Every place has a system. A pace. An unspoken agreement among the people who live there about how the day is supposed to move. When you travel, you are stepping into someone else’s rhythm, and the faster you find it, the less you interrupt it, and the more you actually enjoy being there. This is […]
Italy Has a Rhythm. Here’s How to Find It. Read More »
Before You Go
The general safety picture for European travel is covered in Keep Your Hands on Your Bag: Staying Safe in Europe — pickpocketing patterns, ATM safety, distraction scams, and what to do if something goes wrong. Read that one first. Italy fits that picture, and a few things are worth knowing specifically before you arrive. At
At the Train Station and Beyond: Staying Sharp in Italy Read More »
Before You Go
Before you get to this list, make sure you have covered the universal apps that belong on your phone for any international trip. CityMapper, Google Maps offline, Google Translate camera mode, Apple Translate for conversation, WhatsApp, Wanderlog, and a few others are all covered in Apps I Never Travel Without. Those are the foundation. This
Your Italy Trip, Right in Your Pocket Read More »
Before You Go
The big picture on handling money in Europe is covered in Your Card Will Work. Probably. A Guide to Money in Europe — ATMs over airport kiosks, notifying your bank, Dynamic Currency Conversion, never traveling with only one card. All of that applies in Italy. Italy adds some texture worth knowing before you land. The
Italy Runs on Cash. Here’s What Else to Know. Read More »
Before You Go
Before you get to this article, the universal pre-departure checklist belongs somewhere else. Passport validity, Global Entry, STEP registration, document copies — all of that is covered in Documentation to Sort Before You Leave the Country. Read that one first if you have not already. This article is about what changed for 2026. Specifically, what
Europe Updated Its Entry Requirements. Here’s What Changed. Read More »
Before You Go
The Idea That Started It Planning a family trip to Paris for twelve people sounded magical in theory. In practice, it was an intricate puzzle of passports, expectations, and personalities. Some of us were seasoned travelers who could navigate customs in our sleep. Others had never left their hometown, let alone the country. Everyone was
Pre-Boarding the Brain: How Paris Planning Became a Lesson in Care Read More »
Travel Planning
Most travel advice starts with where to go and what to pack. But if you’re planning for more than just yourself, the who might matter even more than the where. If you’re doing any kind of group travel planning, you’ll quickly learn the dynamics of the group shape every detail. Planning a trip for a
Planning for People, Not Just Places Read More »
Before You Go, Travel Planning
On planning with precision, managing with intention, and still leaving space to wander. Let’s Be Clear: I’m Not a Pro, Just a Planner I’m not a travel agent. I don’t get commissions from tour companies or free upgrades from airlines, and I’m not paid by hotels or airlines to send guests their way. I’m not
I’m Not a Travel Agent (But I Plan Like One) Read More »
Travel Planning
Coming back from Paris, I bought wine at the duty-free shop in the international terminal. I had done what you are supposed to do: bought it after security, in the sealed tamper-evident bag, with the receipt inside. I was carrying it on the plane. I understood, or thought I understood, how this worked. In Atlanta,
What Duty-Free Actually Means (And When It Actually Matters) Read More »
Before You Go
Something going wrong on an international trip is not inevitable. But it happens, and the travelers who handle it well are almost always the ones who thought about it before they left. The key is not to panic. Most of these situations have a path through them. The path is shorter and clearer when you
When Something Goes Wrong Abroad Read More »
Before You Go
I want to tell you about an afternoon in Paris that was one of the most stressful I have had on any trip. It ended well. That is Paris for you. The morning was Père Lachaise Cemetery. If you have never been, go. It is nothing like you expect. It is beautiful, almost park-like, completely
The Gendarme Afternoon Read More »
Stories from the Road
Before you get to this list, make sure you have covered the universal apps that belong on your phone for any international trip. CityMapper, Google Maps offline, Google Translate camera mode, Apple Translate for conversation, WhatsApp, Wanderlog, and a few others are all covered in Apps I Never Travel Without. Those are the foundation. CityMapper
Before Paris, Do This on Your Phone Read More »
Before You Go