Driving a car with a manual transmission is a right of passage for many American adolescent males. About 16 months ago Natalie and I sold my car (2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT). It was my first manual and driving has not been nearly as much fun since. In Europe, driving a manual transmission is the only way to drive. As a result, everything thing from family sized vans to little Smart Cars have a manual transmission. I have never driven outside of the United States and my first experience international driving experience was both memorable and educational.

Natalie and I, along with 12 of Natalie’s family members took a train from Rome to Perugia where we picked up 3 rental cars. I was appointed to drive the lead car on account of the fact that I had a TomTom GPS unit with European maps. Driving in Italy, especially in the cities, is not for the timid or the weak of heart. I had been watching Roman drivers for 3 days and I was a little nervous about being responsible for the lives of the 5 other people in my car. Putting my nervousness aside however, I took my lead from the other drivers, and shot out of the train station and into traffic, smoothly cutting off a bus and about 15 other cars in the process. This successful, although dangerous maneuver, was difficult to follow for the two cars behind me. Clearly, this was my fault. I waited for the other two cars in our party for several minutes, but when they did not show up, the passengers in my car voted and I sped off towards Passignano sul Trasimeno.

Before I started off on this Speed Racer type adventure, I programed our intended destination (the castle where Natalie’s brother Phil is getting married) into my GPS unit. With the chaos of adapting to a stick (it is very smooth but the release on the clutch is quite a bit higher than what I am accustom), adjusting to the death inviting maneuvers that are common place on the Italian roadways, and trying, unsuccessfully, to not lose the two cars that needed to follow me, I failed to notice that the GPS unit was taking us to Bagnoli del Trigno (located 2.5 hours south east of Rome).

After happily speeding along the Italian expressway for 10-15 miles, I noticed that the 30 minute drive I was intending to take, was estimated to take almost 3 hours. To make a gross understatement, this was problematic. With 4 people stuffed into a 3 person back seat (Natalie was practically sitting on her grandmother) and with my mother-in-law (also in the back) being more or less in charge of the entire wedding venture, I needed to get the car to Passignano sul Trasimeno quickly. I rapidly re-programed the GPS unit and turned the car around. GPS units often build a level of blind faith in the system. This is well deserved. However, the human factor (read: my distraction) can impose a formidable obstacle to success.

Several wrong turns and and a bumpy off roading excursion later, we eventually arrived at the castle. Our unfortunate detour allowed the two cars that I should have lead to the castle to arrive before us. Alls well that ends well.

Travel more efficiently. Use your GPS Unit properly!