Peut etre que mon pseudo vous dit qq chose, je suis rentré d'un TDM il y a 8 mois avec mon fiancé j'ai eu beaucoup de mal a m'en remettre, aprés beaucoup de pleurs ca va mieux mais dans la tête c''est pas terrible .
Déja étant ado je supporté pas la vie des gens comme ma mère qui se lever pour prendre le bus et bosser tous les jours comme des milliers de gens dans cet énorme fourmillière : PARIS, les gens sont aigris, pas trés chaleureux voir pas du tout.
Bon j'ai tout pour être bien, mon fiancé a ouvert une agence à Paris, je bosse dedans comme secrétaire, le souci c'est qui l'a pris un associé, genre un pote mais un gros con que je supporte pas, le gros faucheton, a moitié raciste enfin le genre gros Con..
Voilà je me retrouve en plein dans la routine a faire ce que je déteste, c'est a dire me taper les bouchons, taffer dans un milieu ou je cotoie des naze et de voir la tronche de l'assoc tous les matins (il sait même ce que c'est que du sucre de canne !! ), rentrer tous les soirs, faire la popote, .. je pète les plombs, des angoisses a répétition, je rêve de partir !!où je sais pas mais dans la nature
Voilà vous pouvez rien faire pour moi, je sais mais je voulais vous le faire partager ...
En plus je regarde la chaine "VOYAGE" et "ESCALE" tous les soirs, ca aide pas..
C'est la grosse déprime !!
www.1brindesoleil.net
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
Ton message ne me laisse pas indifférente! Je te comprends.
Sois tu n'étais déjà pas faites pour ce genre de vie et c'est ton long voyage qui te le révèle.... Soit c'est une période de réadaptation....
Tu as qd meme des cartes en mains et c'est une chance! Si tu aimes voyager sers toi de tes cartes ( et du faucheton!) pour arriver à cet objectif: un beau voyage qq part ds la nature!
Tu es en bonne santé ?
Tu as un compagnon et vous etes bien ensemble ?
Tu as un endroit où dormir, de quoi manger et te faire qq petits plaisirs de en temps en temps ?
Ben tu vois y a peut-etre pas de quoi tellement déprimer...
Je comprends ton mal être mais j'ai du mal avec tes réactions.
J'espère pour toi que tu as écrit ton post sur un mouvement d'humeur parce que si tu es aussi pessimiste dans la vie, quelle angoisse pour toi mais aussi pour ceux qui t'entourent.
Finalement, tu connais la raison de ton mal être. Maintenant à toi d'agir : pars.
Avoir des angoisses et des moments durs, tout le monde connaît. Je suis également passée par là. Mais après, c'est aussi la façon d'appréhender les choses :
Tu peux voir le verre à moitié vide (tu désespères dans une vie qui ne te comble pas) mais aussi à moitié plein (tu as un homme, un boulot, un logement). Donc tout n'est pas si noir.
Et puis avec le sourire, c'est toujours plus facile de vivre le quotidien... même si il ne nous plait pas forcement.
La chance n'est pas le résultat du hasard : ce sont nos propres choix qui créent notre chance.
Tu es en bonne santé ?
Tu as un compagnon et vous etes bien ensemble ?
Tu as un endroit où dormir, de quoi manger et te faire qq petits plaisirs de en temps en temps ?
Ben tu vois y a peut-etre pas de quoi tellement déprimer...
ca s'est bien une reflextion de qq qui n'a jamais fait de depression, qui n'a jamais pété les plombs.
Entre vivre un an dans un confort moyen, sans copain, en mangeant pas toujours a ma faim et vivre un pétage de plomb, mon choix est vite fait...
Par ailleurs, je vis aussi à Paris depuis un an et j'aime vraiment moyen-moyen.
Heureusement que j'ai mes qq activités sinon cela n' irait pas du tout.
Il te faut faire autre chose que ton boulot, tu as bien des intérets autre que les voyages?
Tu ne connqis pqs du monde à Paris?
Tu peux aller des faire des ciné, des theatre le soir au lieu d'aller faire la popote comme tu dis...
Prendre des cours de danses ou faire un autre sport?
merci de vos réponses ca ma booster ! pour répondre en gros, oui c'etait un coup de blues ca va déja mieux !! c'est vrai j'ai tout pour être bien, mais dés que je vois ce gros con a la tête de l'agence avec mon fiancé j'ai un sentiment de haine voir même de jalousie (je suis honnète envers moi même) le pire c'est que la haine est le pire des sentiments !!
Ca va déja mieux mais je voulais en parler sur le forum, , sais pas pkoi!!
Mais c'est vrai que j'ai eu beaucoup de mal a revenir surtout pour répondre à la personne en haut qui dit, pourquoi on est pas resté dans un pays, ba !! figure toi que à Tahiti mon fiancé à trouver un taf en tant que responsable d'agence et aprés consertation on a continuer le périple, le destin !! mais c'est vrai que moi je regrette un peu mais bon l'agence va bien tourner et on compte partir dans 5 ans faire l'Afrique en 4X4.
Voilà je vais mieux maintenant jusqu'a quand...........😐
ah c'est quoi le pique nique, c'est ou? et qui organise ca?
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
et pourquoi tu change pas de boulot?
avec l'interim à paris pour une secrétaire : tu as du boulot demain
ça te changerai de ta routine et tu ne verrai plus la tete de ton rival
PARIS, les gens sont aigris, pas trés chaleureux voir pas du tout.
C'est plutôt ton regard sur les gens qui a changé non ? En voyage, on ouvre les yeux et le coeur. Tout ce qu'on voie nous parait merveilleux, au lieu que chez nous, tout nous parait morose. Mais je crois, que ton état un peu triste du moment, te fait voir les autres plus gris qu'ils ne sont réellement.
Il y a plein de gens merveilleux à Paris, d'endroits à découvrir aussi...
voir la tronche de l'associé tous les matins (il sait même ce que c'est que du sucre de canne !! )
Ne te plains pas, moi j'avais un pote qui ne savait pas ce qu'était le sucre de canne. Le problème c'est qu'il était préposé au service lors des soirées. Je te laisse deviner la teneur en alcool des ti punch... Mal au casque assuré le lendemain... 🤪
Sinon, plus sérieusement, le voyage d'un an avec le copain, faire la popote tous les soirs pour le copain, bosser avec le copain...
çà fait beaucoup non ? tu devrais peut-être essayer de faire des trucs, seule, bosser dans un autre environnement, faire du sport (ou dessin, ou théâtre, danse...) dans un autre milieu, passer le permis moto (çà résoudra les problèmes d'embouteillage), enfin n'importe quoi d'autres mais faire des trucs que tu aimes...
Les voyages améliorent les sages et empirent les sots.
Merci vicent !!
je me suis mis au scooter ya deux mois c'est génial,
Pour secrétaire dans l'intérim, non car secretaire n'est pas mon métier !! je suis assistante véto a la base mais je me rend compte que je n'ai jamais tenu en place, j'aurai voulu etudier les animaux dans leur environnement donc jbosse avec mon fiancé qq années et aprés on file repartir aider les assoc!!!😉
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
Alors ça va mieux aujourd'hui ???
avec ce beau soleil et cette chaleur, es-tu partie te baigner, faire une sieste à l'ombre d'un platanne ??
j'espère que ton moral est au beau fixe comme le soleil d'aujourd'hui !!
j'ai regardé ton site, c'est génial tout ça !!! ça donne la pêche, ça donne envie de faire ses bagages, de vendre
ce qu'on possède et de se casser vite fait !!!
Mais pour l'instant comme beaucoup d'entre nous sont encore "là" ; un peu de courage, beaucoup de patience,
notre tour viendra ..... on partira ..
ça console pas forcément je sais, mais c'est juste pour te dire que je te comprends.
surtout, ne t'inquiète pas Ils viennent d'arriver chez moi dans le sud, les Parisiens donc ils ont apporté avec eux tout ce que tu n'aimes pas. Les bouchos, la mauvaise humeur, la pollution. Nous les locaux, on attend Septembre pour aller à la plage, on leur laisse la place qu'ils se défoulent et déstreissent de la grande ville. Pendant deux mois on ne fera plus que de l'ordi donc à biento^t
oui ca va mieux, j'ai bronzé sur mon ptit balcon, allez dans Paris bronzer, ya bien trop de monde.
Le moral va mieux, Paris va un peu se vider ca va faire du bien.
A+
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
je te comprends trop pour ton collegue, moi aussi j'ai le meme problemem avec les voisins qui sont les ex coloc de mon copain...bon ce ne sont pas de gros cons....mais quelle routine...cela me fait peter les plombs...
tout activite avevec eux est tournee vers la picole et la bouffe....
et je me fais vraiment chier a mourrrrrrrrrrrrrir😛 avec eux.....
si tu veux qu'on se defoules ensemble sur nos "ennemis"🏴☠️....Bon je sais c'est pas bien, mais qu'est ce que cela fait du bien....😉
et j'arrive pas a connaitre d'autre monde aussi...
moi aussi cote boulot cela me saoule un peu....et je bosse aussi avec mon copain..
tu vois on a plein de points communs dans nos situation🏴☠️
Je suis contente que cela ait mieux, je pense aussi comme vincent120 que notre regard sur le monde exterieur depend de notre bien etre on mal etre...
si tu petais la forme, tu trouverais surement pas les parisiens aussi desagreables que cela...
Cela me fait penser qu'a Geneve, tout le monde se plaint que les gens sont froids et pas chaleureux, que c'est dur de rencontrer du monde, mais si ces gens la ne sont pas heureux de cette situation devraient se rencontrer, noon?
Et puis je pense que tous, on aime de temps a autres notre tranquillité, en fait, souvent on veut rencontrer du monde mais seulement lorsqu'on le souhaite...
Or la super convivialité a aussi ses inconveniants "ne pas choisir lorsqu'on veut etre tanquille"....
je sais pas si je me fais bien comprendre sur l'idèe que je veux faire passer😕
Souvent les gens sont content lorsque tu vas vers eux(sauf en cas de grosse drague bien lourde...), tu vois cela dépend bcp de toi aussi....
Si tu souris a qq, dans la plupart des cas, tu vs egalement recevoir un sourire en retour🙂
Ouais ca va mieux mais dans qq minutes, ce con d'assoc va arriver et je vais avoir la rage de lui défoncer la tronche, bon fo que j'me calme, c le genre de bonhomme raciste avec les gens raciste et il retourne sa veste avec une autre personne !! tu vois le genre, faucheton au maximun et sadic en plus, , , plein de virus sur son ordi et plain de site malsains !!!! bravo !😛
bon c'est vrai que j'pete les plombs vite mais lui il est dans ma ligne de mire !!! conformiste a un point (tous ce que j'desteste !!)
Je me change l'esprit en pensant a mes futurs voyages !!
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
Je comprends pas comment ce mec est devenu votre associé. Ton copain l'apprécie-t-il ? Ce me parait difficilement compatible....Vous n'avez pas eu le choix en montant votre agence ?
surtout, ne t'inquiète pas Ils viennent d'arriver chez moi dans le sud, les Parisiens donc ils ont apporté avec eux tout ce que tu n'aimes pas. Les bouchos, la mauvaise humeur, la pollution. Nous les locaux, on attend Septembre pour aller à la plage, on leur laisse la place qu'ils se défoulent et déstreissent de la grande ville. Pendant deux mois on ne fera plus que de l'ordi donc à biento^t
Typique le genre de propos qui me gonfle. Mais dis moi qui fait vivre une grande partie de la population sur la côte, c'est grâce à qui le fait d'avoir des autoroutes, des gares tgv, des aéroports ...etc... 😠
Merci Carmencita pour ce post tout à fait inutile, presque hors sujet, ayant pour seul but de critiquer les parisiens. ça me gonfle aussi. je bosse dans les musées et j'en vois des gens du sud, crois moi ils ressemblent à s'y méprendre aux pires des parisiens, mais dans un style différent. "Nous, moi, moi, nous, le sud, la provence (que j'adore), les cigales, ici c'est nul, ça pue, la bouffe est dégueulasse..." j'exagere, mais je suis pas loin.
Ton "nous les locaux, on attend septembre pour aller à la plage" a le même ton méprisant, arrogant, qui me fait grincer des dents.
on apporte la pollution, on croit rêver!
surtout, ne t'inquiète pas Ils viennent d'arriver chez moi dans le sud, les Parisiens donc ils ont apporté avec eux tout ce que tu n'aimes pas. Les bouchos, la mauvaise humeur, la pollution. Nous les locaux, on attend Septembre pour aller à la plage, on leur laisse la place qu'ils se défoulent et déstreissent de la grande ville. Pendant deux mois on ne fera plus que de l'ordi donc à biento^t
Je suis de Paris...et les locales qd je déboule à la plage ont plutôt tendance à affluer...pas à fuir....héhéhééhhé
Imagine un peu naps et brasilero en compagnons de voyage...
Est-ce que brasilero dormirait dans les endroits pourraves que tu chosis?
Est-ce que tu le suivrais dans une conversation "night-clubs & nanas" avec l'éventuel diplômé de Harvard (cité dans un autre message)?
Ma curiosité attend toujours l'un ou l'autre carnet de voyages de brasilero...
"le silence des pantoufles est plus terrifiant que le bruit des bottes"
Tu vois Naps...j'arrive et il y a toujours une groupie...pour me suivre...et elles sont curieuses...elle demandent un carnet de voyage...un autographe...une discussion...un avis sur des choses simples de la vie...
Bref si je peux les aider...je toujours partant...😉
Naps tu prends son tel stp...à Pataugas...je la rappelerai plus tard...en attendant décrit lui un peu comment on fait notre sac...ça sera déjà ça de fait...
"Naps tu prends son tel stp...à Pataugas...je la rappelerai plus tard..."
si je prends son numero, ce st pour moi!!!
de toute facon pour toi c est facile, t as plein d admiratrices, que l embarras du choix...
Salut trotteuse, je crois que le titre de ton sujet montre bien le probleme Paris ET la routine. Je pense que le probleme n'est pas Paris mais la routine !!
Je sais que quand on est a l'etranger on a envie de faire plein de choses et puis des qu'on est rentre... c'est pizza tele !! Combien de parisien ne connaissent pas un seul musee de la capitale, ni les differents parcs (buttes chaumont par ex), combien ne sont alles voir ces paysages magnifiques le long de la Seine qui sont si proches?
Je crois qu'il ne tient qu'a nous de garder les yeux ouverts sur ce qui nous entourent, de partir a la decouverte de la ville/region ou on vit... je sais c'est dur de se motiver parfois (je connais ca aussi...) mais c'est le seul moyen de fuir la routine, en attendant le prochain "vrai" voyage !!
Aprés de multpiples entretien avec moi même, je vais beaucoup mieux c'est dernier temps . C'est vrai qu'en rentrant on a eu de gros soucis financiers, on a ouvert notre agence immobilier et galère pendant qq mois, on se stabilise et ca va mieux. C'est vrai que d'avoir bougé tous les jours pendant un an, découvert de belles choses et se retrouver a faire la même chose tous les jours, voir les mêmes têtes, discuter avec les mêmes personnes et je trouve au niveau ouverture d'esprit, tu trouve pas beaucoup de gens avec cette qualité.
Sinon c'est vrai qu'être n'importe ou, je trouverai la routine mais la ville me gonfle, je crois que je préfère la nature et ca me manque, je vais y remédier
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
D'après ton post, c'est le "gros con" d'assoc. qui a cristallisé toutes tes angoisses et tes déceptions du moment.
Alors demain lorsque tu le verras au bureau, avance toi tranquillement vers lui avec un sourire pour lui serrer la main...
et au dernier moment... VLAN!!! un coup de boule à la zizou...
Ensuite, tu vas t'asseoir tranquillement comme si de rien n'était, en lui demandant d'un air détaché :
"te prends un café...t' vois c'que j'veux dire!"
Ouais maius bon c'est l'associé de mon mari qui etait son pote avant, car mon mari sait bien rendu compte que cetait un gros con, pour l'instant je prends sur moi mais aprés coup de boule de zizou et retourné de karaté...
Mais jte jure que si j'organise un diner de cons j'ai la palme d'or
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
Pour fuir la routine, il y a 1 truc CANON! C'est le jonglage, c'est fou ce qu'on peut s'évader en lancant des balles en l'air!! le théatre, ou plein d'autre activité qui permettent de vivre des petits instants de bonheur...pas immense mais bon sang que ça fait du bien!!!
Ps: pense aussi au gens que tu as croisé, le bonheur en occident n'est toujours que chez les autres pourquoi....ne serai-t-il pas juste dans nos mains...
Moi perso pour m'évader je regarde mes animaux et ma télé (la chaine voyage et Nationnal géo) je n'ai que le cable, heuresement car quand j'entend les gens parlé de TF1à M6, je me dit oh là là quel conneries ces chaiines. Sinon je suis passionné de photos, je viens de m'offrir le canon Powershot S3 et je bombarde !!! mes animaux sont mes 1er modèles.
A+
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
"heuresement car quand j'entend les gens parlé de TF1à M6"
si j'étais dictateur d'Europe, titre qui n'a pas encore été créé, j'interdirais ces chaines débilisantes et j'enverais les producteurs, les animateurs et toute la clic sur l'ile Clipperton;
elles détruisent l'esprit critique, la connaissance, l'intelligence, la citoyenneté, l'ambition raisonnable...
elle débilisent notre jeunesse, lui faisant croire que tout est facile à obtenir, que tout est dû
heureusement que les autres chaines, surtout Arte, proposent des programmes procurant à la fois réflexion et émotion.
si la démocratie c'est laisser la liberté à ces chaines de TV, vive le fascisme, lorsqu'il libère les esprits !
si j'étais dictateur d'Europe, titre qui n'a pas encore été créé
Rien que le titre fait peur ... pourvu qu'il ne soit jamais créer ! néanmoins je suis d'accord avec toi sur le reste concernant le TV. C'est d'ailleurs pour cela que la mienne ne s'allume guère plus d'une fois tous les 2-3 mois, ce qui me suffit largement.
Je vais la virer même, je ne vois pas l'intérêt de payer une redevance pour une telle ânerie.
Personne ne t'oblige à regarder la télé...moi j'en ai pas et je m'en passe...et je suis loin d'être le seul...tu peux même lire les dvd sur ordi...c'est largement suffisant.
Moi je me suis pris le cable depuis mon retoiur du TDM, je me regale de Nationnal géo, voyages, Real time et lla chaine PLanete, discovery.
Je pense qu'il devrait echanger avec tf1
La vie à la même valeur peut importe la taille de l'être qui la porte !
Si le ciné était moins cher, je virerais aussi ma TV, car journaux et Internet sont suffisants pour s'informer et se distraire (avec le ciné).
Les chaines du cable, pour un certain nombre (notamment celles que vous citez), paraissent de qualité.
Mais si ON regarde des émissions culturelles alors que la masse des autres, et pas seulement dans les couches populaires, regardent des programmes "trisomiques", ON ne changera rien à l'évolution régressive des esprits et de l'intelligence des futures générations.
Nous, nous sommes dans notre bulle, nous éloignant de ce qui devient la triste réalité générale.
On leur propose la facilité ou la difficulté. L'émotion brute ou l'analyse. Que choisissent-ils, à votre avis ?
Le mieux est qu'il n'y ait pas de choix. Qu'on impose.
Comme pour la loi sur l'IVG, comme la loi contre la peine de mort, comme les lois contre les discriminations...
Par référendum, le "bon peuple" n'auraient probablement pas voté pour.
Heureusement, à certains moments, des hommes courageux ont su imposer des choix politiques dans un but humaniste et progressif
Même si le "peuple" finalement craintif et conservateur n'y étais pas forcément favorable.
Honnêtement, quelle serait la réponse des Français sur ce type de questions qui pourraient être soumises à un référendum :
Faut-il rétablir la peine de mort pour les violeurs et les tueurs d'enfants ?
Faut-il rétablir la torture sur des terroristes si cela permet d'éviter la mort d'innocents ?
A votre avis, quelle serair la réponse de la majorité des Français ?
Réfléchissez et soyez honnêtes.
Alors, imposer un peu les choses, dans une certaine mesure, n'est-ce pas mieux ?
si j'étais dictateur d'Europe, titre qui n'a pas encore été créé, j'interdirais ces chaines débilisantes et j'enverais les producteurs, les animateurs et toute la clic sur l'ile Clipperton;
elles détruisent l'esprit critique, la connaissance, l'intelligence, la citoyenneté, l'ambition raisonnable...
je vais reprendre le vieux slogan "il est interdit d'interdire"...je n'aime pas le côté dictatorial qui dit il faut supprimer telle ou telle chaine....en tant qu'être humain nous avons le choix de regarder ou non telle ou telle chaine...ou pas du tout la télé....j'ai le câble et tout l'éventail des chaines qu'ils présentent, et j'ai la liberté immense de pouvoir appuyer sur un bouton et dire non...et puis sans TF1 et M6 que deviendrait le zapping ?
😏
"si la démocratie c'est laisser la liberté à ces chaines de TV, vive le fascisme, lorsqu'il libère les esprits ! ",
Je préfère une société démocratie avec des télés de merde et la liberté ou non de les regarder, que n'importe quelle société fasciste
Toi qui est prof je ne comprends que tu puisses envisager un tel scénario... je me doute que tu plaisantes, mais j'avoue que j'ai vraiment du mal avec une plaisanterie qui prône une société fasciste....🏴☠️
"...et puis sans TF1 et M6 que deviendrait le zapping ? "
D'acc avec toi ! 😉
"Je préfère une société démocratie avec des télés de merde et la liberté ou non de les regarder, que n'importe quelle société fasciste "
Une personne inculte issue d'un milieu défavorisé à qui on présente des programmes merdiques, reposant mais abrutissant, va t-il faire l'effort d'aller voir ailleurs si personne dans son milieu ne le lui suggère ?
Non, ce type de personne n'est pas libre !
Son carcan, c'est le manque d'ambition culturelle et intellectuelle de son milieu. Il y a un quasi déterminisme que peu de personnes peuvent transcender.
Nous, VFistes, tous issus d'un milieu plus ou moins favorisé, nous avons cette liberté.
Pas eux.
PS : à propos du fscisme, toi, tu as compris que je déconnais 😛, néanmoins je suis pour une petite dose de contrainte (comme pour imposer la loi contre la peine de mort, pourtant impopulaire)
Alors, imposer un peu les choses, dans une certaine mesure, n'est-ce pas mieux ?
Fantasmons un peu...😉
L'objectif prioritaire de nos gouvernants n'est plus de "relancer la croissance par la consommation des ménages" (système dans lequel la télé joue un rôle important, cf les propos qu'avait tenus naguère le PDG de tf1 sur les cerveaux vides vendus aux publicitaires) mais devient brusquement l'éducation des "masses". La télé est nationalisée et diffuse des programmes intelligents...
La ménagère de plus de 50 ans comme celle de moins de 50 ans se rend compte que parmi les trois plaisirs les plus joussifs de ce bas et unique monde il y a "s'amuser à utiliser son cerveau". Toute à cette découverte elle en oublie de passer ses heures de loisir à acquérir des tas de trucs essentiellement inutiles...
La consommation s'effondre.
Et...? 😐
C'est un peu caricatural certes, mais je ne suis pas sûre que cela soit entièrement faux.
certains trouveront le moyen de se faire du fric, de créer de nouveaux marchés
la fnac y réussit très bien
cependant, il doit être certes plus facile de faire consommer des imbéciles que des personnes ayant un esprit critique. serait-ce alors pour cela que nous dirigeants ne font rien (depuis la création d'Arte) pour rendre plus intelligent leurs citoyens ?
cette collusion fait penser à un complot ! mais celui-ci, sans doute partiellement vrai, est tacite, il n'y a pas eu de concertation
Hi! It was totally by chance that I stumbled upon VoyageForum (an ad online and a story lol), and I’ve been reading some really old posts from 2011 about Thai massage schools—discussions on how to get by, accommodation, prices, etc. It reminded me of my own experience: I kept things simple by staying with a local family during my entire trip. I only shared all the expenses with them, which, I’ll admit, was super cheap… and I often traveled with them, which naturally opened a lot of doors for me. To start, at the school in Salaya, my Thai friend immediately connected me with Teacher Phong (the school’s mentor and teacher of teachers, a former monk). I was supposed to join a group session with other foreigners, but for some reason I don’t know, I got two days of private lessons for free with this expert… incredible! And on top of that, he loved France! It was an amazing experience. I "discovered" massage by chance—the Thai family just told me: "Try it, you’ll see!" (I’d had a pretty intense massage in the capital before 😅… but the next day, I felt unbelievably great!))
Every morning, I’d take a taxi (chosen by the Thai family at prices that beat all the competition) to this school—I’ve forgotten the name of the little village now… right in the heart of the countryside. Then, in the evenings, I’d keep practicing massage on all the family members… and they’d teach me Thai at the same time!))
Since then, I’ve practiced a bit, with lots of positive feedback. Following Teacher Phong’s advice—he thought my pressure was deep, firm, and precise—he strongly encouraged me to take this seriously.
I love Thailand so much. It’s a whole different way of living… and it’s a real blessing, even if I couldn’t live there full-time. Anyway, that was an unforgettable memory, and sometimes the Thai family and I still say hi—from 2011, 2013… right up to today!
Hi everyone,
I’m Loulou, a French expat who’s been living in Southeast Asia for about fifteen years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A passionate walker at heart, I’ve trekked in Nepal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), India, Vietnam, and I’m still planning new hikes (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
I’ve just published my first travel journal, recounting three months of walking and encounters across India. A portion of the sales goes to an educational center I support in Kep, for children whose parents work in the salt marshes.
I’m also working on a second book about Nepal with a musician friend, focusing on the Mardi Himal trek—two independent perspectives on the same journey.
Happy to swap stories with you about the Himalayas, India, Southeast Asia, or just the urge to hit the road and walk far from home.
Safe travels,
Loulou
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
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