Helen

Today we thank Helen, our navigation system, for graciously granting our requests to get from point A to point B. In fact, we were thinking of getting a different rental car because the Beamer wagon is giving me butt cramps.... but just can't imagine how we would find our way without Helen. Fortunately, our dilemma was solved with Avis being Sold Out of any cars in this part of Italy today... Even expensive cars were not available; I was willing to use my "upgrade negotiation" skills today without being able to speak the language... But I was denied the opportunity.

Then I found a lever that lifted the driver's seat off the floor... Wow, that helped! BMWs are for shorter people I think.   Mark just thought I wanted to be a low-rider version of Parnelli Jones; he found this lever on Day 1 and has been comfortable.  I miss my sporty li'l SUV, and see many VW Tiguans every day here in the Veneto... You don't realize what you have until you don't have it anymore.... so true.

We asked Helen to get to Vicenza today via the quickest route and to avoid toll roads.  Well, not only did we do that, we got to explore many random turns down seemingly barely legal roads, lanes barely wide enough for two bicycles, roads that only a local would know, roads that were truck-free just a Km north of the main road, one-way roads that dived under railroad tracks, and always ended up where we were meant to go.  I am known for having great short-cuts, but Helen is a champion.

700 Km later, we just hit the 1/4 tank indicator on the petrol gauge.  I've become acclimated to the fact the car's engine shuts off while idyling for a few seconds, and kick it into sport mode at times just to feel the power and know the engine will not shut-off!  Eco-mode is good for the environment; Sport mode is good for Bill.  When you put the car in Sport mode, you can feel the engine thank you for taking the shackles off!

I also miss my back-up camera, but the Beamer has radar, so you can visually see and hear the obstructions around the car.  The only real "big" cars here seem to be Range Rovers and freight trucks; cars are smaller because petrol is expensive.

Whenever I don't listen to Helen, I end up on a 4Km viaduct with no way to exit, giving me time to ask forgiveness and make a U-turn.  No one makes U-turns or turns right at red lights here... Probably only Americans do this.... Needless to say, we need Helen and are keeping the diesel BMW.