I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Maybe you don’t know this, but France used to be *extremely* possessive: it was me or no one else, or I’d strip you of your French nationality. That’s not the case anymore (or so it seems), but in the meantime, Meloni’s Italy has become just as bad. If you don’t have typically Italian red blood cells going back I-don’t-know-how-many generations, you can’t even apply for Italian citizenship. In short, I missed the narrow window—the tiny time slot—due to my careless, couldn’t-care-less attitude.
And now I only have a French passport. Slightly worse than an Italian one: an Italian journalist was recently imprisoned in Evin (sounds like a Breton name, right? 😉).
Catherine
PS:
PS: So it’s no longer Bishkek?
Bishkek was just a pastime. A way to see a stretch of the Karakoram Highway (one of the world’s great places) and check out the possibility of continuing on to Kashgar. From Milan, all of that is really hard to wrap your head around.
It was through the agency offering to climb Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan that I found this Iranian trip.
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
No, no, I suspected as much, but I thought that in 5 or maybe 8 years—Hungary, for example, took 8 years, the Netherlands 5—you might have changed the colors of the potential problem a bit.
I sometimes watch, an old passion for motorcycle travel, the journeys of "Itchy Boots" / Noraly Shoemaker in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and I think her passport is really enviable, so much less compromising.
https://youtu.be/bbKQNqu50a0?si=X46DCNJNy4QtRGLO
I’m not convinced a French passport would have allowed her to do that kind of travel.
In case of trouble, the Dutch culture regarding consulates and assistance to travelers is also completely different.
Well, since it didn’t happen, in Iran you’ll go "as you are."
Alright, let’s talk about your points, which aren’t mine, by the way 🙂
No, no, I suspected as much, but I thought that in 5 or maybe 8 years—Hungary, for example, is 8 years, the Netherlands, 5—you might’ve changed the colors of the potential problem a bit.
In Italy, it used to be 5 years. A language test (easy for me) and, after a bunch of lengthy administrative formalities, you’d also get Italian citizenship. The issue then, since I didn’t want to replace my nationality but align it with my life and identity—so dual citizenship—was France. For this country, the only justification for dual citizenship after birth is... marriage . No joke, it doesn’t make sense. And the marital bond (the yoke of oxen hitched together), well... let’s move on...
That said, today, even if an Italian passport would’ve been a little less ideologically rigid and a bit more pragmatic than a French one, it still wouldn’t solve my Iranian issue. The Farnesina lists Iran as a deep red.
Cat
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is still missing.
You might want to contact Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Lennart Monterlos for the latest updates on this country.
I don’t exactly boycott dictatorship-countries, but since I’m not really into rough travel experiences, I avoid those where I’m clearly not welcome ("I" meaning my way of life), like countries that are too unstable.
And Russian roulette isn’t my favorite pastime.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
Hello local embodiment of French intellectual nobility 😛,
What percentage of tourism in Iran do your unfortunate compatriots represent?
It’s the only missing piece of data—cruelly missing—that’ll let me make my decision.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Iranian tourism professionals are complaining about the lack of Western visitors.
The majority of entries are from Iraqis, followed by Afghans and then Turks.
Fewer than 500,000 travelers come from outside these three countries.
Most come from countries "friendly" with the Iranian dictatorship: Russia or China, for example.
Some are also religious tourists (Shia pilgrims from Pakistan, Kuwait, etc.).
Others are into medical tourism (cosmetic surgery), usually from the Middle East.
There are 1,000 French citizens registered on Ariane for Iran. 90% are dual nationals.
In short, Europeans shouldn’t expect to have the place to themselves in Isfahan.
One indicator is the number of recent travel journals for the destination.
I’ve searched online, but the ones I find are all pre-Covid.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I don’t know. Actually, no. How is it possible to truly know a country without living there fully for years? I know a bit about France and Italy. I’ve never set foot in Iran.
I’ve been approaching it, brushing against it insistently for years. Since a noisy dawn of birds in front of Ararat, just a few kilometers from the border. Books, films—the ones "they" select and deign to show us. So partial, biased, that’s certain. Landscapes, cities of stunning beauty. A language, too. A density of past, both different and shared. I glimpse it, desire it, feel I could love it. Far beyond what it is today, a contingent avatar, perhaps or undoubtedly.
The question here and now is: will desire overcome personal apprehension and the anxiety of loved ones?
Answer in a few days/months. At best, you’ll gain a beautiful travel journal. 😉
Cat
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
One indicator is the number of recent travel journals about the destination.
No matter how much I searched online, the ones I found were pre-Covid.
After the Covid mess, in 2023 it was possible, and I was about to do it. Then it became clear there would be an armed confrontation with Israel, the scale of which was impossible for the average citizen to grasp. It happened. And for now, it doesn’t seem like it will happen again.
I’m thinking, I’m thinking tonight, that the last time I tied my brain in knots before leaving was for Kars, which was completely off the beaten path. And I had one of, if not *the* most moving trips of my life there—rare light under the snow. So...
Given the topic: maybe traveling is about looking your fear—partly induced—in the eye, taking it in your trembling hand, and saying, "Come on, let’s go." 🙂
The travel journal will be called "All the Way to Hormuz," I think.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
I’m used to personal attacks, that’s true.
I’ve had worse, that’s true.
But as a press reference, you should find something else...
Look to the left if you want.
https://www.liberation.fr/medias/2005/12/20/la-prefecture-pige-a-ouest-france_542405/
I admit it’s old (from my only trip to Tehran, by the way), but since then, I haven’t given much credit to *Ouest-France*. This isn’t where I’d go for information.
Telegram from Persia
June 2, 2011 -- STOP
Iranian hospitality fabulous -- STOP -- Little bro Seb: 'But how can they love us so much in such a short time?' -- STOP -- No tourists encountered in ten days except a couple of Germans who biked from Europe -- STOP
Tehran detestable -- STOP -- Lorestan province cool and welcoming, Khuzestan stifling with a large Arab minority -- STOP
Men as warm as women are absent -- STOP -- Apartheid everywhere -- STOP -- Outside of students, conservative atmosphere -- STOP -- Strong animosity toward Israel -- STOP
Gastronomy nonexistent -- STOP -- Lamb kebabs, rice, and bread -- STOP -- Carrot juice the national drink, we prefer kiwi, cherry, and melon juice -- STOP
Ruins of Persepolis tomorrow -- STOP
Splendors of Isfahan the day after -- STOP
Love and kisses from Shiraz, city of poets --
-- END
Ending up in a jail cell seems significantly more unpleasant to me.
We agree. The question is how to assess the probability that I’ll at least end up there—or at least pass through. 😉
But I don’t think we’ll agree on this destination. For me, if Paris was worth a mass, Hormuz or Yazd are worth a hijab. And that doesn’t put my identity in the slightest danger—it’s infinitely more solid than any outfit here or there.
Catherine 🙂
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
I could’ve made an effort with the costume before.
But the murder of Mahsa Amini and what followed confirmed my decision to wait for better days to visit this country (not to mention the potential risk of being taken hostage).
The fruit is ripe—the mullahs’ clique is on an ejector seat. One more spark could make them disappear.
Iran definitely deserves better than a visit where you’re hugging the walls of a country smothered under a lead blanket.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
Good evening Catherine,
On this one, I’m a bit like Agnès—brave but not reckless 😅.
And I don’t like playing Russian roulette either!
But I’ve no doubt that the imprisoned kid’s bike trip was fantastic, with an unmatched welcome from the locals (apparently everyone agrees on that in Iran) until the moment he was locked up and went from paradise to hell in two minutes!
And while I’m all for "everyone does what they want," I struggle a bit more with people who don’t own their choices to the end and then scream "heeeelp, France!" after wandering into parts of the world marked red.
But if you do go, we’ll definitely be interested in hearing about your trip!
Good luck with your thoughts, and see you soon!
Christelle
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
Under the 1963 Vienna Convention, which grants "consular protection," states have a duty to assist their nationals abroad.
It’s mostly a framework, an obligation of means, which doesn’t legally require anything, but morally and statutorily, it still carries some weight.
I’m not aware of many people crying "help, France!"—beyond a few highly publicized cases. And that media coverage is also a political message, not something the detained individuals control. They’re just hoping for a quick and humane solution. But some states are now taking French citizens hostage as a means of leverage or retaliation, and our world is shrinking.
The current trend is grim for travelers: more and more high-risk or "red" zones, a government that’s increasingly alarmist, and a large part of the population demanding more coddling and protection. This is much more true in France than in other European countries, which are less involved and less resistant to citizen autonomy.
I’ve also heard that the EU is about to ban organized travel to Russia—for now—and possibly Belarus next, as part of sanctions. Though, in my opinion, it’s the people who end up paying the price...
In the past, Canadians, for example, had major issues with Iran.
It seems like you think a political regime change will let you visit an Iran without veiled women or moral conservatism; you’re underestimating the role of religion and how much most people value it.
In other words, things probably won’t be much better for you afterward.
When I see the list of countries you’ve never visited in your profile, it makes more sense.
Where did I say that the fall of this theocracy would mean a country without veils or bearded men?
You can't erase the tales and legends people believe in from their minds, any more than you can force someone to believe in such nonsense.
The difference is that people will be free to express their opinions—and that’s huge!
It won’t necessarily be better for me; it’s primarily for the Iranians.
As the list of countries I haven’t visited shows, I’ve already stayed in many undemocratic countries where women’s rights aren’t exactly shining.
I think visiting a country under an iron fist ultimately means not really seeing the country or meeting its people, but discovering a regime.
Why go to North Korea or Afghanistan?
Not for the countries themselves, but to see the North Korean regime or the Taliban with your own eyes.
That’s why my memories of Romania behind the Iron Curtain are almost entirely tied to Ceaușescu’s madness.
The lines for gas, black-market exchanges, empty plates, water and electricity shortages, the Romanians’ frenzy to buy anything Western...
I’d love to go back to finally discover the country—its monuments, its landscapes—all the things that didn’t stick in my memory because they were overshadowed by the dictatorship the Romanians endured.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I read your post carefully about your Iranian dream trip.
The upside is that you’ll have solid, serious support. This agency can even cancel the trip at the last minute. They should know the route and accommodations inside out. If you can trust them with all the possible—and unimaginable—details, then why not?
But there are risks, and you’re well aware of them.
It’s a tough decision to make.
You chose to talk about it on the forum—I’m not sure I would’ve done the same. It’s a kind of courage, too.
Yes, that’s exactly what’s so deeply troubling. The agency (Kailas) is a well-established (25 years) and reputable organization. It’d be like Clio in France to give you an idea—except it’s geology-focused. I can’t wrap my head around how they’d risk destroying, annihilating their reputation and credibility by rushing their clients into such a cursed situation, for both themselves and the country they come from.
It makes me think that the color assigned to Iran by European chancelleries is mostly a way to deter the clueless folks who scatter about these days—those who *are* likely to put themselves in danger, because it’s still obvious that Iran is a tough country, truly different, and needs to be approached with caution and restraint.
Catherine, perplexed.
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
You’ve brought up some really interesting points.
From what I understand, the French nationals accused and imprisoned in Iran were traveling independently, without any organized framework or clear package-tourist status through an agency.
If you're in a small group with a guide, I can see how espionage accusations would be harder to justify.
Personally, knowing how I travel, I wouldn’t go either—but in this case, I think we’re talking about something a bit different.
We’re talking about the dawn lights over Yazd, sitting for a moment in the Lotfollah Mosque and letting your pupils dilate as you soak in the beauty of the place forever, a twilight in the wild splendor of the Dasht-e Lut, a walk through Bam wrapped in the icy mountain air, the red cliffs of Hormuz guarding the Persian Gulf... 🙂 and all the things I haven’t even imagined yet.
I’m bracing for the hijab, the constrained group travel (6 minimum, 8 max), pretending to be Catholic if needed, and even eating lamb kebabs that turn my stomach.
I wouldn’t go alone, not even with a custom local agency like in Uzbekistan, but here...
C.
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
If a distinguished VF member heads to Iran and ends up getting locked up for some obscure reasons... if all that gets out, what amazing publicity for the site! 😛
My wife dragged me to Egypt a few months after the 2011 events. It turned out to be the best time to go, and it was wonderful. At the same time, if we’d had bad luck, I might not be here to talk about it.
So you’d better go see a fortune teller ASAP for some enlightened advice.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
What percentage of tourism in Iran do your "unfortunate cases" represent?
Good evening,
If you give such an answer—which I find, forgive me, a bit condescending—and argue this way, I wonder why you’re even hesitating about this trip. These three cases might be isolated, but each one is one too many and speaks volumes about the regime in Iran...
Personally, I can’t give you advice on this, since I don’t know the country and have never visited it (and I have absolutely no desire to discover or visit it). Plus, the Asian continent really isn’t a region that interests me much or one I feel any great sympathy for. And I won’t hide that I’m very much on the same page as the concerns raised by Attila or Solene40.
Still, I hope you’ll make the decision that’s right for you.
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from the bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz, a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats that allow it to define and justify itself, miserably. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be anchored, we must absolutely keep all our strength, not give any leverage to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Catherine
Hello Catherine,
In 2025, the world’s leaders spread a general sense of unease, but should people just give in to this gloomy atmosphere? The desire to explore the earth and its peoples will always live on in the minds of adventurers, including mine.
Back in 2014, 2015, and 2016, we traveled in Iran, as usual with our backpacks, moving by bus, shared taxi, train, and hitchhiking—yes, hitchhiking in Iran—with no problems during those three trips. The first covered the entire central plateau. Afterward, we wanted to climb several summits, and I found a small local agency that entrusted us to the good care of two brothers: a cook and a high-mountain guide. Two months of travel. In 2015, we explored the northeast with Rafi, a great local guide we met in a guesthouse—we’re still in touch. Finally, in 2016, we went from the northeast to the southeast, along the Afghan and Pakistani borders. That was the trickiest trip to organize, but once again, everything went smoothly with Rafi. I wanted to meet the Baloch people, and I have a great memory of the tailor who made me two magnificent Salwat Kamiz.
Rafi asks me, "My friend, when are you coming back to Iran?" But now, with age, grandchildren, and this tense climate, I won’t try to persuade you to go meet the Persians, one of the most cultured, respectful, and hospitable peoples in the world.
But if by some extraordinary chance you need anything, then yes, you should go? Wishing you a wonderful trip.
Gilles
Thank you all for your replies, your opinions, and sharing your beautiful memories. I’m happy for all of you who’ve been able to experience fragments of this magnificent country. 🙂
But ultimately, the decision is yours alone...
If the decision is mine—and mine alone—I’m going. Because the real risk is very moderate, objectively low given the trip’s setup and the guarantees provided by the agency.
The only valid concerns are about the geopolitical instability in our Middle East, though Iran isn’t the main culprit, and it’s not certain that the situation on November 30th will still be relevant by mid-February. I’d take that risk, knowing I can still choose not to go at the last minute.
But today, on the eve of my 56th birthday, the question is: "Am I the one deciding my own life?"
The positive side is that things are crystal clear: either I go, if possible on the departure date, to Iran, or instead, I do 17 days of intensive psychotherapy to rid MY life of my loved ones’ anxieties and stop limping through it.
Catherine
PS: I’m sorry this discussion thread appears in the Middle East / Iran section. I’d only posted it in "Thoughts and Reflections."
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Hey there,
"Instead, I’m doing 17 days of intensive psychotherapy to remove the anxieties of loved ones from MY life and stop limping along."
I laughed so hard at that! I could totally come with you—it gets heavy for me sometimes too (I canceled a trip to the Philippines right when Fukushima happened because of family pressure!).
But hey, I figure their worries mostly come from a place of love 😅.
Imagine only getting indifference from your loved ones when you announce your trip to Iran—wouldn’t that worry you a little? 😮
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
At the same time, it kinda depends on how much the inheritance is worth.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
Euthanasia is a personal choice.
A choice that should be allowed by legislation.
If some people want to end up bedridden in adult diapers in a retirement home, kept alive by a range of machines, or live thirty more minutes in atrocious suffering, that’s their business, and good for them.
But they shouldn’t prevent others from choosing their own end.
A law is necessary. Otherwise, it’s impossible to choose your own fate unless you go to Switzerland or Belgium, which isn’t always possible and isn’t very equal.
But we’re getting off topic...
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
The law is mandatory, yes. I’m not debating that fact. France is governed by the Law.
What bothers me are the potential abuses by families. That’s why I’d prefer a law that’s quite restrictive or well-regulated—not just left to families.
And to clarify, I don’t plan on ending up bedridden in a nursing home or hospital. Everything’s already set up if needed. Even the funding for the final exit. The only remaining gray area is the final choice for the body: worms or the barbecue.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, miserably. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But the unchanging red—deep, garnet red, so beautiful in itself—echoes through all the Western chancelleries: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go. You’re putting yourself in danger, and we won’t be able to do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, pawns in endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled; we must keep all our strength and give no ground to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
We went there independently 20 years ago.
We used a local agency based in Shiraz, and everything went very smoothly.
At the time, female tourists had to wear a veil. I hesitated a lot about taking this trip for that reason.
I don’t know if that’s still the case now. Personally, I found it quite difficult.
Especially since we came from Turkmenistan by land. I got some unpleasant comments at the border crossing about not being dressed modestly enough... If we’d arrived by airport, the "welcome" would probably have been different.
When we got to the hotel in Mashhad, where we were just passing through, I literally collapsed.
But shortly after, we discovered a population that was as kind as could be and genuinely happy to communicate with foreigners. In the cities, women let strands of hair show. We even talked to a teacher visiting Yazd with his young students—veiled 10-year-old girls who already told us back then that 80% of women dreamed of living Western-style and removing their veils once and for all.
We also came across a gay couple in Mashhad, a highly religious city. They were very open about it, and no one paid any attention.
All this to say that even if the country’s politics are disastrous, our media also tend to exaggerate the situation. At the time, it wasn’t uncommon to hear that homosexuals were heavily punished.
The weight of religion is very heavy in this country. If you can look past that, everything will go well. And besides, you’re going for a heritage of unparalleled richness, stunning landscapes, and people—who, I’ll say it again, are extremely welcoming.
Thanks for sharing your memories. 🙂
Religion doesn’t bother me at all. I’m used to listening to a confiteor without flinching, even while dealing with the daily damage it causes. So... anything else, no matter what, for just 17 days, is a tiny little hiccup.
Ashgabat could be an alternative, with the unbeatable advantage that nobody’s ever heard of it and the silence that comes with it. But, well, it’s got nothing to do with density.
If my employer gives me one more day than I’m officially entitled to, I’ll tell you all about it. 😉
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Maybe I should say this in the Thoughts and Reflections section (and not in the Middle East one where this topic unfortunately ended up. Ugh, it’s so annoying!)...
2012. The summer trip is ready. Venice-Tartous by ferry, then Aleppo, Damascus, Jordan, Jerusalem, Alexandria-Venice. The situation in Syria is uncertain. We... postpone... I’ll never sleep in the Baron Hotel, I’ll never watch the sunrise over Palmyra from the terrace of the Zenobia Hotel. It’s over, for good. I (just a tiny, insignificant human in the face of the pain that unfolded there) will forever feel like a part of me is missing.
You should never let an opportunity pass, even if it’s uncertain.
C.
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Yeah, but at least it’ll give us a travel journal as eventful as it is poetic.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
Turkmenistan would be a very poor alternative to Iran, which remains one of the most extraordinary countries I’ve visited—especially for the encounters and hospitality. Sure, that was decades ago, but I know that in that regard, things haven’t changed much. I only found that kind of atmosphere again much later in Syria.
My wife really wants to go to Iran but is put off by the mandatory headscarf rule. Instead of shaving her head (too drastic), I suggested she wear a swim cap. She’s thinking about it.
Qu'est ce qui vous a le plus choqué dans un pays? Ça peut être les us et coutumes, l'attitude de la population, la culture... Moi je suis choquée par la…
J'ai lu que le "hippie trail" avait fini avec la révolution iranienne (et l'invasion russe en Afghanistan) en 1979. Mais est-ce que cela veut dire que l'Iran…
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
J'ai gardé comme habitude, de me moucher à l'évier, et de me laver ensuite les mains, coutume ramenée d'Inde, parfois, ca choque certains non voyageurs quand je suis prise en flagrand délit...
Aussi, quand je tombe en panne de pq, ca ne me dérange pas, sauf si j'ai de la visite... 🤪
Maintenant je reviens d'avoir baladé le chien (d'un copain en vacance), portant djellabah et bottine tibétaine... 😏😏😏 Ah pour sur si j'avais croisé des locaux, sans doute aurais je choqué?😏
Enfin, tant que je ne suis pas à cracher par terre au resto et à m'accroupir sur le bord d'une autoroute bouteille d'eau en main...
Et vous, vous ramenez des coutumes au pays?
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
en parcourant le forum pour glaner des infos pour mon prochain voyage en thailande, je vois souvent les mots "voyageur, grand voyageur" mais aussi "touriste" donc pour vous quelle est la nuance?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Vraiment déçu du Costa Rica ! Pura vida ? L'arnaque du siècle !
( Costa frica pure vide ).
Le pays où les animaux sont en liberté et les hommes en cage .
3 semaines en décembre dans ce pays et bien plus jamais. . Imaginez la bande annonce d'un film qui paraît intéressant, et en allant le voir vous vous apercevez que c'est un ''nanard'' et que les meilleurs moments tenaient dans la bande annonce.
Et bien c'est ce que l'on a ressenti avec le Costa frica pure vide .
Nous avons ma femme et moi pas mal voyagé et nous ne nous attendions pas à nous tromper a ce point.
Dans les grands axes nous avons fait :
Sant José
Alaiela
Limon cahuita Porto viejo manzalino ( côté caraïbe)
Jaco quepos manuel Antonio ( côté Pacific)
Et d'autres courts passages dans les villes intermédiaires.
Notre mécontentement c'est fait crescendo de la sorte:
Arrivés à l'hôtel le taxi nous dépose dans une petite rue devant un portail métallique blanc avec les fenêtres du RDC entravé par des barreaux. Nous le regardons dubitatif mais l'enseigne correspondait .
Il s'approche du portail appuie sur la sonnette le buzzer retentit et la porte s'entrouvre .Hôtel pas trop mal pour le prix , à 10 minutes à pied du centre ville, mais avec effet " Fleury merogis" garantie.
Jusqu'ici tout va bien .
Après la douche et après avoir repris nos esprits, nous partons faire un tour au centre ville.
Ce qui a commencé à nous interpeller sur le trajet c'est de voir quelques maisons avec barreaux aux fenêtres au RDC et même au premier étage.
Sur le coup nous nous sommes dit que le quartier de l'hôtel ne devait pas être trop top .
Le centre ville de san José :
C'est une ville quelconque pas dépaysante avec une rue piétonne et un petit mercado où vous pourrez manger local sans artifice. Très peu de touriste pour ne pas dire pas du tout ce qui vous permettra de vous noyer dans la population . Nous déjeunons et avons des difficultés à nous faire comprendre car hormis un ou deux magasins l'anglais n'est pas parlé.
Sur le trajet du retour à l'hôtel nous empruntons un autre chemin et en papotant et flânant ma femme me fait remarquer une belle maison blanche à étage complètement barricadé façon fort Nox.
Dès cet Instant on s'est mis a regarder les façades des maisons et des immeubles et lá , glauque de chez glauque, la plupart des façades ressemblent à des prisons avec barbelés pour certaines.
Bien que refroidi nous nous sommes dit que c'était peut être l'effet grande ville et que tout le pays ne devait pas être comme ça .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
On se pose un peut a l'hôtel on prend un verre au bar de celui ci. La nuit tombe tôt vers 17h30 . Sur les coups de 19h30 on repart pour le centre pour dîner . Un peu flippant le soir pour une capitale, le centre était quasi désert et hormis les chaines de fast food , trés peu de restos ouverts et pas grand monde dans les rues .
Des bars avec agent de sécurité devant .
Je ne dirai pas ce soir là que nous nous sommes senti en insécurité mais la nuit tombée on s'est dit que les barreaux aux fenêtres n'étaient pas la pour rien . Premier jour sur place un peu mitigé.
Le lendemain journée ville et environ , et sentiments inchangés .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
Direction cahuita par bus ,4 h de trajet
Paysages très vert , mais vite lassant la route longe la forêt et traverse quelques villes où villages et à la campagne aussi autant de maisons prisons .
Le bus nous dépose à la station terminus de cahuita, nous sommes 4 a descendre . C'est un village, que dis-je un bourg , c'est simple cahuita c'est une ligne droite et une perpendiculaire et franchement la le doute commençait à s'installer sur nos visages . Quelques restos qui appliquent 13 % de taxes et 10 % de service soit 23% .on pose les affaires a l'hôtel , et on part visiter ce lieu . En 20 minutes on en fait le tour , on déjeune et devions aller jeter un œil a ce fameux parc .
L'entrée est sur donation , enfin l'entrée c'est comique , il y a un chemin en bord de forêt qui longe la mer et voilà le tour et joué.
Jusqu'ici rien ne va plus .
Là on s'est dit que c'était une belle fumisterie mais n'ayant pas été très loin nous décidons de revenir demain pour approfondir.
On rentre a l'hôtel , on se pose, et sur les coups de 20h00 on sort dîner . Et bien , 2 restos ouverts et rues désertes .
Flippant !
Le lendemain on approfondit la visite du Pseudo parc et là vraiment on a compris.
Chemin qui longe la forêt en longeant la mer , 2h de parcours aller et idem retour où vous croisez les animaux qui veulent bien montrer leur museaux
Une belle connerie " tout ça pour ça "
Plage avec plein de morceaux de bois et de cadavres de noix de coco . on s'est demandé si les photos sur le net n'étaient pas retouchées , car la mer trés agitée n'est pas du tout bleue azur
Mais oser appeler ça un parc c'est comique et ressemble à un nouveau concept..
Quand on repense aux avis émis sur le net , on a commencé à se dire que des professionnels ayant des intérêts dans ce pays épiés et contrecarrer tous avis qui risquerait de nuire a leur business.
Dommage que nous n'avons pas pensé a regarder les avis négatifs avant , nous l'avons fait pendant et je dois dire que cela nous bien aidé, car nous nous sommes demandé si nous n'étions pas devenu trop exigeant grâce où a cause nos nombreux voyages, mais non quand c'est pourri c'est pourri .
le parc de manzalino est encore plus comique il y a un début de chemin qui longe la mer mais que sur 500 mètres et ensuite plus rien vous devez escalader dans la boue et vous frayer un passage dans la foret . nous avons fini pieds nues car la boue nous arrivé aux mi- mollets . tout ca pour croiser un raton laveur et un survol de perroquets
On s'attendait pas a voir l'Arche de Noé mais on a vu plus d'animaux a bali au Mexique en thailande en allant voir les temples ou en baladant que dans ces soi disant parcs !
puerto vierjo non loin de cahuita et apparemment plus vivant et bien oui ça pouvait pas être pire !
sur le lonely planet il était question d'ambiance caribéenne et de soirées endiablées et bien peut etre que cette époque a eu bien lieu mais ce n est plus le cas et le très bon son reggae diffusé un peu partout n'y suffit pas .
le soir a puerto viejo un peu plus vivant que cahuita mais ça c'est pas difficile ; pas enormément de touristes voir trés peu, pas de marché de nuit mais 2 à 3 boutiques ouvertes avec leurs t shirts à 20 dollars et même constat qu' a san jose.
Pas grave on a profité de la plage et du soleil qui lui était fidèle au rendez vous.Notre programme devait inclure le parc de tortuguero mais après avoir échangé avec d'autres touristes qui en revenaient nous nous sommes ravisés sachant que nous devions faire côté pacifique le parc de manuel Antonio.
Pour repartir côté pacifique vous êtes obligés de reprendre le bus et passer par sans José . 5 h cette fois ci et ensuite il faut changer de terminal de bus et c'est reparti pour 4h30 pour arriver à quepos .
Ville étape qui permet de se rendre a manuel antonio plage et parc !
ville à l'image de ce que nous avons pu voir jusqu'à present c'est à dire : qui se dérsertifie dés le
coucher du soleil sachant que la journée il n y a pas foule ! ( mais ou sont les touristes ?, )
toujours autant de barreaux aux fenêtres et cette sensation de s'être trompé d endroit
7 km plus loin ; manuel antonio plage et parc
la plage est très belle et assez vaste mais ne vous attendez pas à avoir une mer bleue turquoise car les vagues font remonter le sable en surface et donnent une couleur marron a l'eau ;
le long de la plage boutiques et restos sur 300 mètres et plus rien ; quand au soir après le coucher du soleil la ville se couche aussi .
parc de manuel antonio assez vanté pour la richesse de sa faune nous l'attendions de pieds ferme car quand vous exprimez votre mécontentement concernant les parcs de cahuitat et manzalino , la mode est de vous dire
''mais non il faut faire le parc de monteverde ou manuel antonio '' en fait quoi que vous fassiez ou disiez on vous dira '' mais tu aurais dû aller là bas ou ici
revenons à notre fameux parc ; entrée 16 dollars de mémoire et contrairement à ce que l'on a pu nous dire on ne s'y bouscule pas !
des guides a l entrée équipés de longue vue vous proposent leurs services moyennant une trentaine de dollars
le parc ; un chemin planchéié ou pas dans la forêt qui longe par moment de magnifiques criques et plages .
Dès notre entrée dans le parc , un attroupement qui prenait en photo une biche qui mangeait des feuilles,
un peu plus loin un guide accompagné d'un groupe de 5 personnes marquent l'arrêt, le guide vient de lever le bras et pose sa longue vue ! il leur montre à un centaine de mètres niché sur une branche : un colibri mais oui vous avez bien entendu un colibri! certains en regardant à travers la longue vue s'exclamaient:" oh my good ! amazing ! incredible"
on a cru un moment qu'ils avaient découvert une licorne ou qu'ils étaient à jurassic park et qu'ils venaient de croiser la route d un tyranosor rex !
le concept est comique; regarder un oiseau ou un autre animal à travers une longue vue ! car trop loin ! idem qu'à la télé non ?
pour notre part on a croisés des singes , des fourmis, un tatou, un iguane et le cul d un paresseux qui montait à l'arbre ! amazing incredible !
nous sommes restés quelques jours à manuel antonio pour profiter de la plage en changeant souvent d'hôtel car les prix variés du simple au double du jour au lendemain pour des prestations honteuses ; en plus ils vous annoncent un prix en dollars pour le convertir à leur guise ! des voleurs!.
Alajuela ville proche de l'aéroport avec un mall sur deux étages et marché local au centre ville ! sans interêt si ce n'est la proximité avec l'aéroport !
Ce que nous avons appreciés :
Le climat et la ville de san jose qui avec le recul est la ville la plus authentique que nous avons traversés .
Ce que nous n'avons pas appreçiés en plus de ce que nous venons de citer :
Les costaricains qui ne sont pas très avenants ni communicants , l' anglais qui n' est pratiquement pas parlé , même pas par les medecins de l'hôpital de Quepos où ma femme victime d'une intoxication alimentaire y ait passé, ( merci Google translate) , l'obésité omniprésente des Costaricains qui s'alimentent à l'Américaine, l'insécurité, les bobos ecolos qui quittent leur lodge à 150 dollars en mini-van avec guide pour visiter les parcs et autres sites puis reviennent se barricader dans leur forteresse la nuit tomb��e (oh my god amazing incredible), le panneau bleu à l'entrée des villes qui acceptent ce mode de paiement ; "acceptamos american express" les parkings devenus payants par la seule présence d'un gars qui surveille vos voitures , les prix affichés en dollars , le coût de la vie (hotels rerstos taxes ), les paysages trop verts et pas assez fleuris , les plages rien d exceptionnelles , la pollution dans les villes où les gros camions trucks américain sont rois , les eaux usées rejetées directement à la mer . Hormis la jungle il n'y à rien a visiter, aucun vestiges , ruines , monuments , digne de ce nom .
Bref , nous pensons ma femme et moi que la publicité faite pour ce pays soi disant ecolo est surfaite , mais que c est un peu le pays à la mode du moment ! Il y a beaucoup mieux , moins cher , et plus authentique .
Avec le recul nous gardons que les bons moments et nos belles photos , mais si c'était à refaire .............
Avant de vous quitter petit message à tous ceux qui n'aiment pas que l'on puisse avoir un avis divergent du leurs :
Et bien certaines choses ne se discutent pas , et á ceux qui voudraient nous faire croire qu'en 3 semaines on n'a pas le droit de critiquer un pays ou d exprimer un ressenti , et bien comment pouvez vous l'encencer en si peu de temps. Belle supercherie, Costa frica pompe à fric , pura vida , pure vide sidéral.
Si vous aimez passer vos soirées barricadé dans votre douillé hôtel le soir tombé , et bien ce pays est pour vous .
Pour les autres : fuyezzzzzzzzz !
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
Il y a quelque années, j'étais parti avec un groupe d'amis donner un coup de main dans une petite école rurale à côté de Thiès, au Sénégal.
Ambiance détendue mais travailleuse, avec les mains dans le mortier, la rigolade, les échanges, et tout ce qu'une COOPERATION peut engendrer.
Aujourd'hui, le petit projet vole de ses propres ailes.
Voulant profiter des richesses du Sénégal, on est parti faire un peu de tourisme dans le Siné Saloum. Une fille de notre groupe est tombée malade (crise de paludisme) et on a décider de l'emener voir un médecin dans un grand complexe touristique juste à coté. Malgré son état, il a fallu montrer patte blanche (si j'ose dire) pour entrer. Elle a été soignée et va bien depuis.
Cette "étape" dans ce centre style Club Méditerranée à la sauce teutonne, ressemblant au Grau du Roy en plus chic à été pour nous une vision d'horreur : Piscines, immenses bassins artificiels teintés de bleu, de rose ou de vert (!!!!), animateur hurlant autour d'un concours de teeshirt mouillés ou d'escalade de cocotiers, et toubabs rotis, ou rosés.
L'ensemble de l'hotel était ceinturé d'un immense mur derrière lequel s'était constitué un petit bidonville de marchands de souvenirs digne des derniers faubourgs de Dakar
En repartant, on a vu un minibus de clients de retour "d'excursion", avec masques, tissus et djembés - Souvenirs d'Afrique ?
Ce sera peut être le leur ?
Quel sera l'impression des gamins agglutinés devant les grilles de l'hotel ?
Quel sera l'impression des serveurs noirs en "costumes traditionnels africains", servant à tour de bras cocktails et glaces ?
Pour moi, qui ai connu l'Afrique très jeune, et dans la brousse, cela reste une vision d'horreur, gravée en moi.
Sur V.F. ce genre de vacances ne semble pas être le lot commun des internautes, et c'est bien la raison de mon inscription.
Avez vous aussi connu ce genre de voyage intersidéral ?
Comprennez vous les martiens ?
Leurs motivations sont elles pacifistes ?
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
My two bullfighting traditions when I'm back home in Camargue (France) and in Colombia (Caribbean) every time I return. 🤠
Details:
Bullfights (corridas) aren’t part of my two bullfighting traditions, but I respect those who attend them!!!
In these two ancestral bullfighting traditions—which aren’t bullfights—the Bulls and Toros aren’t killed or tortured, as some might think.
These are bull games where the animals return to their pastures afterward and only come back to the Arenas 2–3 times a year at most.
They spend 15 minutes in the ring for the Camarguais and 5 minutes for the Toros in the Colombian Corralejas.
They’re cared for and pampered. They’ll die of old age in miles of open fields.
The young people who face them are professionals, risking their lives to support their families and live their Passion for the Toro!!! 😄
https://youtu.be/yYKQer42HoQ
Colombian Corraleja in the link below (hope it works) 🤪
https://fb.watch/BMfmuCgQpG/
.
.
