La grande traversee de l'Afrique Australe
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La grande traversee de l'Afrique Australe

by Minala

in Between trips › Travel journals

This discussion is in French, the community’s main language.

Original post
MI
Minala
VeteranGap · 1,299 posts
namibie botswana zimbabwé

NAMIBIE avant de vous parler de la namibie en particulier, je vais vous parler de l'ensemble du voyage cela fait longtemps que nous y pensions mais ce voyage tres cher n"avait pas pu se faire avant. un voyage de trois semaines prevoyant la namibie le bostwana et le zimbabwé, soutraité a l'agence africa tour. les problemes du zimbabwé font que nouvelles frontieres annule cette partie du voyage et propose de passer en zambie pour les chutes victoria puis rejoindre johanesburg par la route en passant par le parc krugger pour compenser le zimbabwé. ces modifications ne nous emballent pas, nous avions tres envie de passer au zimbabwé et nous faisons dejas pas mal de resreves animalieres alors ajouter krugger.... c'est de plus hypotequer un eventuel futur voyage en afrique du sud si krugger a dejas été fait. au depart nous etions 6 inscrits, il y a eu un desistement du aux modifications nous ne sommes plus que 5 nous voyageons avec micosi pour la troisieme fois, mon amie danny s'est joint a nous et il y a une isabelle que nous ne connaissons pas encore mais que nous trouverons a francfort

NAMIBIE entre kalahari et les eaux froides de l'atlantique, c'est un pays aride, riche de paysages naturels splendides. pays desertique peu peuplé la moitié de la population se trouve a windoeck d'immense exploitation agricoles, la viande y est de grande qualité le courrant froid de l'atlantique favorise les colonies d'otaires ancienne colonie allemande l'architecture de swakopmund et un peu de windoeck s'en ressentent ce pays est relativement prospere grace a son agriculture et a sa production miniere, mais il a une grande dependance economique vis a vis de l'afrique du sud beaucoup de tourisme en namibie et beaucoup de 4/4 avec la tente sur le toit une constatation importante qui nous a été signalée, les grandes resrves d'afrique australe forment un cordon "sanitaire" entre l'afrique "blanche (afrique du sud rodhesie a l'epoque et namibie) et l'afrique noire. au debut etosha allait jusque la mer, puis okavango.... jusque krugger. effectivement ce n'est qu'une fois fois passé etosha que nous retrouverons reelement cette ambiance africaine que nous aimons.

l'equipe nous acompagnent un responsable chauffeur, pour la premiuere fois nous avons un francais et ce n'est aps une reussite. JC est un oersonnage deplaisant qui se prend pour superbaroudeur, disparaissant continuelement (nous comprendrons plus tard qu'il a accepté ce voyage pour poser les jalons de sa propre agence qu'il est en train de monter) stanley, notre cuisinier zimbabwéen d'une grande gentillesse et serviabilité toujours plein d'attentions et pour quelques jours, magnama, aide chauffeur zambien, gentil et effacé

LE VOYAGE jour1

dans l'apres midi nous nous envolons pour francfort d'ou le soir nus devons prendre notre vol pour johanesburg probleme l'avion ne partira que demain matin, nous voila donc pour une nuit a francfort au frais de la lufthansa

jour 2 nous avions une corespondance pour windoeck a mid, elle est dejas ratée avant meme de quitter l'europe. ce sera donc une nuit a johanesburg, toujours aux frais de la lufthansa

jour 3 un vol est prevu le matin, losque nous arrivons a l'enregistrement on nous annonce, full, stanby! l'avion part sans nous. en contactant nos agence nous aprenons que l'avion n'etait pas plein! que s'est il passé? nous avons des soupsons mais aucune certitude. le vol suivant commence dans les memes conditions; stanby, il y aura sur de la place demain matin! finalement nos agence se demenent tellement que l'employée de la lufthansa fini par se deplace pour voire ce qui se passe et nous embarquons enfin. nous arrivons a windoeck avec 24h de retard et JC n'est pas pret!!!!!!!!! stanley nous acompagne pour un tour dans la ville et plus particulierement dans un tres beau marché artisanal le soir au repas nous mettons les choses au point.nous nous sommes entendu auparavant. nous avons perdu 2'h s'il faut les ratraper ce sera sur kurgger qui n'etait pas prevu au depart et pas sur le voyage choisit initialement. a ce moment la seule bonne initiative de JC (il y a son interet mais nous ne le savons pas encore) nous irons finalement au zimbabwéet la journee se ratrapera en n'ayant pas les attentes au bac poyur passer en zambie. youpi!!!!!! stanley aussi est ravi, il va faire des provision pour sa famille a harare

jour 4 route pour sossusvlei, balade dans les dunes en fin d'apres midi bivouac a sossusvlei

jour5 levé du soleil dans les dunes puis canyon de sesriem traversé du desert de namib naufulk jusque la vallée de la lune pour un bivouac dans un lieu incroyable

jour 6 et 7 swakopmund , danny est malade, nous n'aimons pas tellement cette ville qui ressemble a un decor de theatre posée artificielement dans le desert, de plus il y fait froid. nous y passons deux nuits a l'hotel, les derniers du voyage

jour8 nous rejoignons le parc du pitzkop dans le damaraland rando jusqu'une arche naturelle un couché de dsoleil en compagnie des enfants du village sera un moment inoubliable bivouac

jour 9 cap cross et ses otaries, puis massif du brandberg pour un nouveau bivouac ballade jusque la dame blanche le soir les villageaois nous font des chants et des danses

jour 10 rencontre avec des hereros puis twyfelfontein et ses gravure, la petrified forest le soir nous ganons la cheeta farm pour y passer la nuit

jour 11 magnama nous quitte ce qui n'arangera pas l'humeur de JC obligé de coduire, nous le trouvons de plus en plus pareseux! rencontre avec les himbas lorsque nous laisson magnama arrivee a etosha vers midi campement

jour 12 etosha, campement

jour 13 dernier tour a etosha avant de reprendre la route nous passons par des villages ou enfin nous trouvons cette ambiance africaine que nous aimons. le soir campement au bord de l'okavango face a l'angola; demain nous passerons au bstwana

avant de vous parler de la namibie en particulier, je vais vous parler de l'ensemble du voyage cela fait longtemps que nous y pensions mais ce voyage tres cher n"avait pas pu se faire avant. un voyage de trois semaines prevoyant la namibie le bostwana et le zimbabwé, soutraité a l'agence africa tour. les problemes du zimbabwé font que nouvelles frontieres annule cette partie du voyage et propose de passer en zambie pour les chutes victoria puis rejoindre johanesburg par la route en passant par le parc krugger pour compenser le zimbabwé. ces modifications ne nous emballent pas, nous avions tres envie de passer au zimbabwé et nous faisons dejas pas mal de resreves animalieres alors ajouter krugger.... c'est de plus hypotequer un eventuel futur voyage en afrique du sud si krugger a dejas été fait. au depart nous etions 6 inscrits, il y a eu un desistement du aux modifications nous ne sommes plus que 5 nous voyageons avec micosi pour la troisieme fois, mon amie danny s'est joint a nous et il y a une isabelle que nous ne connaissons pas encore mais que nous trouverons a francfort

NAMIBIE entre kalahari et les eaux froides de l'atlantique, c'est un pays aride, riche de paysages naturels splendides. pays desertique peu peuplé la moitié de la population se trouve a windoeck d'immense exploitation agricoles, la viande y est de grande qualité le courrant froid de l'atlantique favorise les colonies d'otaires ancienne colonie allemande l'architecture de swakopmund et un peu de windoeck s'en ressentent ce pays est relativement prospere grace a son agriculture et a sa production miniere, mais il a une grande dependance economique vis a vis de l'afrique du sud beaucoup de tourisme en namibie et beaucoup de 4/4 avec la tente sur le toit une constatation importante qui nous a été signalée, les grandes resrves d'afrique australe forment un cordon "sanitaire" entre l'afrique "blanche (afrique du sud rodhesie a l'epoque et namibie) et l'afrique noire. au debut etosha allait jusque la mer, puis okavango.... jusque krugger. effectivement ce n'est qu'une fois fois passé etosha que nous retrouverons reelement cette ambiance africaine que nous aimons.

l'equipe nous acompagnent un responsable chauffeur, pour la premiuere fois nous avons un francais et ce n'est aps une reussite. JC est un oersonnage deplaisant qui se prend pour superbaroudeur, disparaissant continuelement (nous comprendrons plus tard qu'il a accepté ce voyage pour poser les jalons de sa propre agence qu'il est en train de monter) stanley, notre cuisinier zimbabwéen d'une grande gentillesse et serviabilité toujours plein d'attentions et pour quelques jours, magnama, aide chauffeur zambien, gentil et effacé

LE VOYAGE jour1 c'est a l'aeroport que nous retrouvons micosi apres une nuit dans le train casot nous y attend egalement pour une rencontre que nous souhaitons depuis longtemps. voire son album http://www.vacanceo.com/albums_photos/fiche-album_18854.php dans l'apres midi nous nous envolons pour francfort d'ou le soir nus devons prendre notre vol pour johanesburg probleme l'avion ne partira que demain matin, nous voila donc pour une nuit a francfort au frais de la lufthansa

jour 2 nous avions une corespondance pour windoeck a mid, elle est dejas ratée avant meme de quitter l'europe. ce sera donc une nuit a johanesburg, toujours aux frais de la lufthansa

jour 3 un vol est prevu le matin, losque nous arrivons a l'enregistrement on nous annonce, full, stanby! l'avion part sans nous. en contactant nos agence nous aprenons que l'avion n'etait pas plein! que s'est il passé? nous avons des soupsons mais aucune certitude. le vol suivant commence dans les memes conditions; stanby, il y aura sur de la place demain matin! finalement nos agence se demenent tellement que l'employée de la lufthansa fini par se deplace pour voire ce qui se passe et nous embarquons enfin. nous arrivons a windoeck avec 24h de retard et JC n'est pas pret!!!!!!!!! stanley nous acompagne pour un tour dans la ville et plus particulierement dans un tres beau marché artisanal le soir au repas nous mettons les choses au point.nous nous sommes entendu auparavant. nous avons perdu 2'h s'il faut les ratraper ce sera sur kurgger qui n'etait pas prevu au depart et pas sur le voyage choisit initialement. a ce moment la seule bonne initiative de JC (il y a son interet mais nous ne le savons pas encore) nous irons finalement au zimbabwéet la journee se ratrapera en n'ayant pas les attentes au bac poyur passer en zambie. youpi!!!!!! stanley aussi est ravi, il va faire des provision pour sa famille a harare

jour 4 route pour sossusvlei, balade dans les dunes en fin d'apres midi bivouac a sossusvlei

jour5 levé du soleil dans les dunes puis canyon de sesriem traversé du desert de namib naufulk jusque la vallée de la lune pour un bivouac dans un lieu incroyable

jour 6 et 7 swakopmund , danny est malade, nous n'aimons pas tellement cette ville qui ressemble a un decor de theatre posée artificielement dans le desert, de plus il y fait froid. nous y passons deux nuits a l'hotel, les derniers du voyage

jour8 nous rejoignons le parc du pitzkop dans le damaraland rando jusqu'une arche naturelle un couché de dsoleil en compagnie des enfants du village sera un moment inoubliable bivouac

jour 9 cap cross et ses otaries, puis massif du brandberg pour un nouveau bivouac ballade jusque la dame blanche le soir les villageaois nous font des chants et des danses

jour 10 rencontre avec des hereros puis twyfelfontein et ses gravure, la petrified forest le soir nous ganons la cheeta farm pour y passer la nuit

jour 11 magnama nous quitte ce qui n'arangera pas l'humeur de JC obligé de coduire, nous le trouvons de plus en plus pareseux! rencontre avec les himbas lorsque nous laisson magnama arrivee a etosha vers midi campement

jour 12 etosha, campement

jour 13 dernier tour a etosha avant de reprendre la route nous passons par des villages ou enfin nous trouvons cette ambiance africaine que nous aimons. le soir campement au bord de l'okavango face a l'angola; demain nous passerons au bstwana

je vous rassure toutes ces peripeties et meme JC n'ont pas reussit a gacher notre voyage , nous nous sommes regalés et la suite dans mon prochain carnet sur le bostwana

diaporama en musique namib naufulk http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4561.php

damaraland

http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4592.php

etosha

http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4625.php
MI Minala Veteran ·
BOTSWANA

nous laissons donc la namibie derriere nous.

souvent qualifié de miracle africain, le botswana possede les trois mines de diamants les plus riches au monde. il beneficie d'un niveau economique inegalé en afrique ormis l'afrique du sud

en plus des diamants, il produit de l'or, du cuivre et du nickel

l'elevage est la seule activité agricole possible

le pays est constitué d'une vaste savane broussailleuse et sablonuese, le kahari, les marais du delta et des desert salins, les pans

l'activité touristique du pays se concentre autour du delta et de la riviere chobe. c'est un tourisme cher, non pas de luxe mais cher par une volonté de lilmiter l'afflu de touristes

les prix des restau et supermarchés sont a peu pres les memes qu'en europe, les super marchés y sont modernes.

grace a sa prosperité le pays beneficie d'un systeme de santé assez performant mais il est confronté au sida pour une tres forte partie de la population

nous passons regulierement des barrieres sanitaires ou nos chaussures et les roues du camion doivent tremper dans une solution desinfectante, mesure qui semblent derisoir si l'on pense que nos toiles de tente ont egalement trainé au sol

mis a part le delta et la riviere chobe absolument magnifique, nous avons trouvé le pays plutot monotone a traverser

VOYAGE

jour 14 nous passons la frontiere tot le matin avant de rejoindre l'okavango ou nous nous instalons pour deux nuits au camping de sakawe. celui ci est envahi par les singes vervets, tres voleurs attention a vos affaires dans l'apres midi petite rando dans les tsodillos hills pour voir les peintures rupestres. un guide san davait nous accompagner mais un incendis les ayant occupé toute la nuit, c'est apres la balade que nous rejoignons leur village

jour 15 toute la journee en barque sur le fleuve, un regal deuxieme nuit au camping

jour 16 nous rejoignons maun pour un survol du delta, a voir absolument, d'en haut on voit bien a quoi ressemble ce delta

jour 17 route pour kasane, instalation au chobe safari lodge, en bord de riviere en compagnie des crocos, des hyppos et des mambas, et cela pour deux nuits

jour 18 matin en vehicul 4/4 decouvert dans le parc de chobe apres midi courses pour amener des provisions au village ou nous devons rester au zimbabwé puis en fin d'apres midi bateau sur la riviere chobe, couché de soleil sur fond d'elephants, magique!

diapo en musique

okavango http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4646.php

chobe

http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4650.php
MI Minala Veteran ·
ZIMBANWE et retour sur JOHANESBURG

plus d'un an apres mon coeur se serre toujours lorsque j'y pense

ce pays devrait etre prospere, il a dejas montrer par le passé que son agriculture pouvait l'etre, il a de bonnes ressourses minieres et au niveau touristique, de bons atouts. les chutes victoria destination preféré des jeunes maries sud africains le greath zimbabwé, vestige ancien si rares en afrique le lac kariba et j'en passe.

or c'est un pays ruiné que nous allons aborder et du fait d'un homme!

un gouvernement vacant depuis le printemps

une monaie totalement devaluée et toujours en baisse avec des files d'attente interminables devant les banques ou lorsque vous retirez de l'argent il a dejas perdu pas mal de sa valeur avant votre sortie de la banque (aujourd'hui cette monaie a ete abandonée et seul circulent les dollards et les rands sud africains

les magasins sont entierement vides etrange impression que ces rayons sans denrees dessus

les routes sans circulation faute de carburant

impressionant de cheminer dans victoria falls ville faite pour le tourisme et entierement desertee par ceux ci

cette partie du voyage avait été anulée, apres les chutes et les collines du matopos nous devions passer au greath zimbabwé puis rejoindre harare pour un vol vers johanesburg

les emeutes du printemps etant tassée nous avons décidé d'aller tout de meme au zimbabwé, mais sans s'enfoncer trop dans le pays la crainte etant que les frontieres ferment

VOYAGE jour 19 passage de la frontiere instalation au camping de victoria falls pendant que micosi survol les chutes en helico, et qu'isa retrouve un groupe de hollandais (seul autres touristes) pour une descente en raft en effet les agences se regroupent pour que leur rares clients puissent beneficier des activitées JC a une fois de plus disparu (en fait il pose ses jalons pour son agence) et que stanley cherche le moyen de faire parvenir ses provisions a sa famille

nous faisons un tour dans la ville quasi deserte. le marché artisanal propose des objets de qualité, nous y faisons un maximum d'achats pour noel, lui aussi est deserté. voulant boire un verre dans un bar nous devons y renoncer ils n'ont plus rien a nous proposer l'apres midi aux chutes du zambese toujours seuls. le soir une troupe vient nous faire des chants et danses il faut bien les faire travailler

jour 20 route jusqu'au village n"debelé du matopo. lorsque nous arrivons c'est du delire tellement ils sont heureux de nous voir ils se sentent abandonnés de tous le soir ils sont tellement heureux qu'ils nous font une fete une vrai fete pas un truc pour touriste, cela apres avoir manger le repas qu'ils nous ont preparé avec nos provisions nous laissons tout ce que nous avons acheté pour eux (farine lentilles etc)

jour 21 en compagnie des enfants nous rejoignons l'école puis nous abandonnons le zimbabwé a son sort arret dans un grand centre comercial du botswana pour refaire des provisions, un grand sentiment d'irealité apres ce que nous venons de laisser derriere nous; bivouac au bord du limpopo

AFRIQUE DU SUD n'ayant fait que l'effleurer. nous aurions le temps de passer a krugger c'est nous qui ne voulons pas. voici donc la fin du voyage

jour 22 passage en afrique du sud instaltion au camping du pilanesberg tour du parc

jour 23 arret a pretoria puis johanesburg et son fabuleux marché artisanal ou tous les pays africains sont representés detente en terasse en regardant un spectacle de rue tres sympa

envol pour le retour via francfort

diapos en musique

de victoria falls a bulawayo

http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4664.php

les n'débélés du matopo

http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4671.php

retour vers johanesburg http://www.vacanceo.com/videos/voir-vid_4674.php
MI Minala Veteran ·
si vous voulez plus de details voici le recit en photo

nous sommes cinq dans le groupe avec un acompagnteur francais, un cuisto zimbabweien et un chauffeur zambien

premier paysage sur la route entre l'aeroport et windoeck

la namibie est un immense pays quasi desertique et sur le peu de population du pays, 10% vit a windoeck

derriere les batiments modernes des clochers avec des allures tres bavaroises, souvenir de la colonisation allemande

une premiere rencontre tres breve



les rues de la ville

puis nous rejoignons l'hotel avec plus de 24h de retards mais bon nous y sommes c'est l'essentiel JC , otre accompagnateur nous dit que du coté zambie il n'y a pas d'eau aux cutes du zambeze a cette saison et que le zimbabwé est calme. nous avions decidé que s'il fallait zapper quelque chose sur le programe vue le temps perdu, ce serait sur l'afrique du sud et pas le reste. nous nous mettons donc d'accord, nous irons au zimbabwé



cette fois c'est vraiment partit



a 5 nous sommes a l'aise dans le camion, heureusement la route est longue pour arriver jusque soslusvei, notre premiere etape

les paysages sont changeants

partout l'electricite meme dans les coins les plus perdus



les superbes paysages sont la pour nous distraire de la route



une grande partie du pays est composee d'immenses fermes (plusieurs miliers d'hectares), entierement entourees de barbeles de chaques cotes des routes





la conduite est a gauche





arrivee a solitaire pour le pique nique

MI Minala Veteran ·
dans ce secteur on dit que toutes les routes menent a solitaire



deco tres speciale pour cet endroit



fleures de cactus, c'est le printemps



nous continuons la route pour soslusvei





nous nous installons au camping aux porte du parc de soslusvei

au petit matin, seuls les gens ayant dormis dans les camping et autres lodges dependant du parc pourront se rendre dans les dunes pour admirer le levé du soleil. en attendant allons finir l'apres midi dans les dunes

nous entrons dans le parc













scultees par le vent





les courageux pourront demain matin gravir la dune sur la gauche pour admirer le soleil levant





je pense que pour ma part je me contenterais de l'admirer d'en bas!



MI Minala Veteran ·


plus loin, nous laissons le camion pour une ballade a pied dans les dunes





c'est superbe





fleures du desert



je ne vous envoie pas toutes les photos, il y en a tellement que ce serait interminable, tout est tellement beau







pas si desert



j'ai beaucoup de mal a marcher dans le sable mais c'est si beau



la lumiere descendante donne des tons a couper le souffle



je me lache, la carte memoire commence a chauffer



j'ai beaucoup de mal a faire des choix





comme si nous etions seuls au monde

MI Minala Veteran ·
ce pan (lac asseché) est le but de notre promenade



nous ne prenons pas le meme chemin pour le retour, heureusement j'ai eu du mal a arriver jusque la! tant qu'a danny elle a abandoné en cour de route











j'ai de plus en plus de mal a avancer, il est encore loin ce camion,



pourtant je ne voudrais pas etre ailleur







j'y suis presque mais dure dure!



c'est decidé, demain j'admirerais le soleil du pied de la dune

nous voici au pied de la dune, attendant le soleil de pied ferme. michel accompagné d'isabelle sont en train de la gravire. j'entend michel dire qu'il a oublié l'appareil photo! inutile de compter sur lui pour les photos, ce n'est pas son truc! peut etre auront nous celles d'isabelle

nous sommes seuls au pied de cette dune, tout le monde en general partant gravir la meme et le matin, c'est l'affluence la bas











les traces de nos deux courageux



apres nous profitons d'un petit dejeuné au milieu des dunes, sur la route, ceux qui n'ont pas eu la chance de voire la montee du soleil dans le parc n'ayant pas dormis dans les lodges ou camping de celui ci, foncent vers les dunes de leur choix



le petit matin fait sortir les habitants du desert

MI Minala Veteran ·
nous retournons demonter le camp afin de poursuivre. dejas certains sont a pied d'oeuvre



tout pres de la le canyon de sesriem











nous nous dirigeons vers la welwichia road dans le parc de namid naukluft



toujours de sompteux paysage pour nous distraire de la route



il est encore tot, les animaux sont de sortie, notre premier oryx







toujours ces immenses fermes entierement cloturees





le passage du tropic est souligné par un panneau comme si a cet endroit precis il y avait une ligne!



un yetis sous les tropiques

confirmation que les grands deserts se trouvent autour des tropiques



que viennent faire les catamarans et autre dans un endroit pareil?









au loin dans la brume de chaleure se dessine un relief



nous abordons enfin la welwichia road

nous installons notre bivouac, ne vous y trompez pas l'endroit ou nous nous arretons est magique
MI Minala Veteran ·
en redescendant je trouve ma premiere welwichia mirabilis, plante endemique du namib



la rosee matinale posee sur ses feuilles qui s'etalent lui permettre de survivre dans cet environement hostile



pendant ce temps stanley s'est deja mis au "fourneaux"



trop sympa stanley, dommage son anglais n'est comprehensible qu'a moitie, mais cela ne nous empeche pas de nous raconter des tas de choses





une certaine iddee du bonheur, en tout cas la mienne



desolee pas de photo de swakopmund, une mauvaise manip m'a fait les effacer par inadvertance. pas de regret j'ai trouvé cette ville tres artificielle avec son style bavarois au milieu de nulle part 'il n'y a meme pas d'eau il faut de gigantesques conduite pour l'amener. le tout ressemble a un immense decor de cinema, en plus il fait froid! c'est donc sans regret que nous abandonnons le confort du dernier hotel du circuit pour reprendre la route en direction du damarland femme damaran





le damaraland est riche en mineraux vendus le long des routes





le spitzkopp (sommet pointu) le bien nommé



nous nous arretons au village pour nous acquitter du droit de bivouaquer dans le parc du spitzkopp



au magasin, pendant que maman travaille



bébé est sagement sur sa couverture



JC cherche un emplacement qu'il caonnait ou un gros rocher surplombant nous fournira l'ombre pour le pique nique



le bivouac est rapidement installé



en bonne compagnie

nous laissons passer les heures les plus chaudes en restant a l'ombre

stanley et maniama trouve le boulot vraiment trop dure!



minala, devinez.... fait des photos!

MI Minala Veteran ·
sur le coup de 15h30 il est temps de partire en ballade







le we beaucoup de gens bivouaquent ici, pour le mment nous y sommes seuls, meme les meilleurs emplacements sont vides







nous sommes dans lhemisphere sud, les saisons sont inversees octobre c'est:



ne me demandez pas, j'ai zappé le nom de cette gazelle





notre marcher se poursuit







voici notre but



le sable pour marcher, ce n'est pas mon truc mais les rochers, c'est pour moi! allons voire cette arche de plus pres



j'etais certaine que le meilleur point de vue etait de l'autre coté!



des damans, gros comme les plus grosses de nos marmottes, courent un peu partout dans les rochers



ils ne sont pas les seuls



une bande de gamin arrive avec qui nous passons un petit moment



mais il nous faut rentrer si nous voulons etre a temps pour le couché du soleil

nid de tisserands



je monte au dessus du bivouac pour admirer le point de vue



de la ou je suis c'est tres beau mais des rochers en face, je devrait avoir une meilleure vue sur les rocher s'embrasant



isa et colette ont eu la meme iddee et les gamins de tout a l'heure nous ont rejoint, un grand moment que d'admirer ensemble ce coucher du soleil



je leur explique mon iontention de faire une expo avec des portraits d'enfants dans le monde (enfin dans les pays ou je suis allée) pour l"unicef. ils sont tout fiers d'etre sur les photos







ce gamin me fait craquer, cette photo a coup sure fera partie de l'expo





je suis sure que la vous aimeriez tous avoir ete a ma place



le grand de la bande et sa cousinne la seule fille



une petite derniere



maintenant je m'elance pour ne pas me faire prendre de vitesse par le soleil dans sa course vers le bas et saisir les meilleurs moments





je suis au bas des rochers, le sable tout de suite ralentit ma course



voila nos amis rejoignent leur village et nous notre campement



stanley nous y a preparé de delicieuses grillades

MI Minala Veteran ·
quelques photos encore alors que tout le monde est encore endormi



le soleil se leve, il est temps d'aller demonter la tente et dejeuner



nous prenons le chemin de la cote pour rejoindre cap cross



une colonie d'otaries y est etablie, en effet le courrant froid remontant la cote atlantique de l'afrique favorise leure instalation sur ces cotes







amour maternel





mais les chacals sont a l'affut du moindre petit qui serait moin protegé



pour le moment il hesite les otaries peuvent etre redoutables



plus loin un de ses comparses a eu gain de cause, tous les chacals des environs accourent pour partager le festin, danny ne veu plus voir cela !

pour le pique nique nous nous arretons plus loin sur la cote, il ne fait pas chaud mais quelle vue!



un cadre extraordinaire meme pour un repas le plus simple comme nous prenons le midi



(photo de danny)

pour sortire de la nous allons nous ensabler, obliger de sortir les plaques a sable pour repartire! decidement c'est l'aventure!
MI Minala Veteran ·
cette fois nous laissons definitvement la cote derriere nous pour nous enfoncer dans l'interieur du continent





c'est le massif du brandeberg



toujour dans le damaraland, le massif aborde les peintures rupestres de la dame blanche, la foret petrifiée ainsi que les gravure de tywelsfontein



instalation du campement



nous nous rendons au creux d'une vallée pour aller voir la dame blanche, en chemin nous prenons des autostoppeurs



mignons, non? mais ils ne sont pas seul, papa est avec eux



nous les laissons un peu plus loin, non sans avoir recharger leur provision d'eau (la camion possede une bonne reserve

voici la vallée dans laquelle nous allons nous enfoncer



avec, comme en sentinelle



la petite rando est tres agreable





pourtant j'ai trop mal au dos, il me faut renoncer devant le dernier raidillon, sinon je ne pourrais jamais revenir au camion!

le soir un groupe de villageois nous propose des chants et des danses



un moyen de se faire un peu d'argent et pour nous rien a voir avec le groupe folkorique pour touristes

tres vite stanley se joint a eux puis tout le monde



avant de nous quitter ils nous demandent de rester debout pendant que, la main sur le coeur ils nous chantent l'hymne national namibien et dans la ferveure avec laquelle il le font il font passer un grand moment d'emotion; je ne me voit pas chanter la marseillaise de cette facon!
MI Minala Veteran ·
la journee commence par d'autres decouvertes dans le massif du brandeberg







quelques huttes de si de la certaines au bord ds routes servant d'etalage pour l'artisanat



nous nous arretons pres d'etalage tenus par des femmes hereros



elles vendent des poupees a leur image qu'elles fabriquent aisin que quelques colliers, bracelets. contrairement dau damarans pas de mineraux



ce ne doit pas etre evident avec leures grandes robes dans les huttes, avec le sol pourriereux qui en saison des pluies doit se transformer en bourbier









notre premier elephant









nous arrivons a twyfelfontein et ses gravures rupestres





apres un petit effort, la recompense



il y en a enormement disseminees un peu partout dans les rochers



celle ci est une carte, avec les trous marquant les points d'eau

MI Minala Veteran ·
en dehors des camions, des 4/4 de toursites l'un des vehicules que nous avons vu tres utilisé



nous sommes a la petrified forest, ces bois vieux de plusieurs milliers d'années, entierement petrifies ont ete traine la par des eaux depuis logntemps disparues



malgre sa consistence minerale, on reconnait bien du bois



on croitait que ce tas attend juste que michel le rentre pour la cheminee



nous achetons quelques boissons pour notre pique nique que nous prenons a l'abris (du soleil) au milieu des gens se trouvant la, rangers et famille vendant leures babioles





non loin se trouve la cheeta farm ou nous allons pour installer notre camp

l'acceuil a la ferme des guepards



cette girafe y a ete amenee blessee, c'est egalement le cas des guepards qui s'y trouvent

derriere la maison, dans un enclos et non pas en lmibertee comme la girafe







apres tout j'ai bien deja chatouillé les migales



mais les gentils chatons commencent a s'agiter, la faim se fait sentire



il est temps pour nous d'aller monter les tentes

ces guepards etaient tres sociables mais dans la ferme (immense comme toutes celle du pays les autres guepards recueillis vivent dans la nature. nous nous entassons dans des camions pour aller les voire



j'en apercoit au bout







comme une impression d'etre suivis



les guepards commencent a s'agiter



c'est l'heure du repas. les fils de la ferme, non sans etre armes de batons descendent chercher la viande dans le coffre du camion (je regrette de ne pas avoir pris leur pere en photo le type meme de l'africaner une figure!)



et d'un seul coup c'est au plus rapide





certains, plus eclopes que les autres (amputes ou aveugle, il y en avaient deux comme cela) attendent que la cohue passe pour recvoir leure ration, pas fou!

dans un autre secteur se trouvent les plus jeunes



c'est notre dernier soir avec maniama, demain il nous quitte pour rejoindre un autre boulot, ce sera jc qui conduira (son humeur va largement s'en ressentire!)



maniama le discret, avec sa gentillesse va nous manquer!
MI Minala Veteran ·
un magnifique levé de soleil pour commencer cette journee



a la ville ou nous laissons maniama, nous rencontrons des himbas



attention, les approcher sans se couvrire d'ocre est mission impossible!



au fond une femme herero. les himbas et les hereros sont cousin, les uns se sont sedentarises, pas les autres; en se sedentarisant les hereros se sont habilles alors que les himbas ont garde leur habillement ancestral



au premier abord elles ont l'air reveche mais tres vite l'ambiance se detent elles adorent rire en marchandant et michel avec ses yeux bleus fait sensation





il nous faut continuer notre route vers etosha

cette fois je vous fait visiter etosha, l'un des grands pars africains. il va falloir selectionner rigoureusement les photos tellement il y en a , ce serait lassant pour vous. a cette saison il est tres facile de voir les animaux, il suffit d'aller aux points d'eau vu que c'est la saison seche. je vais essayer de ne vous garder que le meilleur

les spinbocks se tiennent a l"ombre





intimidation



encore les paparazzis!











depart le matin de bonne heure



pourquoi le point d'eau est il desert?



dikdik la plus petite des gazelles



gnous



nettement plus de monde ici!



MI Minala Veteran ·
quelque chose les a effrayé



le leopard a monte sa proie dans l'arbre





un coup de chance ( le leopard est difficile a voir) au matain il est toujour la



une petite derniere



par cette chaleure cela fait du bien!

nous quittons etosha pour rejoindre rundu sur le fleuve okavango, a la frontiere de l'angola. cette fois nous sommes de plein pied dans l'afrique noir, peuplee souriante, etc... comme je l'aime



sur le bord de la route une multitude d'ecolier rentre ou se rend a l'ecole



et je retrouve la meme ambiance qu'au senegal





a peine arrives dans ce village, deja le contact est la



ces gens sont des caprivis, la bande de caprivi est une bande de terre namibienne qui s'avance entre l'angola et le bostwana











cette fois nous arrivons a rundu

premiere vue du fleuve okavango



nous nous installons au bord du fleuve, le va et vien entre l'angola et la namibie est inscessant



scenes prises en angola



nous quittons la namibie pour entrer au bostwana
MI Minala Veteran ·
nous nous installons au campement a shakawe au bord de l'okavango, une colonie de singes verveis y sevi



il nous faut etre tres vigilants ils essayent de nous voler tout ce qu'ils peuvent attraper



pour le moment nous avons reussit a b'y laisser qu'une pomme



une gazelle noire pour doc 😉 pleine de grace



le fleuve nous attend pour demain



decidement, une veritable invasion



les grosses chaleures passees, nous nous rendons aux tsodillos hills (collines sacrees des sans ou bochimans)



les couleures de la roche sont superbes



et bien sure une multitude de peintures



nous n'avons pas pu avoir de guide san, un feu les ayant occupes toutes la nuit, ils se reposent. helas des poeintures ont ete brulees et definitivement perdues! certains endroits sont encore incandescant



profitons de celles qui sont toujour la



avant de rentrer nous nous arretons au village san , leur artisana, colliers, arc et fleches est superbe











tout le monde souhaite etre photogrphié puisque je vais envoyer les photos



je n'ai pas le temps de voir ce qu'ils ont a vendre, michel achete un arc sans que je voie celui qu'il prend



il faut partir, mais je veux quelques colliers



l'une d'elle n'a rien vendu, comme ils ont tous a peu pres la meme chose je choisi dans son etalage





de retour au camp nous trouvons stanley qui attend les singes de pieds ferme, peu s'aventurent encore dans notre campement

MI Minala Veteran ·
au matin, nous nous embarquons sur l'okavango



sympatique compagnie



j'ai oublié le nom de ce superbe oiseau



il joue les star et nous montre l'autre face



aigle pecheur



vie dans le delta











ces superbes oiseaux sur lesuel j'ai craqué completement sont des guepiers









MI Minala Veteran ·
nous achetons un poissonn a ce pecheur pour appater l'aigle



en attendant nous tombons sur une bande d'hippos







le mokoro embarcation locale j'aurais bien aime y embarquer mais, peut etre juge trop dangereux avec le voisinage des hippos et des croco, cela n'a pas ete le cas



vraiment tres proche celui la!



colette a immortalisé l'instant



juste avant qu'il ne saute a l'eau tres tres proche de moi, j'ai eu le reflexe de me reculer, je devrais plutot dire que j'ai fait un bond en arriere! mais bon, je suis toujour la! c'etait peut etre pas si bete de ne pas etre dans les mokoros



l'aigle plonge, pas tres net mais je vous le met quand meme







celui ci etait vraiment enorme



sa tete a peu pres equivalente au corp de ceux que l'on avait vu avant







MI Minala Veteran ·
auto stopeuse de charme pour rejoindre maun



un peu empetree dans ses jupes pour descendre du camion



maun, c'est le survol du delta d'okavango en avion, malheureusement nha trang et ses patch n'etait pas la et au bout d'une demi heure michel a commencer a changer de couleure



vu d'en haut c'est superbe







lorsque nous retournons a maun l'orage qui sevissait sur le delta (d'ou la couleure de michel) etait soit passé soit il n'etait pas arrivé jusque la



au campement pas une goutte d'eau!



une longue journee de route pour kasane nous attend



kasane se situe au carefour des pays entre la namibie (bande de caprivi) le bosstwana, la zambie et le zimbabwé, c'est aussi la qu'il y a la riviere chobe et son magnifique parc. le camping ou nous nous installons (chobe safari lodge) est super amenagé j'adore chemin menant des batiments au camping



MI Minala Veteran ·
a chobe aussi il y a des vervets mais nettements moins nombreux quoi que tout autant voleurs



nous sommes installes au bord du fleuve



le matin nous nous rendons dans le parc dans un petit vehicul tout terrain





impalas





chobe est tres different d'etosha, nous avons aimé ses paysages





koudou



encore beaucoup d'elephants





il y a beaucoup de petits, les matriarches sont sur le defensives



encadrant le troupeau



avec parfois des allures de danseuse



panneau d'avertissement juste a cote des tentes, il y a deja eu des problemes au campement avec les crocos et nous sommes juste a cote de la riviere (il y a egalement des hipos d'ailleurs



but no beware the snake, ce mamba vert bien que jeune (il fait tout de meme pas loin d'un metre de long, nous l'avons vu au sol avant qu'il ne se glisse derriere la plaque) est tres dangereux, pas tout a fait autant que le mamba noir mais dangereux tout de meme



ceci explique le fait qu'il y ai des colonies de magoustes dans les camps mais il semble que cela ne soit pas suffisant

vegetation flamboyante



j'aime bien les batiments du cote lodge

MI Minala Veteran ·
apres midi sur la riviere













eviter de tomber a l'eau

















j'abuse peut etre mais le spectacle de ce couche de soleil au milieu des elephants etait grandiose



comme une estampe japonaise



ces oiseaux nous montre le chemin du zimbabwé



je vous l'ais peut etre dejas dit, nous sommes a la croisee des pays entre namibie botswana zambie et zimbabwé. deux options s'offrent a nous celle que nous avions choisie, qui passait parle zimbabwé mais que nf avait decider de zapper pour raison de securitee celle de zambie qui ne nous emmbalait pas mais qui etait celle que nous devions faire en definitive. depuis le debut nous avons choisit, nous irons au zimbabwé! en attendant rejoignons nos tentes au milieu des crocos, des mambas et autres hippos!

MI Minala Veteran ·
le zjmbabwé est un pays completement a l"abandon, depuis le printemps il n'y a plus de gouvernement, l'argent se devalue a une vitesse telle que lorsque l'on va le retirer a la banque il est deja devalué le temps de sortir . aussi lorsque l'on paye en usd c'est plus apprecié qu'en dollard zimbabwéen mais personne n'a jamais la monnaie en dollard, aussi il faut faire des depenses qui correspondent a un compte rond et que l'on a. avant de venir nous avons fait le plein d'essence il n'y en a plus dans le pays; nous avons egalement achete de la farine et du sucre pour le village ou nous devons aller dans les colllines du matopo. stanley; lui a fait les groses course pour sa famille une partie pour sa femme et ses enfants a harare, l'autre pour sa famille plus large au lac kariba. a peine arrivé il va disparaitre a la recherche de ses relations pour acheminer ses provisions jusque leur destination. nous nous apercevrons que c'est ce reseau de connaissance acheminant argent, nouriture et nouvelles qui permet au gens de subsister. jc lui aussi a disparu, nous ne savons ou, mais nous avons l'habitude vue que nous avons un "guide" qui est toujour on ne sait ou. isa est partie descendre le zambeze en raft, colette survoler les chutes en helico. danny ne sait toujours pas planter une tente. nous nous retrouvons michel et moi a dresser le campement pour tout le monde, puis nous attebndons collette pour aller faire un tour dans la ville nous gardons les chutes pour l'apres midi afin d'avoir tout notre temps. etrange impression que cette ville faite pour le tourisme avec tres peu de touriste la plupart des tours operaotr se rabattent sur la zambie, comme il etait prevu que nous fassions.





le zimbabwé est reputé pour son artisanat, nous nous rendons au marche artisanal ou nous serons les seuls touristes et tout y est vraiment de qualitee



je vais y faire une grande partie de mes achats pour noel

tout le monde voudrait que nous voyons ce qu'ils ont a vendre mais nous ne nous sentons pas "agresse" au passage je laisse mon nounours unicef (accroché a mon sac) a une gamine (je dois en laisser a peu pres un par voyage et le rachette a chaques fois) du coup les femmes qui sont autour me disent de faire des photos, comme un remerciement







au bout d'un long moment, un petit groupe de hollandais (les seuls encore tres presents a vic falls) arrive et on sent la detente que cette arrivee occasionne chez les artisants (ce ne sont pas des vendeurs, ils travaillent sur place mais je n'ais pas oser faire de photos la situation etant tellement difficile pour eux). nous partons les femmes nous disent au revoir, ce nounours aura ete une benediction pour le contact. nous avons soif et nous arretons dans un bar mais ils n'ont plus rien a nous servire que de l'eau! dans les magasin des rayonnage entierement vide. nous rentrons au camping pour manger un morceau avant de nous rendre aux chutes

premier apercu





un agreable chemin ombragé est amenagé pour faire le tour des differents points de vue





juste avant la faille



livingston veillant sur les chutes











il y a de lieux de legende, comme ces chutes ou la baie d'along, ou lorsque l'on s'y trouve on se demande si l'on se rend bien compte de l'endroit ou l'on est!

une famille zimbabwéene me demande si je peux les photographier devant les chutes pour leur envoyer la photo, j'aime les visages des personnes agees





en face un pecheur



j'ai peur pour lui, juste dessous





MI Minala Veteran ·
jc nous avait dit qu'il fallait aller au vicfalls hotel pour deguster un the a l"anglaise avec toast, sconnes etc mais comment faire une chose pareille au milieu de cette penurie? nous prenons un taxis pour revenir au camping et sur les bords de la piscine juste un coca 'pas trop de choix) ce qui est deja beaucoup! isabelle nous a rejoint et nous raconte son raft de fou avec lessiveuse et tout les chavirages que l'on peu immaginer, non merci! le raft oui mais il ne faut pas exagerer d'autant que michel sait a peine nager. le soir une troupe de danseur nous rend visite un peu improvisé mais sympa





nous traversons le ndébéléland pour nous rendre dans les collines du matopo





en chemin arret dans un village, les ndébélés peignent leures cases. encore moin de toirsites dans ce secteur depuis le printemps les gens sont heureux de nous voir meme aux barrges de police (ou armee je ne sais) pourtant il n'y a pas de circulation vu que l'essence st aussi au nombre de penuries, mais les barage routiers sont ka.

arrivee au village





celui ci est quasiment desert, chacun cherche de quoi vivre, de l'eau ou en travaillnt dans les champs suele ressources encore disponibles



seuls un jeune garcon et une petite fille sont presents



elle est effayee par nos visages blancs. stanley la rassure. l'image de ce grand shona consolant cette petite ndébélé est une lueure dans cette desolation, ces deux nations ont longtemps ete ennemies et leur entente maintenant fait plaisir a voire



arrivee a bulawayo, les rues la aussi sont vide de voitures circulant, ou presque, pourtant c'est la deuxieme ville du pays. devant les banques, la foule amassee attend que les banques les servent chacun leur tour, incroyable la longueure de la file! la monnaie se devalue si vite qu'ils faut continuelement chercher de nouveau du liquide, tant qu'il y en a car ce compte la les salaires filent tres vite.



enfin le matopo



nous sommes au coeur du pays ndebelé



tres loin aussi de l'image que l'on a d'habitude de cette ethnie, mage qui vient d'afrique du sud, en fait cette image n'existe que dans quelques village dans un sedteur precis d'afrique du sud, les costumes et artisanat sont le resultat d'une artiste d'un de ces village et l'image s'est rependue dans ce secteur les autre ndébélé c'est a dire la majoritee, sont habilles comme tout le monde et pour les fetes portent ds atribus du costume ancestrale, le costume qu'avaient nos danseurs a vic falls
MI Minala Veteran ·
nous arrivons au village ou nous devns passer la nuit. l'accueil est incroyable les enfants font des bonds dans tous les ses, il faut dire qu'ils se sentaient un peu abandonnes. seul ce circuit passe aussi loin dans les matopos, et dpuis janvier plus personne. comment leur dire que nous sommes venus alors que le circuit avait annulé ce passage, que derrier il n'y a personne pour revenir, au nouveau catalogue le circuit est modifie et ne passe plus par le zimbabwé seul espoir, jc n'est pas venu jusque la pour nous faire plaisir mais parce que montant sa boite il pose les jalons pour ses propres circuits peut etre une petite chance pour eux, je l'espere.

les tentes sont plantees



nous avons sortit bierres (nous avons acheté de la biere locale dans ce but) et cocas et nous faisons connaissance





l'ancien du village, il a bien sorit ses plumes mais n'a plus la force de les mettre sur la tete

en tapant le nom du circuit sur la recherche google j'avais trouve un recit fait par un gar l'ayant fait. et il y avait une photo d'un magnifique ndébélé avec une coiffe de chef sur la tete, malgres le vielissement je l'ai tout de suite reconnu, les plumes etaient la elles aussi. ce monsieur se nomme wiliam









il y a une "grotte" avec des peinture a aller voire trois guides nous sont attribues car tous veulent venire, les trois filles dont le portrait est plus haut, c'est super j'ai dejas lié avec elles bien que mon anglais soit tres.....comme mon orthographe!

le camion nous mene jusqu'au bout du chemin puis nous commencons a grimper, ces demoiselles sont pleines d'atentions vis a vis de colette et dany qui pour elles sont des anciennes a respercter, elles leur done la mai dans les passages plus difficile, ecarte les branches devant elle tout cela dans une farandole de mots pleins de gaitee



deja certains gamins qui s'etaient lancés a la suite du camion et ont grimpé par l'autre cote, sont en haut, hillars



nous prenons le temps de savourer le spectacle car le paysage est d'une beaute a qui helas la photo ne rend pas suffisement hommage



avec deux de mes copines



nous sommes presque en haut, la "grotte est juste derriere



de l'autre coté



mon chapeau et ma barette ont changé de mains ou plutot de tete





et maintenant partie de rigolade, chacun voulant avoir l'air le plus impressionant sur la photo



dificile d'y croire



nous sommes loin des feroces ndébélé qui ont tant eté crains

dernier regard



sur les rochers d'en face une colonie de babouins, on voit que les enfants ont l'habitude de les chasser, ces singes sont plutot agressif l'un etait interesse par le sac de michel et plutot hargnieux



en bas nous retrouvons un tas de gens autour du camion avec de l'artisanat, nous faisons des provisions pour noel il ne nous restera plus grand chose a acheter au retour



avec dany et michel nous decidons de rentrer au campement a pied avec les enfants, trop sympa!







en chemin ils nous disent que ce soir c'est la fete, on va danser, ils sont contents parceque nous sommes venus, et nous donc!
MI Minala Veteran ·
apres un repas a l'africaine, farine de mais cuite dont on fait une boule avec les doigts avant de la tremper dans la sauce de la viande (viande pour nous mais pas tous les jours en afrique). nous sommes invites meme si c'est legroupe qui fournit la viande. chez les ndébélé on ne mange pas avec les ionvites, cette fois il y aura une exception, william et deux hommes du village mangent avec nous. les autres mangent chez eux la meme chose que nous c'est le repas quotidien. ce sont nos deux hommes qui feront la vaisselle avec satanley, ce soir nous sommes invites et donc pas de vaisselle! puis les enfants arrivent et finissent ce que nous n'avons pas mangé. apres ce sont les femmes et, elles commencent a chanter. les danses sont tres diferentes de ce que nous connaissons, seul dansent les homme (en tout cas ce soir la.) chacun se lance dans la danse selon son inspiration rarement plus de trois a la fois. c'est en general assez bref puis un autre remmplace. les enfants se melent a la danse eux aussi selon leur inspiration. le chant est lancinant et repetitif agrementé de sifflets des danseurs et de crecelle des memes. un nuage de poussiere est vite souleve malgres le fait que la terre ai ete humidifiee. dommage le flash se reflete dedans.













nous sommes concients d'assister a une vrai fete africaine et non pas des danses pour touristes. michel le seul homme du groupe est invite a se joindre a eux, des enfants plus reserves et ne se lanssant pas dans la danse aterissent sur nos genoux. a la fin de la soiree les enfants doivent aller se coucher car demain ecole et nous aussi car nous les accompagnons, nous distribuons les denrees (farine sucre lentilles) que nous avons apportes, lorsque j'y repense et que je vois les infos en ce moment... notre danseur de la veille il nous accompagne sur le chemin de l'ecole



cette femme demande a stanley de passer un message a son mari en afrique du sud, cela se passe comme cela au zimbabwé, on cherche a passer de l'argent, des nouvelles des denrees et celui qui peut le faire le fait.

sur le chemin de l'ecole





mes petites amies toutes timides





lecon de geo





l'instituteur





derniere image des matopos

nous retraversons la frontiere pour passer au botswana nous nous arretons a francistown pour faire des courses dans un centre comercial avec une impression d'irealitee, tout un monde avec le matin! ici c'est l'abondance, la societe de consomation dans iun complexe moderne. le botswana c'est aussi ses paysages monotonnes en dehors des parc que nous avons visites

une longue journee de route pour arriver jusque la frontiere avec l'afrique du sud, il etait prevu au depard un vol depuis harare pour rejoindre johanesburg, puis nous ne devions plus passer par le zimbabwé, de plus ne l'oublions pas nous sommes partis avec un jour de retard, il nous faut donc essayer de ratraper ce temps. ce soir campement juste avant la frontiere au bord du fleuve limpopo



pendant que nous faisons la vaisselle les hyppos s'aprochent du campement, rassurant





toute la nuit nous entendons des bruits de pas autour des tentes, ce sont les clandestins qui essaient de passer en afrique du sud, du zimbabwé c'est plus facile par le botswana car la frontiere est moin surveillee. plus facile mais.... au matin en traversant le pont qui fait office de frontiere, nous trouvons un fleuve literalement infesté de crocos! quel situation desesperée peux pousser a prendre tant de risque? et juste un entrefilet aux infos entre les derniers potains de nos politiques et les resultats de foot!
MI Minala Veteran ·
nous voici en afrique du sud sur le chemin de johanesburg. nous allons nous arreter dans un petit parc pas tres loin de la ville pour y voir des rhinos que nous n'avons pas encore vu, ce n'est pas que nous y tenions tant que cela mais il nous reste une journee vu que d'un commun accord nous n'avons pas voulu faire le detour par krugger. la derniere photo prise avec mon apareil avant qu'il ne me lache vaincu par la pourriere des danses ndenelés. je viens juste de le recuperer apres un bon nettoyage



heureusement je prend toujours l'apareil d'un de mes filos au cas ou michel aurait l'iddee de faire des photos (ce qui n'est jamais le cas) du coup je peux continuer a photographier meme si je n'ai plus de teleobjectif ni la meme qualitee de photo

voici un rhino blanc, les noirs et les blancs ont la mme couleur cette appelation vient ds'une erreure de traduction. les blanc sont herbivors et ont la guele applatie, les noirs se nourissent de brnches et ont la guele allongee, beaucoup plus difficile a voir





le pilanesberg est situé dans le cratere d'un ancien volcan







ou je regrette amerement mon apareille



cette mere avait une corne d'une longueure absolument incroyable et je me searis regaler a photographier les jeux de son petit

une rencontre percutante



dans un premier temps, nous avons reculé, puis comme il se poussait nous avons commencer a avancer, le voila qui se retourne et essai de donner des coup de defense dans le camion (il y a ds jours comme cela ou l'on aprecie d'etre gros tout de meme) sa trompe cherche a se frayer un passage par les fenetres oyuverte, nous nous reculons celle ci etant a peu pres aussi dangereuse que les defenses. , ouf nous sommes passes



michel regarde derriere, il nus course, mais nous sommes a la montee et tres vite il nous lache. impressionant comme experiance!

iune derniere nuit en afrique dans un camping ou les noirs ne sont la que pour assurer le services, decidement l'aparteid a de beaux restes

cette fois ci c'est le dernier jour notre avion decolle le soir une petite heure et demi de route pour pretoria





richesses miniees de l'afrique australe, ici une mine de platine



comme quoi les richesses dy pays ne profitent pas a tout le monde





arrivee a pretoria













le samedi les gens se retrouvent au centre ville (ceux qui ne sont pas partis



ou l"on voie l'origine flamande de la ville



pour ne pas l'oublier



au marché artisanal de johanesburg



spectacke de rue a johanesburg



dernier rayon de soleil sur johanesburg pendant que nous roulons vers l'aeroport



la derniere image que nous emportons de l'afrique est celle du violent orage qui se dechaine au moment ou nous decollons. la premiere image a notre arrivee; c'est doming et bruno nous attendant a l'aeroport! et le midi le couple a, dré et anne marie et le couple mira nous ont rejoint. nous faisons enfin connaissance et bien sur ce sera avec plaisir que nous les reverrons. nous avons ete bien sur ete recu tres chaleureusement ce qui reconforte lorsque l'on doit "atterire". cette fois c'est fini il ne me restait plus qu'a trier les photos et bien sur penser au prochaon depart. une chose de sure, nous aimons touours autant l'afrique!
ER Ericarole Veteran ·
Que de belles photos. Merci de les partager. Cela me fait toujours drôle de revoir des images me rappelant des moments vécus et même des lieux précis où nous avons mis les pieds....
Et pourtant elle tourne.....encore http://voyageforum.com/voyage/carnetuneboucleenafriqueaustrale1erepartieD2003883/ http://voyageforum.com/voyage/recit_un_periple_en_afrique_australe_big_five_aux_recifs_coralliens_1e_partie_D3794068/
FR Fredxiii Globetrotter ·
Bonjour Naïs, Félicitations pour toutes ces belles photos retraçant la vie de tous les jours et le contact avec les habitants !! Que j'aime ces photos prises sur le vif de personnages attachants. La Namibie me verra en juillet, il me tarde de découvrir, à mon tour ces superbes paysages, cette faune et cette flore. Merci.

FreD.
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AT
Attila 15 hours ago · FamilleUS
Amazing Kyrgyzstan!
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 rentals kept making me postpone the project.

And then, everything fell into place—I told myself, now’s the time!

Preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.

A bit of Kazakhstan? Not in the end.

The south or not? Yes, in the end.

Pre-book or play it by ear? 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 on this destination (the guide has been updated since).

---/---

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! (‘Beefsteak’ for my partner’s mischievous nephews...)



You’ll find here a post with some practical info.
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MO
Montagnard74 15 hours ago · FamilleUS
Turkey 2026: Riviera, Antalya, and Cappadocia
Hi everyone!

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!

A little sneak peek?
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Fabhyène 15 hours ago · Gaura
3 weeks in Laos, at a relaxed pace


This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions... Now that I’ve just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to pay tribute to this destination we fell in love with.

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 get her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can sneak away at any time without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!

Anyway, since I like 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’m still working), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.



In broad strokes, it was very classic:

We first “settled in” in 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 measured in km! Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping at the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites. We finished with the Bolaven Plateau.

A few practical tips: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having collected 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. It was quick, but we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too many in line! At the end of our trip, we didn’t leave from Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), for Bangkok and then Paris. You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. However, there’s now a high-speed train (TGV) 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 introduction out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter. To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
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CA
Caroki 15 hours ago
Three weeks in Albania with two older teens
We went to Albania in August 2025. Our itinerary included adventure (sporty activities, site visits), naps on the beach interspersed with swims, incredible natural sites, and a bit of culture.

I booked all our accommodations on Booking.com. Note: almost all places ask to be paid in cash!! You can obviously withdraw from banks, but the fees are pretty high. Luckily, we had plenty of cash, and the country is very safe. You can pay in euros most of the time, which avoids exchange fees. We started in Tirana. I’d read a really interesting post about Albania’s bunkers (link in my profile). We chose to visit Bunk’Art with a guide from the agency that wrote the post. It was fascinating—not only to better understand the country’s history but also because her grandfather was repressed by the regime, and she shared her family’s experience with us.

Bunkers are everywhere! In Tirana, Bunk’Art is the most interesting and largest. You’ll see the dictator Enver Hoxha’s office, where he would’ve taken refuge in case of an attack on the country. Bring a sweater—it’s really cold in the underground tunnels and their huge corridors. You can visit other bunkers around the country, in Tirana and elsewhere. Almost all are just abandoned. The cable car up Mount Dajti is right next to Bunk’Art. The view is stunning—you realize Tirana is so close to the mountains and the sea... But otherwise, it’s not that exciting for older teens (17 and 19) and their parents. We picked up a rental car in Tirana—it’d be ours for the next three weeks. We used Goalbania’s agency to avoid any hassles. First, there aren’t many cars available in Albania in summer. Second, French credit cards can be a nightmare abroad. So we preferred to sort that out in advance. After Tirana, we headed to Permet. Just a heads-up: the roads are in great condition except in the mountains. And Albanian drivers aren’t stressful to deal with. Though you might suddenly encounter a herd of goats crossing the road—haha—but if you’re not going too fast, it’s fine. In Permet, I’d been dreaming of rafting on the Vjosa, one of Europe’s last wild rivers. And we did it with a local agency! It’s beautiful, accessible to everyone, not too physical but still a bit lively—just how we like it. You can even jump into the river in some spots. In Permet, we also hiked through a canyon and visited a lovely little church.



And we took a workshop to make their local culinary pride: gliko. It’s a jam with whole fruits inside. We’d seen it on Goalbania’s site, and it was really fun. We were with a family where the secret to making gliko has been passed down for generations... Next, we headed to Gjirokastër. A city we loved: its old traditional houses (Skendulli and Zekate), its grand castle, the Ali Pasha Bridge. Along the way, we stopped for artisanal ice cream at a little shop run by a grandmother who’s been making it herself for ages.



One afternoon, my husband *had* to go to the coast in the south, to Ksamil (he’d read it was better than Sarandë). Verdict: we didn’t like it. Parking is a nightmare, the beaches are super noisy and crowded. The sea is packed with jet skis, boats, pedalos, and ropes. Avoid it.

On the other hand, we really liked Himarë, where we went next. We stayed at a campsite where we rented tents with mattresses and sheets inside. Right by the sea, on a low cliff (about 2 meters high). You can hear the waves at night... Magical!! To swim, you either jump straight into the sea (almost from the tent) or climb down a ladder, which you’ll need to climb back up to get out.



I was a little worried the campsite wouldn’t be very comfortable, so afterward, I’d booked a small place in Gjilek. Turns out, the place was really tiny (one room for four, no kitchen) and pretty expensive (over 100 € a night). We’d drive to the beach or restaurants—it’s on a steep slope, so not very accessible. Parking near the sea is tricky. But the (private) beaches were nice—we’d rent an umbrella not too close to the music and spend the day there. We also went to a wilder beach, harder to reach, via a long path. Behind the beach, there’s an amazing canyon where we’d sometimes climb using ropes (already in place, no need to bring your own) over big boulders rolled around by the stream, which must swell a lot in spring. So, the sea in Albania: it’s nice if you like swimming and relaxing, but it’s not the most interesting part of the country. There are so many other amazing things to see and discover—so many stunning sites! Maybe an agency could’ve helped us find more practical accommodations and avoid Ksamil and its surroundings. We left the coast to head to the beautiful city of Berat and its "thousand windows." We explored the city, its fortress, and its icon museum.



Then we discovered the Osum Canyon—it’s incredible. The view from the top is breathtaking. And at the bottom, it’s magical. There’s little water in summer, so rafting isn’t an option. We weren’t tempted by the big-tube descent offered by an agency—it looked fun, but the group had 40 people. We preferred hiking on our own as a family of four. We scouted the area on Google Maps... and found where to descend. We walked in the water, then it rose to our waists, then our shoulders... We weren’t moving fast. And how to get back up?? Eventually, we followed a group with a guide—the path was hard to find.



After that unforgettable hike, we visited the Bogovë Waterfalls. It’s pretty, and we swam, but the water was *really* cold. We passed through Tirana again and then headed to Shkodër. We explored a bit—its charming little streets, the Rozafa Fortress. There’s a tiny museum where you can see *huge* Ottoman stone cannonballs. And they tell you the (charming) story of the young woman who was walled alive in the castle’s foundations to ensure its strength... Shkodër is mostly a stopover to head into the mountains and discover Theth. Our goal: hiking in the Valbona Valley, from Valbona to Theth. We organized the trip ourselves, without an agency, but it took some time to figure everything out. So I’ll save you the trouble—haha. Book your tickets on the Komanilakeferry website. The ticket includes: 🙂 minibus transfer from downtown Shkodër to Koman 🙂 ferry ticket from Koman to Fierze. This ferry ride is *gorgeous*—between mountain slopes covered in pine trees, and sometimes a little house with a few fields...



🙂 minibus ticket from Fierze to Valbona. Now you’re in the mountains! The minibus drops you off near your accommodation—pick one as close as possible to the start of the hike (if that’s your goal!). The ones at the far end of the village add up to 1.5 hours of walking. Our choice: Guesthouse Dioni. The host is really lovely, it’s in the woods, and it’s basic but great. After a day of hiking, we arrived in Theth. What beautiful mountains! Then we explored Theth and the surrounding area. It’s pretty busy, but you can still enjoy the Blue Eye of Theth and its swim. It’s *so* cold! But so beautiful!



🙂 minibus ticket from Theth back to Shkodër. After a night in Shkodër, we drove to Kepi i Rodonit. A guidebook (I forget which one) raved about its beauty. And it *is* beautiful!



But the view is ruined by plastic bottles and other trash in the bushes, along the paths, and of course on the beaches. The only peaceful spot: the private beach at Kepi i Rodonit, which is cleaned. You can rent an umbrella and have lunch there. That’s where we spent our last few days—very relaxing. In short... Albania turned out to be perfect for us and our teens!
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AT
Attila 15 hours ago · ReneVoyageur
Albania in Autumn Colors
A new work assignment means our vacation dates can't stay the same.

We had planned to go to the Canary Islands, but flight prices are skyrocketing with this new holiday schedule.

So, I’m looking for an alternative to Gran Canaria and El Hierro and found two round-trip flights with Wizz Air to Tirana.

398 €, including baggage and seats—perfect!

Plus, the departure and return times are great, which is pretty rare for a low-cost flight!

All that’s left is to rent a car, plan the route, and book accommodations.

With two weeks, we’ll have to make some choices!

Here’s the final itinerary: Shkodra (2 nights), Valbonë (3 nights), Tirana (1 night), Lake Ohrid (1 night), Korçë (1 night), Përmet (1 night), Gjirokastër (1 night), Himarë (2 nights), Berat (2 nights), and Krujë (1 night).

A mix of countryside and small towns, a bit of the Mediterranean, and some mountains!

Late October isn’t the best season, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for the rest...

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6C
6cha38 2 days ago
Our family trip from Denver to Yellowstone – a recap
Hi there,

I’m diving into a recap of our loop—pretty classic, really—Denver-Yellowstone-Denver this past summer, from July 24 to August 17. Given the sheer number of trip reports already out there (or in the works), and since I don’t have the writing chops or the photography skills of many of you, I’ll keep it practical—well, I’ll try, at least—to share our take on some of the less-visited parks and spots.

First off, a huge thank you to everyone whose trip reports, blogs, websites, comments, and more helped us put together this itinerary. Looking back, it could’ve been even better optimized: a few disappointments when we missed out on some great discoveries, often because we were short on time. Plenty of reasons to come back to the area!

We’re traveling with our four (almost) teens—18, 16, 14, and nearly 12 years old. To keep the trip enjoyable for everyone, we had to make compromises on both sides: cutting a visit short to spend more time swimming, waking up at dawn, and so on. But logistics also played a big role—things like laundry, grocery shopping, and keeping luggage organized could’ve quickly become time-consuming without a little planning. And honestly, I think we visited every Walmart along the way! Blame it on the lack of fridges in some accommodations and, more importantly, the *very* limited space in the car, which made it impossible to bring a proper cooler. I’ll come back to the car saga later.

For accommodations, this year we alternated between basic cabins in KOA campgrounds and Yellowstone (when staying more than one night in the same place) and hotels. Always with a pool (except in Yellowstone, of course), which let the kids burn off energy—because they always have reserves, even after packed days!—and, let’s be honest, gave us a chance to relax. No Wi-Fi issues either; we all had plans with 25 GB of data (a big thanks to Gilles for the amazing deal at 0.99 €). It worked perfectly, even for texts and calls between phones—no extra charges.

Now, onto our route: as I mentioned, a classic Denver-Yellowstone-Denver loop. To avoid rushing through the parks or spending all our time on the road, we prioritized staying as close to them as possible, with at least two nights in each place. And I’ve got to say, it’s really nice to settle in, even if it’s just for two nights. It also helped us deal with the weather, which wasn’t always great during this trip. The trade-off? With vacation time being limited, some driving days ended up being long. We knew that going in, but since we kept a relaxed pace with no time constraints (don’t ask me for timings—I don’t keep track of the clock on vacation, except in the morning to get everyone up before noon!), we sometimes ended up with marathon days.

With that said, I’ll dive into the trip itself in the next post.
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Fabhyène 2 days ago
Draw Me Your Japan...
Hi there!

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 dot 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 colorful mix of tourists, pilgrims (thanks to the nearby Asakusa 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 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, the Nishiki Market:

To be continued...
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AT
Attila 4 days ago
Storm in the Canary Islands
15 days across Gran Canaria, El Hierro, and a dash of Tenerife under the storm Thérèse!

The planned itinerary will be slightly disrupted...

(The version without discussions is here)
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BI
Bibouns51 6 days ago
Off on a winter adventure in the American West!
Day 1 – February 14

We all have two lives. And the second one kicks off the day you realize you only have one, with the determination to spend the time you have left on what truly adds sparkle to your life, Kevin! I like to elegantly introduce a trip with a philosophical quote. First, it gives you the illusion that I’m some kind of deep thinker, and second, it lets me fill up the first few lines of my blank page when I don’t know how to tell you I’m diving back into what really lights up my life: another adventure beyond the horizon! And nearly every other year, like a toxic relationship, my horizon tends to take shape in Uncle Sam’s backyard. And this, despite his cousin Donald calling the shots. Speaking of which, it was partly that impulsive guy who pushed us to be just as impulsive and snag our four flight tickets at a ridiculously low price—a direct result of foreign tourism taking a hit from BetaMax’s repeated antics... Four tickets? Who are the other lucky ones? In this case, our lucky ones are actually lucky ladies: My Flo, always up for exploring the world with me on foot, camelback, or scooter, is obviously in on the fun. The other two seats went to our daughters, Sasha and Luna, both thrilled to be part of this new American adventure...

But what’s the American West like in February?... A gamble. Let’s call it Russian roulette since we’re not landing during peak weather season. That’s why we encouraged our transportation and accommodation to get cozy and produce a little camper van, so we can stay ultra-flexible in the face of any weather tantrums. We’ll be roaming in Kara the van with the motto "Follow the sun!" Bad weather? We bolt. Snow? We speed up. Sunny? We act like it was the plan all along and soak it up.

"Okay, but why keep coming back to the same corner of the globe? After ten American adventures, you must be tired of seeing the same things, right?" But I’m not crazy, you know!... The American West is like making love to your gorgeous wife over and over, always enjoying it just as much. And contrary to what you might think, the American West isn’t just the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, and Bryce Canyon. Proof is, after ten trips to the U.S., my retinas are still untouched by three-quarters of the places I scribbled on a napkin for this adventure... Oh, and add to that my wife, who I’ve easily converted to my religion, and boom... relapse is even easier! Because yes, we’ve landed in Los Angeles after a sunny flight over Greenland, still under Danish flag for now. And we’re already heading east through the XXL traffic of L.A.’s eight-lane highways, eager to dive into our first discoveries. But first, night is taking over the sky, and second, we’ve been officially awake for 24 hours, so I suggest wrapping up this intro. I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning. Sound good?



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MO
Montagnard74 6 days ago
CAPE VERDE 2025: 3 weeks, 4 islands.
And we still haven’t seen everything! Before setting off for new horizons at the end of this year, it’s time for me to share my trip to Cape Verde this summer 2025.

I particularly love these spontaneous trips, and our stay in Cape Verde is one of those because it was only at the beginning of April that we decided on this getaway, which had been catching our eye for a while, given our love for the mountains.

As always—well, when it’s open—I turned to VF, and I want to immediately thank Marie, aka ptitortue, who helped me a lot in planning this trip through her travel journals and our exchanges!

Because Cape Verde is both small and vast! We decided not to rush from one airport to another, to enjoy the places and the people, but also to relax, since the work backlog from being stuck in May (see my previous travel journal 😅) had to be caught up on in June.

So, 4 islands will be our winners from 06/28 to 07/19:

Santiago first for logistical reasons, as round-trip flights from the capital Praia were the cheapest (650 €/person from Lyon via Lisbon with TAP, still!)

São Vicente, because it’s the gateway to the next one but ultimately more than that...

Santo Antão, pretty much the main goal of the trip since Marie (and the photos) had really sold it to me.

And finally, Sal Island, for some rest—a non-negotiable condition for my other half—and we’ll see that I should’ve listened to Marie...

That said, what a chatterbox I am—buckle up, flight attendants at the doors, off we go on new beautiful escapes! (Thanks to Sophie for the easy loan)

Last note for my eager fan club 😏: yes, there will be alcohol—how could there not be in the land of grogue!

It starts here:

https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10790234;a=10790234

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SO
Songsam 7 days ago
Far from the daily grind*
Hello, Since I enjoy not only the countryside but also everything related to rail travel, I’m starting this photo thread dedicated to trains in Thailand (I’d guess most of us have taken one at some point...). Feel free to post your pictures here as long as they fit the theme: rolling stock**, stations**, platforms, tracks (even without a train on them), technical equipment, engineering structures (bridges, viaducts), etc.—all in Thailand. For each photo, I’ll (or you can) note the station or line where it was taken. Comments and questions are welcome.

* train ** interiors or exteriors

All aboard!
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JO
Jojoone1 7 days ago
From the Awakening to Travel to Morocco in the 90s
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I inherited my love of travel from my parents and some of my grandparents. A strong passion, but one that was unfortunately limited by our family’s modest resources. Back then, living in northern Alsace, a simple trip to the southern part of the region—with the Wine Route as our destination—felt like an extraordinary journey to a land of plenty for the little boy I was in the late 60s and early 70s. Everything seemed so huge when you were still just a kid. Back then, I was overwhelmed by countless sensations—I was already highly sensitive, with a keen mind and a nose and taste buds that were developing like a pro’s. Which, as I’d later realize, wasn’t always an advantage.



Those magical days always began with a gentle late-spring or midsummer morning. The interior of the white Peugeot 404, license plate 210 LZ 67, had already soaked up the sun before the engine purred to life, and the cabin gave off a scent I could still recognize today—a fragrance I found so pleasant. Back then, I had no idea it was just the smell of warm plastic from the car’s interior. Yes, the scents of the 404 on sunny days became my madeleine de Proust... What’s more, the whole family was unusually cheerful because those moments of relaxation and leisure were rare. Everyone worked, and no one had an easy job or was well paid. Without the *Trente Glorieuses*, these experiences might never have happened.



Once we crossed the canton’s borders, I felt like I was light-years away from my everyday surroundings, and every kilometer plunged me deeper into *terra incognita*. It was thrilling. Far from my so-called "medium-sized" town, wheat fields, cornfields, and cabbage patches stretched out, punctuated by tall poles connected by long wires and topped with vegetation—like giant clotheslines without laundry, where magical beanstalks might grow to touch the sky. Back then, I was still far from tasting their product, which was simply beer. At the time, there was still a significant local hop production. Fun fact: it wasn’t until 2002 that Anglo-Saxon scientists proved hops and cannabis belong to the same biological family.

After the fields, the landscape took another step up as it rolled past the little boy’s eyes, often glued to the windows. First came modest hills, then a succession of rolling slopes that soon formed an unbroken chain. Their 700 meters in altitude felt like Himalayan peaks to me—impressive, inert giants, a whole new world. Gazing at them, an intense emotion welled up somewhere between my stomach and lungs, nearly taking my breath away. What mysteries, what treasures did these heights hold? And then there were the cherries on top—the crowning touch that made the scene even more magical: proud, majestic castles perched on the summits like impassive sentinels. Monuments from the past, yet firmly rooted in the present on their rocky spurs. The little boy’s eyes sparkled—he’d been given a castle for Christmas, complete with battlements, towers, a drawbridge, and fully armed knights. He’d watched and lived *Ivanhoe* on the only French TV channel that existed back then.

Only once did my paternal grandfather join us on one of these trips. A tall, intelligent man with a face that could shift from stern to mischievous, clearly full of humor and charisma. Sadly, his relationship with alcohol had taken a toll on his life and, by extension, those of his loved ones. He had a strong personality—if his boss crossed the line, he wouldn’t hesitate to punch him, which meant he went through a lot of different jobs. Back then, you could quit one job and easily find another. It was quite something to see him in his final stages, hallucinating pink elephants and even drinking perfume when he had nothing else left. The last time I saw him, he’d slipped away from the doctors and nurses while hospitalized in pretty bad shape—at least, I assume his liver was the issue. We were sitting down for a family lunch when the door burst open, and there he stood in his pajamas, eyes twinkling with mischief, clearly pleased with the dramatic entrance. That theatrical moment didn’t spare us from burying him a few months later at the age of 71. One day, my mother told me the family doctor had quietly remarked that it was a shame—with his robust constitution, he could’ve lived to be a hundred. Yes, the family doctor—this was the man who’d come treat you any day, at almost any hour, just for a phone call. It really existed, it’s not a myth!

That day, his wife—my paternal grandmother—was also along for the ride. Everyone agreed that Jeannette was a good woman. She worked as a waitress at *Le Tigre*, the biggest brasserie in town, right in the center. Most customers preferred to be served by her, including local dignitaries and even the mayor. As a kid, I didn’t find her very fun, open, or warm—she seemed a bit stern. Back then, women in their fifties already had the face and build of grandmothers. Same went for men, don’t get me wrong. I had no idea about the struggles she faced because of her husband. I didn’t know that 30 years earlier, she’d had to flee Alsace while pregnant, under threat from Nazi fighter-bombers. I didn’t know she’d had several miscarriages, and that my father—her only surviving child, born prematurely in March 1940 at the other end of France—weighed less than a kilo at birth and was so tiny he could fit in a shoebox. Hard to imagine he’d grow into a strapping man nearly 1.80 meters tall, tipping the scales at 100 kilos. When you come back from summer camp in early August and ask why she didn’t pick you up with your parents, and they gently tell you she’s "in heaven," you don’t realize she passed away at 54 after suffering greatly from stomach cancer that had spread.

Back to that family outing, that enchanted parenthesis. I even remembered where we’d had lunch when I passed through Dambach-la-Ville decades later. One of those charming, flower-filled towns Alsace produces in abundance—and preserves so well. This one sits high on a hill, and I was a bit stunned on the parking lot because the view stretched far, revealing the Alsace plain below—its fields, villages, hills, and forests. The world seemed so vast and enticing that day, even though I was only glimpsing a tiny fraction of it.



The region was already very touristy, but I wouldn’t notice the downsides until much later. That Sunday noon, I discovered a large restaurant filled with diners. I can still see the enormous piece of meat they served me, decorated with a little wooden skewer topped with a flag. I kept that one for a long time. Those were the golden days of rich, flowing, thick sauces—so flavorful—and the era of the world’s best fries, made on the spot with the best potatoes. To top it off, I was *exceptionally* allowed a small bottle of apple juice, Orangina, or—even better if possible—Sinalco. Yes, Sinalco—like Orangina, but better. A brand that must’ve disappeared in the 70s, but why, and what a shame! Since then, Orangina’s little bubbles have taken the brand to the other side of the planet—it’s now Japanese.

Year after year, I’d eagerly await that ecstatic moment when the most beautiful castle in Alsace, the Haut-Koenigsbourg, appeared in my field of vision. The perfect model, the archetype that blended into the landscape at the height of a child’s dreams. The trip home always felt like a reality check—less jarring than an alarm clock, but more diffuse and melancholic. From then on, there was only one wish: *When do we leave again?*
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Elis 7 days ago · Djalma
9-Day Trek in the Balkans
Hi there, Here’s a recap of a trek through the Balkans covering three countries: Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo. I was with a friend, and we didn’t do the full route (only one day in Kosovo). It was a wonderful trek through snow-capped mountains and vast flower-filled meadows, meeting incredibly welcoming people. At the end of the travel journal, I’ll share what I loved and what I liked less.

Day 1: Flight from Paris-Beauvais to Tirana with Wizz Air. Since Albania isn’t part of Europe when it comes to phone service (at least not yet! :-)), we had to buy a physical SIM card—otherwise, the bill would’ve been sky-high if we’d used our French plan! We got one from Vodafone AL at the airport. You can buy online before leaving with a virtual SIM (e-SIM) for compatible phones, so you don’t have to swap cards. But given the uncertainty about choosing a plan online, we preferred buying one directly at Tirana Airport. Cost: 31 € for 100 GB. That’s way too much—100 GB is overkill. For 40 GB, it’s 27 €, and the plan lasts 21 days. The price difference isn’t huge, and it was cheaper than online. This plan covers all the countries along the Balkan range. Money tip: All guesthouses and accommodations accept euros. The local currency in Albania is the LEK. In Montenegro, it’s the euro. Bank fees for withdrawing money from an ATM in Albania are pretty steep: 8 € for a withdrawal of 600–700 LEK (about 200 €)! So it’s better to withdraw cash (euros) in France. Oh, and we booked all our accommodations before leaving, but payment is always in cash. Budget around 400–500 € for 9 days of trekking.

Then, a transfer the same day to Shköder, about a 2-hour bus ride. Cost: 10 € per person. Tickets bought directly on the bus. We spent the night in Shköder at a very clean guesthouse, Open Doors B&B. It had a small balcony overlooking the city. I really liked Shköder, especially its pedestrian street lined with restaurants and lit up at night. It’s a great place to stroll and eat. The food isn’t expensive—two big salads and two beers: 14 € :-) . Fruit prices are also very reasonable: 3 € for a kilo of cherries, compared to 9–10 € in France. Religions coexist peacefully in these countries—Catholics and Muslims. From our balcony, my friend heard the call to prayer for the first time, coming from one of the city’s mosques.

Day 2: Bus ride to Theth, about 1,100 meters in elevation gain, the starting point for our hike the next day.

The trip took 2 hours and 40 minutes with a break in the middle. The bus was affordable, but taxis also make the trip—though they’re very expensive.



We slept in the heights of Theth at a new guesthouse, "Mountain Vista Shkafi," with an amazing view.

The family was adorable. The husband is a handyman and built almost everything himself. Their baby is named "Sky"—such a cute name, right? :-) Throughout the trek, I found the guesthouses very clean, and the hosts think of everything—no need to bring soap or shampoo; they provide it. Lunch in Theth at a traditional restaurant on the main road. We tried "Tave Dheu," an Albanian dish with beef, cabbage (very common), and cottage cheese. Delicious but not quite filling enough. For dessert, a honey cake that was perfectly moist—such a treat! Desserts like this are rare; sometimes they serve watermelon instead. We took a small private bus for 5 € to the "Blue Eye" parking lot, then walked for about 45 minutes to reach a stunning natural site—a kind of lagoon with incredibly blue water. The bravest can swim, but the water’s freezing!







That evening, we dined at "La Montagne Blanche"—excellent! A delightful mix of grilled meats with potatoes and grilled peppers. Some watermelon slices (which I’m not a fan of) and the famous Raki, a brandy served in Turkey and the Balkans! It was my first time drinking brandy "bottoms up." 😉

To be continued... 😉
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DrCarter 7 days ago · Djackx67
Two-week family trip to Colombia in August with 8-year-olds
Hi everyone,

I’d like to share my family trip to Colombia with kids aged 8. After spending hours browsing the forum and only having two weeks there, we decided to focus on two regions: the Coffee Zone for one week and the Caribbean coast for another. We traveled from August 8 to 23.

Day 1 – First stop: Bogotá

We arrived in Bogotá in the evening on an Air France flight—nothing to complain about, decent service, comfortable, and on time. However, the first night was a miss. We’d booked a hotel near the airport (Abitel Prime) for convenience, but the soundproofing was almost nonexistent; we heard planes as if we were on the runway. Luckily, exhaustion helped us sleep well anyway.

Day 2 – Off to the Coffee Zone and Salento

The next morning, we headed to the airport for a domestic flight to Pereira with LATAM. No issues: punctual and efficient, and in 30 minutes, we landed in Pereira. The landing already set a different mood: lush valleys, endless plantations, and humid air. We picked up our rental car from Localiza. Unfortunately, the experience wasn’t smooth—the paperwork took forever, and the wait tested our patience. Finally free, we hit the road to Salento, one of Quindío’s gems. We arrived in the late afternoon and discovered a colorful village bustling with artisan shops and cafés. Our first stroll helped us soak in the atmosphere before dinner at Bambú restaurant—a great surprise with careful cooking and local flavors. We spent the night at Casa Serafín, a charming little hotel, nicely decorated and well-located… but unfortunately very noisy.

Day 3 – The magic of Cocora Valley

This was one of the trip’s highlights. We set off early for Cocora Valley, famous for its giant wax palms, Colombia’s emblem. We chose the 12 km loop recommended by the *Routard*. The landscapes were spectacular: towering palms, rivers, suspension bridges. It felt like walking through a postcard. The weather was perfect. That evening, we dined at Barnabé restaurant—pleasant setting, decent food, but the bill was a bit steep for what it was. Back to Casa Serafín.

Day 4 – Coffee and panoramic views

The plan was a visit to Finca El Ocaso. For 1.5 hours, we followed a passionate guide who explained the entire coffee process, from harvest to cup. Very educational, accessible for both kids and adults, all in a stunning setting. The tour was in English for us, and we translated for our kids, who aren’t bilingual yet. In the afternoon, we climbed to Salento’s viewpoint. The valley view was superb. That evening, we ate at Veggie Garden, a simple and pleasant spot that was a nice change from the heavier meals of previous days.

Day 5 – Horseback ride to Santa Rita Waterfall

We booked a horseback ride with Cocora Magic. It was a real success: calm horses, a beautiful trail, mountain and meadow landscapes, and finally the refreshing and wild Santa Rita Waterfall. Without a doubt, one of the best moments of our time in the region. We even got a bonus ride up a 300-meter hill. We then headed to Filandia, less known than Salento but just as charming. We spent the late afternoon enjoying the pool at MuchoSur Filandia. The hotel is beautiful, in an idyllic setting. However, we also had soundproofing issues and could hear our neighbors.

Day 6 – Rainy detour through Filandia and Manizales

Rain caught up with us in the early morning: torrents of water made it impossible to go out. We stayed at the hotel, reading quietly. By noon, the rain let up: a quick walk in Filandia, a quick lunch, then off to Manizales. We chose to stay at El Otoño hot springs. Great choice: as soon as we arrived, we plunged into the hot pools, perfect after hours on the road.

Day 7 – Hiking and hot springs

In the morning, we hiked the Camino de Super Coco (found somewhat randomly on Google). A pleasant trail with mountain views and a peaceful atmosphere. The afternoon was spent in the hotel’s thermal pools, with a short marked hike down to the river. Dinner on-site at the hot springs’ restaurant. A simple but very relaxing day.

Day 8 – Rain, jacuzzi, and games

We continued to Finca Los Alpes. The rain greeted us again, but this time it turned into an asset: nothing like a steaming jacuzzi with a view of the misty mountains. The kids enjoyed the facilities too: mini-golf, ping-pong, billiards. Dinner and night at the hotel, cozy vibes.

Day 9 – Off to the Caribbean coast

Back to the airport to return the car (still a bit long). Flight to Cartagena with Avianca: punctual and comfortable. Upon arrival, we picked up another car and headed straight to the Hyatt Regency, a modern hotel with a pool. That evening, we dined at the hotel—practical after a travel day.

Day 10 – Colonial Cartagena

We set off to explore Cartagena’s old town. It was enchanting: colorful facades, flowered balconies, colonial charm—just magical. However, the heat was stifling and very humid. Afternoon relaxation by the pool. Dinner at Gestlani, a good restaurant in town.

Day 11 – Road to Barú

A hearty breakfast, then one last swim in the pool before heading to Barú. We checked into Las Islas Hotel. The setting was enchanting: wooden cabins nestled in the vegetation, a private beach, turquoise sea, impeccable service. Dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

Day 12 – Beach and relaxation

A full beach day in Barú. Warm water, white sand, coconut trees, peace and quiet. A real postcard scene with iguanas and birds.

Day 13 – On to Santa Marta

Another morning at the beach before hitting the road to Santa Marta. The drive was a bit long (6 hours), especially with traffic jams in Barranquilla. It was the longest car ride of the trip. We spent the night at Villa María Tayrona, a beautiful place near the park.

Day 14 – Tayrona Park

We left early for Tayrona Park. We entered through **El Zaino**, parked the car, and set off on a hike to La Piscina (about 2 hours). We stopped along the way at Playa Arenilla, a stunning little beach, to rest. Lunch on-site, a swim, then back by 4 PM. The hike was a bit tiring, but the nature was spectacular: dense jungle, the sound of waves, and even a monkey encounter along the way. Evening and dinner at the hotel.

Day 15 – Last swim and return flight to Bogotá

Our last morning was split between the pool and the beach (the hotel has direct access via a 7-minute trail through vegetation and flowers)—hard to leave this paradise. We drove to Santa Marta’s airport to return the car, then flew back to Bogotá. We spent the night at Casa Dann Carlton, a comfortable hotel. We simply ordered room service, arriving too late to go out.

Day 16 – Bogotá and the end of the trip

Our last day in Colombia. After a good breakfast, we explored La Candelaria. Its cobbled streets and colorful houses were worth the visit. We visited the Botero Museum (free) and the Gold Museum, both fascinating. Back to the airport for our 11:55 PM Air France flight.

That’s a wrap on a varied trip—lush mountains, colorful villages, dream beaches, and tropical jungle. The pace was pretty relaxed, well-suited for our kids. They absolutely loved the trip to Colombia. Driving in Colombia was very easy, and we didn’t regret renting a car at all—it gave us more freedom to get around.

If I were to do it again, here’s what I’d change: - I’d spend less time in the Coffee Zone to stay a bit longer on the Caribbean coast, which was more relaxing for the kids. Or I’d head to Medellín, but I didn’t think the city was very kid-friendly. - Bogotá is a city that deserves a day’s visit, but it’s not a must-see. Maybe I’d have taken the KLM flight from Cartagena to Amsterdam instead.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate!

Antoine
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Holigirl last week · Solene40
South Africa in safari mode: February/March 2026
Hi everyone,

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.

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Gaura last week · Fabhyène
Visiting Bologna in Photos
Since I didn’t have time to write a proper travel journal, I thought I’d share a few photos of Bologna—a really lovely city I discovered in 2017 while stopping on my way to Tuscany. Around Piazza Maggiore, which was packed with a stage and chairs for a show, stands the Basilica of San Petronio, massive and Gothic in style, with an unfinished façade (a common sight in Italy).





Another building near the square:

But Bologna’s real charm lies in its porticoes, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021: 62 km of arcades running along buildings, letting you walk sheltered from the sun or rain. Back in 1288, the city required houses to include private arcades for public use. In the city center, you can stroll under 32 km of porticoes in all sorts of styles—some plain, some ornate—with a strong presence of red tones.
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Muriel18 last week · Montagnard74
Two weeks under the Puglia sun
After a pretty disastrous weather-wise trip to Gran Canaria, we're hoping this time the sun will be out in Puglia. It’s not looking great since the weather isn’t great across Europe at the start of May.

Saturday, May 16: This time we’re flying from Charleroi (Brussels South): the ticket prices, flight schedules, and proximity all worked for us. The airport (Ryanair) was recently redone... but it’s not very well organized—there are very few seats in the boarding areas, and... the restrooms are pay-to-use!!! The flight goes smoothly, though, and we land in Bari with a slight delay.

We quickly pick up our rental car, a very locally styled Pandina (even more so than the Fiat 500 in this region), and hit the Italian (high)ways... and their unique driving quirks (notably, the countless road signs in towns and along roads seem to be purely decorative 😏, and Italian cars don’t have turn signals 😮... except for rental cars).

About an hour later, we arrive at our first accommodation, right in the middle of the countryside near Monopoli. The owner isn’t there, but they left us a ton of info via messages and even turned on the space heater, which is a nice touch. We check out the property:



And the next morning before breakfast, its immediate surroundings:





Sunday, May 17: After our "seaside" experience in Gran Canaria last weekend (packed with people and locals), we decide to start with the inland areas. After a hearty breakfast,



we head toward Alberobello, a super touristy village famous for its trulli—those stone houses with conical roofs. We easily find free parking on a street near the Aia Piccola district, where some trulli are still lived in year-round.





We almost immediately come across the Trullo Sovrano (the only two-story one), which you can visit (but we skip it—it’s opening time, and there’s already a line).



From there, we head down toward the Basilica of Cosma e Damiano... but we don’t go in because there’s a mass.



Now we’re on the main Piazza del Popolo, which connects the two districts of Alberobello: Rione Aia Piccola and Rione Monti, the more touristy one.
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Muriel18 last week
Gran Canaria... a trip that wasn't exactly thrilling
Okay, it wasn’t a total disaster either. Actually, I hesitated before starting this travel journal: is it even worth writing about a holiday that won’t leave an unforgettable memory? In the end, I went for it (there aren’t many recent travel journals about this destination). So, read on... or don’t .

Every time we’ve been to the Canary Islands, it’s been by default (basically: where can we go in winter or early spring when we only have a week—so not too far, not too much jet lag, but with decent weather?).

This time, we had two weeks, but the winter plan kept changing: first Thailand (dropped for personal reasons), then Martinique (dropped because of work leave dates that weren’t up to me), and finally, the Canary Islands.

We’ve already been to Tenerife (which we really liked) and Lanzarote (which we liked a little less). This year, two options: Gran Canaria or one of the smaller islands west of Tenerife (La Palma, or even La Gomera or El Hierro). We chose Gran Canaria... not sure it was the right call! Whose fault is it? Storm Thérèse’s! Yes, Storm Thérèse followed us on arrival, and its effects lasted quite a while. We had to adapt, cancel visits, change activities...

But even without Thérèse...

Saturday 21/03 Departure from Orly at 6:10 AM with Transavia. The plane took off on time and landed a little early, tossed around by strong winds before touching down. It had just rained, but it was (almost) no longer raining.



We quickly picked up our luggage and then the car at the Cicar counter. We got a Seat Arona instead of the Corsa we’d booked. Well, while the driving position didn’t feel great at first (I got used to it), the engine’s smoothness and power were much appreciated on the island’s winding and sometimes steep roads.

It was only 10 AM, and we couldn’t theoretically check into our accommodation until 3 PM (the owner promised to message me if it was ready earlier). So, we headed to the (big) *Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo*, where we planned to spend a few hours. We found a huge parking lot... empty. The passenger in the car in front of us (yes, we weren’t the only ones at the closed gate—there was a car in front and one behind) went to ask for info: it was closed due to the storm 😕. So, we calmly headed toward Puerto de las Nieves, on the northwest coast of the island.

The plan: go to a restaurant, visit the village, and do some shopping while waiting for early afternoon. As soon as we got out of the car, it started raining... we took shelter under the awning of a shop, waiting for it to pass. But the rain turned into a downpour, and within minutes, awning or not, Gore-Tex or not, we were soaked!

Since we were already wet, we might as well go to the restaurant—they weren’t far! But here’s the thing: contrary to what Google Maps said, they all opened at 1 PM, not noon! Back to the car, wading through 5 cm of water because all the village streets were flooded . The rain let up, we did some shopping, went to eat, and I got a message from the owner saying the accommodation was ready 🙂.

So, off we went to La Suerte, a few kilometers north of Agaete. The downside of the place, especially with luggage, is that you have to climb several flights of stairs via an outdoor staircase (after parking more or less far away on a steep street) to get there 😛). Of course, on the way from the car to the apartment, it started pouring again—the bags got soaked! Enough rain for today! We settled in quietly, and by late afternoon, we could (finally!) go admire the view from the terrace.

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Jcpo last week · AlineP
A Week in Lanzarote in Late September
Lanzarote Travel Journal

Trip Planning My partner and I are heading to the Canary Islands for a week at the end of September, specifically to Lanzarote. We chose this island over the more crowded ones for its volcanic landscape and the variety of hikes it offers. I booked everything through Expedia: our hotel stay, car rental, and Ryanair flight tickets departing from Marseille. It was the only way to get a direct flight. To make getting around easier during our stay, I picked a hotel located in the center of the island from the wide selection available. It’s part of the Barceló chain, specifically the "Barceló Teguise Beach Adults Only" in Teguise Beach, which turned out to be an excellent choice.

The Trip

Sunday, September 21 - Monday, September 22 Departure It’s 2:15 PM, and we’re at the Avignon TGV station. Danielle picked us up earlier due to the weather—thunderstorms and heavy rain all the way to the station. The TGV was on time, and it only took 30 minutes to reach Marseille Saint-Charles. The shuttle to the airport is quick and convenient, right behind the station. The bus leaves for the airport in the middle of the storm, with flooded roads and cars stuck in some spots. We get soaked making our way to the terminal. Two hours to wait before the flight. The plane finally takes off at midnight, but just before landing, the pilot announces that the destination airport is closed, and we’re being diverted to Tenerife. Ryanair will re-route us as soon as possible. We end up waiting 2 hours, and Ryanair kindly gives us a 4 € voucher. We re-board around 5:15 AM and take off at 6:00 AM. About 45 minutes to reach Lanzarote. After collecting our luggage, we head to the car rental desk. The counter in the terminal is closed, and we’re directed to parking lot P4—it takes us a while to find it. I’m a bit worried about the rental company’s reaction since the car was supposed to be picked up 7 hours earlier, but it’s not a problem. A woman next to us is furious because she’s in the same situation, and her rental was canceled. Anne-Marie translates for her, but nothing changes. We pick up a brand-new Toyota Aigo and head to the hotel. After checking in, we cross the garden, walking alongside the large pool to reach our room. A lovely first-floor room with a jacuzzi and a sea view. It’s early, so we head to breakfast—a generously stocked and varied buffet with everything you could want. Afterward, we drive to Cueva de los Verdes, but it’s packed with people and a long wait. We decide to come back another day. Next, we visit Mirador Del Rio. This rocky viewpoint at the edge of the island has breathtaking cliffs plunging 500 meters into the ocean. The view is stunning and impressive. A panoramic bar lets you cool off while enjoying the scenery. We return to the hotel for a short walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the beautiful pool with its pleasant water temperature. Relaxing by the pool, sun loungers, and all. In the evening, a very varied buffet at the restaurant. Then early to bed to recover from the sleepless night before.

Tuesday, September 23 After a restful night, we enjoy another varied and hearty breakfast. The terrace seating is very pleasant. We take an inland road leading to Timanfaya National Park. The road near the park runs alongside vineyards where the vines are surrounded by lava stone walls to protect them from the prevailing winds. Our first stop is at the visitor center, where the island’s volcanic activity is well-documented. Next, we stop at an area where you can take a short camel ride—two seats are installed on either side of the camel’s hump. This little ride offers a great view of the volcanic landscape from a higher vantage point. A fair price of 11 € per seat for a 20-minute ride. We then head to the park entrance via the road leading to the parking lot, where only authorized buses can take the winding route inside the park. It’s crowded, and we wait about 45 minutes with several stops before reaching the parking lot. We board the bus, and the route offers beautiful views of this volcanic area and its many craters. The journey is very interesting, with several stops for photos. At the parking lot, a guide shows us how the heat from the rocks beneath the surface can ignite dry vegetation. Water poured into holes in the ground immediately creates geysers and jets of steam. The building next to the parking lot has a restaurant where meat is cooked using the heat from a well dug into the volcanic rock. On our way back, we drive to Playa Blanca, a seaside town with a small sandy beach.

Back at the hotel in the late afternoon for dinner.

Wednesday, September 24 We wake up early and have a quick breakfast—few people are around at this hour. Two days ago, we booked a 10:00 AM visit to Los Verdes, lava tunnels created by eruptions and lava flows from the La Corona volcano, which extended all the way to the coast. When the lava came into contact with the air, it solidified on the surface while continuing to flow underneath. The lava tunnels stretch for 8 kilometers to the volcano, but we only walk one kilometer. The inside of the tunnel is impressive, with narrow passages and larger chambers. You can see traces left by the flowing liquid lava—varied colors and twisted shapes. At the end of the path, a large chamber has been turned into a concert hall with perfect acoustics. Next, we visit Jameo Del Agua. This is a continuation of the lava tunnel, developed by Manrique. There are beautifully designed bar and restaurant areas, as well as an underground lake where you can see small blind white crabs—a protected species in this very pure water. Higher up, there’s a lovely space with a central pool that could double as a swimming area, surrounded by beautifully designed white pathways that contrast with the blue water. Further on, you reach a large space inside the lava tunnel, set up as a performance hall with perfect acoustics. Stairs let you view this beautiful space from above. A gap in the lava landscape reveals the ocean on the horizon. We head back toward the village of Yé, at the foot of the La Corona volcano. A 160-meter walk from the church, a path crosses vineyard plots and then climbs to the top of the volcano’s crater in about 30 minutes. It’s the island’s highest volcano. When you reach the edge of the crater, you see how deep it is, with steep slopes inside forming a large circular opening. The place is breathtaking and awe-inspiring. We drive back to the hotel via a road that climbs quickly, offering a beautiful view of the island’s northern part.

Thursday, September 25 After another enjoyable and varied breakfast, we head to the center of the island toward the volcano park and stop at a roadside parking lot where a path leads to the Montana Cuervo volcano. This is a crater that opened on one side. During an eruption, an explosion created a breach in the crater. Huge blocks of rock were thrown dozens of meters away. The path goes through the breach and descends into the crater, allowing you to walk around it. It’s impressive, and you really feel small and fragile in this environment. The crater walls, with their different colors, highlight the rock formations. The crater is surrounded by a sea of lava with sharp, jagged rocks. You can walk around the outside of the crater, but it’s not very interesting. We then head to the west coast, stopping at a spot with a small green lake next to a beautiful black sand beach. Next, we stop at Salinas de Janubio, a lovely viewpoint overlooking the salt marshes with different water colors. A small shop sells various local products. We then head to the famous Papagayo beach. The road ends at a booth where they charge 3 € to continue. From here, the land is private, and you have to pay to drive down a 3-kilometer rocky dirt road. Quite a few cars are driving along it, kicking up clouds of dust. The car gets a dusty makeover. We arrive at a large parking area, with several paths leading to different small beaches. We go to Papagayo, a small blonde sand beach surrounded by red rocks. The beach slopes gently into the water, which is a pleasant temperature. The setting is charming and peaceful. We stay for a while before heading back to the hotel.

Friday, September 26 We start with a visit to the César Manrique Foundation in Tahiche. This was originally one of his homes. The modern construction spans several levels and is integrated into the lava flow, using the gaps to create living spaces. Large windows make the rooms bright and open to the scenery. The place is pleasant, with flower-filled gardens outside. It’s well worth a visit. Next, we drive to Las Grietas, where a path leads to a narrow crack in the volcanic rock, forming a tight passage where only one person can walk at a time. The passage isn’t very long, but progress is slow due to the endless selfies being taken here. We then stop at Casa Del Camposino, a renovated farm that houses several artisan shops. We taste a local wine recommended by a charming woman and buy two bottles of Lanzarote red wine on her advice. Now, we head to Tamara beach, a beautiful and wide beach at the foot of high cliffs. There are always great waves here, making it a surfer’s paradise. On the way back to the hotel, we stop at the cactus garden, César Manrique’s final creation. Designed with a great sense of aesthetics around an old windmill, it features 4,500 varieties of cacti in various shapes, all in a beautiful setting. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon for the evening.

Saturday, September 27 After another hearty breakfast, we head north to Haria. We stumble upon another of César Manrique’s homes, where he lived for a long time. This house is more traditional than the previous one but still has large, modern, and very pleasant rooms. At the back of the garden is his large studio, where he created his works. Next, we visit the craft market—this was our original plan. Various stalls offer local items, and it’s very crowded. No room at the café terraces to sit down. We then return to Famara beach for a long stay. There are always great waves here, much to the surfers’ delight. The water temperature is pleasant, and we enjoy it. On the way back to the hotel, we stop at a gas station to refill the car, which has been very fuel-efficient. Gas is also much cheaper here than in France—1.16 € per liter of SP95. We also wash the car, which was very dusty after the long dirt road to Papagayo beach. At the hotel, we enjoy a farewell cocktail before dinner.

Sunday, September 28 We spend the morning by the hotel pool before checking out at noon. For lunch, we go to a restaurant called "Dona Lola," near the hotel, with a terrace offering a view of the coast. We order tuna carpaccio, which is delicious. We then head to the airport, just 15 minutes away. We return the rental car and go to the airport. A long line to check in our luggage. The return flight is on time. A shuttle bus takes us to Saint-Charles station. We then head to our overnight rental. The boulevard slopes down, making it easier with the suitcases. The rental is between the old port and the train station. Once there, we pick up the keys and make one last effort to carry the luggage up to the third floor. The studio is nice, clean, and simply equipped—perfect for one night.
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Calisson94 last week
Return to Swedish Lapland: Trekking the Kungsleden and Crossing Sarek
After summer 2022 left me with a sense of unfinished business, here I am back in Swedish Lapland for summer 2024, ready to attempt the Sarek crossing again—and this time, trek part of the Kungsleden too.

After much hesitation, my companion Jean Marie and I decided to start with the Kungsleden, which, from what we’ve read, is stunning but very crowded (and it really is!!), and finish with the wilder option: Sarek! This park is known as Europe’s last true wilderness—sounds like a dream to me!! The downside of this choice is that there’s no way to resupply in Sarek, and the Kungsleden isn’t exactly set up for long treks either, so we’ll have to carry a lot of food for the first part of the trip to prepare for Sarek. Oh well, we’re motivated!

Our plan is to start in Abisko (classic) and head to Vakkotavare (also classic, but with some detours to avoid the official route and the crowds). Then we’ll continue the Kungsleden from Saltoluokta, and before Aktse, we’ll set off on an east-to-west crossing of Sarek (weather-dependent, since aside from the Skarja hut in the center of the park, there’s no shelter if conditions turn bad). At least we’ll be on the right side of the park to climb Skierfe and enjoy the jaw-dropping view of Rappaladen if we have to abandon the Sarek crossing.

This adds up to 17 days of trekking, including 1 rest day + 1 buffer day for weather delays.

If you’re interested, I’ll be sharing updates as we lug our overstuffed backpacks along the way.

08/03 - Abisko – 5km before Abiskojaure Some info (guides we used for prep, SFT map, sending food to Saltoluokta) 08/04 – 5km before Abiskojaure – on the east shore of Lake Alisjavri 08/05 – East shore of Lake Alisjavri – just before Tjaktja 08/06 – Just before Tjaktja – above the Salka hut via Nallo 08/07 - Salka – just past Singi + side trip to Djalson Lake 08/08 - Singi – Teusajaure 08/09 - Teusajaure - Vakkotavare (end of the first section of the Kungsleden) 08/10 – rest day in Saltoluokta + round trip to the Sámi village of Pietjaure 08/11 – Saltoluokta – Sitojaure 08/12 - Sitojaure - Skierfe – Sarek or no Sarek? Coming up: 08/13 – Skierfe – somewhere above Rapadalen
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Jojoone1 last week · Songsam
All Over Thailand
You can post your personal photos in the following thread: https://voyageforum.com/forum/quelque-part-en-thailande-d10655574/

This travel journal is therefore intended solely for my photos, to present a consistent style. All the shots were taken with a simple Samsung Galaxy smartphone and with whatever was at hand.

All stays combined, I’ve spent the equivalent of a year at most in Thailand, and I’m no great expert. However, after many trips, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, and conversations with many locals as well as expats, my view of the country is becoming clearer, though it’s constantly evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.

I guess I wanted to deliver a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who feel nostalgic about it. I don’t know if this minimalist sharing will interest anyone, but it’ll do me good to put it together. After so many months without traveling and then these other long months with VF closed, there’s plenty of material available.

There’ll be a mix of places, periods, and subjects, but it might well be intentional.



I suspect many Thais have dogs because they make excellent guardians for the home. Nothing better to deter burglars or to signal the presence of a snake. You’ll often see Thais tapping the top of their dog’s head, but don’t be fooled: it’s a sign of affection from them. Judging by the dogs’ reactions, they’re used to it.

Thailand is one of the countries on the planet where rabies is still present, so keep that in mind. It’s not just bites that can be dangerous, so don’t let just any dog lick you. Especially on a wound, of course. Even though dogs often fear humans—this dangerous and unpredictable predator—we still need to stay cautious. Be careful when walking into alleys because the dog will defend its master’s big yard. Be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs. It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t all that made for walking around, and dogs are one of the reasons. That said, it’s not uncommon to see them chasing bikes or scooters. Cars, though? Much rarer—they’re too big.

It seems Thais prefer to give their dogs freedom by not locking them behind gates. Though sometimes the gate is closed, the little side door is wide open. Oh, and sometimes there’s no gate in front of the property, or it’s been full of holes for years.

You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the roadside, sometimes right on the road. When you approach, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, reminding visitors not to drive too fast. As a result, you’ll notice that dogs with injuries or missing legs aren’t that rare.

Since they believe in reincarnation and respect for all forms of life, they don’t chase dog packs away too much, and they don’t sterilize them enough. When you see a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you think twice about running into them at the edge of a field. A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at death’s door in temples, enduring terrible suffering with no one to help. The image (and the smell) of one of them, agonizing and exuding the stench of death, still comes back to me sometimes.

Some of you may have seen the YouTube vlog of a French woman living in Phuket who was given a little pig by her Thai friends. The animal, well-fed, quickly became a happy and enormous beast with its own garden. Yet it didn’t take long for it to fall seriously ill and become incurable. In her video, the French woman described how difficult it was to find a vet willing to perform euthanasia.

You’ll often see bowls by the side of the road. Thais leave food and water there for stray cats and dogs. Overall, they have a big heart for animals.

If you ever pop into a shopping mall, you might see people pushing their small dogs in strollers. It’s not just for fun—these strollers are provided for customers to put their pets in, otherwise you can’t bring them inside. It looks a bit odd when you expect to see a baby.
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Puma2A 2 weeks ago
In MIKUMI and SELOUS, Southern Tanzania (June 2024)
Hi everyone,

I’m a newbie to this forum, passionate about wildlife, the landscapes of East Africa, and Tanzania in particular. This June 2024 trip/safari is our 7th visit to Tanzania and our 5th in the south, which has drawn us more than the north ever since we discovered it in 2015.

In 2024, the entrance fees for the reserves and services have gone up again since our last visit. I chose to return first to Mikumi Reserve, which was the very first one we visited in the south. Then, we’ll head to Selous (J. Nyerere N. P.) as usual. Initially, we wanted to spend 2/3 days on Mafia Island at the end of the trip, but it made the total cost too high, so we gave up... We usually go to Ruaha and Selous, but I wanted to mix it up a bit—also to save some money...

As for the timing, June is a new experience for us. I thought it might be interesting to come just after the lodges reopen... hoping for some great wildlife encounters??

The trip starts in Marseille with our first flight on Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa, then continues to Dar es Salaam, where we’ll finally set foot on Tanzanian soil again.

In Addis... "our" A-350.



.....

After arriving in Dar, we spent one night at a hotel near the airport. The next morning, we headed to the domestic flights terminal, which hasn’t changed in years.

By mid-morning, we boarded a Cessna 208B Caravan with Safari Air Link, heading to the Kikoboga bush airstrip in Mikumi, which we reached 45 minutes later. Fun fact: the pilot was the same one as on our return flight two years ago.

Welcome on board:



Of course, a driver/guide team from our chosen lodge was waiting for us upon arrival:



I was surprised to see so many aircraft parked there... even twin-engine Embraer Brasilias?? As a fan of vintage planes, I loved it...



On the other hand, the light was incredibly harsh.....!! Our guides only speak English. We knew that in advance. In the south, it’s very rare to find someone who speaks French. This’ll force us to dig into our high school English memories... from 60 years ago... at least.

It’s noon, and we head toward the lodge. Near the airstrip, next to the Mikumi rangers’ base, there are quite a few herbivores. They find a bit more peace here—the big cats don’t venture this way...

Our first encounter was a group of Masai giraffes.





Rarer (for us), a savanna monitor lizard basking in the sun right in the middle of the track...??



A large gathering of impalas (mostly males) along with a few blue wildebeest:





Also unusual: a African crowned hornbill taking a dust bath in the middle of the track...!!



When it comes to identifying mammals or birds, I don’t know everything... so I might make mistakes. Please forgive me. I’m counting on my friend Blesl’s active participation... 😉

...
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Olive842 2 weeks ago
From Avignon to Casamance Without Flying
Hi there,

Last February, I made a trip using "public transport" from France to southern Senegal via Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania.

It’s a journey of about 5,000 km, where I took trains (as far as Marrakech), ferries (to cross Gibraltar and then to reach Casamance from Dakar), and mostly buses on the long desert straightaways. I hadn’t planned any stops in advance or booked any hotels, except for the very first train to Spain, which left plenty of room for the unexpected. Why travel by land and sea? In recent years, flight-free travel has been gaining popularity. On social media, posts explaining how to cross Europe by train as quickly as possible go viral. Traveling without flying—and making sure people know about it—has become a great way to earn a badge of eco-responsibility: an essential totem for anyone wanting to prove both their dedication to the ecological cause and the wisdom of slow travel. I haven’t flown in years, and this journey to West Africa could easily be filed under "responsible travel." But it wouldn’t be honest to say that: in reality, it wasn’t really my aversion to flying that motivated this long trek. I see overland travel primarily as a way to experience the world’s geography at a grounded, earthly pace—the pace of the locals. Besides, I’ll be flying back, which disqualifies any claim to being a model of sustainability. So no eco-badge, and no adventurer’s badge either: you won’t find any heroic tales of camel rides in lost lands or mineral train wagons in this account (popular with influencers, the Mauritania iron ore train now attracts tourists from all over the world, turning "the experience" into something you "have to do at least once in your life"). This five-part story, written on the road, has no other ambition than to recount a journey through places and people, and to share the thoughts they inspire in me. As simply and, I hope, as humbly as possible.

I’m posting the episodes here, which you can also find on my blog (with more photos) at the following links:

Episode 1: Spain, from Avignon to Algeciras

Episode 2: Morocco, from Tangier to Tarfaya

Episode 3: Western Sahara, from Tarfaya to Guerguerat

Episode 4: Mauritania, from Guerguerat to Nouakchott

Episode 5: Senegal, from Rosso to Saloulou

To help those who might want to make the same trip, I’ve also put together a summary of the route with recommendations—you can read it at the end of the story and on the blog: From France to Senegal Without Flying: Route and Itinerary Recommendations

Happy reading, and safe travels!
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Sinforosa 3 weeks ago
Back in Tunisia (live account)
Hi there,

On this forum, I shared my first trip to Tunisia from mid-February to early March (https://voyageforum.com/forum/impressions-tunisiennes-en-direct-d11460662/), a stay I enjoyed so much that six weeks later, I’m back in Tunisia for a full 15 days (I return on April 27).

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.





TO BE CONTINUED....
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Amnesix77 3 weeks ago · Sandrita24
Andalusia with family (and two families) by car, late April 2019
Hi everyone,

Just back from two weeks in Andalusia, and I wanted to share this experience with you—maybe it’ll help with planning a trip. I’ll start with a quick recap in this post and try to add photos and day-by-day details later (still sorting through them). Hope I don’t bore you too much! 😎

Trip details:

April 20 to May 4, 2019:

7 days on the Costa de la Luz (El Puerto de Santa María) in an Airbnb,

4 days at the junction of the Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical (Salobreña) in an Airbnb,

3 days at Cabo de Gata for some rest at a campsite in Los Escullos.

Two families of four, each with our own car: three 9-year-old boys and a 6-year-old girl. One family was more into city exploration (not us, but we’re working on it), and the other preferred relaxation and nature (that’s us). We speak a little Spanish.

Over 5,000 km, including 2,500 km for the round trip from Carcassonne.

The weather: Variable, but we expected better for this region in late April. The first week on the Costa de la Luz was sometimes chilly (< 20°C), and the second week was warmer but not excessive (< 25°C). At least we didn’t get much rain!

Our budget: Around 2600 € per family:

700 € for accommodations, about 50 € per night,

1000 € for meals and restaurants. We usually spent around 50 € per family at restaurants—we ate out for lunch (except for 2–3 picnics) and cooked at home in the evenings, trying to be back by 6 PM.

600 € for activities: Río Tinto, a flamenco show, visits to the Alhambra, Giralda, and Alcázar, Oasis Park with meals, and a kayaking trip.

300 € for gas and tolls.

Preparation: A few months ahead with bookings for accommodations and tickets for the Alhambra, Giralda, and Alcázar. We used a few travel guides—I like the *Évasion* guide for initial planning. *Géoguide* was okay, but our friends’ *Routard* was the most useful. We also spent three months brushing up on Spanish with Mosalingua (a great spaced-repetition method, max 10 minutes a day). Downloaded Maps.me and the Andalusia map in advance—essential. And we used Tricount to track shared expenses with friends—super handy.

What we did/saw:

3 city visits (Seville, Granada, and Cádiz) + Málaga for our friends (we vetoed Córdoba—too many cities for us).

4 white villages (Vejer de la Frontera, Arcos de la Frontera, Grazalema, Ronda) + Tarifa for our friends.

Beaches (Tarifa and Bolonia, Matalascañas, Nerja, Cabo de Gata).

Nature and fun moments: Doñana National Park, a kayaking trip along the rocky coast near Nerja, and the Wild West/animal park in the Tabernas Desert.

A little culture: Río Tinto mines, the archaeological site of Itálica, Columbus’s caravels, Nerja Cave for us, and the Picasso Museum in Málaga for our friends. Plus, seeing the ham-drying process in the Alpujarras (for our friends).

Our highlights

Nerja and the surrounding villages: The rocky coast was amazing, and we loved the kayaking trip, even if the water was freezing for snorkeling. The beaches are sheltered from the wind, the town is charming, and the cave is incredible.

El Rocío and Doñana National Park. El Rocío has a timeless, almost Wild West vibe—we could’ve stayed a day or two. The quiet and pine scents reminded us of the Landes region.

What we didn’t love as much:

Río Tinto mines: Not super exciting, and the guides’ nonstop chatter kind of ruined the "nature" experience.

Our little regrets (for next time):

Forgetting our passports and missing a day trip to Tangier from Tarifa.

Not having an extra day around Nerja to go snowboarding in the Sierra Nevada—just 1.5 hours away (the kayak guide suggested it).

Not spending at least one night in El Rocío to explore Doñana National Park at dawn.

Antequera with the Guadalhorce reservoir and the Caminito del Rey (but it would’ve meant 2 more hours of driving, and we didn’t have the energy).

My general impressions of Andalusia and Spain

Landscapes: A feeling of extreme concentration of a single activity in some areas—endless olive groves, wind farms on the Costa de la Luz (which I thought were well-integrated), rows of buildings along the Costa del Sol (yikes, glad we didn’t stop there), greenhouses around Almería (a shame to have frozen the coast for so many kilometers), and the massive industrial port of Huelva.

What surprised us compared to France was the lack of small hamlets—villages are clearly defined, and people cluster there, leaving vast landscapes without human presence. In France, you find houses scattered everywhere.

Roads: Relatively few tolls. Sure, rest areas aren’t as nice as in France, but the roads are in good condition, and our wallet was happy. The roads are pretty straight with countless bridges and tunnels—the upside (besides fast travel) is that there aren’t many secondary roads disrupting the scenery.

Tourism and activities: A huge variety and richness. Feels like everyone can find something they like, and 15 days barely scratched the surface. It’s amazing how quickly you go from the coast to snow-capped peaks (Sierra Nevada) or from farmland to desert (Tabernas). And the mix of European and Arabic architecture in the same city is really special.

One small regret: Not interacting more with locals. We didn’t luck out with our Airbnbs. But shopkeepers were great—very patient with my broken Spanish! :-)

Overall, I think our choice to stay on the Costa de la Luz and then near Nerja worked well. We could explore pretty easily (even if we logged a lot of kilometers), and the settings were fantastic. The 3 days of total relaxation at Cabo de Gata were perfect.

If you prefer shorter stops, you could try staying in El Rocío (easy access to Seville and great for an early visit to Doñana National Park) or maybe Grazalema for a hike in the mountains (weather-dependent). And of course, Tarifa for a day trip to Tangier or Gibraltar.

More details and photos to come soon!

Laurent
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Fabhyène 4 weeks ago · Sinforosa
She Sees Giants Everywhere! (Ducasse of Ath, Belgium, August 2018)
Sometimes fantasy and a change of scenery are right near home! I love exploring the four corners of the planet, but there can also be a whole world just a little farther than the end of your street—or even the tip of your nose! So I’ll share with you in pictures the beautiful kermesse of Ath, which we only discovered last August, even though we’re neighbors (we live in Lille).

I could have subtitled this travel journal: "Ferme eut’bouc tin nez va quer eud’dans"; it’s an expression in Picard language, literally “Close your mouth or your nose will fall in,” said to someone who’s amazed—and amazed I was!!! Ooooooooh, giants! Oh, how I love them! In the North, we have lots of these giants, like Reuze Papa and Reuze Maman in Cassel, or Gayant, Marie, and their children Binbin, Jacquot, and Fillon in Douai, and many more.

Huh? What? You don’t know what a Géant du Nord is?

Well, it’s a benevolent hero, a legendary figure, a protector, a symbol tied to a city that parades through it, walking and dancing during carnival or the local festival. The tradition is said to have originated in Portugal in the 13th century (at least that’s where we have the first records), then we see them in the Netherlands starting in the 15th century. In the North, the oldest are Gayant and Marie of Douai (16th century), but many new ones have appeared since the 1980s with the revival of carnivals. In practice, it’s a large character (or animal figure) several meters tall; the structure is made of wicker, the body is often papier-mâché, but the head can be wood, as in Ath (lime wood), and the clothes and accessories are made of fabric, leather, and wood. The flared robe (for both male and female giants) allows one or more carriers to slip underneath to move it using only their arms, shoulders, and legs—and even make it dance! There are over 1,500 giants in Belgium and 450 in Hauts-de-France, mostly in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments.

In Ath, there are giants—LOTS of them! I’ve never seen so many at once. And each one is carried by only one man at a time (except for Bayard, you’ll see why later), even though the structure weighs over 100 kilos—so the carriers take turns quickly! The Ducasse of Ath and its giants have been inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2008, as part of the "Processional Giants and Dragons of Belgium and France." What’s more, the Ducasse of Ath is remarkable for its age and local roots; a procession was first mentioned in 1399, and today the many musical groups are still local (Ath and surrounding towns). The event is extremely popular: a good part of the population is there, all generations mixed together. Everyone knows the groups, floats, and giants, and each has their favorite! Originally, religious groups paraded, illustrating episodes from the Bible or the Golden Legend. Gradually, the parade became secular and kept evolving by adding new giants, historical figures, or allegories linked to local history (Ath, Belgian Hainaut, Belgium).



Finally, the beautiful floats are all pulled by magnificent draft horses, and that’s extraordinary! The town council itself rides in fine carriages that close the parade.

To wrap up this long introduction, know that the Ducasse of Ath lasts several days, but the highlight is the highly codified procession that takes place on the 4th Sunday of August (actually, the procession passes twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon).

So, let’s go!

On this Sunday, August 26th, we’re in Ath in the early afternoon to see the procession. What a popular enthusiasm! Everyone is wearing the city’s colors (purple, yellow, and white), often with a twisted fabric necklace. Everyone is happy, smiling, from the giggling toddler to the sprightly centenarian sipping beer with her rosy-cheeked cousin and the pretty freckled blonde niece. People call out to each other, laugh, hum, and congratulate each other all around.

People start positioning themselves at strategic spots along the route—wider areas where the giants stop to perform a dance to the tunes of the brass bands accompanying them. And there are brass bands—at least one per giant and float!

The wait passes quickly in this joyful atmosphere. Suddenly, the music grows louder, and here comes the first giant at last! It’s the "two-headed eagle," with a child (a real one) sitting safely on a little chair.

Present in the procession since the late 17th century, it originally had only one head (normal, right?) and accompanied the tailors’ guild. It gained a second head during the royal visit of 1854 (go figure why!). It’s 3.30 meters tall and weighs 115 kilos (without the child). All the men you see in white are carriers taking turns. Its dance consists of spinning the bird around—you’d think that little kid up there must be getting dizzy!





Next is the "Neapolitan fishermen’s boat." It’s a magnificent float representing a ship, with handsome sailors clinging to its rigging. This float first appeared in the parade in 1856.

It’s followed by a human giant on stilts: "Saint Christopher of Flobecq," holding a flowered staff and carrying Christ on his shoulders (this time, not a real child!). It appeared in the 19th century, then disappeared from the procession before being reintroduced in 1976.



Now here come the "Blues," dressed in French uniforms. This group is the heir of the former cannon-arquebusier company, and they punctuate their parade with gun salutes!



To be continued: the giant Samson!
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Mathews 4 weeks ago · Voyajou
A Brief A to Z of Peru
Foreword This text has been proofread many times. Sorry if some points in this A to Z have already been covered on this forum. Text and drawings by the author.

Peru is still a very vast country, with so much to see, and obviously this text can't list all the attractions of the country.

*Abiseo (River) A national park that's very hard to access and doesn’t seem open to visitors. Includes the Gran Pajaten site (see below). Personally, it really sparks my imagination (not visited personally)

*Aguas Calientes the town next to Machu Picchu, more precisely below the archaeological site. As far as I know, you can only get there by train. Reminds me of the market where stalls line both sides of the tracks near Bangkok. I love it

*Altiplano: somewhere the "heart" of the Andes. I was able to trek across it on foot, starting from Caracollo in Bolivia, and of course, it’s vast plains to explore. This is where people live in a very rural way. Andean populations are quite austere compared to those in the lowlands or on the coast. You really have to appreciate the harshness of life to live there. Life is anything but superficial. I set a compass heading and found myself walking west toward the expanse of water near a place called La Joya. For pitching the tent, the nights were still chilly

*Canyon del Colca One of the deepest canyons in the world. Personally, I hiked down and back up on foot. The toughest stretch I’ve ever covered in my life.

*Ceviche More or less the national dish. A marinade of fish, shellfish, and lime. But you can find it in some restaurants in Europe, France, and certainly in Belgium or Switzerland. In the small restaurants of Pisco, you can eat excellent ceviche

*Cerro Sechín: Mostly bas-reliefs. A site little known to travelers in the Casma province. The first vestiges of a pre-Inca civilization with iconography similar to that of Chavín (not visited personally)

*Chan Chan A large city of the Chimú civilization and relatively vast to visit. You can see adobe walls with bas-reliefs. Visit from Trujillo, take a colectivo. Plan for the whole day

*Charango: a small guitar widely used in Andean music

*Chauchilla A necropolis near Nazca where you can see mummies exposed on the ground. YouTubers can do paranormal experiments there. And for anyone wondering about the fate of the soul and body after death, here’s the answer: the body remains after death. You can imagine your own flesh and body exposed to the winds of the Pampa and before eternity... (not visited personally)



*Chavín de Huántar (Lanzón) The site’s appeal lies in its mountainous surroundings, the Lanzón stela, and the sculpted heads on the façades. What few people know is that the Chavín civilization began its expansion centuries before the Incas. Unfortunately, you can’t get too close to see the Lanzón—the day I was there, it was protected by grilles. To get there: minibus from Huaraz or trek from Olleros. Then cross a high pass (over 5,000m). If you do it solo on foot, be careful—the path isn’t obvious from Olleros

*Chullpa: funerary tower, notably at Sillustani in the Lake Titicaca region

*Chimú: pre-Inca civilization whose center was Chan Chan.

*Chola/Cholitas (Bolivia): typical clothing style of women from the Andean plateaus



*Chompa: pronounce it *Chompaaa!* A common term for a wool sweater with vicuña patterns, often knitted from alpaca wool. If you dress like this, it’s a bit kitschy around the edges

*Cuy That one isn’t a guinea pig like in Guyana but an actual guinea pig. During a trip to Peru, I was hiking near a village north of Quillabamba (the terminus of the train line that passes through Aguas Calientes), and I was invited to stay in a house. The family raised a few of these pets. Apparently, the locals eat them. Since I’m not much of a meat-eater, it doesn’t really tempt me. How about you?

*Pacific Coast or how to talk about a place you haven’t visited? Except for the coast near Pisco and San Andrés, I haven’t visited any coastal cities. But that doesn’t mean these places lack interest or poetry. For fans of clichéd images, pelicans, seabirds, and fishing boats appear by the sea.

*Gran Pajaten: also closed to the public. Features anthropomorphic bas-reliefs. (not visited personally)

*Huaca. Visit the Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna, especially near Trujillo. However, you can skip them—Chan Chan is still more interesting. Don’t forget to spend time visiting Chan Chan

*Huacachina A small oasis in the desert near Ica. Yes, we’re talking about an oasis because for those who’ve never traveled to Peru, the coastal strip along the Pacific is almost entirely desert, from north to south. Peru is territorially made up of three different regions: the desert coast, the Altiplano stretching north to south with mountain ranges (the Cordilleras), and the Amazon basin to the east. (not visited personally)

*Inca Kola It’s neither Coca-Cola nor Pepsi but a unique cola with a slightly orange color. Tastes like bubble gum

*Intiwatana: a carved rock shaped like a parallelepiped. Is it a sundial?

*Ballestas Islands: a highlight in Peru, though very touristy. You can only get there by boat from the port of San Andrés, a few kilometers from Pisco. It’s a surreal place to me—actually islets with cavities where sea lions and fur seals live. Since it’s a protected area, you’re not allowed to disembark. Guano is harvested there, which can be used as fertilizer.

*Kuelap: a fortress built by the Chachapoyas people. Rarely visited by travelers. (not visited personally)

*Larco Museum: an iconic museum in Lima with a large collection of pieces from archaeological and pre-Columbian sites. From what I remember, it has many pieces from the Moche civilization. As for the Moche statuettes, the prudish might look away. Probably a veneration of the god Priapus without knowing it.

*Nazca Lines Discovered by German archaeologist Maria Reiche, they stretch for kilometers. The designs in the desert around Nazca depict animals and cabalistic signs. The question I ask myself is why the creators of these lines represented a monkey and a hummingbird—species endemic to the tropical forest, not the desert plains around Nazca.

*Machu Picchu: means "old mountain" in Quechua. There’s also Wayna Picchu. The ruins of the site emerge from a sort of small plateau above Aguas Calientes. When the mist rises above the site and the bend of the Urubamba River, it’s truly magical... Also the starting point of the Inca Trail.



*Coca tea A decoction/infusion of the coca plant, meant to ease altitude sickness or *soroche*

*Chullo A rough translation would be a Peruvian wool hat.

*Moche: a civilization established in the Moche Valley, hence the term *Mochica*. What characterizes this civilization are the distinctive clay pieces representing faces and erotic statuettes

*Papa a la Huancaína A local potato dish

*Pisac: a typical market near Cusco

*Pisco Sour: perhaps the Peruvian equivalent of the *caipirinha* you drink in Brazil.

*Puya Raimondii A Bromeliaceae that still looks like a cactus, endemic to the Altiplano

*Quechua The language spoken by the indigenous people of the high plateaus (as well as Aymara in Bolivia)

*Quipu A knotted string used for counting. Widely used by the Inca administration.

*Sacsayhuamán (Q’enqo, Inca Bath) From Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, take the streets that climb above the city. Sacsayhuamán is called a fortress and is made up of large stone blocks. You wonder how the Incas could cut such huge blocks to assemble them—just like some streets in Cusco. The Q’enqo block is enigmatic; no one really knows what it represents.

*Savia Andina An Andean folk group.

*Tambo (=> Ollantaytambo) The Inca emperor (Atahualpa, Manco Capac) had the mission of controlling a vast empire. An empire that was still very extensive. Hence the importance of these *tambos* or relay stations. Napoleon created the civil code; the Incas invented the *tambos* and *quipus*.

*Tawantinsuyu: the Inca Empire

*Tinku: a warrior dance practiced mainly in Bolivia

*Golden Tumi: a sacrificial weapon. Often featured in Peru travel guides. See illustration



*Terra X: a documentary series from the German TV channel that aired on Arte. Some episodes focused on pre-Inca and Inca Peru. I must have some old recording tapes. In memory of Gottfried Kirchner as a source of inspiration.

*Uros: I checked—it actually refers to the people who live on these floating islands. Even if it’s touristy, it’s a must-visit because it’s incredible how people can live on islets made from nothing. Take the boat from Puno

*Vicuña, llama, guanaco: camelids characteristic of the Altiplano



*Wayna Picchu The young Picchu mountain. In the first minutes of *Aguirre, the Wrath of God*, you see Klaus Kinski—well, Aguirre—making his way along the Inca Trail. Werner Herzog must have broken his back filming those sequences.

*Zampoña: pan flute
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Viovio2 4 weeks ago · Jeeaan
15-day itinerary in southern Morocco
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.
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Olap 4 weeks ago · Ylangylang
9 days in Sardinia by bike
Leaving on Sunday, September 28, 2025, from Montpellier: I’m taking the train with my bike and panniers to Nice for the evening ferry departure to Porto Torres in Sardinia. Nice is gorgeous.
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Bibouns51 4 weeks ago · Libertad31
Off on an adventure in Sri Lanka
Day 1 – December 6

Our decision is our decision. And it’s firm and final. Next winter, our plane will spread its great wings toward the island of Ceylon! "Wait a minute... Ceylon... Ceylon... that name rings a bell, but I can’t quite place it on the globe Grandma gave me for Christmas! Ceylon... Oh right, I’ve got it: Ceylon is the name of my tea!" Exactly. But the name on your pretty tea box is also the one used until 1972 for this island nation, a speck on the Indian Ocean at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent: Sri Lanka!

For this new adventure, I’m exceptionally leaving my Flo behind, cowardly replaced by a double dose of testosterone. To write the book of this journey with me, I’m bringing along my brother, who’s used to this kind of thing, and... a guest star: My model of resilience. My dad! All aboard! Or rather, all aboard our tuk-tuk! Yes, you read that right: A real tuk-tuk, a little colorful rolling box that putters along at two miles an hour. The idea? Well, Sri Lanka and its winding roads overlooking the vastness of lush nature are tailor-made for this kind of vehicle. And since it’s one of only two countries in the world that allow foreigners to rent and drive these mini speedsters, we’ll be crisscrossing the island in our two-square-meter rolling box. Plus, adopting this mode of transport is a surefire way to connect directly with the locals, who’ll surely be curious to see a foreigner driving their iconic vehicle. Not to mention the... let’s say... spicy anecdotes it might generate. I mean, heading into a subtropical zone with my jet-black dad and his unpredictable digestive flora while deliberately choosing the tuk-tuk as our *only* means of transport? That’s the winning combo for an unforgettable adventure! "More seriously, Dad, Sullivan, I’m already loving the idea of living this adventure together, the three of us—brothers and father..."

So, does the intro to this new adventure get your salivary glands going? Yes? Too bad. Because unfortunately, the program handed out by the lady at the entrance has been slightly... let’s say *crumpled*. Some might even say "scrunched up and nearly tossed in the trash." First, six days ago, as the countdown echoed in us like a call to adventure, Cyclone Ditwah grabbed Sri Lanka, played with it like a rag doll, and left it battered on the ground. The toll is devastating: over a thousand dead, thousands of homes wiped out by relentless rains, roads and railways swallowed by massive mudslides. A country wounded once again, after the civil war, the 2004 tsunami, and the post-Covid economic crisis.

But as if this weather disaster wasn’t enough to shake our unbreakable adventurer spirit, fate decided to mess with us further by cutting our trio down to two. The victim? My brother, violently turned away because of a simple date on his passport that didn’t match the border officials’ expectations. Return to sender!

So now it’s just the two of us allowed to board the Qatar Airways Airbus A380 for this trip. If he were here, Denis Brognart would say, "And in the end, only one remains!" Except I know you’ll be with us, following our adventures! Right?
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