American driving in the UK

Well, I've done it! I have finally driven in the UK. Here are my observations on the adjusting to the other side of the road and car.

• I think getting acustom to walking around and looking the opposite way for cars when crossing the street made it easier to drive in the UK
  
• Driving on the left side isn't so bad. You just have to follow the car in front of you at turns and you will automatically turn into the correct lane (assuming you are not following some other non UK person who doesn't know what they are doing :)). This doesn't mean at time that I don't have moments of thinking I'm driving on the wrong side of the road and have to fight the urge to jerk over into the other lane
  
• Sometime when making right turns, I think I have to look to my right for a car that would be approaching from behind but the car would be coming from my left.
  
• All controls in the car are in the same location...only the driver has changed places. Because I was sitting on the left side of the car, I found that I wanted everything flipped. So the clutch should be on the right side and the gas pedal on the left. 1st gear should be where 5th gear is. Blinker switch and ignition should be on the other side as well.
  
• I don't trust mirrors as their locations seem unnatural and so I don't trust that I am seeing all I need out of them. It seems really weird to look so far to the left for a mirror.
  
• Don't forget there is a whole chunk of car to your left now so don't try to put yourself (the driver) in the same orientation of the lane as if you were sitting on the left hand side! You will hit something! (no I haven't hit anything but I do feel I have come close)
  
• When the road has 2 lanes for one direction, the right lane is the fast lane and the left lane is for normal speed.
  
• Expect to squeeze through tight spots between 2 cars at normal driving speed.
  
• Brits like to give directions based on landmarks instead of street and road names. Sort of reminds of rural Americans...hummmm? :)
  

I used 3 days of short drives to the customer site to prepare me for the 2.5 hours drive back to London with no GPS...using good ol' fashioned maps (and google maps :) ). It went off without a hitch...no wrong turns (well, at least not on the way back to London)! Though I will say I think I'll be taking the train from now for the long rides to customers. It is quite relaxing to let someone else do the driving for you :).