Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Driving on an Australian Road, As Easy as 1, 2, 5

Numerical order. It's been a known concept for 1 or 2 years, right? I drove the 3 kids to a putt putt golf place today. It's in Dural. Not too far, maybe 25 minutes, should be able to handle it. 787 Old Northern Road. Ok, I can find this place.
First, I went to the wrong golf spot. I found a driving range, not the putt putt. A quick call to Ted and he looks up the info online, no problem. I find the right road and start driving on it. 35 minutes in but hey, we're getting there. Looking at street addresses 347, 410 582....wait...we're at a roundabout and get diverted onto another road. Ok, the street sign says we're sill on Old Northern but I can't find any numbers. Drive about 1/4 of a mile and I see it...842. We skipped all the damn way to the 800's. Cursing, I turn around and head back. Tessi starts craying, "Turn around Mommy, turn around!" Check the numbers and once again, we're back inthe 500's.

Ok, I admit defeat and call the putt putt place. "Oh No", I hear a loving Celtic voice croon. "Turn around, and go back a wee bit" So back I turn, this time Connor begging me to turn around. Teddy decides to help the situation by starting a spitting competition with Tessi. This actually works for a few seconds until Tessi gets mad about being spit upon and starts to cry. I start to speed up in hopes that a policeman will pull me over and shoot me.

Start noticing the street signs. 842 again...851, 874, 610....610...what the Hell? 636, 646, 679, 700 and then finally 787 - the putt putt place. We have made it. 50 minutes in the car, Tessi is in tears but everyone is breathing...I'm calling this a win.

Have no idea what the Hell happened to the numbering system on this street. I'm afraid to ask anyone because I know I'll get the Crazy Yank look. I'm sure my Aussie friends will have a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why the numberline looked a crochet hook but no matter, we survived and no lives were lost. It's all good. Teddy won the mini golf game by the way. He's a master cheater....that I really, really am not good with a golf club....really not good.

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