The Talking Suitcase

Experience the World With Kids

What Foreign Kids Need Instead of a French Residence Card (How To Get a DCEM)

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

UPDATE: You can now apply online.  If anyone has current experience getting the DCEM, please share.

*This doesn’t apply to citizens of the EU or UK as far as I know*

Did you know that expat children in France need to apply for a DCEM or Document de Circulation Pour Étranger Mineur? I didn’t!

After our first year in France, it was time to renew our Visa’s.   Since you don’t actually get a new Visa, instead a Carte de Séjour,  that poses a bit of a problem for kids. Only adults get a fancy residents card. So what about the kids? According the lady at the Préfecture,  the kids didn’t need anything since they are residing here with their parents.   We thought that was cool and went about our lives.

Fast forward to us trying to enter the Netherlands after a vacation in Ireland. Apparently, kids DO need paperwork saying they can come back into the EU.  Thankfully, we weren’t given too much of a hard time.  The customs officials just instructed us to get the kids documentation.

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Visiting Tooele, Utah with Kids – Salt Flats, Wild Horses, Hiking & Western History

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Are you looking for a unique destination for your next family vacation? Do you want your kids to experience the great outdoors, learn some Western history and take part in unique festivals? I recently heard about Tooele County, Utah and did some digging.  I think it will be the perfect destination for our next trip across the U.S.  Tooele County offers outdoor activities, history, events, and more as well as must-see sights such as the Salt Flats & wild horses!   As part of my research into this diverse area, I’ve put together ideas to help plan your Tooele, Utah travel adventure with kids.

Tooele County is conveniently located along Interstate-80 in the western part of Utah, between Wendover, Nevada and Salt Lake City. Easily accessible from the interstate, Tooele County can be your main destination or a stop for a couple of days as part of a longer family road trip. It’s located less than 30 minutes from Salt Lake City making a day trip possible, if you’re crunched for time.

Tooele, Utah Travel with Kids:

 

Situated on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Tooele County is the venue for the fastest land-speed records on earth. Additionally, the Bonneville Salt Flats and Great Salt Lake are some of the most photographed landscapes in America. And if that’s not cool enough to appeal to even the most disinterested teen, Tooele County is home to the largest herd of free-roaming wild horses in Utah and one of the largest in the country!   It’s said the watering holes in the Cedar Mountains are the greatest places to observe the horses, sometimes from only a few hundred yards away!   Just these 2 activities alone would be enough to impress my kids, but there is so much more to Tooele County than Salt Flats and wild horses.

Some of the other activities in Tooele County include: Deseret Peak Facility, Scuba diving – Salt Water underground diving, Pony Express Trail, Wendover Air Museum, Donner-Reed Trail, ATV & OHV trails, Sailing on the Great Salt Lake, Benson Grist Mill and Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum.

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World’s Best Mother’s Day Gifts for Travelers – Something for all Budgets

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One of my favorite days of the year.  A day dedicated to celebrating being a mom.  If you’re looking for some gift inspiration, take a look at these best Mother’s Day gifts picked specifically for travelers.  Some gifts are practical and some are just for fun.  All will be perfect for the travel loving mom.

If you’re a mom, what gifts would you like to receive?

10 Best Mother’s Day Gifts for Travelers

While I don’t travel with a lot of jewelry, a jewelry bag does come in handy. It’s nice to be able to swap out a necklace during a trip or just to have somewhere to stash my jewelry at night instead of leaving it laying on the hotel side table with all the kids stuff. Anther option to the one pictured above is this fun Polka Dot jewelry bag.

Give mom the practical gift of luggage tags. I want this Vintage Suitcase Luggage Tag. It will look so cute on my suitcase.

No wardrobe is complete without a couple cute Travel Tees.  There are a bunch of styles available – perfect for any travel lovin’ Mom.

How about a World Map Travel Mug for all those busy work or travel days?  It ensures long lasting temperature and is made to order.

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What’s So Great About Cinque Terre Liguria? Plus, Why We Loved Manarola

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You’ve likely read about this picturesque community along the Italian Riviera. It seems everyone is talking about the string of rugged coastal villages known as Cinque Terre.  With all the hype, you may have been wondering, “what’s so great about Cinque Terre, Liguria?”

The seaside villages on the Italian coast are picture perfect with terraced vineyards and haphazardly stacked pastel colored buildings next to the glittering Mediterranean Sea.  The charming villages, so spectacularly situated, have not gone unnoticed.  Millions of tourists flock here each year to admire Ligurian architecture, take in breathtaking views from the hiking trails and savor Italian cuisine.

Cinque Terre, meaning “Five Lands”, is located in the Liguria region of Italy and is made up of 5 villages: Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore & Monterosso.  The area has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997. Tucked between sea and mountain, the villages were largely undiscovered until recently, when they were connected to the rest of Italy via train.

An interesting fact – The houses of Cinque Terre were painted different colors so the fishermen could easily identify their house while fishing offshore.

I think the key to making our visit to Cinque Terre so great was actually staying in Cinque Terre.  Many visitors to Cinque Terre are day trippers.  And while the area is fabulous in the afternoon, our favorite time of day was early evening.  Most of the tourists had headed home for the day and it was just the locals and a few other remaining visitors strolling the narrow streets, visiting shops and admiring the sparkling sea and vineyards.  The sunset is sensational and something the average traveler doesn’t get to enjoy.

 

While there aren’t a ton of Cinque Terre hotels, we did find plenty of accomodation choices that suited our needs.  We rented an apartment with a balcony overlooking the sea.  It was the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of local wine after a day of exploring.

If you’re not a fan of touristy places, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit!  It just means, you should be a bit smarter about when you visit.  The best times would be April and October in the off season.  Our first trip was in October and it was perfect.  The weather was a bit chilly but it was great for hiking.

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Futuroscope Travel Tips: How to Spend a Day at France’s 2nd Largest Theme Park

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Kids are always looking for the next big adventure.  If you’re visiting the west coast of France, stop by Futuroscope, France’s 2nd largest theme park.  Kids can dance with a robot, go on a 4D adventure with Arthur and laugh at the antics of the Raving Rabbids.  We’ve put together some Futuroscope travel tips to help you prepare for a visit.

Just be aware that this is not a traditional theme park with roller coasters and thrill rides. At Futuroscope, you’ll experience multimedia attractions with 3D and 4D shows, watch educational videos on massive domed screens and even learn about water pollution through a laser game in the 8th Continent.

After entering the park and having your tickets scanned, go to the services center to the right of the entrance. You’ll see the British and Spanish flags above the doorway. Trade an ID card for free translator headsets. These will allow you to follow along with the shows in English or Spanish. All films are in French, but 9 shows can be translated. You’ll also want to grab an English map before starting your day.

Once equipped with your translator, head to Danse with les robots and Arthur, the 4D Adventure. They are 2 of the most popular rides in the park, so make these your first or last stops of the day.

 

Kids favorite rides:

  1. Dances with Robots (Danse avec les Robots) – Dance party strapped into 23ft high robots
  2. Raving Rabbids Time Machine (La Machine à Voyager dans le Temps) – Take a trip through time with the Raving Rabbids.
  3. Arthur, the 4D Adventure (Arthur, l’aventura 4D) – 4D adventure through the world of Minimoys.
  4. Ice Age (L’Âge de Glace) –  A 4D experience with the nutty squirrel, Scrat and other Ice Age friends.
  5. La Gyrotour – Get 360º views of the park from 150ft in the air.
  6. The Little Prince in Studio 16 – Embark on a 3D adventure with Le Petit Prince.
  7. The Arena (L’Arena fun Xperiences)- The kids loved the slides so grab a mat and zip along.

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