Driving! Hooray!

Today I feel very triumphant - I drove on the right-hand side of the road for the first time and drove on the freeways for the first time, and I did not injure myself nor others. It's terribly confusing coming from a country where we drive on the other side of the road (and where the driver's seat is on the other side of the car). I managed all right, apart from a tendency to drift to the right-hand side of my lane and some confusion when it came to the indicators, and I'm sure I'll get used to it relatively quickly.

We also did our first supermarket shop. So much fun! I really enjoyed it. I suppose the novelty will wear off eventually ("Hey! Look! AMERICAN cheese") but for now it is very entertaining. We bought a Roomba, too, because I have always wanted one. Largely to see what Mink will make of it. He arrives from New Zealand on Tuesday, and so we have stocked up with plenty of cat food and a new litter tray. This afternoon we are going to buy him some new toys, because I think he will find it difficult adjusting to being an indoors-only cat.

Practical things I have learned so far:

1. The indicators are on the LEFT-hand side of the steering wheel. The left. Not the right. The windscreen wipers are on the right-hand side. I discovered this while continually turning on the windscreen wipers while changing lanes on the freeway, which is entertaining for my passenger but not very helpful for fellow drivers.
2. You switch the light switches UP for on and DOWN for off, which is the opposite movement to New Zealand light switches. Is this is a US thing or an our-apartment thing?
3. The water level in toilet bowls here is a lot higher than in New Zealand, and so you have to be careful when reaching down. Sorry if that is too much information.
4. There is a mind-boggling array of different products in the supermarket, so it's better to grab the first one that looks a) good and b) cheap and not spend half an hour reading the backs of all the different cereal boxes and holding up other shoppers.
5. THE INDICATORS ARE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.