Subject: Digital Cameras on a long trip
Greetings Ziners,

My wife and I have just returned from a four week trip to Italy. We took approximately 2200 pictures on our two digital cameras. We recharged our batteries at our hotel in the evenings using a small european 220 volt charger that we bought on a lengthy trip to Vienna several years ago. It handles most types of batteries (AA, AAA, and nine volt). It was relatively inexpensive (about 10 euros) made by Varta, and available, or one like it in most camera shops.

We have eight sd cards for one camera ranging in size from 64 megs to 512 megs. For the other camera we have seven smart media card ranging in size from 8 megs to 256 megs. This arrangement allows us to take about 4200 pictures at medium resolution, which is more than we usually take on a four week trip. Each card has a plastic case with a two color insert that can be flipped around to show red for full and white for space available. The cards are stored in the small camera bags we have for each camera.

We also use the internet and have seen the copying service mentioned by other ziners which allow you to easily transfer photos to cd either from the camera directly or off the cards. While we have not availed ourselves of the service, we have witnessed others who have and found it to be fairly quick and easy.

One other note, some digital cameras have non standard batteries and 120 volt american style battery charger that cannot be simply plugged into european wall sockets. There is a simple solution in that for about 6,50 euros at most camera shops you can purchase a small plug adapter that will work in over 100 countries that can convert that three or two pronged american plug into something that will plug into most sockets in europe and elsewhere. It will charge your battery providing the charger from the camera is rated to handle 220 volt. Most are, but a look at the charger will tell you.

For those of you that are interested in the details of our most recent trip, I will try to give a condensed version and perhaps later give some more detail if there is some interest.

We flew to Venice, then spent the next two weeks driving south along the Adriatic coast, with frequent trips inland. Most of our time was spent in Le Marche and northern Abruzzo. We found it to be every bit as nice as Tuscany and Umbria. There was a great variety of coastal beach town, walled hilltop towns, medieval towns and Roman ruins. The food was generally regional and delicious. We stayed where ever we found ourselves at the end of the day. We had no trouble finding a room and all were very central to the particular town that we stayed (Ravenna, Urbino, Jesi, Cagli, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno, and Pescara). We thoroughly enjoy our trip. English is fairly sparse and they don't see many north americans.

On our way back to Venice, we drove on the autostrade to and in Rome (largest flea market in Italy), up to Florence, Bolonga, Ferara, and Padua. We spent the final two weeks in Venice to experience the entire carnevale. A real experience that is perhaps difficult to do in its entirety without going to carnevale for just a few days, before doing the whole thing.

One final note. For those of you that expressed interest in purchasing property in Italy and wanted some up close and personal experiences, part of our trip was the very preliminary stages of our quest. If you would like to contact me off group, I will be happy to answer what questions I can.

Happy Travels, Sam and Cathi Crescent City, CA