What a gift is modern technology! Take GPS navigation for instance. If you don’t have a sense of direction, like me, there’s a soothing voice to tell you and guide you on the way you should go to arrive at the desired destination.  Of course when and how you will get there could be a mystery.

Madam GPS seems on the surface, very sweet, lovely and kind,

but I am sure she has evil intent in her electronic heart.

Early yesterday morning our journey began.  I was travelling with a dear friend 81 kms from home to Shellharbour a beautiful seaside town in the south coast of NSW.

Photo credit: Shellharbour City Council

The night before I planned the best route to take as Madam GPS offered 3 different ways to arrive there (quickest, no tolls, fewer turns etc.).  I familiarised myself with the road names of my chosen route and set the GPS and pressed GO.

Yay, we were on our way. 

At first all was going to plan. A beautiful sunny winter ‘s day, gorgeous landscape, great conversation helped me to ease into a false sense of security.  

Suddenly!!!    Madam GPS decided that I should get off the highway and make a left hand turn.

WHAAAT???

Common sense prevailed and I continued on the Highway.   But “it” was not going to give up!   
Turn left, turn around, make a U turn, re routing etc was all I could hear.  After a while I began to doubt my “common sense” and decided to follow the turn by turn commands of Madam GPS.

 BAD decision, after turning left and joining heavy traffic, roundabouts, trucks and traffic lights, eventually we were guided back to the same freeway I had been travelling earlier.

aargh!

 By the Grace of God we made it safely to our destination. A triple shot expresso coffee was badly needed.

We enjoyed the day checking out  the magnificent  natural surroundings and meeting new people. Delicious scrumptious food was an added extra.

Time to go back home.

I needed directions to get back on the highway.  I had no choice other than follow directions from the navigation system.

Madam GPS took me through winding roads pass mountains, rivers and valleys .  My stress levels seemed to be rising as I had no idea where I was and worse where I was going .  Meantime my passenger was enjoying the picturesque scenery exclaiming “Look Crissy! how beautiful “ , she was having a grand time.  All I wanted was to see that “green green grass of home”.

I remember back in the day when we  use to have these things called “maps”.   We’d use those in conjunction with “road signs” to avoid getting lost.

 Familiar Surroundings gave me hope.

Finally we made it to our earthly home with future plans to visit Shellharbour again and stay a few days.  

YES !! We plan to go back. 

Of course I will be relying on my own carefully studied, typed and photographed directions this time and have the Madam GPS in the far distance of the sound waves as a thing of no consequence. 

CONCLUSION

I believe that “Madam GPS” is one of those things that when it works – it’s great.  And when it doesn’t – it fails big big big time.

At the end it was all worth it just to see, discover and enjoy this spectacular delightful place.

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