Being on the road with Yi Lin is an interesting experience. It's obvious that we need each other to navigate these roads safely, so we really don't want to urinate each other off.

She really, really doesn't want to drive, because she doesn't have the road confidence. But when push comes to shove, she will drive. Just that she will do whatever stools necessary to avoid taking the wheel.

When I first met her 5 years ago, she was telling me that she draws in by creating a partial vacuum at reading maps and navigating. Yet, during this trip, she has now successfully navigated within Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as our route in between. Pretty good, eh?

But that's not all, here are three additional roles she performs to be the perfect driver's companion:

1) Food - Ordered a meal at a drive-in? She hand-feeds the fries to me, passes me the drink whenever I ask for it, uwraps the burger and carefully places it in my free hand so that I can eat while I drive. When I have munched the burger down to the paper, she takes it back and unwraps it some more, then puts it back in my hand. We bought ice-cream and chocolate too. Hand-fed. All I had to do was to open my mouth!

2) Music - Sets up the FM transmitter and syncs it to the car radio and plugs a choice of 3 iPods. Chooses music that keeps the driver awake. Sings and dances along if necessary.

3) Sleep - When I am really too tired, she doesn't complain if I pull up at a scenic sight, lean back in the seat, and snore my donkey off. She may step out and snap a couple of shots (of the scenery) but otherwise, patiently waits in the car for the 15-30 minutes that I require to recharge.

I was chatting with my ex-yoga instructor just a couple of nights ago. She confessed that she just sleeps while her husband navigates with the GPS. Tsk, tsk. :)

So, I celebrate my good fortune with a song. Sung to the tune of Calcutta, by Doctor Bombay:

I am a lucky driverman in Cali-for-nia,
I drive my Mazda in Cali-for-nia,
Lucky, lucky, lucky in Cali-for-nia,
I am a luckydriverman-an-an!

DC

written by  DanYilin on April 4, 2009 from Cambria, United States
from the travel blog: go.
Send a Compliment

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waaahhhh!!! i get mentioned in your blog too!!!!!!! so sweet of u leh! hah!!! :P

written by  IbisMiu on April 7, 2009

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Haha... why you go and confess to being the lazy, sleeping ex-yoga instructor? :p

written by  DC on April 7, 2009

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aiya... never mind lah... at least when im asleep, his ears will be spared of my nonsenses!! haha :D

written by  IbisMiu on April 7, 2009

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Even i know what words you are talking about. G rating like real. So do i win any prizes since it was meant to 'fool' me but didn;t?

written by  Joshua on April 8, 2009

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Josh, Josh, Josh...

It was meant to fool you, but didn't, simply because you already knew the vocabulary. That just means that I wasn't the corrupting influence in your brain, eh? I'm thankful, but no prizes! :)

written by  DC on April 9, 2009

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