All by myself.....

I ventured out of the safety and security of the Central Coast and down into the depths of Sydney today.

I needed wanted to go to Ikea...and when I mentioned this to Hubby he demanded suggested that I go today....alone....without him.

There is both good and bad in making such a trip on your own.

It means I have to drive....which I prefer leaving up to someone else when I can...because I'm both lazy and somewhat sense of direction challenged.

It means I have no one with which to discuss the pros and cons of every individual item to be found in the market hall....an important part of any trip to Ikea. It's not nearly so enjoyable when you only have yourself to argue with.

It means that as I ate my Swedish Meatballs for lunch...the only person with which I could ponder what the actual chances of it being horse meat that I was consuming.....was myself.  Not to mention what a Nigel No-Friends I must have looked sitting all alone in the cafeteria.

However on the other side of the ledger...there was no one asking when we were leaving.....or telling me they were hungry.....or shuffling impatiently beside me.....or looking at their watch repeatedly...or asking me "What could you possibly need that for?"

Once it was time to leave I turned to my trusty (??!???!!?) Navman to help me negotiate my escape route from the mayhem that is Sydney traffic.  Now Nancy Navman...as she is unaffectionately known....must have been suffering a case of stage fright....because she froze. Clearly needing a boot up the bum rebooting she was of absolutely no help whatsoever as I came out of the underground parking station facing who knows what direction.  I certainly had no clue...and yet...with a quick check of the sun...the wind direction...the sight of water in front of me.....and the direction most of the other motorists were taking...I took a punt and only needed one u-turn to get myself on the right route home.

The right route home....which looked like this.....

 ....is it my imagination or are Sydney roads getting narrower??

With a bit of skillful driving I managed to get past the deadlock of trucks and into a clear view......

.......of the bumper to bumper traffic.

All this and it was only 1.30 in the afternoon....I can only imagine....and have no wish to experience....what it must be like at 5.00pm.