Si les initiés me le permettent (et même s'ils ne ...):
Distance minimale autorisée d'approche des gros voraces carnivores affalés dans les hautes herbes et qui seraient découverts par hasard par des guides expérimentés et , mais oui, respectueux de la vie sauvage dans le secteur "Mara Triangle" (zone dont l'appellation administrative aurait changé, m'a-t-on dit voici ... de trop nombreuses semaines) :
5 longueurs de véhicule (minivan ou 4x4 long). Durée d'observation proche tolérée env. 3 minutes maxi. Il s'agissait donc "d'injonctions" à l'intention de ceux qui ne respecteraient pas l'interdiction du "hors pistes", par exemple de ceux dont le sens de l'orientation aurait fait défaut quelques instants ...
C'est pas moi qui le dit, j'ai encore la feuille de recommandations dans un de mes tiroirs.
La règlementation doit être respectée, je serai le dernier à dire le contraire, mais...
Mais il faudrait parfois l'expliquer aux biquets qui viennent frôler nos pare-chocs sur la piste, voire se servir de nos 4x4 comme perchoirs (ou même comme un crottoir, une expérience malheureuse/amusante qui est arrivée Jonathan Scott). Même irrespect des "rules" à Mahale où les chimpanzés ne respectent pas la distance de sécurité sanitaire !
Pour les 3 mn, je ne savais pas, mais ça, j'aurais du mal à m'y confirmer, du moins quand nous sommes seuls à contempler le biquet et que nous ne paraissons pas le gêner (ce qui est parfois délicat à apprécier).
Merci des infos
Amicalement
Bernard
PS : le Bucorve du Sud vole bien, il se perche généralement dans les arbres pour la nuit. Nous avons constaté qu'ils étaient bien plus farouches en Tanzanie, donc plus enclins à s'envoler à notre approche, qu'au Kenya ou qu'en Afrique du Sud, où l'on peut leur tirer le portrait sans difficulté.
3mn à env. 15 ou 20 mètres (5 x la carriole).
Pour le hors piste, je t'invite à jeter un coup d'oeil sur la dernière news letter du Ndutu Safari Lodge (février 2017), on y voit un quadrupède à rayures pris en flagrant délit de franchissement de frontière... On fait comme chez soi.
Merci pour vos discussions à propos des règles de bienséances des singes et zèbres, mais j'aimerais continuer ce carnet de voyage qui se veux divertissant et que plusieurs veulent suivre à nouveau...😉
Après une pause méritée de 24h nous reprenons la route cette fois en direction de la Tanzanie avec un arrêt dans le Amboseli National Park avant de poursuivre jusqu’à Arusha notre point de chute Tanzanien.
La portion du Kenya entre Nairobi et Emali est plate. Plusieurs industries se succèdent dont plusieurs sont des cimenteries de grande dimension accompagnées de carrières d’agrégats. La route est tranquille vers Amboseli avec une pause-café à Emali sur la route de Mombasa avant de prendre la piste qui mène à la guérite du parc.
Les paysages industriels se transforment soudainement en plaines arides en direction du parc. La chaleur se compare à celle de Samburu.
Arrivé à la guérite, nous acquittons les frais d’entrée qui sont valides pour les prochains 24h et partons cogner aux portes des différents lodge ou camp qui bordent l’entrée du parc. Notre deuxième camp satisfera par son environnement brousse et sera à la hauteur du budget. Le Kibo Safari Camp, coût : 65$ USD / pers. / nuit en pension complète.
Après avoir réglé la note pour un seul soir, nous laissons nos bagages à l’entrée (ils les amèneront dans notre camp) et partons pour un safari d’après-midi.
L’hébergement réglé, les droits d’entrée aussi, nous pénétrons dans le parc afin de découvrir un nouveau profil. À première vue plat avec un grand lac et le kilimanjaro comme arrière-plan. Notre première rencontre un babouin jaune ou c’est la lumière du jour de fin de journée qui fait ça !
Au bord de l’eau un oiseau spatule et quelques autres se rafraîchissent.
Un éléphant marchant dans la boue vient à notre rencontre avec ses énormes défenses…probablement les plus grosses que nous ayons vues. Et je vous garantie preuve à l'appui (voir photo) c'est lui qui n'a pas respecté les règles de distances..😎
Une autruche et sa progéniture se déplacent probablement pour la nuit qui arrive.
Ce troupeau d’éléphant semble marcher vers le soleil couchant croisant notre route. Ce spectacle impressionne par sa parade.
J’avais imaginé des photos de girafes en couché de soleil mais celle-ci des éléphants allant dormir me satisfait énormément.
Retour au camp pour le repas du soir et une soirée relax.
Après un copieux déjeuner nous plions bagages pour prendre la route d’Arusha au travers un safari dans le Parc d’Amboseli.
Nos clients matinaux seront 2 jeunes lions à moitié couvert par les buissons. Quelques buffles à leur droite et quelques gnous à leur gauche. Ils semblent se demandé en regardant d’un côté comme de l’autre ce qu’ils vont manger.
Mange-t-on du gnou? Non nous en avons mangé hier… Alors du buffle ? La dernière fois je n’ai pas aimé….j’ai envie du zèbre ! Alors allons manger du zèbre !....ils sont parti !
Fin de l’histoire que j’ai imaginé et raconté au garçon encore endormi dans le jeep.
Le reste du parcours sera sous le signe d’un soleil de plomb et une chaleur incroyable au point ne voir que ces grues se faire la cours, ces quelques zèbres…qui ne savant pas mais 2 jeunes lions vont leurs rendre visite…
Un arrêt au point d’observation le temps de prendre quelques clichés en hauteur et du Kilimanjaro entouré d’un smog ou je ne sais quoi qui empêche de faire une magnifique photo.
Une hyène cherchant de la fraîche dans cet eau boueuse sera notre dernière bête observé avant de franchir la guérite de sortie du parc hormis ce berger et ses chèvres.
L’approche de la frontière Namanga nous rend quelque peu fébrile, nous quittons Ken notre pisteur pour un copain que nous ne connaissons pas. Ici c’est comme toutes frontières terrestres, un peu d’anarchie, de traffic de toute sorte, de vendeurs ambulants. Très colorés mais en même temps aucun sentiments d’insécurité, les gens sont relax.
Nous procédons aux formalités de sortie au bureau d’immigration du Kenya pendant que les deux chauffeurs transbordent nos bagages d’un jeep à l’autre (garder le même jeep et le même guide était passablement compliquer).
Les aux revoirs faits à Ken qui nous retrouvera dans quelques semaines à Nairobi, nous traversons la frontière jusqu’au bureau de l’immigration de la Tanzanie ou là les choses sont moins facile.
Il y a plein de monde, l’imprimante à visa ne fonctionne pas, l’agent tanzanien ne trouve pas la version papier de visa. L’infirmière qui contrôle les vaccins de la fièvre jaune n’est pas là ! Après près d’une heure perdu la charmante dame arrive et sauve le gentil agent en trouvant les visas papiers…Oufs ! Le contrôle des vaccins fait et visas en mains…nous repartons vers Arusha qui heureusement n’est pas trop loin de la frontière. Bienvenue en Tanzanie.
Sur la route quelques paysage montagneux comme le Mont Longido et le Mont Meru du Arusha National Park.
Arrivée chez le contact de Ken qui possède un petit hotel dans le centre….bruyant et poussièreux mais à 5 minutes de tout nous déposons nos bagages pour 2 nuits.
Réveillé à 4h45…oui oui à 4h45 par les muezzins qui font l’appel à la prière du haut des minarets. Arrivé fatigué hier nous avions remarqué l’influence islamique de la ville mais nous n’avions plus le souvenir de ce réveil qui date de notre voyage au moyen orient. Par la suite s’en suit les coqs que plusieurs gardes dans leurs courts arrières réveillés eux aussi par les muezzins.
Douche, déjeuner et planification de notre virée au nord avant de prendre la route des intrépides jusqu’à Kigoma.
Une sortie matinale pour explorer les environs avec les garçons histoire d’encouragé le marché local et de goûter à la gastronomie de la bouffe de rue.
Nous avons probablement trouver la version africaine de la poutine chez un vendeur ambulant. Pas ce qu'il y de plus santé mais leurs épices et sauces donne un cachet.
Pendant ce temps maman trouvera un salon de beauté histoire de se dépoussiéré de la virée kényanne. Comme toute femme, elle trouvera le moyen de se faire des amies.
Notre tour de ville nous permet de découvrir ou faire nos provisions pour la route...
Et ou faire nos provisions périssables tout en encourageant l’économie locale.
Les achats complétés, un repas du soir à saveur locale et retour à l’hôtel pour une soirée relax avant le départ de demain. Cette fois l’improvisation n’est pas possible. Les hébergements sont réservés et les droits d’entrées sont réglés et sur une carte pré-payée. Ce n'est pas dans mes habitudes mais semble que c’est la norme.
La jeep et notre pisteur est arrivée au petit matin à l’hôtel ce qui nous démontre le sérieux de notre hôte. Le petit déjeuner pris, nous nous empressons de plier bagages et de prendre la route pour retrouver la tranquillité et le silence de la brousse. Ces quelques heures de route serviront à faire connaissance avec John (le pisteur) qui nous accompagnera dans le nord.
L’arrivée au Tarangire National Park les frais d’entrée sont acquittés via cette fameuse carte prépayée. Photo du portail et faisons notre entrée.
J’adore déjà le profil de ce parc ou dès l’entrée, l’abondance des arbres et feuillages nous laisse présager bien des surprises à commencer par ces immenses arbres.
L’abondance de verdure cache surement une importante variété animale. Voici les premiers à ce montré.
Et les second...
Ensuite les oiseaux au repas. Nous appréhendons beaucoup d’oiseau ici alors nous ouvrirons l’œil.
Continuant le parcours nous tombons sur un important groupe de babouin…c’est la première fois que nous en voyons autant dans un même groupe.
Comme prévu, nous observons une multitude d’oiseau de toute variété. J’ai un livre illustré que j’ai acheté à Arusha afin d’identifié visuellement les espèces mais leurs nom sont en anglais. Je fais donc appel aux experts pour m’identifier ceux-ci afin que je puisse greffer leurs noms en corrigeant mon ‘’post’’…merci !
Première fois que je vois une girafe couché…
Ici la girafe et un arbre plus grand que nature…
Décidément j’aime bien le profil de ce parc qui donne comme une fraîcheur au safari.
S’en suit mangouste, élan et ce gentil rongeur qui quand même assez gros. Je n’ai pu rapprocher d’avantage avec mon téléobjectif…il était passablement loin sur la paroi rocheuse.
Nous avons eu droit à une crise d’hystérie de la part de ce qui nous a semblé être la matriarche du groupe d’éléphant (selon John) que nous avons croisé sur notre chemin. Encore une fois c’est elle qui a franchi les limites permises d’approche allant jusqu’à nous charger au point de devoir faire demi-tour…elle était très convaincante dans ses arguments tout en ventilant avec ses grandes oreilles !
Continuant notre parcours, nous tombons sur 2 groupes d’éléphants…les noirs et les rouges. Nous ne savons pas s’il s’agissait d’une guerre de gang mais ça sentait le conflit noir et rouge 😎
Au bord de la rivière nous avons observé un énorme varan dévorant sa proie. Impressionné par sa taille, nous sommes restés plusieurs minutes à l’observer.
À la croisée des girafes, une femelle allaitant, une autre gambade avec fiston et cette magnifique traversant la piste.
La journée s’achève et sur la route du retour, cet aigle et quelques mangoustes seront nos dernières observations.
Terminerons au vieux Twiga lodge and Camp site qui malgré tout offre des installations conformes avec cuisine acceptable.
Aujourd’hui une étape longue mais qui sera surement empreinte d’émotion puisque nous devrions traverser la grande migration qui est présentement dans la partie sud du Serengeti.
Partie très tôt après le petit déjeuner, nous prenons la route du Serengeti. Quelques agglomérations rurales laisseront doucement la place à la route du volcan qui mène au portail du Ngorongoro.
Nous devons acquitter les frais d’entrée même si nous ne faisons que passé…ce qui nous faire dire que l’entrée du Ngorongoro doit être payé 2 fois pour pouvoir aller et revenir dans le Serengeti.
Nous en profitons pour vous présenter John notre pisteur, tout sourire….et sympathique.
Une fois les droits acquittés, nous roulons vers la vallée du Rift. Croisant au passage de jeunes masaïs dansant en tendant la main en guise de demande de pourboire…pas très authentique, un peu plus loin les jeunes masaïs marche paisiblement avec leurs troupeaux de vaches et de chèvres nous envoyant simplement la main en guise de salutation ou de bienvenue.
Quelques habitations masaïs qui semblent authentique
Et ce village masaï qui semble authentique….authentiquement touristique avec sa boutique souvenir 😉
À l’approche de la vallée, les girafes se battant avec leurs longs coups seront les premières à se faire voir à l’approche du Serengeti.
He oui nous sommes aux portes du Serengeti. On immortalise le moment et on se dirige vers la guérite pour paiement et enregistrement. Nous en profiterons pour la pause pipi et dégourdir les jambes car le Tent Camp est encore loin.
Les formalités réglées nous partons à la recherche des gros troupeaux de la grande migration qui est présentement dans cette partie du parc. Nous ne tarderons pas à voir ces grands regroupements.
Un petit groupe de hyènes semble être en attente d’une chasse pour pouvoir profiter d’un repas gratuit.
Près d’un point d’eau sont regroupé des marabouts toujours aussi décourageants !
Nous parcourons plusieurs dizaines de kilomètre avec les troupeaux de part et d'autre de nous.
Nous quitterons les pistes de brousses croisant les troupeaux pour reprendre la piste principale qui mène au camp.
Sur la route du Tent Camp les animaux continue de venir à notre rencontre….ou c’est nous qui allons à leurs rencontre…qu’importe, nous observons notre dernier troupeau de zèbres avant que le profil du Serengeti commence à se transformer.
Des ilots de roches et d’arbres apparaissent de façon aléatoire donnant de belles cachettes pour les bestioles.
Ici sans pouvoir se cacher un éléphant broute allégrement.
Avec la chance habituelle, nous tombons sur 2 guépards relaxant sous un arbre…
Et quelques kilomètres plus loin, un léopard roupillant dans son arbre. C’est le plus proche que j’ai pu photographier puisque la piste était quand même à bonne distance.
Pour finir avant d’arrivée au camp nous tombons sur la fameuse grande famille de lions. Nous en compterons 18. Semblerais qu’ils sont une vingtaine, peut-être que les 2 autres étaient en chasse. Wow !
Après avoir observé ce groupe, nous prenons le chemin de camp que nous rejoindrons à la brunante.
Merci pour vos discussions à propos des règles de bienséances des singes et zèbres, mais j'aimerais continuer ce carnet de voyage qui se veux divertissant et que plusieurs veulent suivre à nouveau...
Définition de "forum " (Larousse): "Sur Internet, espace public virtuel destiné à l'échange de messages sur un thème donné."
Je m'interroge....🤪
Et désolée d'avoir interrompu votre récit 😉.
Muriel
Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)
Le but n'était de ne pas cassé le rythme de l'aventure. Les gens qui suivre ce carnet dans la section ''carnet'' et non ''forum'' comprennent...😉 et bienvenue dans notre aventure.😛
Après une nuit parsemée de ricanement des hyènes et de hurlements, nous prenons le petit déjeuner avec un levé de soleil sur les plaines. Le Zara Tent Camp est tout de même bien équipé avec système d’eau dans les tentes et le principe de camp non protégé dans la brousse autre que des gardes armés diffère énormément des lodges du Kenya.
L’expérience est à refaire.
Dès notre sortie du camp nous tomberons sur un groupe d’éléphant faisant leur promenade matinale.
De retour dans les plaines nous sommes tout énervé, nous pensons avoir vu des Lycaons….en approche, nous constatons que ce n’est pas des Lycaons mais plutôt des otocyons qui sont de la même famille de canidé. Quelle satisfaction tout de même.
Un ilôt de roche en approche, nous tentons une exploration. Nous tombons sur ces damans de rocher.
Contournant le rocher à la recherche d’autre bête, les garçons m’indiquent un lion au sommet du rocher. Bien vu, ce lion roupille au soleil.
Un autre ilot de roche mais cette fois nous ne trouverons que ces oiseaux jaune le Ngora-Ngora…ça fait intelligent, mais je ne suis pas ornithologue. Simplement un bon livre pour suivre les variétés que l’on observe.
Nous approchons des grandes plaines et nous appercevons 2 lionnes au loin. Impossible de s’en approcher, aucune piste de disponible et l’herbe est très haute.
Nous entrons dans ce grand paysage parsemé d’acacia….
à suivre...
Explorant la zone sud-est du Serengeti avec sortie prévu vers le Ngorongo, cette journée est consacrée au roi des animaux qui nous en a mis plein la vue aujourd’hui.
Au sortir du campement les classiques broutent et se promène sans le moindre souci comme s’ils savaient que sur ces collines le danger étaient moindre que dans la grande plaine ouverte.
Nous parcourons les longues pistes sinueuses dans les hautes herbes avec quelques gazelles perdues ici et là.
Après de longues minutes, voici nos premiers clients. 2 gros mâles relaxant au soleil dans l’herbe. Son regard semble dire ‘’laissez-nous dormir’’ !
Nous prendrons le lunch dans la jeep au pied d’un arbre. Malgré la clairière autour de l’arbre, nous ne prendrons pas de chance de sortir en ces lieux entourés d’herbe haute.
Nous apercevons au loin une gazelle sauter à toute vitesse et soudainement elle disparaît dans l’herbe, l’action se passe tellement vite que tout redeviens calme en un rien de temps. Victime d’un prédateur ? Trop loin, trop vite nous n’avons pas aperçu de félin à ses trousses.
Nous dirigeant vers l’endroit où la gazelle a disparu nous tombons sur ce groupe de 5 lions (3 mâle et 2 femelles).
Eux aussi semble avoir observé la scène avec attention...je dirais même qu'ils semblent se préparer à y aller.
Un groupe de vautour qui survolait l’endroit où la gazelle a disparu atterrissent soudainement. C’est à ce moment que les lions ont décidés de se diriger eux aussi à cet endroit.
Nous suivons la troupe qui ne fait aucun cas de nous.
L’arrivée des lions fait s’envoler les vautours et à notre arrivée, un des mâles se met à table avec les restes de la gazelle devant les autres qui semblent soumis attendant leurs parts.
Loin des gros arbres nous écartons la possibilité que ça soit un léopard qui aurait de toute façon tiré sa proie dans un arbre. Nous supposons que la gazelle a pu être prise en chasse par un guépard qui a été volé par les vautours à leur tour volé par les lions. Voici un autre face à face avec le roi des animaux. Nous le laisserons manger tranquille.
Cette aventure dans le Serengeti se terminera ainsi.
Le but n'était de ne pas cassé le rythme de l'aventure. Les gens qui suivre ce carnet dans la section ''carnet'' et non ''forum'' comprennent...😉 et bienvenue dans notre aventure.😛
C'est juste que les carnets de voyage que je lis habituellement sont souvent très animés en digressions ... et je ne trouve pas ça désagréable....
Mais, pas de problème, chacun son style 😉.
Ceci dit, je suis (silencieusement) depuis le début et je me pose une question concernant les photos: elles ont toutes été prises avec le même appareil?
En tout cas, vous avez été particulièrement chanceux avec les rencontres animalières!
Cordialement en attendant la suite.
Muriel
Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)
.. et je me pose une question concernant les photos: elles ont toutes été prises avec le même appareil?
En tout cas, vous avez été particulièrement chanceux avec les rencontres animalières!..
Muriel
Bonjour, bonsoir.
A mon avis, l'appareil était parfois en mode "rafale" ce qui, pour revivre vraiment les choses, n'est pas forcément contre-indiqué. .. Chanceux ? Oui, mais n'oublions pas que ces voyageurs "de l'extrême" sont des chercheurs infatigables .. et qu'ils étaient en route pendant 50 jours! > voyageforum.com/...he-afrique-d7781333/..
et que leur périple est tout de même assez exceptionnel quant à sa longueur. > Même lien, voir la carte. .. Et ils n'ont pas tenté de faire croire qu'ils étaient des photographes confirmés.
Au delà de mon amusement face à ce méga-récit (j'aime bien le "méga"), je perçois une chose qui n'est pas si courante (façon de parler): la capacité de cette équipe à faire ressentir son émerveillement explosif, de façon "immédiate", avec impatience et en "ultra-simplicité".
Ciao. JG.
Bonjour à tous, pour répondre à votre question matériel, je suis un extrême quand j'achète, mais loin d'être un pro d'la photo. C'est pourquoi on voit de la surexposition, des taches dans l'objectif, des cadrages plus ou moins réussi, des flous...je n'attends pas l'arrêt complet du véhicule pour faire les photos parfois je mitraille en route. Ce qui donne un carnet authentique.
Ceci étant précisé, voici mon équipement.
-Nikon D300s avec téléobjectif Sigma 150-500mm F3.5 😕, le F2.8 deNikon étant trop dispendieux.
-Mon vieux Nikon D80 avec objectif Nikon 18-135mm et 70-300mm
-Complémentaire: objectif Nikon macro 105mm F2.8, Nikon fisheye 178 degré F2.8, flash SB600
-Nikon Coolpix (ma conjointe) et nos téléphones cellulaires Samsung Note4, Iphone5
Le ressenti viens de l'ambiance dans la jeep, les commentaires du reste de la famille, les scénarios que l'on s'imagine...on passe beaucoup de temps avec la nature et la présence des animaux et on arrive à s'imaginer ce qu'il pense entre eux et ce qu'il pense de nous...il y a aussi la complicité du pisteur avec ses anecdotes de safari. On continu bientôt !
Nous quittons le Serengeti en direction du chemin de du Ngorongoro afin d’arrivée en fin de journée à la guérite pour acquitter les frais d’accès qui nous permettrons de sortir de la zone en en fin de journée demain.
Nous regardons une dernière fois la vaste plaine du Serengeti.
Avant de nous diriger vers le lodge, nous effectuons un stop pour faire une panoramique du cratère avec le ‘’fisheye’’ (lentille 178 degré).
L’arrivée au Rhino lodge sera bienvenue surtout pour prendre les douches chaudes. Le lodge est bien situé et les chambres avec vue sur la montagne.
Des buffles se présentent devant nos balcons pour brouter à la brunante. Les lits sont confortables et les oreillers moelleuses…ça laisse présagé une excellente nuit !
Après un copieux petit déjeuner, nous quittons le Rhino Lodge qui nous a accueilli comme des rois…évidemment il y a un prix à payer pour être au porte du cratère. Allons voir si ce fameux cratère est à la hauteur de sa réputation.
Passé la guérite nous amorçons la descente qui nous mène au fond du cratère. Nous accueille les buffles qui broutent paisiblement.
Quelques sentiers boisés débute le circuit linéaire car ici on ne revient pas sur nos pas. Il y a une entrée et une sortie.
Nous sommes à l’époque des naissances, car presque toutes les espèces croisées sont accompagnés par leurs progénitures.
Voici une des vedettes du cratère, le fameux rhinocéros noir avec son petit. Au nombre de jeep agglutinées sur le bord de la route pour l’observer je peux le comprendre de ne pas vouloir s’approcher.
Quelques grues et une espèce que je n’identifie pas.
Un zèbre avec ses passagers qui le débarrassent probablement de ses tics ou autres insectes nuisibles.
Dans une mare baignent au soleil ce troupeau d’hippopotame.
Ces buffles qui sortent de la boue se font aussi nettoyer par ces petits oiseaux qui s’amusent à rentrer et sortir de leurs nez ou leurs oreilles ce qui fera rigoler les garçons.
Nous prendrons la pause au bord du lac…finalement tout le monde prend la pause au bord du lac. Décidément je ne suis pas fan de ce genre de rencontre trop organisé.
Je profite du fait que nous sommes immobilisé pour faire de la poursuite photo après un faucon ou petit aigle. Après 2-3 rafales je réussi à sortir ce cliché passablement réussi que je vous partage.
John en pause !
Le repas terminé, tous sont allé à la salle de bain aménager au centre de pic-nic nous repartons terminer ce parc. Une bande d’hyènes relax au soleil en attendant que les félins sortent chasser.
Pas de danger que nous voyons de chasse en cette chaleur. De toute façon si j’étais un lion j’attendrais que ces dizaines de jeep soient parti avant de bouger comme ceux-ci.
Nous quittons le cratère et prenons la route jusqu’au Twiga lodge ou nous retournons dormir avant de visiter le Manyara demain.
Le cratère du Ngorongoro est particulier de par son micro climat et sa situation géographique, mais une limite d’accès devrait être instauré car nous étions beaucoup trop de véhicule et nous sommes en basse saison.
Sommes toute intéressant et considérons ce lieux comme une réserve faunique à la limite d'un zoo ouvert puis qu’aucun effort n'est nécessaire pour l'observation animal.
Ayant vu passablement d’espèces, nous recherchons maintenant les exceptions. C’est pourquoi nous espérons voir le lion qui grimpe aux arbres, espèce que l’on retrouve dans le Parc Manyara.
À l’arrivée l’habituelle photo du portail et de la pub du fameux lion grimpeur.
Qui sont au rendez-vous matinal…des babouins en quantités industriel.
Au abord du lac, des hippopotames enlisés dans la boue.
Héron, ibis et plusieurs autres oiseaux s’alignerons devant nos objectifs afin de se faire immortaliser…Avec une telle végétation c’était à prévoir. Nous ajoutons ainsi quelques spécimens jusqu’alors jamais observé.
Nous avons la chance d’observé 2 nouvelles variétés de singes particuliers le singe de Vervet et le singe Bleu.
Élan et éléphant se présenterons au rendez-vous.
Un petit dik-dik fera son apparition sur les roches avant notre sortie du parc sans que l'on aie pu observer le lion grimpeur d'arbre.
Notre virée au nord se terminant, nous stopperons au marché masaï sur le chemin du retour. Certaines boutiques en bordure de route vendent de l’artisanat à très gros prix, ce qui invite pour notre part à quitter ces lieux rapidement.
Le petit marché lui au milieu du village est plus noble et les artisans sont à l’œuvre. Nous avons d’ailleurs acheté une peinture de cet artiste. Cette vente sans intermédiaire lui profitera directement.
Nous achèterons quelques pièces de vêtements à ces dames mais nous serons vite encerclés par les vendeurs de toute sorte afin que nous encouragions leurs petits commerces.
Quelques artisans sont à l’œuvre comme cet ébéniste fabriquant ses meubles.
D’autres s’affairent à surchargé leurs véhicules afin d’apporter le plus possible dans le même voyage…
Nous disons au revoir aux enfants marchant dans la rue qui nous saluerons à leur tour.
De retour à Arusha, une pause de 24h afin de faire la lessive, se ravitailler et préparer notre traversé est-ouest.
Après un 24h de pause bien mérité, nous prenons le départ d’Arusha vers l’ouest avec une nouvelle jeep et un chauffeur que nous avons connu hier soir. Jackson est un pilote et pisteur expérimenté. Il a plusieurs années d’expériences au nord mais aussi à l’ouest. Il connait plein de gens un peu partout en Tanzanie.
Nous ferons un arrêt planifié chez Jackson histoire de faire connaissance avec sa conjointe et ses enfants avant notre départ pour les rassurer puisque nous partons pour plus de 2 semaines. Ils seront ravis de constater que Jackson part avec une famille de 4 personnes.
Cette fois nous retombons en mode autonome. Le nord ayant été réglé financièrement d’avance, ici nous avons loué la jeep comme au Kenya à 140$ USD / jour (10$ de moins par jour) et Jackson m’a demandé le salaire qu’il reçoit normalement soit 35$ USD / jour en plus des repas et de l’hébergement.
La route reprise les petits bleds se succèdent les uns après les autres avant la fourche Dodoma / Singida passé de Tarangire National Park.
Nous n’avons pas fait 10 km sur la route de Singida qu’un contrôle policier fait office de barrage sur la route. L’arrêt semble normale jusqu’à ce qu’ils demandent à Jackson de les suivre. Les sympathiques policiers demandent un droit de passage sans aucune raisons apparentes. Nous repartons sans histoire et sans avoir payé un sous.
La route reprise nous roulerons jusqu’à Singida qui est un carrefour pour Dodoma / Kahama. Nous nous y arrêterons pour déjeuner.
Les habitations sur la route de Kahama nous démontrent que nous nous éloignons des grands centres et nous découvrons peu à peu le rural et la réalité tanzanienne de l’arrière-pays.
Nous pousserons jusqu’à Kahama afin d’être dans un village nous permettant de s’approvisionner en denrée et carburant car les petits stands de bord de route ne vende que du carburant en bouteille de 500ml (pour les petites motos) ou en 2l pour les voitures.
Je suis étonné par la façon d'utilisé la nature pour la pub...ici presque pas de panneaux réclame, on peinture les roches...très économique !
La nuit tombe et trouverons ce petit motel à 5$ USD / pers. / nuit….avec 2$ de plus chacun on a droit au petit déjeuner inclus. Décidément plus on est loin du Serengeti moins c’est cher !!!
Nous passerons une partie de la soirée à s'interroger sur la possibilité de pousser jusqu'au Rwanda pour aller voir les gorilles ou pousser jusqu'au Congo.
Après le thé, des biscuits et des œufs durs…il ne fallait pas trop en demandé pour 2$...nous repartons. Kahama se lève tranquillement et ses habitants aussi.
Nous nous ravitaillons en carburant et en breuvage frais avant de nous lancer sur la route.
Nous croisons les gens vacant à leurs occupations quotidiennes.
Nous nous arrêtons pour discuter avec les camionneurs à la fourche de Nyakanasi qui mène au Rwanda.
Il y a énormément de trafic lourd et l’attente à la frontière est semble-t-il interminable car c’est la seule route qui arrive de Dodoma (transit) des ports de Dar El-Salam et de Monbasa.
Nous décidons donc de prendre la route des intrépides la B-8 qui mène à Kigoma…ici c’est la fin des routes goudronnées…il y a au moins 6-7 heures de piste à faire puisqu’aucune route goudronné mène à Kigoma…Je me sens comme Stanley qui part à la rencontre de Livingston !
En route…au bout de la route c’est la porte du Congo. Piste rouge les habitations sont rares sur le parcours.
Tout ce dont nous croisons ce sont des camions de transport et des bus.
Nous devons ralentir car la piste est mouillée par les averses de pluie que nous traversons. Un hamas de véhicules apparaît tranquillement devant nous…nous contournons doucement un et deux véhicules et nous arrêtons. Quelques véhicules enlisés dans la boue dont cet autobus que les camionneurs s’affairent à tirer.
J’imagine que cela fait partie du patrimoine des pistes de terre battu et ça fait partie également de l’aventure. Après d’interminables heures de pistes, nous arrivons à Kigoma.
Jackson nous propose l’option du Gombe National Reserve sur les rives du Lac Tanganyika au nord de Kigoma du côté Tanzanien car le capitaine du traversier qui va sur la rive d’en face en République Démocratique du Congo ne veut pas traverser de blanc là-bas pour des raisons de sécurité. Le climat de violence et d'anarchie dans le pays n'est pas propice dit-il. L’option des gorilles meurt tranquillement car nous ne pouvons accéder par le lac puisque qu'aucun point d'entrée frontalier existe plus au nord (zone des rebelles). Nous optons donc pour le séjour à Gombe pour l’observation des chimpanzés. (Nous avions déjà accepté ce compromis advenant l’impossibilité de ne pas pouvoir voir les gorilles).
Jackson réussi à nous trouver un transport qui nous mènera à Gombe aujourd’hui….Ce n’est pas le plus rapide (il reliera Kigoma – Gombe en 4h) mais il flotte !
Arrivé sur place, le centre de recherche Jane Goodall nous accueillera en fin de journée. Nous explorerons ce coin de paradis demain.
Le réveil sur les rives du lac se fait avec douceur. Petit déjeuner en commune avec les chercheurs et techniciens du centre de recherche.
Le bureau du Parc est administré par les mêmes qui administre le centre de recherche. Nous discutons donc de frais d’entrée et de la durée de notre séjour. Les frais d’entrées sont à partir du moment où tu débarques du bateau par conséquent hier soir. Comme nous n’avons pas fait d’observation hier nous proposons 2 jours d’observation (50$ USD / Pers. / jour) au lieu de 3 et 3 nuits (50$ USD / Pers. / jour avec 3 repas par jour) au centre de recherche au lieu de 2 évitant ainsi de dormir à Kigoma ou l’intérêt n’est pas au rendez-vous. Acceptez par les administrateurs nous préparons notre première sortie dans ces montagnes.
Nous empruntons les sentiers accompagnés par 2 guides puisque nous sommes les seuls visiteurs. Les chercheurs sont déjà au travail dans la jungle. Les guides et les chercheurs communiquent par petit cris afin de ne pas perturber les activités quotidiennes des chimpanzés.
Nous nous séparons en 2 petits groupes pour faciliter les recherches, car on doit travailler un peu pour les trouver. Nous apercevons nos premiers singes.
Nous rejoindrons le reste de la famille qui a trouvé une petite famille avec une guenon en chaleur.
Le petit nous observe tout autant que nous l’observons.
Après être rentré au camp pour le déjeuner, nous faisons un retour sur notre avant-midi impressionnant. Nous profiterons de la chaleur du midi pour sauter se rafraîchir dans le lac.
La sortie d’après-midi sera plus profonde dans la montagne afin de rencontrer un 2e groupe de chimpanzés. Cette fois tous seront perchés dans les arbres.
Voici une nouvelle maman selon les chercheurs dans son nid à une dizaine de mètres de hauteur avec son petit nouveau qui à 1 semaine.
Nous ferons également connaissance avec le chef de clan.
La fin de la journée servira à faire connaissance avec tout le personnel du centre de recherche.
Le réveil est toujours aussi doux et silencieux en ces lieux avec le Congo en face et la brume qui semble flotter sur le lac.
Nous partons dans la jungle à la rencontre de ces primates paisibles. Nous retournons à la rencontre du premier groupe d’hier. Comme ils nous déjà vu, il n’y aura pas d’effet de surprise pour eux. Nos premiers chimpanzés apparaîtront dans les arbres.
Nous tentons l’expérience de ce disperser et s’assoir tranquille dans l’herbe pour les observer. Jackson et les chercheurs, ma conjointes avec les guides, les garçon, et moi tout seul.
Ils descendent doucement à notre rencontre.
Comme je suis assis seul une femelle s’étant approchée doucement, un mâle se joint à elle tout en observant le dominant percher au-dessus de nous.
Quel moment privilégié...seul au monde avec ces primates qui nous rappellent à l'ordre de la nature.
Le dominant descend de son arbre et passera près des guides et de ma conjointe ensuite près des garçons et fini par passé à mes côtés. Il se positionne afin de tous nous avoir dans son champ de vision. Nous nous retirons doucement et quittons les lieux.
Nous visiterons la cabane de Jane Goodall qui servait de camp de base ou elle et les chimpanzés ont partagés une bonne partie de leurs vies. Mme Goodall qui vit maintenant aux USA vient encore une fois l’an passé plusieurs semaines au centre de recherche malgré son âge.
Nous nous rafraîchirons dans cette cascade au milieu de la jungle avant de reprendre le chemin du camp.
Nous profitons de la fin de journée pour faire une balade sur le lac jusqu’au limite du Congo pour taquiner le poisson puisque la pêche est interdite dans la zone du parc national. Comme je transporte dans tout mes voyages de l’équipement de pêche sportive cannes télescopiques, leurres, fils, hameçons) nous pêcherons quelques petits spécimens que nous remettrons à l’eau.
Le repas du soir sera empreint d’émotion car nous quittons ces lieux paisibles demain. Les gens nous ont accueilli comme si nous étions de la famille.
Nous ferons la visite du centre de recherche avant notre départ.
Nous garderons une magnifique souvenir de ces gens qui nous ont cuisiné, guidé, éduqué, diverti, et conduit en ces lieux. Un incontournable à mon avis dans cette région du monde.
Le départ se fait avec un peu d’amertume mais nous nous divertirons sur le chemin du retour en faisant quelques belles prises.
À l’approche de Kigoma les activités fluviales sont un peu plus importantes.
Nous arrivons au port pendant le marché.
Nous ayant acquitté des frais de transport avant le départ, nous donnerons un pourboire à nos 2 navigateurs ainsi que les prises du jour. Ils nous avaient demandé notre matériel de pêche que nous leurs céderons avec grand plaisir.
Un dernier regard sur la baie de Kigoma et on se remet en route.
Quel magnifique voyage! Merci pour ce carnet qui nous permet de partager vos aventures.
L'observation des chimpanzés doit être une expérience très intense.
De belles rencontres et des souvenirs pour toute la famille c'est super!
L’itinéraire initial était de continuer vers Katavi, Ruaha et terminer avec le Selous. J’insiste quand même auprès de Jackson pour essayer cet itinéraire. Jackson ayant des souvenirs bien frais des routes de l’ouest du pays et connaissant bien la région en cette saison m’explique que nous n’avons pas l’équipement et le véhicule nécessaire à ce genre d’expédition. La route de Katavi depuis Kigoma peut prendre de 2 à 3 jours dépendant de l’état des pistes et pratiquement aucun hébergement sur le chemin ce qui signifie camping. De plus le trajet de Katavi à Ruaha relève d’un parcours de rallye.
Cette mise au point faite, nous concluons que ces parc seront pour une autre fois et ce par avion. Nous entreprenons donc de traverser la Tanzanie jusqu’au Selous en transitant par Tambora et Morogoro.
Comme déjà mentionné, aucune route goudronnée relie Kigoma. Nous goûtons de nouveau aux pistes de terre battue pour sortir de cette région en passant par de petit village.
La route sera parsemée d’arrêt dans les petites villes afin de manger local dans les marchés publics.
Nous stopperons à Tabora pour la nuit au Emirate Lodge (petit motel) modeste mais salle de bain privé, eau chaude et petit déjeuner inclus. Prix : 8$ USD / pers. / nuit.
La sœur de Jackson vivant à Tabora nous rendra visite avec son mari.
Levé tôt nous prenons la route de bonne heure car une très longue journée nous attend et encore de la piste à faire avant de rejoindre la route goudronnée.
Au midi nous décidons de stopper dans un petit bled qui se spécialise dans la cuisine de chèvre. Soupe, ragoût, steak, entrailles, et même testicules de chèvres…oui vous avez bien lu ! Ici rien ne se perd. Le tout servi avec frite !
Les garçons prendrons frite et ragoût, ma conjointe une soupe ou à peu près tous les entrailles y baignent…Jackson et moi prendrons les testicules et chèvre rôti histoire de goûter à la spécialité locale. Curieusement très bon comme une charcuterie frite en fait…c’est le côté psychologique qui en prend un coup puisque nous n’y sommes pas habitués.
Il faut faire attention à lui...il est en charge des testicules...😉
L'une des commerçantes est venu nous montrer son bébé...ou elle est venu montrer des blancs à son bébé...il avait l'air tellement surpris !
Après ce stop gastronomique hors du commun, nous poursuivons notre route tout en dépassant la capitale Dodoma sans nous y arrêter. Une grande ville surement congestionné, bruyante.
Recherchant à relié Morogoro avant la tombée de la nuit nous roulerons sans arrêt. À Morogoro nous trouverons la Casa de Mama Pierina, une grec que Jackson connait qui tient un auberge tranquille. 25$ USD / pers. / nuit, petit déjeuner inclus. Morogoro est une petite ville du genre d'Arusha qui peut servir de point de chute pour les parcs Selous, Ruaha, Katavi.
Demain nous ferons notre entrée dans le Selous...😎
Aujourd’hui tous sommes fébrile à l’idée d’arriver au Selous Game Reserve. C’est probablement notre dernière chance de pouvoir observer les fameux Lycaons et le grand Koudou.
Depuis Morogoro nous ne ferons pas longs avant de reprendre les pistes qui mènent aux régions rurales du sud Tanzanie.
Un petit arrêt pour ramasser quelques fruits et reprenons la piste.
Un pont d’acier qui semble en bon état…une fois dessus tu souhaites arriver de l’autre côté.
Ici c’est jour de marché. Les commerçants s’agglutinent autour de la jeep pour vendre leurs produits. Ma conjointe fan de shopping ne peut s’empêcher de regarder en touchant…Toucher = acheter…ou presque. Après quelques achats nous reprenons la piste qui peu à peu se transforme en sentier.
La végétation de plus en plus dense démontre que nous nous éloignons définitivement des zones habités.
Nous entrons dans le dernier village avant le Selous ou nous prendrons le petit-déjeuner.
Par la suite les derniers batiments font place à l’accès du Selous….
Un grand moment appréhendé, que d’arriver au portail du Selous Game Reserve. Arrivé tôt nous prenons le temps de se dégourdir avant de franchir le portail.
Nous nous présentons à la Matambwe Gate qui n’est pas en mesure de nous facturer nos frais d’accès et nous demande de nous présenter à la Mtemere Gate pour régler nos frais d’accès. Nous partons donc à l’aventure de ce prestigieux parc…du moins pour l’instant par réputation.
Comme notre habitude de l’imprévu nous suit, nous profiterons pour se chercher de l’hébergement en chemin. À voir la légende nous avons l’embarras du choix.
Ainsi commence notre aventure au Selous. Notre première rencontre avec des girafes se passera rapidement car Jackson m’explique qu’ici les animaux sont très souvent à la course ou un peu plus farouche donc il se déplace dès qu’ils aperçoivent quelque chose d’inhabituel.
Le paysage m’apparaît comme un mélange de Samburu au Kenya et du Tarangire en Tanzanie. Nous aimons bien.
Nous frappons à notre première porte pour de l’hébergement, le Sand River Camp…ici les lodges sont très onéreux. La plupart des gens arrivent ici par avion donc paie le prix et peu importe…le tarif est de 120$ USD / pers. / nuit…nous continuons notre parcours.
Babouins jaune, gnous, girafes et zèbres se succèdent à notre grand plaisir de se retrouver en pleine brousse de nouveau.
Ce magnifique oiseau nous accompagnera une bonne partie de la piste en volant à nos côté.
À l’approche du Rufiji River Camp, nous croisons une jeep qui safari comme nous. Au bord du lac Mzezamia nous avons la chance d’observer les hippopotames hors de l’eau et dans l’eau. Un crocodile lézarde au soleil aussi.
Le Rufiji River Camp demande la modique somme de 200$ USD / pers. / nuit….nous quitterons rapidement en se résignant à dormir hors du parc.
Nous dirigeant vers la Mtemere Gate nous croisons une femelle Koudou. C’est bon signe. Si femelle il y a, mâle il y a…
Dans le dernier droit avant la guérite Jackson stoppe brusquement. Nous apercevons ce qui semble être un lycaon…le summum de notre voyage semble se concrétiser. Nous approchons doucement dans l’espérance d’observer la meute….à notre grande déception ce cliché s’enfonçant dans la brousse sera le seul.
Nous avons de l’espoir pour les prochains jours ! À la guérite, nous acquittons les frais d’accès. Les gardiens nous expliques que le fais de dormir à l’extérieur du parc coute énormément moins cher puisqu’il y a un frais de séjour intérieur qui se rajoute lorsqu’hébergé dans les lodges intérieurs. De plus il enregistre notre heure d’arrivée à 18h ce qui nous laisse 2 jours pleins de safari à venir.
Le gardien nous recommande un lodge près du village tenu par son frère.
La surprise est de taille pour le lodge, situé à 20 minutes de la guérite, en pleine brousse avec un cuisinier hors pair. Hier soir nous avons été reçu comme des rois et sommes seuls. Lieu modeste mais dans une ambiance Wow !!! 50$ USD / pers. / nuit / tous les repas inclus, Jackson hébergé pour rien.
Les frais de parc acquitté pour les 2 prochaines journées nous partons avec notre pic-nic tout doucement à travers les pistes. Des éléphants viendront à notre rencontre au petit matin.
Au bord du marais nous observons ce grand héron…corrigez-moi si je me trompe !
Encore lui !...il nous suivra à nouveau lors de notre randonnée.
Jackson aperçoit quelques choses dans l’herbe, en s’approchant nous découvrons cette petite famille de lions qui relax sous cette chaleur.
Comme dans tout parc, une jeep immobile est bien souvent signe d’observation particulière. D’autres jeeps se joindront à nous. Les parents nous jettent un regard avant de repartir en léthargie.
Après cette rencontre inespéré nous continuons notre route jusqu’au point de pause ou nous prenons le petit déjeuner en plein air.
Nos voisins qui safari en jeep ouverte nous prête volontiers leur véhicule pour immortalisé celui-ci. Je ne prendrais place dans le siège extérieur pour rien au monde. Le guide est très brave.
Nous continuons notre après-midi en cherchant le grand Koudou et une meute de lycaon. Les espoirs d’hier étant, nous ne verrons que des gnous, des antilopes et ce crocodile au bord du marais.
Il nous reste encore demain…il ne faut pas perdre espoir.
Nous terminons la journée sur la rivière Rufiji histoire de profiter au maximum de la région. Jackson nous trouve une embarcation pour $10 USD / pers. N'étant pas le chauffeur attitré, il prendra soins de faire la sieste 😎
Nous observons différentes espèces d’oiseaux ainsi que ce petit varan.
Les gens du village s’affairent à remonter leurs filets pour la prise du jour ou traverse simplement la rivière en canot-bus.
Nous allons jusqu’au abord du Rufiji Safari Camp histoire d’observer les hippopotames. Le mâle dominant ne semble pas apprécier notre présence et nous le fait sentir en se sortant de l’eau. D’autres semble vouloir venir à notre rencontre et le guide décide qu’il ne fait pas les contrarier, nous quittons donc les lieux.
De retour, nous passerons une fin de journée relax au camp. Voici d’ailleurs ce lieu privilégié.
Voici notre hôte et cuisiner hors pair...probablement les meilleurs repas africains que nous ayons mangé depuis notre arrivée il y plusieurs semaines.
Ce matin, les objectifs sont précis. Nous partons à la recherche du grand Koudou et des lycaons biens sur. Décidément les paysages de pistes et sentiers sont merveilleux. Nous adorons ce parc même si l’observation des animaux est plus difficile, c’est grisant d’avoir à débusquer les spécimens…comme un défi.
Notre premier spécimen, nous l’avons eu au camp avant d’embarquer dans la jeep….ce mille pattes.
Voici un avion nolisée qui arrive sur la piste du parc.
Un troupeau d’antilopes se montrent le bout du nez suivi de cet infatigable oiseau qui vole à nos côté…cette fois nous le captons en vol.
Nous pénétrons dans un secteur que nous n’avions pas encore scruté.
Que vois-je, des panaches tordus…et oui ! C’est bien eux…nous avons trouvé les grands koudous. Nous passerons un bon moment avec eux les prenants sous toutes les angles.
Une grande satisfaction. Nous repartons maintenant avec qu’un seul autre objectif. Nous parcourons le reste de l’après-midi observant, babouins jaunes, girafes et antilopes.
Nous n’aurons qu’un seul lycaon observé rentrant dans la brousse le jour de notre arrivée mais la rencontre avec les grands koudous sera mémorables et d’une grande satisfaction.
Nous quittons le Selous avec l’idée d’y revenir un jour…pour les lycaons et les parcs Katavi et Ruaha. Cette région est une découverte hors des troupeaux de tours opérateurs et ce à une demi journée de route de Morogoro ou Dar El Salam.
Ce matin nous quittons avec un peu de tristesse car cet aventure arrive à terme. Nous partons nous reposer quelques peu avant de reprendre la route du Kenya. La piste menant à la route goudronnée est embouteillée….par ces quelques singes et par ce troupeau !
Un bus fait son apparition et ce petit village qui démontre que nous faisons route vers des lieux urbains.
Nous ferons la pause-coco. Histoire de boire une noix de coco fraîche et du même coup encourager l’économie locale. Nous profiterons de l'arrêt pour faire laver la jeep.
La route goudronnée rejointe, des signes nous démontrent que nous approchons de la grande ville.
Voici Dar El Salam, le retour à l’urbanisation, le bruit, la poussière, la congestion automobile.
Nous nous dirigeons directement au ferry car nous n’avions pas l’intention de stopper à Dar El Salam autrement que pour transiter vers Zanzibar.
Pour l’instant, Kigamboni Beach sera notre pause d’après safari pour les 3 prochains jours.
Nous vous résumons 3 jours de pause dans un seul post.
Voici les installations du ressort qui a bien voulu nous laisser une chambre à 4 pour 20$ USD / pers. / nuit excluant les repas que nous avons pris à la carte ainsi que nos consommations.
Sommes toute très confortable, la plage fréquenter par les gens vivant sur cette péninsule, mis à part les quelques vendeurs ambulants qui eux très polis et pas d’abus d’insistance tous nous ont montré respect.
La mer quant à elle, chaude, propre, avec les algues du matin, était parfaite à part les ‘’Jelly Fish’’ méduses qui viennent te brûler les cuisses ou la bedaine. Très douloureux comme expérience. Avec quelques verres ont fini par oublier la douleur.
Finalement le village est sympathique et on y trouve tout ce qui est nécessaire en bordure de mer.
Un repos mérité avant le prendre le chemin de Zanzibar... Hakuna Matata😎
Merci, merci et encore merci pour ce beau récit et les photos qui vont avec surtout qu'hier et aujourd'hui on croule sous la neige ici n'est-ce-pas 😉😉😉
Pour le grand héron, je dirais plutôt un ibis tantale et ton autre "zoziau" c'est, peut-être, un guêpier mais je ne sais pas quelle sous-espèces ou un souimanga !!!.
C’est aujourd’hui que nous quittons Jackson pour Zanzibar. Il repart vers Arusha ou il reprendra du service comme guide dans le secteur Serengeti. Nous gardons un excellent souvenir et resterons en contact. Nous nous rendons au Pier de départ des ferries, ou l’anarchie règne pour l’achat de billet Dar es Salam - Zanzibar. Tous veulent te vendre l’aller-retour express à rabais. Finalement nous n’achetons qu’un aller puisque nous ne connaissons pas notre date de retour ni notre mode de transport.
Une fois les billets en main…c’est la folie pour essayer de se frayer un chemin jusqu’au bateau.
Une fois sur le ferry nous prenons place au 2e pont. La sortie du port se fait sans problème. Une fois en mer le catamaran prend sa vitesse et commence à frapper les vagues….oups ! mal de mer pour tous…tous ceux sur le pont supérieur. Nous arrivons 2h30 plus tard à Zanzibar étoudi comme un lendemain de veille.
Arrivé sur place Mohamed une référence de Jackson nous attend pour nous conduire sur la côte. Passant dans Stone Town nous découvrons une autre Afrique. Indienne-noire avec influence islamique.
Nous optons pour la côte Est plutôt que la pointe nord. À la recherche d’hébergement tranquille puisque le but est de décanter l’aventure et non pas de faire la fête pendant une semaine.
Nous posons pied à Jambiani Beach au Garden’s Bungalows ou l’endroit plaît à toute la famille. Aucune comodité autre que les lits. Prix : 15$ / pers. / nuit avec petit déjeuner inclus et ce directement sur la plage.
Nous vous résumerons l’ensemble du séjour dans différents posts d’intérêts mais sans chronologie. Séjour de 8 jours au total.
En cette époque de l’année (fin janvier, début février) un alizé permanent balai la côte est, mais les 30 degré gardent l’ambiance tropicale. La mer rejette son lot d’algues chaque nuit ce qui donne une impression de malpropreté générale. Ce détail importe peu quant à la tranquillité rencontré ici.
La mer se retire très loin en fin de journée à marée basse ce qui amène à planifier baignade et activités en bateau le matin.
Le personnel du Garden’s est composé d’un groupe de jeune dans la vingtaine qui s’occupe de l’entretient, de la cuisine, du bar et de la plage. Tous sympathique et serviable. Les environs du Garden's sont composées de petits guest house et des maisons du villages.
Pour la plage capitaine Nemo (son surnom) nous organise toute les sorties en mer sur un catamaran fait de tronc sculptés et la voile est un ensemble de poche de riz cousu ensemble. Étonnamment il flotte et la voile est très performante. Les enfants apprendront à naviguer avec les nouveaux amis. Snorkel pour nous et pêche sous-marine pour les locaux chaque matins.
Pause-coco quand l’envie nous dit….ils grimpe au cocotier comme nous dans un escalier…très bonne forme physique ces jeunes.
Maman a trouver de nouveaux amies parmi les femmes du village et encourage l'économie locale en soins de beauté.
Nous profitons de la marée basse pour faire les achats tous les jours au village avec les jeunes cuisiniers afin d’avoir un dîner sur mesure. Le faible coût des aliments nous permet d’acheter plus que nécessaire afin que les jeunes travaillants au Garden’s puisse partager le repas du soir avec nous ce qui ravit les garçons qui se sont mi copain avec eux.
Un jeune masaï nous rend visite chaque soir agrémentant de sa compagnie. Mon garçon essayant la fameuse danse sautée !
La visite de Stone Town impressionne par son profile historique. Elle a des allures de port de pirates avec ses ruelles.
Son architecture particulières et ses portes fortifiées sont l’héritage mixte africain, arabe et indien. Stone Town (ville de pierre) est une ville marchande et l’influence y est toujours présente.
Situé en bord de mer les habitants jouissent d’une ambiance relax.
Stone Town n’est pas qu’historique, la partie non touristique démontre la précarité du secteur. Les gens non affecté au commerce touristique doivent travailler dur chaque jour.
En 2010 nous faisions notre premier safari au Kenya en famille, nous étions loin de penser que nous tomberions à ce point amoureux de cette destination. Depuis…
WILDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA (04.09.05 au 23.09.05) J’avais terminé mon carnet de voyage précédent avec cette phrase: « Plus jamais ...je ne resterais aussi longtemps…
Carnets de voyage › Afrique du Sud / Namibie · 260 replies
Voici le retour de notre road trip de 5 semaines en Afrique du Sud et en Namibie!!! (Juillet-Aout 2015) Comme on dit en africain: Enjoy! Hein quoi ce n’est pas…
Préambule: L’Afrique me manquant, il y a un an nous avons, avec nos habituels compagnons de voyage, décidé de retourner sur continent que nous adorons tant. Où…
Heureux de retrouver le forum d’Afrique australe pour me replonger dans notre voyage de l’été dernier et le partager avec vous. Bien que ce fut déjà mon 4ème…
If I close my eyes and think of the Sultanate of Oman, I first smell a light scent of incense, feel the warmth of a sunbeam on my skin, before sand slips through my fingers. I taste the sweetness of a date, a real candy, then the flavor of coffee with a hint of cardamom and rosewater... I hear the desert wind whistling in my ears, the distant call of a muezzin, then the murmur of water. I open my eyes to see smiles, welcoming gestures, a turquoise sea, rocks ranging from ochre to purple, deep wadis where torrents burst forth, orange dunes, white sandy beaches where tiny crabs scurry at full speed. I see incredible oases emerging between arid mountains. I see abandoned villages that I’d dream were full of life, imposing fortresses overlooking valleys, and lively souks where offers are delicate and negotiation is a mutual courtesy.
All that, and so much more.
This is what I tried to capture in my illustrated travel journal, which I’ll fill in here and there with photos.
I drew this journal “cold,” after my return (actually, I made it this summer, while our trip was last winter). It’s a pretty special format—I bought it in Japan without really knowing what I’d do with it. Well, it found its purpose! Below is a photo of this accordion-style journal: here, it’s only partially open, because when fully unfolded, it’s 5 meters long!
For drawing enthusiasts: The accordion format is both a constraint (each sheet is 9 cm x 27 cm) and a freedom (you can create a fresco). The paper is also a bit special: it doesn’t allow for fine lines, but it takes ink well (liner pen). However, everything has to be done almost in one go (with a very light pencil sketch) because it erases poorly. It absorbs too much water for coloring with markers or watercolors (unless you avoid soaking it), but it works well with oil pastels and their use with a brush and solvent. Since it’s yellowish, it allowed me to create contrasts even with white pastel.
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Oman is one of the world’s largest producers of frankincense resin. Incense burners are everywhere, from the simplest clay ones to the most precious handcrafted silver ones...
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
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!!!
"So, my little wanderers, back at the decks? What’s this mystery destination you’ve got in store for us at the start of the year?"
Yes, the schoolyard bell’s ringing again! We’re hitting the road... or rather, the skies! At first glance, our destination might surprise more than a few. First off, simply because I was here exactly twenty years ago, and I don’t usually like retracing my own footsteps. Secondly, because the name of this place screams mass tourism—basically the opposite of what Flo and I look for.
Despite that, in this land of backsheesh, I’d promised myself I’d come back one day to experience it my way. And since Flo told me, during our wanderer chats, that this destination straddling Africa and the Middle East was in her top 2 travel dreams, the stars aligned for this roots-style trip to quickly make it onto our pharaonic festivities program! Unless you’re totally clueless in general knowledge, you’ve probably guessed by now—we’re off to Egypt! Of course, a few classics will be on our itinerary, but above all, we want to soak up a culture that can’t be appreciated in four-star resorts or on a Nile cruise boat. And let’s be clear, these next two weeks won’t be a walk in the park—neither for our two daughters who are joining us, nor for our bodies!
And that’s clear from the get-go: after our first flight, eight hours of trying (and failing) to sleep on Milan airport’s metal seats, our second flight, landing, passport stamps, our Uber ride, and our first Cairo kilometers, we finally drop our exhaustion at the little guesthouse we booked in Giza. Doesn’t all that energy deserve a little reward?
Oh, absolutely! And here it is: a full-on slap in the face for everyone! But just look at this view from our hotel terrace? For 20 € a night for four, even with this incredible view, I figured the room must be pretty shabby, right? Nope... Is the staff rude, then? Nope... Okay, so what’s the catch? You’re gonna tell me breakfast is included too? Well, yes! Honestly, this Egypt trip is off to a great start.
And the rest of the afternoon, spent rubbing shoulders with locals, only confirmed this vibe. After digesting our pyramid view, we dove into the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood with the goal of exchanging money, eating at street stalls, and testing the hospitality of the locals. Ten out of ten!
Eight little sun breads with baba ganoush and falafel? 80 pounds, or 1.5 €. A dozen Middle Eastern pastries? Same! 80 pounds! Two hawawshis, those little pita breads stuffed with meat and spices? 10 pounds each, or about twenty cents! Not to mention all those smiles and free "welcomes" left and right!!!
What a welcome! We end this first day with a sunset over the three sisters of Giza—where we’ll obviously be gawking tomorrow...
"How about a Christmas market this year, huh? A little romantic weekend getaway...
- Yes! That’d be cool! Strasbourg? Colmar?
- Feels a bit déjà vu, doesn’t it? Plus, slim chance of snow there... And I’d love something a bit more exotic with a touch of originality..."
"Okay, Google, give me the list of the five most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe.
- In fifth place, the Christmas market in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
- Save your breath! Lithuania, here we come!"
We wanted cold, and cold is exactly what we got the moment we set foot in this new, unknown land. As for landscapes, forests and lakes stretch as far as the eye can see across this vast plain, its vegetation scorched by the frost of a winter that’s clearly already well underway here.
Lakes, in fact, set the scene for our first visit to Trakai Castle, whose brick-red towers and walls rise proudly against the azure sky of our first day. Lakes, because this castle was built on an island and is only accessible on foot via a series of walkways spanning half-frozen lake offshoots. I couldn’t have picked a better spot to build my castle! Translation: We’re totally sold! Proof is we spend two hours hiking around the area, alternating between forests, reeds, and cozy houses tastefully decorated for Christmas.
I’m sharing a little recap of this new 4-week trip to China—nothing fancy, just my experience.
We’re taking advantage of the extended visa exemption to return to China for the 4th time. I loved last summer’s trip so much that I’m a bit worried about being disappointed this year. Plus, I’ve had a few hiccups before this departure: my WeChat account got blocked, and I couldn’t recover it (luckily, Alipay still works fine); I couldn’t verify my 12306 account for weeks; Trip.com failed to book our second train; and I’ve got an injury that’ll slow me down during the trip... Ugh, I hate starting a trip with these kinds of issues. Then, oh surprise! Just before leaving, my 12306 account got verified! Super easy to use from that point on—I could book a few train tickets without fees.
We’re sticking with Free’s e-SIMs, which work great in China.
August 2–3
Anyway, on the morning of August 2nd, we took the RER to CDG. As usual, we couldn’t check in online. It’s always a bit frustrating, especially since we didn’t have any checked luggage. We flew with Air China. We arrived at the check-in counter at 9:50 AM, 2 hours and 40 minutes before the flight. The line for our check-in stretched 300 meters across the airport in both directions. What a joke!! We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes in that line just to reach the counter and get our boarding passes. By then, it was 11:35 AM, and boarding had already started at 11:20 AM. The screens showed a 25-minute walk to our gate—on the other side of the airport, of course—plus we had to go through passport control and security... Long story short, the plane didn’t leave without us 🙂 We boarded among the last passengers, and we took off at 12:30 PM. We’d flown Air China four times before, but this time, it felt *really* low-cost. The check-in chaos, the cramped seats (12 seats per row), no music by artists known outside China, mediocre food, and a boarding area at Beijing Airport with only 10 seats—worthy of Ryanair or EasyJet. And yet, the price was sky-high. Again, D.’s vacation requests were denied outside of July and August, so we’re traveling from August 2nd to 30th. We couldn’t have picked a worse time for inflated prices, and with the situation in Iran, we got hit with a 390 € fuel surcharge. I’ve never paid so much for flights—I felt like I’d bought business class, but nope, far from it!!
We landed in Beijing around 4:15 AM. It was 28°C with thick fog. We drove and drove and drove for 20 minutes, as usual in Beijing. Then we went through a first check, a second check, a third check, and waited for our connecting flight at 6:40 AM. A small Airbus A320, but way more space than in the Boeing 777 from the first flight. We landed in Kunming, Yunnan, around 10:15 AM in the rain.
We headed to the subway. You can’t pay at the machines with Alipay here either, so we set up the transport QR code directly in Alipay to scan at the subway gates. The process is a bit long the first time if you haven’t entered your info before, but once it’s done, it’s *so* much easier! We took Line 6 to the terminus for 6 yuan each.
We’d booked a hotel nearby, on the 16th floor. It’s actually studios on different floors of a huge residential building. The view’s pretty nice from here. We settled in quickly—back to those wooden beds, or rather, mattresses as hard as wood, which we *hadn’t* missed...
Then we went out for our first bowl of noodles of the trip and wandered through the shopping streets of the old town.
It was crowded, and the weather was cool—around 19–20°C. We tried a local specialty: milk skin, thick, dried, then grilled with rose jam. Yeah... we won’t be having that again. The taste and texture of the milk skin... no thanks.
We saw a lot of wild mushroom hotpot too. It’s on our list for later. We also passed through the Jinma and Biji gates, where I played with reflections in puddles. I *love* doing that 🙂
At the end of the day, we headed to a temple advertised as open 24/7 on Amap. Of course, when we got there, it was closed. We’ll go back tomorrow. That was the first of many disappointments with Amap this trip—I hadn’t had that issue on previous visits.
We were exhausted after that sleepless flight. Night was falling, and we decided to grab a quick bite without much appetite. We shared a delicious vegetable fried rice for 12 yuan—we even left half of it. The portions are *huge*.
After a couple of small purchases, we headed back at 9 PM, wiped out, after walking 17 km between the airports and these first steps in Kunming. I expected to see quite a few Western travelers here, but we didn’t spot a single one. Instead, we met lots of curious Chinese people, many of them super friendly and helpful—almost *too* eager, like when they’d run to serve us as fast as possible. It’s a bit much, but it’s great to be back!
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
This time, I landed in Monastir on a direct flight from Nice, again with Tunisair. We left about ten minutes late, and the flight lasted around 1 hour 30 minutes. A meal was served on board (cucumber salad with Edam-like cheese, carrots, and two small portions of dishes I couldn’t identify—semolina with peppers, olives, and parsley, two small rolls, a square of processed cheese, and a chocolate cake). It’s worth noting because it’s not common on flights this short.
In February, France and Tunisia were in the same time zone, but now Tunisia is one hour behind. This time difference and the flight duration work perfectly for a short 15-day trip since it takes me a few days to adjust to jet lag.
Luckily, I’d asked my hotel about the taxi fare from the airport because the drivers (there were several around me) didn’t hesitate to quote outrageous prices. The actual fare is 20 dinars, but one asked for 120 dinars. I refused, and another offered 60 dinars. I replied, "That’s too expensive—I’ll take the metro!" (Having tried the Tunis metro, I had no desire to repeat the experience in Monastir with a suitcase!). I started walking toward the metro, and one of the drivers caught up with me, saying, "20 dinars is fine!" I’ll skip the details, but the negotiation took a little while.
When I arrived at the hotel, I told the receptionist someone had asked for 120 dinars. He put his hands to his head and said, "They’re awful!" He remembered our phone call two days earlier when I’d booked (he’s the one who told me I could take the metro).
The Mezri Hotel isn’t expensive. I got a sea-view room for 75 dinars (22 €). (I’d booked a balcony room for 90 dinars but wouldn’t have had time to enjoy it.) It’s well-located but noisy because there’s no double glazing.
The receptionist is a very kind older gentleman. He called a friend whose wife is from Tozeur to find out if I should take a bus or a *louage* tomorrow and what time.
I arrived at the hotel around 7:00 PM and had time to stroll along the corniche to the ribat. Despite some run-down buildings, the seaside seemed livelier and cheerier than Sousse’s.
Monastir is the hometown of former president Bourguiba. I passed his mausoleum by taxi. There are Tunisian flags along the avenue by the sea because every year on April 6—the anniversary of Habib Bourguiba’s death—the president of the Republic visits the Bourguiba Mausoleum in Monastir to pay respects.
The taxi driver mentioned other Tunisian presidents. He complained about rising prices and insecurity, blaming President Kaïs Saïed (I’d already heard that security was better under Ben Ali).
At the end of my stay, I’ll take time to explore Monastir, but tomorrow morning, I’m off to Tozeur—a long bus ride awaits me.
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.
Hi everyone, we're back from a DIY USA road trip we organized from July 31, 2026, to August 26, 2026.
The destination: The Southwest USA, including Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. Roughly 7,000 kilometers covered.
The car: A Chevrolet Equinox for two, rented through BSP Auto and Avis. Inside, we had 2 suitcases, a travel bag, two carry-on bags, a Walmart cooler, photo gear, and water bottles (a 40-pack).
The route: Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo, and back to Dallas to finish with a departure from DFW.
The travelers: Two seniors well advanced in years (73 and 75) but still active (nothing too physically demanding—to stay alive and fund our trips), fully independent physically, though a bit less so mentally. Big USA fans, a country where anything is possible. More walkers than hikers, preferring 3-star hotels over roadside motels, Italian restaurants over US food, frequent stops for photos, museums over nothing, naps over forced marches. Not too whiny, just enough to stay French in the land of the "great Satan," as they say.
Not great with languages—street English (but handy), and my Spanish is non-existent except for: "Hola! Una cerveza por favor!" That’s about it. My wife understands everything but refuses to speak.
The cost of the road trip: Around 12,000 €, including AF flights, the car, gas, gifts, visits, and everything else. Well managed, since we’d budgeted 13,500 € initially.
The positive side: A delight, with those endless open roads. Museums to discover. The realization of the Hispanic presence and its important history in this part of America. Lovely locals. Tourists who were more or less friendly. A terrible Texan accent that was hard to understand. Gas stations that were like real stores, with prepared food, alcohol sold in Arizona and New Mexico, and employees who were always up for a laugh!
The negative side: The heat throughout the trip... 43°C in Dallas at the end. Impossible to walk the streets. Lots of homeless people in downtown Dallas. Hotel breakfasts that were always the same. You get used to it.
So, it was positive overall, but the concept is starting to wear us out. We might rethink the DIY road trip model for next time. If the man upstairs grants us more time.
Next up, we’ll wait for the first batch of sorted photos to go through the wringer.
Here we go!!!
I left home at 4 AM on October 31st and headed to Barcelona. Driving through Barcelona on the ring road stresses me out a bit, but at 6 AM the traffic is smooth, and I arrive at the airport without any issues. I call the valet, who quickly comes to pick up my car. He takes photos of it from all angles before letting me go.
Baggage check-in hasn’t started yet, and there are already several of us waiting.
Once free, everything happens very quickly. The flight to Abu Dhabi is on time and goes smoothly. I’ve never had any problems with this airline, which I’ve been using for several years.
The flight to Bangkok arrives at 7 AM as scheduled. This is my first time in Thailand and Bangkok. I’m used to traveling in India, and I notice that everything here is well organized—the customs process is quick, and the luggage is already on the carousel.
I booked a taxi on Booking. All I have to do is find the right exit and door based on the agency’s instructions. A large sign with the names of people who booked is posted on a wall. A hostess greets me and calls the taxi, which arrives 5 minutes later. I booked one night at the Lost Inn BKK hotel in the Phra Nakhon district, and we arrive at 9 AM. The welcome isn’t warm, and I have to wait until noon, sitting on a chair, before I can check into my room. I’m exhausted, and sleeping sitting up isn’t ideal. Noon finally arrives—the room is small but clean, which is fine for one night. I quickly take a shower to wake up because I plan to spend the afternoon visiting the Grand Palace. First, I need to exchange some money, and the banks are all close together on the same street, which is very convenient. When I enter one, a hostess gives me a ticket and invites me to sit down. There are about twenty counters, and I wait quietly until my number is called. The exchange is quick, so I can head out to find the Royal Palace. It’s actually very easy, and the walk is pleasant.
Entry to the Royal Palace (500 baht).
It’s magnificent and grand, and there are quite a few of us visiting. The sky is gray, it’s very humid, and a shower interrupts the visit. It’s a vast complex of temples and palaces. The buildings are colorful and sparkling, with a great sense of serenity (without the tourists, of course). I quietly enjoy the place and try to take photos without tourists, which isn’t easy.
Very close to the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the capital.
It’s very famous for its 46-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.
Walking around the temple, you can see different representations of Buddha, all covered in gold leaf.
Inside the temple, on one side, monks recite their prayers, while the other side is reserved for tourists who come to meditate in silence.
Before returning to the hotel, I have dinner at an Indian restaurant. I go to bed early because tomorrow’s wake-up call will be very early again.
Saturday, November 2nd
Wake-up at 4 AM, departure from the hotel at 4:30 AM. The taxi I booked via Booking is waiting for me and takes me to the airport. The trip is fairly quick—he takes small roads, and at this hour, there’s no traffic.
The flight to Phnom Penh is on time. Before boarding, I realize I left my fleece jacket on the carousel, but it’s too late to go back for it.
The flight goes well, and customs is quick.
At the exit, I take a tuk-tuk to Julieka’s GH near the museum. The welcome is friendly. I won’t be able to check into my room until noon, so I take the opportunity to exchange some euros on the market street. The street is lined with restaurants, and I’ll have my first meal there.
The museum is right across the street, so I don’t waste any time visiting it.
The representations of Hindu deities are very different from those in India, and I don’t recognize them. Many beautiful Buddhas are on display.
The museum is very pleasant, and there aren’t too many people, which is a plus.
At the exit, I return to the GH, settle into my room—which is decent and clean.
The Royal Palace is 1 km away. I walk along a garden, and at the end of the street is the Tonlé Sap, but I turn right. I arrive at a large esplanade and see the buildings with tiered roofs and glazed tiles. The entrance to the palace is a little further away.
At the entrance, I notice there isn’t the same crowd as at the one in BKK.
Khmer architecture is magnificent. The complex consists of gardens, palaces, pagodas with golden roofs, and slender spires.
The Silver Pagoda houses the small Emerald Buddha, which is actually made of jade. The silver flooring is covered with carpets. Photos are not allowed.
The walls surrounding the pagoda are covered with frescoes depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
My partner and I traveled from Sunday, July 5, 2026, to Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
We spent a long time debating whether to rent a car or use public transportation. In the end, after reading so many posts about travelers getting scammed by police or rental companies—even those recommended by blogs and reviews—we decided to stick with public transport. It worked out really well. Sure, we had a little less freedom to go where we wanted, but it was way less stressful for us.
Sunday, July 5:
Arrived at Cancun Airport. Withdrew cash from the ATM in the terminal just before exiting. The ADO bus counter (they pronounce it "A-Jee-O") is right behind you when you're facing the ATM. Bus to downtown Cancun cost 145 pesos per person.
Stayed at "Rose 5," booked on Booking. The studio was super clean and perfect for one night. The owner’s instructions for accessing the place were very precise, with photos included. Check-in was self-service with a code. The ADO bus terminal isn’t far, and there are shops and restaurants nearby. We really appreciated that the AC was already on when we arrived. By the way, I’d recommend always booking places with AC—it’s *really* hot in Mexico.
Monday, July 6:
Bought a SIM card with data from a TELCEL store. My partner, who’s on Free Mobile, was able to use her regular plan. Just so you know, I found the network pretty unstable. As soon as we left the cities, neither of us—me with TELCEL or her with Free—had any signal.
Another thing to watch out for: roaming charges. I had to turn my SIM back on for less than 30 seconds to get a bank SMS code, and my phone apparently connected to the internet—resulting in an 8-euro roaming fee.
Left on an ADO bus to Chiquila for 278 pesos per person. During our trip, ADO buses were always on time, comfortable, and clean. The AC is *cranked* though, so bring something to cover up with—it gets cold. Some routes were fully booked even in the low season, so try to reserve 1 or 2 days in advance either via the app (when it works) or at the counter.
When we arrived at the ADO terminal in Chiquila, the ferry company counters were right next to it. Ferries leave every 30 minutes, alternating between companies, so no need to book ahead. Just take whichever one is leaving next (330 pesos per person).
When we got to Holbox (pronounced "Hol-bosh"), we’d booked a place via Booking called "Casa de Nana." It was a huge studio with a fridge, cooking plate, and utensils. The best part? The *location*. It was 100 meters from the beach and 200 meters from a Chedraui supermarket. They provided bath towels and beach towels, and the AC worked perfectly. There’s a key box so you can leave your keys inside when you go out. The only downside was that no one was there to let us in when we arrived, so we had to wait a while. The Wi-Fi was good, which was lucky because during our 4-day stay in Holbox, the phone network *never* worked. According to locals, that’s pretty common in Holbox, along with water outages.
Luckily, I’d had the good idea to download an offline map, which helped us find our way back to the place more easily. You can walk there from the dock.
The restaurant next to our place (La Barracuda) was great if you like seafood—I’d recommend their octopus dishes.
Tuesday, July 7:
We did a kayak tour in Holbox’s mangroves at 6 AM. We were looking for a sunrise kayak tour with a French-speaking guide. That’s exactly what we got with "Kayaking Holbox," where Diego, the owner, speaks English and French. He was joined by Gustavo, another guide.
We’d booked for a group tour, but we were the only ones. Diego still went ahead with it instead of canceling due to lack of participants, so we got a private tour at the group rate—really professional of him. They showed us this amazing ecosystem for over 3 hours. We saw all kinds of birds: pink flamingos, pelicans, egrets, frigatebirds... rays, a horseshoe crab, and a little crocodile that was *so* well hidden. Diego and Gustavo have a real eye for spotting animals—I could’ve passed by the crocodile 100 times and never seen it, it blended in so well. Their explanations about the flora and fauna were super interesting. We also got a little break where we tasted mangoes and bananas that taste *nothing* like the ones in France. A real treat—those little Mexican yellow mangoes! I’d definitely recommend Diego and his agency for a French-language kayak tour (1000 pesos per person).
In the evening, we walked to Punta Coco to see the bioluminescence. No need for a guided tour—if you really don’t want to walk, you can take a taxi. At Punta Coco, you have to pass the beach bar/restaurant and then go left into a kind of inlet that forms a lagoon. You have to wiggle your feet or move your hands in the water to create movement, which makes the light appear. Just don’t expect the kind of photos you’ve seen online—they’re all edited! It’s fun to see, but you won’t be dazzled by the light...
Wednesday, July 8:
Whale shark tour with "My Holbox Tours." Why recommend this agency over others for swimming with whale sharks? Simply because Valérie surrounds herself with top professionals to make your experience unforgettable. We were with Captain Fernando, who does everything to position the boat perfectly and make your swim easier. In the water, we were with Humberto, who also goes above and beyond to make sure you have an incredible time. He doesn’t just "supervise" like some guides from other companies who leave you on your own. No, Humberto reads the whale shark’s trajectory and guides you—all you have to do is follow him. He really puts in the effort, even holding your hand to guide you through this quick but intense encounter. Humberto also films the moment and will offer to show you the videos and sell them to you. His footage is really high quality.
Fernando and Humberto also prepared food for us. Special mention for their guacamole! Valérie is there to make sure everything goes smoothly on the boat and to answer your questions in French, English, or Spanish about these animals. If you choose My Holbox Tours, you can be sure you’ll get a top-notch experience.
About the tour itself: before you go, you should know that the sharks can be *really* far away. The day we went, it took 3.5 hours by boat to reach them. The boats are small, and let me tell you—on the way there, when we weren’t going with the waves, it was *rough*. Out of 9 passengers, 4 got seasick. But once you’re face-to-face with the shark, you forget all about that. Even if swimming with a whale shark isn’t exactly a walk in the park—they swim pretty fast, so you need some endurance to keep up. You’ll usually get 2 turns. Our first swim lasted a little over 4 minutes, and the second about 2 minutes because the shark was moving fast and we were still tired from the first swim. It might seem short, but when you’re swimming, it feels *long*. Either way, it’s an experience you *have* to do—but choose your company wisely. On the way back, there’s a stop at Cabo Catoche. Honestly, the snorkeling is pretty disappointing if you’ve done it elsewhere in the world. But the lunch stop at Cabo Catoche is really nice for relaxing (white sand and hammocks).
Thursday, July 9:
Short morning walk to Punta Mosquito at 6 AM. Really nice.
Ferry to Chiquila (330 pesos per person) + ADO bus to Valladolid (300 pesos per person).
In Valladolid, we booked "Casa Lucia" via Booking. The hotel is gorgeous, with a colonial style, and very close to the ADO bus terminal and downtown. It’s super quiet and clean. There’s a shared kitchen you can use with a fridge, microwave, and water dispenser, plus a big table by the pool and a nice indoor terrace. Breakfast was simple but included. The only small downsides were the tiny room and bathroom, no mirror in the room, and a noisy fan.
Friday, July 10:
Not far from the ADO bus terminal is the colectivo station for Chichen Itza. They offer a round-trip to Chichen Itza with an option to stop at Ik Kil cenote on the way back and then drop you off in Valladolid for 370 pesos per person (Ik Kil entrance included).
For the Chichen Itza visit, we’d booked a tour with a guide often mentioned in groups—his name is Juan Pat. He’s a Maya who lives near the site and speaks excellent French. He reserves spots in advance for you and queues up to be the first on-site. It cost 500 pesos per person + entrance fees. His tour lasts 2 hours and focuses mainly on the main pyramid and the ball court. He’s passionate and fascinating, even if some of his claims, as a Maya, might be a little biased. I think it’s *really* important to have a guide—otherwise, you’ll miss so much. You can contact Juan Pat on WhatsApp at +52 985 121 2381.
Afterward, we went to Ik Kil cenote (showers and life jackets mandatory, lockers available). It’s *very* crowded, but still really beautiful with its lush vegetation.
Saturday, July 11:
Since we didn’t have a car but still wanted to visit other cenotes that seemed hard to reach by public transport, we decided to book a taxi for the day. We agreed on 1200 pesos to take us to 3 different cenotes and wait for us at each one. (To find taxis, just look where they park near the ADO bus station.)
He picked us up at Zaci cenote, which we’d walked to. We got there at opening time and were the first ones there—had the place to ourselves for a while! 150 pesos per person. A pretty cenote in the city center with lush vegetation. It’s a bit like Ik Kil but without the deep cylindrical effect.
Cenote Xcanahaltun: the most beautiful cenote we visited. Entry 250 pesos per person. It’s a closed cenote with a hole that lets light in—a cave-like setting. You can kayak inside. There are little fish at the edge that nibble dead skin off your feet. Since it’s closed, the water is *freezing*!
Cenote Palomitas: entry 250 pesos per person. Another stunning closed cenote, even more enclosed than Xcanahaltun. The hole in the ceiling is smaller, so it was pretty dark when we arrived—kind of an eerie vibe. But when the staff turned on the lights, it looked like a "Gothic cathedral" full of bright stalactites.
Cenote Sac Aua: entry 290 pesos per person. The ticket includes a guided cave tour (tip-based). This cenote is really unique with its central island and way less crowded than Suytun. Just so you know, the water is *really* cold in cenotes. In these three, in July, we had the place to ourselves for a while and never saw more than 2 families at once—so peaceful!
Sunday, July 12:
ADO bus to Bacalar (536 pesos per person).
In Bacalar, we stayed via Airbnb with a host named Luli, who offers several rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen.
The room is nicely decorated in a pleasant setting. It’s ideally located near the lagoon and downtown. The shared kitchen is handy. The mosquito net over the bed is useful because there are *a lot* of mosquitoes in Bacalar. Luli provides a water jug, which is really nice. The only big downside is the lack of water pressure in the shower—we had to rinse off by filling a bucket. Also, there’s no real door separating the room from the bathroom. We never met Luli in person, but she was very responsive via messages. The terrace in the middle of the vegetation is lovely.
From the ADO terminal to the place, we took a taxi for 40 pesos. Since this driver was honest about the price (we’d checked beforehand), we decided to use him every time we needed a taxi in Bacalar. Here’s his WhatsApp: +52 983 184 3585.
Monday, July 13:
We did a boat tour on the lagoon with "Bacalar Francophone Activities." Since we were just the two of us, it cost 3500 pesos. If we’d managed to be 4 people, it would’ve been 1000 pesos per person.
We had a private 4-hour tour on the lagoon with Steeve and his very comfortable boat. He’s from Quebec, so his French is perfect. During those 4 hours, Steeve showed us the lagoon’s iconic spots *and* places other boats don’t go. He told us about the lagoon’s history and gave great tips on where to go and where to eat. As a little bonus, he gave us a video taken with his drone during our swimming break.
Tuesday, July 14:
We went to Los Rapidos by taxi (400 pesos round trip) and entry was 225 pesos per person. It’s *very* touristy but really beautiful. You can eat there (expensive), relax, and go down the "rapids" as many times as you want. It’s worth it if you spend a few hours there. You can’t bring in food or drinks—you leave them at the entrance and pick them up on the way out.
Wednesday, July 15:
On Wednesdays, navigation is banned on Bacalar Lagoon, so we’d planned another excursion.
Visit to Calakmul from Bacalar with ABCtours (WhatsApp +52 983 319 8359).
This agency organized a trip from Bacalar to Calakmul with a French-speaking guide. Communication beforehand via WhatsApp was smooth. Mr. Checo, the driver, and Fernando, the guide (who spoke great French), picked us up on the day. Mr. Checo drove very carefully on the long road and always made sure we were comfortable. Fernando is passionate about flora and fauna—he’s a biologist with a degree in ornithology, so he knows *everything* about animals. The slightest sound or song, and he knows what it is. He’s got an eye for spotting them, from the biggest to the smallest.
During the trip, we stopped at km 27 for a short forest walk, then went to see the two main pyramids on the site. On the way back, we stopped at the bat cave for the magical spectacle of millions of bats flying out at dusk. In the end, we saw or glimpsed (some briefly) spider monkeys, howler monkeys, a toucan, 2 tapirs, turkeys, 2 deer, and lots of birds. If, like us, you’re more into flora and fauna than archaeology, I’d *highly* recommend this agency and tour with Fernando.
It’s not cheap, but the road between Bacalar and the site is *long* (3.5 hours). Price: 3900 pesos per person for 2 (3500 for 3, 3200 for 4).
Thursday, July 16:
ADO bus to Playa del Carmen (614 pesos per person).
In Playa del Carmen, we stayed in an Airbnb. The building is on the town hall square, next to the casino.
The best thing about this place is the *location*—super close to Fifth Avenue (La Quinta). The kitchen is pretty basic, but the fridge works well. There are supermarkets nearby. The rooftop pool is really nice. The two big downsides, though, are the soundproofing (you can *hear* the neighbor’s alarm and all the events on the square) and the *total* lack of water pressure in the shower. We had to fill a trash can with water to pour over ourselves. When we told the owner, he said it wasn’t normal and someone would come fix it, but we never heard back. Based on previous reviews, this seems to be a known issue that never gets resolved.
Playa del Carmen is *very* touristy on Fifth Avenue, but in a fun, musical vibe—we never felt unsafe. There are *tons* of little souvenir shops for tourists on this street. There’s a beautiful monumental sculpture on the beach (the two figures meeting in the air), next to which you can see the Voladores show (men climbing a pole, tying themselves with ropes, and descending headfirst while "flying" around the pole). The show is tip-based and happens several times a day. In our opinion, Calle 38 is prettier than Fifth Avenue—it’s lush, green, and quieter, with the sea at the end. Great for an early evening stroll. We had really good meals at great prices at "El Tio Noy" tacos, just a few meters from Fifth Avenue in a side street.
For souvenirs, we’d recommend going to Walmart instead of Fifth Avenue—you’ll find skulls, tequila, mezcal, keychains, mugs, glasses... at good, fixed prices.
Friday, July 17:
We did the excursion to Isla Contoy. Isla Contoy is an uninhabited, highly protected island. Only 200 people are allowed to land per day on a rotating basis, so only a few companies have permission to dock there. Most agencies subcontract the day to a third-party company.
We booked through VRM (Viviendo Riviera Maya), but it was Ocean Tours Mexico that handled the tour. Contoy is a little paradise. We were accompanied by multilingual guides, including French speakers, throughout the day. Steffy gave us info about the island during a short walk on the marked trails, and Leño Tlatemoa kept the mood up on the boat rides with music and dancing. Isla Contoy is *truly* stunning, and the lunch was delicious: grilled fish and chicken, guacamole and tortilla chips, rice, fruit, drinks (everything is brought and taken back by the guides). The snorkeling part was pretty disappointing if you’ve done it in Cozumel, though. The stop at Isla Mujeres isn’t very interesting either—it’s too short to explore, and the island is *extremely* touristy. Still, the excursion was very well organized, and we had a great day (2970 pesos per person).
Saturday, July 18:
We wanted to go snorkeling in Cozumel but thought the prices from French-speaking agencies were too high. Plus, for snorkeling, we figured we didn’t *need* a French-speaking guide.
So we found a much cheaper solution by taking the ferry from Playa del Carmen ourselves and choosing an agency in Playa. The round-trip ferry cost 663.50 pesos per person. Then we took a taxi to the snorkeling boat (100 pesos). The agency we chose is called Mystic Snorkel—they don’t have a physical office. The tour cost 1400 pesos per person. It was a small boat, but that day we were the only ones, so we got a private tour at the group rate. We stopped at 4 different sites, all very different and beautiful. We saw all kinds of fish, corals, a nurse shark, and turtles. El Cielo, with its huge starfish, is *exceptional*. If you’re going snorkeling in the Yucatan Peninsula, this is *the* tour to do—the other sites are pretty "poor" in comparison.
Sunday, July 19:
Morning dive with Triton Diving. I chose the Cozumel dive option. Great experience.
Booking via WhatsApp was easy. On the day of the dive, Selene, who speaks French, was our guide. She’s *very* attentive to the group’s safety. The briefings are clear and precise. In Cozumel, we did 2 very different sites: the first was a drift dive with lots of life—beautiful corals and fish. The second was a wreck, the C53, a 56-meter boat you can enter. Not much marine life, but a beautiful wreck intentionally sunk for divers—still in great condition. An unforgettable moment. Selene even took videos during the dive, which the club sends you for free afterward. I’d *highly* recommend this club.
Just so you know, in Playa del Carmen, the beaches were full of sargassum during our stay, despite barriers and daily cleanup. Locals told us the problem is getting worse and the sargassum is arriving earlier in the season. Tourism has taken a *big* hit this summer, and they’re wondering if tourism can even survive the sargassum season anymore. A lot of tourists are heading to the islands—Isla Mujeres and Cozumel—to enjoy the beaches, as the west side of those islands is sargassum-free.
Monday, July 20:
Colectivo to Puerto Morelos. First, a colectivo toward Cancun that drops you off between Puerto Morelos town and Puerto Morelos beach (40 pesos per person), then another from that junction to the beach (10 pesos per person).
In Puerto Morelos, we’d booked a room via Airbnb at "Piedra del Caribe." *Best* place we stayed in Mexico. It’s an aparthotel. Our room was ready before check-in, so they let us in early. The place matched the description—spacious, with a comfortable king-size bed. The shower had *great* pressure, which isn’t a given in Mexico. The staff was super friendly and welcoming. They let us use the pool, restrooms, and rooftop shower after check-out while we waited for our ride to Cancun Airport. They even kept our luggage. I *highly* recommend this place.
In Puerto Morelos, there was *way* less sargassum than in Playa del Carmen—it was actually swimmable.
We did the snorkeling tour with the fishermen’s cooperative for 450 pesos per person for 2 hours. The reef is close to the beach (you’re not allowed to swim there), so the boat ride is short. It’s not as pretty as Cozumel, but it’s nice and affordable. On Puerto Morelos’s page, you can also access a small, not-very-well-preserved reef. There’s also a cenote in the sea where fresh water mixes with saltwater—the water is murky there. We had a great dinner and excellent cocktails at "La Choza del Puerto."
Tuesday, July 21:
Wandered around Puerto Morelos (check out the church and read everything—it’s entertaining!), relaxed by the hotel pool, and left for Cancun Airport by taxi (400 pesos) booked via InDrive to head back to France.
Our highlights:
- Holbox
- The whale shark tour
- The cenotes
- The local flora and fauna (so present!)
- Isla Contoy
- Cabo Catoche (except for the snorkeling)
What we liked least:
- The bioluminescence (barely visible despite good conditions)
- The food—we found it not very diverse in taquerias
- The constant tipping
- The lack of water pressure in showers (fixed, wall-mounted, no hose or showerhead)
Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions while it’s still fresh in our minds.
Traveling with just one spare pair of underwear, considering a hot shower a miracle, never staying in the same place too long by sleeping wherever night catches us, taking whatever local, improbable, and rickety transport we can find—this is the DNA of us wanderers. Except this time, the script for our movie is going to be a whole different genre. On paper, the destination doesn’t exactly scream epic adventure: Réunion! And what’s more... we won’t be two, or four, or even ten. We’ll be a solid thirty. All from the same family. Yes, thirty. At this point, it’s not just a trip—it’s a summer camp on the move! Why inflict this on such a peaceful island? Because my brother decided to get married there with his lovely bride. A great idea, you might say... especially when it involves relocating the equivalent of a small Ardennes village 10,000 kilometers from home for three weeks! So who’s stepping up to be the guide and wave the little flag?
So, for an exceptional trip, exceptional stories! Don’t worry, the debates at the supermarket over whether to choose plain chips or roast chicken chips, the beach picnics washed down with ti’ punch, and other rougail sausages to digest by the pool will only make it into the family archives. Here, I’ll stick to the tales of our beautiful escapes, the ones where we explore the wild corners of this little volcanic rock planted in the middle of the Indian Ocean. So where exactly are we headed?
For the first week—the subject of this first installment—we’re taking it easy. We’ll start by rediscovering the coastline, from the Souffleur in Saint-Leu to the Hermitage lagoon, before a little trip to the Cirque de Cilaos and its legendary road with 400 turns, just to get our legs warmed up.
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 three years at most in Thailand, and I’m not a big expert on the country.
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 piece together a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who miss 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 guards 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 property, be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t really 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, are 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 broken for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the side of the road, sometimes right on the road. When you arrive, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, which reminds 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. Seeing a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you might think it’s best not to cross paths with them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at temples on the brink of death, enduring terrible suffering. No one did anything about it. The image (and the smell) of one of them, dying and emitting 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 well-fed animal quickly became a happy, 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 in them 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 a gimmick—it’s just that 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.
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...
Here we go—finally, the big day has arrived! A trip the whole family (my two kids, my husband, and me) had been looking forward to for so long.
To keep it short, we left from Nice, arrived in Namibia on June 25, 2025, and left again on the 21st—four weeks later.
We used an agency for all the camping reservations, activities, and the car rental. At least that side of things was taken care of. Michaël was our contact throughout the planning and the trip itself.
We spent our first night at Londiningi BB. A bit out of the city center but very quiet. The rooms were spacious and clean, and we could eat on-site that evening. Perfect for recovering from the flight.
This travel journal is our second on VoyageForum, following last year’s where we recounted our four weeks in Vietnam.
The goal remains the same: since some members on this site share tips, experiences, and great deals that help us prepare for our trips, we do the same after returning—both to give back a little and in the hope that our experiences might be useful to others in some way.
Our route was as follows: Bangkok, Siem Reap, Krabi, Suratthani, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Chumphon, Bang Saphan, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Sam Roi Yod, Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Bangkok.
Beyond rediscovering Bangkok, our objectives were the long-held dream of seeing Angkor and exploring southern Thailand, much of which isn’t overly touristy.
A quick big thank-you to Barbot, who took the time to answer several of our questions.
12/07/2013
The cheapest flight we found earlier this year was a Paris-Bangkok route with a layover in Moscow for 1440 €, total for two people.
So, this time we tried Aeroflot. Airbus A318 for the first leg, A330 for the second. Nothing particularly annoying to report—the passengers were very calm, the cabin temperature was comfortable, and we had enough legroom.
That said, the quality of the meal trays was pretty mediocre, and the flight attendants weren’t exactly comedians.
We’d like to remind everyone that it’s best to exchange as little money as possible at the airport upon arrival, since the rate is about 5% worse than at city banks.
Of course, we made sure to take the airport exit where you can catch official taxis to avoid getting scammed. So, we queued up, a little lady gave us the ticket, and off we went with the driver.
Generally, this system works well because these drivers are registered, know their duties, and the risks they face if they break the rules. Except that day, right off the bat, we got the scammer of the day. His first move was to snatch the ticket from my wife’s hands—the one you’re supposed to keep in case of a complaint. My husband saw it, but after a full day of travel, we were a bit out of it, and honestly, there was no reason to be suspicious. But once we started driving, the guy refused to turn on the meter. We insisted more and more firmly, but nothing. So, I used the famous method of opening the door and starting to step out of the car. At 40 km/h, that scares the driver more than the passenger. He finally turned on the meter, but that didn’t calm him down—quite the opposite. For the next half-hour, he ruined the ride by demanding extra fees here and there. Having dealt with several scam attempts last year in Vietnam, this wasn’t exactly new, and we were proud of ourselves for staying pretty zen. Still, this guy was a little scary—he was completely wired and aggressive. Honestly, it was hard not to think he was on something. He’d be perfect for a *Scarface* remake. When we finally arrived at the hotel, he followed us to the entrance. We paid the two tolls (25 and 45 baht), gave him the usual 100 baht extra for the ride, and stayed polite but firm. So, meter: 245 baht + 100 baht + 25 and 45 baht for tolls—we paid the exact amount, no way we were tipping this guy. He left furious, but he was already like that before picking us up... Anyway, avoid Mr. Chartree Chidchen, number 089 826 7308, car E2663!
We were so relieved to finally settle in at Feung Nakorn Balcony hotel in the temple district. 42 € per night, great reception, all the staff is friendly. The AC works fine, the bed seemed hard at first but turned out to be comfortable. The hotel is quiet, away from the nightlife, but at this time of year, many places are less crowded than in high season. Even with a nice fish pond and outdoor breakfast area, it’s a decent hotel, though we felt we could’ve found something better.
After a night on the plane, the first afternoon is always a bit of a slog. We napped for a few hours, and when we woke up—guess what—we were starving. We visited a temple across from the hotel (nothing special) and then decided to take the Chao Phraya Express, the river shuttle that serves many piers along the river. It was a really enjoyable experience. The steel gangway wobbles when you board and disembark, the boat sits low in the water, and sometimes you get splashed. During peak times, you’re packed in like sardines, but most of all, there’s that exotic urban landscape passing by, especially the temple rooftops.
At that exact moment, the boat was packed. We didn’t see a ticket booth at the pier, and we tried in vain to pay the few baht for the ride. The cashier on the boat was too busy, and another employee we called didn’t have time to help us. Oh well, we weren’t going to force the issue. Still, this mode of transport is super practical for avoiding traffic, and at the piers, the lines with station names are clearly marked, with colors matching the flags on the boats. Combined with a map like the *Routard* guide, it’s easy to navigate.
We easily made it to the restaurant *Harmonique*, located near one of these piers. It’s a unanimous favorite on this forum, and let us tell you—it’s well-deserved. What a wonderful experience that evening! We only saw the outdoor gazebo because there was no way we were dining inside. It’s not flashy, so those looking for a luxurious setting should look elsewhere.
That night, the staff was a bit slow, and we had to track them down several times to move things along. But oh, my friends—what a feast on the plate! Start with the appetizer platter for two at 250 baht, featuring four specialties, each more tempting than the last, followed by their famous crab curry for 200 baht. There’s *so much* crab in there! The dish is so delicious and rich that when you finish, you feel—how to put it—like it was almost *too* good, to the point where you’re almost put off eating for days. And also, oh yes, we *will* be back. Their satay chicken is just as amazing, and it would be a crime not to mention their generous dessert with ice cream, warm banana, and chocolate, plus their *excellent* almond milkshake.
Later, we took a taxi to Kao San Road, mainly to book a Ko Tao-Chumphon trip for 600 baht per person at the Lomprayah counter. In hindsight, we should’ve booked all three of our trips there right away.
Kao San Road is *ultra*-touristy—better for younger crowds, but it’s still worth seeing. There’s rock ‘n’ roll, hippies, and crowds everywhere.
We walked back to the hotel, and when we got a little lost near a canal, a really nice older Thai man spontaneously appeared out of the night to kindly point us in the right direction.
Finally, a real long night of sleep ahead—we cranked up the AC. Sweet, the vacation has begun!
Hi there,
I just got back from a trip to Sri Lanka from December 18th to January 1st with 2 adults and 2 kids (12 years old).
If it helps, here’s my itinerary.
We left on December 18th from Madrid with Qatar Airways. No complaints. I booked my tickets back in March for 800 € per person. (I flew from Madrid because I live near the Spanish border and was too worried about strikes in France.)
We arrived on December 19th at 4 PM (local time). Before leaving France, I’d booked a taxi through MyTransfer for 59 € to Sigiriya. A van was waiting for us at the airport exit.
A never-ending 3-hour drive to Sigiriya. We stayed at Samana Guesthouse—very simple, clean, with a pool and an excellent Sri Lankan breakfast. Shower and straight to bed.
Friday, December 20th: Beautiful weather, but very humid and hot. We visited Lion Rock (36 € for adults) and then Pidurangala.
I loved both sites—they’re a must-do in my opinion.
Spent the late afternoon by the pool.
Saturday, December 21st: Another gorgeous day. The guesthouse manager offered us a free 2-hour tuk-tuk tour. We first visited a lake, rice fields, the temple, and the Sigiriya market, plus the usual tourist trap—the botanical garden (no pressure to buy anything at the end).
Then we took a tuk-tuk to Dambulla Temple, the Golden Buddha, and the wholesale market.
Sunday, December 22nd: Still beautiful weather. I’d booked a taxi for 8 AM. We did all the long trips by taxi to save time. I’d ask for prices from 2 or 3 WhatsApp taxi agencies 2 days or the day before—super responsive, always got replies within 5 minutes. We headed to Ella (4-hour drive) for 22,000 LKR.
Arrived in the afternoon at Rest Full Homestay—a small, family-run guesthouse. Clean, cozy, and an amazing Sri Lankan breakfast.
In the afternoon, we went to Nine Arches Bridge. It was a Sunday, a Sri Lankan holiday, so it was *packed*—mostly locals and very few white tourists! Even though it was crowded, it was cool because it was all Sri Lankans. We waited an hour for the train. It’s worth seeing, but honestly, I didn’t think it was that amazing.
Then we headed to the station to check if we needed to book tickets for the train to Haputale—turns out, no.
Monday, December 23rd: Beautiful weather. We hiked Ella Rock—a gorgeous trek. The final stretch is steep but shaded, so it wasn’t as tough as I’d read. The whole hike is stunning from start to finish. We saw the train pass twice (one blue, one red) and lots of women picking tea.
After that, we did Little Adam’s Peak. It’s not hard, but it was *packed* with tourists—meh. Luckily, at the top, you can walk a bit farther (down one side and back up) to get some space to yourself.
What I *didn’t* like was the commercial vibe at the big café/restaurant with a pool at the entrance of Little Adam’s Peak. Loud music, all that money being made right next to little souvenir stands run by Sri Lankans or tea-picking women. Felt off.
Ended the day buying souvenirs at one of the few shops we found during the trip.
Tuesday, December 24th: Beautiful weather. Took the train to Haputale. We got to the station 30 minutes before the 9:30 AM train. We could’ve taken 2nd or 3rd class—I went with 2nd (160 LKR per person).
It was crowded, but we managed to get seats—first 2, then 3. Only a 1-hour ride, but I *loved* it—windows and doors open the whole time.
Arrived in Haputale around 11 AM, and the mist was already rolling in.
We walked to our guesthouse, The Mist Holiday Bungalow. Simple but clean, with a great view of the tea plantations. The owner’s wife is Vietnamese and used to work for French tour operators, so her French is still pretty good—helpful for us since our English is terrible. They booked us a tuk-tuk for 4:45 AM the next day (2,000 LKR) to Lipton’s Seat.
Spent the afternoon wandering around Haputale. Not much charm, but there’s a nice fruit and veggie market and a short walk through the tea plantations.
Wednesday, December 25th: Beautiful weather. The tuk-tuk was on time to take us to Lipton’s Seat. We were the first ones there—the sky was just starting to turn pink. In the end, only about ten of us watched the sunrise. The guesthouse had packed us breakfast, and we walked back down (half on the road, half through the plantations). Didn’t see any tea picking since it was Christmas, but the walk was still incredible. We took detours through villages full of kids.
After that, we visited the tea factory. The tour was really interesting, and we took the bus back down to Haputale. Such a great moment—whole families were heading to mass, dressed up and made up. All so beautiful.
At noon, we left for Udawalawe National Park. Taxi for 14,000 LKR. Stayed at River Inn Safari Cottage. *Warning*: It’s the same place as Eagle Safari Cottage. I don’t recommend it. We’d always stayed with families before, but here it was just staff—totally different vibe. The pool was nice but not very clean (water was murky). The bungalow was big and fine, but it was brand new—so new the asphalt floor wasn’t fully dry. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so we had to eat on-site. Couldn’t leave a review on Booking because they never confirmed we’d stayed, and they canceled our reservation the next day.
Thursday, December 26th: Beautiful weather. I’d booked a safari through the hotel for 5:30–10 AM for 54 USD. Honestly, yes, there are a lot of jeeps, but it was great. The kids loved it—we saw everything there was to see.
Left by taxi at 11:30 AM for Welligama (12,000 LKR).
We didn’t stay in Welligama city but at Coconut Beach, between Welligama and Midigama. *Total crush* on the guesthouse: Sky Mountain Café with View. Such a lovely family. The mom makes amazing meals at reasonable prices. The view from the hill over the sea is unreal.
Spent the afternoon walking along the beach.
Friday, December 27th: Beautiful weather. My kids are surfers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any boards their size to rent at Coconut, so we took a tuk-tuk to Welligama Bay (1,000 LKR). They surfed from 8 AM to 5 PM—rental was 5,000 LKR for the day. Meanwhile, we walked the beach and swam. Water was 29°C.
Saturday, December 28th: Beautiful weather, rain from 4 PM until midnight. Same surf day. They were so well-behaved the whole trip, so this was their reward.
Sunday, December 29th: Beautiful weather. Beach day at Coconut. *Warning*: It’s a reef break. For surfers, there are three spots (Coconut Left, Middle, and Right). The boys bodysurfed (with fins) all morning, and at 1 PM, we took the bus to Hikkaduwa.
Stayed at Hotel Universal Beach. Nothing special—right on the water, but the rooms were dark even though they were clean. The manager was super nice, but the rest was meh, and breakfast was mediocre compared to what we’d had before (2 eggs and 3 slices of toast). Plus, it was late—8 AM.
First impression of Hikkaduwa wasn’t great—way too many Russians for our taste.
Monday, December 30th: Beautiful weather. Spent the whole day exploring. Turtle Beach, then the other side of the beach (toward Galle) near the fishing port. The beach there is much wider, with scattered hotels and super quiet. It’s beautiful—I should’ve booked somewhere in that area. Ended up having a great day away from the crowds.
Tuesday, December 31st: Overcast, then beautiful, rain at 4 PM. Had to end the year (and the trip) with some surf. Rented boards for the kids (3,000 LKR per board for the day). Bad luck—the waves were on a reef break but small. Not great for them, but no big deal. They still got out of the water by 2 PM. Walked the beach (which is gorgeous), had a juice, and went for a swim. Then back to surfing in the rain at 4 PM.
Wednesday, January 1st: Left by taxi at 5 AM (18,000 LKR). Flight at 10 AM. Arrived in Madrid at 8 PM.
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.
We did the Langtang trek (hike) from September 10th to 17th, with the first and last days being the trip from Kathmandu and back—so 6 days of actual walking. It’s a fairly well-known trek but certainly not as famous or crowded as those in the Annapurna or Everest regions, which is why we chose it.
In theory, it’s mandatory to have a guide for this trek. In reality, it seems there are ways to bypass the regulations: we met at least two people hiking without a guide—a South Korean, a New Zealander, and possibly also a couple of English women and an American couple, though we’re not sure if they had a guide.
The agency we booked with had told us it was an affordable trek for relatively older people in good shape—which is our case (I’m 72 myself). I have to say upfront that we found it quite challenging, maybe because we didn’t have good weather—it was the end of the monsoon season. To be clear, no matter your fitness level, I’d say doing this trek in the middle of the monsoon season would be suicidal.
Day 1 – Journey from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi
On Monday, September 8th, there had been violent protests in Kathmandu against the government, which had, among other things, blocked access to social media and been accused of nepotism and corruption. There were 19 deaths. The situation was very tense on the day of our departure, Wednesday the 10th. The agency warned us that public transport was very unreliable. So, we decided to take a jeep, at an additional cost of $100 ($160 minus what was already budgeted for the bus).
We left a little before 7 a.m. and it took us a good hour just to reach the outskirts of Kathmandu. Along the way, we saw several houses and vehicles set on fire by protesters.
The road to Syapru Besi is only 120 km, but it’s frankly awful. It’s always narrow, winds through endless mountains, and the shoulders range from bad to confusing to nonexistent. Several sections are just dirt tracks. We didn’t regret opting for the jeep, as we could stop several times at our convenience—if only to let Y (my Thai partner) throw up everything she had. She’d taken her usual motion sickness medication, but the constant turns, accelerations, and braking eventually made her terribly carsick.
In Nuwakot, we stopped for breakfast at a nice little restaurant, Jimbu. It was around 8:30 a.m., and we’d barely covered 60 km. The restaurant has a lovely garden overlooking the Trishuli Ganga, the river flowing down from Syapru Besi. First photo: the river in the bottom right corner, mist and clouds over the mountain on the other side.
An hour later, my second photo: the hills along the Trishuli Ganga. You can see the different crops—lush green rice paddies in the lower right and corn, already yellowed and likely harvested, in the foreground on the left. And of course, the mist and clouds through which you can glimpse the mountain on the other side of the river.
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!
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.
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)
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
It’s an ancient city that breathes, a living spring.
Here, no kitschy signs like “I miss you in Fengyu,” nor mass-produced fake antiques.
The century-old houses still bear the marks of wind and rain; in the morning, you hear roosters crowing, and at dusk, smoke gently rises from the kitchens.
This city doesn’t try to please anyone—like the spring water flowing through it, it simply keeps living at its own pace.
Located in Eryuan County, in the Dali Prefecture of Yunnan, the ancient town of Fengyu is a nationally designated historical and cultural city. It’s nicknamed the “land of scholars and ink”—during the Qing Dynasty, the Fengxiang Academy produced four *jinshi* and eleven *juren* in the imperial examinations. The Bai families made studying and farming a true legacy. Even on market days, you’ll find stalls of calligraphy and paintings, while lintels and screen walls are covered with family mottos.
Fengyu was also an important stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road. It preserves the second-largest Bai architectural complex in China, just after Xizhou. The famous traveler Xu Xiake spent seven days here and compared it to the “peach blossom paradise.”
I’m inviting you on a stroll through my drawings—a completely subjective, far from exhaustive, and totally personal take, since it’s based on my own sketches. I put this travel journal together after returning in late 2024, mostly using felt-tip pens and pencils, with a few collages thrown in. I worked from our personal photos.
Let’s start with the shotengai...
Our first "wow" moment came as we stepped out of the subway in Asakusa, the Tokyo neighborhood where we’d booked our hotel for our first five nights. Exhausted after our long flight, we finally arrived and took an exit that led straight into a shotengai—one of those covered shopping streets that pop up in city centers and flourished between the 1950s and 1980s.
It was an instant aesthetic shock, like a close encounter of the third kind between the modern city, a typical Asian market with its street stalls, the vintage vibe of the arcade, the sheer abundance of goods, and the bustling crowd—a mix of tourists, pilgrims (thanks to nearby Senso-ji Temple), and locals (it’s a very working-class area).
In the end, it set the tone for a feeling we’d experience throughout the trip. Wherever we went, shotengai turned out to be fantastic spots for finding little restaurants, shops, or even fresh produce. Some are like real mazes, like in Kyoto, where we spent ages trying to relocate a restaurant we’d loved ;-)
In Kanazawa, the Omicho Market:
And in Kyoto, Nishiki Market:
The latest travel journal about Turkmenistan dates back to 2019. Here’s a quick update on this vast desert country, which is now a bit easier to visit than before.
This is my first travel journal. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. The country is slowly opening up, but it’s still possible to visit sites where you’ll be completely alone. In five days, I saw two Hongkongers, a few Germans, and a Chilean at the crater, ten Chinese people in a capital bazaar, and that’s it!
It’s possible to visit Turkmenistan from Uzbekistan. The easiest and most economical way is to take a taxi to the border from Bukhara. The trip takes a little over an hour.
Crossing the border takes quite a while because many Turkmen bring back items bought in Uzbekistan to resell in Turkmenistan. For example, diapers, baby products, or beauty products.
It took me over 2.5 hours to cross the border. To visit Turkmenistan, it’s mandatory to have a guide and go through a travel agency. British agencies often offer three-, five-, or seven-day trips for over 1,500 or 2,000 €.
But if your budget is more limited, you can contact a few Turkmen agencies directly by email, and they’ll make you an offer between 700 and 1,300 € for three to seven days. I took a five-day trip from Turkmenabat in the northeast of the country to Dashoguz in the north. The goal was to visit the main UNESCO-listed sites, including Merv, and archaeological sites like Nisa or Gonur Tepe.
Your guide will also be your driver. They’ll pick you up at the border. The formalities are very long because customs officers have to stamp multiple documents, and obtaining the visa you previously requested from your travel agency requires several checks. But the process goes relatively smoothly, even if each step takes a while.
Once on the other side, the first surprise is the brand-new highway all the way to Turkmenabat. A very long line of trucks stretches for several kilometers on the Turkmen side to cross the border into Uzbekistan. According to my guide, Turkmen trucks transport gas and cotton (though not this season, since the harvest is in September), but they mainly fill up their tanks because fuel is much cheaper in Turkmenistan. A full tank for a car costs about 3 €, which is unbeatable.
From the Farap border post, the goal is to reach the city of Mary, which is home to the UNESCO-listed site of Merv in its suburbs, about thirty kilometers away. This city is known as a foundation by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC under the name Alexandria of Margiana. Several fortresses are visible.
After more than three hours on the road, we have lunch at a Turkish restaurant called Aladdin. Several quotes from the president are visible along the highway, but the road is in good condition, and we move along easily. This will be by far the best road in the country—things will get much worse later.
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
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
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!
It often happens that we're asked what to visit in Belgium.
And the answers usually point to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels—and rightly so, as these cities are well worth visiting ;).
However, Belgium, though small, isn’t just limited to these four cities.
I live in one of them (Brussels), enjoy spending time in the other three, but I’d like to highlight some lesser-known spots that could add to the trip for those who want to see a bit more or something different.
Between trips, I like exploring one or two corners of the country where I live.
Hence the idea for a travel journal of walks.
Most of the places I’ll talk about can be visited as a day trip from Brussels, whether by public transport or car.
In chronological order of the topics covered:
- The Gileppe Dam (Liège province) - message 2, page 1
- The Domaine de La Hulpe (Walloon Brabant) - message 3, page 1
- Mechelen (Antwerp province) - message 4, page 1
- The coast - message 5, page 1
- The Westhoek, from De Panne - message 6, page 1
- The Zwin, from Knokke - message 7, page 1
- Lier (between Mechelen and Antwerp) - message 8, page 1
- Mons (Hainaut) - message 9, page 1
- The Florenville region - message 12, page 1
- The East Cantons - message 13, page 1
- Dinant - message 18, page 1
- The Japanese garden in Hasselt - message 24, page 2
- Leuven - message 29, page 2
- Louvain-la-Neuve - message 32, page 2
- Ostend - message 42 (page 3) and message 166 (page 9)
- The floralies of Groot-Bijgaarden - message 43, page 3
- Halle Forest - message 44, page 3
- Pralines - message 54, page 3
- Charleroi - message 68, page 4
- Namur - message 92, page 5
- Le Bois du Cazier (Marcinelle) - message 95, page 5
- Couques and gosettes - message 96, page 5
- Liège - message 99, page 5
- Tournai - message 115, page 6
- Oudenaarde - message 121, page 7
- Meise Botanical Garden - message 124, page 7
- Tongeren - message 125, page 7
- Beersel Castle (Flemish Brabant) - message 126, page 7
- Brussels in lockdown (messages 150 and 154, page 8)
- Notre-Dame à la Rose Hospital in Lessines (messages 161 and 162, page 9)
- Westende (message 167, page 9)
I’ll keep updating this list as the journal progresses...
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...
Nous avons probablement trouver la version africaine de la poutine chez un vendeur ambulant. Pas ce qu'il y de plus santé mais leurs épices et sauces donne un cachet.
J’adore déjà le profil de ce parc ou dès l’entrée, l’abondance des arbres et feuillages nous laisse présager bien des surprises à commencer par ces immenses arbres.
L’abondance de verdure cache surement une importante variété animale. Voici les premiers à ce montré.
Et les second...
Ensuite les oiseaux au repas. Nous appréhendons beaucoup d’oiseau ici alors nous ouvrirons l’œil.
Continuant le parcours nous tombons sur un important groupe de babouin…c’est la première fois que nous en voyons autant dans un même groupe.
À suivre
Terminerons au vieux Twiga lodge and Camp site qui malgré tout offre des installations conformes avec cuisine acceptable.
Quelques habitations masaïs qui semblent authentique
L’expérience est à refaire.
De retour dans les plaines nous sommes tout énervé, nous pensons avoir vu des Lycaons….en approche, nous constatons que ce n’est pas des Lycaons mais plutôt des otocyons qui sont de la même famille de canidé. Quelle satisfaction tout de même.
Un ilôt de roche en approche, nous tentons une exploration. Nous tombons sur ces damans de rocher.
Contournant le rocher à la recherche d’autre bête, les garçons m’indiquent un lion au sommet du rocher. Bien vu, ce lion roupille au soleil.
Un autre ilot de roche mais cette fois nous ne trouverons que ces oiseaux jaune le Ngora-Ngora…ça fait intelligent, mais je ne suis pas ornithologue. Simplement un bon livre pour suivre les variétés que l’on observe.
Nous approchons des grandes plaines et nous appercevons 2 lionnes au loin. Impossible de s’en approcher, aucune piste de disponible et l’herbe est très haute.
Nous entrons dans ce grand paysage parsemé d’acacia….
à suivre...
Eux aussi semble avoir observé la scène avec attention...je dirais même qu'ils semblent se préparer à y aller.
Le retour sur Arusha se fera dans l'après-midi.
Nous achèterons quelques pièces de vêtements à ces dames mais nous serons vite encerclés par les vendeurs de toute sorte afin que nous encouragions leurs petits commerces.
Quelques artisans sont à l’œuvre comme cet ébéniste fabriquant ses meubles.
Nous n’avons pas fait 10 km sur la route de Singida qu’un contrôle policier fait office de barrage sur la route. L’arrêt semble normale jusqu’à ce qu’ils demandent à Jackson de les suivre. Les sympathiques policiers demandent un droit de passage sans aucune raisons apparentes. Nous repartons sans histoire et sans avoir payé un sous.
Je suis étonné par la façon d'utilisé la nature pour la pub...ici presque pas de panneaux réclame, on peinture les roches...très économique !
Nous passerons une partie de la soirée à s'interroger sur la possibilité de pousser jusqu'au Rwanda pour aller voir les gorilles ou pousser jusqu'au Congo.
Nous nous arrêtons pour discuter avec les camionneurs à la fourche de Nyakanasi qui mène au Rwanda.
Arrivé sur place, le centre de recherche Jane Goodall nous accueillera en fin de journée. Nous explorerons ce coin de paradis demain.
Quel moment privilégié...seul au monde avec ces primates qui nous rappellent à l'ordre de la nature.
Il faut faire attention à lui...il est en charge des testicules...😉
Voici notre hôte et cuisiner hors pair...probablement les meilleurs repas africains que nous ayons mangé depuis notre arrivée il y plusieurs semaines.
Finalement le village est sympathique et on y trouve tout ce qui est nécessaire en bordure de mer.
Maman a trouver de nouveaux amies parmi les femmes du village et encourage l'économie locale en soins de beauté.
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
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.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
I’m inviting you on a stroll through my drawings—a completely subjective, far from exhaustive, and totally personal take, since it’s based on my own sketches. I put this travel journal together after returning in late 2024, mostly using felt-tip pens and pencils, with a few collages thrown in. I worked from our personal photos.
And in Kyoto, Nishiki Market:
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
A little sneak peek?
