Italian Connection

I'm spending the bank holiday weekend in Verona, which is easy to reach from London - with flights on British Airways from Gatwick to the main airport, and with Ryanair from Stansted to Brescia - which has a bus connection to Verona.
The main travel news story is that the ESTA rules for visiting America are about to change. America is about to get even tougher - but anyone considering a transatlantic trip in the next two years can dodge the new hurdle by applying for permission by next Wednesday, 8 September.
The reason: the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) changes from a free service to one that will cost $14 (£9) per person for anyone wanting to apply for permission to visit the US without a visa. The permit - if you are granted one - is valid for two years, and if you apply by Tuesday 7 September you WON'T have to pay. Don't forget that the same rules apply for anyone who's even planning to change planes in the US - whether to Latin America or even further afield. For example, Continental is going to add to competition to New Zealand next year with a new link non-stop from Houston to Auckland, and so you should apply now just in case you might want to take the Texan route to New Zealand. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/.
And Travel City Direct has launched FloridaBaby.co.uk; a brand new website to help parents navigate their way to Florida - covering topics such as ‘Can you buy nappies on International Drive?’, ‘Is it safe to take my baby out in the Florida sunshine’, ‘Can I buy baby food at the Magic Kingdom?’ and ‘What sort of car seat should I book for my two year old?
I promised Hannah in Leatherhead that I’d choose a couple of high-points on the Amalfi coast for her – and the answer has to be the picturesque hill town of Ravello, and in particular the Villa Cimbrone – which has the bar with probably the best view in Europe. And Sorrento is also worth exploring – the way we holidayed.
Talk to you next week.
Simon