Final recap

Some random tidbits:

In Italy, we drove a grand total of 3370 kilometers. That's 2094 miles.

The cheapest gas I bought was €1.96 per liter, which is $7.58 per gallon.

Yes, Italian drivers drive fast. Yes, the concept of lanes is loose in the big cities. But by far, the most annoying thing about driving in Italy is merging on to highways. No one knows how to merge. The cars don't let you in, they don't get over for you, and the on-ramp is so short that there's not enough time to gain speed to integrate into fast moving traffic. When I would slow slightly to allow someone to merge in, they usually just hesitated or stopped, like they didn't trust that I was actually letting them in. It was bizarre. But it fits with the advice the taxi driver told us on our very first day in Italy: Just focus on what's ahead of you, not to the side of you. If that's the driving style, then it makes sense that merging would not be a cooperative affair.

On a positive note, the roads are generally in very good condition. They were a pleasure to drive on for the most part. And the tunnels are amazing and fun.

I thought I'd be able to say where my favorite pizza was from, and favorite gelato, but honestly it was all so good. Which brings me to my point that the ingredients in Italian food are on another level. Everything seemed to taste better than the States. Obviously the olive oil tastes better, much more fragrant and fruity. And cheeses and pastries and cured meats, even in cheap grocery stores like Aldi and Lidl, were top notch.

Coffee--real espresso--and all the drinks you can make with it is incredibly affordable in Italy. I had read about this before we went, but I didn't fully believe it until I saw it. It's true. And gelato is reasonably priced in most places. There were a few touristy places where they had inflated gelato prices, but on the whole, you could expect to get a medium with three flavors for about €3. Drinks, like beer and wine, were inexpensive in grocery stores (especially wine!) but not so cheap in restaurants. About on par with the States. Maybe even a little more expensive.

There are a few things I guarantee we'll be making more of at home. Caprese salads and Hugo spritzes come to mind.

In Ireland, we drove a grand total of 975 kilometers. That's 606 miles.

I paid for prepaid diesel with Sixt, so I didn't need to buy very much diesel at a station. The diesel I did buy was €2.12 per liter, which is $8.19 a gallon. Yeah, stop complaining about the price of gas in the States!