Hi, I started a thread about Afghanistan.

Out of 4 pages, more than half had nothing to do with the country/topic. The mods closed the thread—why not ban off-topic members and clean it up instead? Instead of closing a thread that had 2 REALLY interesting videos! Because in my thread, there will be more videos to come...

If you close it as soon as a few members go off-topic, letting some former prostitute who’s never set foot in the country tell a guy who spent 10 days there what’s true or not about Afghanistan...

If all the anti-Taliban folks tell you *Le Figaro* or others do a better job than this YouTuber... LOL Journalists often haven’t even been there—they just copy each other or write articles via ChatGPT... *Le Figaro*, for example, gets millions in subsidies to churn out garbage... And now this young guy deserves to be silenced?

Reopen the thread and clean it up! Thanks

Hi, I’d love to know if there’s a website that gives a rough idea of how much time you should spend visiting a particular city or country. I know my question is super general, but it’d be really great if such a site existed.

Thanks in advance for your help. Take care and happy travels.

Régine

Hi, I’m not sure if this belongs here. The videos aren’t mine—they’re from a YouTuber.

I find his trip mind-blowing and totally different from what we see on TV!

So far, two 1-hour-12-minute videos have been released, but there’ll be at least one more!

Some French journalists and politicians have been tearing him apart lately. At the same time, the guy put in insane work without any funding...

Personally, I’m really impressed by what he’s done...

Here are the links. Sorry if this feels like an ad, but I genuinely think his trip is great—and most importantly, judgment-free. The only other thing I’d seen from him was his trip to Transnistria.

I Lived 10 Days with the Taliban 🇦🇫

Under Taliban Sharia in Afghanistan 🇦🇫

Hi,

Many of us have noticed that bugs have been making it difficult to navigate the forum lately.

I’ll let Kate and Ticapi explain the issue:

I went to your profile to check out the Thailand travel journal, and when I clicked on it, it brought me back here again. All week, I’ve been dealing with bugs like this—it’s really discouraging from continuing on VF.🙁

I had the same thing happen, and multiple times. For me, it was Montagnard’s latest journal that kept coming up no matter which discussion I clicked on.

Hopefully, a solution will be found soon.🙂

I left my heart’s country eight days ago and returned to my adopted one—or was it the other way around? Scotland-Morvan, Morvan-Scotland, I’m not quite sure anymore.

After a quarter without dragging my slippers around here, even though I’d loudly declared I had no interest left in this site, here I am again!

My imagination never stays fallow for long. Just enough time for my inner land to rest. It gets overgrown with fresh nettles, the kind you can pick without getting stung. Then, it’s time to till the fragrant earth and let the story grow.

I hesitated over where to set this story. Maybe the Highlands, maybe the Hebrides, maybe the Orkney Islands, maybe the Shetland Islands. All of Scotland is myth—easy to embroider. But in the end, no. I’d almost be too afraid to bare my soul.

The story will take place at home. Simple, practical.

1)

This morning, I was up well before dawn, feeling a bit grumpy, but nothing a bowl of coffee won’t fix. I love my bowl, and no one dares take it. It’s porcelain, edged with intertwined blue flowers. On the bottom, it says "Revol." The factory has existed long before the Revolution. It was my great-grandmother’s bowl. She drank roasted barley from it during the war, then her Leroux chicory.

Last year, a little guy dropped it. My bowl broke into three pieces. A black anger vibrated deep inside me. The little boy was so upset, on the verge of tears. How could I scold him!

I picked up the three pieces and took Little Boy in my arms. His hair smelled of the light, sweet sweat of toddlers. A gentle hug that healed—his budding sorrow and my anger—everything vanished, and time carried on.

Today, my bowl is even prettier. Man fixed it using the traditional kintsugi technique, except he didn’t use gold powder or lacquer but superglue, and he delicately painted the cracks with woad blue. And my bowl is even more beautiful now.

I’m lingering, I can tell—it’s just that a story wraps itself in life, and life can’t be told in the snap of a finger. Life is long. Like in architecture, you start with a rough sketch, called a "sous-cul" (the initial pencil drawing), then you make a tracing, which is the work itself, the one you later carefully roll up in a wooden tube. Life is like that: you erase, you start over, you use the nub of the pencil until it’s tiny, but you keep going—dreaming, loving.

"Living is a full-time occupation, a unique adventure. Always a surprise and a wonder, which sometimes turns into astonishment. And, from time to time, happiness."*

Alright, enough digressing—this introduction is definitely too long. Tomorrow, I’ll get to the heart of the matter. (I hate that expression; it feels like I’m cutting into someone’s skin.)

*Jean d’Ormesson

2)

Hi there! I’m heading to Thailand for two months. So I thought I’d get a Thai SIM card to use Google Maps for getting around cities, mostly. Here’s my question: will this SIM affect my apps? Or will they work the same as with my Orange SIM? Is there any setup I need to do, or can I just pop in the Thai SIM? I’d also like to switch back to my Orange SIM now and then while I’m in Thailand—on the same phone. Will I need to reset the phone, or will it reconnect without any issues? Thanks in advance for your tips! Best, Huiclos

Hello everyone.

First and foremost, I hope this topic won’t just focus on my region—the South of France—and that those of you who enjoy exchanging ideas will share what makes your own regions special.

Personally, I’ve often wanted to push back when people call us vulgar (though I’ll admit I sometimes play it up). At heart, we pure-blooded Southerners just have our own way of expressing ourselves, which differs from other regions. We also get heated in conversations pretty easily (some researchers say it’s the influence of the sun and climate in general).

What some perceive as vulgar, we don’t see that way at all.

Do you want a uniform world with no differences? If so, how do you handle traveling to places with cultures completely different from your own?

In the travel community, the word "authenticity" comes up a lot, and it often takes priority in people’s searches.

In my specific case, speaking a purely regional language without having gone to school for it doesn’t help with understanding on this forum. That’s what creates what you call controversies—and what I call passionate exchanges.

I remember a reply from a member in this thread: https://voyageforum.com/forum/ma-vie-en-camargue-pays-origine-en-colombie-pays-c-ur-d10778555/

It left me speechless and ended the conversation because, for him, that’s just how he sees things, and he refuses to debate it, sticking to his position. I’ll quote him, hoping he won’t hold it against me:

"For me, things like bullfighting, boxing, football, and MMA are just tangible proof that human evolution is still at a primitive stage."

For him, our Latin-origin bullfights are barbaric customs. For us *taurins*, we need to see men face wild beasts (bulls and *toros*) at the risk of their lives every day. Does that make us barbarians?

We’ve always had this need to confront death—it’s in our genes.

Take the example he gave about football: fans of the sport would be considered mentally underdeveloped. But what about a kid who’s passionate about the game and has that drive to be a winner, just like a boxer or athletes in other violent sports?

As a traveler myself, passionate about old stones and beautiful historic buildings, I’ve visited Rome but couldn’t fully appreciate it. Religion is everywhere, and I felt like I had a lead weight on my head realizing that millions of people worldwide have believed in a god for millennia.

I’ve also judged believers for basing their faith on archaic texts that don’t prove a god (or gods) ever existed—I still think that, but I’m open to being proven wrong so I can say, "You’ve convinced me I was mistaken."

- If everyone clings to their own ideas and positions, no discussion is possible, and that’s a shame.

I’ll take away two things from my forum interactions: some accuse me of being omnipresent when I just love exchanging ideas. My way of speaking is misunderstood (regional differences), even if I’ll admit I sometimes turn up the heat—or rather, the *aïoli* —which for me is just lively debates 🔥 (a regional specialty).

And my "mocking" side, which I really need to work on.

This topic isn’t just about me—I hope other forum members will share their own regional "specialties" . For example, in Alsace, some older folks switch to their local language when they don’t want outsiders to understand, and I still don’t know if it’s German or something else.

https://www.marseille-tourisme.com/decouvrez-marseille/traditions/le-parler-marseillais/

https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/accent-du-midi-ave-ou-sans_642635.html

Hi there, Everything’s in the title. For those who’ve already been to South Africa, I was wondering if our French type C plugs work with the sockets you’ve encountered in your accommodations there. Apparently, South Africa uses types D, M, and N, and type C plugs are only compatible with type N sockets. Do accommodations mostly have type N sockets? Or are they mostly D and M, which would mean buying an adapter? Thanks for your replies!

Hi there, I just found out that VF is back...!! What a joy....

A huge thank you—this site is so rich in exchanges and the range of information you can find here.

Bravo to the team for your perseverance and courage in getting through that difficult period.

You're coming back strong.... I wish you a long life and nothing but good things ahead...

Hi, I’ve seen mixed info about e-cigarettes in Argentina... Do you know if I can bring my own gear for personal use? Thanks in advance! !

Imagination or reality, fiction or true story. Everything blends together, and if the characters really existed, if their story is partly true, I freely transcribed what Surya told me in her English as precarious as mine. Have I already posted this on vf? I can't find it. Maybe on the small forum Wapiti created to continue our wild stories that went on for pages and pages and no longer pleased anyone on vf.

No matter.

I heard from Bavani—life is crazy, isn’t it?

That’s why I’m bringing her story back.

I’m settling into the -miscellaneous- section; I like being away from the noise.

When the house is overrun with running feet, laughter, arguments, and music, I go to the barn turned into a honey house. It’s cool, it smells of wax and honey, and among the disorder of hive frames, supers, and stacked jars, I refocus.

Here, in -miscellaneous-, no one rants. I can let my fingers glide over the keyboard in peace.

Alright, enough digressions. At the end of the notebook, I’ll tell you what became of this little girl.

Bavani

“Bavani, stop daydreaming, work.”

I’m not daydreaming, I’m thinking.

My teacher is Surya, and she asked us to write a story. She doesn’t like us—I heard her talking to the teacher in the little kids’ class. She said: I stay here because the white people pay better than in government schools, but it’s a shame to teach gypsies. Filthy street urchins.

I’m not a gypsy, I’m a Narikuravar. Grandmother told me: you’re going to this school, you’ll learn English well, and when you come back, you’ll be richer than the others because you’ll beg better from the tourists. Grandmother makes necklaces and sells them, but often she sells nothing at all.

There are lots of tourists in my town, Tiruvannamalai. Before, I lived behind the temple with dad and mom. We had our spot and were happy, especially when mom cooked rice on the brazier. Then we’d lie down, and I’d press my back against mom’s huge belly, and it would move inside. One day, mom told me: stay here, I’ll be back very soon. I waited a long time, and neither dad nor mom came back. After a long time, dad came, and we went to Salem to my grandmother, who’s dad’s mom.

I asked: where’s mom? “Shut up, two was too many.” “Two what? He didn’t say.”

So I went to Salem to grandmother’s hut, and there was no rice, and Muriga came to get me with his minibus. Now I live here. We eat several times a day—yellow rice, then white rice to digest, and eggs and bananas.

And we have to study.

Papom *

.../...

Papom: in common language, it’s the equivalent of -see ya-

Hi everyone, I recently noticed that when you "mark as read" a discussion, the bullet point next to it stays "green" as if it hadn’t been "marked." I tested marking all discussions as read, and they all still show up as "unread!" Nothing major, but I was wondering if it’s just "my computer"!

Hello, Happy to see VoyageForum "back in action" again, and even though I know my post is a bit off-topic, I’ll give it a shot anyway: We’re a group of four looking to take an organized trip to Canada at the end of September/beginning of October 2025, starting from Quebec. These kinds of tours exist, but our main issue is that local agencies don’t handle pre-routing from France, which is a deal-breaker for us. Of course, we’re not at all opposed to traveling in a (small) group. Thanks for your replies and any leads you might have.

On this forum, we talk a lot about trekking in the Himalayas, but I’d love to share another side of Nepal: its spiritual, cultural, and religious atmosphere, especially in Kathmandu.

Nepal, much like Tibet and Bhutan, is deeply connected to the Himalayas—the ultimate sacred mountain range. This small country exudes a calming vibe, shaped by a strong spiritual dimension. What I loved most was the unique sensory experience you get there. Walking around temples and tantric monasteries, a distinct scent fills the air—aromatic plants used for ritual fumigation. Locals mainly burn Himalayan juniper, cedar, sandalwood, and other local essences. This fragrant smoke is a way to purify the space and reach the deities, and you’re constantly enveloped in these aromas.

Another striking aspect is the sound. As soon as you step outside, you hear bells ringing in front of temples. People ring them three times before praying to announce their presence to the deities. Nepal is also the birthplace of singing bowls and sound meditation practices. In Kathmandu, you can easily find meditation sessions or "sound baths."

The spiritual dimension is everywhere: a Hindu sadhu practicing asceticism, a lama in deep red robes with his mala, turning a prayer wheel while murmuring "Om mani padme hum." Newar Buddhism, Tantrism, and Hinduism coexist harmoniously in daily life.

For those who love exploring a destination through its culture and spirituality, Nepal is an unforgettable place. What was your spiritual experience in Nepal like?

Hi, I’m landing in Quebec and then heading to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I’d like to rent a pick-up. My question is: does this vehicle come with a cover and is it secure enough to store luggage in? I’ve heard two conflicting opinions. Thanks

Hi there. I’m planning my next trip to the Philippines. I bought the 2024 edition of the Lonely Planet guide, and what a disappointment! No practical info at all—it’s useless. Someone lent me the 2018 edition, and it’s got everything I love. The problem is, I don’t want to carry two heavy guides. I tried to buy the 2018 digital version, but it no longer exists—they only offer the 2024 version, which I already have in print!

If anyone has the **2018 DIGITAL version** of the Lonely Planet Philippines, I’d love to get it. In exchange, I can offer around fifty digital Lonely Planet guides (PDF or EPUB) for destinations all over the world. Just ask—I might have what you’re looking for (in English and/or French).

Hey everyone, I’m prepping for a long trip (3 months between Asia and Eastern Europe), and I’m looking for a backpack that can go everywhere with me while properly protecting my laptop (15 inches).

The goal isn’t a big 70L backpack, but rather a secondary bag I can keep with me in the cabin, to carry my laptop, documents, a change of clothes or two, chargers, etc. I work remotely as a freelancer, so I’ll be opening it often in cafés, co-working spaces, and airports.

Any recommendations? What do you take with you when you need to work while traveling? Any reliable brands or models to suggest?

Thanks in advance for your tips—it’ll help me avoid a bad purchase right before my departure!

Hi everyone, I used to use the Traveler Buddy app to manage my trips. In this app, you could forward your hotel, flight, event confirmations, etc. by email, and everything was automatically organized so you could easily keep track of your itinerary. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t seem to be working anymore. Would you have any suggestions for another app like this, please? Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I just got back from a little cruise that took me to Oslo, among other places. Pure coincidence had it that on April 6th, the City Hall was open for visits, and I found myself surrounded by Norwegians—men, women, and even very young children—all dressed in traditional outfits. Clearly, there was some kind of special ceremony going on, because they all went upstairs for... something? A woman told me it wasn’t religious (which I suspected), but then what was that moment all about? Thanks—I don’t like being left in the dark! Have a great day, everyone!

hi there same old question when you arrive in MOROCCO where’s the best place to exchange euros for Moroccan dirhams at the best rate? thanks.

What are your positive and negative experiences with dental implants in different countries around the world? Looking for something like 4-5 dental implants, good quality-to-price ratio.

Thanks.

Hi everyone, I’m spending 15 days in South Korea. I’d like to know how I can get a guitar while I’m there. Since I’m a guitarist, I’d love to keep playing while I travel around the country. Thanks for your help! Have a great day, Titi

Hi, where can I find multicolored bougainvillea seeds in Chiang Mai or Bangkok, please? Thanks so much and have a great day!

Hi there, Back from Sri Lanka, we have some local currency left. This could be useful for you. Here’s what I’m offering: 1 x 5000-rupee note 3 x 1000-rupee notes 2 x 500-rupee notes 3 x 100-rupee notes 2 x 50-rupee notes 6 x 20-rupee notes That’s a total of 9520 Sri Lankan rupees, or 31 €. This way, you can start your trip without having to withdraw money right away at the airport and without paying any fees. For reference, here are some typical costs: Bottle of water: 130–160 Rs, tuk-tuk ride: 100–500 Rs, bus trip: 50–200 Rs, meal with a drink: 1500–2500 Rs. Possible to send in an envelope.

Hi there,

Thanks for letting me know about the launch of the new VoyageForum.

I just want to say that I hope this fresh start has helped get rid of those rude people who thought they knew everything about every topic and would attack (and sometimes insult) participants who didn’t agree with them.

It was starting to feel like social media, where everyone thinks their own posts are the most accurate and truthful, and it was getting really tiresome—especially when all we really want to do is talk about travel.

So, my hope is that there’ll now be stricter moderation of exchanges between travelers.

Good luck with this new beginning!

Hello,

After 20 years of operation and a 4-year hiatus, we were happy to rediscover this forum following its acquisition by Myatlas.

At the very beginning of the adventure, there was a section allowing members to share their ideas—good or bad, feasible or not—with the team in charge to help perfect the forum.

So, to help VoyageForum regain its momentum and adapt to new audiences and a new environment, why not put our heads together and suggest some improvement ideas in this thread?

I’ll get the ball rolling!

Travel journals are limited to 300 photos because photo storage is expensive. This limitation is completely understandable, and Myatlas found a solution by offering a paid subscription for those who wanted to exceed the free photo limit. Maybe this approach could be adapted here? Limiting without offering an alternative is a reason members leave.

Hi everyone. I just joined this site and I’m trying to enter the contest, but no luck! For those who managed to do it, could you tell me how you did it? I followed all the instructions 😏 Thanks

Pour moi le problème n'est pas résolu , en cliquant sur " derniers messages " je ne vois pas les derniers messages , notamment les questions nouvelles sans réponses , le concours photo , etc....

Et pire , ce matin j'ai répondu longuement à quelqu'un qui m'avait posé une question , et à la fin , au moment de mettre un lien , tout le message a disparu ! Si j'ai recommencé c'est parce que je sais que la personne à qui je répondais n'est pas du style à recevoir une réponse sans remercier , sinon je n'aurais pas réécrit tout mon message .

Au vu de tous ces problèmes , je pense que dorénavant je vais m'abstenir de participer au forum , c'est trop de temps perdu pour pas grand chose finalement puisque mes messages suscitent peu d'intérêt , je pense que je vais rester en mode lecture , comme le font la majorité de ceux qui viennent sur le forum , au moins je perdrai moins de temps .

Il faut être sacrément motivé pour participer à ce forum !

J'envoie ma réponse en espérant que le message ne disparaisse pas ! 🤞

BOLIVIA: EPISODE 5 – RODRIGO PAZ WITH HIS BACK AGAINST THE WALL! The saga continues in the heart of the Cordillera, and the tension isn’t letting up—quite the opposite! Between high-stakes political negotiations and the harsh reality on the ground, Bolivia is at a historic turning point. In this new episode, we focus on the latest decisions and the crucial role of Senator Rodrigo Paz, now with his back against the wall as the crisis intensifies by the hour. To fully understand the political and economic stakes and their direct impact on the country, check out the full analysis here: 👉 https://www.petitherge.com/2026/06/bolivie-episode-5-rodrigo-paz-au-pied-du-mur.html

Note to future travelers: Rest assured, there’s absolutely no violence from Bolivians toward tourists. On the contrary! They’ll often be happy to share their perspective on the crisis and talk about their situation, always with the warmth they’re known for. The real shift could come if the government eventually orders the military to forcibly clear the roads. So stay alert, keep an eye on how the blockades evolve, and above all: prioritize your safety. History is unfolding before our eyes—stay tuned for the next on-the-ground updates! See you soon,

Herge !

BOLIVIA: THE COUNTRY ON THE BRINK (What's Really Happening)

A dramatic saga is unfolding before our eyes in the Andes. Between suffocating blockades, clashes, an international airlift, and historic political decisions, Bolivia has just experienced 48 hours of rare intensity. Here’s the full breakdown (economic, social, and political) of the last 48 hours: For travelers and tourists: the article also includes an important note about the upcoming publication (starting tomorrow) of the precise status of roadblocks, route by route. I’ll post the full update here on Voyage Forum! Don’t miss this in-depth analysis. History is being written before our eyes! https://www.petitherge.com/bolivie-paralysie-et-ultimatum