I recommend the travel pouches of Woolite - they take no space, the stuff rinses clean with minimal effort, and you never know when you're going to need to clean clothes or have to clean undies/layers after a sweaty day. (Rule of thumb for any traveling - pack layers, and pack essential pieces that you can mix-and-match. Pashmina-style scarves take no weight or space and they're really nice on a breezy day if it's not too cold. They also look elegant as a dress-up option for dinner out. )
Food/drink - A lot of places have small meals, etc, but there is quite often a dine-in charge. If it's on the table, it's an a la carte charge (bread, butter, etc) - this was true for Spain and Portugal, too. [In Spain/Portugal, you simply declined it when it reached the table, such as goat cheese or olives. Also, wine and beer were significantly cheaper than Coca Cola or other soft drinks - drink the local stuff and save a little money. :) ] In Rome, Mom and I had a nice lunch in a little alley near the Pantheon (carbonara! yum!) and while the pasta was only about 5 Euros, the eat-in charge was 2, and the water was another 2, etc. Just be aware that those little numbers may add up. We had better luck finding small sandwich shops and whatnot for quick takeaway meals, and budgeted our largest meal expenses on dinner at a nice restaurant. (I don't honestly recall the etiquette on tipping, but I've only heard that it's actually NOT a good idea if you're in Japan [it's taken as an insult], but I'd leave that to a guidebook check.)
Oh, Italians are very forward people. (I found that the men often flirt.) If you have the same need for strong personal space boundaries that I do, it's best to mentally prepare yourself beforehand. FYI.
Jet lag: My mom's yoga teacher said to find a park or other grassy area when you arrive and spent a few minutes with your shoes off, just barefoot on the grass. She swears that it helps with jet lag and time changes. I think staying hydrated and breathing deep to avoid anxiety do plenty towards avoiding jet lag, too. ;)
Re: My $0.02 (part 2)
I recommend the travel pouches of Woolite - they take no space, the stuff rinses clean with minimal effort, and you never know when you're going to need to clean clothes or have to clean undies/layers after a sweaty day. (Rule of thumb for any traveling - pack layers, and pack essential pieces that you can mix-and-match. Pashmina-style scarves take no weight or space and they're really nice on a breezy day if it's not too cold. They also look elegant as a dress-up option for dinner out. )
Food/drink - A lot of places have small meals, etc, but there is quite often a dine-in charge. If it's on the table, it's an a la carte charge (bread, butter, etc) - this was true for Spain and Portugal, too. [In Spain/Portugal, you simply declined it when it reached the table, such as goat cheese or olives. Also, wine and beer were significantly cheaper than Coca Cola or other soft drinks - drink the local stuff and save a little money. :) ] In Rome, Mom and I had a nice lunch in a little alley near the Pantheon (carbonara! yum!) and while the pasta was only about 5 Euros, the eat-in charge was 2, and the water was another 2, etc. Just be aware that those little numbers may add up. We had better luck finding small sandwich shops and whatnot for quick takeaway meals, and budgeted our largest meal expenses on dinner at a nice restaurant. (I don't honestly recall the etiquette on tipping, but I've only heard that it's actually NOT a good idea if you're in Japan [it's taken as an insult], but I'd leave that to a guidebook check.)
Oh, Italians are very forward people. (I found that the men often flirt.) If you have the same need for strong personal space boundaries that I do, it's best to mentally prepare yourself beforehand. FYI.
Jet lag: My mom's yoga teacher said to find a park or other grassy area when you arrive and spent a few minutes with your shoes off, just barefoot on the grass. She swears that it helps with jet lag and time changes. I think staying hydrated and breathing deep to avoid anxiety do plenty towards avoiding jet lag, too. ;)