The Driving situation

Friday night our rental car was delivered - a (1/4) mini van. I was so intimidated about driving, I had the delivery guy drive it into the car park (parking garage) because it was during Friday night rush hour and I didnt want to learn right then. I'm sure he thought I was a spoiled brat American, but that's ok, at least the car wasnt wrecked.
Driving on the opposite side of the car and opposite side of the road is ok on some roads, without traffic, in the daylight, without the sunshine, .... I just keep repeating "wide right, tight left" to remind me how to turn. You know that scene with Cameron Diaz in "The Holiday" movie where she is driving - yes that is exactly how it is...I cringe and hope I keep both my rear view mirrors as I pass each car. The roads are about 6 ft wide (well, maybe 12 ft) but they are 2 way and you're both going 40 or 50 mph. It is nerve racking, but I hear most people pick it up easily after they knock off a mirror or two. I dont know what these folks were thinking when they built these roads, but they are tiny, curvy and they have a curb right on the edge of the road. I have wiped all the letters off my left tires in one weekend.

We tried to drive to church on Sunday in a town about 30 miles away. We gave ourselves 1 hr travel time and still arrived 40 minutes late. Considered it a bonus just to have found the building. we will try making it to the service next week. The problem is reading the signs when traveling around the roundabouts - the signs are unfamiliar and we have no idea which towns are in which direction. How do I know if I want to to to Leatherhead or Dorking when I'm trying to get to Reading?
We had to travel on the M25 (aka Freeway) and when we figured out we were going the wrong way, we had to travel to the next exit - 10 miles away- in order to turn around.
Reading was a happenin' place. We dont understand any of the parking rules, but we know they are very strict. They have tried to make the signs very simple, no words, just symbols but we couldnt "read" a blue cirle with a red line, come on - "no parking 6 to noon" is much easier to translate. We ended up eating Sunday lunch at ---McDonalds. The kids had a fit when they saw it. I dont even let them eat there in Dallas, but we made an exception. The place was packed! DA cleared off tables for us 3 separate times and each time he turned around from the trash can, a family had already sat down. The line was almost out the door. B decided she didnt want McDonalds after all and said "I think I need some healthy food" That a girl. Yes, they have grapes and apple slices at McDonalds in Reading. In the town we are living, the McD's is so busy there is a security guard at the door letting kids in and out. We made it back from Reading with only 1 or 2 wrong turns. Hopefully spending all day in Sunday clothes with cranky kids in the backseat will account for something.
Monday morning I drove the kids to school for first time. Allowed 45 min to go 8 miles and they were still 20 min tardy - some things never change. When L walked into his class, they asked why he was tardy, he said "my mom tried to drive us to school today" They all started laughting. B's teacher actually cheered! Thankfully it is a common thing for first time drivers to have some problems. And yes, I made 1 wrong turn, but mainly it is the traffic. I kept hearing about traffic during the "school runs"but I couldnt picture it out in the country. Since the roads are only 2 lane roads there is a HUGE long line of cars going down the road. I think I will plan another route with more left hand turns. Time to study the map AGAIN.