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

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 everyone, Your thoughts on SIM cards and eSIMs for Rajasthan? I have a Free mobile plan for 19.99 € that includes internet but not calls. Can I use WhatsApp to contact people in France without extra charges? Or should I buy a local SIM? What about eSIMs? Your opinions, recommendations, warnings... Thanks

Be careful if you're in Konstanz—your phone might connect to a Swiss carrier in certain spots (for me, it was a parking lot near Switzerland and on Mainau Island). You could be charged at least 30 € for roaming if your phone stays connected. I'm with Poste Mobile.

For those in France near the Swiss border, don’t stay in roaming mode. For those like me in Germany, turn off mobile data or get a Swiss plan for 15 €.

Hi there, I have a question about the eSIM card: I bought an eSIM from Saily for my trip to Japan in 5 days. What should I do with my Samsung smartphone? What should I do with my current SIM card: deactivate/remove it? It says activation in Japan is automatic—what does that mean exactly?

Hi, We’re leaving for South Africa soon (on 10/9) and I was wondering if there’s a need for things like paracetamol, since we can bring some! And if so, how should we go about it—can we drop them off at a private lodge, in Kruger, in Cape Town...? Thanks for any tips or experiences you can share—quickly, since we’re leaving soon! 😉

Hi VF,

Surprise this morning: all VF pages have a dark background... I'm not a big fan! Did I accidentally do something wrong yesterday while checking my profile? Or is this a decision on your part to change the background color for everyone? I seem to remember François suggested this option (screen background choice) to forum users back in 2020, shortly before the site became inaccessible. I looked in "my options" for a way to switch back to the old light background but didn’t find anything. What should I do? No pun intended, but thanks for shedding some light on this! :-)

Murielle

Hi there, This might seem a bit out of the blue, but I really need some info, insights, and advice—especially tips! I’d love to go volunteer in countries that need help. Thanks, and please keep any negative comments to yourself

Hi there, Does anyone know how tobacco checks work for luggage in Australia? What’s the allowed quantity? I assume there’s a declaration form to sign for customs. Is there a baggage search afterward, or are sniffer dogs used? What’s the fine if you exceed the allowed amounts? Thanks for sharing your experience!

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 was in Montreal for the Grand Prix today and I’d love to know where to buy this alcoholic iced tea can (Hoop Tea) before I leave—I can’t find it anywhere! Thanks so much for your help

Just a few words so I don’t forget the one who had the magical touch and the ingenious idea of creating a wonderful site that made the word "travel" resonate for thousands of people.

Thank you, François, and rest in peace...

Hi, I’m thinking of using GPS on my phone for a trip from the Peloponnese to central and northern Greece, as well as Cephalonia and Paxos. Based on the local networks, does this seem doable, or should I get a pocket Wi-Fi or something else? Thanks for your help

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 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.

I saw this photo online and it doesn’t say exactly where this unnamed structure is... I’d really appreciate an answer to my question. Thanks so much in advance! Simon

What are the different steps to withdraw money from an ATM? Brunomichele

Hi, I can't seem to sign up for the trip to Madagascar contest? It keeps saying "an error occurred." Has anyone else run into the same problem? Thanks

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

I just installed the Maps.Me app on my phone. I only recently found out about this app. I’m traveling in 2 weeks and a few days, and I’m a bit stuck on how to use it. I’m from the Montreal (Quebec) area, and I’d love to know if there’s a kind soul out there who could help me get started and use the app at least minimally. If there are private lessons available, I’d be interested in those too.

Thanks in advance for your help. Simon

hi there I’d love to get some opinions—I’ve never used Airbnb before. They’re offering a key handover via lockbox. Any tips or advice? Is it reliable? Best,

Hi there, I’m Laura, and I’m looking for a few people to answer some questions so I can understand your travel wishes and challenges. It won’t take long—I can chat here, by email, or by phone. Don’t worry, I’m not selling anything! 😊

Hello fellow travelers,

After an engine failure in mid-2016 on a long-haul flight from BRISBANE to LYON, I developed a persistent aviophobia that I’m struggling to shake off. It’s becoming more and more of a hindrance.

Up until now, I’ve been using an avoidance strategy (for example, avoiding destinations that would require any other mode of transport than a car or train), but lately, it’s become really limiting.

I’m looking for a therapist—either in-person or via video call—who could help me get past this hurdle.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi, After sending this message to the VF team: "I notice that I still have my sent private messages, but no longer the received private messages. When the forum closed, I don’t remember deleting them."

And their response: "You’d have to check with other members to see if this is also the case for them, as we have no way of viewing the private messages you received."

I don’t think it’s possible to recover them—no big deal—but just for info, are there other members who’ve been or are in the same situation as me?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Hi everyone,

I was in Delhi for work and decided to leave my suitcase there so I could enjoy the rest of my vacation in Southeast Asia. However, my flight from Bangkok to Delhi, scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday, October 5th), was rescheduled, and I’ll miss my connection to Paris. When I looked at flights, I realized that the Bangkok-Paris flight costs half as much as the new Bangkok-Delhi flight (with a different airline).

So here’s my question (a shot in the dark): Is anyone traveling between Delhi and Paris in the next few days? Would it be possible to pick up my suitcase in Delhi’s hold (I’ll pay the extra fee) and bring it to Paris?

I thought about having it shipped, but I need it fairly quickly, and I don’t trust the delivery times. Plus, the costs are outrageous.

Thank you so much in advance!

Have a wonderful day,

Sacha

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, A question for those who’ve looked into this. What’s more advantageous or preferable: buying a local SIM card for GPS and SMS (we’ll handle calls via WhatsApp), or going with a plan from our mobile provider (Orange) that offers international packages with several options up to 150GB? Does anyone know the price of SIM cards at Vodacom?

Thanks to anyone who chimes in! 😉

Dan

Hi, we're heading to Chile soon and need physical SIM cards (not eSIMs). Is it possible to buy them at Santiago Airport? We’ll have a few hours layover before our flight to Easter Island but not enough time to go downtown. Thanks for your tips!

Hi there,

I’m looking for people to interview because I’d love to understand your travel desires to help refine my professional project. Just to clarify, the goal is simply to understand your aspirations/barriers, etc.—I’m not trying to sell anything.

The idea would be to chat for about 30 minutes to an hour over the phone, answering a few questions. I’m most interested in people who travel in France, love nature activities, prefer to avoid overly touristy paths, enjoy unique experiences, and are into local artisans and producers...

Does this sound like you? Feel free to message me. Just to be clear, I won’t share any details from our conversations.

Have a great evening, everyone.

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).