Ce carnet de voyage est le compte rendu d’un séjour de 3 semaines effectué du 6 au 29 juillet 2012.
Participants: famille de 6 personnes entre 26 et 58 ans.
Organisation : agence belge
Déplacements : avion, train, van avec chauffeur
Climat : chaud et humide, quelques jours de pluie à Sumatra et Bali mais pas de manière continue, ciel souvent nuageux.
Nos coups de cœur :
Sumatra : - le parc Gunung Lauser pour les orangs-outangs et autres singes
- les maisons batak
Java : - les temples de Borobudur et Pranbanan
- le wayang kulit, théâtre d’ombre au Sono Budojo à Jogjakarta
- le lever du soleil au Bromo
Bali : - le temple de Gunung Kawi (the Rocky Temple)
- le temple de Pura Gunung Kawi Sebaty (the Holy Spring Temple)
- plongée sur l’épave du Liberty à Tulamben
- le temple de Lempuyang
Observation :
- Les indications sur les logements datant de 2012, elles ne sont probablement plus d’actualité, comme certains renseignements pratiques.
Jour 1 : Bruxelles - Singapour
a.m. : Vol pour Francfort.
p.m. : Vol pour Singapour
Le vol pour Singapour s’effectue en A 380 (12h).C’est la première fois que nous prenons cet avion avec ses ailes courtes et sa grosse tête qui lui donne un air de cachalot. Quand on y entre, on ne se rend pas compte de son volume car l’espace est fort compartimenté.
Jour 2 : Singapour – Medan – Bukit Lawang (Sumatra)
a.m. : - Vol de Singapour à Medan
p.m. : - route pour Bukit Lawang
- nuit à Bukit Lawang
Arrivée à Singapour à 6h30 où nous n’avons que 50 mn pour prendre l’avion pour Medan (Sumatra). C’est évidemment trop peu mais l’avion nous attend et, apparemment, les bagages aussi. Beau temps à Singapour mais vol au-dessus des nuages. Comme on fait notre entrée en Indonésie à Medan, il faut demander un visa. Il n’y a qu’un seul guichet et ça n’avance pas. Un second guichet s’ouvre mais on nous dit qu’il faut passer par le 1er pour acheter le visa et par le 2d pour le cachet ! Ensuite, passage à l’immigration et, enfin, on peut aller chercher nos valises. Enfin, c’est ce qu’on croit, car de valises, il n’y en a guère. Aucune à nous ! On passe alors un temps fou à déclarer la « perte ». Les guides d’Indonésie signalent que les choses ne s’y passent jamais comme prévu et qu’il faut rester zen. On l’a vite constaté. Les valises devraient arriver par le vol suivant.
Enfin, on sort avec notre guide, Elie, parlant français, et on s’installe dans notre van avec son chauffeur, direction le parc des orangs-outangs de Gunung Lauser.
Medan est une ville très animée de 3 millions d’habitants où le trafic est épouvantable. D’avion, ça n’avait pas l’air très exotique mais, dans les rues, c’est bien différent. Tout est déglingué, il y a plein de petites échoppes, des énormes panneaux fleuris pour annoncer des événements, des becacs (prononcer bétchac), sortes de vélotaxis. C’est assez pittoresque et il y a de quoi voir. Pareil en dehors de Medan.
On traverse ensuite une énorme forêt de palmiers, bien plantés et rangés dont on coupe les grappes de fruits pour en faire de l’huile. On voit d’ailleurs plein de camions débordant de ces fruits. Le paysage devient de plus en plus vert, se vallonne et on aperçoit les montagnes. Au bord de la route, quelques petites « paillottes » en pagodes.
Après 3h de route, on entre dans le parc de Gunung Lauser où se trouve notre hôtel que nous croyions perdu au milieu de nulle part et pas touristique. Un monde fou ! C’est samedi et le début des vacances indonésiennes. Bukit Lawang est un lieu de villégiature pour les Indonésiens qui s’y rassemblent, s’y baignent (les femmes tout habillées) et font du rafting sur de grosses bouées. Plein de boutiques et de petits bistrots. Déjeuner dans un bistrot de l’autre côté de la rivière.
On gagne alors notre hôtel à pied car aucune route n’y mène. Le temps qu’on boive le verre d’accueil, il se met à pleuvoir. Impossible d’aller voir nourrir les orangs-outangs comme prévu, d’autant plus qu’on n’est pas très équipés sans nos valises. Assez épuisés, on s’installe dans nos chambres, un peu sombres mais avec hamac sur la terrasse et vue sur la rivière. Des macaques se promènent sur les toits, fréquentent beaucoup la terrasse de notre fille et entrent même dans sa chambre par une toute petite ouverture dans la fenêtre ! Ça nous fait du spectacle. Il pleut de plus belle et l’orage gronde.
C’est au moment où nous allons dîner que nos valises arrivent, amenées à pied par des porteurs. Ouf ! Au menu : nasi-goreng, satés, poulet, chips. Pas mauvais. On va enfin pouvoir prendre une bonne douche … mais sans eau chaude, ni essuie, ni savon. Heureusement que nous avions prévu ça, de même que les « sacs à viande » car il n’y a pas vraiment de draps.
Nuit au « Sam’s Bungalows », très simple, avec lit à baldaquin fermé par une moustiquaire et ventilateur bienvenu car il faut fermer portes et fenêtres, salle de bain originale.
Jour 3 : Bukit Lawang (Sumatra) – Parc Gunung Lauser
a.m. : - parc Gunung Lauser
p.m. : - parc Gunung Lauser
- nuit à Bukit Lawang
Lever à 7h, après une assez bonne nuit, pour partir à 8h15. Il fait beau ! Petit déjeuner à l’occidentale.
On découvre notre ranger, Sinar, qui parle anglais, mais aussi … notre « porteur de pique-nique » ! Il faut traverser la rivière dans une barque que des hommes tiennent par des cordes dans un courant impressionnant. A l’entrée de la réserve : paiement de droits pour les appareils photo et caméras (assez chers).
On monte par des hautes marches jusqu’à la plate-forme de nourrissage des orangs-outangs. C’est dur et il fait déjà étouffant. Il y a beaucoup de monde. On voit une mère orang-outang et son petit, très spectaculaires, une autre femelle qu’on voit moins bien et un babouin avec une sale tête.
Mais le clou, c’est un énorme mâle dont il faut se méfier car il est sauvage. Il vient là parce que la 2ème femelle est sa femme, qui est d’ailleurs enceinte d’un mois. Il est vraiment impressionnant. Il engloutit tout un régime de bananes et jette ensuite les pelures.
Après un certain temps, tout le monde s’en va et nous commençons notre trekking dans la jungle pour en voir des sauvages. La forêt est très dense et humide. Avec tout ce qu’il est tombé hier, le « chemin » est sacrément boueux. On retrouve un peu plus haut la mère et son petit qui ont quitté la plate-forme.
Un paon vient se promener près de nous, pas du tout farouche, et nous suit très longtemps.
Il paraît que tous les orangs-outangs de la région ont un nom et qu’on les reconnaît à leur tête. Nous faisons alors la rencontre de Mina, avec trois jeunes, dont un petit super mignon. Elle peut être agressive et on s’en méfie. On les voit vraiment de très près et on s’amuse à regarder les petits jouer et circuler ou se balancer dans les arbres. De temps en temps, Mina se manifeste, semble se diriger vers nous et nous nous éloignons quelque peu. Le plut petit est venu vraiment jusqu’à nous et Sinar lui a donné un bout de banane. On prend bien le temps de les observer.
Arrêt déjeuner à un endroit où on voit, relativement loin, trois orangs-outangs au sommet d’un arbre. Sinar nous a préparé un pique-nique dans une feuille de bananier avec … du nasi-goreng, un œuf sur le plat, des chips et un concombre. On est content d’avoir prévu nos fameux couteaux-fourchettes-cuillières tout en un. Après le repas, on observe mieux les orangs-outangs dans les arbres qui ont un peu bougé. Il y en a un dans un nid et les deux autres se promènent. Ils changent de nid tous les jours pour éviter les serpents et autres animaux dangereux.
Pendant toute la journée, on a entendu les cris des gibons mais ils sont très difficiles à voir.
C’est dans la descente, peu de temps avant d’arriver en bas, qu’on voit, dans les arbres au bord du chemin, 3 thomas leaf monkeys, de superbes petits singes gris et blancs à longue queue. Ils s’approchent de nous et ne sont pas farouches. On leur donne un peu à manger et on peut même les toucher. Ils ne sont pas du tout agressifs, mais super mignons et comiques. C’est la cerise sur le gâteau pour clôturer la journée.
Il faut de nouveau traverser la rivière en barque et c’est moins facile dans ce sens.
On nous avait annoncé une marche sportive avec de gros dénivelés. Ça n’a pas été le cas du tout mais le chemin est peu tracé, très irrégulier, avec des racines, des pierres, des branches en travers et, parfois, de grandes « marches » à franchir. Il y règne une chaleur humide assez terrible par endroits. La forêt, très dense, n’est pas une forêt tropicale exceptionnelle et n’offre pas de vues … mais on ne peut pas tout avoir !
Retour un peu avant 16h. Après un verre avec les guides et une douche froide, on s’installe sur notre terrasse. Pas de macaques aujourd’hui.
Dîner dans un autre restaurant, avec des plats plus variés, assez bons … et sans nasi-goreng.
Nuit à Bukit Lawang.
a.m. : - parc Gunung Lauser
p.m. : - parc Gunung Lauser
- nuit à Bukit Lawang
Départ à 7h30 pour un nouveau trekking et essayer de voir les gibbons qu’on a beaucoup entendus mais pas vus hier. Cette fois, il faut traverser la rivière sur un pont en contrebas, après avoir parcouru toute la ruelle de boutiques. Il fait magnifique et déjà fort chaud. Le chemin commence par la montée d’une série interminable de marches. Endroit paisible et belle végétation.
On ne marche pas depuis longtemps lorsqu’on voit quelques thomas leaf monkeys qu’on regarde à peine car, à côté, se trouvent les fameux gibbons. On ne les voit pas de très près car ils vivent dans le haut des arbres et sont très sauvages. Ils ont l’air assez mignon et se déplacent pendus par un bras, puis l’autre. Ils n’ont pas de nid et dorment pendus par les bras et la queue (ce que les orangs-outangs n’ont pas). On prend tout le temps de les observer de différents endroits.
On rencontre ensuite une grosse femelle orang-outang dont les petits sont plus haut. Elle est très proche et nous observe.
Des chiens aboient sans cesse, ce qui inquiète beaucoup les gibbons et les orangs-outangs qui se mettent à pousser des cris pour prévenir du danger. Les petits orangs-outangs cassent de vieilles branches et les lancent vers « la foule » (il y a beaucoup de monde), comme le leur a inculqué leur mère, pour nous tenir à distance. La mère pose pas mal, accepte toute la nourriture qu’on lui donne et continue à tendre la main comme une mendiante. Pas si sauvage que ça, donc !
On voit encore des thomas leaf monkeys, toujours aussi irrésistibles. On leur donne à manger, les caresse, leur met la queue sous le nez … sans qu’ils bronchent le moins du monde.
Les chemins sont nettement plus sportifs qu’hier car on va plus à travers tout et il fait encore plus boueux.
On aperçoit, dans le haut d’un arbre, un orang-outang qui semble très costaud. C’est un gros mâle solitaire, comme tous les mâles. Il bouge un peu, puis s’installe dans son nid. Sinar embroche une banane au sommet d’un petit arbre pour l’attirer et ça marche. Il commence à bouger et on doit alors reculer. Attiré par la nourriture, il vient jusqu’à nous et nous offre un spectacle de première qualité. C’est probablement le mâle qu’on a vu hier à la plate-forme.
On voit aussi toute une série de macaques au même endroit.
Assez fatigués, on marche encore un peu pour trouver un endroit de pique-nique. Il est grand temps de faire une pause. Pendant notre déjeuner, toujours composé de nasi-goreng, œuf, chips, tomates et concombre dans une feuille de bananier, nous avons la visite d’un paon. A 12h30, on entend l’appel du muezzin mais aucun guide ne réagit.
On reprend notre route pour « simplement » rentrer au village. Il faut descendre jusqu’au ruisseau, puis tout remonter de l’autre côté. Épouvantable ! C’est raide, peu tracé, avec des racines, des pierres, de la boue. Horriblement casse-gueule ! La montée n’est pas vraiment mieux tellement ça glisse. Sinar est attentif et aidant.
On est content d’arriver à un chemin plus facile. Et dire qu’hier, on ne trouvait pas ça très sportif ! On n’aura vu aucune bestiole épouvantable (ni serpent, ni araignée, seulement des sangsues). Rentrée par le même chemin et le même pont. Quelques maisons pittoresques.
Dernier verre avec Sinar qui a vraiment été un très bon guide.
Dîner au même restaurant que la veille, plats variés et bons.
Nuit à Bukit Lawang, mais au Jungle Inn cette fois, juste à côté. Notre chambre est un vrai palace, avec des meubles locaux en bois foncé, haut plafond et murs rouge foncé, salle de bain extérieure ocre avec des plantes et douche chaude, terrasse avec banquettes, fauteuils et hamac. Superbe ! Les chambres qui donnent directement sur la rivière sont très sombres et humides.
Jour 5 : Bukit Lawang – Lac Toba
a.m. : - route vers Medan
- visite d’une forêt de palmiers et d’un cimetière musulman
- marché et déjeuner à Brastagi
p.m. : - cascade de Sipiso Piso
- palais batak de Pematang Purba
- ferry pour l’île de Samosir
- nuit à Tuk Tuk
Départ à 7h45 pour le Lac Toba. On nous porte heureusement nos valises à travers tout le village jusqu’à notre van où le chauffeur nous attend. Nous reprenons la route dans l’autre sens jusqu’à Medan. On fait une halte dans la forêt de palmiers où des ouvriers sont en train de faire tomber les grappes de fruits avec d’interminables tiges métalliques coupantes. Les grappes pèsent entre 10 et 40 kg et sont destinées à la production d’huile de palme, celle-là même qui est tant contestée à cause de la déforestation qu’elle cause et, par conséquent, de la destruction de la zone d'habitat des orangs-outangs et autres grands animaux. Je ressors de la forêt avec une grosse sangsue accrochée à la cheville. Beurk ! Seul un jet de spray anti-moustique la fera se décoller.
Arrêt ensuite dans un petit cimetière musulman aux petites tombes bleues, quelques-unes rouges ou ocre plus sophistiquées.
On n’est pas obligés de traverser tout Medan et son épouvantable trafic mais c’est quand-même lent.
Arrêt déjeuner à Brastagi pour manger la spécialité locale, du porc (eh oui, on est là en terre chrétienne !), plutôt bon mais plein de graisse. Nous entrons dans le pays batak. Petit tour au marché de fruits et légumes, assez beau et coloré, avec un tas d’espèces qu’on ne connaît pas. Quelques amusantes scènes de rue.
Apparaissent alors des bâtiments en forme de pagode, typiques de la région.
La route est assez épouvantable, trous, chantiers provoquant de longs ralentissements, menaces de collision à tout instant. En arrivant au sommet d’une route, on aperçoit le lac Toba. On s’arrête au point de vue sur la cascade de Sipiso Piso, assez belle mais dans un environnement pas extraordinaire. Le lac est énorme, de la taille du lac Léman.
Il se met malheureusement à tomber des cordes quand on arrive au palais batak de Pematang Purba, palais de tous les rois de la région, en forme de pagode aux bois ouvragés.
On y fait un tour rapide car on doit prendre le dernier ferry de 18h pour nous mener à l’île de Samosir où nous allons loger deux nuits.
9h de trajet en tout de Butik Lawang à Samosir ! L’île est énorme mais on ne voit pas grand-chose car on arrive à l’hôtel à Tuk Tuk quand il fait noir.
Dîner à l’hôtel, bon (avec du porc !).
Nuit à Tuk Tuk à l’hôtel « Silington », le premier qui a vraiment l’air d’un hôtel, avec une vraie réception, un grand domaine, beaucoup de chambres et une énorme salle de restaurant fermée alors que nous avons toujours mangé sur des terrasses couvertes. Grande chambre, salle de bain avec eau chaude, essuies, savon et de vrais draps.
Jour 6 : Lac Toba
a.m. : - Ambarita : maisons batak
- Simando : spectacle de danse sur un site de maisons batak
- déjeuner à l’hôtel Toledo à Tuk tuk
p.m. : - Tomok : sarcophages et tombeaux des derniers rois
- promenade dans les rizières
- nuit à Tuk Tuk
Départ prévu à 7h30. Premiers problèmes digestifs pour deux d’entre nous.
Arrêt à Ambarita pour voir un ensemble de maisons batak. Le village est entouré d’un grand mur de pierres avec quelques sculptures. Chaque groupe de maisons est précédé d’un porche sculpté.
Elles sont toujours groupées en nombre impair, ici 7, pour porter chance.
Les maisons sont sur pilotis, il y a un étage et, au-dessus, le toit en pagode. Maintenant, les toits de chaume sont malheureusement remplacés par des toits en tôle ondulée. Certaines sont encore occupées et on y voit même une dame pendue à son GSM avec une grande télévision à l’intérieur. Le contraste est étonnant.
Beaucoup de belles boiseries en façade, sculptées et peintes, toujours dans trois couleurs : noir (le passé), blanc (le ciel), rouge (la terre, le présent).
Au bout de deux rangées de maisons se trouvent une table et des chaises en pierre avec des sculptures sous un banian. C’est le lieu où l’ennemi était tué.
Les bataks étaient des gens violents et cruels. On les dit cannibales, ce que n’admet pas notre guide. D’après elle, ils ne faisaient que manger le cœur de l’ennemi qu’ils tuaient pour être sûrs de tuer le mauvais esprit.
On fait un tour dans le petit cimetière au-dessus du village, spécial, avec de belles vues sur le lac. L’île est gigantesque mais les choses intéressantes semblent être concentrées au nord.
Nous allons alors à Simando, assister à un spectacle de danse sur un site de maisons batak devenu plutôt un musée. Il y a d’ailleurs un tout petit musée avant l’entrée où se trouve une belle barque batak (barque royale), sculptée et peinte en noir, blanc et rouge.
Le spectacle de danse est joli, avec de beaux costumes, mais un peu fastidieux. Danse est un bien grand mot car il s’agit plutôt de marche et de mouvements des mains avec une musique très peu variée.
Nous visitons un peu plus loin un autre ensemble de maisons, tout à fait vivantes celles-là, avec des enfants qui jouent et des femmes qui papotent.
Nouvel arrêt pour voir un sarcophage de sultan, pas très intéressant.
Déjeuner à l’hôtel Toledo à Tuk tuk, sur une terrasse au bord du lac assez agréable.
p.m. : - Tomok : sarcophages et tombeaux des derniers rois
- promenade dans les rizières - nuit à Tuk Tuk
Visite de Tomok pour voir des sarcophages et des tombeaux des derniers rois.
En contrebas, se trouve un joli ensemble de statues de musiciens et autres personnages avec un animal au milieu. C’est très traditionnel.
De Tomok, nous partons à pied par les rizières pour, normalement, rejoindre l’hôtel. Il y en a peu en terrasses mais c’est très beau quand-même.
Nous croisons du monde et, de partout, les enfants nous crient « hello ».
Là aussi, quelques maisons batak mais très peu élaborées au niveau des boiseries.
On assiste brièvement à une fête de mariage. Beaucoup de monde, d’animation, de confusion, de couleurs, mais on ne verra jamais les mariés.
Comme il se met à pleuvoir, le chauffeur vient nous chercher à mi-chemin et nous rejoignons la route. Dommage, on a eu un petit goût de trop peu. Belle végétation entre lac et montagne avec des cascades.
Au retour à l’hôtel, nous faisons les boutiques du coin. Achat d’un ulos, grande écharpe censée garder l’esprit, qu’on met sur son épaule pour entrer dans certains lieux saints, ou autour d’un bébé ou d’un couple pour les protéger.
Agréable tour du jardin de l’hôtel, assez beau, avec beaucoup de cultures de fleurs et belle vue sur le lac.
Dîner en dehors de l’hôtel et coucher tôt car demain, au lieu de prendre le bateau public de 7h qui nous ferait peut-être arriver à l’aéroport de Medan un peu tard, nous prenons un bateau privé à 6h.
Nuit à Tuk Tuk.
Jour 7 : Lac Toba – Jogjakarta (Java)
a.m. : - bateau pour Parabat
- route pour Medan et visite de la mosquée
p.m. : - vol pour Jakarta
- vol pour Jogjakarta
- nuit à Jogjakarta
Lever 4h45 ! Et une troisième malade ! Nous prenons le bateau à 6h jusqu’à Parabat où nous attend notre chauffeur passé la veille.
Ensuite, la route pour Medan.
Comme on y est en avance, on y visite la mosquée, sans grand intérêt. Nous devons évidemment y enlever nos chaussures et porter un foulard sur la tête.
Premier vol en début d’après-midi pour Jakarta avec la compagnie Garuda (pas de vol direct pour Jogjakarta), peu spectaculaire au-dessus d’interminables champs plats, puis dans les nuages. Jakarta et son port nous paraissent gigantesques. Des bateaux attendent en mer par centaines de pouvoir charger ou décharger. Bel aéroport.
Vol ensuite pour Jogjakarta et arrivée vers 19h30 avec tous nos bagages. Morris, notre guide, nous accueille avec des colliers de jasmin très parfumés.
Dîner à l’hôtel où, sans guide, on est un peu perdus pour choisir nos plats.
Nuit à Jogjakarta, à l’hôtel Ruman Palagan, très joli, beaucoup de charme avec décoration javanaise et balinaise, piscine, chambres sombres, malheureusement loin du centre.
a.m. : - relax
- déjeuner à Prambanan
p.m. : - temple de Prambanan
- temple de Plassan
- nuit à Jogjakarta
Petit déjeuner à 9h. On a décidé de la faire cool aujourd’hui et de profiter de l’hôtel. Notre guide vient nous chercher en fin de matinée et nous allons déjeuner sur la terrasse d’un restaurant avec vue sur Prambanan. Belle situation, bon repas.
Le site de Prambanan est un grand plateau avec plusieurs temples hindouistes, assez impressionnants, un pour chaque dieu, Brahma le créateur, Civa le destructeur, et Vishnu le protecteur, construit en 900.
Dans chaque temple, appelé candi, se trouve une statue du dieu.
En face de chacun, son « garage », petit temple contenant le moyen de transport du dieu. Pour Brama le cygne (disparu), pour Civa le buffle, pour Vishnu l’aigle (disparu aussi).
Tous ces monuments sont en pierre de lave et entourés de bas-reliefs retraçant la vie des dieux.
A cause du tremblement de terre de 2006, on ne peut plus entrer dans le temple de Civa. Il y avait en fait 250 temples dans la région. Beaucoup sont réduits à des tas de pierres, mais on peut encore en visiter quelques-uns. Très belle visite, sans trop de monde.
Morris, notre guide, nous avait prévenus que les touristes indonésiens, qui ont rarement vu des occidentaux, voudraient nous toucher pour comparer nos peaux ou toucher des poils. Ils demandent aussi à être pris en photo avec nous pour montrer à leurs amis qu’ils ont des amis dans le monde entier. Nos enfants sont fort sollicités, soit pour leur taille, soit pour leur teint clair.
Nous reprenons la voiture pour aller au temple de Plassan. C’est un temple original car un mélange d’hindouisme et de bouddhisme. Beau site, avec deux temples carrés, pas très élevés, assez massifs, et des stupas … et beaucoup de blocs de pierre effondrés au sol.
A l’entrée des temples, il y a toujours deux statues représentant le bien et le mal. Ici, ce sont de véritables sumos.
A l’intérieur des temples, trois petites salles dont une avec deux statues hindouistes avec une pause bouddhiste.
Au bout du site, au milieu des blocs, une terrasse entourée de statues, fort abîmées mais certaines encore très belles.
Belle vue de là sur tout le site. Belle vue aussi sur le volcan Merapi, particulièrement dangereux, dont le sommet est dégagé et fume un peu.
Retour à l’hôtel où on ne profite toujours pas de la piscine. Il faut dire qu’il fait noir à 18h et qu’on rentre tard.
Dîner près de l’hôtel, au Sapi Bali, très local avec carte en indonésien uniquement, serveurs très souriants. On évite les plats marqués « hot », mais cela ne nous empêchera pas de cracher des flammes. Au retour, on se rue sur le mini supermarché pour acheter des glaces qu’on mange dans le jardin de l’hôtel.
Nuit à Jogjakarta.
Jour 9 : Jogjakarta
a.m. : - temple de Borobudur
- Candigero : balade à vélo dans le village
p.m. : - déjeuner à Candigero
- visite d’un atelier de batik
- Kota Gede : visite d’un atelier de travail de l’argent
- wayan kulit (théâtre d’ombre) au musée Sono Budojo
- nuit à Jogjakarta
Départ à 8h et premier arrêt à un petit temple bouddhiste, à côté d’un énorme banian, où on se fait coller comme des mouches par des petits vendeurs.
Arrivée à Borobudur où on n’aperçoit le temple qu’à la dernière minute. Il date des 8è-9ème siècles. En montant, on franchit l’étape des désirs, puis des apparences, pour atteindre finalement le nirvana. C’est un temple bouddhiste de 9 étages, énorme et carré à la base.
Les étages du bas sont couverts de bas-reliefs sur tous les côtés sur 4 kms, une vraie BD. Ils retracent la vie de Bouddha.
Les trois derniers étages sont ronds et couverts de stupas ajourés contenant un bouddha. C’est le niveau du paradis, avec un grand stupa au sommet. Parvenir à toucher le bouddha à travers les trous du stupa porterait chance. Superbe !
Dommage qu’on n’ait pas une vue d’ensemble avec suffisamment de hauteur et de recul. Pour cela, il aurait fallu, paraît-il, aller à l’hôtel Pondok Tingal et monter 1/4h à pied pour la vue sur le site, de préférence au lever du soleil.
Nos enfants sont de nouveau très sollicités par les touristes indonésiens pour des contacts et des photos.
p.m. : - déjeuner à Candigero et balade à vélo dans le village
- visite d’un atelier de batik
- Kota Gede : visite d’un atelier de travail de l’argent
- wayan kulit (théâtre d’ombre) au musée Sono Budojo
- nuit à Jogjakarta
Nous nous rendons ensuite au village de Candigero pour y déjeuner et faire un tour à vélo. C’est une jeune guide locale, parlant français et anglais et travaillant pour la coopérative du village, qui nous emmène à vélo, de vieilles bécanes avec un seul frein opérationnel. Elle commence par nous annoncer la visite de sa future maison. On est un peu surpris quand on découvre un petit cimetière musulman. Les morts sont célébrés de nombreuses fois, jusqu’à 100 jours. Une tombe est surmontée d’un parasol. C’est celle d’un enfant, protégé de la sorte de la pluie et du soleil. Les stèles des hommes et des femmes sont différentes.
Nous nous dirigeons alors vers la rivière où de jeunes garçons se baignent. De gros pneus, radeaux de rafting local, servent à transporter les récoltes. Un radeau arrive plein de verdure qui est ensuite transportée sur le dos d’un homme.
Tous les enfants du village, et même les adultes, nous disent « hello » à notre passage.
Des chips de manioc sèchent au soleil sur des grillages. Après en avoir appris le mode de fabrication, nous pouvons les goûter et c’est très bon.
Arrêt déjeuner dans une maison traditionnelle javanaise au toit à 4 versants et deux inclinaisons.
On nous sert une variété de plats traditionnels, tous aussi bons les uns que les autres … et pas épicés. Une poule court au milieu de la salle. Comme les habitants ici n’ont pas les moyens de manger de la viande, elle est remplacée par du tofu qui, préparé à l’indonésienne, est très bon.
Très sympathique petite expédition.
Morris nous emmène alors visiter un atelier de batik « pas touristique » et nous en explique la fabrication avec les différentes étapes de cire à chaque couleur qui prennent des mois. Des coqs de concours de chant chantent interminablement dans la cour. On les étranglerait bien. Il y a des batiks pour tous les goûts, traditionnels ou modernes et abstraits. On se laisse quand-même tenter par un traditionnel.
Ensuite, visite d’un atelier de travail de l’argent à Kota Gede. Visite assez inintéressante où on ne comprend rien de ce que la guide locale tente de nous expliquer.
Retour interminable à l’hôtel à cause du trafic.
Nous repartons alors, sans le guide, en taxi vers le centre-ville pour voir le théâtre d’ombre au musée Sono Budojo. A l’entrée, un artisan travaille la peau de buffle, future marionnette.
Un drôle de bonhomme, au sourire édenté et à la coiffure rasta, nous donne de nombreuses explications.
Le spectacle, wayan kulit, peut se voir des deux côtés. D’un côté d’une toile, on voit le marionnettiste agitant toute une série de personnages et faisant seul les dialogues. Il est entouré par des musiciens jouant sur des instruments traditionnels, assis jambes croisées, et quatre femmes qui chantent, assises sur les genoux. L’ensemble est impressionnant et très beau même si la musique est grinçante et ennuyeuse.
De l’autre côté de la toile, on ne voit que les marionnettes en ombres chinoises. Très poétique.
A la sortie, nous retrouvons notre drôle de bonhomme, toujours aussi souriant et qui parle pas mal français. Il doit être une sommité dans son domaine car il donne un cours sur les marionnettes à l’université et a écrit une anthologie sur le sujet, une véritable brique.
On se laisse tous tenter par l’achat de marionnettes. Elles sont plates et articulées, pleines de petits trous et peintes des deux côtés.
En sortant, on traverse la place Alun Alun où il y a encore plein d’échoppes et de warungs (échoppes où on peut manger).
Dîner dans un restaurant chinois, le « Royal Garden », sans caractère, qui nous appelle un taxi pour rentrer car impossible d’en trouver un dans la rue.
Nuit à Jogjakarta.
Jour 10 : Jogjakarta
a.m. : - marché
- musée Sono Budoyo
- visite du Kraton (palais des sultans)
- promenade dans Maliboro, la grande artère commerciale
- déjeuner près de Maliboro
p.m. : - les bains du sultan
- nuit à Jogjakarta
Départ à 8h30. On commence la journée par la visite du marché de fruits et légumes pour ne pas arriver trop tôt au Kraton, en même temps que les autocars. Marché haut en couleurs. Vente de pâtes aux couleurs d’épices et aux vertus médicinales.
A la sortie, des femmes vendent des roses coupées dans des paniers pour les offrandes.
Nous allons ensuite en becak (vélo taxi) jusqu’au musée Sono Budoyo. Expérience amusante, d’autant plus qu’il n’y a pas trop de trafic et qu’on n’a pas l’impression de risquer notre vie à chaque carrefour.
Le musée Sono Budoyo retrace l’histoire de l’Indonésie. Belle salle remplie d’instruments de musique disposés comme dans les représentations musicales et théâtrales. On peut même les essayer. Beaucoup d’espèces de gongs et de « xylophones ».
Une autre très belle salle est celle des marionnettes du wayan kulit, théâtre d’ombres que nous avons vu hier.
Le reste n’est pas d’un très grand intérêt, sauf des meubles en bois sculpté et le lit d’une déesse.
Tout près, de l’autre côté de la place Alun Alun, se trouve le Kraton, palais des sultans dont le site est protégé par une enceinte blanche avec plusieurs portes. Le sultan y vit toujours – il est gouverneur de la province – mais cette partie n’est pas visible. Il y a différents pavillons à l'architecture d'intérêt variable, un musée sans intérêt avec tous les cadeaux que le sultan a reçus, dont du cristal du Val Saint-Lambert des rois belges !
Un endroit est consacré aux spectacles de musique et de danse.
Un grand pavillon couvert de dorures sert encore aux grandes cérémonies, comme mariages et circoncisions.
Sans Morris, nous allons alors nous promener dans la grande artère commerciale, Maliboro. C’est dimanche mais les magasins sont ouverts et il y a une animation folle. On n’a jamais vu autant de motos ailleurs. Il faut dire que c’est le seul moyen d’avancer dans ce trafic.
Déjeuner au « Superman » sur une terrasse couverte, fort sombre, à la cuisine locale et internationale. Certains se réjouissent de manger … un hamburger.
Nous redescendons Maliboro pour aller voir les bains du sultan, près du Kraton, difficiles à trouver et nous devons nous faire aider par un local qui nous guide à travers un dédale de ruelles, assez sympas, avec beaucoup d’oiseliers et des cages qui pendent dehors.
Les bains qui ont dû connaître des jours meilleurs. A part quelques belles portes, tous les bâtiments sont dans un état assez pitoyable et les bains quasi vides.
Belles scènes de rue.
On voudrait rentrer à l’hôtel en taxi mais ils ne sont stationnés nulle part, même aux endroits les plus touristiques. On parvient quand-même à en héler un.
Enfin, un bain dans la piscine de l’hôtel mais, curieusement avec la chaleur qu’il fait ici, l’eau n’est pas très chaude.
Dîner à l’hôtel et nuit à Jogjakarta.
Jour 11 : Jogjakarta – Bromo
a.m. : - train pour Surabaya
p.m. : - route pour Wonotoro
- nuit à Wonotoro
Départ à 6h pour prendre le train jusqu’à Surabaya.
Nous quittons donc Morris qui nous aura appris beaucoup de choses sur la vie des Indonésiens : il n’y a que des très riches et des très pauvres, il existe une sorte de contrôle des naissances en recommandant un maximum de 2 enfants par couple mais sans punition si le nombre est dépassé, l’école est obligatoire jusqu’au milieu du secondaire, est censée être gratuite mais il faut payer les uniformes et les tenues de scoutisme qui est obligatoire, que dans son village il y a des tournées où les hommes se relaient la nuit pour prévenir des dangers. Ils tapent sur des bâtons (des kuls kuls) de différentes façons pour dire ce qu’il se passe. A une certaine heure, ils tapent aussi pour rappeler aux femmes de prendre leur pilule.
Chaque soir, chacun qui le peut, met cinq cuillères de riz dans un bol devant sa porte. Ce riz est collecté et vendu 5 fois moins cher et l’argent provenant de cette vente sert à aider les pauvres …
Train à 7h15 en « eksecutif », la 1ère classe locale.
Le trajet devient intéressant quand on arrive dans la campagne. On voit bien le Merapi.
On traverse les champs de riz et on peut voir les gens y travailler avec leur chapeau pointu bien typique.
Les gares ne sont malheureusement pas pittoresques du tout.
Arrivée à Surabaya à 12h après un trajet sympa mais pas extraordinaire.
Nous découvrons notre guide, Anona, qui parle anglais. Surabaya est la deuxième ville d’Indonésie, commerciale et portuaire. Le trafic y est aussi épouvantable qu’ailleurs mais les voitures sont nettement plus chic. On voit que c’est une ville riche. Tout y est aussi plus net et plus propre. On y roule à tombeau ouvert, face à des camions en sens inverse, à contresens, on dépasse par la bande des pneus crevés, et j’en passe. On quitte la grand route à Probolinggo et on grimpe alors sérieusement sur une petite route très jolie, très verte, avec des rizières ou des plantations maraichères à perte de vue sur les flancs des collines.
Petit arrêt pour se dégourdir les jambes dans une jolie rizière en terrasse.
On arrive alors au village de Wonotoro, à 1700 mètres d’alitude, où se trouve notre hôtel.
Dîner à l’hôtel, cher et mauvais. Il faut dire qu’on en a un peu marre de la cuisine indonésienne et qu’on a choisi plus européen. Ce n’est sans doute pas ce qu’ils font de mieux.
On se couche tôt car demain on part à 3h30 !
Nuit à Wonotoro, à l’hôtel « Java Banana », avec plusieurs bâtiments dans un beau jardin, magnifique réception avec décoration locale, belle boutique, superbes chambres très confortables avec très belle photo du Bromo tout en longueur. Dommage qu’on n’en profite pas plus.
Jour 12 : Bromo – Ubud (Bali)
a.m. : - 3h : route pour le mont Pena Jankan
- lever du soleil sur le Bromo
- promenade à cheval et à pied jusqu’au sommet du Bromo
- retour à Wonotoro et petit déjeuner
- route pour Surabaya
p.m. : - vol pour Bali
- nuit à Ubud
Lever à 3h pour partir dans deux jeeps qui nous mènent par une très mauvaise route ou piste à un point de vue sur toute la caldeira, le mont Pena Jankan à 2.770 m d’altitude. Il y fait encore tout noir et froid, mais supportable. Plutôt que de rester du côté du lever du soleil, on s’installe là où on voit le mieux le Bromo et ses voisins, le Batok et le Semeru. Vu le monde, il y a intérêt à prendre sa place tôt.
Le Bromo est encore en activité et peut être très dangereux. Le Semeru (point culminant de Java à 3.676 m) fume théoriquement toutes les 20 à 30 minutes. Il ne nous a pas fait de grande démonstration.
La caldeira se découvre petit à petit et la lumière devient belle, il n’y a aucun nuage.
Anonar nous avait dit que si la veille, il y avait plein d’étoiles à 20h, il ferait clair sur le Bromo. Ça vaut ce que ça vaut mais c’était le cas. On y reste assez longtemps puis on reprend les jeeps pour descendre dans la caldeira qui fait 11 km de diamètre. On traverse la mer de sable jusqu’à un petit temple hindou.
Nous sommes au pays des Tenggers, peuplade hindoue, au milieu d’une région très musulmane.
C’est là que nous attendent des chevaux. On nous donne des masques pour nous protéger de la poussière. Les chevaux, braves et très petits, nous emmènent à travers l’extrémité de la mer de sable jusqu’au pied de l’escalier qui monte au Bromo. Il y a un monde fou et ça cale dans la montée.
L’espace d’observation sur la crête du cratère (2.392 m) est assez limité car le cratère s’est assez fort effondré lors de la dernière éruption de 2010. Des barrières sont tombées et n’ont pas été remplacées. Donc, si chute il y a, c’est jusque dans le fond, dans un lac d’acide qui fume et dégage une légère odeur de soufre. Le cratère n’est pas très beau car uniformément gris. Lors d’une cérémonie, les pèlerins y jettent des offrandes. Le Bromo ressemble à un amas de cendres grises. On n’est pas sur des coulées de laves.
Le Batok, par contre, est bien conique et assez vert.
Quant au Semeru, il a la forme typique d’un volcan et est assez imposant dans le fond de ce paysage tout à fait époustouflant.
Retour à l’hôtel à 8h30 pour un petit déjeuner bien mérité, une douche et un tour dans le jardin.
Départ à 10h pour retourner à Surabaya et prendre l’avion pour Bali.
Pendant le vol, on aperçoit quelques volcans dont, sans doute, le Semeru qu’on voyait du Bromo mais de l’autre côté. Plus loin, quelques crêtes dépassent des nuages dont un petit sommet conique avec un cratère. Ensuite un gigantesque cratère.
Arrivée à l’aéroport de Denpasar dont la façade hindouiste nous met vite dans l’ambiance. 1h30 de route pour Ubud où on arrive dans le noir complet à 20h (+ 1h à Bali).
Dîner sur une terrasse dans le premier établissement où on trouve de la place avec des nouilles et des satés. Il pleut un peu.
Nuit à Ubud, à l’hôtel « Samhita Garden », très beau, pavillons à deux étages dans un joli jardin avec piscine, belles chambres. Adresse très agréable.
Jour 13 : Ubud
a.m. : - marché artisanal
- déjeuner près du marché
p.m . : - maison du sculpteur Lempot
- balade dans la ville
- nuit à Ubud
Il est tombé des cordes toute la nuit et ça continue ! Pas de chance pour une fois qu’on avait décidé de faire grasse matinée et de profiter de la piscine. Ici, nous sommes en autonomie et organisons notre séjour nous-mêmes.
Premier bon petit déjeuner en Indonésie.
Vers 13h, il ne pleut plus et on part au marché artisanal. Sur le chemin vers le marché, on ne sait où regarder tellement il y a des bâtiments étonnants. Derrière chaque porte entrouverte, on aperçoit des petits temples ou des bâtiments à l’architecture hindouiste. C’est vraiment étonnant.
Grand marché avec de nombreuses boutiques où on retrouve souvent les mêmes choses. On y vend des bites de toutes les couleurs et de toutes les tailles, notamment sous forme de porte-clés. On achète notamment de très jolis sarongs qui vont nous servir pour la visite des temples.
Amusantes scènes de rue.
Déjeuner en face du marché sur une agréable terrasse.
On visite alors l’étonnante maison du sculpteur Lempot, avec des monuments hindouistes partout dans la cour-jardin, des fleurs exubérantes, une énorme chauve-souris en cage, d’étranges sculptures sur arbres, de beaux masques …
On continue à se balader dans les ruelles où il y a quelques très belles boutiques, dont une bijouterie (Yin) où nous nous laissons tenter par de jolis bijoux en argent aux motifs traditionnels.
Il fait déjà noir quand nous rentrons à l’hôtel ce qui ne nous empêche pas de nous baigner dans la piscine, pas très chaude non plus.
Dîner au « Terazo », restaurant de cuisine fusion, bon et agréable, où nous fêtons un anniversaire. Pour la première fois du séjour, on y boit du vin, du balinais, assez bon et fruité. On est surpris par de curieux cris dans le toit. C’est un énorme gecko.
Jour 14 : Ubud
a.m. : - Neka Museum (peinture balinaise)
- promenade dans les rizières
- déjeuner à Ubud
p.m. : - Monkey Forest
- balade dans la ville et boutiques
- dîner au Café Lotus et spectacle de danses balinaises
- nuit à Ubud
N’ayant pas réussi à rassembler les troupes, nous partons à deux, en taxi, pour le Neka Museum consacré à la peinture balinaise, moyennement intéressant. Les peintures qui nous ont le plus plu sont dans les premières salles et représentent des légendes ou la vie dans les campagnes.
Retour à l’hôtel pour rechercher les autres effectifs et repartir faire une promenade dans les rizières. On descend la grand-rue près de l’hôtel, puis on monte en passant la rivière sur un petit pont. Le chemin est bien marqué et assez fréquenté. Il domine la rivière et traverse une végétation très luxuriante.
Arrivés à une sorte de col, on devrait voir le Mont Batur mais il est dans le brouillard. On passe le long de maisons qui ont vraiment l’air de temples. Elles sont tout entourées de hauts murs dont dépassent des décorations hindouistes. On a envie d’entrer partout.
Le chemin doit être assez fréquenté car il y a plein de magasins de peintures et d’artisanat. On arrive enfin dans les rizières en terrasses, assez belles mais un peu raides. Peu de gens y travaillent mais, à mon grand désespoir, … ils ne portent pas de chapeau pointu.
Au bord des champs, on voit partout des petites constructions en bois pour déposer des offrandes. On quitte ce chemin pour prendre la route à gauche qui descend vers Ubud. Ici, les rizières en terrasses sont courbes. Superbe paysage !
On monte et descend sur cette petite route en passant par différents temples où on ne peut pas entrer. Sur un muret, un chien mange les offrandes.
Retour à Ubud par la grand-route, moins agréable.
Déjeuner dans un petit restaurant où on fait appeler un taxi pour nous conduire à la Monkey Forest. Il y a beaucoup de monde mais ce n’est pas gênant. L’endroit est assez beau, avec de nombreuses sculptures étranges et trois temples.
Les macaques se promènent en toute liberté, autant sur le chemin que dans les arbres. Ils sont évidemment attirés par les bananes que les gens leur donnent. Ils sont amusants à voir, surtout les tout petits avec leur mère.
Certains sont agressifs quand on les approche et montrent d’énormes canines menaçantes.
Retour à pied à Ubud par une rue pleine de boutiques où nous ne pouvons pas résister à l’achat d’un kul kul, sorte de tuyau de bois qu’on tape dans les villages pour prévenir du danger dont nous avait parlé Morris à Java. Passage par la pharmacie. Ici, on ne vend pas des boîtes de médicaments, mais des plaquettes sans notice.
Passage aussi par le syndicat d’initiative qui semble ici être le grand organisateur et la source de toutes les informations, même des crémations pour lesquelles il organise des visites. On réserve pour demain un minibus avec chauffeur à un prix défiant toute concurrence.
Retour à l’hôtel et bain dans la piscine.
Dîner au « Café Lotus » à 19h15 pour y assister à un spectacle de danses balinaises que nous avions réservé en passant ce matin. Derrière ce restaurant et son étang de lotus, se trouve un beau décor hindouiste qui accueille la scène. Malheureusement, des spectateurs sont assis devant la scène, ou même debout, ce qui fait qu’on ne voit pas grand-chose de notre table, à part les musiciens. On est aussi un peu loin. Dommage parce que c’est vraiment très beau, avec de magnifiques costumes et beaucoup de grâce. Il y a aussi des danses au palais du sultan mais nous avons préféré la formule dîner-spectacle. Agréable rijstafel.
Bravo pour ce récit de voyage accompagné par de très belles photos , cela m'a fait revivre un voyage fait il y a 10 ans . Pas de détails inutiles dans le texte, l'essentiel pour commenter quelques photos , les autres parlent d'elles mêmes et sont fort réussies .
J'ai suivi votre parcours d'une traite en me laissant porter avec plaisir .
Encore merci pour ce témoignage
Eric
Jour 15 : Ubud
a.m. : - Goa Gajah, la grotte de l’éléphant
- temple de Penataran Sasih à Pejeng
- temple de Gunung Kawi (the Rocky Temple)
- temple de Pura Gunung Kawi Sebaty (the Holy Spring Temple)
- Temen : plantation de café
- déjeuner à Kiutamani
p.m. : - lac Batur
- Sebatu : artisans de bois
- Penusuang : promenade dans les rizières en terrasses
- nuit à Ubud
Départ à 9h en minibus avec chauffeur pour un circuit qui doit nous mener au Mont Batur. Il fait tout gris.
Premier arrêt à Goa Gajah, la grotte de l’éléphant. C’est plutôt une tête de démon qui garde cette grotte dans laquelle se trouve une statue de Ganesha, divinité hindoue à tête d’éléphant.
De grands bassins sont alimentés par des nymphes.
Comme pour tous les temples que nous visitons aujourd’hui, nous devons nous couvrir d’un sarong. On a fière allure ! Jolie petite balade en boucle pour retourner au parking en passant par les rizières.
Nous faisons un détour par Mas, village d’artisans du bois, et nous arrêtons dans un atelier-magasin assez moche mais où il y a quand-même quelques jolis petits masques peints.
Ensuite, visite du temple de Penataran Sasih à Pejeng, réputé, paraît-il, pour son tambour de bronze de 2 mètres de diamètre et son décor gravé. Pas vraiment intéressant. Deux petits temples plus richement décorés méritent l’attention.
Visite du temple de Gunung Kawi (the Rocky Temple), creusé dans la roche. L’endroit est beau, dans les rizières avec des cocotiers.
Il faut descendre un long escalier pour arriver à un premier groupe de temples funéraires, sortes de façades creusées dans la roche dans des niches de 7 m de haut, mais dans lesquelles on n’entre pas. Après avoir traversé la rivière, on trouve 5 temples pareils, en face des premiers.
Toute la visite se passera sous la pluie. Ce site est original, très différent des autres temples que nous visitons, et se trouve dans un très beau site. A l’entrée de tous ces temples, il faut passer par des allées interminables de boutiques.
Visite du temple de Pura Gunung Kawi Sebaty (the Holy Spring Temple) : nombreux petits pavillons richement décorés, superbes portes en bois sculpté peint, belles sculptures, bassins remplis de carpes, bains où les locaux viennent se purifier dans l’eau de la source sacrée.
On aperçoit la source dans un des bassins qui « jaillit » et fait des bulles comme une source chaude.
Le site est très beau, très riche. Ce qui a ajouté au charme de la visite, c’est qu’il y avait une petite cérémonie de méditation avec des offrandes. Très belle visite.
A Temen, nous nous arrêtons pour voir une « plantation de café ». Guère de plantation visible mais une visite avec explications et dégustations dans un assez bel endroit. On nous montre aux arbres les grains de café et les cabosses de cacao. Deux loirs dans une cage servent à digérer le café pour le ressortir en « animal coffee ». Pendu à un arbre, un citron de taille monumentale : un citron-papaye. Les fruits de la passion sont aussi énormes ici. Dégustation de toute une série de cafés, thés et cacaos parfumés, assez bons. Et tout cela se termine évidemment à la boutique où tout est prohibitif.
On monte enfin vers le sommet de la caldeira du lac Batur. Arrêt à Kiutamani pour déjeuner et voir la vue. Il fait un peu brumeux mais on voit le mont Batur en entier, avec ses coulées de lave et le lac qui n’a rien d’exceptionnel vu de là. Le spectacle est un peu décevant (peut-être pas pour ceux qui n’ont jamais vu de coulées de lave. Tout est relatif !).
Il faut payer pour entrer dans cette zone. Le resto a une vue panoramique et propose une formule buffet, pas trop mal mais chère. Nous décidons de ne pas aller voir le temple de Batur car on commence à se lasser un peu des temples. Dommage peut-être.
On redescend alors en passant par les rizières. En traversant les villages, on découvre plein d’artisans de bois à Sebatu. C’est beaucoup plus intéressant qu’à Mas et dix fois moins cher. Nous nous laissons tenter cette fois par des grands masques, sans marchander tellement les prix sont dérisoires.
Arrêt à Penusuang et promenade dans les rizières en terrasses en contrebas de la route en face du village, petites, très étagées et courbes. Superbe ! Il y manque juste un petit rayon de soleil. Là aussi, il faut payer pour entrer dans le village et la zone des rizières.
Notre chauffeur prend ensuite des petites routes pour nous faire passer par des rizières, moins spectaculaires mais jolies, et des petits villages.
Retour à l’hôtel vers 18h et baignade dans la piscine.
Dîner au restaurant voisin, le « Café des Artistes », tenu par un Belge. Drôle de carte avec des plats indonésiens, mais aussi européens et belges bien sûr, comme des carbonnades flamandes. C’est plein tous les jours alors que c’est dans une petite rue sans vrai passage.
Nuit à Ubud.
Jour 16 : Ubud – Amed
a.m. : - balade autour du palais du Sultan
- route vers Amed
p.m. : - piscine
- promenade sur la plage
- nuit à Amed
Balade autour du palais du Sultan où se prépare une cérémonie de crémation pour un membre de la famille qui vient de mourir, prévue le 28 juillet, malheureusement après notre départ. Il paraît que cela attire des foules considérables et que des gens viennent spécialement d’Australie pour ça.
Le bûcher, sorte de haute tour en bambou, est déjà dans la rue. Une énorme passerelle a été érigée pour relier le palais et le haut du bûcher en passant au-dessus des murs d’enceinte.
Des dizaines d’artisans sont occupés depuis des jours à préparer les décorations, notamment des énormes têtes d’animaux en frigolite qu’ils peignent et dorent et des grands panneaux avec des bouts de coton qui forment des espèces de fleurs.
A voir les préparatifs, la cérémonie doit être vraiment très spectaculaire.
Départ à 11 h pour se rendre à notre prochaine étape, Amed. La route est moyennement intéressante, à part un bel endroit de rivières en terrasses.
On aperçoit enfin la côte et une plage remplie de barques de pêche à balancier.
Arrivée à Amed après 2h de route. Il n’y a pas vraiment de centre. Les villages s’étirent le long de la côte.
C’est malheureusement une plage de galets qui nous attend, pas de sable noir, où il est impossible de se tenir. Il n’y a d’ailleurs aucune installation mais plein de barques de pêche.
Pour une fois, on prend son temps autour de la piscine de l’hôtel où l’eau n’est pas plus chaude qu’ailleurs. Il y a beaucoup de vent ici et, comme à Ubud, on y joue beaucoup au cerf-volant. On en voit d’ailleurs de superbes dans les boutiques.
Petite promenade sur la plage où paissent des vaches auxquelles on donne un bain dans la rivière. En arrière-plan, la montagne et le sommet du mont Agung.
Même ici, sur cette plage déserte, on se fait harceler par des vendeurs de bateaux miniatures ou de snorkeling.
Dîner au « Grill », un peu plus loin que l’hôtel, qui ne paie pas de mine de l’extérieur mais qui ne manque pas de raffinement, tenu par un anglophone original. Plats de poisson au BBQ. Ça change des nouilles et des satés. Très bon et très agréable.
Nuis à Amed, à l’« Arya Amed Resort », pavillons à 2 étages dans un jardin, belle piscine, restaurant près de la plage, chambres quelconques et un peu tristes.
Jour 17 : Amed
a.m. : - retour de pêche des bateaux sur la plage
- plongée sur Japanese wreck
- déjeuner à l’hôtel
p.m. : - piscine
- nuit à Amed
Lever à 6h45 pour voir sur la plage les bateaux qui rentrent de la pêche. Ils fonctionnent à voile et au moteur. Ils sont encore nombreux à l’horizon mais, sur notre plage, ils sont déjà en train de rentrer.
Il y a un homme par bateau. Par contre, quand il faut les ramener sur la plage, il en faut au moins quatre.
Leur pêche semble assez misérable, des petits poissons qui ressemblent à des harengs ou des mini-bonites.
Petit déjeuner assez moche mais avec des pancakes.
Départ à 10 h pour aller plonger sur une épave japonaise (Japanese wreck) un peu au sud d’Amed, avec Antoine, moniteur de plongée au Baruna diving center, un Français très zen, installé ici depuis 2 ans. Essayage du matos dans son centre et départ en pick-up vers le site de plongée. Départ de la plage car l’épave est à 50 mètres. On peut y aller aussi en snorkeling. Pour les snorkeleuses, l’expérience n’a pas été très concluante. Elles auraient dû voir l’épave et une belle zone de coraux mais le courant était tel qu’il les empêchait d’aller vers le large et les entraînait dangereusement sur le côté. Il a fallu palmer désespérément pour retourner vers la plage, non sans angoisses. Par contre, les plongeurs sont revenus ravis. Ils n’ont pas trouvé l’épave d’un grand intérêt mais ont vu beaucoup de poissons intéressants et des coraux gigantesques. Moniteur très sympa et attentif.
Retour à l’hôtel pour déjeuner. Tout le monde est un peu sonné. Après-midi au bord de la piscine.
Dîner au « Santai », à une dizaine de minutes de l’hôtel, recommandé par Antoine comme gastronomique mais pas exceptionnel.
Nuit à Amed.
Jour 18 : Amed
a.m. : - Tulamben : plongée sur le Liberty
- plongée sur Coral Garden
- déjeuner à l’hôtel
p.m. : - piscine
- promenade au coucher du soleil
- nuit à Ubud
Les plongeurs partent à 7h pour aller à Tulamben et plonger sur l’épave du Liberty, bateau américain coulé par les Japonais en 1942, site 3 étoiles au Michelin et très fréquenté. Ils terminent leur première plongée ravis. Ils ont plongé autour de l’épave et un peu à l’intérieur. C’est impressionnant et il y a beaucoup de vie autour. On y accède aussi directement de la plage.
Pendant qu’ils se reposent, les snorkeleuses, arrivées plus tard, profitent d’une eau plus claire que la veille, sans courant et remplie de poisons.
Petite pause à la buvette de la plage où le thé est délicieux.
Deuxième plongée, sur Coral Garden cette fois, magnifique aussi où ils ont vu un énorme barracuda et un requin.
C’est une longue plongée de plus d’une heure et ils en sortent un peu frigorifiés. Le thé de la buvette est de nouveau bienvenu.
Déjeuner à l’hôtel et après-midi carpette.
Petite promenade en fin de journée vers un endroit très réputé pour le coucher de soleil. Il y a un monde fou comme si c’était « the place to be », des motos et des petits vendeurs. Le coucher de soleil n’est pas exceptionnel mais la vue sur toute la baie, le mont Agung et le mont Batur est très belle.
Dîner près de l’hôtel, au « Beer & Grill », un petit truc qui ne paie pas de mine mais très sympa, gentil service et bonne nourriture.
Nuit à Amed.
Merci Eric. C'est toujours agréable de recevoir ce genre de commentaires encourageants. Encore une bonne heure de "travail" et j'aurai fini.
Bonne journée.
Françoise
Ce n'est pas si souvent qu'on voit des photos non trafiquées, pas floues et bien cadrées. Régulièrement, on constate que vous avez la chance et le feeling pour prendre le cliché au bon moment. Et il est des saisons où le ciel ne facilite pas la prises de vue !
Vous nous montrez des choses très diversifiées et avec des commentaires sans fioritures, ceux de quelqu'un qui découvre. Merci pour cet apport.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
Jour 19 : Amed
a.m. : - temple de Lempuyang
- Tirtaganga : Water Palace
- Déjeuner à Tirtaganga
p.m. : - Ujung : palais d’été
- nuit à Amed
Départ à 9h30. On a loué la voiture de l’hôtel avec son chauffeur pour toute la journée pour faire un circuit par l’intérieur et remonter par la côte est.
Nous commençons par le temple de Lempuyang où il fait vite très chaud. Il est situé sur le mont Seraya et est constitué en fait de 7 niveaux qui sont répartis sur toute la hauteur de la montagne. Les deux premiers sont immédiatement accessibles par un rude escalier.
Très beau temple, très original. On n’a encore rien vu de pareil, sorte de mélange de pyramide mayas et de temples hindouistes. Pour aller au 3ème niveau, il faut grimper sur une petite route. Il est nettement moins intéressant. Pour les plus courageux, au 4ème, la vue est superbe, le temple très beau et, en plus, il y avait une petite cérémonie.
Il y aurait 1.700 marches pour arriver au dernier niveau. Ça vaut sans doute la peine mais il faut alors prendre le temps et y consacrer une demi-journée.
Nous retraversons les rizières avant Tirtaganga que nous avions vues en arrivant. Elles deviennent de plus en plus sèches et d’ailleurs, à certains endroits, on cultive d’autres légumes. Il paraît que, dans quelques semaines, la côte est sera toute rousse de sécheresse.
A Tirtaganga, visite du « Water Palace » que le raja de Tamlapura a fait construire au milieu du 20ème siècle dans de superbes jardins avec de grands bassins pleins de carpes et de nénuphars, dont un où on peut même se baigner. Le palais ne se visite pas mais les jardins sont magnifiques et ça change de ce qu’on a vu jusqu’à présent.
Déjeuner à l’entrée du site, pas mal.
En repartant, on voit une petite cérémonie à un coin de rue, une crémation, pas très impressionnante mais colorée. On ne comprend pas bien ce qui se passe. Il n’y a pas l’air d’y avoir de bûcher mais de nombreuses femmes sont agglutinées autour d’on ne sait quoi. Elles versent de l’eau sur un drap avec des fleurs. Des musiciens jouent dans un coin. Ça n’a pas l’air triste. Une grande table est couverte d’offrandes.
Les crémations ne se font qu’en juillet et août car c’est à ce moment que les portes du paradis sont ouvertes. Ceux qui meurent un autre mois sont d’abord enterrés. Comme la crémation est très chère, on attend parfois plusieurs mois ou années pour la faire.
On va alors à Ujung où se trouve le palais d’été du dernier raja. Le jardin y est beaucoup plus grand que l’autre mais moins raffiné et mois élaboré.
Ces deux sites ont été fortement endommagés par l’éruption de 1963 et rénovés depuis.
Sur la plage d’Ujung, nous allons voir les « bateaux à tête de dragon ». Les bateaux sont très nombreux mais aucun n’a de tête de dragon et ils ne sont pas plus intéressants que ceux de la plage de l’hôtel.
On remonte alors par la petite route de la côte est qui ne manque pas de charme.
Retour à l’hôtel à 17h et baignade dans la piscine.
Dîner à « La Vie en rose », vraiment pas terrible.
Jour 20 : Amed
a.m. : - ascension du Mont Agung
- balade jusqu’à Bangel
- déjeuner à l’hôtel
p.m. : - piscine
- nuit à Amed
Notre fils est parti à minuit faire l’ascension du Mont Agung avec un guide : 2000 m de dénivelé pour atteindre le sommet à 3100 m en 3-4h ! Il revient à 11h, très content. C’était magnifique, tous les sommets des volcans jusqu’au Mérapi (à Java) et celui de Lombok étaient bien visibles, mais pas le Batur. Par contre, à cause de la mer de nuage, pas de vue sur la plaine. Il faisait très venteux au sommet. 3h15 de montée et 2h de descente très raide. Les chemins sont tout droits. A la fin de la montée, il fallait grimper sur des blocs.
En attendant son retour, nous avons fait une agréable balade jusqu’à Bangel, recommandée par Antoine. Elle part du carrefour où il y a le resto « Le Grill » et monte à droite du resto, d’abord sur du macadam, ensuite sur de la piste.
On traverse des petits villages, voit travailler des artisans, menuisiers, fabricants de bateaux de pêche. On découvre tous les stades de la barque depuis le tronc creusé.
Beaucoup de belles cultures en terrasses mais pas de riz.
Les vaches ou les chèvres sont toujours attachés à un arbre car rien n’est clôturé. Plus on monte, plus le paysage verdit. Il y a de nouveau des rizières.
On assiste aussi aux préparatifs d’un mariage. Les femmes sont regroupées pour tresser des offrandes, pendant que les hommes préparent la nourriture.
C’est toujours comme ça pour les cérémonies, paraît-il. Beaux paysages et gens aimables. Une très belle balade pour découvrir la vie dans la campagne.
Déjeuner à l’hôtel où, comme c’est le dernier jour, nous osons le club sandwich.
Après-midi carpette autour de la piscine … et dernier coucher de soleil.
Jour 21 : Amed – Denpasar – Singapour
a.m. : - route pour Denpasar
p.m. : - vol pour Singapour
- visite de Singapour
- vol vers Francfort
Départ en minibus pour Denpasar où nous avons un vol à 13h pour Singapour.
Durant le vol, on aperçoit des nombreux sommets de volcan dépassant les nuages.
Comme nous avons 8h d’attente pour le vol suivant, nous sortons de l’aéroport pour visiter cette étonnante ville de Singapour que nous ne connaissions pas, avec ses constructions futuristes, comme son espèce de paquebot au sommet d’une tour où nous allons prendre un verre sur la terrasse située sur le toit à côté d'un piscine à débordement.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, ... (J'ai attendu que le carnet soit bien terminé avant que de commencer à applaudir 😛)
Excellent
Faut dire qu'au début j'avais un peu les pieds de plombs à tenter de vous suivre dans un coin de Sumatra où je n'avais personnellement jamais mis les pieds; à savoir Bukit Lawang; j'aime pas trop la jungle, j'y flippe, il m'est arrivé une fois (on est entre Belges, non peut être !) de m'y aventurer, ça a duré 30 minutes mais ça devait être plus court car je n'arrivais pas à trouver la sortie 😛
Bref tout ça pour dire que j'ai bien apprécié depuis mon fauteuil vos pas glissants dans la gadoue mais aussi les photos (c'est surtout les photos de votre carnet qui m'ont bien accroché à la lecture des textes qui les accompagnaient) et surtout celles des Orangs Outans qui m'ont rappelé celles d'Henry Fuchs prises au Kalimantan et que je n'arrive plus à retrouver sur le net ni les autres photos de ce photographe berlinois 🤪 il me reste juste celle-ci :
Et ensuite lors de votre visite de Medan je pensais que vous auriez visité la Tjong A Fie Mansion ; ce sera pour une autre fois.
Une fois arrivés sur l'île de Samosir j'aurais espéré que vous auriez eu un jour de plus et surtout de meilleures conditions climatiques pour découvrir les nombreuses tombes insolites disséminées un peu partout sur l'île et qui furent la motivation première de mon second voyage à Sumatra. Voir mon album sur le sujet photos.google.com/...M2hVZVZnS2I1WW45ZUFR
Pour la suite je trouve que l'on va crescendo dans la qualité (à la fois le fond mais aussi la forme) des photos qui culmine à la fin par votre galerie de portraits; j'ai particulièrement apprécié le quatrième (Sumatra), ne s'agit-il pas d'un de ces gens (qui) viennent spécialement d’Australie pour ça. Cest portaits qui ne dénatureraient pas dans un autre de mes albums concocté l'année dernière en relation avec Europalia Indonésie : 100 Indonesians
Voilà mon propos après lecture et visionnage rapide; en espérant ne pas avoir trop phagocyté votre excellent post.
"Nous ne sommes plus une communauté d'être humains qui se parlent mais un conglomérat de grappes de consommateurs en niches, séparés les uns des autres par des obsessions diverses et innombrables. Nous sommes de l'ère de la désintégration." Marc Moulin (1942-2008) in Humoeurs
Je viens de me rendre compte que le lien concernant les tombes bataks de Samosir, dans mon message précédent, ne fonctionne pas (Google !!! 🏴☠️)
Voici donc un lien correct :
photos.google.com/...1QDyBZOuLTUCIfnV1IMy
"Nous ne sommes plus une communauté d'être humains qui se parlent mais un conglomérat de grappes de consommateurs en niches, séparés les uns des autres par des obsessions diverses et innombrables. Nous sommes de l'ère de la désintégration." Marc Moulin (1942-2008) in Humoeurs
Le second fonctionne mais il faut faire partie du club Google 🤪 c'est à dire avoir une adresse mail chez Gmail 🤪
Internet est la Tour de Babel du XXIème siècle. Au début de la construction tout va bien mais au fur et à mesure que cela se développe plus personne ne se comprend 😕
De plus Google est atteint de paranoïa. Voici ce qu'il m'ont écrit après que je me sois branché sur l'ordinateur de l'hôtel où j'étais descendu au Japon :
Alerte de sécurité critique concernant votre compte Google
Tentative de connexion bloquée pour votre compte Google
Un utilisateur vient de saisir votre mot de passe pour tenter de se connecter à votre compte. Nous l'avons bloqué
Bonne chance pour le visionnage 😉
"Nous ne sommes plus une communauté d'être humains qui se parlent mais un conglomérat de grappes de consommateurs en niches, séparés les uns des autres par des obsessions diverses et innombrables. Nous sommes de l'ère de la désintégration." Marc Moulin (1942-2008) in Humoeurs
Merci pour ce très intéressant récit de voyage.
Mon mari et moi sommes partis 9 semaines en Indonésie de janvier à mars 2018.
Nous avons visité Java, Bali, Gili Air, Lombok et Florès, toujours en totale indépendance. Depuis notre voyage certains lieux n'existent plus, notamment à Gili Air et à Lombok 😕
La description que vous faites de votre passage à Sumatra nous met l'eau à la bouche !
A Java, nous avons visité, comme tout le monde, ces merveilleux temples de Borobudur et Pranbanan.
Borobudur, j'en rêvais depuis l'exposition à Paris en 1978 ! Il suffit donc d'un peu de patiente...
Nous avons visité ces eux temples sur deux jours en empruntant les bus depuis Jakarta, à des prix totalement dérisoires et nous avons juste pris un guide à Borobudur (qui parlait français, ce qui est rare !).
Dans quinze jours nous repartons pour 9 semaines en Asie du Sud-Est pour approfondir nos coups de coeur en Thaïlande, Cambodge et Vietnam et en mai, ce sera un mois au Japon (j'ai hâte !).
Je vous souhaite d'autres très beaux voyages et de bonnes fêtes
Hé ! mais c'est la rage publicitaire que t'as chopé là-bas ? 😮
Quatre messages sur quatre posts différents pour des pillons grillés de poulet* qu'on veut faire passer pour du boeuf ! 😐
Ce qu'on peut reprocher aux Balinais c'est qu'ils ne soient pas végétariens comme leurs coreligionnaires de l'Inde. 🤪
* si c'avait été des cuisses de grenouilles (nombreuses et bruyantes la nuit dans les rizières en eau - d'où la présence de martin-pêcheur) on aurait eu droit au remake de la fable de La Fontaine, La Grenouille qui se veut faire aussi grosse que le bœuf
"Nous ne sommes plus une communauté d'être humains qui se parlent mais un conglomérat de grappes de consommateurs en niches, séparés les uns des autres par des obsessions diverses et innombrables. Nous sommes de l'ère de la désintégration." Marc Moulin (1942-2008) in Humoeurs
Rentré ce week-end, vous trouverez ci-dessous mon carnet de voyage sur ma vadrouille en Indonésie. Bonne lecture!!! Jour 1 - 10 août 2025 Nouvelle vie en cours…
Car voilà le drame: depuis Sumatra, je suis devenu exigeant. Je n'veux plus du gris-vert des mers du Nord. J'veux du turquoise, du limpide, du cristallin. Même…
Ce carnet a pour but d'aider les futurs voyageurs éventuels (du moins je l'espere), car on trouve très peu d'informations sur cette archipel éloigné (merci a…
D'habitude, je sévis plutôt dans la rubrique "Indonésie" de VF, où il y a beaucoup d'interrogations. Mais aujourd'hui, pour changer, je vais essayer de…
Disons-le tout de suite, d'entrée de jeu, j'ai été conquise par ce beau pays... quelle splendeur, quelle beauté, quelles merveilles, quelle diversité, quelles…
If I close my eyes and think of the Sultanate of Oman, I first smell a light scent of incense, feel the warmth of a sunbeam on my skin, before sand slips through my fingers. I taste the sweetness of a date, a real candy, then the flavor of coffee with a hint of cardamom and rosewater... I hear the desert wind whistling in my ears, the distant call of a muezzin, then the murmur of water. I open my eyes to see smiles, welcoming gestures, a turquoise sea, rocks ranging from ochre to purple, deep wadis where torrents burst forth, orange dunes, white sandy beaches where tiny crabs scurry at full speed. I see incredible oases emerging between arid mountains. I see abandoned villages that I’d dream were full of life, imposing fortresses overlooking valleys, and lively souks where offers are delicate and negotiation is a mutual courtesy.
All that, and so much more.
This is what I tried to capture in my illustrated travel journal, which I’ll fill in here and there with photos.
I drew this journal “cold,” after my return (actually, I made it this summer, while our trip was last winter). It’s a pretty special format—I bought it in Japan without really knowing what I’d do with it. Well, it found its purpose! Below is a photo of this accordion-style journal: here, it’s only partially open, because when fully unfolded, it’s 5 meters long!
For drawing enthusiasts: The accordion format is both a constraint (each sheet is 9 cm x 27 cm) and a freedom (you can create a fresco). The paper is also a bit special: it doesn’t allow for fine lines, but it takes ink well (liner pen). However, everything has to be done almost in one go (with a very light pencil sketch) because it erases poorly. It absorbs too much water for coloring with markers or watercolors (unless you avoid soaking it), but it works well with oil pastels and their use with a brush and solvent. Since it’s yellowish, it allowed me to create contrasts even with white pastel.
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Oman is one of the world’s largest producers of frankincense resin. Incense burners are everywhere, from the simplest clay ones to the most precious handcrafted silver ones...
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
After as many weeks as I have fingers on my right hand, we're hitting the road again, fully recovered from our pharaonic adventure. Back in France to drop off our daughters (sorry, girls!), this time it's just the two of us, ready to be welcomed by a new destination. They say it offers one of the richest cultural heritages in the world for those willing to put in the effort. It's the land of the ancient Silk Road, where we'll follow a journey steeped in history and discoveries straight out of *One Thousand and One Nights*. A former Soviet bloc region independent only since 1991, we'll be walking in the footsteps of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo...
Another fun fact about this country: it's strictly forbidden to import porn on your phone. True story. The same goes for painkillers! Unless it's about sodomy—though the two don’t seem connected, that’s just how it is. Don’t ask me why! Anyway, I’m getting off track. Here’s the big question: Where do you think we’ve just landed?... To give you a hint, the locals are known for being incredibly welcoming. No sooner said than done—our first taxi driver, proud to transport French travelers, refused to let us pay for the ride. Great vibes for these two weeks ahead. So, any guesses?
Uzbekistan!!!
"So, my little wanderers, back at the decks? What’s this mystery destination you’ve got in store for us at the start of the year?"
Yes, the schoolyard bell’s ringing again! We’re hitting the road... or rather, the skies! At first glance, our destination might surprise more than a few. First off, simply because I was here exactly twenty years ago, and I don’t usually like retracing my own footsteps. Secondly, because the name of this place screams mass tourism—basically the opposite of what Flo and I look for.
Despite that, in this land of backsheesh, I’d promised myself I’d come back one day to experience it my way. And since Flo told me, during our wanderer chats, that this destination straddling Africa and the Middle East was in her top 2 travel dreams, the stars aligned for this roots-style trip to quickly make it onto our pharaonic festivities program! Unless you’re totally clueless in general knowledge, you’ve probably guessed by now—we’re off to Egypt! Of course, a few classics will be on our itinerary, but above all, we want to soak up a culture that can’t be appreciated in four-star resorts or on a Nile cruise boat. And let’s be clear, these next two weeks won’t be a walk in the park—neither for our two daughters who are joining us, nor for our bodies!
And that’s clear from the get-go: after our first flight, eight hours of trying (and failing) to sleep on Milan airport’s metal seats, our second flight, landing, passport stamps, our Uber ride, and our first Cairo kilometers, we finally drop our exhaustion at the little guesthouse we booked in Giza. Doesn’t all that energy deserve a little reward?
Oh, absolutely! And here it is: a full-on slap in the face for everyone! But just look at this view from our hotel terrace? For 20 € a night for four, even with this incredible view, I figured the room must be pretty shabby, right? Nope... Is the staff rude, then? Nope... Okay, so what’s the catch? You’re gonna tell me breakfast is included too? Well, yes! Honestly, this Egypt trip is off to a great start.
And the rest of the afternoon, spent rubbing shoulders with locals, only confirmed this vibe. After digesting our pyramid view, we dove into the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood with the goal of exchanging money, eating at street stalls, and testing the hospitality of the locals. Ten out of ten!
Eight little sun breads with baba ganoush and falafel? 80 pounds, or 1.5 €. A dozen Middle Eastern pastries? Same! 80 pounds! Two hawawshis, those little pita breads stuffed with meat and spices? 10 pounds each, or about twenty cents! Not to mention all those smiles and free "welcomes" left and right!!!
What a welcome! We end this first day with a sunset over the three sisters of Giza—where we’ll obviously be gawking tomorrow...
"How about a Christmas market this year, huh? A little romantic weekend getaway...
- Yes! That’d be cool! Strasbourg? Colmar?
- Feels a bit déjà vu, doesn’t it? Plus, slim chance of snow there... And I’d love something a bit more exotic with a touch of originality..."
"Okay, Google, give me the list of the five most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe.
- In fifth place, the Christmas market in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
- Save your breath! Lithuania, here we come!"
We wanted cold, and cold is exactly what we got the moment we set foot in this new, unknown land. As for landscapes, forests and lakes stretch as far as the eye can see across this vast plain, its vegetation scorched by the frost of a winter that’s clearly already well underway here.
Lakes, in fact, set the scene for our first visit to Trakai Castle, whose brick-red towers and walls rise proudly against the azure sky of our first day. Lakes, because this castle was built on an island and is only accessible on foot via a series of walkways spanning half-frozen lake offshoots. I couldn’t have picked a better spot to build my castle! Translation: We’re totally sold! Proof is we spend two hours hiking around the area, alternating between forests, reeds, and cozy houses tastefully decorated for Christmas.
I’m sharing a little recap of this new 4-week trip to China—nothing fancy, just my experience.
We’re taking advantage of the extended visa exemption to return to China for the 4th time. I loved last summer’s trip so much that I’m a bit worried about being disappointed this year. Plus, I’ve had a few hiccups before this departure: my WeChat account got blocked, and I couldn’t recover it (luckily, Alipay still works fine); I couldn’t verify my 12306 account for weeks; Trip.com failed to book our second train; and I’ve got an injury that’ll slow me down during the trip... Ugh, I hate starting a trip with these kinds of issues. Then, oh surprise! Just before leaving, my 12306 account got verified! Super easy to use from that point on—I could book a few train tickets without fees.
We’re sticking with Free’s e-SIMs, which work great in China.
August 2–3
Anyway, on the morning of August 2nd, we took the RER to CDG. As usual, we couldn’t check in online. It’s always a bit frustrating, especially since we didn’t have any checked luggage. We flew with Air China. We arrived at the check-in counter at 9:50 AM, 2 hours and 40 minutes before the flight. The line for our check-in stretched 300 meters across the airport in both directions. What a joke!! We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes in that line just to reach the counter and get our boarding passes. By then, it was 11:35 AM, and boarding had already started at 11:20 AM. The screens showed a 25-minute walk to our gate—on the other side of the airport, of course—plus we had to go through passport control and security... Long story short, the plane didn’t leave without us 🙂 We boarded among the last passengers, and we took off at 12:30 PM. We’d flown Air China four times before, but this time, it felt *really* low-cost. The check-in chaos, the cramped seats (12 seats per row), no music by artists known outside China, mediocre food, and a boarding area at Beijing Airport with only 10 seats—worthy of Ryanair or EasyJet. And yet, the price was sky-high. Again, D.’s vacation requests were denied outside of July and August, so we’re traveling from August 2nd to 30th. We couldn’t have picked a worse time for inflated prices, and with the situation in Iran, we got hit with a 390 € fuel surcharge. I’ve never paid so much for flights—I felt like I’d bought business class, but nope, far from it!!
We landed in Beijing around 4:15 AM. It was 28°C with thick fog. We drove and drove and drove for 20 minutes, as usual in Beijing. Then we went through a first check, a second check, a third check, and waited for our connecting flight at 6:40 AM. A small Airbus A320, but way more space than in the Boeing 777 from the first flight. We landed in Kunming, Yunnan, around 10:15 AM in the rain.
We headed to the subway. You can’t pay at the machines with Alipay here either, so we set up the transport QR code directly in Alipay to scan at the subway gates. The process is a bit long the first time if you haven’t entered your info before, but once it’s done, it’s *so* much easier! We took Line 6 to the terminus for 6 yuan each.
We’d booked a hotel nearby, on the 16th floor. It’s actually studios on different floors of a huge residential building. The view’s pretty nice from here. We settled in quickly—back to those wooden beds, or rather, mattresses as hard as wood, which we *hadn’t* missed...
Then we went out for our first bowl of noodles of the trip and wandered through the shopping streets of the old town.
It was crowded, and the weather was cool—around 19–20°C. We tried a local specialty: milk skin, thick, dried, then grilled with rose jam. Yeah... we won’t be having that again. The taste and texture of the milk skin... no thanks.
We saw a lot of wild mushroom hotpot too. It’s on our list for later. We also passed through the Jinma and Biji gates, where I played with reflections in puddles. I *love* doing that 🙂
At the end of the day, we headed to a temple advertised as open 24/7 on Amap. Of course, when we got there, it was closed. We’ll go back tomorrow. That was the first of many disappointments with Amap this trip—I hadn’t had that issue on previous visits.
We were exhausted after that sleepless flight. Night was falling, and we decided to grab a quick bite without much appetite. We shared a delicious vegetable fried rice for 12 yuan—we even left half of it. The portions are *huge*.
After a couple of small purchases, we headed back at 9 PM, wiped out, after walking 17 km between the airports and these first steps in Kunming. I expected to see quite a few Western travelers here, but we didn’t spot a single one. Instead, we met lots of curious Chinese people, many of them super friendly and helpful—almost *too* eager, like when they’d run to serve us as fast as possible. It’s a bit much, but it’s great to be back!
Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe).
In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko.
I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip.
Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest.
The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days.
As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.
Transportation:
An ICOCA card is essential.
I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.
Accommodations:
Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.
Meals:
For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés.
For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima.
Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima.
A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto.
Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi).
Tempura and gyoza.
Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal.
One omakase meal (9 different dishes).
In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef.
Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Brussels
Day 2: Arrival in Osaka
Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki
Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi
Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima
Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade
Day 8: To Miyajima
Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto
Day 10: Southern Kyoto
Day 11: Northern Kyoto
Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa
Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago)
Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima)
Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto
Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko)
Day 17: To Tokyo
Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura
Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong
Day 20: Arrival in Brussels
This time, I landed in Monastir on a direct flight from Nice, again with Tunisair. We left about ten minutes late, and the flight lasted around 1 hour 30 minutes. A meal was served on board (cucumber salad with Edam-like cheese, carrots, and two small portions of dishes I couldn’t identify—semolina with peppers, olives, and parsley, two small rolls, a square of processed cheese, and a chocolate cake). It’s worth noting because it’s not common on flights this short.
In February, France and Tunisia were in the same time zone, but now Tunisia is one hour behind. This time difference and the flight duration work perfectly for a short 15-day trip since it takes me a few days to adjust to jet lag.
Luckily, I’d asked my hotel about the taxi fare from the airport because the drivers (there were several around me) didn’t hesitate to quote outrageous prices. The actual fare is 20 dinars, but one asked for 120 dinars. I refused, and another offered 60 dinars. I replied, "That’s too expensive—I’ll take the metro!" (Having tried the Tunis metro, I had no desire to repeat the experience in Monastir with a suitcase!). I started walking toward the metro, and one of the drivers caught up with me, saying, "20 dinars is fine!" I’ll skip the details, but the negotiation took a little while.
When I arrived at the hotel, I told the receptionist someone had asked for 120 dinars. He put his hands to his head and said, "They’re awful!" He remembered our phone call two days earlier when I’d booked (he’s the one who told me I could take the metro).
The Mezri Hotel isn’t expensive. I got a sea-view room for 75 dinars (22 €). (I’d booked a balcony room for 90 dinars but wouldn’t have had time to enjoy it.) It’s well-located but noisy because there’s no double glazing.
The receptionist is a very kind older gentleman. He called a friend whose wife is from Tozeur to find out if I should take a bus or a *louage* tomorrow and what time.
I arrived at the hotel around 7:00 PM and had time to stroll along the corniche to the ribat. Despite some run-down buildings, the seaside seemed livelier and cheerier than Sousse’s.
Monastir is the hometown of former president Bourguiba. I passed his mausoleum by taxi. There are Tunisian flags along the avenue by the sea because every year on April 6—the anniversary of Habib Bourguiba’s death—the president of the Republic visits the Bourguiba Mausoleum in Monastir to pay respects.
The taxi driver mentioned other Tunisian presidents. He complained about rising prices and insecurity, blaming President Kaïs Saïed (I’d already heard that security was better under Ben Ali).
At the end of my stay, I’ll take time to explore Monastir, but tomorrow morning, I’m off to Tozeur—a long bus ride awaits me.
With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo.
But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip.
And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.
So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays:
- 3 nights in St Lucia
- 1 night in Hluhluwe
- 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini)
- 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini)
- 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti)
- 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve
- 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie
All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.
I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).
To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.
Hi everyone, we're back from a DIY USA road trip we organized from July 31, 2026, to August 26, 2026.
The destination: The Southwest USA, including Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. Roughly 7,000 kilometers covered.
The car: A Chevrolet Equinox for two, rented through BSP Auto and Avis. Inside, we had 2 suitcases, a travel bag, two carry-on bags, a Walmart cooler, photo gear, and water bottles (a 40-pack).
The route: Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo, and back to Dallas to finish with a departure from DFW.
The travelers: Two seniors well advanced in years (73 and 75) but still active (nothing too physically demanding—to stay alive and fund our trips), fully independent physically, though a bit less so mentally. Big USA fans, a country where anything is possible. More walkers than hikers, preferring 3-star hotels over roadside motels, Italian restaurants over US food, frequent stops for photos, museums over nothing, naps over forced marches. Not too whiny, just enough to stay French in the land of the "great Satan," as they say.
Not great with languages—street English (but handy), and my Spanish is non-existent except for: "Hola! Una cerveza por favor!" That’s about it. My wife understands everything but refuses to speak.
The cost of the road trip: Around 12,000 €, including AF flights, the car, gas, gifts, visits, and everything else. Well managed, since we’d budgeted 13,500 € initially.
The positive side: A delight, with those endless open roads. Museums to discover. The realization of the Hispanic presence and its important history in this part of America. Lovely locals. Tourists who were more or less friendly. A terrible Texan accent that was hard to understand. Gas stations that were like real stores, with prepared food, alcohol sold in Arizona and New Mexico, and employees who were always up for a laugh!
The negative side: The heat throughout the trip... 43°C in Dallas at the end. Impossible to walk the streets. Lots of homeless people in downtown Dallas. Hotel breakfasts that were always the same. You get used to it.
So, it was positive overall, but the concept is starting to wear us out. We might rethink the DIY road trip model for next time. If the man upstairs grants us more time.
Next up, we’ll wait for the first batch of sorted photos to go through the wringer.
Here we go!!!
I left home at 4 AM on October 31st and headed to Barcelona. Driving through Barcelona on the ring road stresses me out a bit, but at 6 AM the traffic is smooth, and I arrive at the airport without any issues. I call the valet, who quickly comes to pick up my car. He takes photos of it from all angles before letting me go.
Baggage check-in hasn’t started yet, and there are already several of us waiting.
Once free, everything happens very quickly. The flight to Abu Dhabi is on time and goes smoothly. I’ve never had any problems with this airline, which I’ve been using for several years.
The flight to Bangkok arrives at 7 AM as scheduled. This is my first time in Thailand and Bangkok. I’m used to traveling in India, and I notice that everything here is well organized—the customs process is quick, and the luggage is already on the carousel.
I booked a taxi on Booking. All I have to do is find the right exit and door based on the agency’s instructions. A large sign with the names of people who booked is posted on a wall. A hostess greets me and calls the taxi, which arrives 5 minutes later. I booked one night at the Lost Inn BKK hotel in the Phra Nakhon district, and we arrive at 9 AM. The welcome isn’t warm, and I have to wait until noon, sitting on a chair, before I can check into my room. I’m exhausted, and sleeping sitting up isn’t ideal. Noon finally arrives—the room is small but clean, which is fine for one night. I quickly take a shower to wake up because I plan to spend the afternoon visiting the Grand Palace. First, I need to exchange some money, and the banks are all close together on the same street, which is very convenient. When I enter one, a hostess gives me a ticket and invites me to sit down. There are about twenty counters, and I wait quietly until my number is called. The exchange is quick, so I can head out to find the Royal Palace. It’s actually very easy, and the walk is pleasant.
Entry to the Royal Palace (500 baht).
It’s magnificent and grand, and there are quite a few of us visiting. The sky is gray, it’s very humid, and a shower interrupts the visit. It’s a vast complex of temples and palaces. The buildings are colorful and sparkling, with a great sense of serenity (without the tourists, of course). I quietly enjoy the place and try to take photos without tourists, which isn’t easy.
Very close to the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the capital.
It’s very famous for its 46-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.
Walking around the temple, you can see different representations of Buddha, all covered in gold leaf.
Inside the temple, on one side, monks recite their prayers, while the other side is reserved for tourists who come to meditate in silence.
Before returning to the hotel, I have dinner at an Indian restaurant. I go to bed early because tomorrow’s wake-up call will be very early again.
Saturday, November 2nd
Wake-up at 4 AM, departure from the hotel at 4:30 AM. The taxi I booked via Booking is waiting for me and takes me to the airport. The trip is fairly quick—he takes small roads, and at this hour, there’s no traffic.
The flight to Phnom Penh is on time. Before boarding, I realize I left my fleece jacket on the carousel, but it’s too late to go back for it.
The flight goes well, and customs is quick.
At the exit, I take a tuk-tuk to Julieka’s GH near the museum. The welcome is friendly. I won’t be able to check into my room until noon, so I take the opportunity to exchange some euros on the market street. The street is lined with restaurants, and I’ll have my first meal there.
The museum is right across the street, so I don’t waste any time visiting it.
The representations of Hindu deities are very different from those in India, and I don’t recognize them. Many beautiful Buddhas are on display.
The museum is very pleasant, and there aren’t too many people, which is a plus.
At the exit, I return to the GH, settle into my room—which is decent and clean.
The Royal Palace is 1 km away. I walk along a garden, and at the end of the street is the Tonlé Sap, but I turn right. I arrive at a large esplanade and see the buildings with tiered roofs and glazed tiles. The entrance to the palace is a little further away.
At the entrance, I notice there isn’t the same crowd as at the one in BKK.
Khmer architecture is magnificent. The complex consists of gardens, palaces, pagodas with golden roofs, and slender spires.
The Silver Pagoda houses the small Emerald Buddha, which is actually made of jade. The silver flooring is covered with carpets. Photos are not allowed.
The walls surrounding the pagoda are covered with frescoes depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
My partner and I traveled from Sunday, July 5, 2026, to Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
We spent a long time debating whether to rent a car or use public transportation. In the end, after reading so many posts about travelers getting scammed by police or rental companies—even those recommended by blogs and reviews—we decided to stick with public transport. It worked out really well. Sure, we had a little less freedom to go where we wanted, but it was way less stressful for us.
Sunday, July 5:
Arrived at Cancun Airport. Withdrew cash from the ATM in the terminal just before exiting. The ADO bus counter (they pronounce it "A-Jee-O") is right behind you when you're facing the ATM. Bus to downtown Cancun cost 145 pesos per person.
Stayed at "Rose 5," booked on Booking. The studio was super clean and perfect for one night. The owner’s instructions for accessing the place were very precise, with photos included. Check-in was self-service with a code. The ADO bus terminal isn’t far, and there are shops and restaurants nearby. We really appreciated that the AC was already on when we arrived. By the way, I’d recommend always booking places with AC—it’s *really* hot in Mexico.
Monday, July 6:
Bought a SIM card with data from a TELCEL store. My partner, who’s on Free Mobile, was able to use her regular plan. Just so you know, I found the network pretty unstable. As soon as we left the cities, neither of us—me with TELCEL or her with Free—had any signal.
Another thing to watch out for: roaming charges. I had to turn my SIM back on for less than 30 seconds to get a bank SMS code, and my phone apparently connected to the internet—resulting in an 8-euro roaming fee.
Left on an ADO bus to Chiquila for 278 pesos per person. During our trip, ADO buses were always on time, comfortable, and clean. The AC is *cranked* though, so bring something to cover up with—it gets cold. Some routes were fully booked even in the low season, so try to reserve 1 or 2 days in advance either via the app (when it works) or at the counter.
When we arrived at the ADO terminal in Chiquila, the ferry company counters were right next to it. Ferries leave every 30 minutes, alternating between companies, so no need to book ahead. Just take whichever one is leaving next (330 pesos per person).
When we got to Holbox (pronounced "Hol-bosh"), we’d booked a place via Booking called "Casa de Nana." It was a huge studio with a fridge, cooking plate, and utensils. The best part? The *location*. It was 100 meters from the beach and 200 meters from a Chedraui supermarket. They provided bath towels and beach towels, and the AC worked perfectly. There’s a key box so you can leave your keys inside when you go out. The only downside was that no one was there to let us in when we arrived, so we had to wait a while. The Wi-Fi was good, which was lucky because during our 4-day stay in Holbox, the phone network *never* worked. According to locals, that’s pretty common in Holbox, along with water outages.
Luckily, I’d had the good idea to download an offline map, which helped us find our way back to the place more easily. You can walk there from the dock.
The restaurant next to our place (La Barracuda) was great if you like seafood—I’d recommend their octopus dishes.
Tuesday, July 7:
We did a kayak tour in Holbox’s mangroves at 6 AM. We were looking for a sunrise kayak tour with a French-speaking guide. That’s exactly what we got with "Kayaking Holbox," where Diego, the owner, speaks English and French. He was joined by Gustavo, another guide.
We’d booked for a group tour, but we were the only ones. Diego still went ahead with it instead of canceling due to lack of participants, so we got a private tour at the group rate—really professional of him. They showed us this amazing ecosystem for over 3 hours. We saw all kinds of birds: pink flamingos, pelicans, egrets, frigatebirds... rays, a horseshoe crab, and a little crocodile that was *so* well hidden. Diego and Gustavo have a real eye for spotting animals—I could’ve passed by the crocodile 100 times and never seen it, it blended in so well. Their explanations about the flora and fauna were super interesting. We also got a little break where we tasted mangoes and bananas that taste *nothing* like the ones in France. A real treat—those little Mexican yellow mangoes! I’d definitely recommend Diego and his agency for a French-language kayak tour (1000 pesos per person).
In the evening, we walked to Punta Coco to see the bioluminescence. No need for a guided tour—if you really don’t want to walk, you can take a taxi. At Punta Coco, you have to pass the beach bar/restaurant and then go left into a kind of inlet that forms a lagoon. You have to wiggle your feet or move your hands in the water to create movement, which makes the light appear. Just don’t expect the kind of photos you’ve seen online—they’re all edited! It’s fun to see, but you won’t be dazzled by the light...
Wednesday, July 8:
Whale shark tour with "My Holbox Tours." Why recommend this agency over others for swimming with whale sharks? Simply because Valérie surrounds herself with top professionals to make your experience unforgettable. We were with Captain Fernando, who does everything to position the boat perfectly and make your swim easier. In the water, we were with Humberto, who also goes above and beyond to make sure you have an incredible time. He doesn’t just "supervise" like some guides from other companies who leave you on your own. No, Humberto reads the whale shark’s trajectory and guides you—all you have to do is follow him. He really puts in the effort, even holding your hand to guide you through this quick but intense encounter. Humberto also films the moment and will offer to show you the videos and sell them to you. His footage is really high quality.
Fernando and Humberto also prepared food for us. Special mention for their guacamole! Valérie is there to make sure everything goes smoothly on the boat and to answer your questions in French, English, or Spanish about these animals. If you choose My Holbox Tours, you can be sure you’ll get a top-notch experience.
About the tour itself: before you go, you should know that the sharks can be *really* far away. The day we went, it took 3.5 hours by boat to reach them. The boats are small, and let me tell you—on the way there, when we weren’t going with the waves, it was *rough*. Out of 9 passengers, 4 got seasick. But once you’re face-to-face with the shark, you forget all about that. Even if swimming with a whale shark isn’t exactly a walk in the park—they swim pretty fast, so you need some endurance to keep up. You’ll usually get 2 turns. Our first swim lasted a little over 4 minutes, and the second about 2 minutes because the shark was moving fast and we were still tired from the first swim. It might seem short, but when you’re swimming, it feels *long*. Either way, it’s an experience you *have* to do—but choose your company wisely. On the way back, there’s a stop at Cabo Catoche. Honestly, the snorkeling is pretty disappointing if you’ve done it elsewhere in the world. But the lunch stop at Cabo Catoche is really nice for relaxing (white sand and hammocks).
Thursday, July 9:
Short morning walk to Punta Mosquito at 6 AM. Really nice.
Ferry to Chiquila (330 pesos per person) + ADO bus to Valladolid (300 pesos per person).
In Valladolid, we booked "Casa Lucia" via Booking. The hotel is gorgeous, with a colonial style, and very close to the ADO bus terminal and downtown. It’s super quiet and clean. There’s a shared kitchen you can use with a fridge, microwave, and water dispenser, plus a big table by the pool and a nice indoor terrace. Breakfast was simple but included. The only small downsides were the tiny room and bathroom, no mirror in the room, and a noisy fan.
Friday, July 10:
Not far from the ADO bus terminal is the colectivo station for Chichen Itza. They offer a round-trip to Chichen Itza with an option to stop at Ik Kil cenote on the way back and then drop you off in Valladolid for 370 pesos per person (Ik Kil entrance included).
For the Chichen Itza visit, we’d booked a tour with a guide often mentioned in groups—his name is Juan Pat. He’s a Maya who lives near the site and speaks excellent French. He reserves spots in advance for you and queues up to be the first on-site. It cost 500 pesos per person + entrance fees. His tour lasts 2 hours and focuses mainly on the main pyramid and the ball court. He’s passionate and fascinating, even if some of his claims, as a Maya, might be a little biased. I think it’s *really* important to have a guide—otherwise, you’ll miss so much. You can contact Juan Pat on WhatsApp at +52 985 121 2381.
Afterward, we went to Ik Kil cenote (showers and life jackets mandatory, lockers available). It’s *very* crowded, but still really beautiful with its lush vegetation.
Saturday, July 11:
Since we didn’t have a car but still wanted to visit other cenotes that seemed hard to reach by public transport, we decided to book a taxi for the day. We agreed on 1200 pesos to take us to 3 different cenotes and wait for us at each one. (To find taxis, just look where they park near the ADO bus station.)
He picked us up at Zaci cenote, which we’d walked to. We got there at opening time and were the first ones there—had the place to ourselves for a while! 150 pesos per person. A pretty cenote in the city center with lush vegetation. It’s a bit like Ik Kil but without the deep cylindrical effect.
Cenote Xcanahaltun: the most beautiful cenote we visited. Entry 250 pesos per person. It’s a closed cenote with a hole that lets light in—a cave-like setting. You can kayak inside. There are little fish at the edge that nibble dead skin off your feet. Since it’s closed, the water is *freezing*!
Cenote Palomitas: entry 250 pesos per person. Another stunning closed cenote, even more enclosed than Xcanahaltun. The hole in the ceiling is smaller, so it was pretty dark when we arrived—kind of an eerie vibe. But when the staff turned on the lights, it looked like a "Gothic cathedral" full of bright stalactites.
Cenote Sac Aua: entry 290 pesos per person. The ticket includes a guided cave tour (tip-based). This cenote is really unique with its central island and way less crowded than Suytun. Just so you know, the water is *really* cold in cenotes. In these three, in July, we had the place to ourselves for a while and never saw more than 2 families at once—so peaceful!
Sunday, July 12:
ADO bus to Bacalar (536 pesos per person).
In Bacalar, we stayed via Airbnb with a host named Luli, who offers several rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen.
The room is nicely decorated in a pleasant setting. It’s ideally located near the lagoon and downtown. The shared kitchen is handy. The mosquito net over the bed is useful because there are *a lot* of mosquitoes in Bacalar. Luli provides a water jug, which is really nice. The only big downside is the lack of water pressure in the shower—we had to rinse off by filling a bucket. Also, there’s no real door separating the room from the bathroom. We never met Luli in person, but she was very responsive via messages. The terrace in the middle of the vegetation is lovely.
From the ADO terminal to the place, we took a taxi for 40 pesos. Since this driver was honest about the price (we’d checked beforehand), we decided to use him every time we needed a taxi in Bacalar. Here’s his WhatsApp: +52 983 184 3585.
Monday, July 13:
We did a boat tour on the lagoon with "Bacalar Francophone Activities." Since we were just the two of us, it cost 3500 pesos. If we’d managed to be 4 people, it would’ve been 1000 pesos per person.
We had a private 4-hour tour on the lagoon with Steeve and his very comfortable boat. He’s from Quebec, so his French is perfect. During those 4 hours, Steeve showed us the lagoon’s iconic spots *and* places other boats don’t go. He told us about the lagoon’s history and gave great tips on where to go and where to eat. As a little bonus, he gave us a video taken with his drone during our swimming break.
Tuesday, July 14:
We went to Los Rapidos by taxi (400 pesos round trip) and entry was 225 pesos per person. It’s *very* touristy but really beautiful. You can eat there (expensive), relax, and go down the "rapids" as many times as you want. It’s worth it if you spend a few hours there. You can’t bring in food or drinks—you leave them at the entrance and pick them up on the way out.
Wednesday, July 15:
On Wednesdays, navigation is banned on Bacalar Lagoon, so we’d planned another excursion.
Visit to Calakmul from Bacalar with ABCtours (WhatsApp +52 983 319 8359).
This agency organized a trip from Bacalar to Calakmul with a French-speaking guide. Communication beforehand via WhatsApp was smooth. Mr. Checo, the driver, and Fernando, the guide (who spoke great French), picked us up on the day. Mr. Checo drove very carefully on the long road and always made sure we were comfortable. Fernando is passionate about flora and fauna—he’s a biologist with a degree in ornithology, so he knows *everything* about animals. The slightest sound or song, and he knows what it is. He’s got an eye for spotting them, from the biggest to the smallest.
During the trip, we stopped at km 27 for a short forest walk, then went to see the two main pyramids on the site. On the way back, we stopped at the bat cave for the magical spectacle of millions of bats flying out at dusk. In the end, we saw or glimpsed (some briefly) spider monkeys, howler monkeys, a toucan, 2 tapirs, turkeys, 2 deer, and lots of birds. If, like us, you’re more into flora and fauna than archaeology, I’d *highly* recommend this agency and tour with Fernando.
It’s not cheap, but the road between Bacalar and the site is *long* (3.5 hours). Price: 3900 pesos per person for 2 (3500 for 3, 3200 for 4).
Thursday, July 16:
ADO bus to Playa del Carmen (614 pesos per person).
In Playa del Carmen, we stayed in an Airbnb. The building is on the town hall square, next to the casino.
The best thing about this place is the *location*—super close to Fifth Avenue (La Quinta). The kitchen is pretty basic, but the fridge works well. There are supermarkets nearby. The rooftop pool is really nice. The two big downsides, though, are the soundproofing (you can *hear* the neighbor’s alarm and all the events on the square) and the *total* lack of water pressure in the shower. We had to fill a trash can with water to pour over ourselves. When we told the owner, he said it wasn’t normal and someone would come fix it, but we never heard back. Based on previous reviews, this seems to be a known issue that never gets resolved.
Playa del Carmen is *very* touristy on Fifth Avenue, but in a fun, musical vibe—we never felt unsafe. There are *tons* of little souvenir shops for tourists on this street. There’s a beautiful monumental sculpture on the beach (the two figures meeting in the air), next to which you can see the Voladores show (men climbing a pole, tying themselves with ropes, and descending headfirst while "flying" around the pole). The show is tip-based and happens several times a day. In our opinion, Calle 38 is prettier than Fifth Avenue—it’s lush, green, and quieter, with the sea at the end. Great for an early evening stroll. We had really good meals at great prices at "El Tio Noy" tacos, just a few meters from Fifth Avenue in a side street.
For souvenirs, we’d recommend going to Walmart instead of Fifth Avenue—you’ll find skulls, tequila, mezcal, keychains, mugs, glasses... at good, fixed prices.
Friday, July 17:
We did the excursion to Isla Contoy. Isla Contoy is an uninhabited, highly protected island. Only 200 people are allowed to land per day on a rotating basis, so only a few companies have permission to dock there. Most agencies subcontract the day to a third-party company.
We booked through VRM (Viviendo Riviera Maya), but it was Ocean Tours Mexico that handled the tour. Contoy is a little paradise. We were accompanied by multilingual guides, including French speakers, throughout the day. Steffy gave us info about the island during a short walk on the marked trails, and Leño Tlatemoa kept the mood up on the boat rides with music and dancing. Isla Contoy is *truly* stunning, and the lunch was delicious: grilled fish and chicken, guacamole and tortilla chips, rice, fruit, drinks (everything is brought and taken back by the guides). The snorkeling part was pretty disappointing if you’ve done it in Cozumel, though. The stop at Isla Mujeres isn’t very interesting either—it’s too short to explore, and the island is *extremely* touristy. Still, the excursion was very well organized, and we had a great day (2970 pesos per person).
Saturday, July 18:
We wanted to go snorkeling in Cozumel but thought the prices from French-speaking agencies were too high. Plus, for snorkeling, we figured we didn’t *need* a French-speaking guide.
So we found a much cheaper solution by taking the ferry from Playa del Carmen ourselves and choosing an agency in Playa. The round-trip ferry cost 663.50 pesos per person. Then we took a taxi to the snorkeling boat (100 pesos). The agency we chose is called Mystic Snorkel—they don’t have a physical office. The tour cost 1400 pesos per person. It was a small boat, but that day we were the only ones, so we got a private tour at the group rate. We stopped at 4 different sites, all very different and beautiful. We saw all kinds of fish, corals, a nurse shark, and turtles. El Cielo, with its huge starfish, is *exceptional*. If you’re going snorkeling in the Yucatan Peninsula, this is *the* tour to do—the other sites are pretty "poor" in comparison.
Sunday, July 19:
Morning dive with Triton Diving. I chose the Cozumel dive option. Great experience.
Booking via WhatsApp was easy. On the day of the dive, Selene, who speaks French, was our guide. She’s *very* attentive to the group’s safety. The briefings are clear and precise. In Cozumel, we did 2 very different sites: the first was a drift dive with lots of life—beautiful corals and fish. The second was a wreck, the C53, a 56-meter boat you can enter. Not much marine life, but a beautiful wreck intentionally sunk for divers—still in great condition. An unforgettable moment. Selene even took videos during the dive, which the club sends you for free afterward. I’d *highly* recommend this club.
Just so you know, in Playa del Carmen, the beaches were full of sargassum during our stay, despite barriers and daily cleanup. Locals told us the problem is getting worse and the sargassum is arriving earlier in the season. Tourism has taken a *big* hit this summer, and they’re wondering if tourism can even survive the sargassum season anymore. A lot of tourists are heading to the islands—Isla Mujeres and Cozumel—to enjoy the beaches, as the west side of those islands is sargassum-free.
Monday, July 20:
Colectivo to Puerto Morelos. First, a colectivo toward Cancun that drops you off between Puerto Morelos town and Puerto Morelos beach (40 pesos per person), then another from that junction to the beach (10 pesos per person).
In Puerto Morelos, we’d booked a room via Airbnb at "Piedra del Caribe." *Best* place we stayed in Mexico. It’s an aparthotel. Our room was ready before check-in, so they let us in early. The place matched the description—spacious, with a comfortable king-size bed. The shower had *great* pressure, which isn’t a given in Mexico. The staff was super friendly and welcoming. They let us use the pool, restrooms, and rooftop shower after check-out while we waited for our ride to Cancun Airport. They even kept our luggage. I *highly* recommend this place.
In Puerto Morelos, there was *way* less sargassum than in Playa del Carmen—it was actually swimmable.
We did the snorkeling tour with the fishermen’s cooperative for 450 pesos per person for 2 hours. The reef is close to the beach (you’re not allowed to swim there), so the boat ride is short. It’s not as pretty as Cozumel, but it’s nice and affordable. On Puerto Morelos’s page, you can also access a small, not-very-well-preserved reef. There’s also a cenote in the sea where fresh water mixes with saltwater—the water is murky there. We had a great dinner and excellent cocktails at "La Choza del Puerto."
Tuesday, July 21:
Wandered around Puerto Morelos (check out the church and read everything—it’s entertaining!), relaxed by the hotel pool, and left for Cancun Airport by taxi (400 pesos) booked via InDrive to head back to France.
Our highlights:
- Holbox
- The whale shark tour
- The cenotes
- The local flora and fauna (so present!)
- Isla Contoy
- Cabo Catoche (except for the snorkeling)
What we liked least:
- The bioluminescence (barely visible despite good conditions)
- The food—we found it not very diverse in taquerias
- The constant tipping
- The lack of water pressure in showers (fixed, wall-mounted, no hose or showerhead)
Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions while it’s still fresh in our minds.
Traveling with just one spare pair of underwear, considering a hot shower a miracle, never staying in the same place too long by sleeping wherever night catches us, taking whatever local, improbable, and rickety transport we can find—this is the DNA of us wanderers. Except this time, the script for our movie is going to be a whole different genre. On paper, the destination doesn’t exactly scream epic adventure: Réunion! And what’s more... we won’t be two, or four, or even ten. We’ll be a solid thirty. All from the same family. Yes, thirty. At this point, it’s not just a trip—it’s a summer camp on the move! Why inflict this on such a peaceful island? Because my brother decided to get married there with his lovely bride. A great idea, you might say... especially when it involves relocating the equivalent of a small Ardennes village 10,000 kilometers from home for three weeks! So who’s stepping up to be the guide and wave the little flag?
So, for an exceptional trip, exceptional stories! Don’t worry, the debates at the supermarket over whether to choose plain chips or roast chicken chips, the beach picnics washed down with ti’ punch, and other rougail sausages to digest by the pool will only make it into the family archives. Here, I’ll stick to the tales of our beautiful escapes, the ones where we explore the wild corners of this little volcanic rock planted in the middle of the Indian Ocean. So where exactly are we headed?
For the first week—the subject of this first installment—we’re taking it easy. We’ll start by rediscovering the coastline, from the Souffleur in Saint-Leu to the Hermitage lagoon, before a little trip to the Cirque de Cilaos and its legendary road with 400 turns, just to get our legs warmed up.
This travel journal is therefore intended solely for my photos, to present a consistent style.
All the shots were taken with a simple Samsung Galaxy smartphone and with whatever was at hand.
All stays combined, I’ve spent the equivalent of three years at most in Thailand, and I’m not a big expert on the country.
However, after many trips, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, and conversations with many locals as well as expats, my view of the country is becoming clearer, though it’s constantly evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.
I guess I wanted to piece together a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who miss it.
I don’t know if this minimalist sharing will interest anyone, but it’ll do me good to put it together. After so many months without traveling and then these other long months with VF closed, there’s plenty of material available.
There’ll be a mix of places, periods, and subjects, but it might well be intentional.
I suspect many Thais have dogs because they make excellent guards for the home. Nothing better to deter burglars or to signal the presence of a snake. You’ll often see Thais tapping the top of their dog’s head, but don’t be fooled: it’s a sign of affection from them. Judging by the dogs’ reactions, they’re used to it.
Thailand is one of the countries on the planet where rabies is still present, so keep that in mind. It’s not just bites that can be dangerous, so don’t let just any dog lick you. Especially on a wound, of course.
Even though dogs often fear humans—this dangerous and unpredictable predator—we still need to stay cautious.
Be careful when walking into alleys because the dog will defend its master’s big property, be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t really made for walking around, and dogs are one of the reasons.
That said, it’s not uncommon to see them chasing bikes or scooters. Cars, though, are much rarer—they’re too big.
It seems Thais prefer to give their dogs freedom by not locking them behind gates. Though sometimes the gate is closed, the little side door is wide open. Oh, and sometimes there’s no gate in front of the property, or it’s been broken for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the side of the road, sometimes right on the road. When you arrive, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, which reminds visitors not to drive too fast. As a result, you’ll notice that dogs with injuries or missing legs aren’t that rare.
Since they believe in reincarnation and respect for all forms of life, they don’t chase dog packs away too much, and they don’t sterilize them enough. Seeing a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you might think it’s best not to cross paths with them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at temples on the brink of death, enduring terrible suffering. No one did anything about it. The image (and the smell) of one of them, dying and emitting the stench of death, still comes back to me sometimes.
Some of you may have seen the YouTube vlog of a French woman living in Phuket who was given a little pig by her Thai friends. The well-fed animal quickly became a happy, enormous beast with its own garden. Yet, it didn’t take long for it to fall seriously ill and become incurable. In her video, the French woman described how difficult it was to find a vet willing to perform euthanasia.
You’ll often see bowls by the side of the road. Thais leave food and water in them for stray cats and dogs. Overall, they have a big heart for animals.
If you ever pop into a shopping mall, you might see people pushing their small dogs in strollers. It’s not a gimmick—it’s just that these strollers are provided for customers to put their pets in, otherwise you can’t bring them inside. It looks a bit odd when you expect to see a baby.
It was winter, a winter with beautiful weather,
A season that only exists in the southwest of America,
I remember very well what I told you that morning
A month ago... A century ago, an eternity ago...
We’ll go... wherever you want, whenever you want...
Well, yeah, back from our adventure in our enchanting American West just a month ago, we’re already taking a bite out of one of its lesser-known competitors. "Flo, if you had to pick just one reason to justify your love for the U.S., what would it be?" The greasy, dripping burgers? No, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying it’d be the wide-open spaces... And that’s exactly what our new quest is taking us to—a land on the other side of the globe where the horizon also seems endless, where silence tastes like salty wind and sand, where freedom is measured in kilometers of desert tracks, where the GPS is mostly there to confirm you’re lost in the middle of nowhere... Add to that magic formula the fact that you’ll see more zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and elephants than people per square kilometer, and you can imagine us setting foot in Southern Africa for the first time, more precisely at the small airport in Windhoek, capital of... of...? Brush up on your geography, damn it! We’re landing in Namibia!!!
To be honest, Namibian landscapes have been flirting with me for ages. So how did I resist this island of temptation for so long? First, the budget. Let’s just say that for the same amount of effort (and kidneys), the bank lets you choose two other adventures almost anywhere else on the planet. Then there were my girls. Yeah, back then, they were too little to dose up on Malarone, the only malaria remedy at the time... Long story short, ten years later, all the planets have aligned. First, I won the Euromillions! Well, almost... Let’s just say my girls are now old enough... not to take Malarone, but to stop following me on all my adventures! Jackpot! "Flo, how about a little two-person caprice, just the two of us, tackling the Namibian tracks?"
As we landed on the runway, first wow effect: The horizon is immense. It’s flat as can be, incredibly flat... So much flat space! Did I mention it was flat?... Looking into the distance, it feels like your gaze could circle the Earth without hitting a single obstacle—until you end up staring at your own backside. "Oh, what a nice view!" Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen my butt from this angle! Touching moment... Sorry, I’m rambling—must be the exhaustion from the three-flight marathon we just powered through via Ethiopia and South Africa... And yet, no time to philosophize about my anatomy. As usual, we want to rack up our first kilometers to be front and center at dawn tomorrow. After wrapping up the tedious Namibian immigration formalities and meeting the 4x4 that’ll be our companion day and night for the next fifteen days, we’re off! We’re not exactly fresh, but we’re ready to tackle the next five hundred kilometers in night mode, cruise control set due south! Just outside Windhoek, the local wildlife—a jackal—welcomes us with a smile: "Welcome to Namibia!" That’s what it said! Honest... Okay, first endless straight road, first flaming sunset, first corrugated dirt track, first Milky Way with zero light pollution... You get it—it’s definitely the day of firsts... First night camping, too, in the big trunk of our Toyota Fortuner parked by the side of the track... The real adventure, the kind that smells under the arms, can finally begin...
Here we go—finally, the big day has arrived! A trip the whole family (my two kids, my husband, and me) had been looking forward to for so long.
To keep it short, we left from Nice, arrived in Namibia on June 25, 2025, and left again on the 21st—four weeks later.
We used an agency for all the camping reservations, activities, and the car rental. At least that side of things was taken care of. Michaël was our contact throughout the planning and the trip itself.
We spent our first night at Londiningi BB. A bit out of the city center but very quiet. The rooms were spacious and clean, and we could eat on-site that evening. Perfect for recovering from the flight.
This travel journal is our second on VoyageForum, following last year’s where we recounted our four weeks in Vietnam.
The goal remains the same: since some members on this site share tips, experiences, and great deals that help us prepare for our trips, we do the same after returning—both to give back a little and in the hope that our experiences might be useful to others in some way.
Our route was as follows: Bangkok, Siem Reap, Krabi, Suratthani, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Chumphon, Bang Saphan, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Sam Roi Yod, Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Bangkok.
Beyond rediscovering Bangkok, our objectives were the long-held dream of seeing Angkor and exploring southern Thailand, much of which isn’t overly touristy.
A quick big thank-you to Barbot, who took the time to answer several of our questions.
12/07/2013
The cheapest flight we found earlier this year was a Paris-Bangkok route with a layover in Moscow for 1440 €, total for two people.
So, this time we tried Aeroflot. Airbus A318 for the first leg, A330 for the second. Nothing particularly annoying to report—the passengers were very calm, the cabin temperature was comfortable, and we had enough legroom.
That said, the quality of the meal trays was pretty mediocre, and the flight attendants weren’t exactly comedians.
We’d like to remind everyone that it’s best to exchange as little money as possible at the airport upon arrival, since the rate is about 5% worse than at city banks.
Of course, we made sure to take the airport exit where you can catch official taxis to avoid getting scammed. So, we queued up, a little lady gave us the ticket, and off we went with the driver.
Generally, this system works well because these drivers are registered, know their duties, and the risks they face if they break the rules. Except that day, right off the bat, we got the scammer of the day. His first move was to snatch the ticket from my wife’s hands—the one you’re supposed to keep in case of a complaint. My husband saw it, but after a full day of travel, we were a bit out of it, and honestly, there was no reason to be suspicious. But once we started driving, the guy refused to turn on the meter. We insisted more and more firmly, but nothing. So, I used the famous method of opening the door and starting to step out of the car. At 40 km/h, that scares the driver more than the passenger. He finally turned on the meter, but that didn’t calm him down—quite the opposite. For the next half-hour, he ruined the ride by demanding extra fees here and there. Having dealt with several scam attempts last year in Vietnam, this wasn’t exactly new, and we were proud of ourselves for staying pretty zen. Still, this guy was a little scary—he was completely wired and aggressive. Honestly, it was hard not to think he was on something. He’d be perfect for a *Scarface* remake. When we finally arrived at the hotel, he followed us to the entrance. We paid the two tolls (25 and 45 baht), gave him the usual 100 baht extra for the ride, and stayed polite but firm. So, meter: 245 baht + 100 baht + 25 and 45 baht for tolls—we paid the exact amount, no way we were tipping this guy. He left furious, but he was already like that before picking us up... Anyway, avoid Mr. Chartree Chidchen, number 089 826 7308, car E2663!
We were so relieved to finally settle in at Feung Nakorn Balcony hotel in the temple district. 42 € per night, great reception, all the staff is friendly. The AC works fine, the bed seemed hard at first but turned out to be comfortable. The hotel is quiet, away from the nightlife, but at this time of year, many places are less crowded than in high season. Even with a nice fish pond and outdoor breakfast area, it’s a decent hotel, though we felt we could’ve found something better.
After a night on the plane, the first afternoon is always a bit of a slog. We napped for a few hours, and when we woke up—guess what—we were starving. We visited a temple across from the hotel (nothing special) and then decided to take the Chao Phraya Express, the river shuttle that serves many piers along the river. It was a really enjoyable experience. The steel gangway wobbles when you board and disembark, the boat sits low in the water, and sometimes you get splashed. During peak times, you’re packed in like sardines, but most of all, there’s that exotic urban landscape passing by, especially the temple rooftops.
At that exact moment, the boat was packed. We didn’t see a ticket booth at the pier, and we tried in vain to pay the few baht for the ride. The cashier on the boat was too busy, and another employee we called didn’t have time to help us. Oh well, we weren’t going to force the issue. Still, this mode of transport is super practical for avoiding traffic, and at the piers, the lines with station names are clearly marked, with colors matching the flags on the boats. Combined with a map like the *Routard* guide, it’s easy to navigate.
We easily made it to the restaurant *Harmonique*, located near one of these piers. It’s a unanimous favorite on this forum, and let us tell you—it’s well-deserved. What a wonderful experience that evening! We only saw the outdoor gazebo because there was no way we were dining inside. It’s not flashy, so those looking for a luxurious setting should look elsewhere.
That night, the staff was a bit slow, and we had to track them down several times to move things along. But oh, my friends—what a feast on the plate! Start with the appetizer platter for two at 250 baht, featuring four specialties, each more tempting than the last, followed by their famous crab curry for 200 baht. There’s *so much* crab in there! The dish is so delicious and rich that when you finish, you feel—how to put it—like it was almost *too* good, to the point where you’re almost put off eating for days. And also, oh yes, we *will* be back. Their satay chicken is just as amazing, and it would be a crime not to mention their generous dessert with ice cream, warm banana, and chocolate, plus their *excellent* almond milkshake.
Later, we took a taxi to Kao San Road, mainly to book a Ko Tao-Chumphon trip for 600 baht per person at the Lomprayah counter. In hindsight, we should’ve booked all three of our trips there right away.
Kao San Road is *ultra*-touristy—better for younger crowds, but it’s still worth seeing. There’s rock ‘n’ roll, hippies, and crowds everywhere.
We walked back to the hotel, and when we got a little lost near a canal, a really nice older Thai man spontaneously appeared out of the night to kindly point us in the right direction.
Finally, a real long night of sleep ahead—we cranked up the AC. Sweet, the vacation has begun!
Hi there,
I just got back from a trip to Sri Lanka from December 18th to January 1st with 2 adults and 2 kids (12 years old).
If it helps, here’s my itinerary.
We left on December 18th from Madrid with Qatar Airways. No complaints. I booked my tickets back in March for 800 € per person. (I flew from Madrid because I live near the Spanish border and was too worried about strikes in France.)
We arrived on December 19th at 4 PM (local time). Before leaving France, I’d booked a taxi through MyTransfer for 59 € to Sigiriya. A van was waiting for us at the airport exit.
A never-ending 3-hour drive to Sigiriya. We stayed at Samana Guesthouse—very simple, clean, with a pool and an excellent Sri Lankan breakfast. Shower and straight to bed.
Friday, December 20th: Beautiful weather, but very humid and hot. We visited Lion Rock (36 € for adults) and then Pidurangala.
I loved both sites—they’re a must-do in my opinion.
Spent the late afternoon by the pool.
Saturday, December 21st: Another gorgeous day. The guesthouse manager offered us a free 2-hour tuk-tuk tour. We first visited a lake, rice fields, the temple, and the Sigiriya market, plus the usual tourist trap—the botanical garden (no pressure to buy anything at the end).
Then we took a tuk-tuk to Dambulla Temple, the Golden Buddha, and the wholesale market.
Sunday, December 22nd: Still beautiful weather. I’d booked a taxi for 8 AM. We did all the long trips by taxi to save time. I’d ask for prices from 2 or 3 WhatsApp taxi agencies 2 days or the day before—super responsive, always got replies within 5 minutes. We headed to Ella (4-hour drive) for 22,000 LKR.
Arrived in the afternoon at Rest Full Homestay—a small, family-run guesthouse. Clean, cozy, and an amazing Sri Lankan breakfast.
In the afternoon, we went to Nine Arches Bridge. It was a Sunday, a Sri Lankan holiday, so it was *packed*—mostly locals and very few white tourists! Even though it was crowded, it was cool because it was all Sri Lankans. We waited an hour for the train. It’s worth seeing, but honestly, I didn’t think it was that amazing.
Then we headed to the station to check if we needed to book tickets for the train to Haputale—turns out, no.
Monday, December 23rd: Beautiful weather. We hiked Ella Rock—a gorgeous trek. The final stretch is steep but shaded, so it wasn’t as tough as I’d read. The whole hike is stunning from start to finish. We saw the train pass twice (one blue, one red) and lots of women picking tea.
After that, we did Little Adam’s Peak. It’s not hard, but it was *packed* with tourists—meh. Luckily, at the top, you can walk a bit farther (down one side and back up) to get some space to yourself.
What I *didn’t* like was the commercial vibe at the big café/restaurant with a pool at the entrance of Little Adam’s Peak. Loud music, all that money being made right next to little souvenir stands run by Sri Lankans or tea-picking women. Felt off.
Ended the day buying souvenirs at one of the few shops we found during the trip.
Tuesday, December 24th: Beautiful weather. Took the train to Haputale. We got to the station 30 minutes before the 9:30 AM train. We could’ve taken 2nd or 3rd class—I went with 2nd (160 LKR per person).
It was crowded, but we managed to get seats—first 2, then 3. Only a 1-hour ride, but I *loved* it—windows and doors open the whole time.
Arrived in Haputale around 11 AM, and the mist was already rolling in.
We walked to our guesthouse, The Mist Holiday Bungalow. Simple but clean, with a great view of the tea plantations. The owner’s wife is Vietnamese and used to work for French tour operators, so her French is still pretty good—helpful for us since our English is terrible. They booked us a tuk-tuk for 4:45 AM the next day (2,000 LKR) to Lipton’s Seat.
Spent the afternoon wandering around Haputale. Not much charm, but there’s a nice fruit and veggie market and a short walk through the tea plantations.
Wednesday, December 25th: Beautiful weather. The tuk-tuk was on time to take us to Lipton’s Seat. We were the first ones there—the sky was just starting to turn pink. In the end, only about ten of us watched the sunrise. The guesthouse had packed us breakfast, and we walked back down (half on the road, half through the plantations). Didn’t see any tea picking since it was Christmas, but the walk was still incredible. We took detours through villages full of kids.
After that, we visited the tea factory. The tour was really interesting, and we took the bus back down to Haputale. Such a great moment—whole families were heading to mass, dressed up and made up. All so beautiful.
At noon, we left for Udawalawe National Park. Taxi for 14,000 LKR. Stayed at River Inn Safari Cottage. *Warning*: It’s the same place as Eagle Safari Cottage. I don’t recommend it. We’d always stayed with families before, but here it was just staff—totally different vibe. The pool was nice but not very clean (water was murky). The bungalow was big and fine, but it was brand new—so new the asphalt floor wasn’t fully dry. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so we had to eat on-site. Couldn’t leave a review on Booking because they never confirmed we’d stayed, and they canceled our reservation the next day.
Thursday, December 26th: Beautiful weather. I’d booked a safari through the hotel for 5:30–10 AM for 54 USD. Honestly, yes, there are a lot of jeeps, but it was great. The kids loved it—we saw everything there was to see.
Left by taxi at 11:30 AM for Welligama (12,000 LKR).
We didn’t stay in Welligama city but at Coconut Beach, between Welligama and Midigama. *Total crush* on the guesthouse: Sky Mountain Café with View. Such a lovely family. The mom makes amazing meals at reasonable prices. The view from the hill over the sea is unreal.
Spent the afternoon walking along the beach.
Friday, December 27th: Beautiful weather. My kids are surfers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any boards their size to rent at Coconut, so we took a tuk-tuk to Welligama Bay (1,000 LKR). They surfed from 8 AM to 5 PM—rental was 5,000 LKR for the day. Meanwhile, we walked the beach and swam. Water was 29°C.
Saturday, December 28th: Beautiful weather, rain from 4 PM until midnight. Same surf day. They were so well-behaved the whole trip, so this was their reward.
Sunday, December 29th: Beautiful weather. Beach day at Coconut. *Warning*: It’s a reef break. For surfers, there are three spots (Coconut Left, Middle, and Right). The boys bodysurfed (with fins) all morning, and at 1 PM, we took the bus to Hikkaduwa.
Stayed at Hotel Universal Beach. Nothing special—right on the water, but the rooms were dark even though they were clean. The manager was super nice, but the rest was meh, and breakfast was mediocre compared to what we’d had before (2 eggs and 3 slices of toast). Plus, it was late—8 AM.
First impression of Hikkaduwa wasn’t great—way too many Russians for our taste.
Monday, December 30th: Beautiful weather. Spent the whole day exploring. Turtle Beach, then the other side of the beach (toward Galle) near the fishing port. The beach there is much wider, with scattered hotels and super quiet. It’s beautiful—I should’ve booked somewhere in that area. Ended up having a great day away from the crowds.
Tuesday, December 31st: Overcast, then beautiful, rain at 4 PM. Had to end the year (and the trip) with some surf. Rented boards for the kids (3,000 LKR per board for the day). Bad luck—the waves were on a reef break but small. Not great for them, but no big deal. They still got out of the water by 2 PM. Walked the beach (which is gorgeous), had a juice, and went for a swim. Then back to surfing in the rain at 4 PM.
Wednesday, January 1st: Left by taxi at 5 AM (18,000 LKR). Flight at 10 AM. Arrived in Madrid at 8 PM.
I could have titled my travel journal like Carmen: "Some trips are born twice." Indeed, we had considered this destination back in February 2020. However, an honest tour operator advised us against traveling at that time due to the climate. So, we gave up and opted for Guatemala instead (see "On the Mayan Lands" on this site).
So, why this title? When I was in primary school, over 65 years ago, the illustrations in my history books (Machu Picchu) and geography books (Lake Titicaca) made me dream, and those images stayed in my mind. It took until 2026 to finally make this dream come true!
We prepared our trip with Tout Pérou, a French-speaking "agency." Everything was handled via email and WhatsApp exchanges with our contact: Laurent, who was both competent, friendly, and full of good advice.
For 200 €, Tout Pérou provided us with drivers and guides whenever we wanted, helped us buy our domestic flights (cheaper when purchased in Peru), booked shuttles between airports and hotels, and got us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, as well as on the buses between Chivay and Puno and between Puno and Cusco. In short, Laurent took care of all the logistics and the Machu Picchu tickets. It was up to us to book our hotels. Tout Pérou provided a list, but we weren’t obliged to follow it. Another advantage of the package: we didn’t have to pay in advance; we paid the service providers directly day by day.
We didn’t meet Laurent in person because he was on vacation in Europe. Before his departure, he gave us a briefing, provided a summary table with the entire program, the service providers, their phone numbers, their fees, the schedules, and gave us plenty of advice (money, exchange, safety, etc.). After returning at the end of our stay, he kept checking in on us.
Lastly, we had also gathered information from Arnaud Lagadec, who runs a hotel in Cusco and offers tours of the region. He gave us a lot of useful information. Another contact: Thomas Montaigne, very friendly, who runs an agency in Arequipa (Agence Pérou Exclusif).
Day 1 – Paris to Lima
Foreword
I’ll share our trip without any pretension—I don’t have the talent of some contributors on this forum—and I’ll illustrate it with a few photos (taken with an ordinary smartphone). My comments are personal and only reflect my own views. So, please be kind! Feel free to comment on my story as you like, but let’s avoid pointless debates.
Even though we live in the south of the Paris region, true to our habits when the flight is in the morning, we chose to spend the night before our departure in a hotel near CDG and parked our car in a parking lot in Garches. This way, we avoid the stress that often comes with traveling around Paris (accidents, roadworks, traffic jams, etc.).
Check-in and border control went smoothly on that Sunday morning. Our Air France flight was uneventful. In Lima, border control took a particularly long time, and for the first time, we didn’t get an entry visa stamped in our passports.
As planned, a driver took us to the Miraflores district, where our hotel was located. We were surprised by the numerous signs about possible tsunamis, having forgotten that Peru is prone to such events and regularly experiences earthquakes. We’d see the consequences of these during our journey.
Exhausted from the early wake-up, the 13-hour flight, and the 7-hour time difference, we had dinner at the hotel before a restful night.
Note that this day was Peru’s presidential election day. As a result, we weren’t served beer—the sale of alcohol was banned that Sunday.
We did the Langtang trek (hike) from September 10th to 17th, with the first and last days being the trip from Kathmandu and back—so 6 days of actual walking. It’s a fairly well-known trek but certainly not as famous or crowded as those in the Annapurna or Everest regions, which is why we chose it.
In theory, it’s mandatory to have a guide for this trek. In reality, it seems there are ways to bypass the regulations: we met at least two people hiking without a guide—a South Korean, a New Zealander, and possibly also a couple of English women and an American couple, though we’re not sure if they had a guide.
The agency we booked with had told us it was an affordable trek for relatively older people in good shape—which is our case (I’m 72 myself). I have to say upfront that we found it quite challenging, maybe because we didn’t have good weather—it was the end of the monsoon season. To be clear, no matter your fitness level, I’d say doing this trek in the middle of the monsoon season would be suicidal.
Day 1 – Journey from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi
On Monday, September 8th, there had been violent protests in Kathmandu against the government, which had, among other things, blocked access to social media and been accused of nepotism and corruption. There were 19 deaths. The situation was very tense on the day of our departure, Wednesday the 10th. The agency warned us that public transport was very unreliable. So, we decided to take a jeep, at an additional cost of $100 ($160 minus what was already budgeted for the bus).
We left a little before 7 a.m. and it took us a good hour just to reach the outskirts of Kathmandu. Along the way, we saw several houses and vehicles set on fire by protesters.
The road to Syapru Besi is only 120 km, but it’s frankly awful. It’s always narrow, winds through endless mountains, and the shoulders range from bad to confusing to nonexistent. Several sections are just dirt tracks. We didn’t regret opting for the jeep, as we could stop several times at our convenience—if only to let Y (my Thai partner) throw up everything she had. She’d taken her usual motion sickness medication, but the constant turns, accelerations, and braking eventually made her terribly carsick.
In Nuwakot, we stopped for breakfast at a nice little restaurant, Jimbu. It was around 8:30 a.m., and we’d barely covered 60 km. The restaurant has a lovely garden overlooking the Trishuli Ganga, the river flowing down from Syapru Besi. First photo: the river in the bottom right corner, mist and clouds over the mountain on the other side.
An hour later, my second photo: the hills along the Trishuli Ganga. You can see the different crops—lush green rice paddies in the lower right and corn, already yellowed and likely harvested, in the foreground on the left. And of course, the mist and clouds through which you can glimpse the mountain on the other side of the river.
When we started looking for a summer destination a few months ago, our first criterion was to avoid extreme heat and heatwaves. We had already been to Norway two years ago and are considering going back in the future for other occasions. So, we had some fun asking ChatGPT which destinations enjoyed a mild climate during the summer without going too far. Among the list provided by the AI were the Canary Islands... The idea of a place we wouldn’t have thought of first, both not too far away and exotic enough, appealed to us: “Hmm, why not?”
This destination had never really attracted me, though Magali was a bit more interested. Five years earlier, COVID had caused a short break in my professional activity, and I had planned a trip because the flight price was attractive, and I was looking for a destination different from what usually appeals to me, more than out of deep interest. From a distance and with a social judgment I acknowledge (it’s not great, but it’s not completely wrong), I had the image of a destination for party-goers enjoying the sun without the slightest interest in local culture, with concrete coastlines and denatured landscapes—everything I detest the most. Still, I had done some quick research on the different islands and spotted Lanzarote for its beautiful volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, and the impression of a good balance between activity and fewer crowds than Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Then I dropped the idea of going, without ever reconsidering traveling to the Canaries...
Until now! Because we started researching the different islands of the archipelago to see which ones might appeal to us the most. It was La Gomera, the third smallest island of the archipelago, more praised for its hiking trails and preserved nature than for its beaches, away from mass tourism (fifty times fewer tourists than Tenerife) but still a bit more developed than its wild neighbor El Hierro, that caught our attention. Contrary to what might be suggested later, I’m not at all addicted to AI, but I use it from time to time to synthesize quick research or simply for experimentation. Since ChatGPT had started anticipating my tastes lately as if it had become my buddy (often successfully, sometimes off the mark), I asked which Canary Island would suit me best for a trip with my family. The tool answered first with... La Gomera. So, I tested it and teased it a bit to see if this suggestion was well-founded, as the method sometimes makes it contradict itself. But no luck: “You’d appreciate the wild nature of El Hierro, but with family, you’ll find little activity for the kids. You won’t like the touristy vibe of the big islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. You could consider La Palma, but it’s really La Gomera that will suit you best, based on your interests and the criteria given.” So, we dug deeper into our research and were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that this island was the one waiting for us.
Without knowing it, we had Canarians in our circle who revealed their origins when they heard about our travel plans. One from Tenerife insisted we’d be better off choosing Tenerife (obviously...) because it also has preserved spots and that La Gomera, “you can explore it in two or three days, you’ll get bored quickly...” The other, a colleague from Gran Canaria who had never visited La Gomera, still recommended it without hesitation because it turned out her parents had just gone there on vacation: they loved it and had encountered few tourists. She also tended to think this destination was usually the subject of short stays, but according to what her parents told her, taking your time there was also a great idea. However, in our research, the idea that La Gomera is an island you can explore in three or four days max kept coming up. So, we considered combining its visit with La Palma or El Hierro, the other two that caught our eye. But hopping between islands by ferry represents a significant budget for non-Canarians, even more so for a family of four. Then, scrutinizing Google Maps, it seemed obvious that two weeks were too short to discover two islands as they deserve, and that there seemed to be plenty to see in La Gomera, given its very unique culture. After all, we read that some people spend several months a year there, others never even leave... Finally, these landscapes and this atmosphere, which seemed to us a mix of Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, tempted us. So, it would be two weeks in La Gomera, deal!
La Gomera is therefore the second... well, the third smallest island of the Canaries since La Graciosa was recently recognized as a fully inhabited island. It has the shape of a rough circle about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter and has just over 20,000 inhabitants, half of them in its capital, San Sebastián de la Gomera, the only real town. Like its Canarian sisters, La Gomera is a volcanic formation that rose about 10 million years ago. The island is very mountainous and rugged, covered with red and black rocky landscapes. Geological activity has shaped, between the sprawling massifs that end in steep cliffs in the ocean, six coastal valleys with tropical vegetation that have favored human settlement. They divide the island like slices of a cake; from the north clockwise: the agricultural Vallehermoso, the rustic Agulo, the green, humid, and fertile Hermigua, the sunny capital San Sebastián de la Gomera, the southern and isolated Alajeró-Santiago, and the seaside Valle Gran Rey. They constitute the six municipalities (more like cantons to our French understanding) of the territory.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
La Gomera was populated late. As with the rest of the Canaries, human presence is thought to have begun about 2,000 years ago. Groups of animist Berbers, probably fleeing persecution, gradually populated the archipelago, especially the western islands and La Gomera, becoming its small aboriginal population: the Guanches (or later Gomeros). The animist and pastoral civilization of the Guanches thrived until the Spanish takeover in the 15th century, which, after a short period of harmony and mixing with the indigenous people, suddenly ended in bloodshed... La Gomera later became the “Columbus Island” after Christopher Columbus’s stopover, increasing the blending of populations. In the 20th century, many Gomeros emigrated to Cuba and other Latin American countries in search of a better life, bringing back a mix of cultures and traits quite palpable in today’s Gomeran culture. It is, however, in La Gomera that the vestiges of Guanche culture seem to have left the most traces, in the language, gastronomy, social practices... Moreover, most Gomeros, especially in remote villages, have a particular identifiable type and proudly claim their ancestral roots, even making La Gomera a bit exotic in the eyes of other Canarians.
Perhaps that’s why it has never really wanted to develop its tourist infrastructure too much. If we set aside the tourists who visit for the day by bus or boat from Tenerife on a marked itinerary (and whom we ultimately rarely encounter), La Gomera has remained a hidden gem, a destination focused on nature discovery that attracts hikers, nature-loving divers, and scientists for its fauna and flora, and to a lesser extent, beachgoers who don’t seek overly developed coastlines. Tourist activity is therefore limited. Roughly speaking, you’ll find a majority of Spaniards, including a substantial number of residents from other Canary Islands, many Germans who have a particular fondness for La Gomera and spend long stays there or own second homes, to the point that the German cultural footprint is clearly noticeable in some places (it’s said to be Angela Merkel’s favorite holiday spot), and still quite a few French. The presence of other nationalities seemed negligible to us. Most travelers come mainly for hiking, but it’s also a prime spot for whale watching. Additionally, the seaside resorts of La Gomera—San Sebastián, Santiago, and especially Valle Gran Rey—are well-known destinations for hippies, especially German ones, ranging from chic boho hippies to old-school hippies who’ve been there for decades, quite similar to those you’d meet in India in Goa, Rishikesh, or Paharganj. Thus, practices like naturism, vegetarianism, and local organic production are quite well established in some areas.
Some practical info:
- The round-trip flight from Paris to Tenerife cost us 365 € per person (outbound with Transavia, return with EasyJet), including checked luggage and three seats reserved side by side.
- We chose two bases to explore the island: one week in Valle Gran Rey, reputed to be the most pleasant of the three seaside resorts, and one week in Hermigua, more mountainous and close to the natural park. We booked two houses with balconies and views: the first at 120 € per night, the second at 99 €.
- The round-trip ferry between Tenerife and La Gomera cost us 270 € with the company Baleària Canarias, including discounts for children aged 4 and 12, but I don’t have the exact details. It was a bit cheaper than with the other company, Fred Olsen.
- Finally, we rented a car through the agency Cicar for 360 € for 16 days, which comes to 22.50 € per day.
- Apart from that, we didn’t plan anything and decided the day before or even the morning of what we wanted to do. We didn’t invest in any paper guide on the Canaries, as information on La Gomera was scarce, but we used the very comprehensive site La Gomera Travel, a travel guide published by the Canary Islands Tourism Council, a real goldmine of almost exhaustive information on the island.
Alright, off we go for 16 days of adventure discovering La Gomera!
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
I hesitated about writing this travel journal...
This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.
No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...
But don’t think we were disappointed!
The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together.
So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.
Our 2-week itinerary:
- Arusha (1 night upon arrival)
- Tarangire (1 night)
- Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo)
- Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera)
- Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night)
- Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights)
- Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions...
So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted.
Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some!
Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!
I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!
Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.
In broad strokes, it was very classic:
First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to.
From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km!
Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites.
We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.
A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized.
We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line!
At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris.
You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!
With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter.
To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
It’s an ancient city that breathes, a living spring.
Here, no kitschy signs like “I miss you in Fengyu,” nor mass-produced fake antiques.
The century-old houses still bear the marks of wind and rain; in the morning, you hear roosters crowing, and at dusk, smoke gently rises from the kitchens.
This city doesn’t try to please anyone—like the spring water flowing through it, it simply keeps living at its own pace.
Located in Eryuan County, in the Dali Prefecture of Yunnan, the ancient town of Fengyu is a nationally designated historical and cultural city. It’s nicknamed the “land of scholars and ink”—during the Qing Dynasty, the Fengxiang Academy produced four *jinshi* and eleven *juren* in the imperial examinations. The Bai families made studying and farming a true legacy. Even on market days, you’ll find stalls of calligraphy and paintings, while lintels and screen walls are covered with family mottos.
Fengyu was also an important stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road. It preserves the second-largest Bai architectural complex in China, just after Xizhou. The famous traveler Xu Xiake spent seven days here and compared it to the “peach blossom paradise.”
I’m inviting you on a stroll through my drawings—a completely subjective, far from exhaustive, and totally personal take, since it’s based on my own sketches. I put this travel journal together after returning in late 2024, mostly using felt-tip pens and pencils, with a few collages thrown in. I worked from our personal photos.
Let’s start with the shotengai...
Our first "wow" moment came as we stepped out of the subway in Asakusa, the Tokyo neighborhood where we’d booked our hotel for our first five nights. Exhausted after our long flight, we finally arrived and took an exit that led straight into a shotengai—one of those covered shopping streets that pop up in city centers and flourished between the 1950s and 1980s.
It was an instant aesthetic shock, like a close encounter of the third kind between the modern city, a typical Asian market with its street stalls, the vintage vibe of the arcade, the sheer abundance of goods, and the bustling crowd—a mix of tourists, pilgrims (thanks to nearby Senso-ji Temple), and locals (it’s a very working-class area).
In the end, it set the tone for a feeling we’d experience throughout the trip. Wherever we went, shotengai turned out to be fantastic spots for finding little restaurants, shops, or even fresh produce. Some are like real mazes, like in Kyoto, where we spent ages trying to relocate a restaurant we’d loved ;-)
In Kanazawa, the Omicho Market:
And in Kyoto, Nishiki Market:
The latest travel journal about Turkmenistan dates back to 2019. Here’s a quick update on this vast desert country, which is now a bit easier to visit than before.
This is my first travel journal. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. The country is slowly opening up, but it’s still possible to visit sites where you’ll be completely alone. In five days, I saw two Hongkongers, a few Germans, and a Chilean at the crater, ten Chinese people in a capital bazaar, and that’s it!
It’s possible to visit Turkmenistan from Uzbekistan. The easiest and most economical way is to take a taxi to the border from Bukhara. The trip takes a little over an hour.
Crossing the border takes quite a while because many Turkmen bring back items bought in Uzbekistan to resell in Turkmenistan. For example, diapers, baby products, or beauty products.
It took me over 2.5 hours to cross the border. To visit Turkmenistan, it’s mandatory to have a guide and go through a travel agency. British agencies often offer three-, five-, or seven-day trips for over 1,500 or 2,000 €.
But if your budget is more limited, you can contact a few Turkmen agencies directly by email, and they’ll make you an offer between 700 and 1,300 € for three to seven days. I took a five-day trip from Turkmenabat in the northeast of the country to Dashoguz in the north. The goal was to visit the main UNESCO-listed sites, including Merv, and archaeological sites like Nisa or Gonur Tepe.
Your guide will also be your driver. They’ll pick you up at the border. The formalities are very long because customs officers have to stamp multiple documents, and obtaining the visa you previously requested from your travel agency requires several checks. But the process goes relatively smoothly, even if each step takes a while.
Once on the other side, the first surprise is the brand-new highway all the way to Turkmenabat. A very long line of trucks stretches for several kilometers on the Turkmen side to cross the border into Uzbekistan. According to my guide, Turkmen trucks transport gas and cotton (though not this season, since the harvest is in September), but they mainly fill up their tanks because fuel is much cheaper in Turkmenistan. A full tank for a car costs about 3 €, which is unbeatable.
From the Farap border post, the goal is to reach the city of Mary, which is home to the UNESCO-listed site of Merv in its suburbs, about thirty kilometers away. This city is known as a foundation by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC under the name Alexandria of Margiana. Several fortresses are visible.
After more than three hours on the road, we have lunch at a Turkish restaurant called Aladdin. Several quotes from the president are visible along the highway, but the road is in good condition, and we move along easily. This will be by far the best road in the country—things will get much worse later.
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
Preamble:
Africa was calling to me, so a year ago, with our usual travel companions, we decided to return to the continent we love so much.
Where to go?
Uganda quickly caught our attention—wildlife we’re used to seeing, plus gorillas and the shoebill we missed in Zambia.
We got in touch with Paul, who’s been mentioned several times on the forum back in September, booked our flight tickets, secured the gorilla permits, and by early October, the most important things were done.
We still had plenty of time to hold our "prep meetings" for the final itinerary.
Three days before departure, I sprained my ankle (my weak spot, as you’ll recall from our Colombia trip).
I wasn’t in great spirits, but after a year of waiting, nothing was going to stop me.
We’d see how it goes!
Off we went for our new adventures
If you're looking for great tips and offbeat spots, if you love exploring uncharted parts of a country, if the exotic is your adrenaline, then move along!
Our 15 days in early May in this part of Turkey (a country I first discovered during a city trip to Istanbul in 2017) will only tread well-worn paths and revisit popular routes. Simply because I kept hoping until the very end that our flight to Jordan wouldn’t be canceled. Events in the Gulf proved me wrong, so we left with:
Zero preparation.
Not a single hotel booked (well, except the first one), no visits planned, just a flight ticket bought three weeks earlier. No guidebook, no app—just the desire to explore southern Turkey and Cappadocia, whose images and the chance to stretch our legs had caught my eye.
Oh, wait—I did bring along a new guide: Gemini! Yes, my friends, generative AI was my chief advisor throughout the trip for sites to visit, accommodations, routes, and even restaurants! An experiment I wanted to try to form my own opinion on using this new technology. And what better way to test it than a Turkish getaway?
The verdict? You’ll have to wait for the trip recap to find out!
The main idea of the trip is also relaxation.
So, the plan is Antalya for a few days, the Turkish Riviera for a few more, Cappadocia as the highlight, and a return via Antalya to wrap up the trip. And it was all planned by AI!
So, if you're ready, fasten your seatbelts—cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check—boarding for Turkey now!
It often happens that we're asked what to visit in Belgium.
And the answers usually point to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels—and rightly so, as these cities are well worth visiting ;).
However, Belgium, though small, isn’t just limited to these four cities.
I live in one of them (Brussels), enjoy spending time in the other three, but I’d like to highlight some lesser-known spots that could add to the trip for those who want to see a bit more or something different.
Between trips, I like exploring one or two corners of the country where I live.
Hence the idea for a travel journal of walks.
Most of the places I’ll talk about can be visited as a day trip from Brussels, whether by public transport or car.
In chronological order of the topics covered:
- The Gileppe Dam (Liège province) - message 2, page 1
- The Domaine de La Hulpe (Walloon Brabant) - message 3, page 1
- Mechelen (Antwerp province) - message 4, page 1
- The coast - message 5, page 1
- The Westhoek, from De Panne - message 6, page 1
- The Zwin, from Knokke - message 7, page 1
- Lier (between Mechelen and Antwerp) - message 8, page 1
- Mons (Hainaut) - message 9, page 1
- The Florenville region - message 12, page 1
- The East Cantons - message 13, page 1
- Dinant - message 18, page 1
- The Japanese garden in Hasselt - message 24, page 2
- Leuven - message 29, page 2
- Louvain-la-Neuve - message 32, page 2
- Ostend - message 42 (page 3) and message 166 (page 9)
- The floralies of Groot-Bijgaarden - message 43, page 3
- Halle Forest - message 44, page 3
- Pralines - message 54, page 3
- Charleroi - message 68, page 4
- Namur - message 92, page 5
- Le Bois du Cazier (Marcinelle) - message 95, page 5
- Couques and gosettes - message 96, page 5
- Liège - message 99, page 5
- Tournai - message 115, page 6
- Oudenaarde - message 121, page 7
- Meise Botanical Garden - message 124, page 7
- Tongeren - message 125, page 7
- Beersel Castle (Flemish Brabant) - message 126, page 7
- Brussels in lockdown (messages 150 and 154, page 8)
- Notre-Dame à la Rose Hospital in Lessines (messages 161 and 162, page 9)
- Westende (message 167, page 9)
I’ll keep updating this list as the journal progresses...
This trip had been on my mind for about fifteen years.
But the discomfort of overnight stays, the difficulty of communication, and the prices of the few car rental options kept making me postpone the project.
And then, everything suddenly fell into place—I told myself, it’s time!
The preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.
A bit of Kazakhstan?
Not in the end.
The south or not the south?
Yes, in the end.
Pre-book or go with the flow?
Only two stops were a leap into the unknown.
To help me find the ideal route, I made great use of this forum (thanks to everyone for patiently answering my questions!), pored over travel journals and blogs (Christian, Jeff), zoomed in on Google Maps and Yandex, and bought the guide published by OunTravela about this destination (the guide has been updated since).
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You’ve got your passport, international driver’s license, bank cards, and euros?
Off we go to Lyon—just one night left before our early morning flight.
Tomorrow night, we’ll be sleeping in Bishkek!
(Steak for my partner’s mischievous nephews...)
You’ll find here a post with some practical information.
And here, the version of the travel journal without comments.
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As a supplement, the route track.
Not necessarily ultra-accurate since Google has serious gaps for this destination...
Jour 22 : Singapour - Francfort - Bruxelles
© Henry Fuchs
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
I’m inviting you on a stroll through my drawings—a completely subjective, far from exhaustive, and totally personal take, since it’s based on my own sketches. I put this travel journal together after returning in late 2024, mostly using felt-tip pens and pencils, with a few collages thrown in. I worked from our personal photos.
And in Kyoto, Nishiki Market:
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
A little sneak peek?
