DaytonDailyNews.com

When I opened my mailbox recently, I was surprised to find a postcard that I wrote more than three months ago! It was addressed to my hubby and my youngest child, who my two older kids and I abandoned in the States while we were on a two-week trip to France.

Three months? You read that right. My friend, Wright State University French professor and tour guide Dr. Kirsten Halling, trekked up the Eiffel Tower to mail all of our group's postcards so they'd get the special Tour Eiffel postmark. The group had already been to the top the night before, but persistent K wanted us to have that postmark. But in three months, she could have walked the postcard back to Dayton herself.

The card's image of Notre Dame at night brought memories of the trip flooding back. Here's how it read:

"Bonjour! Second day: So far we've seen the Louvre, Sainte-Chappelle, boat ride on the Seine, La Conciergerie, the Latin Quarter. Tonight, Eiffel Tower. I'm drinking a cafe creme right now and started off lunch with a Ricard. So Nice! Miss you — Me."

This gives you a pretty good idea of the pace we were keeping. I never thought I could walk so far so fast.

Here are some tips on getting around Paris:

Passports: Every traveler obviously needs one. Keep them with you at all times (I carried mine and my kids' in a travel wallet). Apply for them at the post office no later than eight weeks before your trip, to be on the safe side. These cost about $100 for adults, half that for kids. They're valid for 10 years for those older than 16, but children must have them renewed every five years.

Footwear: Bring two pairs of comfortable walking shoes. The French don't usually wear tennis shoes as streetwear, and if you do, you'll stick out like a sore toe. I brought Keens and two pairs of comfy, well-broken-in sandals. Kids, however, are free to wear tennies or Crocs as they please.

And for the love of God, bring flip-flops for the shower!

Banking: Check with your bank before you go to make sure your ATM card will work in Europe. I used my Visa debit card everywhere with total success, much to the dismay of my hubby at home. (Travelers checks are outdated: You have to search high and low for a bank that will exchange them, and you are scrutinized like you're trying to steal the crown jewels. Also, most storefront exchange spots are a rip-off. Stick with the plastic, my friends.)

Phones: Check with your cell phone company well in advance to make sure your phone will function properly overseas. I had to get a rental from Verizon, which allowed our group to stay in contact by texting. Phone calls were too expensive, something like 50 cents a minute.

Guidebooks and maps: Borrow the latest Fodor's or Frommer's or Let's Go from your local library, read it and take notes in a small reporter's notebook (and no, I didn't use company property!), take the street map out of the back, but leave the book at home. (They're too heavy to lug around — trust me!) My husband and I got some great tips from "Cheap Eats Paris."

Transportation: Bring small headshot or school picture-type photographs of each member of your party — about 1-inch-by-1-inch — so you can buy a Carte Orange for the week or a multiday Paris Visite pass at the rail or RER station at the airport. You need to show your passport to the friendly clerks, and they'll make you up a little wallet for your tickets. (Kids love these things.) The tickets are good for the train, bus or Metro, which is the subway that snakes under Paris. Children 4 to 11 are half price (yay!).

Two safety tips: Beware of pickpockets, and step lively when entering or exiting the Metro or train cars.

Buy a Paris Museum Pass for every adult in your party. It's the cheapest way to see all the wonders of Paris, and it cuts line waits down considerably. We bought ours at the Louvre. A four-day pass is 45 euros. Here's the best part: Children younger than 18 don't need a pass, and they get in all Paris museums free of charge. That's what I said: FREE!