Looking Back on 36 Years

In my 36 years, I haven’t had many regrets. I’ve usually followed my heart and done what I wanted to do, and I love the life I have now. That doesn’t mean everything has gone smoothly or that life has always been fun—in fact, I’ve failed far more often than I’ve succeeded, faced plenty of setbacks, and learned some lessons the hard way. But when I’ve faced the choice to do something or not, I’ve tried to find the courage to say yes. That’s why I don’t have many regrets about thinking, “I wish I’d done things differently.”

My One Big Regret

There is, however, one thing I regret more than anything: passing up the chance to drive a Porsche on Germany’s Romantic Road.
In October 2014, my husband and I finally took our honeymoon—two years after getting married—and traveled to Germany. We didn’t own a Porsche yet; my husband was still working toward his dream of owning one someday. Since we were going all the way to Germany, he planned to rent a Porsche, drive on the Autobahn, head south along the Romantic Road, and visit the Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi museums. (Some honeymoon, huh? LOL.)

Before the trip, my husband told me, “Make sure you get an international driving permit. You don’t get many chances to drive a Porsche on German roads.” But I had only recently, and reluctantly, returned to driving after years as a non-driver following the birth of our first child. I was still scraping and bumping into things, and I had even less confidence behind the wheel than I do now.

So no matter how much he encouraged me, I stubbornly refused:

“No way! Driving overseas, on the opposite side of the road, in a left-hand-drive car—and a Porsche, no less? I can’t do that! Σヽ(｀д´；)ﾉ”

He eventually said, “Fine, you don’t have to drive. Just get the permit anyway. Maybe you’ll feel like taking the wheel after riding along for a while.” But I insisted I wouldn’t get one—what if I had an accident and hurt someone?—and off to Germany we went, with no international driving permit in hand.

A 911—And a Carrera 4S, at That

My husband had booked a Boxster, but the rental company had made a mistake. At the airport counter, they asked something along the lines of, “The Boxster is out at the moment. Would a Carrera 4S be all right?” (I think they may have offered him a choice between a Macan and a Carrera 4S.) I still remember my husband getting incredibly excited: “Seriously? I can’t believe I get to drive a 911!” (Here’s the rental car.)

I stuck to the passenger seat. I could tell it was a great car, but the Autobahn and the Romantic Road were so relaxing that I spent most of the drive fast asleep… (We drove on roads as beautiful as these.)

Somehow, despite sleeping through much of the drive, I came home feeling pretty satisfied with the trip.

Why, Oh Why, Didn’t I Drive?

But looking back now, I can’t help thinking:

“I had the chance to drive a Porsche on Germany’s Romantic Road, and I just let it slip away. Why?”

What was I thinking? (-_-)

There aren’t many roads in Japan—and especially in the Kansai region—where you can really enjoy a drive. Even now, when I’m behind the wheel of our Panamera, I often think, “If only there were more roads where I could experience everything this car can do.”

Driving a Porsche beneath a clear blue sky, along the Romantic Road in Germany—with sweeping grasslands as far as the eye can see, long, straight stretches without traffic lights, and gentle, flowing curves—must have felt incredible.

My husband was probably traveling at a seriously fast pace on the Autobahn (I think he may have been doing around 200 km/h), but getting to drive a Porsche on the Autobahn, where you can really appreciate what the car is capable of, is a rare opportunity.

I may get another chance someday, but if we go again, the kids will probably come too. That trip may have been our one and only opportunity to drive together as a couple, with all the time in the world and nowhere else to be.

Honestly… I really was an idiot. (-_-)

People say that it’s not the things you do that you regret, but the things you don’t do. So when an opportunity comes along from now on, I’m going to try to say yes—unless there’s a good ethical or practical reason not to. We only get one life, and I want to make the most of it with as few regrets as possible.