Calculating road toll cost

I just found an awesome website to help calculate road tolls in Italy.

Go here.

I dare you to find out the toll cost from Vicenza to Napoli, and then not pass out. Tolls can be painful in Italy...

Traveling with children

Anybody else ever been here? When my two year old doesn't want to do something this is what he does, complete limp noodle to the ground.

So what do you do when you travel with children? I carry a few things to make it easier.
* His favorite snack (fruit snacks)
* A favorite toy and book (that he only gets when we are out and about)
* Wet wipes, lot's of em
* Water bottle
* "I Spy bag" for the car (Make your own!)
* Lunch, I always pack a lunch because kids get hungry at the most inconvenient times

What makes your travels with kiddos easier?

Passports: know before you go.

Alright so this is kind of a boring post, but it's important information for those of you who have a no-fee passport (the official use only one that the government issues you). Lot's of people will tell you that you can use your no-fee passport for personal travel. And while you might be able to get away with it (I'll admit it, I have), you're not supposed to.

Read this

To get yours you will need:
**$110 for 16 year olds and up, $105 for under 16. Payable by money order (you can get one at the post office, be sure to do separate ones for each passport you apply for) made out to U.S. consulate.
**2 photos 2x2 (you can go to the photo lab and get them free)
**Your ID and no-fee passport (for kids you need birth certificate and marriage certificate if it applies)
**Fill out some paperwork at the passport office.

There is no expediting them unless it's an emergency. So get in there and apply!

Paris in the fall!

I just bought tickets to Paris for 20 Euro each!!! I love the cheap flights around Europe. My favorites are:

www.ryanair.com
www.wizzair.com
www.germanwings.com

What is your favorite place to buy cheap flights?

"The hole"

Ah yes, the hole. Not every place that you go has these, but many do. An Italian explained it to me this way "If the place looks nice, the bathroom is probably nice, if it doesn't, then the bathroom probably has 'the hole'". These aren't just in Italy though, this is a picture of one I found in Switzerland at a rest stop:

I had to take a picture of it because it's a little different then other ones I've seen, it has little islands for your feet. Usually you have to straddle it, this one allows you to stand right in it. Not sure if I like that better or not...