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?
Hello everyone,
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????
Please forgive my little rant.
Wishing everyone all the best. Cheers,
Puma2A
...
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????
Please forgive my little rant.
Wishing everyone all the best. Cheers,
Puma2A
...
Hello 🙂
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.
Catherine
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.
Catherine
Hi there,
The title might be a bit long, but I hope it’s completely understandable!
When it comes to choosing your next trip, what tips the scales in favor of Eritrea over Ibiza?
Why pick Canada over French Polynesia?
The price? A magazine or TV report, a travel journal, an Instagram ad? Ease of travel? Minimal time difference? The country that has the most in common with all the trip participants? Activities? Relaxation? The desire to push your limits?
A photo?
What else, I wonder...
Personally, I often prioritize simple destinations (no administrative hassles), where I’m not at risk (nothing extraordinary like getting kidnapped by Daesh or ending up in a jail cell because the current geopolitics aren’t favorable to my passport, etc.), and where I can drive.
Wide-open natural spaces are more my thing than urban anthills.
Finally, I try not to spend three days on a plane to reach my destination, and I aim for a maximum budget of 3500 € (for 3 weeks) in comfortable conditions—that means charming hotels, good meals, etc.
What about you?🙂
The title might be a bit long, but I hope it’s completely understandable!
When it comes to choosing your next trip, what tips the scales in favor of Eritrea over Ibiza?
Why pick Canada over French Polynesia?
The price? A magazine or TV report, a travel journal, an Instagram ad? Ease of travel? Minimal time difference? The country that has the most in common with all the trip participants? Activities? Relaxation? The desire to push your limits?
A photo?
What else, I wonder...
Personally, I often prioritize simple destinations (no administrative hassles), where I’m not at risk (nothing extraordinary like getting kidnapped by Daesh or ending up in a jail cell because the current geopolitics aren’t favorable to my passport, etc.), and where I can drive.
Wide-open natural spaces are more my thing than urban anthills.
Finally, I try not to spend three days on a plane to reach my destination, and I aim for a maximum budget of 3500 € (for 3 weeks) in comfortable conditions—that means charming hotels, good meals, etc.
What about you?🙂
“Slow travel” is a concept that some tout as a philosophical revolution in travel. But on closer inspection, it’s nothing more than a marketing repackaging of an age-old practice.
This term is wrapped in an aura of intellectualism. It promises to reinvent the experience of travel by valuing slowness, contemplation, and cultural immersion.
The term “slow travel” claims to bring depth to travel, but it often relies on clichés.
Taking your time, meeting locals, avoiding quick visits—these practices have always existed and are nothing revolutionary.
Before the era of airplanes, high-speed trains, and express stays, traveling necessarily meant taking your time. Pilgrims, merchants, and explorers already practiced a form of “slow travel,” without hashtags or self-proclaimed spiritual guides.
Crossing lands on foot or by horse required total immersion in the landscapes, cultures, and unpredictability of the journey. Yet, no one attributed philosophical intentions to them: it was a necessity.
Slow travel, in its current version, may be less a philosophy than a reflection of the contradictions of an affluent class searching for meaning in a world they help overload.
So-called “slow” travel is presented as a privileged way to understand a culture, but this claim is debatable. A region never represents an entire country.
Immersing yourself in a community doesn’t guarantee a complete or more authentic understanding than any other way of traveling.
Slowness in itself doesn’t guarantee depth or ethics. You can immerse yourself in a place over a weekend, just as you can spend months in a country without grasping its subtleties.
By positioning itself as an antidote to “fast” tourism, slow travel fetishizes a temporality that only makes sense if it’s accompanied by real openness and an effort to integrate.
But this over-intellectualization often masks a desire to belong to a trend or a need to stand out socially.
Behind this posture sometimes lies a whim: the urge to reinvent one’s life elsewhere in an idealized form. But this quest for elsewhere remains fundamentally a way to escape or respond to unease, rather than a true commitment to the cultures visited.
When we talk about “encounters” while traveling, we often forget that these exchanges are facilitated by biased contexts. As a traveler, you’re seen as a temporary visitor, unattached, and that changes the dynamic.
Locals, whether curious or used to tourists, adopt a different stance than they would with a neighbor they see daily.
This interaction is also tinged with asymmetry: the traveler has the luxury of time and availability, while in daily life, personal concerns often take precedence over the desire to connect.
The flip side is that the openness displayed while traveling is often a facade. We boast about chatting with a fisherman or sharing a meal with a local family, but how many of these encounters lead to a real understanding of cultural differences or sincere reflection?
Once home, these moments become anecdotes, social trophies to show off, without fundamentally changing our relationship with others in our daily lives.
By imposing a definition, we push people to adapt their practices to fit an idealized model. This can lead to a paradoxical standardization: “slow travel” becomes a checklist of behaviors (meetings, immersion, slowness).
The “bobos” (bourgeois-bohemians), often in search of meaning in a world saturated with options, believe that giving a name to a practice grants it legitimacy or moral value. But this obsession with framing and theorizing travel only drains it of its spontaneity.
Someone who grew up at the crossroads of multiple cultures, on the other hand, doesn’t feel this need. For them, traveling isn’t a philosophical project but an intrinsic part of their life.
The very concept of “slow travel” can seem absurd: why glorify what’s simply natural?
Why try to turn into an ideology what should be a personal, intimate experience, free from semantic constraints?
Ultimately, this need for labeling, this frantic quest to name every gesture, reveals a society craving simplicity.
Travel, in its purest form, doesn’t need justification or slogans. It doesn’t need slowness or speed: it’s simply lived.
Perhaps the real challenge is to unlearn this Western habit of conceptualizing everything that should simply be felt.
For many, travel is a parenthesis, a temporary break from daily life. But if we reject this distinction between “home” and “elsewhere,” every human life becomes a continuous journey through varied environments.
From this perspective, “slow travel” loses all meaning, because living somewhere—whether for a week or five years—is part of the same experience of adaptation.
So, we ask the fans of marketing slogans: is travel a parenthesis or a journey?
“Slow travel” is often driven by a Western eco-bobo ideology, tinged with post-colonial guilt. This discourse promotes a supposedly virtuous way of traveling while forgetting that these practices remain a privilege.
Far from deconstructing power dynamics, it sometimes reinforces them by glorifying a different kind of consumption, still centered on comfort.
There’s also a condescending side to this rhetoric. By idealizing slowness, slow travel advocates imply that those who travel quickly or on a budget are less “authentic” in their approach.
Yet, isn’t that a form of contempt? Do those who leave for a well-deserved week after months of hard work deserve less consideration?
Concepts like “slow travel” or “sustainable tourism” seem hollow when reduced to marketing slogans or standardized behaviors. They confine travel to preconceived frameworks, stripping it of its spontaneous and unpredictable dimension.
Instead of categorizing, it would be more relevant to recognize the plurality of human experiences without trying to define them.
Slow travel doesn’t invent anything. It simply puts into words—and often slogans—what travel has always been for those who practice it with intention.
Maybe we should stop trying to theorize every movement and simply rediscover travel for what it is: a human experience, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, but always personal.
More info on our site
This term is wrapped in an aura of intellectualism. It promises to reinvent the experience of travel by valuing slowness, contemplation, and cultural immersion.
The term “slow travel” claims to bring depth to travel, but it often relies on clichés.
Taking your time, meeting locals, avoiding quick visits—these practices have always existed and are nothing revolutionary.
Before the era of airplanes, high-speed trains, and express stays, traveling necessarily meant taking your time. Pilgrims, merchants, and explorers already practiced a form of “slow travel,” without hashtags or self-proclaimed spiritual guides.
Crossing lands on foot or by horse required total immersion in the landscapes, cultures, and unpredictability of the journey. Yet, no one attributed philosophical intentions to them: it was a necessity.
Slow travel, in its current version, may be less a philosophy than a reflection of the contradictions of an affluent class searching for meaning in a world they help overload.
So-called “slow” travel is presented as a privileged way to understand a culture, but this claim is debatable. A region never represents an entire country.
Immersing yourself in a community doesn’t guarantee a complete or more authentic understanding than any other way of traveling.
Slowness in itself doesn’t guarantee depth or ethics. You can immerse yourself in a place over a weekend, just as you can spend months in a country without grasping its subtleties.
By positioning itself as an antidote to “fast” tourism, slow travel fetishizes a temporality that only makes sense if it’s accompanied by real openness and an effort to integrate.
But this over-intellectualization often masks a desire to belong to a trend or a need to stand out socially.
Behind this posture sometimes lies a whim: the urge to reinvent one’s life elsewhere in an idealized form. But this quest for elsewhere remains fundamentally a way to escape or respond to unease, rather than a true commitment to the cultures visited.
When we talk about “encounters” while traveling, we often forget that these exchanges are facilitated by biased contexts. As a traveler, you’re seen as a temporary visitor, unattached, and that changes the dynamic.
Locals, whether curious or used to tourists, adopt a different stance than they would with a neighbor they see daily.
This interaction is also tinged with asymmetry: the traveler has the luxury of time and availability, while in daily life, personal concerns often take precedence over the desire to connect.
The flip side is that the openness displayed while traveling is often a facade. We boast about chatting with a fisherman or sharing a meal with a local family, but how many of these encounters lead to a real understanding of cultural differences or sincere reflection?
Once home, these moments become anecdotes, social trophies to show off, without fundamentally changing our relationship with others in our daily lives.
By imposing a definition, we push people to adapt their practices to fit an idealized model. This can lead to a paradoxical standardization: “slow travel” becomes a checklist of behaviors (meetings, immersion, slowness).
The “bobos” (bourgeois-bohemians), often in search of meaning in a world saturated with options, believe that giving a name to a practice grants it legitimacy or moral value. But this obsession with framing and theorizing travel only drains it of its spontaneity.
Someone who grew up at the crossroads of multiple cultures, on the other hand, doesn’t feel this need. For them, traveling isn’t a philosophical project but an intrinsic part of their life.
The very concept of “slow travel” can seem absurd: why glorify what’s simply natural?
Why try to turn into an ideology what should be a personal, intimate experience, free from semantic constraints?
Ultimately, this need for labeling, this frantic quest to name every gesture, reveals a society craving simplicity.
Travel, in its purest form, doesn’t need justification or slogans. It doesn’t need slowness or speed: it’s simply lived.
Perhaps the real challenge is to unlearn this Western habit of conceptualizing everything that should simply be felt.
For many, travel is a parenthesis, a temporary break from daily life. But if we reject this distinction between “home” and “elsewhere,” every human life becomes a continuous journey through varied environments.
From this perspective, “slow travel” loses all meaning, because living somewhere—whether for a week or five years—is part of the same experience of adaptation.
So, we ask the fans of marketing slogans: is travel a parenthesis or a journey?
“Slow travel” is often driven by a Western eco-bobo ideology, tinged with post-colonial guilt. This discourse promotes a supposedly virtuous way of traveling while forgetting that these practices remain a privilege.
Far from deconstructing power dynamics, it sometimes reinforces them by glorifying a different kind of consumption, still centered on comfort.
There’s also a condescending side to this rhetoric. By idealizing slowness, slow travel advocates imply that those who travel quickly or on a budget are less “authentic” in their approach.
Yet, isn’t that a form of contempt? Do those who leave for a well-deserved week after months of hard work deserve less consideration?
Concepts like “slow travel” or “sustainable tourism” seem hollow when reduced to marketing slogans or standardized behaviors. They confine travel to preconceived frameworks, stripping it of its spontaneous and unpredictable dimension.
Instead of categorizing, it would be more relevant to recognize the plurality of human experiences without trying to define them.
Slow travel doesn’t invent anything. It simply puts into words—and often slogans—what travel has always been for those who practice it with intention.
Maybe we should stop trying to theorize every movement and simply rediscover travel for what it is: a human experience, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, but always personal.
More info on our site
The chosen title was easy to find: it's from today's French daily newspaper "Le Figaro" (front page, right side, in the "Le Flash actualité" section at 10:31 AM).
Link: https://www.lefigaro.fr/voyages/et-si-votre-prochain-agent-de-voyage-etait-une-intelligence-artificielle-20250414
As some participants had mentioned, a simple query could sometimes yield very satisfying results, even if the initial comments from readers of this article don’t necessarily agree.
Instead of presenting our request in writing, I assume we’ll soon be able to speak to AI orally or even have a conversation with it. Refining our searches to perfection would then be a breeze.
But then, what about travel agencies and travel forums? Will Vfistes, in a twilight atmosphere, keep talking in a closed circle, fewer and fewer of them, until the last one is left monologuing? Will a side effect be that we start addressing our fellow humans in the same cold, dry way we talk to the Machine? Well, some of us have already gotten into that habit... With over 30% of current jobs set to disappear because of AI, will it become possible to quickly and perfectly plan trips we can no longer afford financially? What a paradox!
I admit I haven’t looked into this yet, and one of these days I’ll probably end up talking to the Machine, but for now, I prefer to keep laboriously and methodically planning my upcoming trips, telling myself that at least I’m still good for something...
As some participants had mentioned, a simple query could sometimes yield very satisfying results, even if the initial comments from readers of this article don’t necessarily agree.
Instead of presenting our request in writing, I assume we’ll soon be able to speak to AI orally or even have a conversation with it. Refining our searches to perfection would then be a breeze.
But then, what about travel agencies and travel forums? Will Vfistes, in a twilight atmosphere, keep talking in a closed circle, fewer and fewer of them, until the last one is left monologuing? Will a side effect be that we start addressing our fellow humans in the same cold, dry way we talk to the Machine? Well, some of us have already gotten into that habit... With over 30% of current jobs set to disappear because of AI, will it become possible to quickly and perfectly plan trips we can no longer afford financially? What a paradox!
I admit I haven’t looked into this yet, and one of these days I’ll probably end up talking to the Machine, but for now, I prefer to keep laboriously and methodically planning my upcoming trips, telling myself that at least I’m still good for something...
Hi,
I’m starting this thread after a digression that began in the India section and continued in a travel journal about Kerala.
The original topic was whether India is—or isn’t—a nature destination.
I’ll let you all discuss and share your own definition of a nature destination. 🙂
I’m starting this thread after a digression that began in the India section and continued in a travel journal about Kerala.
The original topic was whether India is—or isn’t—a nature destination.
I’ll let you all discuss and share your own definition of a nature destination. 🙂
Good evening! 🙂,
I’m paraphrasing the title of discussions that were popping up back in 2020. Back then, the obstacles were travel restrictions and all sorts of often very arbitrary "health" rules. Today, it feels like we’re facing an epidemic of wanderlust that’s piling up in certain places—places that keep expanding. Places that end up feeling like wallpaper, just part of the scenery, more or less exotic, since the people, the dominant crowd, are always the same. And they’re especially overwhelming in limited spaces like villages, museums, and other remarkable sites.
Personally, it tends to send my cortisol levels through the roof, leading to desperate attempts to salvage what I can (the stress when I saw a travel journal about eastern Crete—then, phew, at least this little piece of old Greece hasn’t been exposed yet. Maybe it’ll survive a little longer). So, no more weekends in beautiful European cities. So, adjusted visiting hours, but that’s not always enough (I’ll still have to say goodbye to Caravaggio’s *Madeleine* since I can’t have a quiet moment with her anymore, even late in the day). So, outright giving up: I’ll never see Machu Picchu. Too late. So, shifting travel dates to minimize the damage (Uzbekistan was originally planned for Easter—with April 24th and May 1st to limit vacation days—but the anxiety of tourist crowds during that mild climate period, with few days off, led me to reschedule the trip for winter. Short days and possible rain are a thousand times better).
Avoiding crowds has become a fundamental criterion for choosing destinations and timing.
And you? Are you able to tune out this identical crowd everywhere, or has it changed your relationship with travel/tourism?
Catherine
I’m paraphrasing the title of discussions that were popping up back in 2020. Back then, the obstacles were travel restrictions and all sorts of often very arbitrary "health" rules. Today, it feels like we’re facing an epidemic of wanderlust that’s piling up in certain places—places that keep expanding. Places that end up feeling like wallpaper, just part of the scenery, more or less exotic, since the people, the dominant crowd, are always the same. And they’re especially overwhelming in limited spaces like villages, museums, and other remarkable sites.
Personally, it tends to send my cortisol levels through the roof, leading to desperate attempts to salvage what I can (the stress when I saw a travel journal about eastern Crete—then, phew, at least this little piece of old Greece hasn’t been exposed yet. Maybe it’ll survive a little longer). So, no more weekends in beautiful European cities. So, adjusted visiting hours, but that’s not always enough (I’ll still have to say goodbye to Caravaggio’s *Madeleine* since I can’t have a quiet moment with her anymore, even late in the day). So, outright giving up: I’ll never see Machu Picchu. Too late. So, shifting travel dates to minimize the damage (Uzbekistan was originally planned for Easter—with April 24th and May 1st to limit vacation days—but the anxiety of tourist crowds during that mild climate period, with few days off, led me to reschedule the trip for winter. Short days and possible rain are a thousand times better).
Avoiding crowds has become a fundamental criterion for choosing destinations and timing.
And you? Are you able to tune out this identical crowd everywhere, or has it changed your relationship with travel/tourism?
Catherine
Dear members of this forum,
*With the pandemic, travel guides were replaced by cookbooks. With lockdown, there’s no need for the *Guía del Trotamundos*—the cookbook is gospel, and your daily life turns into a *Spaghetti Western*. It’s no longer about good and bad actors but good and bad fats. And for a few extra pinches of salt. To the tune of Ennio Morricone, it’s hard to diagnose pastalogy—sorry, the pathology—you’re suffering from. Italy, now confined, and pasta—no more aimless gondola rides on Venice’s canals or *Dolce Vita* weekends in Rome. The beauty of the soul blends with minestrone preparation.
*With the pandemic, Professor Didier Raoult became the new Christ-like figure; like the Indira Gandhi of medicine, like Moses showing the way to the people across the Dead Sea, for tormented souls, the value of a medical prescription doesn’t wait for the years to pass. And plexiglass reigned over the world.
*With the pandemic and gender theory, in particular, pushing us to become androgynous, hermaphroditic beings—*patatras*—the Colossi of Rhodes we are waver because of a tiny nuisance.
*Phew, the pandemic has receded... but watch out for a new swine flu pandemic, because on this forum, it’ll be followed by long-winded rants. Political/historical revisionism with such a pandemic—Fidel Castro wouldn’t have been able to invade the *Bahía de los Cochinos*. And that’s where his comrade Ernesto *Che* Guevara becomes a perfect scam. A fierce opponent of capitalist ideology, yet many clothing sellers got rich selling T-shirts with his face on them.
*Neutrality and the Helvetic underground. Last summer, I found myself passing the *Chalet Gaillard* deep in the *Forêt du Risoux* in the Jura, then crossing the border into the Canton of Vaud on foot. My disappointment was great: no sign indicating we were in neutral territory. And what kind of neutrality are we talking about? Since neutrality is an abstract concept. It’s like those visitors eager to see Calais who, spotting the sign for the *Pas-de-Calais* department, turn around on the road.
*There’s always a traveler quick to recommend a local guide. I know an excellent guide named Michel who lives in Cairo—Michel of Cairo. He has a truck and takes you to see the pharaoh’s ruins by truck. Still, be careful—good guides aren’t that common, because there are only eight Cairenes.
*The mix between large mammals and humans. Or how infantilism rules the world. The ultimate quest for happiness is petting rhinos in Nepal—we’ll confirm if this kind of animal is visible on the streets of Sauraha, a town near Chitwan National Park. The downside of this animal? It takes up too much space as a pet—better to raise a Yorkshire terrier in your modest apartment.
*I’m tired of recurring topics like, *‘Do I have time for my connection at New York airport?’* Aren’t you? There’s the discussion about *Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu*—*Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu*, God bless you. In the name of the Father, the taxman, and the Holy Spirit, don’t miss your connection. *Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu*—apparently, a great French actor, Gérard de Part-Dieu, was born there. If you think you’ll miss your connection, just get rich and fly private. The working masses of the *lumpenproletariat*—they dare everything, that’s how you recognize them.
*Experts in non-events: learning that some members don’t like Spanish-speaking countries because, supposedly, the people are too loud. That’s it, I’m not going to China anymore—too many stairs on the Great Wall. So, too bad, I’m not going. It’s like two people crossing paths—one asks, *‘Going fishing?’* and the other says no. These experts are probably natives of Arles, because with people like that, it’s *l’Arlésienne*...
*The art of taking selfies at every turn. You’d think it’s an ancient practice, almost an anthropological ritual—everything suggests it dates back to prehistoric times. Back in the days of the Lascaux caves, instead of photographing the meal they were about to eat (it’s crazy how many food photos we see on this forum, especially in travel journals), prehistoric men and women could only make cave paintings. From there, it’s only a small step to conclude that cave art was nothing more than the menu served in caves that doubled as *Buffalo Grills* long before the chain existed. By the way, if you want to visit the caves, ask for a guide named Josiane. When it comes to parietal art skills, Josiane beats Lascaux... (Only the French on this forum will get that one.)
*Mythology of an object: the suitcase (a nod to Mr. Éric Libiot, whose columns I enjoy) An object that gets lost during a flight, especially during a transfer at an airport. And it’s stuffed to the brim with clothes and other useless items, like Mickey Mouse slippers. You’re in despair: when going through customs, the officers find those slightly risqué photos hidden in your laundry, taken at Cap d’Agde on a naturist beach. The suitcase is an object that makes noise when rolling because of its wheels—you’re quickly spotted.
*Hurry up and visit New York while you still can. Because of *Woke* ideology, more and more statues are being torn down, and the Statue of Liberty will likely meet the same fate. *Queer* culture isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
*The Dead Poets Society I admired the beautiful photos of Venice, and *click*—I check the new discussions when I come across one where Mr. J.M.B. offers money loans. This person probably works at the Ministry of Finance and risks loosening the purse strings of your wallets.
*Toward the independence of New Caledonia: will we call it *Nouvelle Nouvelle-Calédonie*? From what I know, Chinese authorities want to settle there and invest; apparently, they want to send (fake) tourists—facsimiles of real travelers. So, it’ll be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff (the *ivraie* tourists).
*There’s a topic about hitchhiking in Scotland: apparently, Scots are very welcoming people. I imagine arriving at Aberdeen Airport to a typical welcoming committee—men in kilts and a bagpiper playing. Just like arriving in Papeete, where you’re greeted with flower leis—*Aloha! (Jacta Est)*. To attract tourists, Scottish cities will end up installing whisky vending machines.
*Eskimo pies banned for sale because of *cancel culture*—you can’t go to Iqaluit anymore. Panicked, ice cream manufacturers had to revise their *packaging*—sorry for the anglicism. Because of *cancel culture*, we can no longer say *Eskimo* without it being pejorative. The identity of the Arctic people of the same name takes a hit—it’s crazy how *bien-pensance* wreaks havoc in our minds... We can’t even bite into a chocolate *Eskimo* pie anymore.
*Diplomatic tensions between France and Australia: and there goes the submarine sale project, canceled. Given that the cost of these machines is a fifth of Australia’s public finances budget, it’s tough to pay in didgeridoos and kangaroo skins.
Thanks for reading, and see you soon for more chronicles.
*With the pandemic, travel guides were replaced by cookbooks. With lockdown, there’s no need for the *Guía del Trotamundos*—the cookbook is gospel, and your daily life turns into a *Spaghetti Western*. It’s no longer about good and bad actors but good and bad fats. And for a few extra pinches of salt. To the tune of Ennio Morricone, it’s hard to diagnose pastalogy—sorry, the pathology—you’re suffering from. Italy, now confined, and pasta—no more aimless gondola rides on Venice’s canals or *Dolce Vita* weekends in Rome. The beauty of the soul blends with minestrone preparation.
*With the pandemic, Professor Didier Raoult became the new Christ-like figure; like the Indira Gandhi of medicine, like Moses showing the way to the people across the Dead Sea, for tormented souls, the value of a medical prescription doesn’t wait for the years to pass. And plexiglass reigned over the world.
*With the pandemic and gender theory, in particular, pushing us to become androgynous, hermaphroditic beings—*patatras*—the Colossi of Rhodes we are waver because of a tiny nuisance.
*Phew, the pandemic has receded... but watch out for a new swine flu pandemic, because on this forum, it’ll be followed by long-winded rants. Political/historical revisionism with such a pandemic—Fidel Castro wouldn’t have been able to invade the *Bahía de los Cochinos*. And that’s where his comrade Ernesto *Che* Guevara becomes a perfect scam. A fierce opponent of capitalist ideology, yet many clothing sellers got rich selling T-shirts with his face on them.
*Neutrality and the Helvetic underground. Last summer, I found myself passing the *Chalet Gaillard* deep in the *Forêt du Risoux* in the Jura, then crossing the border into the Canton of Vaud on foot. My disappointment was great: no sign indicating we were in neutral territory. And what kind of neutrality are we talking about? Since neutrality is an abstract concept. It’s like those visitors eager to see Calais who, spotting the sign for the *Pas-de-Calais* department, turn around on the road.
*There’s always a traveler quick to recommend a local guide. I know an excellent guide named Michel who lives in Cairo—Michel of Cairo. He has a truck and takes you to see the pharaoh’s ruins by truck. Still, be careful—good guides aren’t that common, because there are only eight Cairenes.
*The mix between large mammals and humans. Or how infantilism rules the world. The ultimate quest for happiness is petting rhinos in Nepal—we’ll confirm if this kind of animal is visible on the streets of Sauraha, a town near Chitwan National Park. The downside of this animal? It takes up too much space as a pet—better to raise a Yorkshire terrier in your modest apartment.
*I’m tired of recurring topics like, *‘Do I have time for my connection at New York airport?’* Aren’t you? There’s the discussion about *Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu*—*Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu*, God bless you. In the name of the Father, the taxman, and the Holy Spirit, don’t miss your connection. *Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu*—apparently, a great French actor, Gérard de Part-Dieu, was born there. If you think you’ll miss your connection, just get rich and fly private. The working masses of the *lumpenproletariat*—they dare everything, that’s how you recognize them.
*Experts in non-events: learning that some members don’t like Spanish-speaking countries because, supposedly, the people are too loud. That’s it, I’m not going to China anymore—too many stairs on the Great Wall. So, too bad, I’m not going. It’s like two people crossing paths—one asks, *‘Going fishing?’* and the other says no. These experts are probably natives of Arles, because with people like that, it’s *l’Arlésienne*...
*The art of taking selfies at every turn. You’d think it’s an ancient practice, almost an anthropological ritual—everything suggests it dates back to prehistoric times. Back in the days of the Lascaux caves, instead of photographing the meal they were about to eat (it’s crazy how many food photos we see on this forum, especially in travel journals), prehistoric men and women could only make cave paintings. From there, it’s only a small step to conclude that cave art was nothing more than the menu served in caves that doubled as *Buffalo Grills* long before the chain existed. By the way, if you want to visit the caves, ask for a guide named Josiane. When it comes to parietal art skills, Josiane beats Lascaux... (Only the French on this forum will get that one.)
*Mythology of an object: the suitcase (a nod to Mr. Éric Libiot, whose columns I enjoy) An object that gets lost during a flight, especially during a transfer at an airport. And it’s stuffed to the brim with clothes and other useless items, like Mickey Mouse slippers. You’re in despair: when going through customs, the officers find those slightly risqué photos hidden in your laundry, taken at Cap d’Agde on a naturist beach. The suitcase is an object that makes noise when rolling because of its wheels—you’re quickly spotted.
*Hurry up and visit New York while you still can. Because of *Woke* ideology, more and more statues are being torn down, and the Statue of Liberty will likely meet the same fate. *Queer* culture isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
*The Dead Poets Society I admired the beautiful photos of Venice, and *click*—I check the new discussions when I come across one where Mr. J.M.B. offers money loans. This person probably works at the Ministry of Finance and risks loosening the purse strings of your wallets.
*Toward the independence of New Caledonia: will we call it *Nouvelle Nouvelle-Calédonie*? From what I know, Chinese authorities want to settle there and invest; apparently, they want to send (fake) tourists—facsimiles of real travelers. So, it’ll be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff (the *ivraie* tourists).
*There’s a topic about hitchhiking in Scotland: apparently, Scots are very welcoming people. I imagine arriving at Aberdeen Airport to a typical welcoming committee—men in kilts and a bagpiper playing. Just like arriving in Papeete, where you’re greeted with flower leis—*Aloha! (Jacta Est)*. To attract tourists, Scottish cities will end up installing whisky vending machines.
*Eskimo pies banned for sale because of *cancel culture*—you can’t go to Iqaluit anymore. Panicked, ice cream manufacturers had to revise their *packaging*—sorry for the anglicism. Because of *cancel culture*, we can no longer say *Eskimo* without it being pejorative. The identity of the Arctic people of the same name takes a hit—it’s crazy how *bien-pensance* wreaks havoc in our minds... We can’t even bite into a chocolate *Eskimo* pie anymore.
*Diplomatic tensions between France and Australia: and there goes the submarine sale project, canceled. Given that the cost of these machines is a fifth of Australia’s public finances budget, it’s tough to pay in didgeridoos and kangaroo skins.
Thanks for reading, and see you soon for more chronicles.
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
Then... would you have 5 to 7 minutes to help me by filling out this questionnaire? 🙂 »» https://forms.gle/y74ckkvN9TjrougLA
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.
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
Then... would you have 5 to 7 minutes to help me by filling out this questionnaire? 🙂 »» https://forms.gle/y74ckkvN9TjrougLA
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.
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.
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.
Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkmBzW2QOE3_ZirhmdG8e2LQyaWLJxWUeyTR0LzpC8ytlufQ/viewform
Your response will be a huge help for my work and will contribute to a broader reflection on the future of the travel experience.
Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to participate!!
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.
Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkmBzW2QOE3_ZirhmdG8e2LQyaWLJxWUeyTR0LzpC8ytlufQ/viewform
Your response will be a huge help for my work and will contribute to a broader reflection on the future of the travel experience.
Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to participate!!
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! :)
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! :)
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?
Thanks in advance. Florence
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?
Thanks in advance. Florence
Hi there,
My name’s Emilie, and my view of travel has changed. I used to travel just to tick off the "places and things to do/see" boxes. But lately, I’ve realized that encounters have become really important to me while traveling. In fact, the people I’ve met and what they’ve brought to my life are now my best travel memories. What do you think? Have you had a similar shift in perspective? Are you more interested in meeting people while traveling now?
To be totally honest, I’m training to become a travel planner (a trip organizer), and I was thinking of focusing on organizing trips that are more centered around encounters. So I’d love to know if this makes sense—if travelers are interested in this kind of experience. Just to be clear, I’m not selling anything; I just want to chat and hear your thoughts.
Have a lovely evening, everyone! :)
My name’s Emilie, and my view of travel has changed. I used to travel just to tick off the "places and things to do/see" boxes. But lately, I’ve realized that encounters have become really important to me while traveling. In fact, the people I’ve met and what they’ve brought to my life are now my best travel memories. What do you think? Have you had a similar shift in perspective? Are you more interested in meeting people while traveling now?
To be totally honest, I’m training to become a travel planner (a trip organizer), and I was thinking of focusing on organizing trips that are more centered around encounters. So I’d love to know if this makes sense—if travelers are interested in this kind of experience. Just to be clear, I’m not selling anything; I just want to chat and hear your thoughts.
Have a lovely evening, everyone! :)
I found out that in Namibia, at a camp in the Hoanib River bed... a luxurious camp with no fences but all the comfort, including "facilities" inside...
If my information is correct.
An experienced "tourist" was killed by a lion at night.
This person had left their tent in the middle of the night to answer a call of nature (even though all the amenities were inside the tent; "tent" is actually an understatement for this kind of "accommodation").
The other "campers" and staff intervened, but it was too late.
In this region, there are desert lions. In such a hostile environment, these lions tend to look for the "easy option," so they attack livestock and get closer to humans (opportunity)...
There’s an entire program to protect lions, local populations, and their livestock, including fitting lions with tracking collars.
Why am I writing all this?
In Southern Africa (AFS), in many places, you can find yourself in areas with no fences or protections, whether in private or public camps.
There are safety rules that are clearly laid out.
Only get out of your vehicle in designated areas, and always keep in mind that... wild animals could still be nearby. Even at a picnic stop in Kruger National Park (KNP)...
Don’t leave your tent or the immediate area at night... and even during the day, stay alert.
That’s also why children under 8, 10, or even 16 are often not allowed.
Even if it seems safe... you never know!
Absolute and strict adherence to these rules is essential!
ESSENTIAL!
Personally, I’ve seen lions very close to the "lounge" of a lodge in Addo... with people having breakfast outside, completely unfazed.
I remember that lodge in Maputaland where a tourist who didn’t follow the rules was killed by a lion... (in this case, the lion was identified and killed because it might have returned and also shown its buddies how easy hunting there was).
Another case where a mom decided her child was old enough to sleep alone in their chalet... and the child wandered out at night...
Or those lodges where you’re escorted even for 20 meters by an armed ranger... and not just armed with a slingshot.
Lodges where... YOU DON’T GO OUT AT NIGHT... if you have a problem, you have a whistle, a foghorn, and you wait...
That lodge where lions approached the camp and all the staff were on high alert...
Those places where you could hear the lions’ long and short calls... and the hyenas’ laughter...
I could go on...
And this applies to other animals too...
Anyway,
This little note is probably too schoolmarmish or preachy, but it’s just to remind you that safety rules are there to protect you. Never take them lightly. Never be overconfident.
Ndlelanhle! !
Hi there,
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...)
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...)
Hi everyone,
I’m planning a third trip to Madagascar in 2026. This time, heading north and then part of the west coast before going back up.
The question I’m asking myself—same as during our first visits—is Nosy Be or not?
Of course, the photos show stunning beaches, and when you mention Madagascar, almost everyone says Nosy Be or at least has heard of it. That’s actually why we didn’t include it in our itineraries before, especially since we’d already seen paradise-like beaches in the south, and we had them all to ourselves because they were hard to reach.
On the other hand, I’ve always been drawn to Île Sainte-Marie, but from the north, you have to go back down to Tana, which I’m okay with in principle.
So, what’s your take? Nosy Be and its surroundings—what do you think? Just tourists looking to party?
Thanks
Hello everyone.
It's to greet all the old-timers here with whom I had so many interactions when I used to visit this platform regularly and eagerly before it was shut down, much to our dismay.
I was a member under the name "Jaydev," but it seems I can't log in with that name anymore. Maybe I deleted the username, thinking VoyageForum wouldn't come back.
I'm so happy to be able to log in here again. Talking about Indian things—and in the language I love—lets me practice and chat with people who love the land where I was born.
From a visitor's perspective, I find it really interesting to interact with the local population. That's what gives meaning to the word "travel." Without it, traveling is essentially just "getting from one place to another."
Thanks, and see you soon.
Jaydev
I was a member under the name "Jaydev," but it seems I can't log in with that name anymore. Maybe I deleted the username, thinking VoyageForum wouldn't come back.
I'm so happy to be able to log in here again. Talking about Indian things—and in the language I love—lets me practice and chat with people who love the land where I was born.
From a visitor's perspective, I find it really interesting to interact with the local population. That's what gives meaning to the word "travel." Without it, traveling is essentially just "getting from one place to another."
Thanks, and see you soon.
Jaydev
Hello,
There’s a big debate among travelers who are attached to India and have been visiting often, regularly, for 15 years or more.
I’ve experienced it—and still do—in every sense of the word, first as a tourist, then from the inside by living there for 12 years. I feel it has changed a lot and continues to change at a dizzying pace, year after year, almost month after month.
It all depends on how you see it, how you visit it, where you stay, etc... North or south, and so on...
The debate is open—no animosity or arguments if opinions differ. Just your own take, your personal experiences, your travel conditions, what you’ve noticed and still notice today... Let’s try to be objective, if possible, though it’s a tough exercise.
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?
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?
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
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
Hi everyone.
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
Hi everyone,
I feel like I’ve been lucky enough over the past few years to travel—a lot of that’s thanks to retirement... (see my profile!)
So, aside from my beautiful country, France, here’s my totally subjective top 3:
1 – Antarctica
2 – Greenland
3 – Yellowstone Park
Of course, this is just my opinion—human, architectural, cultural, and gastronomic treasures are everywhere on our unique planet, Earth. Have a great day, everyone!
Of course, this is just my opinion—human, architectural, cultural, and gastronomic treasures are everywhere on our unique planet, Earth. Have a great day, everyone!
Hi everyone,
Accepting the rules everywhere has become the norm, and customer service keeps getting worse and worse.
Who’s to blame? All those who comply without a fuss, even though you’re paying full price everywhere. What used to be normal (good service) has now become the exception.
Example: Hotels and their overly strict rules (rules that, personally, I successfully bend almost every time) 😄.
We pay for a room for 24 hours, not 12-15 hours.
How many times have I arrived at my hotel around noon after exhausting flights, asked for my reserved room, and been told that rooms are only available from 3 or 4 PM? Unacceptable (especially since we often have to check out by 10-11 AM—just as unacceptable).
“Miss, I’m really tired from my trip. Could you make a small effort? I’m sure several rooms are ready by now.”
The response? “It’s the rule. Come back at 4 PM.” 😒
Of course, I get that the front-desk clerk is just blindly following orders (or overdoing it).
I stay calm and ask her to fetch her supervisor (who shows up right away, probably afraid of a scene). I explain with my best "puppy-dog eyes," and—bingo—10 minutes later, I’ve got my room (I’ll spare you the comments from my fellow travelers calling me a rude, uneducated nightmare).
I’m thrilled because they’ll be waiting around for 4 hours 😏.
It’s the same everywhere—restaurants (especially in France), where you arrive at 9:05 PM and are told they’re no longer serving because the chef has finished and turned off the ovens. (Do you really need an oven and 2 hours to make an English breakfast or a cheese platter with good wine?) And then some restaurant owners complain about not meeting their targets—pfft. The list goes on, and I don’t have all the complaints about service providers fresh in my mind (feel free to add yours if you agree). Otherwise, keep bowing your heads—I won’t change the world, but I’ll never accept being told I’m too demanding. It’s the people who let things slide (the majority) who have no standards left, to the detriment of service quality for everyone 😏.
My two bullfighting traditions when I'm back home in Camargue (France) and in Colombia (Caribbean) every time I return. 🤠
Details:
Bullfights (corridas) aren’t part of my two bullfighting traditions, but I respect those who attend them!!!
In these two ancestral bullfighting traditions—which aren’t bullfights—the Bulls and Toros aren’t killed or tortured, as some might think.
These are bull games where the animals return to their pastures afterward and only come back to the Arenas 2–3 times a year at most.
They spend 15 minutes in the ring for the Camarguais and 5 minutes for the Toros in the Colombian Corralejas.
They’re cared for and pampered. They’ll die of old age in miles of open fields.
The young people who face them are professionals, risking their lives to support their families and live their Passion for the Toro!!! 😄
https://youtu.be/yYKQer42HoQ
Colombian Corraleja in the link below (hope it works) 🤪
https://fb.watch/BMfmuCgQpG/
Hi everyone,
I’m new to the forum, and I’m writing today to ask the community for feedback on a site concept I’ve been working on for a few weeks.
The idea is to create a worldwide map (starting with France) where anyone can rate a city—or even a neighborhood in a large city—based on a set of criteria (cleanliness, safety, green spaces, cost of living, etc.) and add a comment highlighting the positives and negatives of the area. It’d be like rating a city or neighborhood the way we currently rate restaurants or hotels.
The goal is to inform other users about the nicer (or less nice) neighborhoods in a country and help them choose where to book their next hotel or Airbnb—so they don’t end up in a sketchy area. Beyond that, it’s also about letting people pick their next travel destination based on what matters most to them (cost of living, safety, shopping, transportation, etc.). Ratings will, of course, be moderated to prevent abuse, and users will need to provide proof (like a utility bill or evidence they’ve visited the city) before they can leave a comment.
I’ve had a test version developed for Paris with the core features, and I’ve named the site CityRate.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback! The site is aimed at both locals looking to move to a new neighborhood or city and travelers who want to carefully choose where to spend their next vacation.
Thanks in advance! 😊
I’m new to the forum, and I’m writing today to ask the community for feedback on a site concept I’ve been working on for a few weeks.
The idea is to create a worldwide map (starting with France) where anyone can rate a city—or even a neighborhood in a large city—based on a set of criteria (cleanliness, safety, green spaces, cost of living, etc.) and add a comment highlighting the positives and negatives of the area. It’d be like rating a city or neighborhood the way we currently rate restaurants or hotels.
The goal is to inform other users about the nicer (or less nice) neighborhoods in a country and help them choose where to book their next hotel or Airbnb—so they don’t end up in a sketchy area. Beyond that, it’s also about letting people pick their next travel destination based on what matters most to them (cost of living, safety, shopping, transportation, etc.). Ratings will, of course, be moderated to prevent abuse, and users will need to provide proof (like a utility bill or evidence they’ve visited the city) before they can leave a comment.
I’ve had a test version developed for Paris with the core features, and I’ve named the site CityRate.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback! The site is aimed at both locals looking to move to a new neighborhood or city and travelers who want to carefully choose where to spend their next vacation.
Thanks in advance! 😊
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.
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.
My passion for travel
Travel is an endless source of wonder and discovery for me. It lets me escape the everyday and immerse myself in different cultures, varied landscapes, and unique ways of life. Every destination is an invitation to learn and grow, while fueling an insatiable curiosity.
The types of trips I love I’m especially drawn to trips that combine adventure and cultural immersion. I love discovering places off the beaten path, where authenticity takes precedence over mass tourism. Whether it’s trekking through isolated mountains, exploring historic cities, or staying in remote villages, every trip is a chance to step out of my comfort zone and embrace the world’s diversity.
I also prioritize trips that let me deepen my knowledge in a particular area, like gastronomy, history, or art. Exchanges with locals—whether sharing a meal or taking part in traditional events—are essential to making the experience rich and meaningful.
Trips I’ve taken Among the memorable trips I’ve done, some have been turning points in how I see the world. My journey through the Austrian Alps, for example, didn’t just offer spectacular landscapes—it also let me discover Austrian culture in all its diversity, from festivals to music to cuisine.
I’ve also had the chance to visit more exotic destinations, like Southeast Asia, where I immersed myself in fascinating cultures, learned ancient practices, and met people whose life philosophies really inspired me.
Future travels Looking ahead, I dream of going to Latin America to explore its vibrant cultures and breathtaking landscapes. A road trip through Peru, Bolivia, and Chile is one of my long-term travel goals. I’d also love to discover the Pacific Islands and maybe even take part in volunteer projects with local communities.
I hope my future travels will keep pushing my limits while letting me meet people who share this passion for travel and connection.
The types of trips I love I’m especially drawn to trips that combine adventure and cultural immersion. I love discovering places off the beaten path, where authenticity takes precedence over mass tourism. Whether it’s trekking through isolated mountains, exploring historic cities, or staying in remote villages, every trip is a chance to step out of my comfort zone and embrace the world’s diversity.
I also prioritize trips that let me deepen my knowledge in a particular area, like gastronomy, history, or art. Exchanges with locals—whether sharing a meal or taking part in traditional events—are essential to making the experience rich and meaningful.
Trips I’ve taken Among the memorable trips I’ve done, some have been turning points in how I see the world. My journey through the Austrian Alps, for example, didn’t just offer spectacular landscapes—it also let me discover Austrian culture in all its diversity, from festivals to music to cuisine.
I’ve also had the chance to visit more exotic destinations, like Southeast Asia, where I immersed myself in fascinating cultures, learned ancient practices, and met people whose life philosophies really inspired me.
Future travels Looking ahead, I dream of going to Latin America to explore its vibrant cultures and breathtaking landscapes. A road trip through Peru, Bolivia, and Chile is one of my long-term travel goals. I’d also love to discover the Pacific Islands and maybe even take part in volunteer projects with local communities.
I hope my future travels will keep pushing my limits while letting me meet people who share this passion for travel and connection.
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!
Do you know if it’s possible to get around on our own, or is it better to go through a local agency or book a package like the one sold by TravelChinaGuide? https://www.travelchinaguide.com/package/zhangjiajie/2days-tour.htm
Thanks in advance for your advice! Alod
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!
Do you know if it’s possible to get around on our own, or is it better to go through a local agency or book a package like the one sold by TravelChinaGuide? https://www.travelchinaguide.com/package/zhangjiajie/2days-tour.htm
Thanks in advance for your advice! Alod
