16 Again (sort of)

Wow, so, today, in the mail, I got my "Provisional Driving Licence" for the UK, which is, essentially, my learner's permit. It has the awful, grumpy looking picture from my passport (which never seems to work in the automated passport checking booths at the airport for some reason...). I figured that, after 8 1/2 years it might actually be time to get a local license, seeing as how my NYS license is, technically speaking, only good in the UK for year. I'm going to renew the NYS one, even though I've not lived there since 2003. Gotta love crappy data control! Anyway, I now need to learn the highway theory book ("The Highway Code"), take a few lessons to improve my LH stickshift driving (as you have to take the test on a stick if you want to be licensed to drive a stick - most cars here are manual). The worst bit is I have to take the road test, and most people fail their first time. Unlike the US, where if you don't cause a 38 car pileup you can pass, here it's actually quite difficult, and I'm actually going to take a series of driving lessons, so I can learn what I have to do to pass here (like not ever crossing my hands over when I turn the wheel). Yay, I can't wait.