I can be really clueless on the roads of KL and Selangor, despite being born and bred in this city for the most part of my life. It isn’t that I have no sense of direction, but before this I’ve just never been bothered with how to get to places unless I really needed to. Most times I go out, it’s to accompany Ummi who usually does the driving. When I’m instructed to drive, Ummi does the navigating while I just go on auto-pilot. And the places I want to go myself, I know where they are and they’re all nearby. Worse comes to worst, I’d take public transport.
Lately though, going out has become more of a necessity, especially with Ummi starting to get a little tired of going out herself. Also, some situations now require me to figure out a shorter and more cost-efficient ways to get from A to B for work-related purposes. Since I’m taking on the bills now, I’m definitely feeling the pinch. Not that I wasn’t aware of fuel, toll and car maintenance costs before this when Abah paid for me but now it’s really in my face, you know?
Anyway.
Alhamdulillah I’ve had no major trouble so far in easing myself into the role of both pilot and navigator. I’m learning the roads slowly through trial-and-error, faced a number of said errors (like trying to find the way to Maddie’s house and getting confused by the conflicting directions given by an electrician, a construction worker/contractor and a group of secondary schoolkids) but it’s been a character-building experience so far.
Why character-building, you ask? Because I’ve always been heavily reliant on other people’s help. If I wasn’t familiar with a place, I’d skip risking losing my way to get there because I hate getting lost. If I asked for directions, I’d need specific ones with landmarks, or I’d drag a passenger along to help point the way out for me. And this relying on other people, being dependent and fearful just got to me in the end.
So these days I’m learning to be more attentive on the roads. I google up maps to check the routes and learn to use something I’d like to call a driver’s instinct. It isn’t easy to drive and look out for signboards at the same time, especially when your eyesight is getting worse by the day. Sometimes it requires a few crazy maneuvers and sheepish, apologetic gestures at other drivers to please excuse my bad driving, I’m learning the road here see. It’s also a little stomach-churning when roads start forking out up down left right, but I’ve been keeping my cool so far, which really makes me feel like I’ve come away from the old nervous me. It’s a nice feeling to be alone in a car, to be driving and also to turn off that phone (figuratively speaking) and decide to find my own way to get somewhere.
Which is why when I found Maddie’s house eventually through signboards and common sense (and yes, her description of her house as well) I actually got a bit excited. I think Maddie was a little bemused I was actually patting myself on the back. Sorry Madihah, it’s a case of bangga diri kejap. The same goes for figuring out the Subang area (which was funny, because J thought I’d get lost and was surprised when I told her I’d already arrived at Subang Parade) and also finding a shorter way from Gombak to my office. It’s just a matter of remembering where the roads lead to, and which road you’d need to take to get to another road to take you to the route you need. It’s also a matter of memorising landmarks and connecting the dots. “If that way led here, this way would surely lead there.” And today I found myself wandering about in Seremban for a file/extraction matter at the court registry.
I like this shift in attitude.
It makes me feel a little more confident in the me myself and I concept.
Enough said here.
When you make it to my house, we’ll definitely celebrate. And the second time you come, bring J as a passenger. And the third, your sisters. And before you know it, you’ll be able to drive with your eyes closed! 
