I’m one of those people who really hesitate to pay by card, even in my own country (France).
So far, I’ve managed to avoid it, except for two bad experiences where I ran into shady merchants—one charged my card when I’d only given it as a guarantee, and the other went ahead and did his online shopping with my card.
But it’s not just about distrusting merchants’ honesty.
I’m increasingly uncomfortable with how dematerialized the world is becoming. Plus, automatic debits have already made budgeting so confusing that I don’t want to add card payments to the mix.
Oops, I forgot about online card payments: unfortunately, I don’t always have a choice, and some items I can only find through e-commerce, which requires a card. I got a virtual card to limit risks, but that doesn’t solve the problem of keeping track of my budget.
Before, it was simple: regular cash withdrawals of the same amount for daily expenses, and for exceptional expenses, checks where the amount, payee, and purpose were recorded and filed chronologically in a stub for easy tracking.
But things aren’t getting any better.
Recently, a relative had all their accounts frozen due to a tax authority error, and I’ve had my own Kafkaesque experiences with tax services and my bank. That’s why I’ve gone back to doing what our ancestors did—stashing cash "just in case."
Of course, if I’m trekking in the middle of nowhere on the other side of the world, where ATMs aren’t always available, card payments aren’t always accepted, and walking home isn’t an option, I make sure to carry enough to handle emergencies. Yes, I take my card (I only have one, and it already stresses me out), but I also have enough to get by without it for a while.
For now, I’m leaning more toward going back to gold coins than toward using more cards.
"La seule chose dont on soit sûr, en ce qui concerne l'avenir, c'est qu'il n'est jamais conforme à nos prévisions." (Jean Dutourd)
this doesn’t solve the problem of how hard it’s become for me to keep track of my budget
I really don’t see the issue???
My grandma had a notebook where she jotted down her income and expenses.
Like this:
Pension 7800 (francs...) bread 1
Eggs 3
France Télécom 200
Whether the 1, the 3, or the 200 was cash, a check, a card payment, or a direct debit didn’t matter.
I still keep this kind of journal—just a bit simpler—for vacations.
I know where I stand.
You must be bad at math, right?😉
It goes without saying that if I’m trekking in the middle of nowhere on the other side of the world, where ATMs aren’t always around, card payments aren’t always accepted, and walking home isn’t an option, I make sure to have enough cash on me to handle a bunch of emergencies.
That wasn’t the point.
A traveler rarely lands straight in a time-warped zone.
Where does the money they need to cover expenses *there* come from?
That was the topic...
From an ATM at the airport or in the arrival city?
From a currency exchange office (which you also have to locate, since they’re not everywhere, just like ATMs)?
From exchanging money before leaving your home country?
And why choose one over the other?
So far, it’s mostly a matter of habit.
Travelers—myself included—are creatures of routine.
My grandmother had a notebook where she recorded her income and expenses.\nLike this:\n\nPension 7800 (francs...) bread 1\nEggs 3\nFrance Télécom 200\n\nWhether the 1st, the 3rd, or the 200th were cash, checks, a card, or a direct debit, it made no difference.\n\nBefore:\n_One withdrawal per week for the same amount\n_Payments by check noted and filed chronologically as they happened, with the details I found relevant.\n\nNow:\n_Withdrawals still fairly regular (though larger recently, since the difficulty in withdrawing cash makes me stock up for future trips and to guard against bank or tax errors, for example)\n_Payments by check when I can for non-routine expenses (increasingly rare)\n_Automatic debits that require extra monitoring to ensure a given company doesn’t overstep its bounds (happened this week)\n_E-card payments whose purpose I forget when I read my bank statement\n\nBefore, to get an idea of what I’d spent in a month, I just had to glance at my checkbook stub. Now, I also have to turn on my computer, enter annoying usernames and secret codes to access scattered information that’s not presented the way I’d like—and on top of that, it exposes me to hacking risks (I’ve already had a Trojan on my computer from a "trusted" source).\n\nA traveler rarely arrives directly in a time-warped zone.\nWhere does the money they need to cover expenses in that zone come from?\nThat was the topic...\nFrom an ATM at the airport or in the arrival city?\nFrom a currency exchange office (which also needs to be located, since like ATMs, they’re not everywhere)?\nFrom an earlier exchange in their home country?\n\nIf the traveler in question is spending a long time "in the middle of nowhere," they might not want to spend several days in the big arrival city just to withdraw stacks of cash, especially since daily and weekly withdrawal limits are capped. So in that case, if their name is Ludoméro, they’ll bring stacks of cash obtained with great difficulty in their home country.\n\nSo far, it’s mainly a lifestyle habit that dictates each person’s choice.\nTravelers, including me, are creatures of habit.\n\nYes, routine plays a big role—it’s a way to lighten the mental load.
"La seule chose dont on soit sûr, en ce qui concerne l'avenir, c'est qu'il n'est jamais conforme à nos prévisions." (Jean Dutourd)
Currently:
_ fairly regular cash withdrawals (though more significant recently, the difficulty in withdrawing leading me to stockpile for future trips and to guard against bank or tax errors, for example)
_ check payments when possible for non-recurring expenses (increasingly rare)
_ automatic debits that require special monitoring to ensure a given debtor doesn’t overstep their bounds (happened this week)
_ e-card payments whose purpose I forget when I read my bank statement
You’re spending too much...
I honestly don’t get your stress at all.
he might not necessarily want to spend several days in the big arrival city just to withdraw stacks of cash, ........he’ll board with stacks of cash obtained with great difficulty in his home country.
Either way, it’s not easy...
Just check your card’s website for ATM locations, save them on a site like Maps.me, and you’re done in 2 minutes.
his daily and weekly withdrawal limits being capped.
A limit is flexible.
Just ask your banker to adjust it.
I think some of your issues stem from not being comfortable with computers.🙂
There's one aspect we haven't touched on: the fees that cards impose on merchants. Eventually, merchants will inevitably be tempted to raise their prices to offset the loss caused by these fees. We keep hearing about "free" cards for users, but it's a mirage—there's no such thing as free services... Paying in cash incurs no fees for either the customer or the seller....
...
I even think we’ve all cheated at some point or another.
Some people even brag about it.
I feel like you’re undermining your own point. Your arguments, like the one about the moving cap (in your previous message), don’t really hold up. For example, after adjustments, the cap is modified but it’s still there. So...?
I don’t quite see the connection between a credit card’s spending limit and the minor and major tax evasion involving VAT, income tax, corporate tax, social security contributions, etc.?
One topic can go off in all directions.
And there’s a link between fraud and the original subject.
That link was even mentioned in the introduction.
Hello everyone,
In an era of zero-commission cards and fee-free accounts, I wonder why some travelers still prefer to carry a wallet full of cash and exchange it on the spot?
I get the appeal for those who earn undeclared income, but what about everyone else?
You know, like all of us, that Virtue (with a capital V) is out of reach for imperfect humans like we all are at one point or another... Even you!
I don’t consider it illegal or immoral to pay my expenses abroad—or even in France—in US dollars or euros. This money belongs to me, and I didn’t steal it from anyone...
It’s really France in the age of permanent suspicion—all of this! My neighbor has more than I do, drives a BMW while I only have a Citroën, he goes to Canada with his family while I spend my vacations in the Creuse at the family house, so obviously, it’s all suspicious!!!
He must be cheating, he has hidden income...
Some of you have probably seen Americans pulling out wads of bills from their pockets, sometimes $100 bills (in casinos, for example), and this massive use of cash doesn’t seem to bother the IRS. So why all this hysteria and cheap moralizing from our politicians across the board?
Let’s also note that banks—which barely make money by skimming their customers’ savings accounts—are raking it in with those "painless" fees (until you get the bill once a year) generated by the relentless use of credit cards, even for paying the baker... It’s absurd!
The shared guilt we all feel—enough already!
Let us live and spend our money as we see fit. And let the State focus on real fraudsters (including those in white collars)... In this era of technological (cameras) and digital surveillance (state spyware), freedom and democracy are under threat. When an all-powerful State meddles in everything (I saw this in Norway, for example, the proclaimed paragon of the most advanced democracy), it’s hard not to think of George Orwell...
Could you give me your definition of "dirty" money?
Earned dishonestly? According to what, in whose eyes?
How many states that lecture others on morality when preaching to those who finance and support them behave completely differently when acting on their own behalf? Honest or not—according to whom? The state? The tax authorities? Heaven?
You really have no idea about the global scale of dirty money? 😮
It has nothing to do with my neighbor, my boss, or my cat.
You can own a Ferrari honestly and a Dacia dishonestly.
And vice versa.
What’s the point of playing the knight in shining armor if it just makes you sick, unsatisfied, and bitter? The world’s imperfect—you can’t fix it all by yourself! 🤪
Now, if you’re a tax agent, a finance inspector, a brilliant IT specialist recruited by the Ministry of Finance, or even a professional hacker working for the government, then go for it and catch those who push the limits.
And if you want and can afford the Ferrari of your dreams, don’t hesitate. It’s still allowed...
It’s just fun, and life’s short. 😎
You're right, it was mentioned in the introduction. But here I’m wondering: should this aspect of the topic (tax fraud) really have a place in a discussion about travel?
And I’m curious if this angle (the possibility of "hiding" money in various ways) was actually picked up or understood by the debaters, since it’s only becoming clear now. To me, it feels like a drift away from the forum’s spirit (if I’m wrong, I’ll "hide" myself...).
--
And there is a link between fraud and the original topic.
This link was even pointed out in the introduction.
Cash is profitable... for central banks that create money out of thin air.
And financial institutions like commercial banks are forced to borrow, even with low interest rates.
The more cash there is, the more it encourages people to consume.
So yes, consumers end up in debt for it.
It’s an incentive for fraud...
I wrote this in another discussion thread—someone even dismissed my point rudely.
It’s clear that the more cash there is, the more it fuels the underground economy and all kinds of trafficking.
The underground economy (drug trafficking, etc.) involves billions of euros.
It’s in the interest of governments and central banks to eliminate cash so they can better control money circulation.
"The informal economy (drug trafficking, etc.) generates billions of euros"
It still exists, but with risks. Even more profitable now: illegal immigration, smuggler networks, human trafficking of women and children, etc., with fewer risks involved.
I’ll admit, I don’t understand your stress at all.😮
The fact that we’re in a society that forces us to increase our payment methods—and thus the risk of potential "leaks"—actually stresses me out. I found things simpler when I only had a checkbook to check to get an idea of where I stood, and I could travel to the other side of the world without worrying that someone would drain my account using my banking details (just learned today that a large, unexplained withdrawal is happening on my account—cool) or credit card.
You just have to check your card’s website to see where the ATMs are, save them on a site like Maps.me, and boom—done in 2 minutes.
I’ll admit, I didn’t quite get your response here. 😐
Finding ATMs isn’t the issue for me—it’s finding ones that dispense large bills that’s tricky (and I don’t know any site that provides that info).
I think part of your problems comes from the fact that you’re not comfortable with computers.🙂
True, I’m not comfortable with computers—these things that, overnight, can destroy or hand over to a criminal what you’ve entrusted to them. Plus, I’m burned out on passwords. 🏴☠️
"La seule chose dont on soit sûr, en ce qui concerne l'avenir, c'est qu'il n'est jamais conforme à nos prévisions." (Jean Dutourd)
Even if someone manages to steal your online banking login details, don’t assume they’d drain your account so easily: they’d need to set up an external transfer, confirm it by SMS, and daily transfer limits apply...
In some countries—especially in the north or the East—it’s getting tricky to avoid using a card. For example, the other day, I wanted to buy a local SIM card, and I had no choice. Clearly, no one uses cash for that kind of thing anymore.
...to central banks that create money ex nihilo out of nothing.
A country’s banks don’t just do whatever they want—they’re subject to rules. Adjusting the money supply with the central bank’s approval, in the interest of the economy (of a country), within a well-defined legal framework, when conditions are met, and within authorized debt ratio limits—is that creating money "out of nothing"? No, unless you’re using ambiguous terms.
Money creation by banks is therefore part of necessary financial policy; it’s not some reckless gamble.
... you have to set up an external transfer, you need SMS confirmation, the amount of external transfers is capped per day...
Michel
SMS: not necessarily. For example, security can involve reinserting the card into a device and entering a new random "code". You need to have the card.
Daily cap: I don’t know about that... I paid for my "little car" in a single transfer from one country to another (EU).
But since I’m not an expert either, I’m just sharing my experience.
The card that only activates after an ATM withdrawal or a PIN payment is for new cards—this way, they’re never sent by registered mail. Everyone avoids those pesky registered letters.
There’s always a limit on external transfers, often 5,000 € or 10,000 €.
The card that only activates after an ATM withdrawal or a PIN payment—that’s for new cards, so they’re never sent by registered mail. Everyone avoids those damn registered letters.
The card that... No relation to the topic.
There’s always a limit on external transfers, often 5,000 or 10,000.
Michel
??? Possible, but not my experience.
Of course the amount will necessarily be capped because you can’t exceed your balance!! Just kidding.
I find it particularly pathetic not to contribute to funding social security, the pension system, the education system, or the various safety nets while still wanting to benefit from them.
Even more pathetic when the lure of profit or the thrill of the game (some cheat just for the fun of it...) isn’t acknowledged.
You’ve got to own it instead of playing the shocked virgin act—like, "It’s not just me, the big guys do it, so why shouldn’t I?"
We can dream of things that serve no purpose—seems to be the very principle of existence, if you ask me. So, a Ferrari or something else, why not? Of course...
You’re coming across as bitter in this discussion; it’s dripping from every one of your posts.
Some people behave badly?
Well, let me tell you straight: when it comes to bad behavior and disrespecting common rules, if there’s anyone here who has no right to talk—and especially no right to lecture—it’s the French state.
Michel
if not to make yourself sick, unsatisfied, and bitter?
Why would I be?😮
Just because some people behave badly doesn’t mean I’ll lose sleep over it.
There’s no reason to.
I don’t get your logic.
And if you want and can afford the Ferrari of your dreams, go for it. We still have the right...
It’s just pleasure, and life is short.
Why would I dream of a Ferrari?
It’s useless.
If it makes some people happy to buy one with honestly earned money, I don’t see the problem—but personally, meh.
I find it particularly pathetic not to contribute to funding social security, the pension system, the education system, or the various safety nets while still wanting to benefit from them.
...................
You’ve got to own it instead of playing the shocked virgin like, "It’s not just me—big players do it, so why shouldn’t I?"
It’s petty.
Intellectually, in this specific and isolated case, I think you’re becoming increasingly disappointing. You’re veering off course in the middle of a turn by digging into your desire for social morality and exemplarity.
You’re missing the point.
That’s not cool!
And also: no, tax-driven travel isn’t travel in the spirit of this forum.
Bitte! Please, Ti prego...
Some people behave badly?
Well, let me tell you straight up, when it comes to bad behavior and not respecting common rules, if there's anyone here who has nothing to say—and especially no right to talk—it's the French state.
I tend to agree with what Attila said.
Yeah, I know—I spent most of my life in France, and the deductions are huge, we all know that, and sure, it's easy to conclude that the state is messing up.
But despite a long-standing effort to unravel things, the social benefits in France are still massive.
I now live in Argentina. Half the economy is underground, no one wants to pay taxes, it's often hard to pay any other way than cash, and yet, there are rarely—*very* rarely—days without protests in the capital demanding EVERYTHING from the state.
To me, this makes absolutely no sense, but hey, I must be old-school.
As for the eternal refrain "they steal so I steal," it’s even more illogical. Here, THEY really do steal—a lot—but in the strictest sense, just to line their own pockets, *really* fill them up. So everyone feels entitled to think, say, and do pretty much whatever they want.
The egg, the chicken, the chicken, the egg—I still haven’t decided which came first...
Intellectually, I think you’re becoming—just in this specific and isolated case—more and more disappointing.
I couldn’t care less about what you think of me than I do about a Ferrari...🙂
We don’t argue to please or displease. That’s nonsense.🤪
Dear unyielding activist, your saber strikes are wonderful!
Here, let me try to soothe your fiery mind (right now, anyway). I’ll tell you about a few minutes of my return from Greece... nobody cares, no big deal 😏
off-topic, yes... just like your recent comments in this thread (not like you at all!!!).
--
From my seat, I scan the sea. A gentle sway. At a certain angle, a smudge on the window becomes a ship on the horizon.
My gaze drifts between the TV and the outside. I sweep across the endless, slow undulations of the choppy surface, hoping to spot the sudden appearance of a giant vessel or a pod of dolphins. No luck.
On TV, a young bearded guy in a T-shirt with a playful, youthful design rolls out crepe batter, then takes one of his creations to his mouth. He tilts his head back, eyes on the ceiling, making it abundantly clear: *what a delight, how talented I am!* True, if I could do the same at this moment... (that was my thought).
The lounges and hallways are empty... *packed* empty. Not a single sound of human activity. The hum from the engine room grates on my nerves and slightly drowns out the TV chef’s commentary.
I don’t understand a word the artist is saying (it’s Greek), but I get everything he’s doing so wonderfully.
This was last Sunday between Patras and Fusina.
This discussion is completely off-topic for travel. Why assume that anyone paying in cash is automatically a fraudster, a thief, or a social parasite?
There have been plenty of cases where people paid for all sorts of things with cards linked to offshore accounts or corporate accounts (misuse of company assets), etc. Paying with a card doesn’t make you virtuous by default... (We had a whole political scandal in Geneva where a city official was paying for restaurants, nightclubs, and private banquets with the credit card meant for official expenses)
Why start from the assumption that anyone paying in cash is necessarily a fraudster, a thief, or a social parasite...
That’s your conclusion.
I only said that cash can encourage crime and that some people don’t need much encouragement.
There have been plenty of cases where people paid for all sorts of things with cards linked to offshore accounts or corporate accounts (misuse of company assets), etc. Paying with a card doesn’t automatically make you virtuous... (we had a whole political scandal in Geneva where a city official paid for restaurants, nightclubs, and private banquets with the credit card meant for official expenses)
We’re not lemmings.
Just because one idiot jumps into the sea doesn’t mean we all have to follow.
No, that’s the impression I get from your comments.
And the cards funded by fraudulent accounts—it seems like that made (and maybe still does, I’m not up to date on these things) the heyday of Panama, some Caribbean islands, Singapore, and others.
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Hello everyone on this forum!
I know in advance that what I'm about to say here won't please everyone, but honesty is a virtue, isn't it?
Here's the thing: for many years now, I've noticed a habit in French-speaking posts of using abbreviations left and right, as if to show that we're "in the know." Let me explain with a few examples:
- - In discussions about Peru, I see "Aguas" for "Aguas Calientes." And if it's Mexico, well, it'll be "Aguas" for "Aguascalientes"!
- - For Guatemala, "travelers" will say "Guaté." Come on, saying "Guatemalas" would maybe be the undeniable sign that you know nothing about the country???
- - Back from Indonesia, many will talk about how familiar they've become with the country's language: "bahasa." Of course, everyone will know what you're talking about, but it still gets on my nerves because the language (one of the many languages) of Indonesia is "bahasa Indonesia." "Bahasa" actually means "language," and you'll find this word of Indian origin ‘Bhāṣā’ (it's Sanskrit originally) outside Indonesia too: in Thailand, for example, any language will be "phasa" as in "phasa thai" (official Thai), "phasa isan" (what's spoken in northeastern Thailand), "phasa angkrit" = English, etc.
Am I an incorrigible nitpicker? Maybe. But I'd also find it ridiculous if a foreigner came and told me they visited "Monte" during their trip to France, when it was actually Monte Carlo.
I read a lot in English and don't think I've encountered such a habit among English speakers.
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
This is my 15,000th post, and it's a message I would have preferred never to write.
Patrick—Yangguizi—won’t be returning from his trek in Uganda. His health betrayed him in the mountains.
Like many of you, I laughed until I couldn’t anymore at his travel stories. I met him in Shanghai, then in Istanbul... We scoured restaurants—he was an incredible expert on world cuisines. We relived Korea, China. Always brilliant, so sharp, so funny, so down-to-earth. Being even a little bit his friend was something to be proud of. I think I envied him.
Patrick is still out there, of course...
He found his happiness running across the world. He’s on his path. He never doubted that "the traveler doesn’t even know if he’ll return one day."
Not sure this would’ve suited him, but his departure devastates me.
Alright,
Farewell, you foreign devil. Safe travels.
hello to all travelers with their eyes wide open to the desert...
I’ve always wondered what I was "doing" on this earth. And why my father, who died a few months after I was born—a former youngest French resistance fighter—joined the First Saharan Motorized Company in Atar and spent the rest of his life repairing army engines in Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali (which didn’t exist under that name back then), Morocco, and finally Algeria, where my mother was born and raised. (Believe me, it’s not "cool" being the child of a soldier in a country occupied by France, and even less so the child of a "pied-noir.")
Of course, I never got an answer: the dead don’t talk, and the army doesn’t either.
But here’s the thing—I had photos...
So naturally, one day I hit the road. I wanted to see, to understand.
It’s thanks to VF that I was able to do a little research on crossing the Morocco-Mauritania border, and I’m grateful to its members, just as I’m grateful to all those who welcomed me on the road for 14 years.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wondering if I should talk about this or not...
It turns out the Mauritanians changed my life by asking for my help... And that started as early as February 2012... (Did I owe them something? No answer to that question.)
Ah, the irony—they saw me coming. But when you’re handed sick children and begged to do something, what would you have done? I’d worked in a hospital, so I knew a bit about the rules to follow. I didn’t hesitate.
And well, over all these years, I met doctors, surgeons, and together we organized care, evacuations of children, training for surgeons—even trying to stop children from having to travel outside their country. It was never easy. I’d like to thank those who supported us, as well as *La Chaîne de l’Espoir*, *La Fondation Face au Monde*, and everyone who built bridges between our two countries.
Unfortunately, despite the constant efforts of Mauritanian doctors and surgeons, some children couldn’t be helped in time. Today, I want to talk about four siblings—orphans of their mother—suffering from congenital glaucoma causing irreversible blindness. Their case was entrusted to me in 2020, just weeks before the big lockdown. We couldn’t do anything for them then, but when their father asked me for a gift, I rushed to my computer and wrote a story.
Through a tale, the children take a great journey, explore their country, and fulfill a dream. I never thought this book would be published—it was, in 2023.
This book pays tribute to Mauritania. It’s a message for those who know nothing about the hardships of life there, carrying both the harshness and beauty of an immense desert where you can travel by 4x4, bike, on foot, or by camel in complete safety. It bears witness to the kindness of Mauritanians toward travelers.
As a woman traveling alone in my vehicle—a now-rusted old Mercedes that no longer runs—I had the most beautiful encounters of my life there (I’ve seen other parts of the world...). The blind children of Choum, Atar, Nouadhibou, and Nouakchott will forever be in my heart.
Volunteer readers transcribed the book into a free audio version for the visually impaired. It’s available in sound libraries in France, the *Fondation Valentin Haüy*, and the Swiss Romande library.
I made my last trip to Mauritania in my old 4x4 to distribute the book everywhere, especially to its heroes and the school for the visually impaired in Nouakchott.
After that, I thought it was time to close the chapter because I no longer have the means or the strength to travel.
My publishers chose this title for it: *The Blue Eyes of the Desert*.
This publication helped a mission of Swiss volunteer ophthalmologists come to operate on glaucomas in Mauritania. I’m thrilled because they come back every year!
This adventure is ending, yes—everything must come to an end—but ultimately, it was born here, on the VF site!! So yes, I had to say it: THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi everyone,
I’m Loulou, a French expat who’s been living in Southeast Asia for about fifteen years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A passionate walker at heart, I’ve trekked in Nepal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), India, Vietnam, and I’m still planning new hikes (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
I’ve just published my first travel journal, recounting three months of walking and encounters across India. A portion of the sales goes to an educational center I support in Kep, for children whose parents work in the salt marshes.
I’m also working on a second book about Nepal with a musician friend, focusing on the Mardi Himal trek—two independent perspectives on the same journey.
Happy to swap stories with you about the Himalayas, India, Southeast Asia, or just the urge to hit the road and walk far from home.
Safe travels,
Loulou
Hi! It was totally by chance that I stumbled upon VoyageForum (an ad online and a story lol), and I’ve been reading some really old posts from 2011 about Thai massage schools—discussions on how to get by, accommodation, prices, etc. It reminded me of my own experience: I kept things simple by staying with a local family during my entire trip. I only shared all the expenses with them, which, I’ll admit, was super cheap… and I often traveled with them, which naturally opened a lot of doors for me. To start, at the school in Salaya, my Thai friend immediately connected me with Teacher Phong (the school’s mentor and teacher of teachers, a former monk). I was supposed to join a group session with other foreigners, but for some reason I don’t know, I got two days of private lessons for free with this expert… incredible! And on top of that, he loved France! It was an amazing experience. I "discovered" massage by chance—the Thai family just told me: "Try it, you’ll see!" (I’d had a pretty intense massage in the capital before 😅… but the next day, I felt unbelievably great!))
Every morning, I’d take a taxi (chosen by the Thai family at prices that beat all the competition) to this school—I’ve forgotten the name of the little village now… right in the heart of the countryside. Then, in the evenings, I’d keep practicing massage on all the family members… and they’d teach me Thai at the same time!))
Since then, I’ve practiced a bit, with lots of positive feedback. Following Teacher Phong’s advice—he thought my pressure was deep, firm, and precise—he strongly encouraged me to take this seriously.
I love Thailand so much. It’s a whole different way of living… and it’s a real blessing, even if I couldn’t live there full-time. Anyway, that was an unforgettable memory, and sometimes the Thai family and I still say hi—from 2011, 2013… right up to today!
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
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