m getting old, so now see activities as longevity-boosters. *sigh*