Many years ago, I, like many other tourists, lined up on the pier at Philip Island, Australia to see the little fairy penguins come in from the sea to return to their burrows. We oohed and aahed over the little feathery birds as they waddled out of the cold sea and then, taking stock of their location, waddled back to their homes.
It was quite amazing to see these little birds head back to their burrows without hesitation although the surrounding terrain looked quite homogeneous and unassuming to me. I wondered how on earth they ever managed to find their own burrows in all that landscape.
Today, this imagery of little waddly flightless birds came back to me as I drove along to work. I had a few things on my mind and so was not really paying attention to where I was going, save as to monitor the traffic flow. The next thing I knew, I was turning into my office building, all without even realising where I was going!
It then struck me that I’m not very different from a fairy penguin.
I am perfectly capable of finding my way home and to work without having to pay too much attention to my surroundings. All I have to do is get in my car and start driving and the auto-pilot takes over. If an alien were watching, it might be amazed to at how this human can get into its monoxide belching tin can and find its way home without any hesitation or guidance whatsoever. 5pm might even be a spectator sport on Planet Zak.
And what d’ya know? Fairy penguins and I both preen! *preen* 
Photo credit of ganesh_kumar
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9 comments ↓
I like penguins!
…and giddy tigers like me love to preen too!
Hmm, I do that auto-driving thingy too! When I have too much to think about, that is.
Pablo: So do I! They are endearing though the big black ones are scary as hell
Giddy Tigers: Whee! Giddy Tigers are like penguins too?
Rinnah: I think most of us do, which is pretty amazing when you do think about it.
Happy Feet! Happy Feet!!! Same goes for the Clutch and the Accelerator ~ even better when it’s an auto car..
can’t call the fairy penguins anymore, political correctness! have to call them little penguins now, damn those idiotic people!
LB: Oh yeah with an auto I’m even more of a zombie Happy Feet!
Wuching: YOU ARE KIDDING!?! Crazy nutter politicos. Fairy penguins so there!
it’s definitely auto-drive! kinda like in a zoned-out mode, but your feet and hands seem to know what to do and drive you home, yes?
May: Yes! Amazing the human brain.