Voici une modeste contribution à la rubrique des carnets de voyage ; j’espère qu’elle pourra aider certains parents voyageurs puisque nous sommes partis, mon mari et moi, avec notre fils de 8 ans et notre fille de 3 ans et demi.
Avant de commencer, je remercie tous les participants de ce forum qui m'ont aidée à construire mon projet. Je ne doute pas que le succès de celui-ci soit en grande partie dû à leurs précieux conseils, donnés en réponse à mes questions ou encore glanés au fil de mes lectures !
Ainsi notre itinéraire était le suivant : Las Vegas – Zion – Bryce – Lake Powell – Grand Canyon – Monument Valley – Moab – Salt Lake City – Idaho Falls – Yellowstone – Jackson Hole
Nous avons choisi de réaliser la partie sud en juin puis la partie nord en juillet afin d’éviter les fortes chaleurs du désert et de bénéficier de températures agréables à Yellowstone. Pari réussi ! Bien qu’il ait d’abord fallu demander une dérogation au directeur d’établissement de nos enfants afin qu’ils puissent partir en vacances plus tôt que leurs petits camarades !
1ère étape : Las Vegas
Ce n’est pas une ville où j’ai vraiment envie d’aller (c’est mon mari qui le souhaite) mais je me laisse apprivoiser par ses artifices malgré les sentiments contradictoires qu’évoque en moi ce grand parc d’attraction pour adultes. Des décors en carton pâte, des néons tapageurs aux dimensions impressionnantes, des touristes formant une population très diversifiée, l’impression d’avoir le droit de tout faire sans en être inquiété, en toute liberté !
Mais je ressens aussi l’impossibilité de se décontracter dans une ville qui ne dort jamais, peu d’enfants (ce qui me dérange un peu sans que je ne sache vraiment pourquoi, bien que ce ne soit pas tellement un endroit pour eux, ce n’est … comment dire … pas naturel 😛 ), trop de bruits et de lumière, trop d’argent dépensé et de gaspillages de toute sorte. Quoiqu’il en soit nous sommes tout de même éblouis et sous le charme, 3 nuits sur place étant somme toute bien suffisantes.
En pratique, on se fait un peu filouter par Alamo qui fait souscrire à mon mari exténué par le voyage un supplément d’assurance dont on n’avait pas besoin (pourtant je le savais, et je l’avais prévenu). Le véhicule (un SUV Nissan Xterra) est en revanche parfaitement adapté à nos souhaits et nous conduira plus tard sans problèmes dans bien des endroits difficiles d’accès.
Nous résidons au Treasure Island, pas forcément l’hôtel le plus sympathique pour des enfants j’imagine. Choisir l’excalibur (et son casino pour enfants) ou le circus circus (et son parc d’attractions) auraient peut-être été plus judicieux mais nous n’avons pas rencontré de souci particulier. La piscine est assez petite et froide, le show des pirates plutôt plaisant (même si je n’y ai pas compris grand chose 😎 ), le petit train qui mène du TI au Mirage très pratique. Nous érigeons le restaurant Kahunaville en quartier général (bon rapport qualité/prix, décor agréable, plats assez diversifiés).
Avec les enfants nous visitons principalement des hôtels du Strip (dont les sus-cités mais aussi le très classe Venetian), ainsi que le magasin M&M’s (où je retombe littéralement en enfance) et autres boutiques. Nous admirons la vue nocturne sur le Strip du haut de la Stratosphère mais ignorons superbement les attractions qui suscitent la témérité de ceux qui n’hésitent pas à se faire maltraiter au dessus du vide et excitent la curiosité de ceux qui ne l’osent pas. De manière générale, les enfants apprécient beaucoup le spectacle qu’offrent les gens déguisés en super héros dans les rue. Ils ne se sentent en rien étrangers dans cette ville où mon fils, du haut de ses 8 ans, m’assure qu’il reviendra quand il en aura 18 mais … avec ses potes bien évidemment.
2ème étape : Zion Park
Avant d’atteindre Zion Park, nous nous arrêtons à un petit Trading Post sur la route de Rockville. Etape amusante pour les enfants qui peuvent jouer aux cowboys dans ce qui semble être la reconstitution d’une petite ville de l’ouest américain ou tout du moins ce que l’on s’en figure, peuplée d’habitants dociles et affables : lamas, ânes et poneys quémandant la récompense suprême pour leur bon accueil autrement dit la carotte achetée au prix fort dans la boutique attenante et offrant un bric à brac d’objets divers et variés plus ou moins en toc. Le resto du Trading Post offre un décor sympatique et une cuisine plutôt correcte.
Nous visitons également Grafton, petite ville (village) fantôme à l’atmosphère calme et reposante au bout d’une petite piste facile. Eglise, école, petit cimetière et quelques maisons forment le coeur du petit hameau languissant abandonné de ses ingrats habitants. Mon fils se met à saigner du nez alors que cela ne lui arrive jamais … un signe que nous ne sommes pas les bienvenus peut-être 😉 ? Quelques photos plus tard, nous décidons de ne pas troubler plus la quiétude du lieu et repartons en direction de Zion.
Zion …
Si le paradis existe sur Terre, nul doute qu’il ait pris l’un de ses quartiers à Zion. Aucune photographie ne peut rendre compte de la splendeur des ces interminables montagnes multicolores, si hautes qu'on les croirait conçues à la seule fin d'établir un passage, un point de rendez-vous entre la Terre et le ciel pour que les hommes puissent s'entretenir avec les dieux dont elles sont bénies. D'ailleurs l'un des sites de randonnées n'est-il pas désigné sous le nom évocateur d'Angels' landing ? Les enfants ne semblent pas très touchés par la beauté qui les entoure pour le moment et c’est tant mieux.
Ils se détendent dans notre cabin au Zion Lodge (seul hébergement en plein cœur du parc ce qui est bien pratique avec des petits) tandis que mon mari et moi faisons à tour de rôle la balade d’Emerald Pools, ombragée et rafraîchissante ; l'eau coule d'on ne sait où, élégamment, par petites et fines gouttelettes, afin d'alimenter des piscines naturelles (pas encore asséchées, comme je le craignais à cette période de l’année) en contrebas des falaises. Petite déception tout de même, aucun animal n’est venu nous rendre visite au crépuscule. A noter : le snack du Zion Lodge ferme à 18h mais on peut commander et emporter les plats du restaurant (cher, peu copieux et pas très bon).
Le lendemain matin, nous nous engageons sur le Riverside Walk, très agréable (les cerfs et les écureuils se laissent approcher sans crainte), très facile mais aussi très fréquentée jusqu’au étonnants Narrows. Randonner avec des chaussures spéciales dans la Virgin River est une expérience inoubliable pour toute la famille, y compris pour notre fille de 3 ans qui, courageuse, campe et lutte férocement contre le courant avec ses petites jambes solides et volontaires, lorsqu’elle n’est pas soutenue par les épaules de son bienveillant papa. Nous n’allons pas très avant avec les enfants, peut-être 300 mètres mais c’est bien plus que je ne l’aurais espéré alors je ne suis pas déçue. Nous faisons demi-tour, enchantés par le parcours que nous avons déjà pu faire, et nous promettant de revenir un jour terminer la balade quand les forces filiales se seront un peu étoffées (et cette fois nous n’oublierons pas les bâtons de marche 😏 )
Nous prenons la route vers Bryce Canyon où nous resterons 2 nuits au Best Western (quelconque). Le temps est couvert donc nous restons à l’hôtel.
Le lendemain nous effectuons le Rim trail de Sunrise Point à Sunset Point. Les enfants éreintés par l’excursion de la veille dans les Narrows sont de mauvais poil. Quelques mises au point et rencontres animalières plus tard (écureuils, lézard et chiens de prairie), l’ambiance s’améliore, le temps est magnifique, la vue sur l’amphitéâtre prodigieuse, le site unique en son genre. Les orgues de pierre d'un orange éclatant se tendent à l'unisson vers les cieux, il suffit de tendre l'oreille pour les entendre jouer en toute harmonie l'hymne de la vie et de la nature.
L’après midi est consacrée aux autres points de vue, et à la détente au bord de la piscine où nous bavardons avec un couple de québécois, baptisés « cousins de papa » par notre fille, si seulement elle savait à quel point elle n’a pas si tort 😉 . Ce sont eux qui nous font découvrir le concept de véhicule récréatif et autres particularités langagières québécoises. La soirée, nous la passons au Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill (http://www.ebenezersbarnandgrill.com/) : la qualité du repas est plutôt moyenne mais le show est convivial, drôle et varié (chansons, blagues, numéros, un vrai condensé de western en salle). Nous conversons avec des touristes américains originaires de Seattle attablés avec nous lors des entractes. Les enfants, enchantés, repartent la banane aux lèvres avec des photos dédicacées des artistes.
4ème étape : Page
Très agréable est la portion de route entre Bryce et Kanab où nous visitons Little Hollywood, constitué de quelques décors de cinéma. Les enfants sont ravis et en font leur terrain de jeux (nous y sommes quasi-seuls). Nous arrivons à Page où la chaleur est étouffante, aussi le programme de l’après-midi est simple : sieste et piscine ! L’hôtel (Courtyard by Marriott) est plutôt classe ce qui ne gâche rien. Plus tard nous décidons de nous rendre sur la plage de Lone Rock afin de profiter de la douce et photophile lumière du soir et de nous restaurer, pieds en éventails devant un décor de rêve, mais le destin et notre charité en décident autrement 😇 . En effet un couple d’insouciants (très) jeunes français voient leur berline, 2 roues motrices et non point 4 (comme ils le croyaient 🤪 ), ensablée jusqu’à la carrosserie sur la piste menant à la plage. Incompétents en anglais et totalement borderline. Le bon sens vaut bien alors un coup de main, de bras, de roues et de langue (pour parler aux rangers, non mais qu’est-ce que vous imaginiez ? 😏 ). Si bien qu’à la fin le pic nic se fait dans l’obscurité non dépourvue de charme, au milieu des feux et des campeurs qui, eux, resteront pour la nuit. Nous décidons alors de revenir un autre jour.
Le 2ème jour à Page commence par une balade à Horseshoe Bend, trop tardive (9h du matin pourtant …), trop difficile pour les enfants qui en bavent des ronds de chapeau à cause de la chaleur accablante et pour mon mari qui se verra contraint de porter ma fille dont les forces l’abandonneront au moment de la remontée. Magnifique point de vue cela dit, sur le fantasque Colorado singeant un fer à cheval, même si nous ne n’y attardons pas, il ne fallait pas le louper (se lever plus tôt aurait été en revanche bien plus judicieux). L’instant est bref mais intense. Petit tour au Wallmart pour se rafraîchir et se ravitailler.
En fin d’après-midi, nous profitons de l’Antelope Canyon Tour en bâteau. N’ayant pas très bien compris dans quel groupe nous nous trouvions, nous partons pour le débarcadère bien trop en avance, ce qui nous permet de grapiller de très bonnes places 😉 . Le lac Powell est splendide en ces heures bénies du photographe, le barrage impressionnant, le dédale tortueux dans lequel nous nous engageons, énigmatique. En bon derniers, nous remonterons la côte menant au comptoir dans un petit véhicule motorisé, tel ceux que l’on trouve sur les terrains de golf, grâce à la pitié d’un membre du personnel. Ce qui enthousiasme les enfants.
Le 3ème jour à Page, nous le consacrons en matinée au magique Lower Antelope Canyon dont on nous avait vanté le caractère ludique, qui s’est bien évidemment confirmé de bout en bout. Nous prisons les jeux de lumières et les explications du guide navajo qui nous offre quelque aperçu de sa langue communautaire, tandis que les enfants se prennent pour des aventuriers à la recherche d’un précieux trésor enfoui quelque part le long de ce parcours labyrinthique parsemé d’échelles métalliques. Mon fils trouvera les ailes d’un papillon rare et mystérieux, ma fille des plumes féeriques et quelques cailloux précieux.
Nous passons la soirée sur la plage de Lone Rock en prenant bien garde d’éviter les pistes potentiellement encombrées par quelque inconscient ou malchanceux touriste (charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même comme on dit, pour ce soir au moins, nous laissons à d’autres la joie que procure l’aide apportée à son prochain).
Sur la route du Grand Canyon nous décidons de faire une pause à Tuba City. Nous goûtons une spécialité navajo (un genre de chausson un peu bizarre avec de la viande et des poivrons dedans) au restaurant « Hogan » puis nous visitons le Trading Post et le Navajo Interactive Museum qui semble exposer de manière exhaustive mais succinte la culture navajo (l’entrée est un peu chère tout de même).
Arrivés au Grand Canyon, nous décidons d’une petite pause bienvenue au Desert view point et sa tour décorée de fresques hopis. La vue sur le Grand Canyon tient ses promesses, c’est grandiose mais émotionnellement je ne ressens pas grand chose. Il me faudra 24h pour me laisser apprivoiser par cette immensité. Nous passerons 2 nuits au Yavapai Lodge, le cadre est très agréable, plutôt frais et arboré.
Le lendemain matin, nous parcourrons le Rim trail de Mather Point à Yavapai Point où nous croisons beaucoup d’écureuils plutôt amènes avec les touristes et enclins aux cabrioles. La lumière de la matinée ne rend pas encore justice à la beauté du Canyon. Suis un peu en stress, rapport à la proximité de la falaise. En fin d’après midi nous visitons Hopi House, Lockoot studio et Kolb Station. Le sentier est animé, la lumière propice, je suis enfin un peu touchée par la merveille de la nature que nous avons sous les yeux.
6ème étape : Monument Valley
De retour à Tuba City, nous partons à la chasse aux traces de dinosaures (Dinosaur Tracks) avec une très jeune guide navajo. Les enfants sont heureux de découvrir ainsi moult empreintes de Trex, ptérodactyles et autres terribles lézards du Crétacé. Nous conversons avec la maman de la jeune fille qui nous explique brièvement les difficiles conditions de vie de sa communauté et de son village en particulier.
Nous déjeunons le midi au KFC de Tuba City, véritable cour des miracles indienne, où se retrouvent pour manger ensemble des personnes démunies, tantôt âgées, tantôt handicapées ou obèses les menus y sont bon marché mais gras. Dans les alentours de la ville nous observons la dispersion de communautés navajos plutôt pauvres des petites maisons simples et récentes y côtoient des hogans traditionnels, ainsi que des véhicules de toutes sortes et des chevaux.
Nous arrivons enfin à Monument Valley où nous profitons de la soirée au View hôtel ; nous admirons le paysage depuis notre balcon. Un simple regard panoramique aux alentours suffit à nous transporter dans un western et, pour peu que nous soyons attentifs, à voir surgir de nulle part John Wayne sur son noble destrier. Un peu plus tard, au restaurant, nous testerons une autre spécialité navajo plutôt goûteuse mais aux ingrédients indéterminés.
Le lendemain matin, nous empruntons la piste Valley Drive, inoubliable. L’un des moments forts et phares de notre voyage. Une succession de monts sculptés par les vents de l'ouest se dressent fièrement sur le sable doré parmi une végétation typique. Ces paysages désertiques sont enchanteurs ... Les enfants profitent de chaque secousse pour se gausser à gorge déployée et se flattent de notre rencontre brève et inopinée avec un coyote.
Après un petit passage devant Mexican Hat, nous nous arrêtons à Bluff dont nous visitons l’instructif fort, la reconstitution d’un camp de pionniers mormons. Nous nous restaurons au Twin rocks café (cher mais de bonne qualité).
La chaleur est si étouffante que nous décidons de passer outre les pétroglyphes de Newspaper rocks ce dont je me mords encore les doigts. Je ne le sais pas encore mais Moab, où nous séjournons 3 nuits, restera pour moi une succession de désillusions, les hautes températures et la fatigue de mes troupes agissant de concert afin d’élimer mon programme, le réduisant ainsi à un minimum syndical dont je n’apprécie guère le principe ni le fait qu’il me soit imposé 😠 . Notre famille fonctionnant toutefois en période de vacances sur le mode de la démocratie et non plus sur celui de la monarchie absolue, je dois capituler, non sans livrer bataille avec honneur, à propos de Canyonlands et (également) des pétroglyphes de Courthouse Wash.
Il ne me reste plus à me mettre sous la dent que Arches Park, magnifique au demeurant, et encore ! Plutôt du genre escamoté ! Je dois encore, en guise de bonne foi, abandonner la randonnée qui mène à Delicate Arch et me contenter de la photographier de loin. Nous nous baladons toutefois au pied des 3 arches de Windows Section et nous arrêtons devant les diverses curiosités (balanced rock, Park avenue …). Le minimum syndical oui, oui 😕. Nous empruntons également une piste très difficile et très flippante ce qui amuse les enfants et mon mari, mais moi pas du tout.
Au jour du 4 juillet, nous profitons un peu de la ville et des festivités qui se déroulent au Swanny Park. Les enfants sont heureux de recevoir des cadeaux aux couleurs américaines offertes par la ville (crayons, balles et autres babioles) et de participer à des jeux typiquement américains. Nous finissons au restaurant Zax, qui ne faillit pas à sa réputation.
8ème étape : Salt Lake City
Après avoir effectué un gros détour en empruntant la scenic drive (route 128) qui longe les berges du Colorado, nous voici en route pour Salt Lake City où nous resterons 2 nuits.
Nous flânons dans le quartier de Temple square : Tabernacle, Temple, Lion house et Beehive house (dont les pièces sont superbement meublée) n’ont plus de secrets pour nous. Enfin façon de parler 😉 . A propos de Beehive house, c’est très amusant de voir combien certaines questions mettent mal à l’aise notre dévouée et sympathique guide ! Elle reste très évasive (et gênée) à propos du mode de désignation de Brigham Young concernant ses disciples ou encore quant à ses nombreuses compagnes. Nous ne voulons pas la mettre dans l’embarras, nous n’insistons pas. Nous dînons au Lion House, sans prétention mais sympathique.
Le lendemain est consacré à une excursion sur Antelope Island, sur le Grand Lac Salé. Le temps est couvert ce qui tombe plutôt bien, l’île est aride et dépourvu d’arbres. Les enfants sont très impressionnés par le troupeau de bisons en liberté, d’autant plus que nous sommes tout près … Nous visitons le ranch, plutôt ludique pour les gnomes, puis faisons un tour sur la plage, très étendue et parsemée de drôles de cailloux blancs, plats et coupants ainsi que de milliards de moucherons qui font le bonheur des enfants. Le bord du lac est peu profond et sale. Pas envie du tout de se baigner en ce qui me concerne. Mon fils trouve le moyen de se blesser, la bonne humeur de cette journée vole alors en éclats (mais non point hélas en éclats de rire), il est temps de rentrer. Ce qui n’est pas plus mal puisqu’une fois arrivés à l’hôtel, il pleut et pas qu’un peu. Mmmmh … c’est un orage en fait.
Le soir je parcours la ville en tous sens pour trouver un moyen original de nous restaurer, quelque chose qui change un peu des trop fréquents hamburgers/frites/pizzas/salades qui envahissent nos assiettes de délicats estomacs et difficiles convives ; je tombe alors (non sans mal) sur Siefried Delicatessen Grocery. C’est un peu incongru de manger une choucroute à Salt Lake City mais je décide de nous accorder cette petite parenthèse culinaire européenne )
Merci pour ce carnet qui servira aux familles avec enfants! J'attends la suite pour lire vos visites au Yellowstone, qui, je n'en doute pas, aura ébloui petits et grands 😉
Merci pour ce carnet qui relate bien vos bonheurs de voyage mais aussi vos déconfitures de maman-voyageuse avec des petits bouts ...
J'ai connu ça, vous allez voir ça ira mieux chaque année 😉
J'ai l'impression qu'il a fait particulièrement caniculaire cette année!! En tous les cas, à la radio et dans les journaux, ils en parlaient donc je suppose que ça devait pas être rien... déjà qu'il fait très chaud (à Las Vegas, Moab, etc...) en temps normal!
J'attend la suite pour voir ce que vous avez pu réaliser au Yellowstone avec vos bouts d'chou.
Oh ben mince alors, je ne pensais pas donner une impression si négative 😕 , je voulais simplement apporter une version réelle et non pas édulcorée de la réalité que j'ai vécue mais avec humour (râté apparemment 😏 ), sachant d'ailleurs que, globalement, j'ai trouvé le voyage que nous avons fait particulièrement fabuleux, mes préférences se portant sur Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley et ... Yellowstone 😉 .
Ce qui est dommage c'est que j'écris ce carnet 1 mois après notre retour ; aussi beaucoup de détails commencent à déjà m'échapper, je m'en veux un peu de ne pas avoir tenu de vrai carnet de bord sur place ...
Je viens de relire et en fait, oui, le récit manque un peu de smileys pour préciser ma pensée 😊 (parce qu'en réalité, les petites déconvenues, on les a prises avec humour hein ... enfin, sauf celles de Moab qui me reste un peu en travers de la gorge 😏 )
Merci pour ce carnet réalité, dont j'attends la suite avec impatience vu que j'ai le projet d'emmener mon fils de Las Vegas à Yellowstone quand il aura 8 ans. C'est sûr qu'on ne voyage pas de la même manière avec des enfants qu'avec des adultes !
J'aime bien votre sincérité dans votre carnet, c'est vrai que lors d'un voyage, surtout avec de jeunes enfants, il y a des moments plus frustrants ou moins agréables mēme si comme vous le rectifiez bien, cela ne rend pas un voyage moins fabuleux au final!! Quand on rentre on oublie en général très vite ces petits moments moins gais et on ne les mentionne plus dans son récit. Pourtant, ils ont bien eu lieu et donc je trouve ça très sincère d'en parler. Après quand d'autres lisent ça au moins ils peuvent se reconnaître et se dire que c'est pas que chez eux que tout n'est pas 'rose' 24h/24h. Après tout c'est la vie et ça n'empêche pas le voyage de toujours être merveilleux.
Bonne soirée
" C'est sûr qu'on ne voyage pas de la même manière avec des enfants qu'avec des adultes ! "
De fait... et ce carnet très réaliste montre à quel point l'ouest américain n'est pas une destination de vacances avec de jeunes enfants... et d'autant plus en été qd il fait caniculaire.
Les jeunes enfants n'ont que faire de beaux paysages, n'apprécient pas de se retrouver à parcourir de nombreux km en voiture et et ronchonnent qd il faut marcher (or, pour apprécier l'ouest américain, il faut marcher... surtout si on aime profiter de paysages loin de la foule de touristes)
Il n'attendent que les pauses piscines (et à leur âge, c'est bien compréhensible)...
Alors pas besoin de leur imposer un long vol d'avion pour trouver des piscines et de dépenser une fortune pour un tel voyage outre-atlantique qui sera forcément amputé de bcp de choses , ce qui laissera les adultes sur leur faim et un goût amer d'inachevé au retour.... même si au final et comme d'habitude, on se doute que cette famille ne retiendra que les bons moments
Ouest USA 2009 https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=2800143#2800143
5ème trip USA, 09/2013 https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6186946#6186946
Après tout c'est la vie et ça n'empêche pas le voyage de toujours être merveilleux.
Oui voilà, c'est tout à fait cela. Et oui j'ai voulu être sincère 😉
En revanche, je ne regrette pas une seconde d'avoir emmené mes enfants mais je n'ai pas tellement envie d'argumenter longuement dans ce sens. Tout ce que je sais c'est que dans notre entourage nous avons perdu 3 personnes dont l'heure est arrivée bien trop tôt l'année dernière (65 ans puis 50, puis 20 ...) emportées toutes 3 par la maladie. La vie est courte. Nous avions l'occasion de partir cette année, peut-être ne l'aurions nous pas eu plus tard. Quant à mes enfants, oui il y a eu des moments difficiles mais c'est aussi le cas lorsque l'on part avec des adultes (pour avoir déjà voyagé avec des amis compliqués, je sais de quoi je parle 😏 ). Quant à leurs souvenirs, lorsqu'on leur demande de nous les raconter, ce n'est pas les piscines qu'ils évoquent mais Las Vegas, le désert, les pistes en 4&4, les animaux et les geysers. Quoiqu'il en soit, Bastinj et Tatie, je respecte naturellement votre point de vue même si je ne le partage pas.
Clarikette, je ne suis pas prof de Français mais j'ai été pendant quelques années prof d'Histoire des idées politiques 😛 (j'ai pris un autre chemin depuis)
Nous voici donc en partance vers le nord. Nous faisons une pause à Malad où nous prenons quelques photos amusantes, avec en guise de fond, banque et bannières de la ville. Nous parvenons à Idaho Falls, qui, si je puis rester dans le registre de la sincérité, n’est pas une étape indispensable. D’ailleurs, peu de touristes en foulent les trottoirs. Néanmoins un lieu de vie engageant j’imagine, avec ses petites chutes qui agrémentent le centre ville. L’ambiance même de notre hôtel est strange. De longs couloirs interminables et dénués de vie, une réception et une piscine tout aussi vides, nous sommes les seuls à dîner au restaurant. Je me plais à imaginer les places vacantes peuplées de gentils revenants se plaisant à recevoir enfin de la visite et appréciant notre modeste compagnie (mais non je ne suis pas folle vous savez 😏 ) . Un rien préoccupant tout de même.
Nous ne sommes pas fâchés de reprendre la route le lendemain en direction de West Yellowstone. Une petite pause matinale au bord de la bien jolie (Snake ?) river où des pêcheurs debout dans la rivière et armés jusqu’aux dents traquent je ne sais quelle sorte de gibier aquatique au juste, mais le tableau est très frais et buccolique. Si seulement j’avais quelque talent de peintre. Je suis tout aussi novice en matière de pêche, aussi je m'abandonne à mes rêveries vagabondes devant cette scène enchanteresse, interrompues un peu plus tard par les hurlements de ma fille qui se plante une écharde dans le doigt. Pendant que nous extirpons l’intruse indésirable du pouce de ma progéniture féminine, mon fils part à la chasse aux serpents et aux loutres au bord de la rivière, en déloge un spécimen de chaque espèce et nous revient extatique 😉
Nous déjeunons le midi à West Yellowstone, petite ville assez attrayante où nous en profitons pour visiter quelques boutiques ainsi que le musée municipal qui présente une collection d’objets et de véhicules en relation avec la vie touristique dans la région. Puis enfin nous entrons dans le vif du sujet, le parc Yellowstone, où je rêve d’aller depuis l’âge de 10 ans. Oh la vache, put***… la claque … (oui oui, je puîs aussi être malpolie 😏 ). A peine arrivée, je sens, j’entends, je vois que ce parc est beau à pleurer, un véritable joyau. Nous y resterons 4 nuits, la 1ère à Mammoth Hot Springs, les 3 suivantes à Old Faithful.
10 ème étape : Yellowstone
Le 1er soir est malgré tout consacré à une besogne bassement matérielle, à savoir nous ravitailler. Je m’y colle de bonnes grâces afin de profiter égoïstement et donc totalement seule des gracieux paysages qui se déploient sous mes yeux. Je m’élève vers le nord en général et Gardiner en particulier, mais sans papiers d’identité, ni Pass America the beautiful, ignorant alors qu’emprunter cette route signifie que je vais sortir du parc. Profitablement pour ma peau, le ranger, compréhensif, me laisse revenir avec mes maigres emplettes vers Mammoth Hot Springs sans quérir plus d’arguments que le piteux exposé de mon étourderie 😊
Le lendemain matin est consacré aux renommées et non moins merveilleuses terrasses non encore asséchées par l’été. J’ai l’impression qu’elles sont bien plus préservées que celles de Pamukkale (si quelqu’un peut me le confirmer ?). Cette débauche de blanc et de jaune est un ravissement pour les yeux de tous les membres de la famille. Quelle stupéfaction également de découvrir, effleurant délicatement cette ruche enneigée, quelques invités surprise, tels ici un oiseau rieur, là un chapeau de paille élégamment disposé.
Nous repartons dès lors avides de nouvelles découvertes tout aussi éblouissantes. Les enfants (et nous-mêmes 😉 ) sont ravis de croiser moults animaux sur et au bord de la route un petit ours au loin, puis des bisons, coyotes et cervidés font notre régal ! Nous passons devant Petrified tree, puis partons à la recherche des grizzlys mais n’en voyons pas trace (je ne suis pas aussi déçue que les enfants, du courage j’en ai oui mais point trop n’en faut 😏 ).
Nous prenons notre déjeuner au Soda fountain à Canyon village, fast food à l’organisation plutôt amusante. L’après-midi, nous choisissons d’aller admirer le Norris Geyser Basin. En un mot sensationnel. Il obtiendra sur tout Yellowstone mes propres faveurs. Nous sommes sidérés par l’éclat prodigieux de cet immense tapis laiteux et des trésors vaporeux et multicolores qu’il renferme. Même les enfants, oui, oui. Enfin mon fils de 8 ans un peu plus longtemps que ma fille de 3 ans peut-être, mais leurs yeux tout neufs savent tout de même reconnaître la perfection et la rareté quand ils la voient … en tout cas c’est pas faute de les y exercer 😉
La fin de journée (déjà bien avancée), nous la passerons près du Old Faithful en nous réservant le délice d’assister à la représentation offerte par ce grand comédien pour le lendemain matin. Et nous ne sommes pas déçus. Dès les 1ères secondes, fusent de toute part les aaah et les oooh, quand bien même le feu d’artifice auquel nous assistons est unique en son genre, les yeux s’écarquillent et les mots restent coincés au fond de la gorge. L’ensemble du bassin est tout aussi fabuleux et insolite, ainsi que le seront les 2 jours suivants, le Biscuit Basin, le Midway Geyser Basin dont les teintes rivalisent avec les plus précieuses pierreries ou encore West Thumb et le Lac Yellowstone qui ne déméritent pas aux côtés de leurs brillants voisins.
Pendant tout notre séjour à Yellowstone, il n’y aura aucune récrimination filiale (ni maritale 😏 ), ni fatigue, accident inopportun ou chaleur excessive, que de l’enthousiasme et de la bonne humeur 😉 . La seule petite ombre au tableau (hormis l’alimentation mais nous n’étions pas là pour faire un séjour gastronomique) : un tour en bus de 2h au crépuscule (twilight tour) compris dans les prestations qui nous étaient offertes, donc certes gratuit, mais tout à fait inutile et chronophage, escorté d’un bon nombre des désagréments qu’implique un voyage en bus. Une jolie perte de temps même si l’intention (de l’hôtel ?) était louable.
11ème et dernière étape : Parc du Grand Teton / Jackson Hole
La fin de notre voyage approche mais nous glissons déjà tout droit vers une dernière merveille à contempler, le parc du Grand Teton qui jouxte au sud celui du Yellowstone. Nous n’avons pas beaucoup de temps à lui consacrer avant d’atteindre Jackson, une simple journée, mais nous ne manquons pas néanmoins de visiter le musée indien de Colter Bay (petit mais digne d’intérêt) et de traverser le lac à la marina de Jenny Lake afin d’approcher au plus près la célèbre éminence à 3 têtes. Le temps est à l’orage mais nous avons le goût du risque et tentons un coup de poker, n’ayant pu réellement éprouver notre bonne fortune dans les casinos de Las Vegas. Bien nous en prend, le soleil réapparaît rapidement lors d’une petite balade vers un point de vue puis une cascade (Hidden Falls).
Ne voulant pas défier le sort plus longtemps, nous retournons sur l’autre rive, au bord du lac où les enfants entament un concours de ricochets et construisent un abri de fortune pour un écureuil curieux qui s’invite à notre petit exercice récréatif. Nous arriverons tardivement à Jackson où nous resterons 2 nuits. Le lendemain matin nous musardons dans la ville (typique), son marché (plutôt commun) et son musée (amusant pour les enfants et instructif quant au monde des trappeurs). Petite virée matinale qui manque de tourner au drame, ma fille perd (mais retrouvera plusieurs heures plus tard) son doudou dans une boutique au milieu de quantité de peluches similaires.
En fin d’après-midi, nous assistons à un spectacle de rue de type règlement de comptes à OK corral, avec ses personnages haut en couleurs. Juge imposant et corrompu, serveuses de bar outrageusement maquillées, ivrogne gueulard, hors la loi menaçant, gros dur à la lippe amère et autres Wyatt Earp en herbe, se retrouvent tous au coeur d’un scénario incompréhensible mais attractif, débouchant sur une fusillade en règle. Les enfants sont ravis de se voir offrir les douilles des balles tirées à blanc par le gentil justicier, vous savez, celui qui gagne toujours à la fin 😏
Puis dans la soirée nous nous rendons à un rodéo. Nous nous établissons en face d’une brochette de mormons qui, ostensiblement, ne décollent pas leur précieux postérieur du banc au moment de l’hymne américain, ce que nous percevons comme une attitude absolument indocile, inattendue et, il faut bien l’avouer, cocasse (à l'inverse de nos voisins). Le show est à la hauteur des espérances de mon mari qui attendait impatiemment d’avoir l’occasion d’assister à un rodéo. Etant de nature attentive au bien être des animaux, je reste en ce qui me concerne sur la réserve et en état de vigilance quant à d’éventuelle maltraitances.
Les seuls bêtes que je vois malmenées ici sont tout de même plutôt les échevelés qui tentent de se maintenir quelques secondes sur l'échine des chevaux et des taureaux qui s'agitent fièvreusement sous leur séant, mais je ne sais pas ce que l’on peut faire subir à ces montures pour qu’ils se retrouvent dans un tel état de fureur sauvage et frénétique (si quelqu’un sait ?). Quoiqu’il en soit, tout le monde est à peu près rassasié, les enfants les 1ers qui, non contents d’assister à un spectacle inédit, connaissent leur petit quart d’heure de gloire, en descendant dans l’arène pour tenter d’attraper des moutons, à l’instar d’ailleurs de tous les autres moches. Mon fiston montera lui même vaillamment sur un faux bison non moins enragé que les vrais et tiendra le coup … 1 bonne minute 😉
Le dernier jour, nous repartons vers Salt Lake City où nous prendrons l’avion pour notre retour. Nous ferons quelques petites étapes notamment à Paris (curieuse localité au nom assez mal porté 😛 ) et Bear Lake (lac assez commun, difficile d’y trouver un endroit pour y pique niquer).
Nous rentrons en France, réjouis par ce voyage extraordinaire, sans aucun regrets et avec des souvenirs plein la tête, les bons comme les fâcheux 😉
Bonjour et merci pour le récit qui fait saliver (hormis l'étape Moab qui pourtant me semble incontournable) et va sans doute beaucoup m'aider pour préparer mon propre voyage l'été prochain, avec 2 enfants ( un peu plus âgés, 11 et 9 ans). Je le relirai en détail mais pouvez-vous, s'il vous plaît, me préciser la durée de votre beau périple qui ressemble à celui dont je rêve, et me donner vos hébergements dans Yellowstone et Grand Canyon? Merci d'avance. Alain.
mais je ne sais pas ce que l’on peut faire subir à ces montures pour qu’ils se retrouvent dans un tel état de fureur sauvage et frénétique (si quelqu’un sait ?).
Une sangle leur serre le bas du ventre et provoque les douleurs qui les font sauter comme ça. Pour pimenter l'affaire, certains leurs administrent en outre des décharges électriques de plusieurs milliers de volt, mais c'est illégal.
les enfants les 1ers qui, non contents d’assister à un spectacle inédit, connaissent leur petit quart d’heure de gloire, en descendant dans l’arène pour tenter d’attraper des moutons, à l’instar d’ailleurs de tous les autres moches.
Dis, t'es pas gentille avec les enfants des autres ! 😉 Mais bon, c'est vrai que c'est toujours les nôtres les plus beaux. 😎
Bonsoir. Je crois que vous vous trompez à propos des enfants en voyage, mais cela dépend des habitudes le reste de l'année. La curiosité se provoque, l'intérêt pour d'autres gens et d'autres paysages se travaille (terme pas adapté car c'est plutôt un plaisir qu'un travail, heureusement). Mes enfants ont 10 et 8 ans et ils ont adoré le Brésil l'an dernier, le Maroc, la Jordanie avant entre autre: 3 semaines à chaque fois, rarement plus de 2 nuits au même endroit, beaucoup de marche, pas mal de km. C'est vrai qu'ils étaient contents de rentrer, c'est vrai qu'on s'est débroullé pour avoir régulièrement une piscine pour finir les journées, qu'il faut chaque jour dégager 1heure ou 2 pour jouer sans autre but, éventuellement profiter de trajet envoiture parfois moins intéressants pour les laisser regarder un DVD ou jouer à la DS, mais ils ont crapahute dans Petra ou le Wadi Rum sans faiblir, les yeux grand ouverts, sont restés ébahis devant les chutes d'Iguazu, au sommet du Corcovado, et même à Ouro Preto, dans l'Atlas ou su la route des rois, ils adoré les nuits dans le désert, se sont amusés dans les souks, joué avec des petits marocains ou Jordaniens au milieu de nulle part, rigolé en jouant à cache-cache avec des petits brésilienś et ont pu voir que lavie n'était pas partout la même pour les enfants, ont un peu découvert l'islam...J'arrête là les exemples mais j'aurais pu aussi parler de voyages un plus anciens ( Cyclades, Tunisie, Croatie, Italie du nord...Ils ont, je vous l'assure, profité de tous les instants et ont en tête plein de belles images, que l'on entretient. À la télé, ils regardent avec plaisir Faut pas rêver ou RV en terre inconnue mais pas Secret Story...Ils sont ravis de penser déjà au voyage aux USA, même si effectivement on aura peut-être plus de mal à trouver des hôtels avec piscine abordables...mais là ne sera pas l'essentiel. Je crois aussi que c'est plus facile à leur âge que quand ils seront ado...Voilà, ce n'est que mon point de vue, mais l'adage selon lequel les voyages forment la jeunesse est tout à fait juste et peut s'adapter à l'enfance, s'ils font partie d'un mode de vie plus général. Cordialement. Alain
Hello,
Ayant fait Mammoth cet été et Pamukkale, il y a quelques années, je peux t'affirmer que non seulement, le blanc de Pamukkale est plus intense mais le site complet est également plus impressionnant, plus grand, plus beau, ...
Vs parlez d'enfants d'une dizaine d'années.. pas d'enfants de 3-4 ans...
Il est évident (enfin, disons que c'est ds la normalité) qu'à 10 ans , on s'intéresse au monde extérieur... ce qui n'est pas le cas d'enfants en-dessous de 6 ans.
Maintenant, il est aussi évident que même avec des enfants de 10 ans vs ne ferez pas le même voyage qu'entre adultes....qu'il y a plein de visites intéressantes qui vont devoir passer à la trappe ... que, par contre, vs serez obligé de faire plein de visites attractives pour eux mais qui ne le sont pas du tout pour vous (et que, pour la plupart, vs pourriez faire tout près de chez vous)... et qu'il y a donc bcp de gaspillage à les emmener ds des voyages onéreux. Mais libre à chacun de faire ce qu'il veut avec son argent....
Une remarque tout de même: éveiller la curiosité de vos enfants peut aussi se faire à la maison (ou pas loin) et ne nécessite pas de partir à l'autre bout du monde...
Chaque chose en son temps...
" Je crois que vous vous trompez à propos des enfants en voyage"
J'ai 3 enfants qui sont maintenant adultes.
Qd ils étaient jeunes, je les emmenais le plus souvent en Provence/Côte d'Azur où ns alternions 1 jour plage/piscine, 1 jour visite, 1 jour à rester à ne rien faire. C'est un rythme qui convenait aux enfants.
Il est vrai que les enfants de maintenant sont soumis à une vie trépidante et que bcp sont obligés d'endurer le rythme de vie infernal de leurs parents qui ne tiennent plus vraiment compte du bien-être de leur progéniture... ou qui , pour correspondre à l'air du temps médiatique, éveillent et sollicitent sans cesse leurs enfants.
Vs parlez d'éveiller la curiosité de vos enfants... moi, je vous parle de développer leur imagination et leur créativité. Et pour ce faire, des moments d'inactivité et de rêveries sont nécessaires.
Je persiste tjs à dire que visiter les déserts américains, en plein été , à un rythme soutenu (comme c'est le cas à 99% de ts les circuits lus sur ce forum) , n'est pas adapté à des enfants... pour la simple raison, que c'est déjà difficilement supportable pour des adultes😛
Ouest USA 2009 https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=2800143#2800143
5ème trip USA, 09/2013 https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6186946#6186946
mais je ne sais pas ce que l’on peut faire subir à ces montures pour qu’ils se retrouvent dans un tel état de fureur sauvage et frénétique (si quelqu’un sait ?).
Une sangle leur serre le bas du ventre et provoque les douleurs qui les font sauter comme ça. Pour pimenter l'affaire, certains leurs administrent en outre des décharges électriques de plusieurs milliers de volt, mais c'est illégal.
Fais une recherche sur G**gle, tu verras...
😕
Et c'est pourquoi je n'irai jamais voir un rodéo de ma vie! 😠
mais je ne sais pas ce que l’on peut faire subir à ces montures pour qu’ils se retrouvent dans un tel état de fureur sauvage et frénétique (si quelqu’un sait ?).
Une sangle leur serre le bas du ventre et provoque les douleurs qui les font sauter comme ça. Pour pimenter l'affaire, certains leurs administrent en outre des décharges électriques de plusieurs milliers de volt, mais c'est illégal.
Fais une recherche sur G**gle, tu verras...
😕
Et c'est pourquoi je n'irai jamais voir un rodéo de ma vie! 😠
Aaaaah nooon 😠😠😠
Ca me fâche 😠
(j'aurais dû me renseigner avant)
Hello,
Ayant fait Mammoth cet été et Pamukkale, il y a quelques années, je peux t'affirmer que non seulement, le blanc de Pamukkale est plus intense mais le site complet est également plus impressionnant, plus grand, plus beau, ...
Oh c'est drôle, je n'avais pas ce souvenir ... J'y suis allée il y a 12 ans, ça date 😛
les enfants les 1ers qui, non contents d’assister à un spectacle inédit, connaissent leur petit quart d’heure de gloire, en descendant dans l’arène pour tenter d’attraper des moutons, à l’instar d’ailleurs de tous les autres moches.
Dis, t'es pas gentille avec les enfants des autres ! 😉 Mais bon, c'est vrai que c'est toujours les nôtres les plus beaux. 😎
Je le relirai en détail mais pouvez-vous, s'il vous plaît, me préciser la durée de votre beau périple qui ressemble à celui dont je rêve, et me donner vos hébergements dans Yellowstone et Grand Canyon? Merci d'avance. Alain.
Nous sommes partis le 20 juin et revenus le 16 juillet donc à peu près 26 jours ! Nous nous sommes efforcés de rester 2 nuits minimum et surtout 3 nuits à chaque endroit pour ne pas épuiser les enfants (sauf à Monument Valley, Idaho Falls et Mammoth Hot Springs). De même les distances n'étaient pas très importantes entre chaque étape, 3 h de route maxi, sauf entre Moab et SLC et entre Jackson et SLC (5h).
Au GC : Yavapai Lodge
A Yellowstone : Mammoth Hot Springs Hôtel puis 3 nuits au Old Faithful SNOW Lodge (moins typique que les autres mais aussi moins fréquenté ce que nous avons apprécié)
Par ailleurs je suis bien évidemment d'accord avec toi à propos des enfants. Là si je résume :
- une écharde : 5 minutes de perdues
- un saignement de nez : 10 mn
- une blessure au pied : 1h
- une mauvaise humeur à Bryce : 1h
- une bonne difficulté à Horseshoe : 1h
- une grosse fatigue à Moab : euh ... bon ... 3 jours mais mon mari aussi partageait leur lassitude si bien que seule avec lui, je n'en aurais pas pu faire plus de toute façon. Pourtant je confirme que c'est bien un adulte, même si les apparences sont parfois trompeuses 😛
Quoiqu'il en soit, je trouve que ce n'est pas très cher payé, le reste du temps ils étaient de très bonne composition et enthousiastes. Si j'ai évoqué les mauvais souvenirs, c'est juste pour que les parents qui me lisent sachent qu'effectivement, ce sera quand même "comme à la maison" donc avec des moments moins sympas 😛 (encore que pendant la dernière partie du voyage, tout a été parfait !
Vs parlez d'éveiller la curiosité de vos enfants... moi, je vous parle de développer leur imagination et leur créativité. Et pour ce faire, des moments d'inactivité et de rêveries sont nécessaires.
Je suis tout à fait d'accord avec cela aussi 😉
En ce qui me concerne mes enfants n'ont une vie trépidante que pendant les voyages (ou sorties/WE) que nous faisons (même si nombreux il est vrai). Je ne les force à faire aucune activité extérieure (sport ou autre) sauf demande express de leur part (qui ne vient jamais 😏 ) et je suis toujours à la maison (donc eux aussi) puisque je suis en plein projet. Pas des enfants spécialement malmenés par la vie du coup 😛
Beau récit ! Ca me rappelle des souvenirs avec les enfants !
On pensait, l'an prochain, assister au rodéo de Cody... mais c'était avant d'avoir connaissance de cette pratique barbare. je pensais naïvement que les hommes étaient plus malmenés que les animaux 😊
Nous, nous avons attendu que le petit dernier ait 6 ans pour faire de longs voyages mais je te comprends tout à fait. Les voyages en famille, pour moi, ça signifie profiter de la vie, partager de bons moments tous les quatre et se fabriquer de merveilleux souvenirs que l'on entretient en reparlant souvent des anecdotes qui ponctuent les vacances. D'ailleurs, ils en reparlent d'eux-mêmes, on n'a pas besoin de lancer la conversation ! Comme toi, j'ai perdu des personnes proches récemment et je ne veux plus attendre pour faire ce dont j'ai envie, dans la mesure ou toute la famille a envie des mêmes choses. Une alternance de voyages découverte et vacances cool nous satisfait pleinement et, n'étant pas de grands randonneurs, les marches accessibles aux enfants nous conviennent parfaitement (juste un petit regret : Angel's landing à Zion que nous n'avons pas voulu tenter avec les enfants).
Evidemment, nos enfants ne se transforment pas en gentils pantins pour nous faire plaisir, donc il faut composer avec les bouderies, colères, bagarres (j'ai 2 garçons 🏴☠️) et fatigue... comme à la maison ! Il faut aussi concéder quelques moments de pure détente qui, finalement, profitent même aux adultes (1 heure de piscine ou jacuzzi, ça requinque tout le monde).
Chacun voit midi à sa porte et conçoit ses vacances comme il l'entend.
Bonjour,
j'ai été ravie de lire ton carnet. C'est un beau voyage que vous avez fait là. La chaleur a un peu compliqué certaines étapes mais à moins de pouvoir y aller à une autre période de l'année, il faut en passer par là. Nous cette année, nous sommes allés sur la côte californienne avec des températures entre 16 et 20°C, on riait en se disant qu'ils avaient un bel automne ! Mais rassure-toi, nous avons aussi eu chaud à Las Vegas.
Bonjour.
Merci beaucoup pour les détails. Je ne sais pas si nous dépasserons beaucoup les 3 semaines, peut-être devrons nous modifier un peu, mais l'idée de base de cette découverte sans doute fantastique est proche de la vôtre. Nous allons commencer à préparer vraiment, et l'avantage , c'est que cela va nous permettre de commencer à voyager (même s'il ne faut pas trop en "voir" avant de partir). Cordialement.
J'ai beaucoup aimé votre récit particulièrement bien écrit d'ailleurs, je ferai moins bien c'est sûr...
Nous venons de rentrer vendredi d'un périple très classique dans l'ouest américain avec nos 3 enfants (18, presque 13 et 7 1/2)
Nous en sommes encore tout ébloui !
Je vais faire d'ici peu un compte-rendu, mais il faut trier les 17.000 photos de mon mari, les videos de mon fils et les quelques centaines de photos de ma fille et moi, ça prendra du temps, espèrons avant Noël !
Comme beaucoup, nous espèrons repartir un jour et aller jusque Yellowstone... et approfondir quelques étapes de ce voyage comme Zion, valley of fire complétement zappé celui là...
En tout cas, merci pour ce récit, qui surtout pour les familles qui organisent leur voyage, est fort utile ; et merci pour les photos... qui donnent envie de partir😉
Bonjour. Mes enfants ont commencé à voyager...dès leur naissance. Je ne suis pas naîf, je sais que les images précises des voyages avant 5 ans disparaîtront plus ou moins de leur esprit, même si on entretient le souvenir avec films et photos. Mais les habitudes de se déplacer, de découvrir, d'ouvrir les yeux et les oreilles etc... se prennent très tôt, et cela n'a jamais posé de problème. Certains disent d'ailleurs qu'à 6 ans tout est joué...Voyager l'été n'empêche pas de jeter des galets dans la mer, de cueillir des mûres , d'aller à la pêche à pied, de lire ou raconter des histoires le reste de l'année!!! Et mes enfants prennent régulièrement le temps...de ne rien faire, rassurez-vous. Evidemment, je ne voyage pas en famille comme je le faisais sac au dos avant eux, ni dans les conditions ni dans les destinations. Pour autant, on n'est pas obligé d'aller voir Disney en Californie si on est dans le Nevada ou l'Utah, comme vous semblez le sous-entendre (j'exagère un peu...), mais on peut trouver plein de choses à faire avec les enfants chaque jour qui ne coûtent rien. Quant à développer l'imagination, je suis sûr que la contemplation de la nature y contribue largement. Effectivement j'évite de faire à l'autre bout du monde des choses que je peux faire ici. Enfin, ayant la chance d'avoir 6 semaines l'été, après le voyage à l'étranger, nous passons 2 à 3 semaines plus cool dans un camping où les enfants retrouvent des activités plus "classiques", souvent dans la région que vous citez et qui est absolument superbe, un lieu magnifique aussi pour passer des vacances. Maintenant, qu'il fasse chaud dans le désert, américain ou marocain, j'en suis conscient et je ne fais pas n'importe quoi non plus. Ceci dit sans agressivité aucune mais juste pour préciser un point de vue. Très cordialement. Alain.
Pour autant, on n'est pas obligé d'aller voir Disney en Californie si on est dans le Nevada ou l'Utah, comme vous semblez le sous-entendre (j'exagère un peu...),
Je pense plutôt qu'elle parlait de s'arrêter dans un petit zoo moyennement intéressant, d'aller à la piscine, de passer du temps à attendre que les enfants aient fini de faire du toboggan ou de jouer dans le sable...
Nous sommes parti l'an dernier avec nos 3 marmots ( 9 ans, 5 ans et 20 mois) et c'était top !!!!
J'envisage de repartir l'an prochain (en avril encore) pour avoir des conditions climatiques plus agréable en revanche je crois que pour Yellowstone du coup ca ne le fera pas !
J'avoue avoir été assez intriguée par le contenu de certain message, chacun voyage bien en fonction de ses envies, de ses moyens, et je trouve terrible de toujours devoir juger ou être juger (emmener ses enfants en voyage = au mon dieu quel gaspillage d'argent et d'énergie pauv goss... ou laisser ses enfants = égoïste mais pourquoi faire des enfants ?! ou alors mieux ne pas partir et ne plus vivre jusqu'à ce que ces petits être aient fini bac +5 !!!)
Bonjour
Tout pareil pour nous (en pire) nous partons l'année prochaine (en juillet) avec nos 4 enfants en camping (15-13-8-3 ans ) dans l'ouest !!!
Merci de ce récit. En fait on part en vacances avec nos enfants car c'est avec eux qu'on a envie de partager ça. Nous sommes partis avec mon mari au sri lanka sans eux (on a d'ailleurs ramené la 4ème LOL) c'était génial mais on s'est souvent dit qu'ils devraient être là. Maintenant c'est avec eux même si la miss est petite car si on attend qu'ils soient tous grands on ne s'en sortira pas ! on a fait la thailande en février en transport en commun avec miss de 18m ce n'était pas parfait mais comme dans des vacances en france et comme à la maison ! (quand j'ai fait mon récit sur le forum j'ai eu un message qui me demandé de raconter la vériter et d'arrêter de minimiser l'impact des enfants alors que comme vous j'avais donné qq point négatifs !!)
Merci pour ce récit sincère.
2020 6 mois à 6 ...
2019 Bali
2018 Octobre Islande- Juillet Namibie - Avril Londres
2017 Ouest USA
2016 Thailande
L'ouest c'est grandiose, on y retourne dans un mois avec les 3 (10 ans 6 ans et 3 ans !) Nous étions partis il y a 1 an et demi, le petit tout n'avait que 18 mois mais franchement ca ce fait bien !! De toute manière on est dans le rythme du quotidien, tout est question d'organisation !
Bon voyage dans l'Ouest avec tes 4 enfants !
On a pensé au Sri Lanka pour un prochain voyage avec les drôles, on se demandait si c'était envisageable justement (je pense que oui, ils ont quand même 7 et 12 ans)
Bonjour
Le Sri Lanka on a adoré !!! on a regretté d'être seul et pour notre premier voyage en famille je voulais vraiment y retourné mais on a choisi la thailande histoire de voir autre chose. A choisir niveau paysage on a préféré de SL.
On fait la pub cette été une copine y est allé avec ses ados de 13-16 ans et en février une autre y va avec ses filles de 8-12 ans.
Le SL c'est génial il y a des temples la plage les paysages et les animaux !
2020 6 mois à 6 ...
2019 Bali
2018 Octobre Islande- Juillet Namibie - Avril Londres
2017 Ouest USA
2016 Thailande
Bonjour,
Je ne sais pas si vous êtes toujours connecté au site si longtemps après votre voyage à Yellowstone. Je suis en train d'éplucher les diverses entrées car je prépare un voyage pour septembre pour cette destination.
Au début de votre message, vous parlez d'un supplément d'assurance que Alamo vous a fait payer et qui n'était pas nécessaire. Pourriez vous me dire de quel supplément il s'agit pour que je ne le paie pas en récupérant ma voiture.
En vous remerciant pour votre information et pour avoir pris le temps de décrire votre voyage. J'y ai puisé de bonne notes. Merci
Pour ceux qu'une version plus photogénique intéresserait j'ai créé un blog en parallèle initialement destiné à la famille et aux amis, vous y êtes donc les…
Vous pouvez retrouver ce carnet sur mon site, avec les photos "relookées", Merci à Marie (mlefèvre sur VF) qui a effectué son voyage au même moment, avec ses…
17 et 18 juin C'est le départ! Marseille Barstow Tout d'abord direction Turin. Pourquoi Turin? Tout simplement parce que les taxes d'aéroport sont tellement…
Je commencerai mon récit par un retour direct dans le passé, un bond au temps n-1 où notre excitation, à mon père (autre membre de cette expédition) et moi, a…
Mieux vaut tard que jamais! De retour d'un roadtrip de 27 jours dans le grand ouest en juillet dernier, voici ENFIN le carnet de voyage. Ci-dessous notre…
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.
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
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.
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)
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!
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!
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.”
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!!!
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
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
When we started looking for a summer destination a few months ago, our first criterion was to avoid extreme heat and heatwaves. We had already been to Norway two years ago and are considering going back in the future for other occasions. So, we had some fun asking ChatGPT which destinations enjoyed a mild climate during the summer without going too far. Among the list provided by the AI were the Canary Islands... The idea of a place we wouldn’t have thought of first, both not too far away and exotic enough, appealed to us: “Hmm, why not?”
This destination had never really attracted me, though Magali was a bit more interested. Five years earlier, COVID had caused a short break in my professional activity, and I had planned a trip because the flight price was attractive, and I was looking for a destination different from what usually appeals to me, more than out of deep interest. From a distance and with a social judgment I acknowledge (it’s not great, but it’s not completely wrong), I had the image of a destination for party-goers enjoying the sun without the slightest interest in local culture, with concrete coastlines and denatured landscapes—everything I detest the most. Still, I had done some quick research on the different islands and spotted Lanzarote for its beautiful volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, and the impression of a good balance between activity and fewer crowds than Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Then I dropped the idea of going, without ever reconsidering traveling to the Canaries...
Until now! Because we started researching the different islands of the archipelago to see which ones might appeal to us the most. It was La Gomera, the third smallest island of the archipelago, more praised for its hiking trails and preserved nature than for its beaches, away from mass tourism (fifty times fewer tourists than Tenerife) but still a bit more developed than its wild neighbor El Hierro, that caught our attention. Contrary to what might be suggested later, I’m not at all addicted to AI, but I use it from time to time to synthesize quick research or simply for experimentation. Since ChatGPT had started anticipating my tastes lately as if it had become my buddy (often successfully, sometimes off the mark), I asked which Canary Island would suit me best for a trip with my family. The tool answered first with... La Gomera. So, I tested it and teased it a bit to see if this suggestion was well-founded, as the method sometimes makes it contradict itself. But no luck: “You’d appreciate the wild nature of El Hierro, but with family, you’ll find little activity for the kids. You won’t like the touristy vibe of the big islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. You could consider La Palma, but it’s really La Gomera that will suit you best, based on your interests and the criteria given.” So, we dug deeper into our research and were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that this island was the one waiting for us.
Without knowing it, we had Canarians in our circle who revealed their origins when they heard about our travel plans. One from Tenerife insisted we’d be better off choosing Tenerife (obviously...) because it also has preserved spots and that La Gomera, “you can explore it in two or three days, you’ll get bored quickly...” The other, a colleague from Gran Canaria who had never visited La Gomera, still recommended it without hesitation because it turned out her parents had just gone there on vacation: they loved it and had encountered few tourists. She also tended to think this destination was usually the subject of short stays, but according to what her parents told her, taking your time there was also a great idea. However, in our research, the idea that La Gomera is an island you can explore in three or four days max kept coming up. So, we considered combining its visit with La Palma or El Hierro, the other two that caught our eye. But hopping between islands by ferry represents a significant budget for non-Canarians, even more so for a family of four. Then, scrutinizing Google Maps, it seemed obvious that two weeks were too short to discover two islands as they deserve, and that there seemed to be plenty to see in La Gomera, given its very unique culture. After all, we read that some people spend several months a year there, others never even leave... Finally, these landscapes and this atmosphere, which seemed to us a mix of Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, tempted us. So, it would be two weeks in La Gomera, deal!
La Gomera is therefore the second... well, the third smallest island of the Canaries since La Graciosa was recently recognized as a fully inhabited island. It has the shape of a rough circle about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter and has just over 20,000 inhabitants, half of them in its capital, San Sebastián de la Gomera, the only real town. Like its Canarian sisters, La Gomera is a volcanic formation that rose about 10 million years ago. The island is very mountainous and rugged, covered with red and black rocky landscapes. Geological activity has shaped, between the sprawling massifs that end in steep cliffs in the ocean, six coastal valleys with tropical vegetation that have favored human settlement. They divide the island like slices of a cake; from the north clockwise: the agricultural Vallehermoso, the rustic Agulo, the green, humid, and fertile Hermigua, the sunny capital San Sebastián de la Gomera, the southern and isolated Alajeró-Santiago, and the seaside Valle Gran Rey. They constitute the six municipalities (more like cantons to our French understanding) of the territory.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
La Gomera was populated late. As with the rest of the Canaries, human presence is thought to have begun about 2,000 years ago. Groups of animist Berbers, probably fleeing persecution, gradually populated the archipelago, especially the western islands and La Gomera, becoming its small aboriginal population: the Guanches (or later Gomeros). The animist and pastoral civilization of the Guanches thrived until the Spanish takeover in the 15th century, which, after a short period of harmony and mixing with the indigenous people, suddenly ended in bloodshed... La Gomera later became the “Columbus Island” after Christopher Columbus’s stopover, increasing the blending of populations. In the 20th century, many Gomeros emigrated to Cuba and other Latin American countries in search of a better life, bringing back a mix of cultures and traits quite palpable in today’s Gomeran culture. It is, however, in La Gomera that the vestiges of Guanche culture seem to have left the most traces, in the language, gastronomy, social practices... Moreover, most Gomeros, especially in remote villages, have a particular identifiable type and proudly claim their ancestral roots, even making La Gomera a bit exotic in the eyes of other Canarians.
Perhaps that’s why it has never really wanted to develop its tourist infrastructure too much. If we set aside the tourists who visit for the day by bus or boat from Tenerife on a marked itinerary (and whom we ultimately rarely encounter), La Gomera has remained a hidden gem, a destination focused on nature discovery that attracts hikers, nature-loving divers, and scientists for its fauna and flora, and to a lesser extent, beachgoers who don’t seek overly developed coastlines. Tourist activity is therefore limited. Roughly speaking, you’ll find a majority of Spaniards, including a substantial number of residents from other Canary Islands, many Germans who have a particular fondness for La Gomera and spend long stays there or own second homes, to the point that the German cultural footprint is clearly noticeable in some places (it’s said to be Angela Merkel’s favorite holiday spot), and still quite a few French. The presence of other nationalities seemed negligible to us. Most travelers come mainly for hiking, but it’s also a prime spot for whale watching. Additionally, the seaside resorts of La Gomera—San Sebastián, Santiago, and especially Valle Gran Rey—are well-known destinations for hippies, especially German ones, ranging from chic boho hippies to old-school hippies who’ve been there for decades, quite similar to those you’d meet in India in Goa, Rishikesh, or Paharganj. Thus, practices like naturism, vegetarianism, and local organic production are quite well established in some areas.
Some practical info:
- The round-trip flight from Paris to Tenerife cost us 365 € per person (outbound with Transavia, return with EasyJet), including checked luggage and three seats reserved side by side.
- We chose two bases to explore the island: one week in Valle Gran Rey, reputed to be the most pleasant of the three seaside resorts, and one week in Hermigua, more mountainous and close to the natural park. We booked two houses with balconies and views: the first at 120 € per night, the second at 99 €.
- The round-trip ferry between Tenerife and La Gomera cost us 270 € with the company Baleària Canarias, including discounts for children aged 4 and 12, but I don’t have the exact details. It was a bit cheaper than with the other company, Fred Olsen.
- Finally, we rented a car through the agency Cicar for 360 € for 16 days, which comes to 22.50 € per day.
- Apart from that, we didn’t plan anything and decided the day before or even the morning of what we wanted to do. We didn’t invest in any paper guide on the Canaries, as information on La Gomera was scarce, but we used the very comprehensive site La Gomera Travel, a travel guide published by the Canary Islands Tourism Council, a real goldmine of almost exhaustive information on the island.
Alright, off we go for 16 days of adventure discovering La Gomera!
If you're looking for great tips and offbeat spots, if you love exploring uncharted parts of a country, if the exotic is your adrenaline, then move along!
Our 15 days in early May in this part of Turkey (a country I first discovered during a city trip to Istanbul in 2017) will only tread well-worn paths and revisit popular routes. Simply because I kept hoping until the very end that our flight to Jordan wouldn’t be canceled. Events in the Gulf proved me wrong, so we left with:
Zero preparation.
Not a single hotel booked (well, except the first one), no visits planned, just a flight ticket bought three weeks earlier. No guidebook, no app—just the desire to explore southern Turkey and Cappadocia, whose images and the chance to stretch our legs had caught my eye.
Oh, wait—I did bring along a new guide: Gemini! Yes, my friends, generative AI was my chief advisor throughout the trip for sites to visit, accommodations, routes, and even restaurants! An experiment I wanted to try to form my own opinion on using this new technology. And what better way to test it than a Turkish getaway?
The verdict? You’ll have to wait for the trip recap to find out!
The main idea of the trip is also relaxation.
So, the plan is Antalya for a few days, the Turkish Riviera for a few more, Cappadocia as the highlight, and a return via Antalya to wrap up the trip. And it was all planned by AI!
So, if you're ready, fasten your seatbelts—cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check—boarding for Turkey now!
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...
January 2026
Here we go again for new adventures and the pleasure of sharing them with you here! First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me with the preparations, even with some last-minute improvisations just days before departure. Thanks to Montagnard74, Jojoone1, Songsam, Attila, Dennis2, NadegerFERM, and the authors whose travel journals about Laos inspired me (Montagnard74, Muriel18, Mavietongs...).
In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll tell you about the journey of four friends: Catherine, Richard, Nathalie, and Bruno. A reinvented but overall successful trip, filled with discoveries and surprises, the scents of spices and frangipani flowers, (too) spicy food, sunsets, and... one big mess.
I’d been wanting to discover Sulawesi for years. But then life happened—COVID, the cost of flight tickets, you name it. Long story short, years went by, but we finally set off as a family for a three-week trip in southern Sulawesi: Rammang Rammang, Rantepao, Sengkang, Bira, and Selayar.
I like to spend a good amount of time in the places I visit, giving myself the chance to really get to know the area and meet locals. So no island-hopping this time—just the south. But when I say "just," it’s not restrictive at all, given how rich this island is in landscapes, little encounters, and magical moments.
Wednesday 07/08 - Thursday 07/09:
We left Montpellier for what was supposed to be five flights, though we only took four to start, landing in Jakarta.
We picked up our luggage there to catch a flight to Makassar the next day. That’s the only way we could get an affordable ticket (702 €).
I won’t bore you with the flight details—there’s not much to say. We arrived at 7 PM and considered heading straight to Makassar that evening. But we opted for a recovery night before taking off again. Good thing we did, because my son’s suitcase was missing...
First contact with the locals was a bit stressful—a trip without your luggage isn’t exactly fun. But right away, a woman reassured us: the suitcase was just enjoying some extra time in Singapore. Maybe it was doing some last-minute shopping. Anyway, nothing serious—it was supposed to arrive at 9 AM the next day. That gave us some breathing room since our flight wasn’t until noon.
So off we went to our hotel (Days Hotel & Suites) near the airport. It was cheap (40 € for three rooms—my kids are older and need their space), but it wasn’t worth much more. The place had definitely seen better days. But no big deal—we were only there for the night, and... we got to watch France beat Morocco in the World Cup live at 3 AM. That’s what really mattered!
Friday 07/10: In search of the lost suitcase
First challenge of the morning: finding our missing suitcase. They sent us to the airport basement, to the staff entrance. We were greeted with smiles, and an airport employee led me through the underground corridors back to the baggage claim. Right on time at 9 AM, the suitcase arrived, just like they’d promised. We were finally complete!
Off we went to change terminals, grab a well-deserved meal, and board our fifth flight to Makassar.
Little side note: I struggled for a while trying to book domestic flights directly on the airlines’ websites with no luck. Without meaning to advertise (though I guess I am a little), I realized it’d be easier to use sites like tiket.com or Traveloka. That turned out to be a great choice—I even ended up booking hotels through them later in the trip.
12:40 PM: We were on our way to Makassar. First good news: we were the only tourists. Well, the only European tourists on the flight, anyway.
No, you’re not dreaming—the bag is full of... potato chip packets.
To each their own souvenirs, I guess...
When we arrived in Makassar, a driver was waiting to take us straight to Rammang Rammang: 250,000 IDR (12 €) to our guesthouse (Rammang Rammang House). Forget about meeting people on the bus—we were headed straight to the first stop of our trip, and it was already stunning.
My kids’ guesthouse:
Ours:
View of the little lake:
But not everything is straightforward around here.
I wanted to get a local SIM card for internet and calls. I found them expensive at Jakarta’s airport (20 € for 20 GB), so I decided to wait. Well, no luck in Rammang Rammang either. You can’t just buy one from the local shop—you need a Telkomsat store (they have the best coverage). So we’d have to wait for Rantepao to get Wi-Fi... When I say "local shop," I mean the little shack around the corner. No big deal—we’d find one easily in Rantepao for 5 € and 25 GB. So there we were, offline, just the four of us enjoying the amazing view.
Saturday 07/11: Rammang Rammang
We woke up early to the sound of wedding music blasting through the village (everyone’s invited!). Off we went to explore the area.
A little walking, a little boat ride (shared with a French tourist and a Polish one—yes, there *are* tourists here, just not many; 750,000 IDR for up to 8 people) through a lovely canal, and we discovered the karst site. It was peaceful and beautiful.
The river:
The karst site:
Okay, Palermo—we know it. We go there to marvel at the architectural wonders born from the Arab-Norman-Byzantine-Gothic mix. And rightly so. We also go to treat our taste buds to all kinds of delights, both savory and sweet. Again, rightly so. We go to succumb to the charms of Palermo’s women, their sun-kissed skin glowing with golden highlights. Still, rightly so. And all while fantasizing about a mafia we’ll never actually see. Anyway.
But you’ll also find street art everywhere, even in the historic center. Sometimes, you just need to step a few meters away from the main tourist highways like Cassaro, Via Maqueda, or the main arteries of the Ballarò, Capo, or Vucciria markets to stumble upon some amazing murals. Duck into one or two slightly grimy alleys, weaving past trash and crumbling walls, and you’ll find real gems.
For example, just 50 meters south of the main artery of the Mercato del Capo, there’s a great spot with dozens of murals in a tiny neighborhood of run-down mini-houses. You’ll find plenty more south of the Mercato di Ballarò, in the Albergheria (the grittier side, not the one near Cassaro). There’s some in Ballarò itself too, but it’s hard to spot when the market’s in full swing with stalls everywhere. La Kalsa isn’t left out either, nor is Vucciria—just step away from the restaurant-packed streets.
Here are a few examples that really caught my eye.
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
We landed in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and headed straight to Kasane in Botswana to pick up our car.
Our vehicle is a 4x4 because in Zambia, it's practically impossible to use anything else, especially in the national parks. I’ve already had the pleasure of visiting South Luangwa National Park—it’s one of the reasons for this trip, the main one being to travel in Africa with one of my sons.
First stop: Livingstone on the banks of the Zambezi River. Along the way, we discovered a lovely restaurant at Socrates with a super-friendly owner (we’ll actually stop there again on our way back). We spent our first night in the rooftop tent after a stunning sunset, accompanied by the grunting of hippos in the river.
The next day, we set off early, heading to Kafue NP. In fact, we’ll always leave early—waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 AM and hitting the road an hour later. Kafue is a lesser-known park, mostly forested, and the animals are skittish because they’re not used to human presence. We crossed the park from south to north and came across various antelopes. Near Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, there are plains where wildlife is easier to spot.
After Kafue, we headed to South Luangwa. This journey requires stops in Mumbwa and Petauke. Two pleasant stops where we found lodges (a nice change from the rooftop tent) at affordable prices and met welcoming people.
For me, South Luangwa is Zambia’s most beautiful park—the river is stunning, the landscapes are gorgeous, and there’s a wide variety of wildlife, including, of course, big cats. A tip for those, like us, who aren’t with a guide: if you’re staying near the park for several days, don’t hesitate to do a "game drive" to scout out where the animals are so you can return the next day with your own vehicle. Of course, in the dry season, you’ll want to focus on waterholes to see the animals—and you’ll need a bit of luck too. The elephant population is growing, and we were lucky enough to see around sixty elephants crossing the Luangwa at dawn, spread across several groups. South Luangwa is the westernmost point of our trip, and we’re now heading east to Lower Zambezi.
Lower Zambezi is Zambia’s side of Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side. We took a boat ride on the Zambezi to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a multitude of birds living along the water and on the river’s islands. The sunset there is also magnificent.
To explore the park, we followed the waterways parallel to the Zambezi, mostly on the western side (see our route). Lower Zambezi is the last park we visit, and the final leg of our trip will be Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls—or Mosi-Oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders")—are truly impressive, even during the dry season. We saw the falls from both countries: in Zambia for the overall view and the bridge that serves as the border, and in Zimbabwe to get as close as possible to the most spectacular parts of the falls.
This marks the end of our trip, which, despite a blown tire on the road, went off without any major issues. Zambia is a beautiful country that immerses you in wild, still-preserved nature.
From Southern Shikoku, between land and sea, to the blue waters of Miyakojima and finally Tokyo’s megacity
Hi everyone,
I have to admit, I really hesitated before deciding to write this travel journal... Writing one takes a lot of time and energy, and since this is my 4th trip, I wondered if it would actually interest anyone other than myself (both for the discovery and the writing). But after a few "Are you going to write a journal?" requests and especially the renewed pleasure from reading other travelers’ travel journals about Japan or elsewhere on this forum or elsewhere, I’ve decided to share this 4th installment in the Land of the Rising Sun here.
The itinerary:
27 full days, from late May to late June 2025, right in the middle of the rainy season, including:
-->13 days in Shikoku, from Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) to Matsuyama (Ehime Prefecture)
-->7 days in Miyakojima (Okinawa Prefecture)
-->7 days in Tokyo
The trip was decided on fairly last-minute this year, as usual.
I regularly check flight prices to track fluctuations for this destination, even without concrete plans. Finding a slightly cheaper direct flight (900 €) than what I’d seen in previous months (around 1,200–1,400 € on average) for a Paris-Tokyo route with Japanese airline ANA was too tempting to resist the urge to return to this enchanting country. After long hesitations between exploring the San’in region (Matsue, Tottori, Yamaguchi) and southern Shikoku, the decision was made—I took the plunge! The tickets are booked: Paris to Kochi with a layover in Tokyo, all with ANA, the airline I’d been dreaming of... for 1,120 € per person. Okay, it’s not cheap, but it’s still better than in 2023.
We leave in 2 weeks!! Now it’s just a matter of getting everything ready!
Intense work ahead in these 2 weeks to:
finalize a more precise itinerary and reach an agreement—yep, because even though we both love Japan, our preferences differ slightly, and we have to choose between exploring new places or taking time to revisit beloved spots...
decide how much time to spend in each selected area without rushing while still exploring
research places that might interest us and watch videos about Japan
book accommodations: yes, it’s possible to do this on the spot as we go, but last year, we noticed that last-minute options were pretty expensive, so we’re booking ahead—even if it means keeping a few options open while we decide or see if better deals pop up later
reserve rental cars
order yen
check the weather regularly and wonder if choosing the *tsuyu* (rainy season) was really a good idea—and whether we’ll be stuck in non-stop rain???
What a tough job, right? Traveling to Japan for a month—such a hard life!
Despite this being my 4th trip, the excitement is just as intense as the first time.
The only small downside is that when we booked the flight tickets, there were only a few seats left, so we’re only sitting together on the international return flight. Plus, on the outbound flight, we’ve got the middle seats.
Another lingering question: what French-language films will be available? According to the internet, the selection seems limited.
Oh well, these are just minor details—it’s almost time to fly!
PS: I’ll be posting slowly and irregularly... so for those interested, be patient or maybe set an alert...
Before Our Departure
Preparing for this trip started 9 months before our departure in June. For those planning a similar itinerary, it’s important to book accommodations well in advance, especially in the Okavango and Savuti campsites—otherwise, you might not find any availability.
Introduction
After visiting Zambia three years ago and Namibia and western Botswana a year and a half ago, this year we chose Zimbabwe (Hwange NP) and the northern half of Botswana.
Our flight from Paris was to Victoria Falls with Ethiopian Airlines, with a layover in Addis Ababa. We rented a 4x4 from Bushlore in Kasane, complete with two rooftop tents since there are four of us on this adventure. Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4 and, most importantly, gave us a rundown of the vehicle and its equipment. Pay close attention to what they tell you—it could be crucial if something goes wrong, as it did for us during the trip.
Our Itinerary
We arrived on June 12th at noon. At Victoria Falls Airport, we got our double-entry visa right away—I’d already pre-booked it online on the site https://www.evisa.gov.zw/.
Since our vehicle was in Botswana, we had to cross the border from Victoria Falls into Botswana for the first time.
The next morning, Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4. After completing the formalities, we headed toward Zimbabwe and the town of Victoria Falls.
We woke up early the next morning to be at Victoria Falls at sunrise. The scenery was stunning, but since it was the start of the dry season, the Zambezi was still high, so the falls had a strong flow. This made it hard to fully appreciate their beauty.
In the early afternoon, we left for Hwange NP, where we stayed for 4 days. Two days at Gwango campsite near Dete, followed by two days at Robins Camp. We expected to see more animals at Robins, but that wasn’t the case. In Hwange, we didn’t spot any predators, but we did see plenty of mammals (buffalo, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes).
After a few days in Zimbabwe, we crossed back into Botswana at Pandamatenga. We stopped at Nata Lodge for a good night’s rest—driving on the dirt roads is exhausting.
We left Nata and headed toward Nxai Pan. The road was sandy but manageable. We made a small detour to admire some beautiful baobabs at "Baines Baobabs." Then we continued to our campsite, Nxai Pan South Camp. Keep in mind that many campsites in Botswana aren’t fenced (except for the shower/toilet areas), so animals can roam freely within the camp. Take precautions, especially after dark.
After our stop in Nxai Pan, we headed to Maun. We decided to break our journey in Maun before heading to Moremi and the Okavango Delta for three reasons: first, we needed to stock up on supplies and fuel for the next 5 days; second, our fridge had broken (luckily, Bushlore has a branch in Maun); and third, the drive from Nxai to our camp in Xakanaxa in the delta would’ve taken too long. I always avoid driving after dark.
We arrived at our Xakanaxa camp on June 21st in the early afternoon. Not wanting to waste time, we booked a boat ride on the Okavango Delta, leaving at 4:00 PM for a 2-hour sunset cruise. For those interested, to the right of the Xakanaxa X1 site, there’s a sign for boat rides. The organizer is very professional and offers prices that are nothing like those of the lodges.
It was a beautiful ride through the delta with a stunning sunset. Being on a boat is much more relaxing than driving on the dirt roads. That didn’t stop us from doing self-drive safaris the next morning and late afternoon, though.
Then came the time to leave the delta and head toward Savuti, a much drier region. And that’s when the toughest part of our trip began. First, we decided to go up via Khwai. The rainy season was over, but the area was still marshy. We had to cross a few small water patches, testing the depth to make sure we could get through. Luckily, a sign on the road pointed us toward a drier route. We reached Khwai without any issues, but then we made a major mistake. Instead of taking the main track toward Mababe Gate to reach Savuti Camp, we took a straight path north and then a right turn to get to our camp. Bad call—we got stuck in the sand, with one rear wheel buried halfway and a front wheel off the ground. We were genuinely scared we wouldn’t get out, especially since we were on a deserted track, 20 kilometers from our destination, with night falling in two hours. This is where paying attention to the vehicle instructions really paid off—we had to use the jack to get out of the mess. The result: we arrived at Savuti campsite just before dark (Distance: 146.3 km, Duration: 9 hours, 56 minutes, and 3 seconds, Average speed: 14.7 km/h, tracked with Osmand). At reception, the staff couldn’t understand how we’d gotten there—we hadn’t passed through any of Savuti’s reserve entry gates.
The next morning, no one felt like driving, so we did a game drive with a guide. I don’t know if it was some kind of reward, but the outing was amazing. We saw three lions and, best of all, a pack of African wild dogs that we had time to admire and photograph. The next day, we did a short self-drive and found one of the lions from the day before drinking at a waterhole. That was the end of our Savuti adventure.
Now we’re heading to Kasane. We returned our vehicle and settled in for our last two nights there. The next morning, since we no longer had a car, we decided to do one last early-morning game drive in Chobe NP. It turned out great—we followed two brother lions and saw plenty of other mammals. The only downside of Chobe is the number of tourists, which was a change from the other parks we’d visited. That said, we’re tourists too, so...
In the evening, we took one last boat ride on the Chobe River to end on a high note with a beautiful sunset.
After a good night’s sleep and plenty of wonderful memories, landscapes, animals, and emotions, it was time to leave. We left early in the morning with the same taxi company as before to cross the border into Zimbabwe one last time and head to the airport, where we took off to return to France.
We all have two lives. And the second one kicks off the day you realize you only have one, with the determination to spend the time you have left on what truly adds sparkle to your life, Kevin! I like to elegantly introduce a trip with a philosophical quote. First, it gives you the illusion that I’m some kind of deep thinker, and second, it lets me fill up the first few lines of my blank page when I don’t know how to tell you I’m diving back into what really lights up my life: another adventure beyond the horizon! And nearly every other year, like a toxic relationship, my horizon tends to take shape in Uncle Sam’s backyard. And this, despite his cousin Donald calling the shots. Speaking of which, it was partly that impulsive guy who pushed us to be just as impulsive and snag our four flight tickets at a ridiculously low price—a direct result of foreign tourism taking a hit from BetaMax’s repeated antics... Four tickets? Who are the other lucky ones? In this case, our lucky ones are actually lucky ladies: My Flo, always up for exploring the world with me on foot, camelback, or scooter, is obviously in on the fun. The other two seats went to our daughters, Sasha and Luna, both thrilled to be part of this new American adventure...
But what’s the American West like in February?... A gamble. Let’s call it Russian roulette since we’re not landing during peak weather season. That’s why we encouraged our transportation and accommodation to get cozy and produce a little camper van, so we can stay ultra-flexible in the face of any weather tantrums. We’ll be roaming in Kara the van with the motto "Follow the sun!" Bad weather? We bolt. Snow? We speed up. Sunny? We act like it was the plan all along and soak it up.
"Okay, but why keep coming back to the same corner of the globe? After ten American adventures, you must be tired of seeing the same things, right?" But I’m not crazy, you know!... The American West is like making love to your gorgeous wife over and over, always enjoying it just as much. And contrary to what you might think, the American West isn’t just the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, and Bryce Canyon. Proof is, after ten trips to the U.S., my retinas are still untouched by three-quarters of the places I scribbled on a napkin for this adventure... Oh, and add to that my wife, who I’ve easily converted to my religion, and boom... relapse is even easier! Because yes, we’ve landed in Los Angeles after a sunny flight over Greenland, still under Danish flag for now. And we’re already heading east through the XXL traffic of L.A.’s eight-lane highways, eager to dive into our first discoveries. But first, night is taking over the sky, and second, we’ve been officially awake for 24 hours, so I suggest wrapping up this intro. I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning. Sound good?
This travel journal aims to help future travelers (well, I hope so!), since there’s so little information available about this remote archipelago. Big thanks to Lolodesiles and Ayis for answering my questions while I planned this trip!
Context
This is our fourth trip to Indonesia as a couple—after Java-Bali in 2011, Flores-Komodo in 2013, and Sulawesi in 2016—each time for three weeks. It’s also our tenth trip to Southeast Asia overall.
We’re traveling like we have in previous years: with a rough itinerary that often changes based on who we meet, tips from other travelers, how tired we are, or what we’re feeling in the moment. In the Moluccas, it’ll change constantly, mostly depending on transportation.
Our only accommodation booking: the first few nights in Ambon when we arrive.
Planned route (to be refined on the spot): Ambon - Banda Islands - Lease Islands - Ternate - Tidore - Halmahera (between Sofifi and Tobelo) - Morotai and the neighboring unnamed archipelago.
Flights: Lyon-Paris-Singapore on Air France (428 € round-trip), with good meals, champagne, and wine (we like our little comforts when going on vacation 😏). Then Singapore-Jakarta-Ambon on Air Asia and Garuda.
Return flight: Ternate-Jakarta-Singapore on Lion Air, with a 3-day stopover in Singapore before heading home.
Episode 1: Ambon to Banda
Our guesthouse, booked two days before departure, is 45 minutes from Ambon Airport, near Natsepa Beach (northeast of Leihitu). It’s a pretty average beach—quiet on weekdays but packed on Sundays (we saw the difference). It’s lined with warungs.
This rainy day helps us readjust to the atmosphere of this country we love so much.
Our “Solim Guesthouse” is a lovely house with a living/dining room and garden, costing 15 € per night for two, including a hearty breakfast.
Dinner is at Gaba Gaba, a great restaurant just a short walk away, right by the water, recommended by our host. Fun fact: it’s in the Lonely Planet, and it might be the only LP-listed spot in the Moluccas that actually matches the description (the others either don’t exist or have nothing to do with what’s advertised 😠).
For the next two days, the super-friendly owner lends us his scooter. We set off to explore the coastal villages in northern Leihitu (the western part of Ambon Island, which has a weird shape).
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
Liang Beach, described as the island’s most beautiful, is almost gone (climate change or something else?), but the colors are magical.
We continue 25 km toward a snorkeling spot our host recommended, taking a gorgeous, deserted little road through tiny villages in clove plantations (oh, those unforgettable scents!), stunning coves, and dense forest.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
We ask for directions to the snorkeling spot (not easy—we only know basic Indonesian like *Selamat pagi*, *siang*, *sore*, and other polite phrases). Not many people know where it is (especially since we never know which village we’re in), but we eventually reach a small village that seems to be the right place. 🙂
We ask a local to take us there by boat (it’s not reachable by land).
The spot is at most 100 meters long, but the coral is in good condition (apparently not dynamited by fishermen, unlike in other parts of this beautiful country where fishing methods are destructive and nature pays the price 😠). The fish are plentiful and diverse. It’s a great start before heading to Banda. We’re happy to have the place to ourselves… though we don’t yet realize we won’t see a single tourist for the rest of the trip!
After two days of rest, we head to Tulehu Port in the morning, aiming for the Banda Islands. We know the journey is often tricky: the Pelni ferry runs twice a month but doesn’t match our dates, the 10-seat Suzi Air plane is always full (you can’t book—you have to show up on Mondays and Fridays), and it’s often canceled due to weather. So we opt for the Tuesday speedboat (which also gets canceled if there are waves or wind), with the next one on Saturday.
We’re used to Indonesian ports—crowded, rusty boats, no English speakers—but we still feel lost. When I ask about the speedboat to Bandaneira, people gesture wildly, someone takes me to the “harbor office,” then tells me there’s no boat, others try to sell me tickets, and some just say, “No boat.”
Luckily, an English-speaking local approaches us and confirms the speedboat is broken. The next one will be Saturday *if* it’s fixed—otherwise, even later. 🤪 😠
We’re crushed. We came here for the Banda Islands… 🙁
We decide waiting five days for a maybe-boat isn’t an option, so we decide to head straight to North Moluccas, which was planned for later. We’re so disappointed we don’t even want to stay in the area. The Lease Islands don’t appeal to us despite what we’ve read, and Seram would deserve its own trip with its remote mountain tribes.
Huge disappointment—we’d been dreaming of Banda for months, with its incredible drop-offs like Bunaken, its islands covered in nutmeg trees, etc. I’d read that Banda is in the world’s top 5, alongside Bunaken (amazing—we went in 2016), Komodo (incredible—we went in 2013), Sipadan, and another spot I’ve forgotten.
We take a taxi back to Ambon (45 minutes) to a travel agency to buy plane tickets to Ternate. There’s a daily ATR72 flight at noon—perfect timing.
Ambon is the capital of South Moluccas (or Central, depending on who you ask!) with 300,000 people. The city doesn’t seem unpleasant, but we don’t stop.
On the plane, there are only about ten passengers for 72 seats. The flight attendants are stunning, as always with Wings Air—clearly, they’re hired for their looks. 😊
Stopover in Bacan—a runway in the middle of coconut trees serving a tiny town—then we fly over countless volcanoes, the last one towering over Ternate.
Bonjour,
De retour sur le forum - et première rédaction d'un espèce de carnet de retour de notre 4ème voyage en Indo.
Contexte : une trentaine de jours, en scooter et en duo, sur Florès (et une petite incursion dans l'archipel de Solor, plus précisément à Lembata (chut, faut pas trop en parler !!!), qui donne envie d'en faire beaucoup plus là bas malgré les infrastructures sporadiques), en partie dans des destinations déjà bien connues du forum (la classique Ruteng / Bajawa / Riung / Moni voir baie de Maumere) ... et qui ne parlera pas du PN de Komodo ou de Wae Rebo, puisque nous n'y sommes pas allés 🏴☠️.
Texte en anglais (issu d'une autre plateforme). Sans nul doute, des traducteurs intelligents ou pas marcheront à merveille en cas d'anglophobie 🤪.
Disponible à toute fin utile pour des détails ou infos.
Equippement : Yam' Nmax 155 ; 2x saccoches cavalières (25L) + sac de selle (30L) + saccoche tunnel (15L pour le matos photo) ; casques et vêtements d'enduro amenés depuis la France.
Itinéraire : boucle depuis Labuan bajo jusqu'à Pulau Lembata ; juillet-août 2026
Road conditions graded from A (excellent) to D (very bad, at least for a Scooter… a CRF/KLX or even honda ADV would do better on that)
D1 : Labuan Bajo – Reok via Ranggoe, Rego & Tagol (130km ; 5hrs). Section LBajo – Rego (90 km ; B) is quite good tarmac, despite a lot of elevation with many small valleys and passes. Rego – Tagol (10km ; D) is a stone road (not gravel), some ascents & very poor condition ; necessary to lower tyre pressure. Tagol – Reok port (22km, quality depends considerably from D to B). Reok port – Towncenter : B. Night @Iffah Homestay (100k for fan room, mandi attached, no breakfast), simple but clean. Notes : path to danau Sano Limbung was closed ; access to Tiwu Pai & Wae Kuli (waterfalls) not permitted in july 2026.
D2 : Reok – Riung via Pota (105km ; 3h-3h30). The road is very narrow in some part, thanks to the uncut bushes (lowering visibility hence extra caution as animals/people can suddenly appear in a turn…) but generally good condition except many eroded sections and some unpaved ones. Grade C/B. 2 nights @Mentos (285k for AC room)
D3 : Boat tour in Riung (booked directly with a captain, 800k for two for private boat incl. lunch and NP fees) + sunset from Watu Mitong Riung (should not be missed).
D4 : Riung – Muku Saki via Mbay (around 100km ; 3h30). Quality varies from A in the vicinity of Mbay to eroded sections (C) in secluded places. Night @Sao Paolo Homestay (250k for fan room with mandi, maybe overpriced but nice house and great food). Note : if you happen to pass by Mbay on Saturday, the market is well worth a stop (cheapest Ikat on the trip : you’ll be asked normal prices providing you’re OK in Bahasa…)
D5 : Muku Saki – Tanjung Kajuwulu (near Ndete) (90km, 3h). Many patholes, eroded (C). Night at Déjà Vu Homestay (220k for a matress on the floor & outside mandi/toilets ; I woud define this as a tourist trap – the quote we had for food was double priced too…)
D6 : Tanjung Kajuwulu – Waiterang (east of Maumere, 55km , 1h30). Pathholes till maumere, then All good (TransFlores), C/A. Night at Sunset Cottage (new concrete room, very serene place ; 270k for AC with bathroom ; much prefered Sunset over Lena House (more customers, more built up).
D7 : Waiterang – Larantuka via Boru and Eputobi (TransFlores ; grade A ; 115km / 2h40). Particularly liked the drink stalls (marked as Rest Area Eputobi) and the out of order aquatic park just before Larantuka (obyej wisata waiplatin). Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay, which is not advertising itself as Larantuka Beach Homestay as some contributor signals here and on goole maps review. Best breakfast of the trip (Cumi Cumi !!!) ; 275k for AC room with bathroom.
D8 : Local Boat (Kapal Kayu) from the main port to Lembata (Lewoleba). Departure 8am ; price 60k/head + 50k for the bike. Stop enroute on Adonara (where we did not stop due to fights between communities). Night @Elmany Homestay (275k for AC room with bathroom, fan room with shared bathroom also available). Whole afternoon at Pantai Hadakewa, fantastic place (good snorkeling, great views of Ile Api aka Gn Lewotolo). Road condition : A (did not expect the TransLembata to be that good…).
D9 : Loop around Ile Api (50km, 2hrs), anticlockwise. Stops enroute at Situs Tulang Paus (whale squeletton), pantai Jotona, pantai Wena (we expected to snorkel from there, but wind was very strong that day), situs Watu Nale, Selat Sonia. The western coast is far less interesting. Road conditions : bad (C) on the eastern side (up to Riangbeda), good (B/A) afterwards. Night @Elmany Homestay.
D10 : Lewoleba – Lamalera via the western and south coast (70km, 2h30). Good road (B) for roughly the first 55km (up to Tapobali), then eroded track for the last 15km (in some parts steep and dangerous) up to Lamalera (D/C). Notes : 1/ Kuma resort denied us the entry for some drink ; 2/Pantai Waijarang « complex » is abandonned but closed with fences ; you can still sneak in ; 3/ some reports advise to skip Bukit Cinta (foreigner entry fee) for Bukit Doa Watomiten (stations of the cross) ; well Bukit Cinta has also been abandonned (well spent money…sic) but remains opened with structures falling (quickly) appart. Night @Lamalera Inn (200k per head including meals ; very basic fan room + attached mandi). Planned 2 nights, spent only one, as it’s the only tenant I had difficulties with (only interested in money, initially stated crazy prices, starts loud music at 6am … and drinking moke at 8am…)
D11 : Trip to Wulandoni for the Barter Market (Saturday only). Bad road (C) along the coast. Had to report at the Kantor upon arrival, which quite surprisingly asked 100k per person (foreigner) to go inside the (outside) market. Other « local » tourists (a group from Jakarta) were not asked to pay. Well, since a market is a public space and not a zoo, we refused payment and enjoyed the activity from the kopi stall next to it. Returned then to Lamalera for the catches of the day, then to Lewoleba via the mountain road (45km, 2 hours). First 10km to Puor is in very bad condition and uphill (D/C). The remaining is on a newly constructed road (A). Note : Air Panas Sabutobo is abandonned and falling apart (again…) but there are still some water pipes along the river that you can enjoy (depending how lucky you are, just with the forest sounds as companion). Night @Elmany Homestay
D12 : Chill day alond the northern coast (Batu Payung, Pantai Hadakewa with lot of snorkeling, drove till Wailolong and backtracked to Pantai Lewolein for more snorkeling (nice canyons there !) and another fantastic sunset over Ile Api (see GMaps pictures)). Night @Elmany Homestay
D13 : Monday weekly market at Pada, southwest of Lewoleba. Renowned but honnestly dont plan any itinerary specifically for it, just an ordinary Kampung weekly market. Returned to Larantuka and Flores with the 12pm local boat (the same boat that leaves from Larantuka at 8am). Same prices as the first leg. Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay
D14 : Larantuka – Waiterang along the northern coast (100km, 3h) via Pantai Kawaliwu, Tewuk Lewokluok (trail is easy to find, very nice snorkelling in a lagoon), Pantai Lato (to my opinion the most beautiful beach on Flores and you’ll be the only visitor, as opposed to Pantai Koka) and Pantai Hia, until rejoining the TransFlores near Nebe. Grade C on the costal eroded road / track. 3 nights @Lena Guesthouse (booked ahead as it fills up quickly, but we prefered its neighbour Sunset Beach Guesthouse)
D15 : Snorkeling trip organised by Lena Guesthouse (200k per head excluding NP fees and lunch)). The drop-off near Pulau Babi is a very nice spot.
D16 : scooter day trip around the Egon Range (too lazy to hike it…), through nice Sikka villages (route : Watublapi, Umauta, Bola, pantai Doreng, Nakatoli, foot of Gn Egon, Air panas Blidit). The track from Natakoli to the foot of Gn Egon is very steep, damaged and wet (with moss) ; I would recommend not to attempt that in case of bad weather.
D17 : Waiterang – Moni (130km, 3h30, transflores grade A/B) via Pantai Koka (refused to pay the mafia entry fee…) and Jopu (some rumah Adat Lio). Stopped at Museum Bikon Blewut, south of Maumere. Very nice artefacts (especially wooden statues from Papuan, great ikat collection) although very disorganized and sadly non-visited (hence masterpieces fall into oblivion). 2 Nights @Liahz Lodge (150k for fan room, basic bathroom… but right next to Air Panas Liasembe (free, no closing time) !!!).
D18 : Sunrise from Kelimutu with a nice weather (stayed until 8.30am). I don’t know if the sunrise is really worth it (lot of people ascending and watching the sunrise – a lot but nothing compared to e.g. Gn Bromo), nearly everyone going down around 7am, then there is virtually nobody. Trip (20km one way, good road B) to Kampung Adat Nggela (Lio). Although the village is habited and mostly out of the beaten path, I have mixed fillings due to the fact that most ladies (some are pushy) try to sell you (bad) pieces of ikat.
D19 : Moni – Ende via Detusoko paddy fields, Kampung Adat Saga (Lio) and Puncak Ndona ; 75km 2h30. We really liked Saga (nice setting on the mountain, friendly villagers, no selling, mix between traditional and more modern houses in that lively village). Sunset from Bukit Raja, on the peninsula with a 360 view on Gn Iya, Gn Meja Kota Ende and the mountains behind. Note : at the end of the road (search for Gunung Meja Tourist Info Center), there is a (sand) track leading to the path. 1/ only intend the track if you have off road driving experience ; 2/ dont trust the walking time stated by Maps.me. Took us 45mins on a steady pace to reach the summit. Night @Hoja Homestay, 300k for a comfortable AC room with bathroom.
D20 : Ende – Bajawa, via Air Panas Mengeruda ; grade A, 120km, 3 hours. Note : don’t plan to short in Mengeruda (Soa), very easy to spend a half day there, especially if playing with local kids. Stay @Cinnamon GH, 250k for double with fan and hot shower (cheaper options with shared hot shower availlable).
D21 : First day in Bajawa : Watu Nari Wowo (Avatar Hill, sic…), Kampung Adat Ngada Tololela & Gurusina (very very friendly people, complementary views of Gn Inerie & Wolo Deru). Sunset from Puncak Manulalu (well… Heaven’s door Bar & Restaurant)
D22 : Second day in Bajawa : Kampung Adat Ngio (hardly visited, best view on Gn Inerie), Air Panas Malanage, Kampung Adat Bena (the most visited Ngada village (after Bela ?) in the area, we went there at the end of the afternoon to avoid tours, early morning would be fine too), and Gunung Wolobobo for a terrific sunset
D23 : returned to Gunung Wolobobo for sunrise with Gn Ebulobo in the distance (search for a track on the eastern slope, near the communication antenna). You can circuit the rim to the usual viewpoint (westside, sunset spot), the path is easy to find. Then took again the road to Aimere, visiting Kampung Adat Belaraghi enroute (the setting is maybe less rewarding than all the previous villages). 56km ; 1h30. The road to Belaraghi is fine, except the final part.
D24 : Aimere – Ruteng (105km, 3h30). Nice detour by the paddy fields of Wodo (southwest of Golo Loni) of Sunset from Golo Curu (nice encounters with locals). Night @Tange GH, 130k for room with outside (private) bathroom, no breakfast.
D25 : Surroundings of Ruteng (paddy fields north and east of ruteng ; Maps.me has funny tracks starting from Kenda), and the rather pleasant city itself (pasar, churches, lapangan). We finally skipped Liang Bua.
D26 : Ruteng - Labuan Bajo (130km, 3h30). No visits of the waterfalls close to the TransFlores (entry fee (with bule prices) + mandatory guide etc…). Sunset from Bukit Hercadi with very few locals (Bukit Sylvia & Bukit Amelia, just south, were packed). 2 nights @Wellamas Homestay, away from the harbour and its advantages/disadvantages. 230k for comfortable AC room with hot shower.
D27 : New road to Golo Mori Convention Center (another big money well spent…), with nice views on the strait separating Flores from Pulau Rinca. Some empty beaches (e.g. Pantai Pasir Pajang ; we were there on a weekday perhaps frequented by people from LBajo only). 30km (40 mins) one way, perhaps the fastest road of Flores…
D28 : Morning on the peninsula north of Labuan Bajo before taking a flight to Jakarta in the afternoon. On Google maps, the asphalt road only goes to Teras Langit ; it now (august 2026) continues to Puncak Basok and is still in progress towards the eastern part of the peninsula. On the way back, two other nice Bukit where you can enjoy nice views on the bay (and the resorts…) : Bukit Lontar & Bukit Beta. Note : we only found one public (and nice and quiet) beach in the area ; tagged as Sunset Point Beach on Gmaps. All the rest was closed by fences ; they are privately owned (although the Indonesian consitution grants the coastline as public space).
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!
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.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
A little sneak peek?
The karst site:
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
