Passing a dead armadillo on a road in Orlando last week, I began to wonder about roadkill. I mean, should I have reported the stiff little critter? Is there anything being done to prevent such accidents?

I learned later from USA.gov's FAQs that I could have contacted the police or the local, county, or state road commission to report the roadkill. And if an endangered species is injured or killed in traffic (not an issue in this situation), I should call the state fish and wildlife agency or the nearest FWS Ecological Service field office.

To avoid hitting the animal that we so often see dead on the side of the road—deer—the U.S. Forest Service suggests keeping a close watch for them at dawn and dusk; flashing your lights or honking your horn to frighten deer that are near the road; and looking for other deer after one has crossed the road. If you hit a deer, don't get near it, remove your vehicle from the roadway if you can, and call the police.

Some agencies are using innovative ways to make thoroughfares more wildlife friendly. The Federal Highway Admininstration's website, "Critter Crossings: Linking Habitats and Reducing Roadkill," presents strategies that range from goat bridges to salamander tunnels to help keep animals from being hit by vehicles.

And "Keeping It Simple: Easy Ways to Help Wildlife Along Roads" allows you to search for wildlife friendly road projects in your state. Iowa, for example, has put up a fence along a highway that protects threatened turtles, and Alabama has created a boardwalk to help keep the endangered Perdido Beach Mouse from being stepped on.

Even NASA has to deal with roadkill of a sort: apparently the Space Shuttle hits a few birds on its way up. The agency is looking at an avian radar detection system to solve the problem.

But in spite of an agency's best efforts, roadkill is inevitable sometimes. The results can still be dealt with in an environmentally friendly way, though. So talk about "going green": the Montana Department of Transportation offers a manual on composting roadkill such as deer, elk, bison, and moose. One of their better composting tips: "The more remote the site, the better."

I caught the cruise bug a few years ago. And no, I don’t mean the norovirus. Some friends talked me into joining them on an all-inclusive Caribbean cruise. It didn’t take much arm-twisting since the idea of seeing a nearly-new cruise ship capable of holding nearly 5,000 passengers and crew sounded interesting. So did the chance to take a vacation where the hardest decision of the day was whether to wear SPF 30 or 45.

CruiseCritic.com has a lot of good information for beginners. Like me at first, some of your questions might be: What about my claustrophobia? Try an overnight cruise to nowhere for a test run. What if I get sick while at sea? There’s a ship’s doctor. Will I be the youngest one on board? Only if you book the wrong theme cruise. You also can visit USA.gov’s FAQ for cruise ship and other helpful information. If you’re worried about catching the norovirus, you can check out your ship’s sanitation inspection record with the CDC.

You can do just about all your research and make arrangements online, but I still like to check in with my travel agent for personal questions. One time I needed help on some travel insurance questions, something you may consider for yourself. Depending on terms of purchase, cruise deposits and airline tickets generally are nonrefundable. I had some schedule concerns, so I knew I wanted cancellation coverage if I couldn’t go due to an emergency. Travel insurance also has an option to handle medical expenses, too, which can be a little steep if the ship doctor provides them.

USA.gov’s International Travel page is a good place to learn about passports and foreign travel requirements. I just learned a hard lesson. Some countries and airlines require that your passport’s expiration date must be at least 6 months beyond the travel date. Big uh-oh! Luckily my new one arrived really fast. I paid the extra fee for expedited passport renewal processing because I didn’t want to risk having to cancel my plans. Foreign travel requirements are evolving, so it’s a good idea to check out the page periodically.

Finally, don’t forget the Dramamine! Take it from me, no matter how big and stable the ship is—you just can’t be too prepared.

I sure hope Sam's walk through the security line on her upcoming trip goes smoother than my last one did. 

The TSA airport security screener looked at me sternly. "Miss, I'm going to need to open up your bag for a closer look."  

"Sure thing."  I'm Nothing-to-Hide-Nancy. The worst she was going to find in my carry-on was a stack of neatly-folded dirty clothes and souvenirs from my trip to Albuquerque. The latex-gloved screener carefully and respectfully shifted the contents of my bag until her expression itself shifted from serious to more of a suppressed grin.

"Ma'am," (I was now Ma'am and not Miss. That should have clued me in that there was a problem.) "do you have any, maybe, toiletry samples in your carry-on?" she probed.

"Noooo, I always put those in my checked bag," I said as she unearthed a pile of little bottles of hotel shampoo, conditioner, lotion and mouthwash. Oh no! I forgot. I didn't need to check a suitcase on this short trip and I'd just tossed all the lovely little bottles right into my carry-on bag. I'd dutifully put all the make-up and other gels and liquids I'd brought from home back in a quart-size zip lock bag for their return trip. But those new little bottles of sweet smelling designer toiletries were all over the place.

The screener held up my quart bag and announced "Decision time." My face burned as I made jokes and rushed to stuff a couple of the shampoos and conditioners into the remaining space in the plastic bag and bid a woeful goodbye to the mouthwashes and a lotion. I was raised by parents who lived through the Depression and World War II and who engraved on my soul the idea that you didn't throw useful stuff away. Ever.

Now, I'm a frequent enough flyer that I know the Transportation Security Administration's "3-1-1" drill: liquids and gels can be in containers of three ounces or less, as many as will fit into a one-quart size zip lock bag, one bag per person. But I got greedy with those little bottles of peppermint goodness from my fancy hotel and I just plain forgot that my bag checking routine had changed.

Whether airplanes are a regular part of your life or you're only on them for an annual vacation, save yourself and everybody in line behind you time and do what I did when I got home from my trip: bookmark USA.gov's Air Travel page. It's got the most up-to-date information on what you can and can't take, wear or do on a commercial airplane.  And you know, those rules are always changing. For instance, as of January 1, fliers are no longer allowed to pack spare lithium batteries in checked luggage. They're ok in your carry-on bag but rattling around in your checked bag, they can be a fire or explosion hazard. I'm an amateur photographer. I was going to pack spare batteries for my trip to LA next week. Now I know how to do it.  

Are you a smoker?  You can carry a working cigarette lighter onto an airplane, but you can't put one in your checked baggage unless it's in a special carrying case. Matches? One pack only, and only in your carry-on.

Those comfy gel shoe inserts? Leave them home. They won't make it through security. Built-in gel heels in your shoes? Those are ok.

There are so many no-nos to keep track of!  But TSA has a brand new way that you and I can help them figure out how to make traveling by air a little easier: a new blog, Evolution of Security. Check it out and chime in. After only a week online, changes are already being made in screening procedures, thanks to reader comments. Congratulations, to the Evolution of Security gang, and welcome to the world of government blogging! 

Next week, I’ll be in the Eternal City exploring ruins, drinking wine, eating gelato, and of course, shopping. But before I can say Ciao, I need to make sure I’m prepared for my trip overseas.

Thanks to Marybeth’s post on travel docs, I have the 411 on everything from entry requirements to the exchange rate‚a necessity for calculating how much the “must have” Italian shoes and bags will cost me. Speaking of shopping, it’s a good idea to make note of your credit card limit and to find out how to report a loss of your card abroad. And don’t forget to get a number that you can call while overseas since the 800 numbers don’t work. You may also want to ask if your card has a “foreign currency conversion fee,” which can sometimes be up to 3%.

I’ve also learned from other overseas trips to leave my travel itinerary and copies of important documents (passport, will, driver’s license, etc.) with a family member or friend. But what do I do if my passport is lost or stolen in Italy? Or, I unfortunately get sick?

USA.gov’s International Travel section is full of useful links that can answer these questions and many more. You can get customs and health info, tips for long-distance calling, emergency services facts, and much more. There’s also important info on how to stay safe on your trip abroad at Pueblo.gsa.gov.

Feel free to share any stories, tidbits, or helpful websites on traveling overseas. In addition to the resources I’ve linked to, I always have found Budget Travel and NBC’s Travel Editor, Peter Greenberg, to be invaluable.

Starting next week, the Wednesday posts will be written by our substitute blogger, Colleen. Although I'm moving on to a new opportunity outside the government, I can’t wait to read her weekly entries since they always manage to provide the right mix of great info and humor, whether they’re about Philly, the Boss, or Beantown. Thanks for reading my posts each week—I’ve really enjoyed our conversations!

I am going to Vancouver this summer so I applied for a passport last week to avoid passport delays that can plague travelers in the spring and summer months.

What I didn't expect was to save money. I saved because the Department of State raised passport fees on Friday, February 1. The difference between the old and new prices is $3. The fee to expedite a passport did not change. The new passport fees are:

Adult passport book - $75  + execution fee $25 = $100
Under age 16 - $60 + execution fee $25 = $85

DOS also started accepting applications for the new passport card on Friday. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will eventually require all travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. The card carries the same validity as a passport book, but does not allow you to travel internationally by air. The card will speed up the border entry process for citizens re-entering the country from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by sea and/or land. DOS plans to start sending cards to applicants in the spring. The passport card fees are:

Adult passport card - $20 + execution fee $25 = $45
Under age 16 - $10 + execution fee $25 = $35

Also DOS now requires that children under the age of 16 must now appear in person to apply for either a passport book or card.