car shopping

First we started looking for European styled cars, small and compact. This means we have a very short selection to choose from here in the States, where absolutely everything is extra-large. Bored of the limited styles and character of these new cars, we then turned to the classics.

The truth is, these were all classic cars at a local show in Tucker that we bumped into while heading towards  Lilburn to have a look at this 1973 Mercedes 280 coupé that is for sale. Though we know nothing about classic cars, we do know we want a car with personality, so we've been looking into other Mercedes coupés, specially those from 1982. 

Just imagine, our first car, made in our birth year, bought in the year we both turned 30, nice?!

driver's license

We've been in Atlanta for 20 days and settled in our one bedroom apartment. But no car yet, and it's really hard to get around without one. Nothing is at a walking distance which makes me miss small sized Portugal.  This weekend we rented a hideous car to go car shopping and for Pedro to get his driver's test done. 

Here, nos Estates, to get your license you just do a simple computer exam in one day and bring your own car and do a driving test the next! All this for 30$. Simple! So, after today I no longer have to drive these HUGE cars and Pedro is getting a kick at finally being able to drive in Atlanta after losing his portuguese driver's license.

As for me, I'm just thankful I don't have to drive these HUGE cars anymore! I'll be getting my license as soon as my social security number arrives. Meanwhile, we're having fun discussing the somewhat ridiculous traffic signs we see along the roads... but that's whole other post! 

FYI: we're looking for small sized, european styled cars, of course!

the first few days...

... were all about starting from scratch in a place I still don't feel comfortable. Coming home to empty walls and carpet needs some time getting use to. It's a process.

During the first few days we had a rented car and drove around everywhere. But after that, it's hard to get around in a huge city without a decent public transportation system. We have been lucky because the best thing so far about Atlanta are the Atlantans themselves! 

We went everywhere in our rented Toyota Corolla: visited second hand shops, shopped for all our groceries at this amazing farmer's market were you can get all the organic stuff you need, visited the High Museum, bought basic furniture through Craig's List, shopped at Ikea and Zara and visited the Asian Market with our great couchsurfing hosts. 

Now we are just trying to settle down into our new lifestyle and start a fun, adventurous and healthy life together.

lost in atlanta

check list on how to get to atlanta:

- loose pedro's drivers license 2 days before departure (check)
- get a half and hour delayed on the flight porto to madrid (check)
- because of this delay, miss the connection from madrid to miami by just 3min after running like crazy through the airport (check)
- complain to Iberia about the delay and wait 2 hours for the new connection (check)
- get on a 10 hour flight to miami, eat airplane food and watch the retarded Ronda channel (check)
- arrive in maimi with only 40 min to pickup luggage, pass through customs and get on the flight connection to atlanta (not check)
- miss yet another connection to atlanta because going through customs and checking in again took 1h30 (check)
- luggage didn't get to miami, so we lost our 6 bags! (check)
- get a 300$ voucher to shop for clothes (check)
- arrive in atlanta 24 hours later (check)
- head to the car rentals and pick up the car only to discover that the credit card owner has to be the same as the driver (check)
- find another car rental that would accept a debt card, considering I didn't have a credit card and pedro didn't have his license. (check)
- learn how to drive an automatic and huge american car at one in the morning. (check)
- arrive at an amazing couchsurfer's house and sleep in a huge bed. (check)
- after visiting about 10 apartments, rent the first one we visited (check)
- spend the first night in our apartment sleeping in our tent because our first house guest was a cockroach. (check)

Atlanta isn't so bad after all...