I drive two manual gearbox vehicles every day in and around New York City (A Honda Accord and a Toyota Tacoma truck). That post made me laugh. It's even more fun when you can shift without using the clutch, a skill that I learned about 40 years ago and that I've taught to a number of people who told me it was impossible to do. That's one bet I love to take. Needless to say, I'm one of those insane types who loves to drive (and fly). Steering wheels/pedals, and control columns and rudder pedals are natural extensions of my arms and legs.

But in all seriousness, yes, I realize there's a chance there'll be heavy traffic. Where I'm going (Friedrichshafen, on Lake Constance) it would just be nice to have the freedom to get around with a car rather than relying on buses and taxis, or getting a lift from others. Plus the drive back to Munich on Sunday morning at 8am is sure to be wide open. I'll be on a train for the rest of the afternoon after getting back to the HBf, and I didn't want to spend another 3.5 hours on the rails.

This sign means "end of speed and passing restrictions." I've driven German Autobahns before (and experienced a 2-hour horrific traffic jam on the A8 going to Salzburg in 2005). I had a crappy Opel 1,7l diesel that could barely do 150kmh, and even that was going downhill with a tailwind, with my foot jamming the throttle wide open. It was a fun drive from the French border up to Frankfurt airport, though. And I got to flirt with a lovely young Fraulein at a rest stop near Mannheim.