Parcours en Norvège de Kristiansand à Trondheim
Transport = voiture
Hébergement = camping (emplacement tente)
Monnaie : couronne norvégienne, écrit "NOK" ou "kr" (1€=7,60 kr)
JOUR 1 : 09/07 : Paris/Osnabrück (Allemagne) – 16° à 23° – pluie – 680 kms
C’est le départ depuis Paris en voiture par l’autoroute du nord jusqu’à Cambrai, puis direction Valenciennes. On passe en Belgique vers 12h30, il pleut pas mal depuis le départ. Nous passons à proximité de Mons, Namur et Liège, à 14h30, on entre en Allemagne à hauteur de Aix la Chapelle, le temps s’améliore, puis vers 17h, il est temps de chercher un camping. On est à côté de la ville de Osnabrück. Le camping s’appelle "Niedersachsenhof". On s’installe avec des hollandais et allemands en camping-car. C’est parfait pour passer la nuit, tente montée en 5 minutes. (emplacement 5€ et 4,50€ par personne, douches gratuites)
JOUR 2 : 10/07 : Osnabrück/Hirtshals (Danemark) – 18° à 24° – ensoleillé – 770 kms
On plie rapidement et partons à 09h pour reprendre l’autoroute à 5 kms. Direction le nord toujours (quelle idée d’aller au nord en vacances !!!), on entre au Danemark vers 12h30 et devons traverser le pays jusqu’à la mer du nord (encore le nord !!!). La ville de destination est Hirtshals (et donc du ferry pour passer en Norvège vers Kristiansand). Il y a d’autres possibilités de traversées comme Kiel/Oslo, plus long et plus cher. On s’arrête à 6 kms de la ville, il est 17h15. Le camping s’appelle "Kjul". Il est bien délimité et face à la mer. (emplacement 12€ et 7€ par personne, douches payantes, superette, euros acceptés). C’est ici que nous achetons la carte de camping obligatoire pour les pays Norvège, Suède, Finlande et Danemark, on nous la demandera seulement 2 fois en Norvège (Camping Card Scandinavia)
JOUR 3 : 11/07 : Hirtshals/Mandal (Norvège) – 16° à 21° – ensoleillé – 50 kms
Vers 09h30, on quitte ce camping, et allons vers Hirtshals, en fait il s’agit plus d’un village. Les maisons ressemblent à des préfabriqués en bois, un rue piétonne et commerçante, un petit port de 10 bateaux environ. L’essentiel ici, c’est le terminal des ferries, puisque c’est aussi la distance la plus courte par la mer pour rejoindre la Norvège. Nous sommes avec la compagnie "Color Line" (réservation sur ce site : http://www.aferry.fr). Camping-cars, caravanes et voitures se positionnent sur le très grand parking prévu pour attendre le ferry avant embarquement. Il se remplit doucement mais surement, pour arriver à un total d’environ 600 véhicules. il y a 2 ferries possibles, le premier arrive à 11h30, c’est le notre, il est imposant. Il décharge rapidement puis c’est notre tour, embarquement à 12h15. La traversée va durer environ 3h à bonne vitesse (impossible de rester sur les ponts extérieurs), à bord on trouve 3 restos, 2 bars, 4 boutiques (en détaxe mais c’est largement plus cher que en France), 1 espace enfants/cinéma et de nombreux salons. A 15h45, c’est l’arrivée en Norvège au port de Kristiansand. Nous ne restons pas là, nous avons un peu de temps pour rouler et de s’installer dans un camping (mais à savoir, il faut mieux s’arrêter vers 17h pour avoir de la place surtout en camping-car ou caravanes). Ainsi, nous prenons la route E39 vers la côte sud-ouest et plus précisément la ville balnéaire de "Mandal". Cette bourgade nous met tout de suite dans l’ambiance norvégienne grâce à des maisons en bois blanc typiques et de petites ruelles étroites. Le camping s’appelle "Sjøsanden Feriesenter". Il est grand, à 1,5km de la ville, dans une forêt de pin donnant sur une plage (emplacement 170kr/22€ et 40kr/5€ par personne, douches payantes, superette, cuisine, micro-ondes, frigo, machines à laver, toboggan aquatique, euros acceptés)1-Hirtshals : ferry Color Line
2-Arrivée à Kristiansand
3-Mandal
4-5-Camping
6-Plage du camping
JOUR 4 : 12/07 : Mandal/Egersund – 16° à 20° – ensoleillé – 175 kms
C’est le vrai premier jour de visite en Norvège et commençons par aller vers le phare de "Lindesnes" (prendre la route E39 pendant 13kms vers l’ouest jusqu’à Vigeland puis à gauche la route 460 pendant 27kms). La route est sinueuse, on mettra 30m pour les 27kms, c’est semi-désertique et rocailleux. il y a un parking gratuit au bout Le site est payant 50kr/6,50€ mais cela vaut le coup (euros acceptés), sur place cafétéria, toilettes, mini musée des phares d’Europe, boutique de souvenirs. Sur le site, on monte sur la colline où ce phare rouge et blanc prône fièrement sur la mer du nord. Il y a un vent permanent et puissant, autour du phare sur les rochers, on distingue de petits monticules de pierres empilés les unes au-dessus des autres, les norvégiens y feraient des vœux.
On quitte ce site pour nous diriger vers la ville de "Flekkefjord" (par la même route 460 sur 11kms, à Spangereid tourner à gauche route Fv401 sur 20kms, puis prendre à gauche sur la route E39 sur 37kms). Cette ville fut construite autrefois par des hollandais, les maisons blanches sont partout à ruelles commerçantes.
Le temps passe vite compte tenu des temps de route (assez long en Norvège), je fixe la ville étape à Egersund en empruntant la route 44, elle est spectaculaire et longe la côte de près, en chemin, s’arrêter au village côtier typique de "Sogndalstand" (prendre la route 44 sur 33kms puis tourner à gauche sur 6kms par la route Fv33), c’est bien indiqué. Il y a un petit parking tout de suite à l’entrée, s’arrêter là, pas de voiture dans le village sauf habitants. A pied il faut 2m pour être dans cette ruelle superbe et fleurie, 2 à 3 boutiques, 1 café/restaurant, un torrent bouillonnant longe le village, appareil photo indispensable.
Direction maintenant "Egersund" toujours par la route 44 toujours aussi fantastique, on en prend déjà plein les yeux (reprendre la route Fv33 sur 6kms, tourner à gauche par route 44 sur 23kms). On arrive vers 17h, le camping choisi est petit et le long d’une rivière rapide, il se situe à la sortie de la ville. Rien de spécial à voir ici, une course de vélo pour enfants se dispute dans le centre par ailleurs, un port de plaisance. Le camping s’appelle "Steinsnes". L’accueil est froid par le couple qui dirige le camping, on exige un passeport, bizarre. Q : Peut-on payer en euros ? R : On ne préfère pas (dit calmement), ici il n’y a pas l’euro, alors pourquoi vouloir payer avec cette monnaie !!! (dit vigoureusement), bref ici pas d’ingérence monétaire (vous me direz, c’est normal). (emplacement 90kr/12€ et 30kr/4€ par personne, sanitaire pas terrible, cuisine, micro-ondes, douches payantes) 1-Phare de Lindesnes
2-Flekkefjord
3-Sogndalstrand
4-Egersund
5-6-Camping
7-Monticules de pierres
JOUR 4 : 12/07
Début du problème du pot d’échappement : ce soir en reculant la voiture pour nous abriter du vent, on remarque que le pot d’échappement fait en bruit bizarre, on sort le cric, on monte la voiture, on regarde et on s’aperçoit que le pot est dessoudé juste avant le silencieux. On ne peut pas continuer comme ça longtemps, au risque de perdre le pot sur la route. On va devoir dès demain commencer à s’occuper de ce problème en premier.
JOUR 5 : 13/07
Suite du problème du pot d’échappement : il s’agit de trouver maintenant un garage capable de nous réparer. juste en face du camping, il y a une concession Peugeot®. On y va, il est 8h15, il s’agit maintenant d’expliquer en anglais le problème (heureusement que je suis là, on gagnera du temps souvent). "Pot d’échappement" se dit en anglais "exhaust pipe", le réceptionniste nous dit qu’il va voir s’il a un gars pour regarder, il revient et m’explique qu’ils sont tous un peu à droite à gauche, et que de plus il n’a pas de temps, et que une commande prendrait une semaine. Mais il nous indique à 200m un garage atelier réparation. Je recommence donc les explications, le gars dit devoir demander à son patron, on attend un peu. Puis, il l’a au téléphone, et nous dit que le boss est d’accord pour regarder. On amène la voiture sur un pont, on voit tous maintenant que le pot entre dans le silencieux mais qu’il est bien dessoudé. Le gars nous dit qu’il va ressouder tout ça, en anglais "souder" se dit "to weld". 30 minutes et 540kr/71€ plus tard, c’est réparé. Il est 9h30, le voyage continue, ouf !!!
Fin du problème du pot d’échappement : avons été dépanné par l’agent "Auto-Mester" de Egersund, je tiens particulièrement à remercier l’accueil chaleureux, la gentillesse que nous avons eu par cette agence, on leur tire notre chapeau, (j’ai quand même dit souvent "please" et aussi "we want really visit your beautiful country").
JOUR 5 : 13/07 : Egersund/Fister – 16° à 22° – soleil – 145 kms
Donc après ce petit contretemps, mais aussi une bonne mise en matière de la Norvège et de ses habitants, on quitte Egersund par la route 42 pour rejoindre la E39 vers Stavanger (quitter Egersund par le nord et après le pont tournez à droite, route 42 pendant 10kms puis à gauche par E39). Je sais que nous ne sommes pas très loin du site du "Preikestolen". On peut aller directement à Stavanger, mais on n’aura pas le temps de faire le Preikestolen aujourd’hui, et cela repousse d’un jour le parcours (que j’ai un peu calculé pour être le 24 juillet à Trondheim). Ainsi je décide d’écarter Stavanger du carnet de route, et prenons un ferry différent de celui de Stavanger/Tau et allons vers celui de Lauvvik/Oanes (E39 pendant 50kms puis prendre à droite sur la route 13 pendant 24kms direction Lauvvik). C’est notre premier ferry en Norvège, il y a peu de monde, il suffit d’attendre dans une file (et de payer), les ferries sont quotidiens voire même la nuit dans certains cas. C’est très rapide, la dernière voiture bouge encore à peine que le bateau a quitté le quai, l’affaire est bien rodée !!!. Petite traversée de 15 minutes environ, débarquement aussi rapide à Oanes. Il reste 16kms par la route 13 avant de tourner à droite sur la Fv529 sur 5kms avant d’arriver au parking de départ de cette randonnée unique.
Conseils pour cette randonnée : après vous êtes garés, avoir chaussé des chaussures de rando ou baskets, avoir pris une bouteille d’eau et l’appareil photo, vous êtes prêt pour cette balade de 7,6kms A/R avec des dénivelés moyen à important. L’aller peut durer 1h20, si vous êtes bon marcheur et personne sur le trajet, mais il y a un monde fou, c’est là que nous croiseront le plus de touristes en Norvège. J’ai mis 1h40 sans pause (certains mettent 2h, d’autres 3h avec enfants en bas-âge, pas recommandé), j’ai vu beaucoup de monde épuisé à mi-chemin seulement, qui ont même dû renoncer, ce n’est pas super difficile, tout le monde y arrive, mais si vous n’êtes pas endurant, partez tôt (10h30) et faite-le tranquillement. Les paysages traversés sont superbes. Et au bout la récompense est là, 604m au dessus du "Lysefjord", on oublie toutes les fatigues (en plus on a eu grand soleil). Je reste 20 minutes sur place et monte juste au-dessus sur un promontoire dominant le Preikestolen, c’est là que vous ferez la photo "carte postale" tant connue. Je débute la descente (pas facile du tout), j’arrive au parking au bout de 1h30.
Vidéo de la randonnée
On reprend la route, nous sommes comme sur une île (à l’est des montagnes sans voie de communication et à l’ouest des fjords), il faudra en sortir par un ferry, ça sera celui de Hjelmeland/Nesvik, mais vu l’heure, on se met à chercher un camping, disons un peu avant Hjelmeland. On est sur la route 13, superbe sinuant entre différents fjords. C’est à Fister (route 13 sur 45kms puis à gauche par route Fv634 sur 5kms) que nous nous arrêtons, autant dire une bourgade (1 église, 10 maisons, 1 port, 10 bateaux, 1 camping) et beaucoup de culture de la fraise. Le camping s’appelle "Fister Camp". Il est face au petit port sur un terrain étagé, belle place (emplacement 115kr/15€ et 15kr/2€ par personne, douches payantes, mini superette) 1-Départ
2-Facile
3-Tranquille
4-Ca monte bien
5-une bonne chose de faite (1/4 de fait)
6-belle balade
7-c'est encore loin (moitié de fait)
8-pourquoi pas
9-on arrive
10-bientôt
11-ouiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
12-impressionnant non !!!
JOUR 6 : 14/07 : Fister/Bergen – 14° à 22° – soleil – 270 kms
On quitte ce petit coin très sympa pour nous diriger vers le prochain ferry à Hjelmeland (quitter Fister par Fv631 sur 5kms puis route 13 sur 2kms). Arrivé au ferry, l’embarquement est aussi rapide que le précédent avec une traversée de 15 minutes. Prochaine étape, c’est Bergen (deuxième ville de Norvège). La distance est relativement longue, on va passé tout juste la journée pour rejoindre un camping à la périphérie de la ville. De Nevsik, on va vers Sand par la route 13 (je vous la conseille), l’appareil photo clique tout le temps. On longe des plans d’eau, des fjords sans cesse. On observe le développement de la pisciculture par endroit (de Ropeid par route 46 sur 48kms jusqu’à Slottet puis route E134 sur 18kms puis E39 sur 70kms jusuq’à Sandvikvåg).
On prend ici à Sandvikvågun nouveau ferry (cela fera 3 pour cette journée) jusqu’à Halhjem, un peu plus cher que les précédents et avec 40 minutes de traversée. A Halhjem, on poursuit vers Bergen par la route E39. Il s’agit de trouver un camping autour de la ville (ils sont tous à environ 15kms de la ville). Après recherche GPS et guide, on s’arrête au camping "Bratland" (on sait que d’ici on peut prendre le bus pour Bergen, arrêt en face du camping). On prend tout de suite 2 nuits pour pouvoir passer la journée de demain entière à Bergen. (prendre E39 jusqu’à Nesttun pendant 24kms puis route 580 sur 8kms) Le camping s’appelle "Bratland". Il est bien indiqué sur la route 480 (emplacement 150kr/20€ et 20kr/2,60€ par personne, douches payantes, mini superette, machine à laver, cuisine, pain frais et cuit sur place le matin) 1-2 Camping
JOUR 7 : 15/07 : Bergen – 11° à 20° – soleil – 0 km
Ce matin pour la première fois, on n’a pas à plier la tente, et donc nous allons prendre le bus (le camping vous explique tout et vous donne les horaires). Le stationnement en ville est difficile, de plus il y a un péage d’entrée dans l’agglomération. Ainsi l’arrêt de bus N°90 en face le camping est très pratique (horaires de 06:09 à 23:39 toutes les ½ heure), le prendre jusqu’au terminus de Nesttun et avec le même ticket prendre le "City Line" (tramway même quai) et descendre au bout de la ligne, vous êtes au centre ville (24 minutes plus 8 minutes). Le ticket est de 25kr/3,30€ et à partir de la troisième personne il est de 13kr/1,70€ (conclusion à plusieurs achat du ticket en commun au chauffeur au départ, même avec des inconnus !!!).
Les curiosités locales vont être visités, cathédrale, quartier Bryggen, Tour Rosenkrantz, marché aux poissons.
L’office du tourisme se situe quasi en face du marché aux poissons, on peut y faire du change (1€=6,80kr pas de commission), dans les banques 1€=7,60kr mais avec une commission de 200kr sur la somme changée !!! Sauf à la Nordéa Bank, toujours 1€=7,60kr mais une commission de 50kr seulement (pour la trouver, aller de l’autre côté du bâtiment où se trouve l’office du tourisme, c’est le bloc en face, passeport utile, on ne peut changer que 650€ maximum).
Pour trouver un point internet avec un PC, depuis l’office du tourisme (même trottoir) remonter sur 50m, traverser la rue, entrer dans le bâtiment en face, plusieurs entrée appelée "Galeriet", il s’agit d’une galerie marchande sur 6 étages avec un supermarché au niveau -1, le café internet s’appelle "Kanel café", rdc dans un angle du bâtiment 4 PC, 30 minutes=40kr/5,30€.
Le "marché aux poissons" est très petit (je m’attendais à autre chose), c’est surtout un endroit pour se restaurer avec tables et bancs (je pense qu’il n’y a pas de norvégiens qui tiennent cet endroit), on peut gouter de tout, en face et sur le côté, des échoppes de souvenirs en tous genres.
En continuant après le marché, on arrive directement sur le "quai Bryggen" et son quartier, hautes maisons en bois, il s’agit d’anciens entrepôts abritant aujourd’hui des boutiques et brasserie.
Toujours en prolongement, on est à la "tour Rosenkrantz", entrée à 50kr/6,50€, elle date du XIIIème siècle et d’en haut vous ferez la photo du port de Bergen avec à gauche le quai Bryggen et au fond le marché aux poissons.
Après le marché aux poissons, à droite et à environ 300m, il y a la cathédrale de Bergen dans un quartier aux maisons de bois et aux rues pavées, très agréable. Non loin l’accès au funiculaire qui permet d’aller sur la colline appelé "Fløyfjellet" 320m de haut pour dominer la ville et son port.
On quitte la ville par le même moyen, on achète par ailleurs le ticket à un automate, même prix, même trajet avec le changement pour le bus N°90 au terminus de Nesttun pour aller au camping.
1-Centre ville
2-Quartier Bryggen
3-Tour Rosenkrantz
4-Port de Bergen
5-Mc Do en bois
6-Quartier pavé
7-Cathédrale
8-Terrasse de café
9-Marché aux poissons
10-Trollissimo
11-City Line
JOUR 8 : 16/07 : Bergen/Voss – 12° à 22° – soleil – 260 kms
On part de ce camping bien placé à côté de Bergen et faisons un crochet par notre première église en bois debout du pays. Il s’agit de celle de "Fantoft", elle à 8kms de là en allant vers Bergen, il n’y a pas vraiment de parking, un petit chemin dans les bois l’indique par ce mot "Stavkirke", il est toujours précisé pour indiqué une église en bois debout. Cette construction du XIIème siècle est assez impressionnant, des artistes en matière de menuiserie.
Suite du périple en longeant un très beau fjord celui du "Hardangerfjord", (on repasse devant le camping route 580 sur 18kms, puis prendre à droite par la route E16 sur 13kms puis à droite sur la route 7). La route 7 sur 92kms jusqu’à Granvin est pittoresque et superbe le long de ce fjord qui entre dans les terres sur 180kms. Nombreuses cascades, vergers, prairies, sommets enneigés à 1200m d’altitude.
Arrêt à la cascade de "Steindalsfossen", (boutiques, café, souvenirs), direction ensuite Eidfjord au bout du fjord du même nom par la route 7 et par un ferry à Bruravik pour Brimnes. L’idée est de faire le "train des trolls", le Lonely Planet 2009® en parle mais pas le Routard 2011®, bizarre. Quand je trouve le bureau d’information touristique, (beaucoup de mal à trouver au départ), l’accueil m’explique que cette attraction c’est :"only on tuesday" soit le mardi seulement !!! On est samedi, c’est raté.
A savoir qu’à Eidfjord, possibilité de faire une sorte de musée de la nature norvégienne à 10kms à l’est, le "Hardangervidda Natursenter". On repart par le même chemin et reprenons le ferry à Brimnes pour Bruravik pour se diriger vers Voss et trouver un nouveau camping (de Bruravik prendre route 13 sur 39kms), depuis Voss nous partirons vers le nord, donc on passe cette bourgade par la route E16 et à 12kms environ, on s’arrête à un camping au pied d’une superbe cascade de 152m, la "Tvindefossen". La tente sera posée à environ 150m de la chute, le bruit est impressionnant et le site est superbe. Le camping s’appelle le "Tvinde Camping". Site unique pour planter la tente (emplacement 130kr/17€ et 20kr/2,60€ par personne, douches payantes, boutique souvenirs, machine à laver, cuisine)1-Eglise de Fantoft
2-Steindalsfossen
3-Un ferry
4-Paysage
5-Hardangervidda Natursenter
6-Tvindefossen
7-8-Camping
JOUR 9 : 17/07 : Voss/Fjærland – 13° à 19° – pluie – 235 kms
Ce matin en se levant, c’est avec la pluie norvégienne que je fais connaissance. j’ai étudié un peu la suite et après avoir plié, on prend la route pour Gudvangen (prendre E16 sur 34kms). Le but est de prendre un ferry pour traverser le "Nærøyfjord" jusqu’à Kaupanger pendant 2h30. Mais le ferry de 09h est parti et le prochain est à 12h, tant pis, on va prendre la route non moins spectaculaire jusqu’à Flåm (E16 sur 22kms), ce village est un port d’escale de bateau de croisière plutôt minuscule. l’intérêt ici est de prendre le train (d’ailleurs ici on ne voit que la gare de Flåm) et de faire Flåm-Myrdal Flåm, des tickets sont en vente à l’intérieur des grandes boutiques de souvenirs (tarifs 350kr/46€ par personne), comparer avec une excursion de la compagnie de croisière pour voir s’il n’est pas mieux de la faire soi-même. Le Costa Marina est à quai d’ailleurs. Pas trop le temps de rester pour être un peu plus loin pour notre étape camping.
On repart par la route et franchissons un long tunnel de 24kms jusqu’à Lærdal (E16 sur 38kms), puis à gauche vers un prochain ferry Fodnes/Mannheller (route 5 sur 12kms). Après le ferry 10kms pour Kaupanger où "une église en bois debout" se visite ainsi qu’un musée de marine du XIXème : le "Sogn Fjordmuseum" (gratuit, 400m après l’église en contre bas).
De là, nous avons encore un peu de temps pour visiter les alentours et prenons la direction de Solvorn (route 5 sur 10kms jusqu’à Sogndalsfjord puis route 55 sur 16kms). A Solvorn, il y a un petit ferry pour aller sur l’autre rive voir l’église en bois debout de la Norvège à "Urnes du XIIème siècle". On laisse la voiture au petit parking (40 laces environ et plein en général) à Solvorn même si le ferry prend une dizaine de voitures maximum, on finira à pied comme beaucoup de l’autre côté.
Arrivé en face, il reste une marche de 20 minutes environ, ça monte tout le temps, prévoir de l’eau (boutique de produits régionaux, confitures de framboise, café, souvenirs). La vue est imprenable sur le fjord en plus, à faire absolument !!! On redescend tranquillement vers le quai, ferry de 09h à 18h (un toute les heures), on retrouve la voiture et partons vers le village étape suivant. On va s’arrêter à Fjærland (prendre route 55 sur 18kms jusqu’à Sogndalsfjord puis route 5 sur 30kms). On va rouler la dernière heure sous la pluie battante et violente. On monte la tente beaucoup de choses sont mouillés, on essaie de s’essuyer et la température a baissé pas mal. Pour se consoler, on est en face du glacier de "Jostedalsbreen", le plus grand glacier d'Europe continentale. Le camping s’appelle "Boyum Camping", c’est simple mais complet (emplacement 150kr/20€ et 14kr/2€ par personne, douches payantes, superette, machine à laver, cuisine)1-Route vers Flam
2-Plan de Flam
3-Costa Marina à Flam
4-Environ de Flam
5-Eglise de Haupanger
6-Alentour de Haupanger
7-Musée de la marine au XIXème
8-Ferry de Solvorn à Urne
9-Solvorn
10-Eglise d'Urnes
11-12-Camping
JOUR 10 : 18/07 : Fjærland/Geiranger – 10° à 24° – nuageux – 185 kms
Il aura plu toute la nuit, il faudra faire sécher ce soir si possible à la prochaine étape qui doit être Geiranger. Par chance, on démarre déjà avec le soleil qui se montre généreux. On va d’abord à 6kms au bas du glacier "Boyabreen" puis jusqu’à Skei, la route est superbe, les photos sont réussies (route 5 sur 30kms). On prend ensuite direction le nord vers Byrkjelo (route E39 sur 20kms). A partir de là, il faut prendre la pittoresque route 60 qui longe le Innvikfjord sur 60kms jusqu’à Stryn, paysage somptueux à souhait. A Stryn prendre à droite route 15 sur 50kms, à cet instant tourner à gauche sur la route 63 sur 25kms, la température tombe à 10°, mais les lieux sont uniques, étoffés de plaque de neige un peu partout, de quelques chèvres errantes, c’est très sauvage. Nous sommes à 1400m l’altitude.
Au bout, ça sera la descente sur le fjord de Geiranger (je recommande fortement d’arriver ici par le sud !!!). La route commence à serpenter pour surplomber enfin "Geiranger", la vue est terrible, des hauteurs de falaises impressionnantes, en bas, on distingue 2 paquebots de croisière. On est passé de 1000m à 0m en 10kms !!! La ville en bas, disons plutôt le village de Geiranger est très touristique, surtout avec les passagers des 2 bateaux mouillants dans le fjord (Queen Elizabeth et Costa Pacifica). Les boutiques de souvenirs sont nombreuses, avec quelques brasseries et superettes. A faire le "Norsk Fjordsenter" (centre d’étude des fjords, 100kr/12€), ou une balade au "Dalsnibba" (1476m d’altitude pour dominer le Geirangerfjord, payant 90kr/11€). Sinon des activités nature sont fréquentes, randonnées, canoë dans le fjord etc. A 18h, installé au camping par un 24° agréable (ça sèche vite les tentes), les sirènes des paquebots retentissent, c’est le départ majestueux dans le fjord, ils passeront devant nous à environ 50m !!!, A noter que un des bateaux emblématiques de la compagnie "Hurtigruten" passera aussi devant nous. Le camping s’appelle "Grande Hytteutleige", c’est le mieux placé, en bordure du fjord 1km après le village, situation unique (emplacement 135kr/18€ et 30kr/4€ par personne, douches payantes, cuisine, machine à laver, internet avec PC) 1-Vue au loin du glacier
2-Glacier Boyabreen
3-Paysage
4-Paysage
5-Arrivée par le sur sur Geiranger
6-Costa Pacifica
7-Hurtigruten
8-Queen Elizabeth quittant Geiranger
9-MSC Orchestra arrivant
10-Grand Princess arrivant
11-12-Camping
JOUR 11 : 19/07 : Geiranger/Andalsnes – 12° à 19° – nuageux – 95 kms
La veille, j’ai pris les éléments pour faire cette balade dans le fjord de Geiranger à Valldal, le ferry est à 12h. On se prépare tranquillement en observant les paquebots du jour passer devant nous pour escale ici. A 09h30 arrive le MSC Orchestra et à 10h30 le Grand Princess. Les chaloupes des bateaux sont mises à l’eau et le débarquement des touristes va commencer. Noter qu’on peut faire du change dans la boutique de souvenirs à quai sans commission. Nous sommes dans la file d’attente pour le ferry et pour cette balade tant attendue de 2h30 d’éblouissement. La navigation est commentée (super bien), falaises abruptes, cascades, neiges éternelles, fermes isolées se succèdent, photos en continu. Nous croisons de nouveau un bateau de la compagnie Hurtigruten. Cette mini-croisière n’est pas donnée, mais elle vaut le coup assurément.
Arrivé à Valldal, on prend la direction du nord pour ville étape à Andalsnes (par route 63 sur 60kms). Il s’agit en fait comme un col de montagne qui vous amène au sommet du "Trollstigen". Plaques de neiges, animaux, vue et paysages sauvages et désert. Il y a des boutiques de souvenirs en haut, on peut prendre un petit chemin balisé pour surplomber la "Troll’s Road" (route des Trolls) de 17 virages de 10% à 12% !!! Il faut là encore arriver par le sud pour admirer ce spectacle naturel. Pendant la descente (pas large), chutes d’eau importante, plaques de neige, il fait assez frais 12°. On descend par cette route dans la vallée vers Andalsnes.
Avant la ville, il y a un restaurant et boutique de souvenirs sur la gauche, à cet endroit, il y a un panneau indicateur "passage de Trolls" !!! On est surpris par un orage violent qui laissera place au soleil bien plus tard, on cherche un camping sous la pluie (pas facile). A force de chercher, le temps passe et lorsque l’on plante la tente, le soleil est là. Le camping s’appelle "Andalsnes Camping", il est très grand à proximité de la rivière (emplacement 135kr/18€ et 20kr/3€ par personne, douches payantes, cuisine, machine à laver, mini-superette) 1-Geirangerfjord
2-Cascade dans le Geiranger fjord
3-Hurtigruten vers Hellesylt
4-Trollstigen
5-Cascade dans le Trollstigen
6-7-Camping
JOUR 12 : 20/07 : Andalsnes/Oppdal – 14° à 18° – pluie – 275 kms
C’est une journée "transit" pour se rapprocher de la ville de Røros pour le lendemain. Je cherche ça et là des points d’intérêt (déjà ici il y a toujours un intérêt : les paysages sont toujours aussi spectaculaires !!!). Nous allons prendre vers le village de Eresfjord (de Andalsnes prendre la route 64 sur 32kms puis la route 660 sur 45kms), on longe 2 fjords superbes sans discontinu. Le paquebot Grand Princess (vu à Geiranger) mouille dans le fjord à Andalsnes, les chaloupes font des aller/retour, sûrement pour aller faire le Trollstigen. A Eresfjord, tournez à droite par la route Fv191, on tombe sur une église posée dans une prairie sans rien autour, photo à faire.
Puis j’ai repéré une cascade unique dans le coin, elle s’appelle la "Mardalsfossen", elle a été la 5ème plus grande du monde (prendre la direction de Øveras/Finnset par Fv191 puis à Eikesdal tourner à droite, c’est bien indiqué 25kms). A droite donc, une petite piste sur 1km arrive à un parking où il y a un café, La marche commence à proximité du pont (belle photo du torrent). La randonnée qui s’annonce va être longue de 5kms, 655m de dénivelé, chute de 297m, chemin bien balisé, préférez des chaussures de rando pour être à l’aise. En haut, il y a une boîte en bois et un cahier pour signaler votre passage par écrit. (Je trouve un cèpe, il finira dans la poêle ce soir pour l’apéro avec foie gras !!!).
De là, on prend vers Finnset où il y a une barrière payante avec un automate, on pourrait se risquer dans cette direction dans les montagnes désertiques (40kms de piste tortueuse) mais le temps de route va être super long, et on risque de ne pas être à l’étape suivante que j’ai décidé d’être Oppdal. On rebrousse chemin jusqu’à Eresfjord puis direction Oppdal (prendre la route 62 sur 45kmsjusqu’à Sunndals puis à droite sur la route 70 jusqu’à la destination sur 75kms). "Oppdal" est en fait une station de ski à 525m d’altitude, il y a beaucoup d’activité de plein-air possible ou visites de fermes à "bœufs musqués" qui caractérise la région.
Je parle maintenant de nos petites courses quotidiennes puisque nous tombons pour la première fois sur un magasin "Vinmnopolet", les seuls endroits en Norvège où l’on peut acheter de l’alcool (hormis bière en supermarché). Ici, il y a une loi de prohibition sur la vente de l’alcool, d’ailleurs c’est plutôt tolérance 0 au volant et les prix observés sont aussi dissuasif (ex : vodka "Absolut®"=60€ ou anisette "Pernod®"=40€ en 75cl).
On cherche maintenant un camping avec le GPS et les guides, mais cela nous amène n’importe où, puis finalement on passe devant un camping indiqué nulle part, on se renseigne, c’est parfait, on s’installe. Le camping s’appelle "Solly Camping", il est petit mais pour une tente, il n’y a jamais de problème de place (emplacement 100kr/13€ et 15kr/2e par personne, cuisine, machine à laver, douches gratuites) 1-Eglise vers Eresfjord
2-Départ rando vers la cascade
3-Cascade Mardalsfossen
4-5-Camping
JOUR 13 : 21/07 : Oppdal/Røros – 12° à 19° – nuageux – 160 kms
Maintenant départ de Oppdal pour "Røros" (prendre la route E6 sur 30kms puis tourner à droite par la route 3 sur 70kms jusqu’à Tynset puis à gauche par route 30 sur 55kms). A 2kms de la ville, on s’arrête au camping repéré avant, il est 14h. On a le temps d’aller voir de plus près cette ville minière (cuivre) inscrite au patrimoine mondial. Tout de suite, ici cela dénote avec tout ce que l’on vu auparavant, et c’est plutôt séduisant, toutes ces maisons en rondins de bois des mineurs. Certaines sont du XVIIème siècle à droite après le pont. Il y a la fonderie reconvertie en musée, la montagne de minerai qui est là depuis 1972 (date de fermeture de la mine et ouverte depuis 1640). La ville ensuite avec une grande église qui domine et les 2 rues parallèles bordées de 80 maisons protégées par l’UNESCO. C’est le coup de cœur de ce carnet de voyage !!! Ce soir repas de renne, on doit tester !!! Le camping s’appelle "Håneset Camping", en bordure de route sur une colline, c’est aussi une auberge de jeunesse, on aperçoit la ville de là (emplacement 130kr/17€ et 20kr/3€ par personne, double cuisine, vaisselle, salle TV, douches payantes) 1-Fonderie de Roros
2-Minerai
3-Maisons de mineurs XVIIeme
4-Roros
5-Maisons colorées
6-Centre ville piéton
7-Eglise
8-9-10-11-12 Insolite
JOUR 14 : 22/07 : Røros/Trondheim – 8° à 14° – pluie – 175 kms
On quitte Røros pour un petit crochet à la mine de "Olavsgruva" à 10kms de là (prendre la route 31 à l’est sur 2kms et tourner à gauche, c’est indiqué, puis faire 6kms dans un paysage semi-désertique). Sur place, il y a un mini-musée, une boutique de souvenirs et un café (le chauffage fonctionnait, 12° à l’extérieur). La descente guidée dans la mine est possible pour 90kr/11€, il y fait +4° seulement, couvrez-vous. Elle est intéressante puisque assez récente (fermeture en 1972). Elle a été sécurisée pour les visites et inaugurée par le roi de Norvège en 1981.
Puis on reprend la route pour la dernière étape : Trondheim (repasser par Røros et partir au nord par la route 30 jusqu’à Storen sur 90kms, tourner à droite sur la route E6 sur 70kms). Comme à Bergen, il faut trouver un camping à la périphérie de la ville, et c’est entre la ville et l’aéroport que nous nous arrêtons au village de Vikhammer en bordure du Strindfjord. On passe ici 2 nuits avant mon départ. Le camping s’appelle "Vikhammer Camping", sur une pente avec le fjord en bas, à côté de la station essence (emplacement 140kr/€ et 20kr/€ par personne, cuisine, douches gratuites, restaurant, salle de réception)1-2-3-Mine Olavsgruva
4-5-Camping
JOUR 15 : 23/07 : Trondheim – 12° à 18° – nuageux – 0 km
J’utilise de nouveau les transports en commun, arrêt de bus en face du camping, 25 minutes plus tard, on est dans le centre ville de "Trondheim", il est 09:30. A cette heure là, c’est désertique dans les villes norvégiennes, rien est ouvert, mais on peut faire des photos sans personne devant soi. Le marché de poissons est ridicule, il s’agit en fait d’un seul poissonnier qui vend aussi des produits du monde. Il faut remonter une artère centrale pour aller vers la cathédrale (le centre-ville n’est pas grand, tout se fait à pied), on passe en même temps devant le palais royal (visite possible lorsque la famille royale est absente). C’est original il est en bois. Autour de la "cathédrale de Nidarosdomkirken" (c’est là qu’il y le plus de touristes), les visites sont : le "palais de l’archevêque", le musée de l’armée (gratuit), musée de l’archéologie, les joyaux de la couronne. De là, il est facile à pied d’aller en 4 minutes vers le pont de "Bybrua" du XVIIème siècle et voir ces "vieux entrepôts colorés sur pilotis" du quartier de Bakklandet. En face du pont, vous avez "un ascenseur à vélos" (le seul au monde) qui permet de monter sur la colline sans fatigue. En haut, il y a la "forteresse suédoise de Kristiansten" d’où l’on domine la ville. On aperçoit 2 paquebots de croisière, le Costa Pacifica et un de la compagnie AIDA. Trondheim est une étape de l’"express-côtier" (une institution ici). Balade possible sur les quais (près de la gare), de vieux gréements de 100 ans s’expose devant vous. C’est le temps du retour au camping pour ma dernière nuit en Norvège.
JOUR 16 : 24/07 : Vol retour Trondheim/Copenhague/Paris
Départ du camping par la route E6 vers l’aéroport qui se trouve à 20kms à côté de la ville de Størjdal, décollage à 12:15.
1-Cathédrale
2-Palais royal
3-Pont Bybrua
4-Entrepots
5-Forteresse Krisntientsen
6-Bateau à quai vers la gare
Informations générales : Coucher du soleil (pour ce séjour) : entre 23h et minuit… Lever du soleil (pour ce séjour) : entre 03h et 04h… Shopping : attention fermeture en général à 16h…banque à 15h… Camping : très moderne, propre et bon marché, cuisine, machine à laver, douches payantes en général, tous possèdent des "Hytter" (petits bungalows), les campings sont occupés souvent par norvégiens, suédois, danois, allemands, hollandais, suisses et français, beaucoup de camping-cars et de routards à vélo. Route : souvent étroite hors des axes principaux, vitesses limitées (et respectées), pas de police sur les routes (avons vu une seule voiture de police à Bergen) mais attention radars et caméras partout Coût de la vie : très élevée, essence=1,85€, 6 pommes=6€, demi de bière entre 5€ et 10€, kg de tomate=4€, barquette de fraise=6€, pizza surgelée=8€, café=3€ Les norvégiens : courtois, serviables, ordonnés, fiers, patients, lents, calmes, parlent tous bien anglais Coup de cœur = Ville de Røros L’incontournable = Preikestolen Les chiffres : Kms parcourus = 3475 kms Tunnels passés = 104 Fjords rencontrés = 28 Camping utilisés = 13 (1 au Danemark, 1 en Allemagne, 11 en Norvège) Sites UNESCO visités = 4 Ferries empruntés = 11 (1 au Danemark, 10 en Norvège) Les ferries :
1. Ferry de Lauvvik/Oanes = voiture+chauffeur 61kr/8€ et 25kr/3,50€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 15 minutes)
2. Ferry de Hjelmeland/Nesvik = voiture+chauffeur 61kr/8€ et 25kr/3,50€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 15 minutes)
3. Ferry de Sand/Ropeid = voiture+chauffeur 61kr/8€ et 25kr/3,50€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 15 minutes)
4. Ferry de Sandvikvåg/Halhjem = voiture+chauffeur 199kr/26€ et 53kr/7€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 40 minutes)
5. Ferry de Bruravik/Brimnes = voiture+chauffeur 83kr/11€ et 30kr/4€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 15 minutes)
6. Ferry de Brimnes/Bruravik = voiture+chauffeur 83kr/11€ et 30kr/4€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 15 minutes)
7. Ferry de Fodnes/Mannheller = voiture+chauffeur 67kr/9€ et 27kr/3,50€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 15 minutes)
8. Ferry de Solvorn/Urnes = 31kr/4€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 25 minutes)
9. Ferry de Urnes/Solvorn = 31kr/4€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 25 minutes)
10. Ferry de Geiranger/Valldal = voiture+chauffeur 550kr/72€ et 125kr/16,50€ par personne supplémentaire (durée 2h30 minutes)
TOUT LE CARNET EN COULEUR SUR LE BLOG DES DKP
je viens de lire votre carnet de voyage (très bien fait!) et j'aimerais bien vous poser quelques questions pratique. Nous partons mercredi pour trois semaines en voiture, nous sommes très impatiens :-) (Bruxelles - Hirtshals - Larvik - Oslo - rendonnées Jotunheim et Rondane - Roros - Trondheim - "Atlantic Road" - les fjords - Bergen - Stavanger - Hirtshals - Bruxelles):
- comment sont équipées les cuisines dans les camping? - qu'est-ce qu'il faut prendre avec nous?
- selon votre carnet, dans la plupart des camping, il y a des machines à laver - est-ce qu'il y a également des sechoirs?
- pour l'argent, est-ce qu'il est mieux de changer sur place ou de retirer dans les distributeurs?
- autre information pratique que nous devrions savoir avant de partir? quelque chose à ne pas manquer absolument et qui n'est pas dans les guides?
je viens de lire votre carnet de voyage (très bien fait!)
merciiiii😊😊😊
- comment sont équipées les cuisines dans les camping? - qu'est-ce qu'il faut prendre avec nous?
on a toujours eu 2 à 3 plaques électriques pour cuisiner, souvent c'est libre, les voyageurs en camping sont souvent en camping-car et donc sont autonomes. Une seule fois on a eu de la vaisselle à Roros (donc la prévoir), du liquide vaisselle, il y en avais une fois sur trois.
- selon votre carnet, dans la plupart des camping, il y a des machines à laver - est-ce qu'il y a également des séchoirs?
Exact très souvent des machines à laver, et quasiment tout le temps des sèches linges, vous êtes sûr d'en trouver et de ne pas rester longtemps sans.
- pour l'argent, est-ce qu'il est mieux de changer sur place ou de retirer dans les distributeurs?
Changer sur place, c'est pas mal mais voici mon exemple j'ai fait un retrait de 1000kr soit 126,57€ de débité sur mon compte bancaire (soit un taux de 7,90kr pour un euros, pas mal 😛😛😛, sachant que le cours était à 7,61 pour un euro, sur place avec 126,57 euros on m'aurait donné 961kr; et ma banque m'a pris des frais = 5,43€ soit 40kr pour ce retrait alors que les frais de change sur place en espèce sont de 200kr sauf à la banque Nordéa que j'indique à Bergen qui ne prend que 50kr. Conclusion le retrait est bon et avantageux. il faut retirer bcp comme ça une seule fois des frais, maximum sur un distributeur est de 15000kr par semaine. et aussi en change espèce c'est max 650€ et il faut le passeport à la banque...
- autre information pratique que nous devrions savoir avant de partir? quelque chose à ne pas manquer absolument et qui n'est pas dans les guides?
Non tous les incontournables sont dans les guides mais :
je conseille d'entrer systématiquement dans les offices de tourisme là où vous êtes, vous apprendrez qu'il y a bcp bcp de choses à faire au alentour qui ne sont pas indiqué dans les guides sinon il ferait bien 1000 pages!!! les offices de tourismes il y en a partout.
Nous partons mercredi pour trois semaines en voiture, nous sommes très impatiens :-) (Bruxelles - Hirtshals - Larvik - Oslo - rendonnées Jotunheim et Rondane - Roros - Trondheim - "Atlantic Road" - les fjords - Bergen - Stavanger - Hirtshals - Bruxelles)
Un très grand merci pour votre réponse rapide et complète et pour les photos, ça me donne vraiement très envie (je vois que sur Prekestolen on n'est pas tout seul :-) reste à espérer que le temps ne sera pas trop mauvais... Je vous souhaite une bonne journée, Katerina
Ce carnet de voyage me rappelle d’excellents souvenirs de l'année dernière, nous avons fait à peu près le même trajet, sauf que nous sommes montés un peu plus au nord.
Très jolies photos en tout cas, c'est toujours un plaisir de profiter des magnifiques paysages norvégiens !!
bravo pour ce carnet qui servira surement à de futurs voyageurs et me rappelle quelques bons souvenirs, même si nous n'avons pas fait tout à fait le même parcours ,
Là, on revient de Tanzanie...ce qui est déjà pas mal 😎
et l'an prochain, pour cause de fils qui passe la bac, on verra plutôt à la dernière minute... enfin je ne ne sais pas trop ... mais je ne pourrais pas beaucoup anticiper ... alors on pense plutôt à l'europe centrale ...ou une occasion de dernière minute
mais du coup on pense déjà à l'année suivante : encore une hésitation entre Ouest américain (objectif essentiel Yellowstone) ou l'ouest canadien (Vancouver et rocheuses) ... du coup je me plonge dans les récits de VF sur ces lieux ...
OK
concernant la Tanzanie, j'ai des questions : 😉😉😉combien de temps?combien de personne?
par TO ou solo?les points essentiels faits?pourquoi la Tanzanie?les vols? cout? et aéroports? et Cies?
alors moi je rentre de Norvège comme tu sais, ou bien ..... cliquez ici............;et photos ........;ici
dans 10 jours je suis là...........
dans 65 jours je suis là...........
pour 2012, une très forte tendance ICI
titi
mais sinon plein d'autres idées.....Islande, Irlande, une capitale d'europe non faite, Indonésie, Cuba, USA yellowstone, Guatemala pour aller à El Mirador!!!
et je voies que tu as un programme déjà bien chargé : super 😏
bon, sur la Tanzanie, je vais faire un récit sur VF , mais je n'ai pas encore commencé à l'écrire 😕
sinon en rapide, on est parti 2 semaines, nous 4 - en camping (basique) mais avec guide + cuisinier via une agence locale
tour classique des parcs du nord + 4 jours au bord de l'eau à Zanzibar ...tout très bien😎
l'objectif était de voir beaucoup d'animaux , avec une logistique allégée : mission 100% remplie !
et comme on est déjà allé au Kenya ..on a choisi la Tanzanie...
à suivre un prochain récit ....
Parcours en Norvège de Kristiansand à Trondheim
Transport = voiture
Hébergement = camping (emplacement tente)
Monnaie : couronne norvégienne, écrit "NOK" ou "kr" (1€=7,60 kr
En cherchant des informations sur la Norvège, je suis tombée sur ton carnet absolument fantastique !
La lecture a été très agréable et les détails pratiques que tu fournis seront bien utiles. Je n'avais pas du tout pensé à séjourner dans un camping à Bergen ce qui évite de se demander ce que l'on va faire de la voiture.
Mettre une légende pour les photos, c'est une excellente idée aussi.
Entre Mandal et Stavanger, tu as fait une étape à Egersund. Moi, je pensais faire la route dans la journée. L'étape à Egersund t'a-t-elle paru une coupure nécessaire ?
en fait je crois que on ne voulait pas faire une grosse étape, il s'agit parfois de jongler en Norvège, avec tous les bacs à prendre, on se dit je passe maintenant mais ou dormir derriere sinon faire des bornes. et parfois, les ville ne sont pas bien grande.
Egersund fut le bon choix, pas très grand mais suffisant pour corses rapides par exemple.
mais Egersund n'est pas indispensable
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I could have titled my travel journal like Carmen: "Some trips are born twice." Indeed, we had considered this destination back in February 2020. However, an honest tour operator advised us against traveling at that time due to the climate. So, we gave up and opted for Guatemala instead (see "On the Mayan Lands" on this site).
So, why this title? When I was in primary school, over 65 years ago, the illustrations in my history books (Machu Picchu) and geography books (Lake Titicaca) made me dream, and those images stayed in my mind. It took until 2026 to finally make this dream come true!
We prepared our trip with Tout Pérou, a French-speaking "agency." Everything was handled via email and WhatsApp exchanges with our contact: Laurent, who was both competent, friendly, and full of good advice.
For 200 €, Tout Pérou provided us with drivers and guides whenever we wanted, helped us buy our domestic flights (cheaper when purchased in Peru), booked shuttles between airports and hotels, and got us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, as well as on the buses between Chivay and Puno and between Puno and Cusco. In short, Laurent took care of all the logistics and the Machu Picchu tickets. It was up to us to book our hotels. Tout Pérou provided a list, but we weren’t obliged to follow it. Another advantage of the package: we didn’t have to pay in advance; we paid the service providers directly day by day.
We didn’t meet Laurent in person because he was on vacation in Europe. Before his departure, he gave us a briefing, provided a summary table with the entire program, the service providers, their phone numbers, their fees, the schedules, and gave us plenty of advice (money, exchange, safety, etc.). After returning at the end of our stay, he kept checking in on us.
Lastly, we had also gathered information from Arnaud Lagadec, who runs a hotel in Cusco and offers tours of the region. He gave us a lot of useful information. Another contact: Thomas Montaigne, very friendly, who runs an agency in Arequipa (Agence Pérou Exclusif).
Day 1 – Paris to Lima
Foreword
I’ll share our trip without any pretension—I don’t have the talent of some contributors on this forum—and I’ll illustrate it with a few photos (taken with an ordinary smartphone). My comments are personal and only reflect my own views. So, please be kind! Feel free to comment on my story as you like, but let’s avoid pointless debates.
Even though we live in the south of the Paris region, true to our habits when the flight is in the morning, we chose to spend the night before our departure in a hotel near CDG and parked our car in a parking lot in Garches. This way, we avoid the stress that often comes with traveling around Paris (accidents, roadworks, traffic jams, etc.).
Check-in and border control went smoothly on that Sunday morning. Our Air France flight was uneventful. In Lima, border control took a particularly long time, and for the first time, we didn’t get an entry visa stamped in our passports.
As planned, a driver took us to the Miraflores district, where our hotel was located. We were surprised by the numerous signs about possible tsunamis, having forgotten that Peru is prone to such events and regularly experiences earthquakes. We’d see the consequences of these during our journey.
Exhausted from the early wake-up, the 13-hour flight, and the 7-hour time difference, we had dinner at the hotel before a restful night.
Note that this day was Peru’s presidential election day. As a result, we weren’t served beer—the sale of alcohol was banned that Sunday.
After as many weeks as I have fingers on my right hand, we're hitting the road again, fully recovered from our pharaonic adventure. Back in France to drop off our daughters (sorry, girls!), this time it's just the two of us, ready to be welcomed by a new destination. They say it offers one of the richest cultural heritages in the world for those willing to put in the effort. It's the land of the ancient Silk Road, where we'll follow a journey steeped in history and discoveries straight out of *One Thousand and One Nights*. A former Soviet bloc region independent only since 1991, we'll be walking in the footsteps of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo...
Another fun fact about this country: it's strictly forbidden to import porn on your phone. True story. The same goes for painkillers! Unless it's about sodomy—though the two don’t seem connected, that’s just how it is. Don’t ask me why! Anyway, I’m getting off track. Here’s the big question: Where do you think we’ve just landed?... To give you a hint, the locals are known for being incredibly welcoming. No sooner said than done—our first taxi driver, proud to transport French travelers, refused to let us pay for the ride. Great vibes for these two weeks ahead. So, any guesses?
Uzbekistan!!!
Bonjour tout le monde, nous voici rentrés d'un RT USA organisé par nos soins du 31/07/2026 au 26/08/2026.
La destination : Le Sud-Ouest USA avec le Texas, l'Arizona et le Nouveau-Mexique. 7000 kilomètres effectués à la louche.
L'Auto : Une Chevrolet Equinoxe pour deux en passant par BSP Auto et Avis. Et dedans 2 valises, un sac de voyage, deux valises cabines, la glacière de chez Walmart, le matos photos et les bouteilles d'eau (pack de 40).
Le trajet : Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo et Dallas pour finir avec départ sur DFW.
Les voyageurs : Deux séniors bien avancés dans l'âge (73 et 75) mais toujours en activité (pas épuisante physiquement) (pour rester vivants et financer les voyages), autonomes physiquement à 100%, intellectuellement beaucoup moins, passionnés des USA, pays où tout est possible, plus marcheurs que randonneurs, plutôt hôtels à partir de 3 étoiles que motels de bord de route, plutôt restos Italiens que nourriture US, adeptes des arrêts fréquents pour les photos, plutôt musées que rien, Plutôt sieste que marches forcées. Pas trop râleurs, juste ce qu'il faut pour rester français au pays du grand Satan qu'ils disent.
Pas trés doués pour les langues, Anglais des rues (mais bien pratique), Espagnol nul pour moi hormis : " Hola ! Una Cerveza por Favor ! " Cela fait court. Madame comprend tout mais refuse de parler.
Le coût du RT : Environ 12 000 euros avec les vols AF, Auto, Essence, cadeaux, visites et tutti quanti. Bien maitrisé puisque 13500 euros prévus au départ.
Le bilan positif : Un régal avec les longues routes à perte de vue. Des Musées à découvrir. Le constat de la présence Hispanique et de son Histoire importante dans ce secteur de l'Amérique. Des locaux adorables. Des touristes plus ou moins sympas. Un accent Texan abominable et difficile à comprendre. Des stations Gas qui sont de véritables magasins avec nourriture préparée et autre alcools vendus en Arizona et Nouveau-Mexique et des employés au top ! Toujours prêts à rigoler !
Le bilan négatif : La chaleur tout au long du séjour...43° sur Dallas en fin de séjour. Impossible de sortir dans les rues. Beaucoup de "Homeless" dans les rues de l'Hyper Centre de Dallas. Les breakfasts Hôtel toujours les mêmes. On s'y fait.
Donc, positif certes mais le concept commence à fatiguer. Il se pourrait que le modèle RT autonome soit repensé pour le prochain. SI celui qui est en haut nous prête vie.
Pour la suite, attendons les premières photos triées et passées à la moulinette.
With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo.
But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip.
And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.
So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays:
- 3 nights in St Lucia
- 1 night in Hluhluwe
- 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini)
- 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini)
- 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti)
- 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve
- 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie
All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.
I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).
To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.
Le dernier carnet sur le Turkménistan date de 2019. Voici donc un court retour sur ce vaste pays désertique qui se visite un peu plus facilement qu'auparavant.
C'est mon premier carnet. Si vous avez des questions, n'hésitez pas. Le pays s'ouvre lentement mais il est possible de visiter des sites où vous serez tout seul. En 5 jours, j'ai vu 2 hongkongais, quelques allemands et un chilien au cratère, 10 chinois dans un bazar de la capitale, et c'est tout !
Il est possible de visiter le Turkménistan depuis l'Ouzbékistan. Le plus simple et le plus économique est de se rendre en taxi jusqu'à la frontière depuis Boukhara. Le trajet prend un peu plus d'une heure.
Le passage de la frontière est assez long puisque de nombreux Turkmènes ramènent des objets achetés en Ouzbékistan afin de pouvoir les revendre au Turkménistan. Par exemple des couches, des produits pour bébés ou des produits de beauté.
Il m'a fallu plus de 2h30 pour franchir la frontière. Il est obligatoire pour visiter le Turkménistan d'avoir un guide et de passer par une agence de voyage. Les agences britanniques proposent souvent des séjours de trois, cinq ou sept jours à plus de 1 500 ou 2 000 euros.
Mais si votre budget est plus limité, il vous suffit de contacter quelques agences turkmènes directement par mail qui vous feront une proposition entre 700 et 1 300 euros pour trois à sept jours. J'ai pris un séjour de 5 jours de Turkmenabat dans le Nord-Est du pays jusqu'à Dashoguz dans le Nord. L'objectif est de visiter les principaux sites classés à l'Unesco, dont Merv, et les sites archéologiques comme Nisa ou Gonur Tepe.
Votre guide sera également le chauffeur. Il viendra vous chercher à la frontière. Les formalités sont très longues car les douaniers doivent multiplier les tampons et l'obtention du visa que vous avez préalablement demandé à votre agence de voyage nécessite plusieurs contrôles. Mais le passage se fait relativement aisément même si chaque étape est assez longue.
Une fois de l'autre côté, première surprise, l'autoroute est très récente jusqu'à Turkmenabat. Une très longue file de camions s'étend sur plusieurs kilomètres du côté turkmène afin de pouvoir passer la frontière et aller en Ouzbékistan. En effet, selon mon guide, les camions turkmènes transportent du gaz, du coton (pas à cette saison puisque la récolte a lieu en septembre), mais ont surtout un réservoir plein car le prix du carburant est beaucoup moins cher au Turkménistan. Un plein pour une voiture vaut à peu près 3 euros, ce qui est défiant toute concurrence.
Depuis le poste frontière de Farap, l'objectif est d'atteindre la ville de Mary qui abrite dans sa banlieue, à une trentaine de kilomètres, le site classé à l'UNESCO de Merv. Cette cité est connue comme étant une fondation d'Alexandre le Grand au IVe siècle avant Jésus-Christ sous le nom d'Alexandrie de Margiane. Plusieurs forteresses sont visibles.
Après plus de trois heures de route, nous déjeunons dans un restaurant turc qui s'appelle Aladdin. Plusieurs citations du président sont visibles sur l'autoroute, mais la route est de qualité et on avance aisément. Ce sera de loin la meilleure route du pays. ça se gâtera largement par la suite.
Les ronds-points sont particulièrement intéressants puisqu'on y retrouve des emblèmes de la culture turkmène, soit le chien, soit un tapis, soit le cheval Ahal Teke soit des symboles musulmans, même si la présence d'artefacts islamiques est assez réduite.
Preamble:
Africa was calling to me, so a year ago, with our usual travel companions, we decided to return to the continent we love so much.
Where to go?
Uganda quickly caught our attention—wildlife we’re used to seeing, plus gorillas and the shoebill we missed in Zambia.
We got in touch with Paul, who’s been mentioned several times on the forum back in September, booked our flight tickets, secured the gorilla permits, and by early October, the most important things were done.
We still had plenty of time to hold our "prep meetings" for the final itinerary.
Three days before departure, I sprained my ankle (my weak spot, as you’ll recall from our Colombia trip).
I wasn’t in great spirits, but after a year of waiting, nothing was going to stop me.
We’d see how it goes!
Off we went for our new adventures
It was winter, a winter with beautiful weather,
A season that only exists in the southwest of America,
I remember very well what I told you that morning
A month ago... A century ago, an eternity ago...
We’ll go... wherever you want, whenever you want...
Well, yeah, back from our adventure in our enchanting American West just a month ago, we’re already taking a bite out of one of its lesser-known competitors. "Flo, if you had to pick just one reason to justify your love for the U.S., what would it be?" The greasy, dripping burgers? No, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying it’d be the wide-open spaces... And that’s exactly what our new quest is taking us to—a land on the other side of the globe where the horizon also seems endless, where silence tastes like salty wind and sand, where freedom is measured in kilometers of desert tracks, where the GPS is mostly there to confirm you’re lost in the middle of nowhere... Add to that magic formula the fact that you’ll see more zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and elephants than people per square kilometer, and you can imagine us setting foot in Southern Africa for the first time, more precisely at the small airport in Windhoek, capital of... of...? Brush up on your geography, damn it! We’re landing in Namibia!!!
To be honest, Namibian landscapes have been flirting with me for ages. So how did I resist this island of temptation for so long? First, the budget. Let’s just say that for the same amount of effort (and kidneys), the bank lets you choose two other adventures almost anywhere else on the planet. Then there were my girls. Yeah, back then, they were too little to dose up on Malarone, the only malaria remedy at the time... Long story short, ten years later, all the planets have aligned. First, I won the Euromillions! Well, almost... Let’s just say my girls are now old enough... not to take Malarone, but to stop following me on all my adventures! Jackpot! "Flo, how about a little two-person caprice, just the two of us, tackling the Namibian tracks?"
As we landed on the runway, first wow effect: The horizon is immense. It’s flat as can be, incredibly flat... So much flat space! Did I mention it was flat?... Looking into the distance, it feels like your gaze could circle the Earth without hitting a single obstacle—until you end up staring at your own backside. "Oh, what a nice view!" Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen my butt from this angle! Touching moment... Sorry, I’m rambling—must be the exhaustion from the three-flight marathon we just powered through via Ethiopia and South Africa... And yet, no time to philosophize about my anatomy. As usual, we want to rack up our first kilometers to be front and center at dawn tomorrow. After wrapping up the tedious Namibian immigration formalities and meeting the 4x4 that’ll be our companion day and night for the next fifteen days, we’re off! We’re not exactly fresh, but we’re ready to tackle the next five hundred kilometers in night mode, cruise control set due south! Just outside Windhoek, the local wildlife—a jackal—welcomes us with a smile: "Welcome to Namibia!" That’s what it said! Honest... Okay, first endless straight road, first flaming sunset, first corrugated dirt track, first Milky Way with zero light pollution... You get it—it’s definitely the day of firsts... First night camping, too, in the big trunk of our Toyota Fortuner parked by the side of the track... The real adventure, the kind that smells under the arms, can finally begin...
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
When we started looking for a summer destination a few months ago, our first criterion was to avoid extreme heat and heatwaves. We had already been to Norway two years ago and are considering going back in the future for other occasions. So, we had some fun asking ChatGPT which destinations enjoyed a mild climate during the summer without going too far. Among the list provided by the AI were the Canary Islands... The idea of a place we wouldn’t have thought of first, both not too far away and exotic enough, appealed to us: “Hmm, why not?”
This destination had never really attracted me, though Magali was a bit more interested. Five years earlier, COVID had caused a short break in my professional activity, and I had planned a trip because the flight price was attractive, and I was looking for a destination different from what usually appeals to me, more than out of deep interest. From a distance and with a social judgment I acknowledge (it’s not great, but it’s not completely wrong), I had the image of a destination for party-goers enjoying the sun without the slightest interest in local culture, with concrete coastlines and denatured landscapes—everything I detest the most. Still, I had done some quick research on the different islands and spotted Lanzarote for its beautiful volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, and the impression of a good balance between activity and fewer crowds than Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Then I dropped the idea of going, without ever reconsidering traveling to the Canaries...
Until now! Because we started researching the different islands of the archipelago to see which ones might appeal to us the most. It was La Gomera, the third smallest island of the archipelago, more praised for its hiking trails and preserved nature than for its beaches, away from mass tourism (fifty times fewer tourists than Tenerife) but still a bit more developed than its wild neighbor El Hierro, that caught our attention. Contrary to what might be suggested later, I’m not at all addicted to AI, but I use it from time to time to synthesize quick research or simply for experimentation. Since ChatGPT had started anticipating my tastes lately as if it had become my buddy (often successfully, sometimes off the mark), I asked which Canary Island would suit me best for a trip with my family. The tool answered first with... La Gomera. So, I tested it and teased it a bit to see if this suggestion was well-founded, as the method sometimes makes it contradict itself. But no luck: “You’d appreciate the wild nature of El Hierro, but with family, you’ll find little activity for the kids. You won’t like the touristy vibe of the big islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. You could consider La Palma, but it’s really La Gomera that will suit you best, based on your interests and the criteria given.” So, we dug deeper into our research and were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that this island was the one waiting for us.
Without knowing it, we had Canarians in our circle who revealed their origins when they heard about our travel plans. One from Tenerife insisted we’d be better off choosing Tenerife (obviously...) because it also has preserved spots and that La Gomera, “you can explore it in two or three days, you’ll get bored quickly...” The other, a colleague from Gran Canaria who had never visited La Gomera, still recommended it without hesitation because it turned out her parents had just gone there on vacation: they loved it and had encountered few tourists. She also tended to think this destination was usually the subject of short stays, but according to what her parents told her, taking your time there was also a great idea. However, in our research, the idea that La Gomera is an island you can explore in three or four days max kept coming up. So, we considered combining its visit with La Palma or El Hierro, the other two that caught our eye. But hopping between islands by ferry represents a significant budget for non-Canarians, even more so for a family of four. Then, scrutinizing Google Maps, it seemed obvious that two weeks were too short to discover two islands as they deserve, and that there seemed to be plenty to see in La Gomera, given its very unique culture. After all, we read that some people spend several months a year there, others never even leave... Finally, these landscapes and this atmosphere, which seemed to us a mix of Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, tempted us. So, it would be two weeks in La Gomera, deal!
La Gomera is therefore the second... well, the third smallest island of the Canaries since La Graciosa was recently recognized as a fully inhabited island. It has the shape of a rough circle about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter and has just over 20,000 inhabitants, half of them in its capital, San Sebastián de la Gomera, the only real town. Like its Canarian sisters, La Gomera is a volcanic formation that rose about 10 million years ago. The island is very mountainous and rugged, covered with red and black rocky landscapes. Geological activity has shaped, between the sprawling massifs that end in steep cliffs in the ocean, six coastal valleys with tropical vegetation that have favored human settlement. They divide the island like slices of a cake; from the north clockwise: the agricultural Vallehermoso, the rustic Agulo, the green, humid, and fertile Hermigua, the sunny capital San Sebastián de la Gomera, the southern and isolated Alajeró-Santiago, and the seaside Valle Gran Rey. They constitute the six municipalities (more like cantons to our French understanding) of the territory.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
La Gomera was populated late. As with the rest of the Canaries, human presence is thought to have begun about 2,000 years ago. Groups of animist Berbers, probably fleeing persecution, gradually populated the archipelago, especially the western islands and La Gomera, becoming its small aboriginal population: the Guanches (or later Gomeros). The animist and pastoral civilization of the Guanches thrived until the Spanish takeover in the 15th century, which, after a short period of harmony and mixing with the indigenous people, suddenly ended in bloodshed... La Gomera later became the “Columbus Island” after Christopher Columbus’s stopover, increasing the blending of populations. In the 20th century, many Gomeros emigrated to Cuba and other Latin American countries in search of a better life, bringing back a mix of cultures and traits quite palpable in today’s Gomeran culture. It is, however, in La Gomera that the vestiges of Guanche culture seem to have left the most traces, in the language, gastronomy, social practices... Moreover, most Gomeros, especially in remote villages, have a particular identifiable type and proudly claim their ancestral roots, even making La Gomera a bit exotic in the eyes of other Canarians.
Perhaps that’s why it has never really wanted to develop its tourist infrastructure too much. If we set aside the tourists who visit for the day by bus or boat from Tenerife on a marked itinerary (and whom we ultimately rarely encounter), La Gomera has remained a hidden gem, a destination focused on nature discovery that attracts hikers, nature-loving divers, and scientists for its fauna and flora, and to a lesser extent, beachgoers who don’t seek overly developed coastlines. Tourist activity is therefore limited. Roughly speaking, you’ll find a majority of Spaniards, including a substantial number of residents from other Canary Islands, many Germans who have a particular fondness for La Gomera and spend long stays there or own second homes, to the point that the German cultural footprint is clearly noticeable in some places (it’s said to be Angela Merkel’s favorite holiday spot), and still quite a few French. The presence of other nationalities seemed negligible to us. Most travelers come mainly for hiking, but it’s also a prime spot for whale watching. Additionally, the seaside resorts of La Gomera—San Sebastián, Santiago, and especially Valle Gran Rey—are well-known destinations for hippies, especially German ones, ranging from chic boho hippies to old-school hippies who’ve been there for decades, quite similar to those you’d meet in India in Goa, Rishikesh, or Paharganj. Thus, practices like naturism, vegetarianism, and local organic production are quite well established in some areas.
Some practical info:
- The round-trip flight from Paris to Tenerife cost us 365 € per person (outbound with Transavia, return with EasyJet), including checked luggage and three seats reserved side by side.
- We chose two bases to explore the island: one week in Valle Gran Rey, reputed to be the most pleasant of the three seaside resorts, and one week in Hermigua, more mountainous and close to the natural park. We booked two houses with balconies and views: the first at 120 € per night, the second at 99 €.
- The round-trip ferry between Tenerife and La Gomera cost us 270 € with the company Baleària Canarias, including discounts for children aged 4 and 12, but I don’t have the exact details. It was a bit cheaper than with the other company, Fred Olsen.
- Finally, we rented a car through the agency Cicar for 360 € for 16 days, which comes to 22.50 € per day.
- Apart from that, we didn’t plan anything and decided the day before or even the morning of what we wanted to do. We didn’t invest in any paper guide on the Canaries, as information on La Gomera was scarce, but we used the very comprehensive site La Gomera Travel, a travel guide published by the Canary Islands Tourism Council, a real goldmine of almost exhaustive information on the island.
Alright, off we go for 16 days of adventure discovering La Gomera!
If you're looking for great tips and offbeat spots, if you love exploring uncharted parts of a country, if the exotic is your adrenaline, then move along!
Our 15 days in early May in this part of Turkey (a country I first discovered during a city trip to Istanbul in 2017) will only tread well-worn paths and revisit popular routes. Simply because I kept hoping until the very end that our flight to Jordan wouldn’t be canceled. Events in the Gulf proved me wrong, so we left with:
Zero preparation.
Not a single hotel booked (well, except the first one), no visits planned, just a flight ticket bought three weeks earlier. No guidebook, no app—just the desire to explore southern Turkey and Cappadocia, whose images and the chance to stretch our legs had caught my eye.
Oh, wait—I did bring along a new guide: Gemini! Yes, my friends, generative AI was my chief advisor throughout the trip for sites to visit, accommodations, routes, and even restaurants! An experiment I wanted to try to form my own opinion on using this new technology. And what better way to test it than a Turkish getaway?
The verdict? You’ll have to wait for the trip recap to find out!
The main idea of the trip is also relaxation.
So, the plan is Antalya for a few days, the Turkish Riviera for a few more, Cappadocia as the highlight, and a return via Antalya to wrap up the trip. And it was all planned by AI!
So, if you're ready, fasten your seatbelts—cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check—boarding for Turkey now!
Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe).
In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko.
I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip.
Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest.
The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days.
As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.
Transportation:
An ICOCA card is essential.
I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.
Accommodations:
Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.
Meals:
For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés.
For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima.
Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima.
A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto.
Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi).
Tempura and gyoza.
Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal.
One omakase meal (9 different dishes).
In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef.
Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Brussels
Day 2: Arrival in Osaka
Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki
Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi
Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima
Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade
Day 8: To Miyajima
Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto
Day 10: Southern Kyoto
Day 11: Northern Kyoto
Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa
Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago)
Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima)
Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto
Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko)
Day 17: To Tokyo
Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura
Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong
Day 20: Arrival in Brussels
Il arrive souvent qu'on nous demande quoi visiter en Belgique .
Et les réponses ramènent le plus souvent à Bruges , Gand, Anvers et Bruxelles , avec raison , ces villes valant la peine d'être visitées 😉 .
Toutefois, la Belgique, bien que petite , ne se limite pas à ces 4 villes .
J'habite l'une d'entre elles ( Bruxelles) , passe avec plaisir du temps dans les trois autres , mais j'ai envie d'aborder d'autres coins moins connus , qui pourront compléter le séjour de ceux qui ont envie d'en voir un peu plus , ou de voir autre chose .
C'est qu'entre deux voyages , j'aime bien visiter l'un ou l'autre coin du pays où j'habite .
D'où l'idée d'un carnet de balades .
La plupart des endroits dont je vais parler peuvent être visités en faisant l'aller-retour le même jour , au départ de Bruxelles , que ce soit en transports en commun ou en voiture .
Dans l'ordre chronologique des sujets abordés :
- Le barrage de la Gileppe ( province de Liège) -message 2 , page 1
- Le domaine de La Hulpe ( Brabant wallon ) - message 3 , page 1
- Malines ( province d'Anvers ) message 4 , page 1
- La côte - message 5 , page 1
- Le Westhoek , au départ de La Panne - message 6 , page 1
- Le Zwin, au départ de Knokke - message 7 , page 1
- Lier ( entre Malines et Anvers ) - message 8 , page 1
- Mons (Hainaut) - message 9 , page 1
- La région de Florenville . - message 12 , page 1
- Les Cantons de l'Est - message 13 , page 1
- Dinant - message 18 , page 1
- Le jardin japonais d'Hasselt - message 24 , page 2
- Louvain message 29 , page 2
- Louvain-la-neuve - message 32 , page 2
- Ostende - message 42 (page 3) et message 166 (page 9)
- Les floralies de Grand-Bigard . - message 43 , page 3
- Le bois de Halle -message 44 , page 3
- Les pralines - message 54 , page 3
- Charleroi - message 68 , page 4
- Namur - message 92 , page 5
- Le Bois du Cazier ( Marcinelle) - message 95 , page 5
- Les couques et les gozettes - message 96 , page 5
- Liège - message 99 , page 5
- Tournai - message 115 , page 6 .
- Audenarde ( Oudenaarde ) - message 121, page 7
- Jardin botanique de Meise - message 124, page 7 .
- Tongres ( Tongeren ) - message 125 , page 7 .
- Château de Beersel ( Brabant flamand) - message 126, page 7 .
- Bruxelles confinée ( messages 150 et 154 , page 8 )
- L'hôpital Notre Dame à la Rose , à Lessines ( messages 161 et 162 , page 9 ) .
- Westende ( message 167, page 9)
je complète cette liste au fur et à mesure de l'avancement du carnet ...
This travel journal is therefore intended solely for my photos, to present a consistent style.
All the shots were taken with a simple Samsung Galaxy smartphone and with whatever was at hand.
All stays combined, I’ve spent the equivalent of a year at most in Thailand, and I’m no great expert.
However, after many trips, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, and conversations with many locals as well as expats, my view of the country is becoming clearer, though it’s constantly evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.
I guess I wanted to deliver a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who feel nostalgic about it.
I don’t know if this minimalist sharing will interest anyone, but it’ll do me good to put it together. After so many months without traveling and then these other long months with VF closed, there’s plenty of material available.
There’ll be a mix of places, periods, and subjects, but it might well be intentional.
I suspect many Thais have dogs because they make excellent guardians for the home. Nothing better to deter burglars or to signal the presence of a snake. You’ll often see Thais tapping the top of their dog’s head, but don’t be fooled: it’s a sign of affection from them. Judging by the dogs’ reactions, they’re used to it.
Thailand is one of the countries on the planet where rabies is still present, so keep that in mind. It’s not just bites that can be dangerous, so don’t let just any dog lick you. Especially on a wound, of course.
Even though dogs often fear humans—this dangerous and unpredictable predator—we still need to stay cautious.
Be careful when walking into alleys because the dog will defend its master’s big yard. Be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t all that made for walking around, and dogs are one of the reasons.
That said, it’s not uncommon to see them chasing bikes or scooters. Cars, though? Much rarer—they’re too big.
It seems Thais prefer to give their dogs freedom by not locking them behind gates. Though sometimes the gate is closed, the little side door is wide open. Oh, and sometimes there’s no gate in front of the property, or it’s been full of holes for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the roadside, sometimes right on the road. When you approach, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, reminding visitors not to drive too fast. As a result, you’ll notice that dogs with injuries or missing legs aren’t that rare.
Since they believe in reincarnation and respect for all forms of life, they don’t chase dog packs away too much, and they don’t sterilize them enough. When you see a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you think twice about running into them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at death’s door in temples, enduring terrible suffering with no one to help. The image (and the smell) of one of them, agonizing and exuding the stench of death, still comes back to me sometimes.
Some of you may have seen the YouTube vlog of a French woman living in Phuket who was given a little pig by her Thai friends. The animal, well-fed, quickly became a happy and enormous beast with its own garden. Yet it didn’t take long for it to fall seriously ill and become incurable. In her video, the French woman described how difficult it was to find a vet willing to perform euthanasia.
You’ll often see bowls by the side of the road. Thais leave food and water there for stray cats and dogs. Overall, they have a big heart for animals.
If you ever pop into a shopping mall, you might see people pushing their small dogs in strollers. It’s not just for fun—these strollers are provided for customers to put their pets in, otherwise you can’t bring them inside. It looks a bit odd when you expect to see a baby.
This trip had been on my mind for about fifteen years.
But the discomfort of overnight stays, the difficulty of communication, and the prices of the few car rental options kept making me postpone the project.
And then, everything suddenly fell into place—I told myself, it’s time!
The preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.
A bit of Kazakhstan?
Not in the end.
The south or not the south?
Yes, in the end.
Pre-book or go with the flow?
Only two stops were a leap into the unknown.
To help me find the ideal route, I made great use of this forum (thanks to everyone for patiently answering my questions!), pored over travel journals and blogs (Christian, Jeff), zoomed in on Google Maps and Yandex, and bought the guide published by OunTravela about this destination (the guide has been updated since).
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You’ve got your passport, international driver’s license, bank cards, and euros?
Off we go to Lyon—just one night left before our early morning flight.
Tomorrow night, we’ll be sleeping in Bishkek!
(Steak for my partner’s mischievous nephews...)
You’ll find here a post with some practical information.
And here, the version of the travel journal without comments.
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As a supplement, the route track.
Not necessarily ultra-accurate since Google has serious gaps for this destination...
January 2026
Here we go again for new adventures and the pleasure of sharing them with you here! First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me with the preparations, even with some last-minute improvisations just days before departure. Thanks to Montagnard74, Jojoone1, Songsam, Attila, Dennis2, NadegerFERM, and the authors whose travel journals about Laos inspired me (Montagnard74, Muriel18, Mavietongs...).
In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll tell you about the journey of four friends: Catherine, Richard, Nathalie, and Bruno. A reinvented but overall successful trip, filled with discoveries and surprises, the scents of spices and frangipani flowers, (too) spicy food, sunsets, and... one big mess.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions...
So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted.
Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some!
Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!
I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!
Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.
In broad strokes, it was very classic:
First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to.
From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km!
Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites.
We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.
A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized.
We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line!
At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris.
You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!
With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter.
To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
I’d been wanting to discover Sulawesi for years. But then life happened—COVID, the cost of flight tickets, you name it. Long story short, years went by, but we finally set off as a family for a three-week trip in southern Sulawesi: Rammang Rammang, Rantepao, Sengkang, Bira, and Selayar.
I like to spend a good amount of time in the places I visit, giving myself the chance to really get to know the area and meet locals. So no island-hopping this time—just the south. But when I say "just," it’s not restrictive at all, given how rich this island is in landscapes, little encounters, and magical moments.
Wednesday 07/08 - Thursday 07/09:
We left Montpellier for what was supposed to be five flights, though we only took four to start, landing in Jakarta.
We picked up our luggage there to catch a flight to Makassar the next day. That’s the only way we could get an affordable ticket (702 €).
I won’t bore you with the flight details—there’s not much to say. We arrived at 7 PM and considered heading straight to Makassar that evening. But we opted for a recovery night before taking off again. Good thing we did, because my son’s suitcase was missing...
First contact with the locals was a bit stressful—a trip without your luggage isn’t exactly fun. But right away, a woman reassured us: the suitcase was just enjoying some extra time in Singapore. Maybe it was doing some last-minute shopping. Anyway, nothing serious—it was supposed to arrive at 9 AM the next day. That gave us some breathing room since our flight wasn’t until noon.
So off we went to our hotel (Days Hotel & Suites) near the airport. It was cheap (40 € for three rooms—my kids are older and need their space), but it wasn’t worth much more. The place had definitely seen better days. But no big deal—we were only there for the night, and... we got to watch France beat Morocco in the World Cup live at 3 AM. That’s what really mattered!
Friday 07/10: In search of the lost suitcase
First challenge of the morning: finding our missing suitcase. They sent us to the airport basement, to the staff entrance. We were greeted with smiles, and an airport employee led me through the underground corridors back to the baggage claim. Right on time at 9 AM, the suitcase arrived, just like they’d promised. We were finally complete!
Off we went to change terminals, grab a well-deserved meal, and board our fifth flight to Makassar.
Little side note: I struggled for a while trying to book domestic flights directly on the airlines’ websites with no luck. Without meaning to advertise (though I guess I am a little), I realized it’d be easier to use sites like tiket.com or Traveloka. That turned out to be a great choice—I even ended up booking hotels through them later in the trip.
12:40 PM: We were on our way to Makassar. First good news: we were the only tourists. Well, the only European tourists on the flight, anyway.
No, you’re not dreaming—the bag is full of... potato chip packets.
To each their own souvenirs, I guess...
When we arrived in Makassar, a driver was waiting to take us straight to Rammang Rammang: 250,000 IDR (12 €) to our guesthouse (Rammang Rammang House). Forget about meeting people on the bus—we were headed straight to the first stop of our trip, and it was already stunning.
My kids’ guesthouse:
Ours:
View of the little lake:
But not everything is straightforward around here.
I wanted to get a local SIM card for internet and calls. I found them expensive at Jakarta’s airport (20 € for 20 GB), so I decided to wait. Well, no luck in Rammang Rammang either. You can’t just buy one from the local shop—you need a Telkomsat store (they have the best coverage). So we’d have to wait for Rantepao to get Wi-Fi... When I say "local shop," I mean the little shack around the corner. No big deal—we’d find one easily in Rantepao for 5 € and 25 GB. So there we were, offline, just the four of us enjoying the amazing view.
Saturday 07/11: Rammang Rammang
We woke up early to the sound of wedding music blasting through the village (everyone’s invited!). Off we went to explore the area.
A little walking, a little boat ride (shared with a French tourist and a Polish one—yes, there *are* tourists here, just not many; 750,000 IDR for up to 8 people) through a lovely canal, and we discovered the karst site. It was peaceful and beautiful.
The river:
The karst site:
I hesitated about writing this travel journal...
This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.
No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...
But don’t think we were disappointed!
The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together.
So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.
Our 2-week itinerary:
- Arusha (1 night upon arrival)
- Tarangire (1 night)
- Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo)
- Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera)
- Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night)
- Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights)
- Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)
Okay, Palermo—we know it. We go there to marvel at the architectural wonders born from the Arab-Norman-Byzantine-Gothic mix. And rightly so. We also go to treat our taste buds to all kinds of delights, both savory and sweet. Again, rightly so. We go to succumb to the charms of Palermo’s women, their sun-kissed skin glowing with golden highlights. Still, rightly so. And all while fantasizing about a mafia we’ll never actually see. Anyway.
But you’ll also find street art everywhere, even in the historic center. Sometimes, you just need to step a few meters away from the main tourist highways like Cassaro, Via Maqueda, or the main arteries of the Ballarò, Capo, or Vucciria markets to stumble upon some amazing murals. Duck into one or two slightly grimy alleys, weaving past trash and crumbling walls, and you’ll find real gems.
For example, just 50 meters south of the main artery of the Mercato del Capo, there’s a great spot with dozens of murals in a tiny neighborhood of run-down mini-houses. You’ll find plenty more south of the Mercato di Ballarò, in the Albergheria (the grittier side, not the one near Cassaro). There’s some in Ballarò itself too, but it’s hard to spot when the market’s in full swing with stalls everywhere. La Kalsa isn’t left out either, nor is Vucciria—just step away from the restaurant-packed streets.
Here are a few examples that really caught my eye.
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
We landed in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and headed straight to Kasane in Botswana to pick up our car.
Our vehicle is a 4x4 because in Zambia, it's practically impossible to use anything else, especially in the national parks. I’ve already had the pleasure of visiting South Luangwa National Park—it’s one of the reasons for this trip, the main one being to travel in Africa with one of my sons.
First stop: Livingstone on the banks of the Zambezi River. Along the way, we discovered a lovely restaurant at Socrates with a super-friendly owner (we’ll actually stop there again on our way back). We spent our first night in the rooftop tent after a stunning sunset, accompanied by the grunting of hippos in the river.
The next day, we set off early, heading to Kafue NP. In fact, we’ll always leave early—waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 AM and hitting the road an hour later. Kafue is a lesser-known park, mostly forested, and the animals are skittish because they’re not used to human presence. We crossed the park from south to north and came across various antelopes. Near Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, there are plains where wildlife is easier to spot.
After Kafue, we headed to South Luangwa. This journey requires stops in Mumbwa and Petauke. Two pleasant stops where we found lodges (a nice change from the rooftop tent) at affordable prices and met welcoming people.
For me, South Luangwa is Zambia’s most beautiful park—the river is stunning, the landscapes are gorgeous, and there’s a wide variety of wildlife, including, of course, big cats. A tip for those, like us, who aren’t with a guide: if you’re staying near the park for several days, don’t hesitate to do a "game drive" to scout out where the animals are so you can return the next day with your own vehicle. Of course, in the dry season, you’ll want to focus on waterholes to see the animals—and you’ll need a bit of luck too. The elephant population is growing, and we were lucky enough to see around sixty elephants crossing the Luangwa at dawn, spread across several groups. South Luangwa is the westernmost point of our trip, and we’re now heading east to Lower Zambezi.
Lower Zambezi is Zambia’s side of Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side. We took a boat ride on the Zambezi to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a multitude of birds living along the water and on the river’s islands. The sunset there is also magnificent.
To explore the park, we followed the waterways parallel to the Zambezi, mostly on the western side (see our route). Lower Zambezi is the last park we visit, and the final leg of our trip will be Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls—or Mosi-Oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders")—are truly impressive, even during the dry season. We saw the falls from both countries: in Zambia for the overall view and the bridge that serves as the border, and in Zimbabwe to get as close as possible to the most spectacular parts of the falls.
This marks the end of our trip, which, despite a blown tire on the road, went off without any major issues. Zambia is a beautiful country that immerses you in wild, still-preserved nature.
From Southern Shikoku, between land and sea, to the blue waters of Miyakojima and finally Tokyo’s megacity
Hi everyone,
I have to admit, I really hesitated before deciding to write this travel journal... Writing one takes a lot of time and energy, and since this is my 4th trip, I wondered if it would actually interest anyone other than myself (both for the discovery and the writing). But after a few "Are you going to write a journal?" requests and especially the renewed pleasure from reading other travelers’ travel journals about Japan or elsewhere on this forum or elsewhere, I’ve decided to share this 4th installment in the Land of the Rising Sun here.
The itinerary:
27 full days, from late May to late June 2025, right in the middle of the rainy season, including:
-->13 days in Shikoku, from Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) to Matsuyama (Ehime Prefecture)
-->7 days in Miyakojima (Okinawa Prefecture)
-->7 days in Tokyo
The trip was decided on fairly last-minute this year, as usual.
I regularly check flight prices to track fluctuations for this destination, even without concrete plans. Finding a slightly cheaper direct flight (900 €) than what I’d seen in previous months (around 1,200–1,400 € on average) for a Paris-Tokyo route with Japanese airline ANA was too tempting to resist the urge to return to this enchanting country. After long hesitations between exploring the San’in region (Matsue, Tottori, Yamaguchi) and southern Shikoku, the decision was made—I took the plunge! The tickets are booked: Paris to Kochi with a layover in Tokyo, all with ANA, the airline I’d been dreaming of... for 1,120 € per person. Okay, it’s not cheap, but it’s still better than in 2023.
We leave in 2 weeks!! Now it’s just a matter of getting everything ready!
Intense work ahead in these 2 weeks to:
finalize a more precise itinerary and reach an agreement—yep, because even though we both love Japan, our preferences differ slightly, and we have to choose between exploring new places or taking time to revisit beloved spots...
decide how much time to spend in each selected area without rushing while still exploring
research places that might interest us and watch videos about Japan
book accommodations: yes, it’s possible to do this on the spot as we go, but last year, we noticed that last-minute options were pretty expensive, so we’re booking ahead—even if it means keeping a few options open while we decide or see if better deals pop up later
reserve rental cars
order yen
check the weather regularly and wonder if choosing the *tsuyu* (rainy season) was really a good idea—and whether we’ll be stuck in non-stop rain???
What a tough job, right? Traveling to Japan for a month—such a hard life!
Despite this being my 4th trip, the excitement is just as intense as the first time.
The only small downside is that when we booked the flight tickets, there were only a few seats left, so we’re only sitting together on the international return flight. Plus, on the outbound flight, we’ve got the middle seats.
Another lingering question: what French-language films will be available? According to the internet, the selection seems limited.
Oh well, these are just minor details—it’s almost time to fly!
PS: I’ll be posting slowly and irregularly... so for those interested, be patient or maybe set an alert...
Before Our Departure
Preparing for this trip started 9 months before our departure in June. For those planning a similar itinerary, it’s important to book accommodations well in advance, especially in the Okavango and Savuti campsites—otherwise, you might not find any availability.
Introduction
After visiting Zambia three years ago and Namibia and western Botswana a year and a half ago, this year we chose Zimbabwe (Hwange NP) and the northern half of Botswana.
Our flight from Paris was to Victoria Falls with Ethiopian Airlines, with a layover in Addis Ababa. We rented a 4x4 from Bushlore in Kasane, complete with two rooftop tents since there are four of us on this adventure. Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4 and, most importantly, gave us a rundown of the vehicle and its equipment. Pay close attention to what they tell you—it could be crucial if something goes wrong, as it did for us during the trip.
Our Itinerary
We arrived on June 12th at noon. At Victoria Falls Airport, we got our double-entry visa right away—I’d already pre-booked it online on the site https://www.evisa.gov.zw/.
Since our vehicle was in Botswana, we had to cross the border from Victoria Falls into Botswana for the first time.
The next morning, Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4. After completing the formalities, we headed toward Zimbabwe and the town of Victoria Falls.
We woke up early the next morning to be at Victoria Falls at sunrise. The scenery was stunning, but since it was the start of the dry season, the Zambezi was still high, so the falls had a strong flow. This made it hard to fully appreciate their beauty.
In the early afternoon, we left for Hwange NP, where we stayed for 4 days. Two days at Gwango campsite near Dete, followed by two days at Robins Camp. We expected to see more animals at Robins, but that wasn’t the case. In Hwange, we didn’t spot any predators, but we did see plenty of mammals (buffalo, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes).
After a few days in Zimbabwe, we crossed back into Botswana at Pandamatenga. We stopped at Nata Lodge for a good night’s rest—driving on the dirt roads is exhausting.
We left Nata and headed toward Nxai Pan. The road was sandy but manageable. We made a small detour to admire some beautiful baobabs at "Baines Baobabs." Then we continued to our campsite, Nxai Pan South Camp. Keep in mind that many campsites in Botswana aren’t fenced (except for the shower/toilet areas), so animals can roam freely within the camp. Take precautions, especially after dark.
After our stop in Nxai Pan, we headed to Maun. We decided to break our journey in Maun before heading to Moremi and the Okavango Delta for three reasons: first, we needed to stock up on supplies and fuel for the next 5 days; second, our fridge had broken (luckily, Bushlore has a branch in Maun); and third, the drive from Nxai to our camp in Xakanaxa in the delta would’ve taken too long. I always avoid driving after dark.
We arrived at our Xakanaxa camp on June 21st in the early afternoon. Not wanting to waste time, we booked a boat ride on the Okavango Delta, leaving at 4:00 PM for a 2-hour sunset cruise. For those interested, to the right of the Xakanaxa X1 site, there’s a sign for boat rides. The organizer is very professional and offers prices that are nothing like those of the lodges.
It was a beautiful ride through the delta with a stunning sunset. Being on a boat is much more relaxing than driving on the dirt roads. That didn’t stop us from doing self-drive safaris the next morning and late afternoon, though.
Then came the time to leave the delta and head toward Savuti, a much drier region. And that’s when the toughest part of our trip began. First, we decided to go up via Khwai. The rainy season was over, but the area was still marshy. We had to cross a few small water patches, testing the depth to make sure we could get through. Luckily, a sign on the road pointed us toward a drier route. We reached Khwai without any issues, but then we made a major mistake. Instead of taking the main track toward Mababe Gate to reach Savuti Camp, we took a straight path north and then a right turn to get to our camp. Bad call—we got stuck in the sand, with one rear wheel buried halfway and a front wheel off the ground. We were genuinely scared we wouldn’t get out, especially since we were on a deserted track, 20 kilometers from our destination, with night falling in two hours. This is where paying attention to the vehicle instructions really paid off—we had to use the jack to get out of the mess. The result: we arrived at Savuti campsite just before dark (Distance: 146.3 km, Duration: 9 hours, 56 minutes, and 3 seconds, Average speed: 14.7 km/h, tracked with Osmand). At reception, the staff couldn’t understand how we’d gotten there—we hadn’t passed through any of Savuti’s reserve entry gates.
The next morning, no one felt like driving, so we did a game drive with a guide. I don’t know if it was some kind of reward, but the outing was amazing. We saw three lions and, best of all, a pack of African wild dogs that we had time to admire and photograph. The next day, we did a short self-drive and found one of the lions from the day before drinking at a waterhole. That was the end of our Savuti adventure.
Now we’re heading to Kasane. We returned our vehicle and settled in for our last two nights there. The next morning, since we no longer had a car, we decided to do one last early-morning game drive in Chobe NP. It turned out great—we followed two brother lions and saw plenty of other mammals. The only downside of Chobe is the number of tourists, which was a change from the other parks we’d visited. That said, we’re tourists too, so...
In the evening, we took one last boat ride on the Chobe River to end on a high note with a beautiful sunset.
After a good night’s sleep and plenty of wonderful memories, landscapes, animals, and emotions, it was time to leave. We left early in the morning with the same taxi company as before to cross the border into Zimbabwe one last time and head to the airport, where we took off to return to France.
We all have two lives. And the second one kicks off the day you realize you only have one, with the determination to spend the time you have left on what truly adds sparkle to your life, Kevin! I like to elegantly introduce a trip with a philosophical quote. First, it gives you the illusion that I’m some kind of deep thinker, and second, it lets me fill up the first few lines of my blank page when I don’t know how to tell you I’m diving back into what really lights up my life: another adventure beyond the horizon! And nearly every other year, like a toxic relationship, my horizon tends to take shape in Uncle Sam’s backyard. And this, despite his cousin Donald calling the shots. Speaking of which, it was partly that impulsive guy who pushed us to be just as impulsive and snag our four flight tickets at a ridiculously low price—a direct result of foreign tourism taking a hit from BetaMax’s repeated antics... Four tickets? Who are the other lucky ones? In this case, our lucky ones are actually lucky ladies: My Flo, always up for exploring the world with me on foot, camelback, or scooter, is obviously in on the fun. The other two seats went to our daughters, Sasha and Luna, both thrilled to be part of this new American adventure...
But what’s the American West like in February?... A gamble. Let’s call it Russian roulette since we’re not landing during peak weather season. That’s why we encouraged our transportation and accommodation to get cozy and produce a little camper van, so we can stay ultra-flexible in the face of any weather tantrums. We’ll be roaming in Kara the van with the motto "Follow the sun!" Bad weather? We bolt. Snow? We speed up. Sunny? We act like it was the plan all along and soak it up.
"Okay, but why keep coming back to the same corner of the globe? After ten American adventures, you must be tired of seeing the same things, right?" But I’m not crazy, you know!... The American West is like making love to your gorgeous wife over and over, always enjoying it just as much. And contrary to what you might think, the American West isn’t just the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, and Bryce Canyon. Proof is, after ten trips to the U.S., my retinas are still untouched by three-quarters of the places I scribbled on a napkin for this adventure... Oh, and add to that my wife, who I’ve easily converted to my religion, and boom... relapse is even easier! Because yes, we’ve landed in Los Angeles after a sunny flight over Greenland, still under Danish flag for now. And we’re already heading east through the XXL traffic of L.A.’s eight-lane highways, eager to dive into our first discoveries. But first, night is taking over the sky, and second, we’ve been officially awake for 24 hours, so I suggest wrapping up this intro. I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning. Sound good?
This travel journal aims to help future travelers (well, I hope so!), since there’s so little information available about this remote archipelago. Big thanks to Lolodesiles and Ayis for answering my questions while I planned this trip!
Context
This is our fourth trip to Indonesia as a couple—after Java-Bali in 2011, Flores-Komodo in 2013, and Sulawesi in 2016—each time for three weeks. It’s also our tenth trip to Southeast Asia overall.
We’re traveling like we have in previous years: with a rough itinerary that often changes based on who we meet, tips from other travelers, how tired we are, or what we’re feeling in the moment. In the Moluccas, it’ll change constantly, mostly depending on transportation.
Our only accommodation booking: the first few nights in Ambon when we arrive.
Planned route (to be refined on the spot): Ambon - Banda Islands - Lease Islands - Ternate - Tidore - Halmahera (between Sofifi and Tobelo) - Morotai and the neighboring unnamed archipelago.
Flights: Lyon-Paris-Singapore on Air France (428 € round-trip), with good meals, champagne, and wine (we like our little comforts when going on vacation 😏). Then Singapore-Jakarta-Ambon on Air Asia and Garuda.
Return flight: Ternate-Jakarta-Singapore on Lion Air, with a 3-day stopover in Singapore before heading home.
Episode 1: Ambon to Banda
Our guesthouse, booked two days before departure, is 45 minutes from Ambon Airport, near Natsepa Beach (northeast of Leihitu). It’s a pretty average beach—quiet on weekdays but packed on Sundays (we saw the difference). It’s lined with warungs.
This rainy day helps us readjust to the atmosphere of this country we love so much.
Our “Solim Guesthouse” is a lovely house with a living/dining room and garden, costing 15 € per night for two, including a hearty breakfast.
Dinner is at Gaba Gaba, a great restaurant just a short walk away, right by the water, recommended by our host. Fun fact: it’s in the Lonely Planet, and it might be the only LP-listed spot in the Moluccas that actually matches the description (the others either don’t exist or have nothing to do with what’s advertised 😠).
For the next two days, the super-friendly owner lends us his scooter. We set off to explore the coastal villages in northern Leihitu (the western part of Ambon Island, which has a weird shape).
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
Liang Beach, described as the island’s most beautiful, is almost gone (climate change or something else?), but the colors are magical.
We continue 25 km toward a snorkeling spot our host recommended, taking a gorgeous, deserted little road through tiny villages in clove plantations (oh, those unforgettable scents!), stunning coves, and dense forest.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
We ask for directions to the snorkeling spot (not easy—we only know basic Indonesian like *Selamat pagi*, *siang*, *sore*, and other polite phrases). Not many people know where it is (especially since we never know which village we’re in), but we eventually reach a small village that seems to be the right place. 🙂
We ask a local to take us there by boat (it’s not reachable by land).
The spot is at most 100 meters long, but the coral is in good condition (apparently not dynamited by fishermen, unlike in other parts of this beautiful country where fishing methods are destructive and nature pays the price 😠). The fish are plentiful and diverse. It’s a great start before heading to Banda. We’re happy to have the place to ourselves… though we don’t yet realize we won’t see a single tourist for the rest of the trip!
After two days of rest, we head to Tulehu Port in the morning, aiming for the Banda Islands. We know the journey is often tricky: the Pelni ferry runs twice a month but doesn’t match our dates, the 10-seat Suzi Air plane is always full (you can’t book—you have to show up on Mondays and Fridays), and it’s often canceled due to weather. So we opt for the Tuesday speedboat (which also gets canceled if there are waves or wind), with the next one on Saturday.
We’re used to Indonesian ports—crowded, rusty boats, no English speakers—but we still feel lost. When I ask about the speedboat to Bandaneira, people gesture wildly, someone takes me to the “harbor office,” then tells me there’s no boat, others try to sell me tickets, and some just say, “No boat.”
Luckily, an English-speaking local approaches us and confirms the speedboat is broken. The next one will be Saturday *if* it’s fixed—otherwise, even later. 🤪 😠
We’re crushed. We came here for the Banda Islands… 🙁
We decide waiting five days for a maybe-boat isn’t an option, so we decide to head straight to North Moluccas, which was planned for later. We’re so disappointed we don’t even want to stay in the area. The Lease Islands don’t appeal to us despite what we’ve read, and Seram would deserve its own trip with its remote mountain tribes.
Huge disappointment—we’d been dreaming of Banda for months, with its incredible drop-offs like Bunaken, its islands covered in nutmeg trees, etc. I’d read that Banda is in the world’s top 5, alongside Bunaken (amazing—we went in 2016), Komodo (incredible—we went in 2013), Sipadan, and another spot I’ve forgotten.
We take a taxi back to Ambon (45 minutes) to a travel agency to buy plane tickets to Ternate. There’s a daily ATR72 flight at noon—perfect timing.
Ambon is the capital of South Moluccas (or Central, depending on who you ask!) with 300,000 people. The city doesn’t seem unpleasant, but we don’t stop.
On the plane, there are only about ten passengers for 72 seats. The flight attendants are stunning, as always with Wings Air—clearly, they’re hired for their looks. 😊
Stopover in Bacan—a runway in the middle of coconut trees serving a tiny town—then we fly over countless volcanoes, the last one towering over Ternate.
Bonjour,
De retour sur le forum - et première rédaction d'un espèce de carnet de retour de notre 4ème voyage en Indo.
Contexte : une trentaine de jours, en scooter et en duo, sur Florès (et une petite incursion dans l'archipel de Solor, plus précisément à Lembata (chut, faut pas trop en parler !!!), qui donne envie d'en faire beaucoup plus là bas malgré les infrastructures sporadiques), en partie dans des destinations déjà bien connues du forum (la classique Ruteng / Bajawa / Riung / Moni voir baie de Maumere) ... et qui ne parlera pas du PN de Komodo ou de Wae Rebo, puisque nous n'y sommes pas allés 🏴☠️.
Texte en anglais (issu d'une autre plateforme). Sans nul doute, des traducteurs intelligents ou pas marcheront à merveille en cas d'anglophobie 🤪.
Disponible à toute fin utile pour des détails ou infos.
Equippement : Yam' Nmax 155 ; 2x saccoches cavalières (25L) + sac de selle (30L) + saccoche tunnel (15L pour le matos photo) ; casques et vêtements d'enduro amenés depuis la France.
Itinéraire : boucle depuis Labuan bajo jusqu'à Pulau Lembata ; juillet-août 2026
Road conditions graded from A (excellent) to D (very bad, at least for a Scooter… a CRF/KLX or even honda ADV would do better on that)
D1 : Labuan Bajo – Reok via Ranggoe, Rego & Tagol (130km ; 5hrs). Section LBajo – Rego (90 km ; B) is quite good tarmac, despite a lot of elevation with many small valleys and passes. Rego – Tagol (10km ; D) is a stone road (not gravel), some ascents & very poor condition ; necessary to lower tyre pressure. Tagol – Reok port (22km, quality depends considerably from D to B). Reok port – Towncenter : B. Night @Iffah Homestay (100k for fan room, mandi attached, no breakfast), simple but clean. Notes : path to danau Sano Limbung was closed ; access to Tiwu Pai & Wae Kuli (waterfalls) not permitted in july 2026.
D2 : Reok – Riung via Pota (105km ; 3h-3h30). The road is very narrow in some part, thanks to the uncut bushes (lowering visibility hence extra caution as animals/people can suddenly appear in a turn…) but generally good condition except many eroded sections and some unpaved ones. Grade C/B. 2 nights @Mentos (285k for AC room)
D3 : Boat tour in Riung (booked directly with a captain, 800k for two for private boat incl. lunch and NP fees) + sunset from Watu Mitong Riung (should not be missed).
D4 : Riung – Muku Saki via Mbay (around 100km ; 3h30). Quality varies from A in the vicinity of Mbay to eroded sections (C) in secluded places. Night @Sao Paolo Homestay (250k for fan room with mandi, maybe overpriced but nice house and great food). Note : if you happen to pass by Mbay on Saturday, the market is well worth a stop (cheapest Ikat on the trip : you’ll be asked normal prices providing you’re OK in Bahasa…)
D5 : Muku Saki – Tanjung Kajuwulu (near Ndete) (90km, 3h). Many patholes, eroded (C). Night at Déjà Vu Homestay (220k for a matress on the floor & outside mandi/toilets ; I woud define this as a tourist trap – the quote we had for food was double priced too…)
D6 : Tanjung Kajuwulu – Waiterang (east of Maumere, 55km , 1h30). Pathholes till maumere, then All good (TransFlores), C/A. Night at Sunset Cottage (new concrete room, very serene place ; 270k for AC with bathroom ; much prefered Sunset over Lena House (more customers, more built up).
D7 : Waiterang – Larantuka via Boru and Eputobi (TransFlores ; grade A ; 115km / 2h40). Particularly liked the drink stalls (marked as Rest Area Eputobi) and the out of order aquatic park just before Larantuka (obyej wisata waiplatin). Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay, which is not advertising itself as Larantuka Beach Homestay as some contributor signals here and on goole maps review. Best breakfast of the trip (Cumi Cumi !!!) ; 275k for AC room with bathroom.
D8 : Local Boat (Kapal Kayu) from the main port to Lembata (Lewoleba). Departure 8am ; price 60k/head + 50k for the bike. Stop enroute on Adonara (where we did not stop due to fights between communities). Night @Elmany Homestay (275k for AC room with bathroom, fan room with shared bathroom also available). Whole afternoon at Pantai Hadakewa, fantastic place (good snorkeling, great views of Ile Api aka Gn Lewotolo). Road condition : A (did not expect the TransLembata to be that good…).
D9 : Loop around Ile Api (50km, 2hrs), anticlockwise. Stops enroute at Situs Tulang Paus (whale squeletton), pantai Jotona, pantai Wena (we expected to snorkel from there, but wind was very strong that day), situs Watu Nale, Selat Sonia. The western coast is far less interesting. Road conditions : bad (C) on the eastern side (up to Riangbeda), good (B/A) afterwards. Night @Elmany Homestay.
D10 : Lewoleba – Lamalera via the western and south coast (70km, 2h30). Good road (B) for roughly the first 55km (up to Tapobali), then eroded track for the last 15km (in some parts steep and dangerous) up to Lamalera (D/C). Notes : 1/ Kuma resort denied us the entry for some drink ; 2/Pantai Waijarang « complex » is abandonned but closed with fences ; you can still sneak in ; 3/ some reports advise to skip Bukit Cinta (foreigner entry fee) for Bukit Doa Watomiten (stations of the cross) ; well Bukit Cinta has also been abandonned (well spent money…sic) but remains opened with structures falling (quickly) appart. Night @Lamalera Inn (200k per head including meals ; very basic fan room + attached mandi). Planned 2 nights, spent only one, as it’s the only tenant I had difficulties with (only interested in money, initially stated crazy prices, starts loud music at 6am … and drinking moke at 8am…)
D11 : Trip to Wulandoni for the Barter Market (Saturday only). Bad road (C) along the coast. Had to report at the Kantor upon arrival, which quite surprisingly asked 100k per person (foreigner) to go inside the (outside) market. Other « local » tourists (a group from Jakarta) were not asked to pay. Well, since a market is a public space and not a zoo, we refused payment and enjoyed the activity from the kopi stall next to it. Returned then to Lamalera for the catches of the day, then to Lewoleba via the mountain road (45km, 2 hours). First 10km to Puor is in very bad condition and uphill (D/C). The remaining is on a newly constructed road (A). Note : Air Panas Sabutobo is abandonned and falling apart (again…) but there are still some water pipes along the river that you can enjoy (depending how lucky you are, just with the forest sounds as companion). Night @Elmany Homestay
D12 : Chill day alond the northern coast (Batu Payung, Pantai Hadakewa with lot of snorkeling, drove till Wailolong and backtracked to Pantai Lewolein for more snorkeling (nice canyons there !) and another fantastic sunset over Ile Api (see GMaps pictures)). Night @Elmany Homestay
D13 : Monday weekly market at Pada, southwest of Lewoleba. Renowned but honnestly dont plan any itinerary specifically for it, just an ordinary Kampung weekly market. Returned to Larantuka and Flores with the 12pm local boat (the same boat that leaves from Larantuka at 8am). Same prices as the first leg. Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay
D14 : Larantuka – Waiterang along the northern coast (100km, 3h) via Pantai Kawaliwu, Tewuk Lewokluok (trail is easy to find, very nice snorkelling in a lagoon), Pantai Lato (to my opinion the most beautiful beach on Flores and you’ll be the only visitor, as opposed to Pantai Koka) and Pantai Hia, until rejoining the TransFlores near Nebe. Grade C on the costal eroded road / track. 3 nights @Lena Guesthouse (booked ahead as it fills up quickly, but we prefered its neighbour Sunset Beach Guesthouse)
D15 : Snorkeling trip organised by Lena Guesthouse (200k per head excluding NP fees and lunch)). The drop-off near Pulau Babi is a very nice spot.
D16 : scooter day trip around the Egon Range (too lazy to hike it…), through nice Sikka villages (route : Watublapi, Umauta, Bola, pantai Doreng, Nakatoli, foot of Gn Egon, Air panas Blidit). The track from Natakoli to the foot of Gn Egon is very steep, damaged and wet (with moss) ; I would recommend not to attempt that in case of bad weather.
D17 : Waiterang – Moni (130km, 3h30, transflores grade A/B) via Pantai Koka (refused to pay the mafia entry fee…) and Jopu (some rumah Adat Lio). Stopped at Museum Bikon Blewut, south of Maumere. Very nice artefacts (especially wooden statues from Papuan, great ikat collection) although very disorganized and sadly non-visited (hence masterpieces fall into oblivion). 2 Nights @Liahz Lodge (150k for fan room, basic bathroom… but right next to Air Panas Liasembe (free, no closing time) !!!).
D18 : Sunrise from Kelimutu with a nice weather (stayed until 8.30am). I don’t know if the sunrise is really worth it (lot of people ascending and watching the sunrise – a lot but nothing compared to e.g. Gn Bromo), nearly everyone going down around 7am, then there is virtually nobody. Trip (20km one way, good road B) to Kampung Adat Nggela (Lio). Although the village is habited and mostly out of the beaten path, I have mixed fillings due to the fact that most ladies (some are pushy) try to sell you (bad) pieces of ikat.
D19 : Moni – Ende via Detusoko paddy fields, Kampung Adat Saga (Lio) and Puncak Ndona ; 75km 2h30. We really liked Saga (nice setting on the mountain, friendly villagers, no selling, mix between traditional and more modern houses in that lively village). Sunset from Bukit Raja, on the peninsula with a 360 view on Gn Iya, Gn Meja Kota Ende and the mountains behind. Note : at the end of the road (search for Gunung Meja Tourist Info Center), there is a (sand) track leading to the path. 1/ only intend the track if you have off road driving experience ; 2/ dont trust the walking time stated by Maps.me. Took us 45mins on a steady pace to reach the summit. Night @Hoja Homestay, 300k for a comfortable AC room with bathroom.
D20 : Ende – Bajawa, via Air Panas Mengeruda ; grade A, 120km, 3 hours. Note : don’t plan to short in Mengeruda (Soa), very easy to spend a half day there, especially if playing with local kids. Stay @Cinnamon GH, 250k for double with fan and hot shower (cheaper options with shared hot shower availlable).
D21 : First day in Bajawa : Watu Nari Wowo (Avatar Hill, sic…), Kampung Adat Ngada Tololela & Gurusina (very very friendly people, complementary views of Gn Inerie & Wolo Deru). Sunset from Puncak Manulalu (well… Heaven’s door Bar & Restaurant)
D22 : Second day in Bajawa : Kampung Adat Ngio (hardly visited, best view on Gn Inerie), Air Panas Malanage, Kampung Adat Bena (the most visited Ngada village (after Bela ?) in the area, we went there at the end of the afternoon to avoid tours, early morning would be fine too), and Gunung Wolobobo for a terrific sunset
D23 : returned to Gunung Wolobobo for sunrise with Gn Ebulobo in the distance (search for a track on the eastern slope, near the communication antenna). You can circuit the rim to the usual viewpoint (westside, sunset spot), the path is easy to find. Then took again the road to Aimere, visiting Kampung Adat Belaraghi enroute (the setting is maybe less rewarding than all the previous villages). 56km ; 1h30. The road to Belaraghi is fine, except the final part.
D24 : Aimere – Ruteng (105km, 3h30). Nice detour by the paddy fields of Wodo (southwest of Golo Loni) of Sunset from Golo Curu (nice encounters with locals). Night @Tange GH, 130k for room with outside (private) bathroom, no breakfast.
D25 : Surroundings of Ruteng (paddy fields north and east of ruteng ; Maps.me has funny tracks starting from Kenda), and the rather pleasant city itself (pasar, churches, lapangan). We finally skipped Liang Bua.
D26 : Ruteng - Labuan Bajo (130km, 3h30). No visits of the waterfalls close to the TransFlores (entry fee (with bule prices) + mandatory guide etc…). Sunset from Bukit Hercadi with very few locals (Bukit Sylvia & Bukit Amelia, just south, were packed). 2 nights @Wellamas Homestay, away from the harbour and its advantages/disadvantages. 230k for comfortable AC room with hot shower.
D27 : New road to Golo Mori Convention Center (another big money well spent…), with nice views on the strait separating Flores from Pulau Rinca. Some empty beaches (e.g. Pantai Pasir Pajang ; we were there on a weekday perhaps frequented by people from LBajo only). 30km (40 mins) one way, perhaps the fastest road of Flores…
D28 : Morning on the peninsula north of Labuan Bajo before taking a flight to Jakarta in the afternoon. On Google maps, the asphalt road only goes to Teras Langit ; it now (august 2026) continues to Puncak Basok and is still in progress towards the eastern part of the peninsula. On the way back, two other nice Bukit where you can enjoy nice views on the bay (and the resorts…) : Bukit Lontar & Bukit Beta. Note : we only found one public (and nice and quiet) beach in the area ; tagged as Sunset Point Beach on Gmaps. All the rest was closed by fences ; they are privately owned (although the Indonesian consitution grants the coastline as public space).
We're a family of five: one dad, one mom, and three kids aged 10, 15, and 18.
Before diving into each stop in more detail, here are a few general thoughts:
We wanted to sample a bit of everything Japan has to offer in terms of landscapes, accommodation, and transport. We were after walks, temples, restaurants, shopping, and some downtime—but no "all-inclusive experiences" or museums for this first visit.
Three medium-sized (60x42x25) canvas suitcases, plus a duffel bag and a few small backpacks. 23 kg in the hold on the way out, 60 kg on the way back. 36 kg of shopping, without even trying. I think this is the maximum suitcase size if you don’t want to stress on the Shinkansen: they fit easily in the overhead racks.
Round-trip with Cathay Pacific, layover in Hong Kong: no need to collect luggage in Hong Kong—we checked it in at departure and picked it up in Tokyo, and the same on the way back (checked in Osaka, picked up at our final destination). This let us explore Hong Kong without worrying about our bags. Food and entertainment were pretty good—meals included a little Häagen-Dazs on each flight, and the entertainment had way more Asian cinema than you’d find on a Western airline, which was a nice way to see how much weight Western culture carries in Asia.
The original plan was to fly directly from Ishigaki to Hong Kong, but due to Typhoon Dolphin, we had to cancel the Ishigaki leg. Cathay didn’t bat an eye about swapping the Ishigaki-HK flight for an Osaka-HK one, even though it was twice as long.
We were a bit too attached to the idea of ending the trip with some beach time and replaced Ishigaki with Shirahama. It was a mistake—we should’ve visited Hiroshima or spent a little more time in Tokyo instead.
Last February, I made a trip using "public transport" from France to southern Senegal via Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania.
It’s a journey of about 5,000 km, where I took trains (as far as Marrakech), ferries (to cross Gibraltar and then to reach Casamance from Dakar), and mostly buses on the long desert straightaways. I hadn’t planned any stops in advance or booked any hotels, except for the very first train to Spain, which left plenty of room for the unexpected.
Why travel by land and sea? In recent years, flight-free travel has been gaining popularity. On social media, posts explaining how to cross Europe by train as quickly as possible go viral. Traveling without flying—and making sure people know about it—has become a great way to earn a badge of eco-responsibility: an essential totem for anyone wanting to prove both their dedication to the ecological cause and the wisdom of slow travel.
I haven’t flown in years, and this journey to West Africa could easily be filed under "responsible travel." But it wouldn’t be honest to say that: in reality, it wasn’t really my aversion to flying that motivated this long trek. I see overland travel primarily as a way to experience the world’s geography at a grounded, earthly pace—the pace of the locals. Besides, I’ll be flying back, which disqualifies any claim to being a model of sustainability.
So no eco-badge, and no adventurer’s badge either: you won’t find any heroic tales of camel rides in lost lands or mineral train wagons in this account (popular with influencers, the Mauritania iron ore train now attracts tourists from all over the world, turning "the experience" into something you "have to do at least once in your life"). This five-part story, written on the road, has no other ambition than to recount a journey through places and people, and to share the thoughts they inspire in me. As simply and, I hope, as humbly as possible.
I’m posting the episodes here, which you can also find on my blog (with more photos) at the following links:
Episode 1: Spain, from Avignon to Algeciras
Episode 2: Morocco, from Tangier to Tarfaya
Episode 3: Western Sahara, from Tarfaya to Guerguerat
Episode 4: Mauritania, from Guerguerat to Nouakchott
Episode 5: Senegal, from Rosso to Saloulou
To help those who might want to make the same trip, I’ve also put together a summary of the route with recommendations—you can read it at the end of the story and on the blog:
From France to Senegal Without Flying: Route and Itinerary Recommendations
Hello and welcome aboard this new travel journal!
We’re heading off to Ireland together—a country I’ve wanted to explore for a very long time.
The moment has finally arrived.
We’ll be traveling as a family—my wife, my husband, and our 7-year-old daughter.
Here’s our itinerary:
24/07: Flight from Marseille to Dublin, overnight in Dublin
25/07: Dublin, overnight in Dublin
26/07: Dublin, overnight in Dublin
27/07: Pick up rental car, drive to Dingle, overnight near Tralee on the peninsula
28/07: Visit the Ring of Kerry
29/07: Adare, Bunratty Castle, Galway, overnight in Outheragh, near Galway
30/07: Cliffs of Moher, overnight in Outheragh
31/07: Connemara, overnight in Outheragh
01/08: Drive to Sligo via Westport and Downpatrick Head, overnight in Sligo
02/08: Slieve League, Silver Strand Beach, Glencolmcille, overnight in Sligo
03/08: Drive to Derry via Glenveagh National Park, overnight in Derry
04/08: Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Portrush, Derry, overnight in Derry
05/08: Drive to Belfast, visit Belfast, overnight in Lisburn (Belfast suburbs)
06/08: Game of Thrones filming locations: Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede, Ballintoy, etc., overnight in Lisburn
07/08: Drive to the Wicklow Mountains, visit Wicklow Mountains National Park, overnight in Blessington
08/08: Drive back to Dublin and return to Marseille.
Cost breakdown:
Flights:
Outbound flights with KLM via Amsterdam for 3: 175 € + 40,000 Flying Blue miles (so essentially a free ticket)
Return flight with Aer Lingus for 3: 489 €
Rental car:
10 days booked with Enterprise via Carigami: 443 € including zero-excess insurance.
Accommodation:
Dublin: 3 nights at Maldron Hotel New Cross: 394 €
Tralee: 2 nights in a caravan (Ocean Trail Oasis): 292 €
Outheragh: 3 nights Airbnb, family room with private bathroom: 430 €
Sligo: 2 nights at Clayton Hotel: 456 €
Derry: 2 nights at Belfray Inn: 255 €
Lisburn: 2 nights at Temple Golf Club: 232 €
Blessington: 1 night at Baltyboys Lodges B&B: 158 €
That brings our total to 3,325 € for three.
On the ground, visits, fuel, and food cost around 2,500 €.
So this was quite an expensive trip.
A few price examples:
1 liter of unleaded fuel: 1.89 €
3-day pass in Dublin: 18 €
1 scoop of ice cream: 5 to 6.5 €
Castle visit: 15 € per person
A coffee: 3-4 €
A glass of wine at a restaurant: 8-10 €
A half-pint of Guinness: 7-12 €
Now, here’s the day-by-day account of our adventure in Ireland:
Our decision is our decision. And it’s firm and final. Next winter, our plane will spread its great wings toward the island of Ceylon! "Wait a minute... Ceylon... Ceylon... that name rings a bell, but I can’t quite place it on the globe Grandma gave me for Christmas! Ceylon... Oh right, I’ve got it: Ceylon is the name of my tea!" Exactly. But the name on your pretty tea box is also the one used until 1972 for this island nation, a speck on the Indian Ocean at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent: Sri Lanka!
For this new adventure, I’m exceptionally leaving my Flo behind, cowardly replaced by a double dose of testosterone. To write the book of this journey with me, I’m bringing along my brother, who’s used to this kind of thing, and... a guest star: My model of resilience. My dad! All aboard! Or rather, all aboard our tuk-tuk! Yes, you read that right: A real tuk-tuk, a little colorful rolling box that putters along at two miles an hour. The idea? Well, Sri Lanka and its winding roads overlooking the vastness of lush nature are tailor-made for this kind of vehicle. And since it’s one of only two countries in the world that allow foreigners to rent and drive these mini speedsters, we’ll be crisscrossing the island in our two-square-meter rolling box. Plus, adopting this mode of transport is a surefire way to connect directly with the locals, who’ll surely be curious to see a foreigner driving their iconic vehicle. Not to mention the... let’s say... spicy anecdotes it might generate. I mean, heading into a subtropical zone with my jet-black dad and his unpredictable digestive flora while deliberately choosing the tuk-tuk as our *only* means of transport? That’s the winning combo for an unforgettable adventure! "More seriously, Dad, Sullivan, I’m already loving the idea of living this adventure together, the three of us—brothers and father..."
So, does the intro to this new adventure get your salivary glands going? Yes? Too bad. Because unfortunately, the program handed out by the lady at the entrance has been slightly... let’s say *crumpled*. Some might even say "scrunched up and nearly tossed in the trash." First, six days ago, as the countdown echoed in us like a call to adventure, Cyclone Ditwah grabbed Sri Lanka, played with it like a rag doll, and left it battered on the ground. The toll is devastating: over a thousand dead, thousands of homes wiped out by relentless rains, roads and railways swallowed by massive mudslides. A country wounded once again, after the civil war, the 2004 tsunami, and the post-Covid economic crisis.
But as if this weather disaster wasn’t enough to shake our unbreakable adventurer spirit, fate decided to mess with us further by cutting our trio down to two. The victim? My brother, violently turned away because of a simple date on his passport that didn’t match the border officials’ expectations. Return to sender!
So now it’s just the two of us allowed to board the Qatar Airways Airbus A380 for this trip. If he were here, Denis Brognart would say, "And in the end, only one remains!" Except I know you’ll be with us, following our adventures! Right?
Hello everyone, I’m happy to welcome you to this new travel journal.
We’re heading to Costa Rica together—a Central American destination that dreams are made of for many French travelers and attracts crowds from France.
It was the country’s wild nature and safety that convinced us to go, since we’re traveling with our 7-year-old little one.
We didn’t have much vacation time in February 2026 (only 12 days), so we optimized as much as possible.
Here’s the itinerary:
Wednesday, February 11: Flight from Marseille to San Jose via Paris and Atlanta
Thursday, February 12: Pick up the car, drive to Poas Volcano, visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Friday, February 13: Poas Volcano and drive to Manuel Antonio
Saturday, February 14: Manuel Antonio National Park
Sunday, February 15: Nauyaca Waterfall and Playa Linda
Monday, February 16: Drive to Monte Verde and Santa Elena Reserve
Tuesday, February 17: El Tigre Waterfall Reserve and Treetopia Park
Wednesday, February 18: Monte Verde Reserve with a guide and drive to La Fortuna
Thursday, February 19: Sloth guided tour, Observatory Lodge Park
Friday, February 20: Arenal Volcano National Park, Termalistas del Arenal hot springs, and night tour
Saturday, February 21: Return to San Jose, flight to Paris via Atlanta
Sunday, February 22: Arrival in Paris and flight to Marseille.
That gives us a solid 9 days in the country.
Budget breakdown:
Costa Rica is an expensive country, but no more so than France. However, almost all hikes and waterfalls are paid entry, which can really add up.
For meals, sodas (6–10 €) are cheaper than restaurants (10–20 € per dish).
Flights:
We chose Delta Airlines for the price: Marseille to San Jose was 740 € per person (modifiable, with checked baggage and seat selection included).
Other direct flights from Europe were priced between 1200 € and 1600 € with more restrictive conditions.
That’s 2220 € for the family.
Accommodations:
Alajuela, first night: 139 € (1 night) at Rodeo Estancia Boutique Hotel, with personalized airport pickup, transfer to the hotel, and a briefing from Vert Costa Rica agency the next day.
Poas: 66 € (1 night) at Cabañas Tierra Fértil (entire apartment).
Manuel Antonio: 394 € (3 nights) at La Palapa Ecolodge (hotel in the jungle).
Monte Verde: Chalet Aloha Monteverde Cloud Forest (2 bedrooms): 125 € (2 nights).
La Fortuna: Arenal Dream Garden (1 bedroom): 217 € (3 nights).
Total: 941 €.
Car rental:
I went through Vert Costa Rica agency (Vincent is a French expat who set up the agency in Costa Rica and makes great YouTube videos with useful tips).
I rented a 4x4 that was delivered to the hotel the day after arrival and returned at the airport before the flight. The total was 772 €, including full insurance (zero deductible), a child seat, and a phone with a Costa Rican SIM and WhatsApp. The rental company was Poas Rent a Car. The vehicle was well-maintained—no complaints.
Gas: 100 € for the whole trip (3 fill-ups).
Activities:
To get discounts, I bought the pass offered by Vincent, which paid for itself after just one activity. It cost me 30 € (promo since I rented the car through him).
Prices are for 3 people. I’ve added stars to rate them:
La Paz Waterfall Gardens ****: 112 €
Poas Volcano National Park *: 33 €
Manuel Antonio National Park ****: 35 €
Nauyaca Waterfall ***: 25 €
Santa Elena Reserve **: 45 €
El Tigre Waterfall Reserve ****: 141 € (with meal)
Treetopia (ziplining, suspension bridges) **: 250 €
Guided tour of Monte Verde Reserve ***: 113 €
Sloth guided tour (with breakfast) ***: 115 €
Arenal Observatory Lodge (with meal) ****: 102 €
Arenal Volcano National Park *: 34 €
Termalistas del Arenal ****: 20 €
Night tour ***: 116 €
Total: 1171 €.
Meals: 600 €
My favorite restaurants:
Poas: Food court Mercaditas in Fraijanes
Manuel Antonio (near La Palapa): La Langosta and also El Patio
Near Nauyaca Waterfall: Ricar2 el Avión
Between Manuel Antonio and Monte Verde: Soda D’Calle
Santa Elena: HG’s Food
Guadalupe (between Monte Verde and La Fortuna): Soda Río Piedras
Arenal Observatory Lodge restaurant
Arenal Oasis Ecolodge restaurant
Other expenses: 300 € (groceries for breakfast, drinks, ice cream, souvenirs, etc.)
Total overall: 6065 € (about 2020 € per person).
Now, here’s the day-by-day account of this beautiful trip.
Les ronds-points sont particulièrement intéressants puisqu'on y retrouve des emblèmes de la culture turkmène, soit le chien, soit un tapis, soit le cheval Ahal Teke soit des symboles musulmans, même si la présence d'artefacts islamiques est assez réduite.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
A little sneak peek?
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
The karst site:
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
