Thanks for the imput. Linda, I have always wanted to go to New England and explore. I hope you get the chance! A group of BGF's and I are going to Europe again in the fall. We will be flying into Venice, staying a couple of days, then we will take the train into Germany, France and Holland. We have several days planned at each location. I am really looking forward to the botanical gardens in Frankfurt and Amsterdam! Glenda, my husband wants us to take a cruise in the spring. I am not sure if it will be in the Mediterranean. More likely, the Bahamas. It is hard for him to take too much time off work. Last year, when we went to Europe, about 4 days into the trip, I hid his cell phone so the people from work would quit calling him to handle problems. I let him think he lost it untill the last day, then I gave it back. I will try to post a few more trips on the vacations forum, in the next few days. I have been traveling for years and have alot to share.

Personally, I would keep the cat in a crate or carrier at all times while driving. You don't want to have to deal with the cat possibly climbing on you while you're navigating traffic, or trying to get under your feet and the gas pedal (I've heard of it happening!) Also, it's very risky trying to shove a cat into a carrier once you've got the car stopped -- you risk the cat getting out the door and losing them forever. I moved from Michigan to California, and my two cats were fine with it. They stayed in their carriers for the 8 hours that we drove during the day, and they simply slept or looked a little sad. I chose not to give them water or food during those 8 hour drives, because I didn't want to have to deal with bathroom breaks or possible vomiting. You could easily deal with that, though, by putting the cat in a larger crate with a kitty box within it, if you really wanted them to have water, and access to a litter box (probably a good idea for an older cat). If you have blankets or anything that your cat normally sleeps with, try putting them in the carrier with your cat, or maybe something that smells strongly of you. After the first few hours, though, they really do resign themselves to being in hell, and just curl up and fall asleep.

This past September, was my first experience traveling out of the country. We went to Italy. We had been trying to go for two years and finaly managed to go this time. We visited Venice, Rome, Naples and Capri. We flew out of Cincinnati on a direct flight into Rome. After landing in Rome, we took the train to Venice. It was a 4 hour train ride after a 9 1/2 hour flight. We flew 1st class, so the flight was comfortable. The train ride was enjoyable. Not only do you get to see the countryside, you can move around more freely and recover from a long flight. First stop - Venice I absolutely loved this city! Very laid back and the people are wonderful. As soon as you step off the train, it's a whole different world. Venice is a very calm and slow moving city. The locals are friendly and more than willing to help when you get lost, and you will get lost. It's no big deal, just keep walking. You will get where you want to go eventually. The streets are crowed with tourist as well as vendors, selling anything from Vino and Lemoncello to fresh fruit and vegetables. There are bakeries and gift shops everywhere. Pleanty of shops full of carnavale masks and Murano glass. St.Marks square is beautiful and you can see some beautiful scenery from the Campanile. We stayed at the Hotel Leonardo. Maria and the rest of the staff are great! Clean rooms at a good price. They provide breakfast in the morning. Not like what we eat in the states, but good coffee and rolls. I had some of the best panini's in the world during our visit. We stayed in Venice 3 nigths but could have easily spent the whole trip there. Next stop - Rome We took the train back to Rome. Rome is very fast paced and crowded. We arrived at the termini and decided to walk to hotel, which was only a 5 minute walk. We stayed at the Andy and Lu bed and breakfast, which is housed in a large building along with three other hotels. They give you a ticket in the morning to have breakfast at the bar downstairs. Good coffee and a selection of rolls and danish. The hotel is clean and secure. The rooms are small but we slept well. Once you get used to the noise from the street below, you sleep like a baby. One warning about the hotel. No air conditioning, so I dont suggest you stay there in the summer months. You will not need to rent a car, transportation is one of the easiest parts of visiting Rome. You have many options, bus, train, taxi, and walking. We visited all the major attractions easily using our nike's and the bus system. I had the best pizza I have ever tasted in my life at a trattoria by the Vatican. I can honestly say, I had never really tasted peperoni before that day. Make sure you visit the ancient city and the as many museums as you can. Some of the art work you see will stop you in your tracks. Next stop - Naples and Capri We took the train from Rome to Naples, so we could catch the ferry to Capri. The countryside between is beautiful. When you arrive in Naples, it's a short walk to the dock for the ferry. In this short walk, you will encounter many street vendors and hustlers. By hustlers, I mean people who are trying to sell you anything from a watch to a laptop. There is a beautiful castle that sits across the street from the port. Some great pics waiting to be taken. The ferry to Capri took around 30 mins. It was a nice ride and you can go outside to take pics. Capri cannot be describe in mere words. Breath taking, unforgettable, and amazing come to mind. We visited the Blue grotto and then took the stairs to the top and had a nice lunch. My husband says he liked the panini in Capri the best, but in my opinion we had the best gelato in Italy there. Capri like Venice is very laid back and the people extremely friendly. I purchased some lemoncello and creme of lemon, made right there on the island. I hope I didnt rattle too much. Italy is hard to sum up in a few words. Here is a link to my albumn. Hope you take time to look at my pics. http://picasaweb.google.com/msprettyky/Italy

Loved Bruges (was there for my honeymoon in April 2003). I found the chocolates/truffles from the open farmers' market 1000 times better than those in the stores. They melted in my mouth. I must have consumed chocolates from 10 different stores/markets. Belgium: you know about the 2 types of waffles, yes? I love the heavier dense ones w/ the crunchy sugar crystals. I like it alone, w/out any chocolate syrup, etc. It's so good all warm and sweet and sticky. Amsterdam: sorry but can't remember the name, but we went to a FABULOUS Thai restaurant that had the most amazing papaya salad. Even better than those I had in Thailand; so flavorful and SPICY, just amazing! I fell in love with European canned tuna in Paris. We had purchased fresh baguette and some canned tuna and had a fantastic picnic lunch in the gardens of Palace of Versailles. The canned tuna is so flavorful and smoky; mop up the flavored oil with the crunchy fluffy bread. Or maybe it was the love in my new husband's eyes... :) Enjoy yourself!