Hey did I mention...

My kids and I are leaving for Italy in a couple of weeks?

We're taking a three week vacation staying in Sorrento, Rome, FLorence, Venice
- doing it on our own. About a year ago we were doing good on learning
Italian, then kind of dropped the ball, so I'm trying to do a crash course so I
don't order cow innards for lunch.

We leave May 10, back May 28.

Ciao!

Joelle
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle

"Joelle" wrote in message
...
My kids and I are leaving for Italy in a couple of weeks?

We're taking a three week vacation staying in Sorrento, Rome, FLorence,
Venice
- doing it on our own. About a year ago we were doing good on learning
Italian, then kind of dropped the ball, so I'm trying to do a crash course
so I
don't order cow innards for lunch.

We leave May 10, back May 28.

Ciao!

Joelle
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle



You should not have too much porblem, it is amazing how much of the world
speaks English and is americanized....the only place that no one spoke
English was in the gift shop at the Vatican.....

You can eat at a McDonalds directly across the piazza from the Pantheon in
Rome ;-), as well as shop a Disney store.

A couple of tips for Rome. Use the subways. You can buy a all day pass (I
think it was about $4....kids were cheaper) and get around the city very
quickly. But they pack them in at rush hour.
When you go to the Vatican, get in line for the Sistine Chapel first, early
in the morning, the line gets very long as the day progresses......

Another trick......stick your credit card and cash in your socks when you
walk around Rome. It is almost impossible for a pick pocket to get at. We
didn't have any problems, but you can't be too safe.

Another trick, check with your ATM card WRT to charges for withdrawls
overseas. Often it is cheaper to withdraw money from a local ATM and pay
the surcharges than it is to may the exchange rates, and you don't have to
carry as much cash with you.....travel's checks are a PITA, and you get hit
with additional fees.

If you do take cash, make sure it is all in the 'new' currency, and does not
have any rips tears or marks. There is nothing more miserable than carrying
a lot of currency that you cannot exchange.

"Joelle" wrote in message
...
My kids and I are leaving for Italy in a couple of weeks?

We're taking a three week vacation staying in Sorrento, Rome, FLorence,
Venice
- doing it on our own. About a year ago we were doing good on learning
Italian, then kind of dropped the ball, so I'm trying to do a crash course
so I
don't order cow innards for lunch.

We leave May 10, back May 28.

Ciao!

Joelle
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle


Oh you lucky duck!! What a wonderful adventure this will be. The kids will
never forget it. I know a word in Italian. Repeat after me. Vino. Good
job!

Lisa

You should not have too much porblem, it is amazing how much of the world
speaks English and is americanized....the only place that no one spoke
English was in the gift shop at the Vatican.....

Yea but it's nice to make an attempt to speak the language of the country you
are visiting...

You can eat at a McDonalds directly across the piazza from the Pantheon in
Rome ;-)

I've heard Mickey Ds have the best bathrooms. Hopefully my kids will expand
their taste buds...

When you go to the Vatican

Don't be jealous by I've book a private tour guide for the Vatican...at first I
was thinking $50 an hour for 4 hours was pretty extravagent, but my gentlman
friend spent $100 for us to watch an hour an a half musical "Grease" and I
figured, in comparison, $200 for the three of us to have our own guide in the
vatican for 4 hours...not a bad deal

Another trick......stick your credit card and cash in your socks when you
walk around Rome. It is almost impossible for a pick pocket to get at.

hadn't really considered my socks, decided on a nect pouch under my shirt over
a money belt that seemed uncomfortable. Not sure how comfy money in my socks
would be...

.travel's checks are a PITA

You know, I quit using travelers checks even traveling in the USA a few years
ago, just divide the cash up in interesting safe places (not my socks though)
and use credit cards.

Done my homework...now if I can just convince my daughter, this trip will be
worth missing the last day of middle school... :-)

Joelle

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle

"Joelle" wrote in message
...
You should not have too much porblem, it is amazing how much of the world
speaks English and is americanized....the only place that no one spoke
English was in the gift shop at the Vatican.....

Yea but it's nice to make an attempt to speak the language of the country
you
are visiting...

You can eat at a McDonalds directly across the piazza from the Pantheon
in
Rome ;-)

I've heard Mickey Ds have the best bathrooms.

Yeah, they do

Hopefully my kids will expand
their taste buds...

When you go to the Vatican

Don't be jealous by I've book a private tour guide for the Vatican...at
first I
was thinking $50 an hour for 4 hours was pretty extravagent, but my
gentlman
friend spent $100 for us to watch an hour an a half musical "Grease" and I
figured, in comparison, $200 for the three of us to have our own guide in
the
vatican for 4 hours...not a bad deal

Not jealous at all, when we went to Rome, it literally at th elast minute,
found out two days before our trip that we had a 2 hr layover in the Rome
airport.....I switched it to 2 days......we practically ran from place to
place...............I could have spent two weeks there. The tour sounds
like a great deal......


Another trick......stick your credit card and cash in your socks when you
walk around Rome. It is almost impossible for a pick pocket to get at.

hadn't really considered my socks, decided on a nect pouch under my shirt
over
a money belt that seemed uncomfortable. Not sure how comfy money in my
socks
would be...

The sock bit came from my dentist, how is orginally from there... :-)


.travel's checks are a PITA

You know, I quit using travelers checks even traveling in the USA a few
years
ago, just divide the cash up in interesting safe places (not my socks
though)
and use credit cards.

Done my homework...now if I can just convince my daughter, this trip will
be
worth missing the last day of middle school... :-)

Definitely..


Joelle

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle

"P.Fritz" wrote in message

Another trick......stick your credit card and cash in your socks when you
walk around Rome. It is almost impossible for a pick pocket to get at. We
didn't have any problems, but you can't be too safe.

A tubigrip type bandage on your thigh is the best. I have travelled
Africa and South America and never lost a thing.

oaway (Joelle) wrote in message

My kids and I are leaving for Italy in a couple of weeks?

Bon Voyage!

Middle son lives there, near Trento in the north. Freddie and I went
over at Christmas, we had a great time.

Dennis

On 19 Apr 2004 18:12:27 GMT, oaway (Joelle) wrote:

You should not have too much porblem, it is amazing how much of the world
speaks English and is americanized....the only place that no one spoke
English was in the gift shop at the Vatican.....

Yea but it's nice to make an attempt to speak the language of the country you
are visiting...

You can eat at a McDonalds directly across the piazza from the Pantheon in
Rome ;-)

I've heard Mickey Ds have the best bathrooms. Hopefully my kids will expand
their taste buds...

When you go to the Vatican

Don't be jealous by I've book a private tour guide for the Vatican...at first I
was thinking $50 an hour for 4 hours was pretty extravagent, but my gentlman
friend spent $100 for us to watch an hour an a half musical "Grease" and I
figured, in comparison, $200 for the three of us to have our own guide in the
vatican for 4 hours...not a bad deal

I hope you all have a great time!

lm (doing the math... $50 per person, $200 total...)

lm (doing the math... $50 per person, $200 total...)

$50 an hour, four hours for all three. If your group gets big enough it turns
out to be a better deal to book a private rather than group tour...

Joelle
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle

A tubigrip type bandage on your thigh is the best

??? that does not even sound comfortable.

Joelle
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St
Augustine
Joelle