Life is unpredictable and often far too short. Many of us spend years caught in routines – commuting to work, looking after our various responsibilities, day in and day out – all the while dreaming of something more. If you’re a lover of classic and exotic cars, you’ve likely imagined yourself behind the wheel on an epic drive, perhaps across the winding roads of Europe. Yet, when faced with actually doing it, doubt creeps in. Is it practical? Is it safe? But consider this: in surveys of lifetime regrets, “not travelling more and seeing more of the world” topped the list of things people wish they’d done. Our souls crave these adventures. And when the road beckons, maybe we should listen.
Life Is Short – Drive Free and Live Fully
We often convince ourselves that there will be time “later” for fun and adventure. The problem is though that later can easily turn into never. None of us knows how much time we have left, so embracing joy now is vital. In the words of Helen Keller, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
Every day we postpone that adventure is a day we don’t get back. We wait for the “right moment,” but life’s inherent uncertainty means the perfect time may never come. Whether it’s an illness, a sudden change in circumstances, or simply the slow passage of years – opportunities can slip away while we’re busy making plans. Importantly, it’s often the things we don’t do that haunt us later. Research into human regrets confirms that, over time, people regret missed chances far more than missteps. Author Daniel Pink notes that “over time, people regret what they didn’t do more than what they did do. Regrets of inaction are far more common than regrets of action.” In simpler terms, you’re much more likely to cherish the risks you did take for the sake of joy than lament the ones you didn’t. That long dreamt-of road trip across Europe, with all its unknowns, may feel daring or even daunting – but imagine looking back years from now. Are you more likely to smile at the memory of watching the sunset over the French Alps from the driver’s seat of your classic car, or to sigh wishing you had found the courage to go?
The answer becomes clear when you realize how precious each opportunity for happiness really is.
“If You Think Adventure Is Dangerous, Try Routine”
One of the biggest obstacles that keeps us from indulging in life’s grand adventures is the comfort of routine. Our daily habits and obligations provide a sense of safety, a predictability that can be hard to let go of. Yet that same comfort can slowly dull the spark of life. Famed author Paulo Coelho put it best: “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine; it’s lethal.”
Day after day of the same schedule can lull us into thinking we’re content, even as deep down, our hearts yearn for more colour and excitement. We might polish our beloved classic car in the garage on weekends, telling ourselves “someday” we’ll take that big trip, while the weeks and months slip by.
Breaking free from routine is not just about escaping boredom – it’s about allowing yourself to be truly happy. In fact, one common regret people voice at life’s end is wishing they had allowed themselves more happiness and silliness instead of staying stuck in old habits. The late Australian nurse Bronnie Ware, who recorded the regrets of the dying, noted how many folks realized too late that happiness is a choice. They remained trapped in familiarity and feared change, pretending to be content when “deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.” What does this tell us? It’s a poignant reminder that the seriousness of everyday life should never fully extinguish our capacity for joy. A spirited road trip – singing along to your favourite songs with the windows down – might be exactly the kind of joyful, silly experience we need to break the spell of routine.
The Open Road: Food for the Soul
There is something almost spiritual about setting out on the open road, especially in a car that you love. It’s not just travel; it’s a pilgrimage for the soul. Long drives through scenic landscapes have therapeutic effects – they reduce stress and encourage mindfulness. With the world in your rearview mirror and an open horizon ahead, you gain the rare freedom to reflect on life without the usual distractions. In the cocoon of your car, with the engine purring and miles unfolding under your wheels, you often gain a new perspective on life, relationships, and priorities. The road becomes a moving meditation. The steady rhythm of tires on asphalt can feel like a heartbeat syncing with your own, each mile gently unwinding the tight coils of stress that everyday life winds up within us.
Perhaps it’s the ever-changing scenery that reminds us how vast the world is – charming villages giving way to sunflower fields, mountains rolling into valleys. Perhaps it’s the sense of freedom: on a road trip, you choose the pace and direction. Want to detour to a medieval castle on a whim, or stop at a quaint roadside café for an espresso? You can. The journey itself becomes as meaningful as the destination. You find beauty in small moments – morning light over a quiet lake, or the way foreign winds smell different through the open window. These moments fuel your spirit. They remind you that you’re not just an employee or boss, a parent, or a list of obligations; you’re an adventurer at heart, alive to the wonders around you.Winding alpine highways like the famed Stelvio Pass in Italy beckon drivers with dizzying switchbacks and breathtaking views.
It’s in places like this that you feel utterly present – hands on the wheel, heart in your throat, and soul awakened by the sheer beauty around you. Europe is filled with such roads, each offering its own magic. Imagine tracing the Amalfi Coast in a vintage convertible, the Mediterranean sparkling on your left and cliffs soaring on your right. Or picture a moonlit drive through the Black Forest in Germany, where every turn through the tall pines feels like a chapter in a storybook. These experiences elevate driving from a means of transport to a form of art – a dance between you, your car, and the landscape. Every gear shift and steering input becomes a joyful interaction with the world. It’s the kind of fun that isn’t frivolous at all; it’s sustenance for the soul.
Picture Yourself on the Journey of a Lifetime
Let’s step into an imagined scenario – one that, with a bit of courage, could very well become reality for you. Picture yourself finally taking that European road trip you’ve talked about for ages. The morning you set off, you feel butterflies in your stomach – a mix of excitement and nerves. The garage door opens, revealing your pride and joy: perhaps a beloved classic Jaguar E-Type gleaming in the early sun, or a roaring Lamborghini Huracán primed for adventure. You load a suitcase, throw on your favourite driving sunglasses, and with a deep breath, turn the key. The engine comes alive with a throaty rumble. This is it – the beginning of something extraordinary.
In your mind’s eye, you might see yourself in a vibrant sports car, say a yellow Lamborghini, cruising through the Swiss Alps by a crystal-blue lake. A medieval castle towers on the far shore as your car hugs the gentle curves of the mountain road. The air is crisp and filled with the scent of pine. You downshift and hear the engine’s song echo against the alpine peaks, a sound of pure freedom. The scenery is so vivid it hardly feels real – snow-dusted mountains glinting in the sun and a ribbon of asphalt winding ahead like an invitation. With each mile, you notice your worries shrinking in the rearview mirror.
As you cross from country to country, the world becomes your playground. One day you’re navigating the twists of the Stelvio Pass (often hailed as “the best driving road in the world”), feeling a surge of adrenaline as you tackle its famous hairpin turns. Another day you’re coasting along the French Riviera, the evening light painting the road gold, your classic car drawing smiles and waves from passers by. You stop when you feel like it – maybe to watch the sunset with no one else around. In those moments, you laugh easier, breathe deeper, and feel a profound connection to the present. This is living. This is what it means to let your soul have its day in the sun.
During your journey, you might strike up a conversation with a stranger admiring your car at a fuel stop in Bavaria, and end up sharing travel tales over coffee. Or you find yourself dancing spontaneously to a street musician’s tune in a Spanish village square, simply because the mood is right. These little detours and surprises become the highlights of your story. You realize that the best travel tales aren’t the ones where everything went exactly as planned – they’re the ones with unplanned moments of joy. The slight risk of not knowing exactly what comes next pays off a hundred times over with memories you’ll carry forever. Every day on the road brings a new discovery, not just about the world but about yourself – your courage, your capacity for wonder, your ability to find happiness in the simplest of experiences.
Memories Over Regrets: The Rewards of Saying “Yes”
By the time you eventually pull back into your driveway at home, there’s a good chance you’ll step out of your car a changed person. Your face may be sun-kissed and smiling, your mind brimming with stories. Instead of the “what if” imaginings of an adventure unrealized, you now have real memories – vivid, joyous, perhaps even life-changing. These are the kind of memories people treasure for decades. They become the anecdotes you’ll share with friends over dinner, the private daydreams you’ll revisit when life feels drab, and perhaps the inspiring legacy you pass down to your kids (“let me tell you about the trips I had across Europe…”).
In contrast, consider the alternative: never leaving at all. That choice might have felt safer initially, but down the line, when the glow of those “practical” decisions fades, you might find a void where an experience should have been.
It’s telling that when people are asked about their biggest regrets, they rarely mention the adventures they embarked on, even if those involved some risk. More often, they lament the adventures never taken. A popular adage encapsulates this truth: “Fear is merely a feeling. Regrets last a lifetime.”
The jitters you feel before doing something bold – like taking time off work, spending money on a long trip, or venturing into unknown places – those fears fade. They are temporary emotions that dissipate once you’re in the moment, soaking in the joy. But if you give in to fear and let the dream drift by, the remorse of inaction can linger and harden over years. As one travel writer succinctly advised, fear passes, but if you don’t pursue your dreams, you might live to regret it.
Travelling across Europe on a soul-enriching road trip is not just about cars and roads – it’s a declaration that joy is worth the risk. By taking that leap, you prove to yourself that you’re willing to prioritize what truly matters in life. And what matters at the end of the day is not how many emails you answered or how tidy the house was, but how fully you lived and loved. The very act of saying “yes” to adventure is an act of self-love and affirmation that your happiness is important. It’s choosing memories over missed chances. It’s affirming that you deserve to experience the things that make your heart sing.
Embrace the Journey, Embrace the Joy
Life will always contain unknowns – that’s its very nature. But within that uncertainty lies the beauty of possibility. Allowing your soul to enjoy life means sometimes throwing caution (at least a little) to the wind and following the call of what excites you. A European road trip in a classic or exotic car might initially seem impractical or extravagant, but in the grand tapestry of your life, it could end up being one of the richest, most illuminating threads. When you’re cruising on the open road, watching the scenery change from one breath-taking panorama to the next, you feel free. You feel alive. In those moments, you’re not just surviving – you’re truly living.
So, if that dream has been tugging at your heart, fuel up the car and give yourself permission to go. Pack your sense of wonder, your passion for the drive, and a healthy appetite for spontaneity. Embrace the thrill of not having every minute scheduled. Laugh at the inevitable small hiccups (they often make the best stories). Savour the way the journey makes you feel – youthful, energized, fully present. Remember that “twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did”. That particular quote really stuck with me – its worth reading twice over.
When you look back on your life, you’re far more likely to cherish the open-road adventures and wild leaps of faith than the times you played it safe.
In the end, allowing your soul to indulge in fun and adventure is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. Life is short, and every joyful experience is a triumph over the mundane. So take that road trip across Europe. Let the wind tousle your hair and the sunsets move you to tears. Trade some of your careful plans for a bit of magic. You’ve got a beautiful car waiting and a big world to explore. Go create those memories – your future self will thank you, and your soul will be all the richer for it. Bon voyage!
If you need inspiration and advice on how to actually put plans into action, you are in the right place! First of all, check out our Ultimate Guide to Road Tripping Europe, subscribe to The Touring Standard, and get planning!
