Things I've Learned About Touring

I spent a lot of time thinking about how I prepared for this tour after I returned and this is what worked and what didn't.

Luggage

Used wheeled luggage whenever possible, and if your luggage is really old, replace it with newer, and lighter pieces.  Typical weight limits on checked luggage are far lower than they were years ago.  A heavy suitcase reduces the amount of clothes that you can take with you.  If you exceed the limit, it may be cheaper to discard clothing than to pay the penalty.

Packing

Roll your clothes for the most efficient packing.  Think hard about the bulk and weight of what you're packing.  If you need a heavy coat, carry it onto the plane with you.  If you need to pack a jacket or a coat, a light, compressible item, made of down or something similar would be better.

Clothing

Consider a layered approach if you think the weather warrants it.  Screened T-shirts for warm weather, regular button-up shirts if it gets cooler, sweater or sweatshirt, and either a vest or down jacket.  An umbrella and thin rain jacket.  A photographer's or traveler's vest with multiple pockets is good for carrying cash, passport, phone and other items.  Bring heavy hiking shoes if you're going to do a lot walking, regular walking shoes are inadequate for walking over rough surfaces.  Small rocks, cinders, and uneven paths are felt painfully through the soles.  Make sure the soles are flexible, but are rigid enough to protect your feet.  Bring slippers for walking around in the hotel, although some provide them.  Italians do not use hand or face towels, so you'll have to bring one.

Electronics

Bring plug adapters, and maybe one with powered USB outlets to charge your devices.  Make sure that your devices are 90-240 VAC compatible or you might destroy them.  If you have a device which is not compatible, you may have to buy a transformer to power it.  It's convenient to have a phone in a foreign country, so you can either buy a prepaid phone or buy a SIM card if your phone is unlocked.  Apple phones are only locked within the US.  My home service is through Vonage (VOIP), and allows me to call free through their app from anywhere outside of the US with WiFi to the US only.

I mentioned earlier that I left my SLR at home and used a miniature camera, DXO One, in conjunction with my iPhone.  I have mixed feelings about how well this worked out.  It was convenient not to lug around a heavy SLR, but I would really have benefited from the versatility of it.  The wide angle view in the DXO was insufficient at times, since a lot of what we saw in Italy covered large expanses.  The DXO had slightly higher resolution and a high speed lens, but the SLR had image stabilization which evened it out.  The DXO with the iPhone also had geo-tagging, logging the location from GPS.

Traveling

Take the highest class travel you feel comfortable paying for.  We flew in Premium Economy and arrived feeling a lot better than we would have in regular Economy seating.  The premium was about $400 round trip.  We also took Business class seating in the bullet train from Rome to Naples.  The car was nearly empty, and we had spacious seating, and free refreshments, for only 9 Euros more.