The last time I drove in Italy was with my good friend Pam (who is also coming on our adventure). Six years ago, we intrepidly took off from Amsterdam, thinking we would drive to Italy in a day. As it happened, it took two very long, very interesting and occasionally terrifying days. I have to still give Pam total props on this one -- driving in Italy at night, enroute to Florence with massive trucks and zipping, honking cars passing us on narrow, dark highways -- was not one of the safest things we have ever done (and me driving in Paris rush hour was a pale second), and Pam held her own with great humor and aplomb.
Which brings me to the point of this post. International driving permits. You can thank my mother for bringing this up. Those of us renting cars need to obtain one before we leave. (Thankfully for Pam and me, we didn't need one in France when I got pulled over by sixteen year old policemen toting uzis.)
I think given everyone's timeline, the best thing to do is print out the application located at this link:
http://www.aaawin.com/travel/tips_info/IDP/idp_application2.asp, and then get it processed in your hometowns at your local AAA.
It won't make the driving any less...um...adventurous...but it will help us out of any difficulties if we are pulled over for anything like "crossing the solid white line."
