- -- (Voir "Plongee a koh Tao" pour raccorder les wagons !) --
3 janvier 2005 : 2 ans ont passe et me voici donc, tout guilleret avec Khryz a mes cotes, devant le guichet de Gulf Air a Roissy Charles de Gaulle.
Le monsieur a l'air embete parceqe je n'ai pas de billet de retour. Je lui explique que, restant moins d'un mois en Thailande, je n'ai pas besoin de visa touristique mais ca n'a pas l'air de le satisfaire. Tout a l'air en passe de s'arranger lorsque, subitement, nous remarquons que "4 Juin 2004" comme date d'expiration de mon passeport ca n'est pas un bon chiffre. Khryz rigole (elle n'a pas tout capte) et je m'affole.
Pour faire court, nous sommes donc alles a la consigne a bagages de l'aeroport, puis nous sommes retournes chez moi pour me faire ouvrir un dossier de demande de passeport a la mairie ; munis de ce viatique, de deux photos et d'un timbre fiscal nous avons ensuite file a la sous prefecture du raincy ou le-dit document m'a ete remis en trente minutes chronos -- suivant une procedure d'urgence qui me ravit encore a chaque fois que j'y pense ; 3H a poireauter dans un cabinet medical pour se faire delivrer de faux certificats medicaux au cas ou tout foirerait et ou il faudrait que nous trouvions une bonne excuse a servir a la compagnie d'assurance (apparemment la negligence qui me caracterise n'est pas une bonne excuse) puis dodo. Le lendemain, lever a 06H00 direction l'aeroport : Mise sur liste d'attente, deroutage sur Bahrein au lieu de l'escale a Abu Dhabi et 200 euros d'amende pour pouvoir monter dans l'avion. Oui c'est moi qui est tout paye, faut bien assumer ses conneries.
Bref, 23H plus tard, nous voila a Bangkok !
J'ai beau ne pas particulierment gouter cette ville polluee et surpeuplee, j'etais quand meme bien content d'y etre enfin ! Et me voila a saouler Khryz pendant tout le trajet jusqu'a Khao San Road avec des details qui me semblaient tous sur le coup de premiere importance mais qui bizarrement ne m'ont laisse aucun souvenir 48H plus tard... L'excitation sans doute.
Arrivee a Khao San, on flane un peu dans les Sois adjacents pour denicher une guest house pas chere. Mais je savais deja pertinemment laquelle je voulais : Ma VS Guest House avec son arbre au milieu du salon et ses japonais defonces tout autour. De l'arbre, pas du salon.
Honnetement, ce n'etait pas la plus pimpante (sic) et il m'a fallu batailler ferme pour vendre a Khryz la piaule cellule de prison sans insonorisation, les salles de bain collectives sans eau chaude et les seaux en guise de chasse d'eau. Mais pour 2 euros par personne et par nuit ca vaut vraiment le coup, surtout a Bangkok. Et puis c'est tellement typique : chaque meuble laque, chaque autel, chaque paire de tongs laissee a l'entree vous rappellent immanquablement que vous etes en Asie...
A Khao San il y avait ces derniers jours une petite ambiance de World Trade Center avec des grands panneaux sur lesquels on avait accroche les noms et les photos des milliers de touristes morts ou disparus. Dans cette contemplation, les mots vous manquent.
Dans le salon de la guest House on a rencontre Al, un hollandais qui parle 8 ou 9 langues, routard au long cours comme beaucoup. Il nous a fait visiter un petit peu : On est alles jusqu'au debarcadere le plus proche sur le Chao Praya, on y a vu un joli fort du 18eme siecle que Khryz a mitraille (les photos suivront) et aussi un concert de rock Thaie intitule "Help the South" pour les victimes du Tsunami. Grande affluence et ambiance de fete bizarrement. Avons rencontre la-bas 2 indiens francophones et une coreenne. Sympas.
Ensuite, nous sommes revenus manger des fallafels - grippe aviaire oblige - avec Al qui s'est revele un petit peu saoulant, du genre 'bougez pas, moi j'connais la vie", un vrai sac a conneries en fait : Il avait visiblement mal digere le petit precis de linguistique comparee de Saussure et a remonte tout le fil des mutations du larynx jusqu'a l'epoque ou les hommes avaient "un regime hyper-proteine parcequ'ils bouffaient tous les oeufs de dinosaures". Ce qui a bien sur cause leur extinction. No comment.
Hier, nous sommes alles jusqu'au Chao Praya et avons emprunte un Bus Boat jusqu'au Wat Pho, un grand ensemble de temples pas tres loin du palais royal. Des buddhas par centaines, dont un particulirement impressionnant : represente en position allongee, il fait approximativement 6M de haut pour 46M de long ! Le tout dore a l'or fin comme il se doit...
Khryz a deja craque pour 4 pantalons, des tongs, un sac, des lunettes et une memory card pour son appareil photo. Faut pas la contrarier, ca a l'air de lui faire plaisir : "T'as vu combien ca coute ca ?? C'est pas cher dis-donc, hein ?". Et honnetement, non, c'est pas cher.
Au MBK, le grand magasin de Bangkok ou nous avons trouve sa carte memoire, je me suis fait couper les tifs et raser la barbe ; c'est rigolo de voir une thaie s'eclater sur ta barbe. Le systeme pileux thailandais etant ce qu'il est, c'etait pour elle un plaisir rare a savourer ! 😄
Ce qui est moins plaisant en revanche, c'est quand, au retour du grand magasin, ton conducteur de tuk-tuk te fait un remake de la "fureur de vivre" en conduisant en sens inverse sur 400M pour doubler les bouchons. A la fin, il rigole, pouces leves, l'air de dire : "Meme pas morts !".
Voila. C'est a peu pres tout pour le moment. Je vous donne RdV dans 72H ou on passera de James Dean a Elvis. Mais si, rappelez vous : Youkoulele et guirlandes autour du cou....
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Et bien ca y est, nous y sommes. Et honnetement on le merite. Je crois meme avoir prefere les galeres de Roissy a celles qui nous ont mene jusau'a Koh tao.
Certains thais ont vraiment tendance a considerer les farangs comme du betail. Pas un "hello", une absence totale d'expression sur le visage et bien entendu on te trimballe d'un coin de la ville a l'autre, on te fait poireauter pendant 1 heure sur le bord d'une route a grande circulation sans t'expliquer a aucun moment la suite des operations. Tu n'as plus qu'a prier pour qu'on ne t'aie pas pas oublie et que le car que tu apercoies au loin soit bien le tien. Depart de Bangkok a 19H, arrivee dans les faubourgs de Chumpon aux environs de 3H moins le quart, nouvelle attente d'une heure sur une express way, minibus jusqu'a une gargotte ouverte la nuit. attente jusqu'a 7H. Toujours pas d'infos et personne a interroger. Enfin 2eme minibus (on aura change deux fois de vehicule avec les sacs pour parcourir 10 bornes!) jusqu'au ponton du bateau. 2H30 de traversee et arrivee finale sur l'ile a 10H. Claque. extenue. Mais chambres pas pretes.
Il faut dire que toute la Thailande de la mer d'Andaman s'est - Tsunami oblige - donne RdV dans les iles du golfe de Thailande, les guesthouses et les ecoles de plongees sont par consequent largement surpeuplees. Et puis quelle idee aussi a pu traversee la tete de ce Mr Rigal (un compatriote homonyme) pour vouloir reserver une piaule au meme moment au meme endroit ? Quand tu ne penses qu'a une chose - dormir - les fausses joies assis sur ton sac sont plutot mal ressenties. Le pompon : Ils ont mis 90 minutes pour nettoyer une piaule (c'est meme pas un bungalow. Bouuuhhh..) qui ne possede que deux lits separes. Sur le coup de l'enervement on a un peu montre les dents et maintenant la receptionniste nous deteste. Snif.
Bref, les choses ne pouvaient que s'arranger, non ?
Et bien non : Si on a choisi le Buddha View Resort sur Chaalok Ban Khao, c'etait pour que Khryz puisse beneficier de cours de plongee en francais. Comme marque sur le prospectus. Il ne faut pas croire tout ce qui est marque. Oh la pauvre, elle en bave... 😉
Mais enfin, je lui ai prete mon manuel en francais et elle lit les chapitres la veille des cours, cela lui evite d'etre trop a la ramasse avec son instructeur 100% made in Scotland.
Remarquez, je vous parle de tout ca, c'etait avant-hier, une bonne nuit de sommeil a efface ces petits tracas.
D'autres ont pris leur place.
Koh Tao a double de volume depuis la derniere fois, c'est un chantier perpetuel. Tous les prix (cours de plongee, taxis) ont suivi la tendance. pour les cours de plongee, ca va encore : Le Niveau 1 PADI est passe de 7000 a 8500 bahts mais comme en deux ans l'euro a gagne sur toutes les autres devises ca reste tres abordable (env. 170 euros). les taxis se sont mis d'accord pour arnaquer conjointement le touriste, plus moyen de faire jouer la conccurence (1 euro par personne pour un trajet de 5 minutes !) donc on a decide de louer des scooters. Pour 3 euros par jour, c'est bien plus rentable. Et un tout petit peu plus casse-gueule.
Je me relis et je suis effare : Le francais typique qui ne sait que se plaindre ! J'arrete.
D'autant que tout ce qui precede ne doit pas occulter certaines verites pourtant evidentes pour quiconque vit ici : C'est MA-GNI-FIK. Montagnes, palmiers, chaleur, plage, filles en maillot de bain. Rayez de vous meme la mention compromettante.
Et si l'on met les taxis de cote, la vie n'est pas chere : repas a deux euros, chambre a 6 euros, le pressing a 80 centimes par kilo, tout est a l'avenant...
Chiro, l'un des japonais de la VS GuestHouse nous a rejoint hier. Il etait sense bosser comme divemaster sur Koh PhiPhi mais les caprices de la nature en ont decide autrement. Il a donc decide de s'etablir au Buddha View et attend de pied ferme le touriste japonais. Il me raconte avoir vu 3 requins des recifs hier entre Ta Toh et Buddha Rock. On va essayer d'aller faire du snorkelling la-bas tout a l'heure. Pas la peine de se presser, ils n'apparaisent generalement pas avant 16H.
Hier toujours, j'ai fait deux plongees de remise a niveau, a 14M et 18M. Les automatismes sont bien revenus. J'avais tendance a consommer un peu trop vite mon oxygene pendant la premiere plongee, defaut que j'ai corrige au cours de la seconde. Nous ont rejoint sous l'eau des raies tachetees et des murenes en pleine eau (pas simplement cachees sous un rocher), des poissons clowns, des bat fishes (poissons chauve-souris ?), des poissons harlequin, une baliste, un merou, etc... Donc demain, je commence l'Advanced Open Water (niveau 2) et si tout se passe bien, Khryz et moi devrions valider nos diplomes respectifs au meme moment, ce qui nous permettra d'aller plonger tous les deux ou bon nous semble.
Petite histoire : Hier, mon binome s'appelait Yana. C'est une ukrainienne russophone qui vit a Amsterdam. Vers 4 ou 5 M elle a commence a me faire des signes "J'ai un probleme d'equilibrage". Nous sommes remontes calmement d'un metre ou deux mais elle a tenu a rejoindre la surface. C'est alors que j'ai compris que l'endroit qu'elle m'indiquait n'etait pas son oreille mais le premier etage de son detendeur. Sitot a l'air libre il s'est mis a fuir en geysers bouillonnants dans un bruit de fin du monde. J'ai alors ete pris entre deux desirs contradictoires : celui de lui venir en aide et celui de palmer le plus loin et le plus vite possible. Finalement, apres l'avoir mise en flottabilite positive, j'ai reussi a fermer l'arrivee d'air et elle a pu changer de bouteille sur le bateau. Deuxieme essai, deuxieme echec : ca n'etait pas une fausse manip' mais bien le detendeur qui deconnait. Le depart de la premiere plongee a donc ete retarde d'un quart d'heure...sans elle. Ce sont les petites flippes qui forment le moussaillon !
A dans quelques jours...
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
inenarrable infaillible 100% hardcore pure breed sensation Gwenn Intense le coup du passeport... Pour tout ceux qui connaissent pas mon ami Gwenn l'Iroquois et qui hallucinent en lisant le compte rendu de ce départ d'anthologie, je vous jure qu'a cote de lui pierre richard dans la chevre jeff lebowski alias The Dude un indien dans la ville et Jeanne d'arc dans alerte a malibu font l'effet d'un pale remix!!!!!!!!!
cela dit tu nous campes bien l'ambiance, j'ai a moitie les odeurs dans le pif quand je te lis tout enrhumé a mort que je sois, et j'attends la suite avec impatience...
je t'adore O mon gwenn, continue de réjouir nos grises existences d'hiverneux dépressifs de tes récits savoureux...
el tit😎 (tu sais ton pote habitant une cave toute pourrave mais avec cheminée, quelquepart entre barbes et anvers.........)
désolé le message juste avant était en fair une réponse a ton précédent message, pas a celui-ci, que je découvre a l'instant et m'apprete a lire..... bzzzzzzzzzzzzz😇😇😇😇
Faut excuser mon ami Thierry, ex-anversois et neo-parisien de son etat, il est toujours comme ca a vous sortir des periodes dont la lecture seule vous laisse deja a court de salive. La version orale est pire mais ca fait partie de son charme. Pour vous faire une idee objective de son etat de contentement a la lecture des bafouilles de son copain, vous divisez le ressenti subjectif par 10 et vous obtiendrez une approximation a peu pres satisfaisante.
Petite demonstration pratique de sobriete a l'usage exclusif des belges exiles a Barbes-Rochechouart : "Mon ami Thierry, ca me fait tres plaisir d'avoir de tes nouvelles et de constater que tu te forges des references televisuelles." 😛
Et pas de 4eme post en moins de 24H ! Ta ta ta, pas d'objections, je SAIS que tu meurs d'envie de repliquer illico. Meme pas en reve. 😠
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Ce qui précède ne s'adressant qu'à Thierry, j'ai donc la permission de transmettre mes félicitations, une fois de plus, à ces récits de "plongées" -terrestres et marines- d'un voyageur-écrivain humoriste et pince-sans-rire qui nous emmène avec lui dans ses aventures riches en petites galères...
On attend le grand moment où Chrystel et Gwenn plongeront ensemble à la rencontre des gentils requins à l'heure du tea-time...😉 Faites attention, tout de même, la faune des profondeurs n'est pas toujours d'aussi bonne humeur !
Fabricia -
Comme une eau, le monde vous traverse et pour un temps vous prête ses couleurs... ("L'Usage du Monde" - Nicolas Bouvier)
Félicitations pour ce voyage (presque) sans encombre, tu progresses encore dans notre mythologie collective et tu suis les dignes traces de ton aieul .... Pour les non initiés, le grand père de Gwenn a essayé d'entrer en Chine sans passeport à l'âge vénérable de 80 ans....
Bon à bientôt pour des comptes rendus de plongées et d'aventures sans cesse renouvellées....
Bon pour répondre à Fredosaure 'serait-ce le Fred?", oui, il n'a pas fait qu'essayer, il a effectivement réussi. Cela lui a couté 2 journée dans un hôtel 4 étoiles (sans eau chaude et avec des barreaux aux fenêtres) qu'il devait partager avec un jeune gus de 20 ans qui ne parlait pas un mot d'anglais ou d'allemand (le grand père étant allemand) alors qu'il était censé le surveiller.
Mais bon tout a bien fini, il a pu faire son séjour touristique de 10 jours. Il faut d'ailleur savoir que le vieux se faisait un malin plaisir de prendre des douches froides car il savait que le petit jeune en était incapable.
N.B. Le consul d'Allemagne en poste depuis plus de 10 ans avait déjà tout vut, mais ça, entrer en Chine sans passeport, jamais…
Asseyez vous, sortez vos affaires et notez la date du jour. 13. 01. 05.
Je viens de faire une constatation interessante, celle la meme qu'experimente tout apprenti-bulleur a un moment ou a un autre : la plongee sous-marine n'est pas faite que de moments exhaltants.
Ca s'est passe il y a deux jours, au moment ou j'ai commence mon Advanced Open Water (Niveau 2). Celui-ci consiste basiquement en une serie de 5 plongees de specialisation. 2 sont obligatoires (Orientation au compas et plongee profonde), les 3 autres sont a choisir parmi un assortiment assez varie. Ce qui etait disponible au Buddha View Diving : Plongee de nuit, Top Buoyancy (optimisation de la flottabilite), Naturaliste sous-marin, Plongee multi-niveaux, Recherche et recuperation d'objet et Photographie sous-marine. J'ai pris les 3 premieres.
Le 11 janvier, donc, a 7H30 du matin, nous sortons effectuer 2 plongees : Naturalist Dive et Buoyancy. Le temps est pourri, la mer grosse, le courant fort et la visibilite quasi-nulle.
A la mise a l'eau, grosse quinte de toux : je me dis qu'il faut que j'arrete de fumer et me mets a palmer pour rejoindre le bout de reference a l'avant du bateau. Le courant m'ayant pas mal entraine le temps de mes expectorations, je me retrouve deja fatigue au point de RdV. "Are u all right, Gwenn ?" me demande l'instructeur d'un ton preoccupe. Je fais un signe de la tete et la plongee commence. 40 mn de navigation aux instruments. On ne voit rien, juste les palmes de celui qui vous precede. Je vous rappelle quand meme que j'etais cense identifier du poisson. J'avais a cet effet quelques planches naturalistes et une ardoise submersible. Laquelle etait demeuree pratiquement vierge au moment d'effectuer le palier de securite qui annonce le retour a la surface. 3mn a 5M. Mes 3 dernieres minutes d'homme bien portant pour le reste de la journee. Sitot emerge et en flottabilite positive, nouvelle quinte de toux qui se mue bientot en crampes abdominales. Je vous laisse imaginer la suite. On nous conseille souvent d'observer une "interaction passive" avec la vie aquatique ; a voir la curee autour de moi je sais de source sure que la becquee est une interaction active qui ravit les poissons ! Maigre consolation : j'ai enfin pu noter quelques noms sur ma tablette. Mais impossible pour moi de participer a la seconde plongee, trop occupe que j'etais a continuer a nourrir mes petits compagnons par-dessus le bastingage. On va appeler ca un faux-depart.
Pour me remonter un peu le moral, j'ai passe le reste de ma journee a buller sur la terre ferme en lisant un bouquin au bord de la mer et en me faisant apporter shake a la banane sur shake a la banane. En fin de journee l'appetit etait totalement revenu et nous avons opte, Khryz et moi, pour un BBQ monstrueux : 3 gambas gigantesques pour moins de deux euros, filet mignon, assortiments varies de riz, pommes de terre, "noname" a base de legume.. en tout et avec les boissons j'en ai eu pour l'equivalent d'un repas chez Mc Do - allez, soyons fous, c'est pas tous les jours...
Hier, reveil a 7H00 comme d'habitude avec 3 plongees au programme : plongee profonde, orientation au compas et plongee de nuit. Je me suis fourni en "happy pills" pour eviter que la meme mesaventure ne se repete une seconde fois et, de fait, le mal de mer n'est plus qu'un paragraphe dans le present envoi.
Il faut dire aussi que les conditions de plongee sont bien meilleures, le soleil est revenu et meme si la visibilite n'est pas encore au top on redecouvre quand meme le sens du mot "tropical".
Nous avons donc commence par une plongee a 30M, qui ne different des plongees standards que par deux details : la visibilite qui a cette profondeur n'est absolument pas garantie et qui donc impose que le parcours soit parfaitement connu a l'avance afin d'eviter les effets de la desorientation. la narcose a l'azote, phenomene dont les causes demeurent assez obscures mais qui peut entrainer a partir d'une certaine profondeur un sentiment d'euphorie ou au contraire de somnolence et une capacite de reaction et de concentration en chute libre. Pour s'en convaincre, Alex nous a soumis sur le bateau a quelques operations arithmetiques relativement simples en les chronometrant; l'experience a ete retentee a 30M avec des resultats varies en fonction du metabolisme de chacun. Le mien ne m'a pas fait faux bond pour une fois, passant d'un temps de resolution initial de 4s sur le bateau a 7s a 30M. D'autres ont mis 30 secondes et plus. Une jeune anglaise a rendu l'ardoise vierge, avouant son incapacite totale a se concentrer.
A suivi la plongee d'orientation : on y apprend differentes techniques pour evaluer les distances parcourues (nombre de cycles de palmage, air consomme au compteur) et puis bien sur a naviguer au compas. Grosso modo, le but est de realiser un carre parfait de 30M de cotes. Tu evalues la distance parcourue et places judicieusement sur le parcours 3 virages a 90 degres : si tu ne t'es pas plante, tu dois retomber pile sur l'instructeur. Sinon, tu lui dois 2 bieres.
Khryz, qui venait d'obtenir son niveau 1 dans la matinee, m'a rejoint a 17H30 pour la plongee de nuit. Imaginez un peu la fin d'apres midi au large d'une ile thailandaise lorsqu'on entame la descente et qu'au travers des premiers metres d'eau se dessinent les derniers feux du soleil couchant. C'est un cadre bien trop gigantesque pour tenir sur une vulgaire carte postale.
Des resultats de cette plongee il n'y a pas grand chose a dire, les predateurs escomptes n'etaient pas au RdV : N'apparaissent au compteur que 2 raies, un poisson scorpion et un bebe murene. Par contre, les sensations sont eminemment sympatiques. En temps normal, l'apesanteur vous retire deja certaines references. Imaginez vous maintenant eteindre la lumiere dans la station spatiale internationale et ne plus regarder autour de vous qu'a travers les ronds de lumiere dessines par le faisceau de votre torche. Touche finale : certains de vos copains astronautes ont maintenant des gueules de monstres marins... Khryz est revenue enchantee de cette experience. Je crois qu'elle est definitivement mordue.
Finalement, la langue anglaise n'a pas ete un gros probleme pour elle, il n'y a qu'a voir le 45/50 (18/20) dont elle nous a gratifie lors de l'examen final. A mon grand etonnement elle m'a meme annonce dans la soiree qu'elle s'appretait a sortir avec ses nouveaux copains de classe. Si c'est pas une intregration reussie, ca ! J'ai profite de son absence pour aller manger des fettucine al Pesto (elle ne comprend pas qu'on puisse vouloir bouffer italien en Thailande. Moi non plus, mais des fois j'evite de reflechir) et me ballader dans l'ile a Scooter.
Aujourd'hui, 2 dernieres plongees avant validation : Naturalist a nouveau (mon mal de mer de l'autre jour m'a valu une plongee gratuite) et Buoyancy.
Visibilite maximum et des poissons de partout. Les exercices de flottabilite ont vite ete expedies et le cours s'est transformee en ballade agreable le long des recifs. Dieu que j'adore les Trigger fish (balistes) ! ils sont enormes, avec un sale caractere et un physique de BD : Grosses levres (qui se mettent a vous bouffer les palmes lorsque vous vous approchez trop pres), grosse tete, nageoires en forme de gachette, couleurs exhuberantes.. j'ai decide que ce serait MON poisson. Dorenavant on est potes. Faut juste que je trouve un moyen de le mettre au courant.
Au programme egalement : Angel Fish, Butterfly Fish, Blue spotted Stingray, Murray Eel, Moon Wrasse, Clown Fish (qu'on appelle desormais "Nemo" !), Long Banner Angel Fish, Yellow Box Fish, Parrot Fish, Rabbit Fish et gobies ! Excusez du peu. Y a meme un remora qui est venu se fixer a la bouteille de mon "buddy" Stephen...
Je ne renonce pas a vous envoyer des photos mais la lenteur de la connection a Koh tao ne nous facilite pas la tache. Et comme j'ai aussi la flemme de trouver les noms francais de toutes ces adorables bestioles je vous propose de "googler" un peu : les photos sont a portee de clic !
A bientot.
Gwenn, Gwennou, Gwendol et tiGwenn. Selon les gouts.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
J'enrageais tout de meme de ne pas pouvoir vous MONTRER les jolies bestioles que l'on croise aux alentours des spots de Koh Tao. Cliquez donc sur ce lien la, il vous emmenera directement sous la mer.
NB : Visez un peu le Trigger...
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Belles émotions et panoplie de bestioles sub-marines qui complètent joliment ton odyssée dans les mers lointaines. Toujours autant de plaisir à te lire : une foule de détails techniques et d'incidents cocasses (ou scabreux...) agrémente le récit à épisodes. Bravo, encore !
Fabricia -
Comme une eau, le monde vous traverse et pour un temps vous prête ses couleurs... ("L'Usage du Monde" - Nicolas Bouvier)
Tout d'abord, mon statut de grand frère me permet de te donner un ordre; ne plonge pas si tu ne t'en sent pas capable… nom de Dieu, manquerait plus que ça dans notre collection de catastrophes. Je me permettrait de te rappeler que notre père a perdu un tympan dans moins de deux mètre d'eau…
Pour ce qui est du reste, je dois dire que je prend grand plaisir à lire ta prose. l'on s'habitue rapidement à toutes tes circonvolutions. Cela fini même par être très plaisant.
Bon, plaisanteries mises à part, prends-tu vraiment autant de plaisir que cela à être immergé par moins x mètres sous la flotte ? Rien que l'idée me fait frémir.
Bon Dieu de bon Dieu, je veux bien que les pointes blanches et les pointes noires ne sont pas des mangeurs d'hommes, mais tout lagon à des entrées et des sorties. En Nouvelles Calédonie, on avait souvent des tigres ou des citrons qui venaient se promener parmi nos gentilles petites pointes. Cela n'arrive jamais par chez toi ? Et ces saloperies de murènes… et les barracudas, et que sais-je d'autre…
A un moment tu parlais de nourriture, as-tu trouvé des salades tahitiennes dans ton coin, si ce n'est pas le cas, dis le moi et je t'envoie une recette. Tu as sous la main absolument tout ce qu'il te faut pour en faire de délicieuses (en particulier les poissons du genre mahi-mahi, thon blanc, perroquet… enfin en bref n'importe quel carnassier à chaire blanche).
Pour ce qui est de maman je t'enverrai un mail dès que nous en saurons plus…
Autre chose, comment la population locale ou les résidents réagissent-ils au tsunami ? A ce propos j'ai reçu un mail de je ne sais plus qui montrant 20 photos avant/après, je dois dire que je n'ai jamais rien vu d'aussi impressionant…
Bon, ben voilà pour aujourd'hui cela devrait suffire, j'ai tout de même une réputation d'allergique à l'écriture à défendre moi!!!!
J'ai longuement espéré que tu n'entreprendrai pas ce voyage au vu des évènements dramatiques survenus en thailande, heureusement tes récits sont lâ pour me rassurer et maintenir un contact régulier, à ce propos je trouve pour le moins curieux d'avoir autant de tes nouvelles bien que nous soyons éloignés de plusieurs milliers de kilomètres alors que lorsque tu es à MONTIGNAC, nous restons des mois en silence radio.
Pour ce qui me concerne cette semaine de reprise du boulot aura été particulièrement chargée avec une réunion publique en nocturne puis un bureau municipal toujours en nocturne et enfin pas loin de 150 agents à évaluer et à noter...
Je vais t'épargner les détails des bonnes tables de la semaine car j'imagine que c'est probablement une des seules choses qui te manquent réellement, il me faut reconnaitre pourtant que ce n'est pas l'envie qui me manque car moi aussi j'ai bien envie de te faire saliver un peu enfoiré.
Est ce que seulement tu as une pensée pour ceux qui travaillent, qui chaque matins doivent affronter ce climat dégueulasse qu'est l'hiver parisien et qui rentrés le soir dans le doux confort de ce qui leur sert d'habitation doivent encore composer avec une épouse😛, deux enfants🙂 et ce faire chier avec un chat, un chien et six poissons rouge😏.
Seras tu seulement capable de faire preuve d'un minimum de compassion?
Blagues mises à part, des nouvelles de maman, elle a rendez vous pour une biopsie mardi 18 janvier à Panam chez un spécialiste confrère et ami de ROCKAZ, c'est dailleurs lui qui va l'emmenner.
C'est cool car ça la tranquillise et moi aussi par la même occasion, j'appréhendai à l'idée de devoir l'accompagner.
Les deux monstres vont pas trop mal sauf que nous sommes dans la période des cauchemars tant pour l'un que pour l'autre donc des nuits très mouvementées et en plus du reste énumérés plus haut imagines les fins de nuit à trois dans le lit à te manger des coups de pieds etc...
Forcemment le lendemain tu es fracassé et d'une humeur massacrante sans te parler des douleurs musculaires, j'ai l'impression de viellir avt l'âge.
Il se fait tard et j'ai un léger coup de barre (et oui c'est le poid des années), domi et moi vous embrassons et surtout surtout continue à nous faire partager tes aventures qui me détendent et me font voyager par procuration ce qui me conviend tout au fait au vu de mon goût pour les voyages.
Bon alors pour ceux qui n'avaient pas encore compris, je vous presente mes frangins.
A propos Timotee, que je t'explique un peu comment ca fonctionne : pour tout ce qui a trait au domaine prive, privilegie plutot les messages prives que tu peux atteindre en cliquant sur mon nom dans la marge jaune de gauche. Tu pourras continuer a me donner des nouvelles de tout le monde (et de maman notamment) sans que ca apparaisse sur le Forum. C'est juste pour que les autres VFistes ne se sentent pas de trop et n'hesitent pas a intervenir, quoi
Pour la plongee et ses risques eventuels, point n'est besoin de vraiment s'en faire, il suffit de respecter quelques regles de securite basiques et notamment ne jamais forcer sur l'egalisation sous peine effectivement d'avoir de serieux problemes de tympans. Se rappeler egalement que c'est au cours des premiers metres de la plongee que l'egalisation des pressions internes et externes est delicate, on a donc plus de chances d'avoir un probleme a 2M qu'a 15. Papa avait vraisemblablement force...
Pour tout ce qui est lie a la respiration proprement dite (panne d'air, defectuosite du materiel, ..) la plongee loisir a moins de 30M de profondeur te permet toujours d'entamer une remontee d'urgence sans que l'absence de palier de decompression ne mette ta vie en danger. Et puis il ne faut pas oublier non plus que tu ne plonges pas seul et qu'un autre plongeur (ton "binome" ou "buddy") est charge de veiller sur toi autant que tu es charge de veiller sur lui. Avec notamment un second detenteur de secours sur chaque bouteille pour pouvoir se venir mutuellement en aide. Donc, no souci.
Je ne vous parle meme pas des attaques de requins car vous savez a quel point elles sont rares. D'ailleurs ce n'est pas le genre d'animal que l'on croise a chaque plongee. Pour ma part, je n'en ai pas encore vu et c'est tres bien comme ca : je sais ainsi qu'il existe tout un stock d'emotions dans lequel je n'ai pas encore puise, ca m'evite d'etre blase a l'avance..
Pour les salades marines, tu vas etre decu : depuis 10 jours que je suis ici je n'ai pas encore mange de poisson. Juste des crustaces. D'ailleurs tes recettes ne me serviraient pas a grand chose : les bungalows ne sont pas equipes de kitchenettes.
Pour repondre a la derniere des interrogations de Yann, les iliens ne sont informes des effets devastateurs du Tsunami que par les medias locaux. Je rappelle encore une fois sur ce forum que le golfe de Thailande a ete totalement epargne par le raz de maree. Tout ce que je peux t'en dire, c'est qu'il y a un point de collecte de vetements et d'argent pres du ponton principal pour venir en aide aux victimes. La seule consequence notable pour Koh Tao a ete plutot benefique finalement puisque l'ile se retrouve avec un niveau de frequentation estival alors qu'on sort juste de la saison des pluies.
Pour repondre a Timm maintenant : je ne donne de mes nouvelles que lorsque j'ai des trucs a raconter ! C'est pour pas vous saouler, vous devriez m'en etre reconnaissants 😛.
Je suis content de voir que rien a la maison n'a bouge depuis ma derniere visite (boulot, responsabilites et poissons rouges..). Si tu ne peux plus tenir la pression, file les poissons a bouffer au matou, ca fera toujours un probleme en moins 😉
Prochain chapitre demain. Chapitre court pour cause de farniente mais avec des photos ENFIN !
Bizz.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Ce furent trois jours reposants.
Foin de debauches energetiques, l'heure etait aux Pineapple Shakes et aux Banana Fritters (avec un peu de lait concentre sucre, mmhhh.. un regal).
J'ai donc fait un petit break avant de reprendre la course d'obstacle des demain avec des cours de secourisme. Sur terre et en mer. Ca sera bien sur utile dans le cadre de la pratique quotidienne de la plongee sous-marine mais c'est aussi la derniere etape obligee avant de pouvoir m'inscrire au stage de Divemaster - DMT. A vrai dire je n'ai pas encore pris de decision definitive quant a la suite des evenements : DMT ? Pas DMT ? On verra bien.
Je vois encore a la formation de la semaine a venir ( Emergency First Response -- Secouriste + Rescue Diver -- Secouriste de plongee) un dernier avantage : Meme si ce n'est pas la partie maritime qui me servira le plus, je sais qu'a Lascaux ils ont toujours besoin d'avoir sur site un ou plusieurs secouristes diplomes. Maniere, avec les langues etrangeres, de bien m'ancrer dans la place...
Je vous rassure, il y a bien eu entre deux encas quelques moments qui n'ont pas ete totalement dedies a l'exercice long et delicat d'une digestion reussie. Le snorkelling a Sairee Beach par exemple. Ou a Shark Bay. Et pour repondre a une question que je sens dans l'air : non, je n'ai pas encore nage avec les pointes noires. Ou alors peut-etre mais alors je ne me suis vraiment rendu compte de rien. Le probleme c'est que ces jours derniers la visibilite a Shark Bay etait proche de zero ; impossible donc de voir un requin s'il n'est pas pres au point de te froler. Alors on s'est bien mis a l'eau avec Chrystel mais on n'a pas pousse trop loin. Moi je veux bien voir un squale mais uniquement si je peux l'avoir a l'oeil. Sinon ca me rappelle trop l'affiche du premier "Dent de la Mer" avec la pauvre inconsciente en maillot deux pieces qui nage tranquillement a la surface pendant qu'une gueule gigantesque et beante, pile a sa verticale, remonte droit des profondeurs...
C'est a Shark Bay egalement qu'on a rencontre la colonie de francais qui peuple "New Heaven", un resort a proximite de "Buddha View". Et plus exactement a l'occasion d'une partie de beach Volley qu'ils tiennent la tous les soirs, Angelus sportif religieusement suivi comme il se doit. J'y ai ainsi fait la connaissance de Julien, mon nouvel instructeur, et d'autres energumenes aussi dont j'aurai sans doute l'occasion de vous reparler. Pour vous donner une idee, disons que le Happy Daze (voir Plongee a Koh Tao) est l'une de nos references communes.
La seule histoire un peu digne d'interet que je trouve a vous raconter ne me concerne pas moi mais Stephen, l'americain avec lequel j'ai deja eu l'occasion de plongee a deux reprises : Il est parti aujourd'hui pour une croisiere d'une semaine en "all included" sur les Similan Islands. Pour ceux qui n'en ont jamais entendu parler, c'est une reserve naturelle dans le golfe d'Andaman qui ne se visite pas, sinon depuis un bateau. C'est egalement l'un des meilleurs spots de plongee au monde, royaume des raies mantas et des tortues marines. Le bateau sur lequel il embarque est neuf, le materiel de plongee aussi, ils ont un desalinisateur, l'eau chaude, une echo-localisation des pelagiques et la possibilite de plongee autant qu'ils le veulent, jusqu'a 5 fois par jour dans ce petit paradis marin. Et tout cela pour 28000 bahts (560 euros) depuis Phuket. J'en reve..
Oh si ! Une chose rigolote quand meme : j'etais dans un bar hier au soir avec Andy, un divemaster du coin eminemment sympathique mais qui ne comprenait pas que je n'accepte de trinquer avec lui qu'au Coca-Cola. Pour me racheter a ses yeux, je lui confie alors que j'ai d'autres vices, lui me demande naturellement "which ones ?" et moi, pris au depourvu alors que j'aurais quand meme du la prevoir, je cede a l'inspiration du moment et lui reponds "I'm a pervert". Mes amis, j'avais ouvert la boite de Pandore : Emu a l'idee de reconnaitre l'un des siens, le voila qui me detaille son attirance pour le cuir et les materiaux cloutes, le Bondage et les soirees SM. Les details, malheureusement, n'ont pas leur place sur VoyageForum et c'est bien dommage car il en est de savoureux...
La conclusion sera triste aujourd'hui : je me vois malheureusement contraint de retarder encore de 24H l'envoi des quelques photos promises : si le CD est enfin grave, c'est le lecteur qui fait maintenant defaut. To be continued...
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
APPEL AUX SAUVETEURS BENEVOLES POUR LES RECIFS CORALIENS DES ANDAMANS Un appel a été lancé jeudi à la mobilisation de 200 plongeurs bénévoles pour sauver des récifs coralliens de la mer des Andamans endommagés par les raz-de-marée du 26 décembre au large de la Thaïlande. L'océanographe thaïlandais Sakanan Plathong a déclaré que 20% des récifs examinés autour des îles Similan, un archipel réputé pour ses sites de plongée, avaient été détruits par la catastrophe. Mais plus de la moitié des récifs ont été simplement renversés et si des plongeurs parvenaient à les redresser ils pourraient survivre, a dit le spécialiste, professeur à la Prince of Songkhla University. Mardi, le Programme des Nations unies pour le développement (PNUD) avait déclaré que 5% seulement des récifs coralliens au large des côtes thaïlandaises touchées par les raz-de-marée avaient été endommagés. Le PNUD avait noté que les îles Similan et Phi Phi avaient été particulièrement touchées. Il avait ajouté que l'avenir de l'éco-tourisme et le redémarrage des communautés de pêcheurs dépendraient en grande partie du sauvetage des récifs. La Thaïlande comptait certains sites de plongée figurant parmi les plus beaux du monde avant le tsunami.
si ca te branche gwenn histoire de plonger utile!!!
Faut voir... Tu as une adresse pour avoir de plus amples renseignements ? On le contacte ou le Pr Plathong ? Parceque le probleme avec les Similan c'est qu'il n'y a pas d'hebergement a terre : il faut imperativement louer un bateau et ca peut couter bonbon. C'est con de ne pas avoir pu en parler a Stephen avant qu'il parte ; j'espere qu'ils auront eu vent de cette initiative sur son yacht parceque c'est vrai qu'entre 0 et 10 M la vie marine des Similan en a bave.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Vous vous rappelez ce que je vous disais a propos des motos a Koh Tao, que c'etait casse-gueule ?
Eh beh on s'est casse la gueule.
J'allais tout droit vers Mae Haad quand Khryz a dit :"c'est a gauche, LA!", alors j'ai essaye de tourner, en troisieme, et le sable et le virage ont d'un commun accord rejete la manoeuvre. On s'est bien gamelle, hein 😄...5 points de suture au coude et un orteil epluche. Khryz a des petites brulures a la jambe, rien de grave (mais si elle me lisait elle me foutrait des baffes quand meme).
Non, ce qui est vraiment embetant dans cette histoire, outre l'argent depense en soins et en pieces de moto, c'est que j'etais cense terminer le Rescue aujourd'hui et qu'un sauveteur de plongee qui ne peut pas se baigner - suture oblige - ca sert plus a grand chose.. Je vais leur faire une petite demo a terre tout a l'heure et on va bien voir si ils me certifient ou pas. Dans le pire des cas j'en serai quitte pour une seance commando supplementaire la semaine prochaine, lorsqu'on m'aura retire mes points.
Et si je parle de seance commando, c'est a dessin : ca fait 3 jours que j'en bave ente les cours theoriques et les mises en application. C'est un petit supplice et ce, a plusieurs points de vue : d'abord tu fais du bouche a bouche a un gros mal rase pendant que tes camarades partent en plongee. C'est un motif suffisant. Ensuite, je suis tombe sur un instructeur CMAS. C'est la version francaise de PADI et les mecs sont des fous. C'est a peine si tu ne pars pas t'entrainer en tenue de camouflage ! Ils en sont restes au temps ou la plongee sous-marine etait reservee a quelques unites d'infiltration surentrainees. Du coup, je recois une super formation mais j'en bave. Le pire je crois c'est quand je dois remonter sur le bateau un plongeur inerte de 80 Kgs avec un bastinguage a 2M au-dessus de la ligne de flottaison. Y a qu'un moyen, c'est l'echelle avec mon copain sur les genoux. Et si ca te prend plus de trente secondes avant que tu aies pu reprendre la respiration artificielle, le mec est officiellement declare decede... et on recommence tout depuis le debut !
En tout cas, j'ai l'impression que ca rentre : les gestes elementaires de survie, le cercle des soins, les bilans primaire et secondaire, les differentes techniques de bouche a bouche (on m'a meme enseigne le "bouche a tuba" ! ) et de helage, l'ordre des priorites, la reanimation cardiaque, la position laterale de securite, comment on retourne un mec dans l'eau, comment on ne dispose que de quatre secondes entre deux insufflations pour faire tout le reste petit a petit : le desequiper, se desequiper, le tracter vers le bateau etc.. Je suis beau. Je suis fort. La confiance exsude par tous les pores de ma peau bronzee...Enfin bientot bronzee. Pour l'instant je ressemble encore trop aux anglais qui ont debarque la veille.
Les vacances pour Khryz sont deja bien entamees : dans 10 jours il faudra qu'on emprunte le chemin inverse pour retourner a l'aeroport de Bangkok et la mettre dans son avion. Mais cette fois ci on prendra le train, c'est plus direct, tu as la place pour allonger tes jambes et le supplement est de seulement 6 euros. Et puis comme j'ai eu la flemme de me faire faire un visa avant de partir, il va falloir songer aussi a aller musarder un peu du cote de la Birmanie afin de beneficier d'un nouveau visa d'un mois au moment de refranchir la frontiere thailandaise. Et de la, je reviendrai sans doute a Koh tao.
Epiphenomenes que tout cela. Alors qu'il y a bien des drames qui se nouent, parfois a quelques metres. Sur l'ile un plongeur est mort il y a trois jours. Il etait debutant, ce devait etre sa troisieme plongee et il a mal utilise son gilet : il s'est retrouve en flottabilite largement positive et est remonte a la surface comme une bulle de champagne ; L'helice d'un bateau qui passait par la l'a proprement etete. Ca s'est joue en quelques secondes, entre deux controles visuels du Divemaster.
En voila un qui doit etre traumatise. Je pense aussi a la pauvre rescue Diver qui est arrivee la premiere sur les lieux et qui a du administrer les premiers secours alors que d'evidence il n'y avait plus grand chose a faire. Elle non plus n'est pas retournee a l'eau depuis.
Bon, mais rassurez vous, ce genre d'accidents est tout a fait exceptionnel, non que la plongee ne soit pas une activite a risques mais la plupart des problemes proviennent d'erreurs humaines, d'ou l'importance de ne pas lesiner sur le temps que l'on accorde a se formation et de se livrer a des seances de "rafraichissement" a chaque fois que l'on n'a pas plonge depuis longtemps. Si l'on parle statistiques, la probabilite qu'il vous arrive quelquechose de facheux au cours d'une plongee est de 0.04 %. Et si vous etes bien au point, cette probabilite s'en trouve encore diminuee.
Chrystel m'attend au resto depuis une bonne demi-heure deja, faut que j'y aille. Je ne sais plus quel jour on est mais on a decide de se faire un brunch sur la terrasse face a la mer. Y a des periodes de cicatrisation qui se passent mieux que d'autres ! 😎
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Bon je vais peut etre finir par y arriver ! Je viens de me faire retirer mes points et pense a me jeter une derniere fois a l'eau samedi : la premiere plongee de la matinee sera relax, avec Khrystel, puis j'enchainerai directement sur les exercices de bagnard (Rescue Course). Et si c'est Khrystel qui fait la victime je pourrai meme experimenter le vrai bouche a bouche ! Et pour le massage cardiaque je ferai expres de pas trouver le sternum tout de suite et elle aurait juste un petit monokini et je boirais un martini dry avec juste une olive et... voila, voila.
D'ailleurs je me demande si Khrystel merite veritablement toutes les attentions que je m'apprete a lui prodiguer : elle a plonge 3 fois SANS MOI ! dont une fois DE NUIT. Et en plus elle a continue a voir des trucs que j'ai encore jamais vus sous l'eau : des tortues, des barracudas d'1M80, des poisson-poulpes etc... Bref, y a de l'abus.
Finalement je me retracte : les francais sont partout a Koh Tao. Y a deux ans je n'en ai vus quasiment aucun mais maintenant ils m'empechent meme de tchatcher avec mes copains britanniques. Ils s'immiscent dans la conversation, repassent au francais des qu'ils le sentent et mon premier interlocuteur n'a plus qu'a se detourner discretement pour aller vivre sa vie un peu plus loin. Et le pire c'est que bien souvent, si tu leur demandes de repasser a l'anglais, ils le font de si mauvaise grace que l'issue ne s'en trouve pas modifiee pour autant. Faut arreter de parler de cette ile sur VoyageForum ou on va etre victimes de notre propre succes.
Bon, a la verite ils ne rentrent pas tous dans le costume que je viens de leur tailler et il en est meme de sympathiques, comme partout. Je pense a Gilles par exemple qui fait son stage de divemaster sur l'ile et qui m'a explique le maniement d'un ordinateur de plongee autant qu'il m'a initie aux arcanes nebuleuses regissant les equivalences entre les differentes federations de plongee sous-marine. Et notamment PADI-CMAS. C'est tout de meme fou de penser qu'un diplome d'instructeur capable de vous trouver du travail partout dans le monde (PADI) ne vous permet meme pas de PLONGER en France (CMAS). Il faut faire d'abord une plongee d'evaluation sous l'oeil vigilant d'un moniteur federal. Et je ne parle meme pas d'enseigner.
Y a aussi Andre, un expatrie en Chine depuis 15 ans marie a une ressortissante de HK, qui a le bungalow a cote du notre et qui parle francais avec un accent a mi-chemin entre le lorrain, l'anglais et le cantonais. Vachement interessant pour tout ce qui a trait aux differences culturelles et comportementales entre la France et... le reste du monde. Et venant d'un mec qui ne revient en France qu'une fois tous les deux ans pour ses vacances, vous devinerez qu'elles ne sont pas toujours a notre avantage.
En prevision de la journee commando de samedi, je suis alle m'enfourner une pizza enorme. Si, si c'est logique, je vous explique : En fait il s'agit d'un jeu. Le "Pizza Gwenn". Pour tester les reflexes et la rapidite d'execution du secouriste Gwenn, les instructeurs, divemasters, plongeurs - bref, tous ceux qui sont sur le bateau a ce moment la et se sentent d'humeur joueuse - sont susceptibles de se jeter a la flotte a tout moment en hurlant "Pizza Gwenn!" "Pizza Gwenn!". Ca peut se faire entre deux plongees, a l'arrivee du bateau sur site ou meme lors du retour au port lorsque le cours est cense etre fini et que tout l'equipement se trouve range et etiquete au fond des sacs. Et la j'enrage ! Les autres, eux, se marrent, le capitaine en tete qui continue a faire avancer son bateau jusqu'a ce qu'on lui dise de l'arreter. J'ai fini par comprendre que c'etait une sorte de bizuthage, du genre :"on en a chie, maintenant c'est ton tour". Ca me donne vraiment envie de devenir Divemaster pour pouvoir a mon tour torturer des oies blanches..
Ah! Avant de nous quitter il faut quand meme que je vous donne des nouvelles d'Andy, mon copain libertin. On s'entend de mieux en mieux (j'ai les noms de ceux qui ricanent) mais je pense que sa copine, Jacky - avec qui il fait le tour du monde -est encore plus barree que lui : c'est elle qui servait au bar sur la plage hier au soir et qui a du receptionner un pourboire lance a la volee. Pour manifester son desaccord elle s'est donc retournee vers le tableau et s'est mise a ecrire : "she sometimes performs sexual favors for as little as 50 bahts. But do not throw money at her !".
Je suis sur qu'elle ment.
Ou alors j'ai mal compris, il faut lire 50 POUNDS et alors la oui, elle doit dire la verite 😏.
Et puis bien sur la traditionnelle catastrophe de la semaine : un speedboat ferry qui faisait la liaison Koh Samui - Koh Phangnan pour la full moon party (rassemblement de 10 a 15 000 routards sur la plage a chaque pleine lune pour ecluser sur des rythmes technos jusqu'a l'aube et au-dela) a pris un virage trop serre. Il s'est retourne, a coule et le bilan provisoire est de 7 morts et 13 disparus. Faites pas lire ca a ma mere ou elle appelle les commandos d'exfiltration a ma rescousse. Maman, ca peut arriver partout ce genre de choses. Il s'avere simplement que ca arrive plus souvent ici.
Biz.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Faites pas lire ca a ma mere ou elle appelle les commandos d'exfiltration a ma rescousse. Maman, ca peut arriver partout ce genre de choses. Il s'avere simplement que ca arrive plus souvent ici.
Gwenn pas d'accord.
Quand je suis arrive a Koh Tao y a a deux ans, un bateau venait de sombrer. Cette annee, c'en est un autre. A voir les commentaires desabuses des instructeurs qui commentaient l'evenement, c'est la routine. Faut pas oublier non plus le mec qui s'est fait couper la tete par l'helice du bateau y a meme pas une semaine, j'ai appris depuis que le tail-boat incrimine etait passe a moins de 15M d'une signalisation plongeurs. Et si l'on ne parle que des experiences vecues, la derniere ne remonte qu'a la semaine derniere lorsqu'un couple de japonais avec qui je plongeais a failli se faire ecrabouiller entre deux bateaux qui avaient mal calcule leur coup. Et puis il y a deux ans a nouveau - c'est l'histoire des bateaux ecrabouilles qui m'y fait penser - celui qui me ramenait a Chumphon s'est encastre sous un pont trop bas. Bien sur je ne reviens pas sur l'episode des tuk-tuk kamikazes a Bangkok 😏.
Je comprends que de dire un truc comme ca ne soit pas forcement bon pour le tourisme en Thailande mais il faut quand meme que les gens soient un minimum informes : en Asie du sud-est et en Inde, les gens conduisent comme des fous et ne respectent ni le code de la Route ni celui de la Mer. C'est un constat d'ailleurs banal et qui ne doit pas surprendre les habitues.
Maintenant, ca ne m'empechera pas d'y retourner.
Biz.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
D'accord avec toi, je crois que l'amour de la Thaïlande aveugle parfois cextra.
On ne peut pas comparer les règles de sécrurité lourdes et couteuses des pays occidentaux avec celles en vigueur en Thaïlande.
Bien sûr, c'est encore pire dans les pays voisins à l'exception de la Malaisie.
Mais, comme dit le dicton, qui ne risque rien n'a rien, et puis des accidents stupides arrivent aussi chez nous, par exemple avec les connards en jet ski qui ne respectent pas les distances de sécurité.
Nous sommes donc de retour a Bangkok car Khrystel repart en France demain.
Pour le voyage depuis Koh Tao, des amis nous ont conseille de prendre le train a Chumphon plutot que le bus. Ca coute 900 bahts au lieu de 500 mais le confort est incomparable : c'est direct, c'est clean et les couchettes font 1M80 de long ! Messieurs, bel effort... ca, ca me fait penser aux portes de salles de bain en Thailande, qui font 1M80 aussi. C'est un piege. Les portes d'entree sont de taille standard, ca endort la mefiance, mais des que tu veux aller prendre une douche, BANG ! tu t'exploses la tete contre le chambranle. Vu le nombre de fois ou je me suis fait avoir depuis un mois, j'ai l'impression d'avoir un escalier au sommet du crane.
En tout cas, les trains en Thailande sont super sympas. Et puis enfin un moyen de transport qu'emprunte egalement la population locale. Ideal pour s'amuser des differences culturelles. Par exemple, y a pas de wagon-restaurant ni de buffet roulant a bord du train. Les gens achetent a manger a chaque arret aupres de vendeurs ambulants en se penchant aux fenetres. Ca n'a l'air de rien mais c'est le genre de petits details qui vous donnent cet air ahuri, vous savez la bouche ouverte, quand les pupilles se dilatent, deviennent fixes, que l'imagination s'envole et qu'on voit tout comme dans un reve... Non, pas ca monsieur, ca ca s'appelle un petard. Truc qui m'a bien manque d'ailleurs pour lutter contre l'intoxication alimentaire carabinee qui m'a suivie durant tout le trajet. Mais enfin j'ai serre les dents et le sphyncter et tout s'est bien passe.
Foin de digression, nous arrivons a Bangkok a 6H du matin et trouvons une piaule sur Kao San sans aucun probleme. J'ai essaye de convaincre Khrys de retourner a la VS guesthouse. Sans succes. Quitte a changer, autant gagner un peu en confort, j'ai donc milite pour une douche chaude, plaisir auquel je n'ai plus goute depuis mon depart. Vous avez la neige, j'ai les douches froides, c'est ma facon d'etre solidaire. Bref, maintenant je suis dans un truc qui s'appelle "Palace" mais qui est carrele comme une piscine municipale. Hier soir j'ai eu l'impression que ca sentait le chlore. J'aime pas trop trop beaucoup, hein... Sitot Khrys partie, c'est decide, je retourne voir mon arbre, mes japonais, tout ca.
Hier au soir j'ai invite Khryz au resto, elle a fremi devant le spectre d'un nouveau plan Pizza mais a la place je l'ai emmenee au sommet de la plus haute tour du bangkok, la Bayioke Sky Tower 2, pour un buffet panoramique a 300M du sol. Moi ma copine, je la fais planer... mais ca me coute 900 bahts par tete de pipe. J'ai retrouve le gout du vrai pain et des viandes en sauces et, vu le plaisir que ca m'a procure, je crains de toujours rester un bien pietre voyageur. En tout cas, c'est une tres bonne adresse, avec du manger francais, italien, japonais, chinois.. Y avait meme du goulash ! Et tout ca a volonte. J'adore.
Plus tard durant la nuit, pendant que Khryz dormait, je suis alle prendre l'air sur le pas de ma porte, histoire de pouvoir fumer ma clope tranquille en me livrant a l'une de mes occupations favorites : mater le pekin. Khryz me dit que je ne suis pas discret du tout quand je fais ca mais je m'en fous.
Alors je suis pas trop d'accord avec l'expression courante sur VF : "Kao San, repaire de neo-babacools qui se la petent". C'est surtout le NEO qui me gene parceque moi, les seuls babas que je vois, ce sont les vrais, ceux d'il y a quarante ans, et qui n'ont plus que Kao San et peut etre un quartier a Katmandou pour passer leur retraite dignement. C'est le cimetiere des elephants cette rue ! Vous vous etes jamais demande en voyant un jeune rasta blanc ce a quoi il ressemblerait dans un demi-siecle ? Eh bien l'une des possibilites prenait l'air frais a mes cotes hier au soir : un gars de 75 ans, avec barbe, dreads et bonnet rasta (mais sans dents) et un accent "poshy" qui lui donnait des airs de vieil officier de la coloniale en cavale. Dr Livingstone I presume.... En tournant la tete, jai vu venir a sa rencontre un autre papy anglo-saxon. De la meme demarche hesitante, rytmee par une canne a pommeau d'argent, un pantalon de treillis et un stetson. Et sur sa poitrine creuse tronait inevitablement la fameuse feuille de cana argentee montee en collier. Tous les jeunes routards tatoues, crane rase et bermuda XXL qu'on rencontre ici ne doivent pas faire oublier que certains vrais babas des annees 70 y habitent encore.
La journee d'aujourd'hui a ete plutot consacree a l'achat des cadeaux en prevision du grand retour : fisherman's trousers, pareos ou jupes, T-Shirts "Same-Same...but different" et "No Money No Honey" (2 grands classiques du coin), lampes et lampions en papier et shiloms de formes variees. D'ailleurs il faut que j'y retourne, c'est moi qui porte les sacs.
A la prochaine. En solo.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Tu es terrible Lepiaf ! 😉
Les récits de Gwennou, sont très plaisants à lire. Ca me rappelle un slogan publicitaire " Avec Gwennou, il se passe toujours quelque chose !"
Nawal.
" En Afrique, quand un vieillard meurt, c'est une bibliothèque qui brûle..." Amadou Hampaté Bâ.
des accidents y en a partout ...mais pas plus a bangkok qu a paris!!
c est vrai qu en un mois ils n ont pas eu beaucoup de bol les thais mais bon!!!!la roue tourne !
le metro a reouvert ses portes et bien que moi j etais bien decide a grimper dedans jusqu a fortune tower pour acheter des trucs pour mon pc, eric y avaiot pas moyen de le convaincre. lui c est la mobylette et le touctouc son truc.moi c est le metro simple rapide ecologique et economique (moins d un euro le trajet d un bout a l autre de la ligne)cela te permet de sauvegarder un tmeps soit peu tes poumons de l air gris et pollue de bgangkok!
et puis en metro pas d embouteillages et se slalom mortels en 2 roues!!!!
donc ce soir c est decide je vais prendre mon moyen transport favori!
de plus ils ont fait venir des chauffeurs allemands (le metro de bangkok c est siemens)
pour apprendre aux thais a conduire!!!!!
heureusement qu ils n ont qu une ligne parce qu ils ont deja du mal comme ca!!!!😉
enfin bon!
a l occas si tu repasses quelques jours en amoureux a bangkok essayes le buffet du marriott hotel gwennou c ets vraiment le top!
quoique je suis bien tentee d aller faire un tour a bayoke
ca me donnera l occasion d aller faire du shopping a pratuwan avant!!!!
quoique je suis bien tentee d aller faire un tour a bayoke
ca me donnera l occasion d aller faire du shopping a pratuwan avant!!!!
Salut Cextra !
Il faut absolument essayer le Bayoke Tower II. Nous on y est allés cet été et c'était génial, surtout la vue (tout en haut, sur la plate-forme tournante, à l'air libre) et comme tu le dis, en cours de route tu peux toujours faire un peu de shopping !
A +, Sabaïdee
J'ai le mal du pays pour un pays qui n'est pas le mien ... (A. David-Neel)
ca y est, Khrystel est partie et m'a laisse tout seul. A l'aeroport de Bangkok elle a passe le point de controle des passeports, a tourne a droite derriere un mur vert et puis je l'ai perdue de vue. Mais un mail m'annonce aujourd'hui qu'elle est bien rentree, donc no souci.
Je t'embrasse fort cherie amour. Fais aussi des bisoux a tout le monde a Montignac.
J'ai fait plein de rencontres ces derniers jours : Un garcon de Cologne qui s'appelle Daniel et qui vient d'arriver a Bangkok. Il m'a raconte que le le soir de son arrivee il a sympathise avec un thai qui a voulu le prendre comme associe dans une combine de black-jack. Le mec l'a invite chez lui, l'a conduit dans une petite salle de jeu clandestin au sous-sol et s'est mis en tete de lui expliquer le truquage du dispositif et son role dans l'affaire. Dani etait tellement effare qu'il ne reagissait pas vraiment, persuade a chaque instant de bientot se reveiller. Jusqu'au moment ou les pigeons sont reellement arrives, la partie s'est enclenchee et notre ami a du se resoudre a prudemment battre en retraite - pretextant une fatigue soudaine - avant de voir jusqu'ou tout ca pourrait bien le mener. Bienvenue a Bangkok !
Il y a aussi mon buddy Stephen que j'ai retrouve dans le bus pour le Cambodge et qui m'a raconte sa croisiere dans les Similans. Voici son emploi du temps type pendant la semaine qu'il a passe sur son yacht de milliardaires : plongee avant l'aube, english breakfast, plongee a 10H, dejeuner plantureux, plongee a 14H30, petite collation, plongee au crepuscule, diner leger, quartiers libres. Avec comme il se doit une visibilite de 40M a chaque plongee et des requins leopards a la pelle. Si je n'avais pas peur de passer pour un aigri je dirais que ca manque quand meme de sexe.
Ai aussi rencontre un autre gars dans le bus mais celui la je m'en suis tres vite eloigne : lui, il va au Cambodge parcequ'on lui a dit que la-bas tu peux tirer sur des vaches au bazooka. Il m'a explique "Ca remonte a la maladie de la vache folle lorsque le Royaume-Uni avait proposer d'envoyer ses vaches malades se faire exploser sur les champs de mines cambodgiens, histoire de mourir utiles. L'inde s'y etait opposee - puisque la vache est un animal sacre chez eux - et les cambodgiens ont ete tellement vexes de se voir prives de brouteuses britanniques qu'ils ont decide de se servir de leurs propres ruminants. Aujourd'hui, completement blases d'assister quotidiennement a des explosions de vaches sur les mines, ils ont eu l'idee du bazooka pour les touristes interesses. Tu comprends, c'est un apport de devises mais c'est aussi une maniere de participer au desarmement du pays". Oui mais LA VACHE, elle est pas armee LA VACHE !!...
Y a des malades dont il faudrait desarmer le cerveau.
Pour me calmer je suis alle passer 13 minutes de l'autre cote de la frontiere cambodgienne et puis apres, comme ca allait mieux, je suis revenu.
Mais j'ai failli y rester beaucoup, beaucoup plus longtemps.
En fait nous sommes arrives a la frontiere a 14H30. Le bus repartait en sens inverse a 16H, il s'agissait donc de ne pas perdre une minute. Le probleme c'est que tu dois passer dans 4 bureaux differents lorsque tu recherches une extension de visa - depart de Thailande, arrivee au cambodge, depart du Cambodge et arrivee en Thailande - et qu'il etait deja 15H20 lorsque je suis resorti du premier. Notre accompagnateur a propose de m'aider a soudoyer des douaniers pour accelerer le process mais j'ai subodore l'arnaque lorsque le prix du backchich demande s'est mis a enfler anormalement. De plus je n'avais presque plus de thunes sur moi a cause d'un distributeur ATM trop parcimonieux et je me voyais deja coince dans ce no man's land asiatique sans un kopek en poche. J'ai donc decide de forcer un peu le destin et me suis mis a systematiquement doubler toutes les files d'attente en expliquant a chaque fois mon cas avec forces lamentations. Globalement les gens ont ete sympas (sauf un mec qui n'a rien voulu savoir et qui m'a repondu avec un mechant sourire que son bus a lui se barrait a 15H30 !) et ca m'a permis d'emerger devant le dernier guichet 5 minutes avant l'heure fatidique. Stephen et son pote, qui etaient restes au second guichet, m'encourageaient bruyamment. J'ai fini par enlever mes tongs et piquer un sprint dans le no man's land en direction des tuk-tuks et j'en ai paye un grassement pour qu'il ne conduise jusqu'a mon bus a fond de train. Et voila comment on peut partir pour le Cambodge a 7H30 du matin et etre de retour a Bangkok a 20H30 sans argent, mais avec un visa prolonge.
Vous comprendrez que je ne puisse pas vous raconter grand chose d'autre sur le Cambodge, qui m'a seulement frappe par le grand nombre de gamins des rues attendant les touristes a la frontiere. Au milieu de la poussiere en suspension et de la chaleur qui te la plaque au corps. Quand on se rappelle l'histoire recente du Cambodge l'ecart de developpement entre les deux pays n'a rien d'etonnant...
Pour l'instant je suis toujours a Bangkok et je coince la bulle avec mes copains japonais en profitant bien du temps qui passe. Je retourne dans mon ecole de plongee en debut de semaine prochaine. A part si certains problemes administratifs qui semblent pointer leur nez a l'horizon m'obligent a abreger mon voyage. Il se pourrait malheureusement que je rentre plus tot que prevu. J'aurais du mieux organiser les choses en amont, mais vous commencez a le savoir maintenant : moi et l'organisation....
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Je commencais a m'inquieter de pas te voir revenir...
J'espere que tes problemes administratifs vont s'arranger et qu'on va bientot pouvoir ecluser quelques tchangs au bar du BV.
Bises a Khrys.
Gilles
PS la visibilite s'ameliore ici, tu loupe de super plongees a southwest et Chumpon (tu vois je commence a apprendre le marketing de la plongee 😉). En plus ya un mastard de triggerfish qui semble avoir installe son nid au sud de white rock. il est pas comode le gus, j'ai failli y laisser mes palmes et bien plus (et je suis pas le seul). La plongee commence a ressembler a une course de vachettes la bas mais on se marre bien et puis ca donne un bon entrainement pour les epreuves de palmage des brevets federaux 🤪...
Si, si, je suis revenu. Je ne sais pas encore jusqu'a quand (tout cela depend d'une bonne ame dans un bureau quelquepart a Perigueux, attendons encore un peu pour savoir si elle etait bien ou mal lunee au moment de traiter ma lettre) mais pour l'instant je m'accroche. J'y suis j'y reste. Non mais sans blague....
De retour donc a Koh Tao depuis ce matin, c'est la cohue, pratiquement plus de bungalows disponibles dans mon coin. J'ai seulement reussi a en choper un pour la nuit mais demain tout sera a refaire. Si l'on veut se poser a Koh Tao comme une fleur sans avoir besoin de reserver a l'avance, le bon plan est de passer un diplome de plongee car ce sont alors tes nouveaux encadrants qui se chargent de te trouver une piaule. N'ayant plus suffisamment de temps pour passer le DMT dans de bonnes conditions (la prochaine fois ?) je n'ai plus qu'a me demerder tout seul pour degoter un lit, une douche et un ventilateur. Et une terrasse aussi, c'est important car si tu n'as pas la vue idoine ton shake a la banane n'a plus tout a fait le meme gout.
J'ai revu Chiro, mon copain japonais divemaster, a Bangkok. C'est fou comme le monde est petit. Je l'avais perdu de vue a Koh Tao le mois dernier et il s'avere que toutes les places dans le golfe de Thailande etant prises depuis le Tsunami, il n'a presque pas pu travailler ici et a donc change son fusil d'epaule : Apres etre passe par Koh Chang et Bangkok, il s'en va en Inde (Bombay puis Goa). Quand on ne peut pas bosser, autant que les vacances soient belles...
Et je suis a peine revenu que ce genre d'histoires me donne envie de bouger a nouveau. Le monde est mal fait, hein ? Moi c'est l'Indonesie qui me branche bien en ce moment. Et plus particulierement l'ile de Flores. Il y a quelques mois, des paleontologues locaux et australiens y ont fait une decouverte phenomenale : une troisieme espece d'homo sapiens jusqu'alors inconnue. Apres Erectus vient Sapiens. Dans la famille Sapiens cohabitent Sapiens Sapiens (l'homme moderne, nous), Neanderthal et, donc, Floriensis. C'etait un homme dont la population isolee a evolue vers le nanisme jusqu'a ne plus mesurer qu'1M10-1M20 en moyenne mais avec un squelette bien proportionne. L'Homme de Flores a vecu sur l'ile jusqu'a il y a peu pres 20 000 ans. Pour ce que l'on en sait, car de nombreuses legendes locales semblent etayer une disparition bien plus recente.... Et comme en Asie tout bouge tres vite, certains tour-operators l'ont deja integre a leurs packages : on peut visiter la grotte - toujours en cours de fouille - ou la decouverte a ete faite et un petit musee a meme ete monte en toute vitesse. Puisqu'en plus tout le monde me dit que c'est une des iles les mieux preservees d'Indonesie l'idee fait son chemin.
Mes points sont pratiquement gueris, je vais pouvoir replonger regulierement. Il semble que la visibilite s'ameliore mais pour le moment c'est toujours un peu pile ou face. Je vais egalement m'inscrire a un seminaire de free diving qui se passe au nord de Sairee Beach. Ca dure deux jours (4000 bahts quand meme) pendant lesquels on t'enseigne un tas de techniques afin d'ameliorer tes performances en apnee. Legere hyperventilation, plongee en canard, arrimage a un point fixe, economie de mouvements et meditation, ce genre de choses. La jeune fille qui m'en a parle avant-hier m'a certifie qu'apres avoir suivi cette formation elle etait devenue capable de se mouvoir pendant une minute complete a 20M. Sans devoir pour autant passer des heures a se chronometrer dans la baignoire. Je vous en reparle bientot.
Ce soir beaucoup d'instructeurs du Buddha View vont a l'AC Bar. C'est en fait ce qui se rapproche le plus de la boite de nuit a Koh Tao. Je note une difference majeure cependant : ue coin repos est amenage directement sur la plage avec braseros, lampes-tempete, coussins, tables basses, bruit des vagues et voute etoilee. Enfin une adresse serieuse pour tous ceux qui recherchent de bons plans drague !
Mais moi je ne mange pas de ce pain la, non Mossieur !
D'ailleurs j'irai plutot au Babaloo, autre bar-boite de nuit et autre fiesta organisee ce soir. Vous ne voyez pas la difference ? Honnetement y en a pas mais la vie est bien faite de choix, non ? 😛 Et puis j'ai une soiree hippie de retard sur Khryz. Moi qui croyais qu'elle allait se morfondre pendant mon absence, j't'en fous ! Elle m'envoie meme des photos de ses soirees pour me narguer. Et aussi pour me rappeler que c'est elle qui a le numerique dorenavant. A ce propos, si on prie tous tres forts et qu'on fait un peu de harcelement psychologique il est meme possible que Khrystel finisse par retraiter le poids de certaines photos sur Photoshop, qu'ensuite elle se cree un pseudo sur le site et qu'elle mette tout ca en ligne juste en dessous du present message. Hein mon amour tu vas le faire ?
La conclusion sera en forme de petite annonce personnelle : Pour passer le temps dans les transports - entre deux bouquins - je viens de m'acheter une Game Boy Advance (1ere generation) sur Kao San (3000 bahts). Plus 1500 bahts pour trois cartouches (FIFA Soccer 2005, Super Mario Karting et une cartouche "46 in one") et 500 bahts pour un chargeur et un eclairage d'ecran. A mon retour en France je revends le tout prix coutant (5000 bahts = 100 euros). N'hesitez pas a me faire signe si vous etes interesses.
A plus tard. Pour des histoires un peu plus fascinantes. J'espere.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Ahhh!! Ca fait du bien de recommencer a plonger ! On a une visi de 15M sur la majorite des sites en ce moment et ca s'ameliore constamment. J'ai bon espoir pour la suite. Malheureusement ma meilleure chance de voir un requin-baleine vient de s'evanouir, a l'image de la silhouette de ce squale qui a file hier vers de nouveaux horizons en quelques coups de nageoires caudales. Il avait elu domicile pres de Chumpon Pinnacles ces deux derniers jours mais personne ne l'a plus apercu depuis ce matin. Et comme le pelagique est connu pour rarement rester plus de deux jours au meme endroit, well, that may be the end of it. Chaque occasion perdue est un creve-coeur tant il est vrai qu'en plongee la notion de justice n'existe pas : vous pouvez avoir 5 plongees a votre actif et tomber sur un requin-baleine tandis qu'un instructeur avec de la bouteille n'aura encore jamais eu la chance d'en approcher un.
Le Koh Tao Underwater World Festival vient de s'achever dimanche soir. Ca a ete un WE de fete ininterrompue sur Sairee Beach avec une grosse sono 24H/24H (reggae et ska principalement), chaque ecole de plongee avait monte un stand, autant pour vendre des casses-croutes que pour soutenir une intense action de lobbying en faveur de leur propre candidate a l'election de Miss Koh Tao.
Un record du monde a aussi ete battu au cours du WE : le plus grand nombre de plongeurs sous l'eau au meme endroit. Je ne me suis pas reveille suffisamment tot (RdV a 6H30 du mat') pour obtenir le T-Shirt garantissant ma participation mais ca ne m'ennuie pas plus que ca. Ceux qui y sont alles m'ont decrit le nuage de sediments que 760 plongeurs peuvent reussir a soulever en ne faisant pourtant rien d'autre que flotter cote a cote. Bon, l'ambiance devait etre sympathique mais payer 1000 bahts pour avoir le douteux privilege de rester entre deux eaux pendant 20 minutes, sans pouvoir rien distinguer d'autre que les plongeurs les plus proches ni rien faire d'autre qu'attendre que les huissiers aient fini leur travail, je me demande si ca en aurait valu la peine.
Oh je vous ai pas dit ? Je vais devenir riche. Si, si, c'est decide. Surtout depuis que j'ai rencontre ce mec au Rock-Bar hier au soir, a qui j'ai propose une partie d'echec et qui, pour prix de ma victoire, m'a revele les secrets de la Pierre Philosophale. Enfin de son equivalent moderne, la Nouvelle Economie. Il se trouve que le garcon en question, sujet de Sa Gracieuse Majeste la reine d'Angleterre, profite de toutes les facilites capitalistiques que son pays a a lui offrir pour tenter de prendre sa retraite avant son quarante-cinquieme anniversaire. Il m'a explique comment et je livre a mon tour aux differents VFistes interesses certaines recettes occultes pour transformer le plomb en or.
Des differentes manieres de faire fortune abordees au cours de notre entretien, je n'en retiens que deux. Principalement parceque les autres profitent du modele britannique, sensiblement different du notre (comme par exemple la mise en relation des medecins freelance et des hopitaux en manque d'interimaires. Les medecins interimaires, ca ne court pas les rues sous nos latitudes hexagonales.) La premiere consiste donc a acheter et faire fructifier quelques numeros surtaxes. Exemple : un numero de telephone surtaxe pour que les apprentis chanteurs et acteurs puissent laisser un bout d'essai dans un fichier audio qui est ensuite - moyennant abonnement mensuel - distribue aux differents labels et aux agences de casting. Lorsque le cash flow qui au bout d'un certain temps se deverse mecaniquement sur votre compte bancaire est suffisant, c'est que le temps est venu de se lancer dans un projet plus couteux mais potentiellement bien plus remunerateur : acheter des emplacements de pub dans toute la presse quotidienne regionale et y placer une annonce du genre : "Besoin d'un medecin ?" ou "Besoin d'un avocat? Appelez le 08 XX XX XX". Le principe est bluffant de simplicite : Lorsque la personne appelle (toujours sur un numero surtaxe appartenant a notre homme), un PABX se charge de localiser la zone geographique d'ou emane l'appel et le relaie vers la ligne d'un medecin (ou d'un avocat) de la meme zone. Bien entendu, le professionnel en question aura verse un abonnement mensuel pour etre eligible a la reception des appels de sa zone !
Voila bien ce qui fait la superiorite de ces modeles pariant sur la mise en relation : les DEUX parties vous paient. Et si la pompe a ete amorcee avec succes, l'argent afflue et ne tarit jamais. Un derrick a fric, ca donne des idees, non ?
Dans une heure, lorsque le soleil sera moins mordant, je pourrai mettre mon masque et mon tuba. Et je rejoindrai Shark bay en palmant tranquillement. En sortant de l'eau, je n'aurai qu'a me diriger vers le terrain de volley-ball ou l'echauffement aura deja commence : "Tiens, t'etais deja la ? on t'a pas vu arriver".
Ne jamais tourner le dos a la mer, c'est ce que l'Histoire vous enseigne.....
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
Decidement je n'arrive toujours pas a me faire a la prononciation thaie. Ils parlent anglais en phonetique, sans chercher a differencier les mots : Si vous ouvrez un menu quelquepart en Thailande et que votre oeil est subitement attire par un plat nouveau et mysterieux, le "SCAM POR ETH", ne vous attendez a rien d'autre qu'une banale omelette : c'est leur maniere a eux d'ecrire "scrambled eggs" !!
Depuis quelques jours je traine pas mal avec un couple de quebecquois, Jeff et Karine, sur la route depuis 13 mois maintenant. Ca ne m'etonne meme plus. Ils n'arretent pas de me "niaiser" a propos de mes expressions bizarres. Mais je leur rends bien la pareille : hier au soir j'etais en train de leur parler des mafias corses et russes sur la cote d'azur (a je ne sais plus quelle occasion) lorsque Jeff m'a repondu le plus serieusement du monde qu'ils connaissaient le meme probleme au Quebec avec les Hell's Angels. Bien sur je n'ai pas pu m'empecher de me marrer, tant l'imagerie que vehicule ce gang de motards en Europe est a cent lieues d'organisations comme Cosa Nostra ou la Camorra. J'avais tort. Il s'avere que les Hell's canadiens sont redoutablement organises, qu'ils controlent les marches de la drogue et de la prostitution et qu'ils ont une puissance financiere telle qu'elle leur permet de soudoyer n'importe quel officiel. Mais le plus etonnant peut etre, c'est lorsqu'il m'a appris qu'il n'y a pas plus de 40 gars dans tout le Quebec pouvant se targuer du titre "Hell's Angels". Ce sont les seuls a avoir le "full Patch" sur leur blousons, c'est a dire l'ensemble des ecussons, y compris la distinction supreme : le titre "Hell's Angels" en grosses lettres dans le dos. Mais de fait, on ne les voit jamais le porter (hors occasions solennelles, "en famille" j'imagine), ces hommes d'affaires mafieux preferant la discretion du costume cravate au cuir cloute, comme n'importe quel bon businessman. Et tous les autres motards sont soit des aspirants (de divers grades) soit des affilies, appartenant a d'autres groupes ayant prete allegeance aux Hell's. Ils n'ont qu'un concurrent : les "Rock machines" affilies aux fameux "Bandidos". Mais ces derniers sont aujourd'hui bien affaiblis par une guerre des gangs qui, pendant presque une decennie, s'est reglee a l'explosif dans tous les bars appartenant a l'une ou l'autre des deux organisations. Faut pas "niaiser" sans savoir...
Pour en revenir a des preoccupations plus en phase directe avec mon voyage, j'ai quelques "premieres" de plus a mon palmares : premiere plongee hier a 40M. Ca ne rigole plus. Si tu as un probleme a cette profondeur, la remontee d'urgence n'est pas recommandee... D'ailleurs apres la seconde plongee de la journee (25M), on a decide de tripler la duree du "safety stop" a 5M. Et malgre cela, Karim - un copain plongeur - s'est plein de douleurs articulaires au niveau du coude sitot remonte sur le bateau : Comme on craignait l'accident de decompression, on l'a place sous oxygene a 100% pendant une heure. Ca n'etait peut etre qu'une tendinite mais la precaution n'est jamais superflue.
Si on a ainsi flirte avec les limites de la plongee-loisir, c'etait avant tout pour pouvoir admirer les requins gris de Chumpon Pinnacles mais, ayant sans doute eu vent de ma participation a la plongee, ils ont pris soin de mettre les voiles bien avant notre arrivee ! je me suis venge a Shark Bay. Comme Karine les y a vus hier, j'ai donc rechausse les palmes aujourd'hui, m'attendant a faire choux blanc une fois encore. Ils etaient quatre. Des pointes noires apparemment, pas plus d'1M50 de long mais avec de bonnes gueules de requins. Quand tu es tout seul et qu'ils commencent a te tourner autour, tu fais pas le malin. Enfin disons que j'ai attendu d'etre de retour sur la terre ferme pour executer une danse indienne, comprise de moi seul evidemment, mais comme je ne reverrai probablement jamais aucune de ces personnes qui m'ont pris pour un fou sur la plage, ca m'en touche une sans faire bouger l'autre. 😄 Derniere "premiere" : avant-hier j'ai pris soin de mon corps au Jamahkiri, charmant chti resort situe pres de Shark Bay. Pour 1250 bahts j'ai eu droit au "Jahmakiri Package" comprenant : une demi-heure de sauna vapeur, 20 mn de friction a l'Aloe Vera sur tout le corps, on laisse la peau reposer pendant 20 mn puis trois-quart d'heure de massage facial et une heure de massage thai. Tu ressors de la sur coussin d'air. Tu ne marches plus, tu sautes negligemment d'un nuage a l'autre. Dommage que ca coute 25 euros sinon je referais bien ca tous les jours....
Derniere chose, priez pour moi car le demon veut attirer mon ame dans le desert et la soumettre a la tentation : il a pris la forme d'un divemaster du New Heaven qui s'avere etre un ex-trafiquant de haschich de Stuttgart ayant conserve ses reseaux et ses connections. Il trouve idiot de garder pour lui tout seul ce savoir aujourd'hui sterile et veut mordicus faire de moi son eleve. Son ame damnee. Mais 15 000 euros par mois ne sont pas suffisants pour que je me decide a me separer d'un tresor inestimable : la paix de l'esprit.
J'ai l'air suffisamment credible, la ? 😕
C'est ca aussi le voyage, on rencontre toutes sortes de gens : des etudiants en goguette, des amoureux transis, des tares qui vont shooter les vaches au bazooka....et des dealers de shit. Merde. On se croirait a Paris.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
La fin du voyage approche dangereusement : encore quatre ou cinq jours a Koh Tao, trois ou quatre a Bangkok et je remettrai les voiles en direction du Perigord (apres un arret familial a Paris). Je serai reste deux mois loin des mes bases. Un score a faire hurler de rire la moitie des farangs en Asie du sud-est mais c'est parcequ'ils ne connaissent rien a la mentalite francaise : Ils ne se rendent pas compte que de retour a la maison je vais passer pour un aventurier ! Je vais pouvoir rouler des mecaniques ! Et puis je relirai regulierement mes posts en poussant des soupirs car c'est a ca aussi qu'ils servent : a me rappeler les bons moments, a me fournir le carburant mental pour repartir tres vite ...
Hier et aujourd'hui ont ete deux journees studieuses : j'ai passe mon premier niveau d'apneiste.
Au debut on ne sait pas trop a quoi s'attendre et a la fin on est frustre de n'avoir pas pu pousser plus loin les portes d'un univers qui recele bien des richesses (le monopalmes, le statique, le "no limit", etc...). En deux jours on n'a que le temps de travailler quelques exercices de respiration yoggiques avant de passer aux travaux appliques : la descente libre avec poids.
Alors, tout d'abord les exercices de respiration. Au reveil, le Kapalabatti : 2 inspirations profondes venant du ventre PUIS des poumons suivies de 50 expirations courtes et rapides en comprimant le diaphragme, a nouveau 2 inspirations profondes et on tient 1 minute. On repete tout le cycle trois fois et a la troisieme on tient le plus longtemps possible en restant relache et immobile, la tete baissee.
J'ai tenu 3 minutes alors que je n'avais jamais depasse les 75 secondes auparavant !
Ca fait travailler la capacite pulmonaire et degage les sinus mais a ne pas tenter avant une apnee en mer : l'hyperventilation que cette technique implique fait tellement baisser le niveau de CO2 dans le corps que ca inhibe notre systeme d'alarme naturel face a la penurie d'oxygene. Ideal pour un "blackout" soudain a 20M de profondeur. A tout moment sauf apres avoir mange, l'Anuloma Viloma : inspirer 4 secondes avec la narine gauche, bloquer pendant 16 secondes, expirer huit secondes puis inspirer 4 secondes par la narine droite, bloquer 16 secondes et expirer 8 secondes par la narine gauche. Repeter le cycle 6 fois. Ca "libere les energies" (me demandez pas, hein, moi je fais que repeter. En tout cas ca fait beaucoup de bien 😎). le matin a jeun (mais apres s'etre purge) l'Uddiyhana Bandha et le Nauli : expiration maximale avant de faire remonter le diaphragme le plus possible en creusant l'abdomen. Recommencer 6 fois mais pour les trois dernieres faites ressortir la ceinture abdominale. Bloquer a la fin de chaque mouvemant. Cet exercice la sert a egaliser la pression avec le diaphragme, lorsqu'on a depasse les 30M et qu'on ne peut plus utiliser les sinus a cause du manque d'air disponible dans les zones aeriennes du corps. Avant chaque apnee, 12 inspirations profondes (commencer par l'estomac puis les poumons) pendant qu'on previsualise sa plongee : le canard a une jambe (on casse le buste et on place une jambe a la verticale. Des qu'elle est immergee la seconde jambe vient rejoindre la premiere), un seul mouvement de bras pour favoriser la descente, main gauche tenant le tuba tendue vers le fond, main droite sur le nez pour equilibrer en permanence, tete droite fixant la corde de descente, rectification de la position du corps pour bien descendre a la verticale sans avoir besoin de regarder vers le fond, mouvement de palmage amples et coules.
Lorsque tous les mouvements sont corrects et que je ne gache pas inutilement mon energie, je reste une trentaine de secondes a 15M. La minute entiere a 20 M n'est accessible qu'a partir du niveau 2 !
Si j'avais pu rester plus longtemps, j'aurais bien rajoute 7000 bahts (140 euros) et 4 jours supplementaires de formation pour l'obtenir. Le niveau 1 m'a pris 2 jours et m'a coute 4500 bahts (90 euros). Et une partie de mes repas. Ah oui...c'est le prix a payer lorsqu'on essaie de se concentrer sur ses sensations et que ces dernieres impliquent une mer un peu forte et qui grossit...
Ce soir je m'en vais celebrer un enieme "snorkel Test" sur la plage. C'est une coutume typiquement anglo-saxonne : lorsque les DMT en formation sont certifies, on leur colle un tuba de chaque cote de la tete, la bouche a une extremite et des bouteilles de biere a l'autre. Generalement, je zappe ce genre de beuveries mais ce soir c'est Gilles qui s'y colle. Et il aura bien besoin de mon soutien face a l'assaut concerte de toutes les "singha", "Chang" et "Tiger" beers que l'on decapsule deja dans l'ombre...
Il y a une autre occasion qui implique generalement un "snorkel test" : la centieme plongee. Greg, un copain divemaster, a innove il y a quelques jours en decidant d'effectuer ladite plongee a poil. Avant-hier, 2 jolies poupees qui a leur tour passaient le cap fatidique ont suivi son exemple. Bien entendu je n'etais pas la. DAMN IT!!!
J'espere au moins avoir assiste aux debuts d'une tradition suffisamment solide pour tenir jusqu'a ma prochaine visite 😏.
Bisoux mouilles.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
juste un petit message pour te dire que malgres mon etat avance 🤪, je suis bien rentre du rock bar avant hier soir meme si j'ai cru mourir 15 fois 🏴☠️. Et oui, meme completement bourre j'ai pour l'instant survecu a la moto a Koh Tao...
Apres avoir pris quelques mesures draconnienes pendant le nuit afin de faire baisser mon taux d'alcolemie (j'avai quand meme eu droit a un bucket de Tequila orange !), je me suis tape mes 10 heures de voyages jusqu'a BKK avec une bonne gueule de bois...
Envoie moi un MP si on peut se voir sur KSR je serai au D&D Inn jusqu'au 27 ou 28.
La derniere image que je garderai de Gilles au moment de son depart du Rock Bar il y a trois jours vers 02H00 du mat', c'est la maniere dont il a peine pour nous souhaiter bonne nuit, la langue rendue pateuse par son bucket de Tequila orange. Je suis bien soulage d'avoir aujourd'hui de ses nouvelles car le trajet a moto qu'il a du ensuite effectuer dans les montagnes nous avait tous inquietes : lorsque j'avais prealablement teste le parcours, de nuit mais sobre, j'avais failli me casser le cou a plusieurs reprises. Lui ne marchait meme plus droit.
Pourquoi aller s'aventurer de nuit a moto dans les montagnes thailandaises me direz-vous ?
Soit pour retrouver la douce quietude de son bungalow - c'est la-bas notamment que crechent les gens du New Heaven - soit pour aller faire un sort au frigo des gens du New Heaven. D'ailleurs j'ai oublie de leur demander comment ils avaient fait pour trimballer un frigo americain - le gros qui fait des glacons - en haut de leur montagne. Sur les 200 derniers metres, la piste fait 30 CM de large.
Mais enfin ce qui importe vraiment c'est le contenu dudit frigo, presque entierement occupe par des conserves que leur envoie amoureusement la grand-mere de Steeve (l'un des divemasters). Ahh ! Retrouver la saveur de la terrine forestiere sur du pain grille quand on est si loin de chez soi, ca vaut bien la peine de prendre sa moto et quelques risques.
En parlant du New Heaven, il s'y trame une mini-revolution en ce moment. A l'heure ou j'ecris ces lignes ils sont en reunion de crise autour de Dave, le proprietaire. Je ne sais pas si le pauvre garcon est vraiment habitue aux revendications salariales a la francaise mais si ca n'est pas le cas il est en train de prendre des cours de rattapage accelere ; on lui a mis entre les mains le marche suivant : Soit Toam (le boat captain thailandais) se fait virer soit c'est la greve generale !
Le personnage s'est mis tout le monde a dos en refusant regulierement de prendre son bateau et en contraignant le french staff a annuler un certain nombre de plongees. L'argument avance est toujours le meme : "shallow water ! shallow water !", ce qui se traduit par : "l'eau n'est pas assez profonde" mais qui en thailandais veut dire : "vous m'emmerdez, aujourd'hui je glande".
Il nous a d'ailleurs refait le coup pas plus tard qu'hier matin et ca a ete le "shallow water" de trop, celui qui a fait peter les plombs a tout le monde. Pas question d'annuler celle-la, il n'y a jamais eu autant de monde sur le bateau ! Le ton monte assez vite et on finit quand meme par partir, en retard mais on part. Direction Chumphon, le sort du Captain en suspens.
Steeve n'etant pas habitue a diriger autant de plongeurs, il m'a confie durant la premiere plongee le role de DMT adjoint. J'ai tire un plaisir coupable du sentiment de puissance qui t'envahit lorsque par exemple un plongeur commence a remonter un peu trop au palier et que tu dois l'attraper par son gilet stabilisateur pour le forcer a redescendre : je me sentais dans la peau de Philippe Noiret qui apprend la savane a Catherine Deneuve !
Pour la deuxieme plongee, un americain suit mes fesses pendant 20 minutes avant de realiser que ce ne sont pas celles de sa femme. D'ou une question legitime : mais ou est passee ma femme ? En fait elle ne s'etait pas suffisamment lestee et etait restee coincee a la surface. Apres l'avoir cherchee pendant une minute, le DMT et le mari de la dame sont remontes a la surface (comme marque dans le manuel) tandis que mon buddy italien et moi-meme continuions tranquillement notre plongee (comme totalement deconseille par le manuel). Ca a l'air idiot mais c'est la premiere fois que je suis totalement libre en plongee. Pas de groupe a suivre, pas de DMT qui te demande a combien t'en es en oxygene, j'etais bien. Et comme j'avais chope une boussole avant la separation du groupe, non seulement on ne s'est pas paumes mais on a meme reussi a se reformer au complet avant le palier de securite. Tres bon souvenir de plongee que tous les Toam du monde n'auraient pas reussi a gacher.
Aujourd'hui le captain est donc reste au port et c'est Dave qui a pris les commandes du bateau. Lorsque j'ai demande si la patron avait son permis bateau, la reponse a ete limpide : "Ca fait longtemps qu'il est en Thailande".
Je n'ai rien trouve a rajouter.
Petite histoire pour finir : je parlais avec mon copain Lilian de la vision changeante que l'on a de Koh Phanghan lorsqu'on se trouve au sud-ouest de Koh Tao : il y a des jours ou l'ile s'offre si parfaitement au regard qu'on a l'impression de pouvoir la rejoindre a la nage. A d'autres moments par contre les 50 bornes de distance la dissimulent completement, comme si la vision de la veille n'avait jamais existe.
Mais Lilian est plus habitue que moi aux iles escamotables : lorsqu'il habitait en Casamance (la partie du Senegal qui se trouve au sud de la Gambie), les gens du coin lui montraient les iles au large dans lesquelles on fait pousser la Ganga. Ils lui racontaient que ces iles sont protegees par les sorciers locaux qui ont enterre des gri-gri sur la plage. Ces derniers permettent aux iles d'echapper totalement au regard de la police maritime. Les fonctionnaires croisent les iles fantomes sans les voir et le tresor de Jah est preserve. Comme dans les contes de pirates.
Je pars demain apres-midi et arrive a Bangkok le 27 au petit matin. Le prochain mail cloturera donc ce nouveau chapitre. Mais la Grande Histoire n'est pas finie.
Récit :
- plongee a Koh Tao
- Thailande - LE RETOUR
- Egypte, février 2006
merci pour ton journal à la fois drole, pertinent et decale....
Tu as su nous faire partager pas mal de tres bons moments, et tu as repondu sur nos tristes janvier et fevrier un petit vent de tropique et de farniente, une sensation vacances a 200%, qui n'étaient pas du luxe.
Profites bien surtout des moments qui te restent, et saches qu'il y a un taudis de 28 m2 pas loin de barbes (avec cheminee) ou l'on commence a s'impatienter (tu sais, comme des momes avant la saint nicolas...)
Mieux vaut tard que jamais, je me décide aujourd'hui, 3 ans plus tard, à vous rédiger le carnet de notre séjour de fin 2015 pour notre voyage de noces, afin…
Je prends enfin le temps de faire un petit retour sur notre voyage en Thaïlande en Juillet 2017.Mieux vaut tard que jamais... Ce n’est pas un carnet, juste un…
Un petit compte rendu de mes vacances en Thaïlande. Merci à tout ceux qui m'ont apporté des réponses pour organiser mon séjour. J'ai rajouté quelques photos…
Juste retour des choses pour le forum qui nous a permis de préparer notre 2ème séjour en Thaïlande, voici un petit compte rendu de notre voyage avec les bonnes…
Ayant beaucoup bénéficié de votre aide sur ce forum, c’est la moindre des choses de faire un petit compte rendu de notre séjour en Thailande et ainsi de…
Ouverture donc de ce second carnet consacré à l’Ouest américain ! Il faut bien ça quand on aime ! 😉
Nous étions restés dans la charmante cité de Bisbee, qui fit autrefois sa fortune grâce aux mines de cuivre. Aujourd’hui, l’activité minière appartient au passé et la ville semble quelque peu endormie.
Je n’ai malheureusement pas assez enquêté sur place pour pouvoir répondre à toutes les questions que mes diverses observations ont suscitées. Il faudra donc creuser le sujet... sans mauvais jeu de mots ! 😉
Reprenons l’automobile pour poursuivre un peu plus au sud et découvrir l’esplanade qui permet d’admirer — si l’on peut dire — l’impressionnant fond de la mine à ciel ouvert.
Puis direction le quartier de Lowell.
Resté quasiment dans son jus, ce quartier devait être particulièrement animé en son temps. Les automobiles anciennes sont toujours là, les devantures et les enseignes semblent sorties d’une autre époque et l’ensemble dégage une atmosphère assez étonnante. On se croirait presque sur la Route 66 !
Ici, ce n’est pas seulement un vieux quartier que nous découvrons, mais une petite tranche de l’histoire de l’Amérique. Et, détail qui a son importance pour ma santé physique : le lieu n’est pas très étendu.
Tant mieux ! 😉
Je ne vais pas poster trop d’images ici, car je pense pouvoir en tirer une prochaine expo photo.
Entre celles-ci et quelques-unes réalisées sur la Route 66, je devrais avoir largement de quoi faire ! Alors, gardons-en quelques-unes sous le coude... histoire de préserver un peu la surprise. 😉
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.
"So, my little wanderers, back at the decks? What’s this mystery destination you’ve got in store for us at the start of the year?"
Yes, the schoolyard bell’s ringing again! We’re hitting the road... or rather, the skies! At first glance, our destination might surprise more than a few. First off, simply because I was here exactly twenty years ago, and I don’t usually like retracing my own footsteps. Secondly, because the name of this place screams mass tourism—basically the opposite of what Flo and I look for.
Despite that, in this land of backsheesh, I’d promised myself I’d come back one day to experience it my way. And since Flo told me, during our wanderer chats, that this destination straddling Africa and the Middle East was in her top 2 travel dreams, the stars aligned for this roots-style trip to quickly make it onto our pharaonic festivities program! Unless you’re totally clueless in general knowledge, you’ve probably guessed by now—we’re off to Egypt! Of course, a few classics will be on our itinerary, but above all, we want to soak up a culture that can’t be appreciated in four-star resorts or on a Nile cruise boat. And let’s be clear, these next two weeks won’t be a walk in the park—neither for our two daughters who are joining us, nor for our bodies!
And that’s clear from the get-go: after our first flight, eight hours of trying (and failing) to sleep on Milan airport’s metal seats, our second flight, landing, passport stamps, our Uber ride, and our first Cairo kilometers, we finally drop our exhaustion at the little guesthouse we booked in Giza. Doesn’t all that energy deserve a little reward?
Oh, absolutely! And here it is: a full-on slap in the face for everyone! But just look at this view from our hotel terrace? For 20 € a night for four, even with this incredible view, I figured the room must be pretty shabby, right? Nope... Is the staff rude, then? Nope... Okay, so what’s the catch? You’re gonna tell me breakfast is included too? Well, yes! Honestly, this Egypt trip is off to a great start.
And the rest of the afternoon, spent rubbing shoulders with locals, only confirmed this vibe. After digesting our pyramid view, we dove into the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood with the goal of exchanging money, eating at street stalls, and testing the hospitality of the locals. Ten out of ten!
Eight little sun breads with baba ganoush and falafel? 80 pounds, or 1.5 €. A dozen Middle Eastern pastries? Same! 80 pounds! Two hawawshis, those little pita breads stuffed with meat and spices? 10 pounds each, or about twenty cents! Not to mention all those smiles and free "welcomes" left and right!!!
What a welcome! We end this first day with a sunset over the three sisters of Giza—where we’ll obviously be gawking tomorrow...
I hope this travel journal might interest some people, but since we were completely self-sufficient (tent, sleeping bag, pot, cooking over a wood fire…) almost every day, I don’t have many hotel addresses or great restaurant tips to share! Sorry!
We used the Maio map at 1:50,000 scale. It’s part of the Boa Vista/Sal/Maio map. Bought on Amazon, but currently unavailable as of the latest news.
The people of Maio are extremely welcoming and warm, and we were always more than well received in the villages where we pitched our tent!
We’re usually big hikers, but since Maio is a beach island (gorgeous ones, at that!), we alternated a few hours of walking in the morning with some relaxation in the afternoon: beach, reading, fishing, resting…
1 euro = 110 escudos
Day 1 (Friday) Transfers by plane: Fogo-Praia-Maio
We opted for the plane to save some time on transfers, as the boat connections between Fogo and Praia take a while, and those between Praia and Maio are almost nonexistent.
You should budget around 40-50 euros per flight per person.
There are 2 flights per week between Praia and Maio—on Tuesdays and Fridays when we were there (January 2016), but currently on Mondays and Fridays.
A bit of a delay leaving Praia, but we arrived on Maio without any problems around 4 PM.
We took an *aluguer* (shared transport, 200 escudos per person) to the center of Vila do Maio, but it’s totally doable on foot with a backpack.
Since it was already a bit late, for this first night, we dropped our bags at Big Game Maio. A standard European-style hotel run by a very nice Italian family. It’s a bit pricey for us (5500 escudos for 2 people with breakfast), but after our 2 weeks in a tent on Fogo, we were happy to find a little comfort. And the breakfast is ultra-generous, with fresh products (cured ham, fruit, cheese, bread) and top quality. The hotel restaurant offers dishes that are a clever mix of Italian and Cape Verdean cuisine. Excellent!
Little tip: We didn’t try it, but Big Game Maio offers big-game fishing trips, diving, and quad rentals.
The hotel is 2 minutes from Vila’s beautiful beach, and we went for a dip at sunset and took a stroll around town. They’re redeveloping the waterfront with pretty sidewalks and light stone walls.
Vila beach
Sunset behind Santiago
Day 2 (Saturday): rest day + fishing
After 2 weeks of hiking and since Vila is such a peaceful place where it’s nice to take your time, we decided to spend an extra day there. We took the path heading south along the coast to reach Ponta Preta beach in 20 minutes. The path isn’t very pretty because there’s quite a bit of construction going on, which prevents you from really walking along the shore. Lots of real estate agencies, especially Italian ones, have taken over the land. But Ponta Preta beach is a stunning black-sand beach where we had the whole place to ourselves. We decided to go fishing from the rocks.
At 1 PM, the sun was blazing, so we headed back to Vila and dried the fish for the following days.
At 6 PM, we went fishing again, but this time at night from the rocks at the end of Vila beach.
8:30 PM: back to shower and eat at the restaurant.
The rocks and sea at Ponta Preta
Day 3 (Sunday): from Vila do Maio to Calheta de Baixo, via Monte Batalha (path 101) Hiking time: 5h
Since there aren’t many “summits” on Maio, we decided to head to Calheta de Baixo but via Monte Batalha. We left at 8:20 AM and somehow made it to Monte Batalha by 11 AM (2h40 of hiking). But the path is really hard to find in the middle of the dry grass and acacia trees. We kind of cut through randomly, aiming for the summit. Even though it’s not very high (around 300 m), the view is amazing—you can see all of Maio at 360°!
Short 30-minute break. The descent through the “forest” of acacias is even worse for finding your way. We oriented ourselves a bit by the sun to find the road connecting Vila to Calheta. We arrived around 1:30 PM at Calheta de Baixo. A very pretty little seaside village with colorful houses. An idyllic beach, a newly renovated square, and super-friendly people. We pitched our tent facing the sea on the terrace of an abandoned house (after asking the locals for permission).
We cooked some of the dried fish we’d caught the day before, along with fresh beans we’d brought from Fogo (and were still carrying!).
At the summit of Monte Batalha
Calheta
Calheta de Baixo
Day 4 (Monday): From Calheta de Baixo to Morrinho on foot. Hiking time: 3h. Then hitching a bus to Cascabulho, and a car to Pedro Vaz.
We left around 9:30 AM heading north (path 201), following the coastline where the beaches just keep coming—each one wilder and more beautiful than the last: Praia de Soca, Calheta Braca, Ponta de Pau Seco, Calhetina. We reached the dunes of Baia de Santana. There’s no real path, so you have to follow the coast, then go around the dunes, and when you spot the 3 coconut trees, head east toward them to find the track leading to Morrinho. Again, we discovered a village with a Wild West vibe, with colorful houses lined up on either side of a paved road. Just enough time to accept a drink offered by a local before jumping onto the passing school bus that took us to Cascabulho. There, we waited for a ride. A political delegation of 10 cars drove right past us without stopping. Luckily, one of the cars had a flat tire and came by 30 minutes later—and that one, thankfully, gave us a lift! They were heading to the inauguration of a water pump in Pedro Vaz. So that’s where we stopped too. After getting permission from the school principal, we pitched our tent in front of the village school… and became the attraction for all the kids who kept us company until nightfall! A woman gave us 2 jugs of water, but with all that company, it was tough to take a peaceful shower!!
Dinner: pasta with beans.
We were woken up by rain during the night and had to rush to bring all our stuff inside the tent!
The beaches just keep coming...
The dunes
The 3 coconut trees, a landmark to find the track
Day 5 (Tuesday): Rest day and fishing at Boca da Ribeira beach
We packed up at 8 AM because the kids had school. We filled the 2 water jugs that the woman lent us and headed down to camp at Boca da Ribeira beach, which is a bit further east of Pedro Vaz. It took less than an hour to get there. This time, we really were alone in the world! We pitched the tent and spent the day fishing, reading, playing, and swimming regularly because the sun was beating down hard!!! We caught a nice fish that we grilled over the fire in the evening. With the crabs and shellfish we gathered, we made a seafood rice! Yum! What a feast!
That night, once the tent was zipped up, we felt something like rain on the tent fabric. I decided to go out and gather our things, and then—shock!!! It wasn’t raindrops we were feeling and hearing, but bugs attracted by the light!! Not just a few bugs—a huge swarm of them!!! Thousands of bugs covering the whole tent, the ropes, slipping into the seams and hems! Everywhere! The blue tent had turned green!!! After that, it was a real struggle to get back inside without letting any in! A real challenge, and there were always 3 or 4 that managed to sneak in anyway. Total war!!!
Boca da Ribeira beach
Day 6 (Wednesday): From Boca da Ribeira to Ribeira Dom João. Hiking time: 3h30
We woke up leisurely and waited for the sun to dry our things, damp from the dew. A man passed by, and we gave him the water jugs we’d borrowed, which saved us a trip back to Pedro Vaz to return them to the woman.
We left around 10 AM. We followed the sea to Alcatraz, then headed toward Pilão Cão. The path runs alongside the small hills on our right, and we passed above Lagoa Cimidor. The terrain is arid, and the path is hard to find among the many goat tracks.
After 3h30 of hiking, we reached Ribeira Dom João with 2 young people we’d met along the way.
Since it was a public holiday in Cape Verde, the kids didn’t have school, and with the principal’s permission, we pitched our tent in the kindergarten. She even kindly opened the school toilets for us. The neighbor gave us the water we needed to wash up and cook. We cooked beef steaks on charcoal. A nice change from fish!! Charcoal is a widespread artisanal product on the island. People almost never cook directly over wood but always with these big chunks of charcoal.
The hills on our right
Ribeira Dom João
Day 7 (Thursday): From Ribeira Dom João to Vila do Maio. Hiking time: 3h30
We woke up at 6:30 AM to clear out of the school by 8 AM. The neighbor made us coffee to save time. It took us 2 hours to reach Barreiro, another Wild West-style town! Since we didn’t want to walk on the road, we took the old track and reached Vila do Maio in 1h30.
Last night before taking the plane back to Praia the next day.
Barreiro
The old track
The church in Vila do Maio
That’s where this trip ends!
Maio is truly a magical island! A remote, isolated place with incredible, wild beaches and villages with a Wild West feel—colorful houses on either side of well-paved, well-maintained, and decorated streets. And the locals are so warm and welcoming.
Even for hikers like us, it was a great discovery, and we were able to alternate hiking and relaxation with great pleasure! Too bad the area around Vila do Maio is being overrun by real estate construction—ongoing, unfinished, abandoned…
I’m sharing a little recap of this new 4-week trip to China—nothing fancy, just my experience.
We’re taking advantage of the extended visa exemption to return to China for the 4th time. I loved last summer’s trip so much that I’m a bit worried about being disappointed this year. Plus, I’ve had a few hiccups before this departure: my WeChat account got blocked, and I couldn’t recover it (luckily, Alipay still works fine); I couldn’t verify my 12306 account for weeks; Trip.com failed to book our second train; and I’ve got an injury that’ll slow me down during the trip... Ugh, I hate starting a trip with these kinds of issues. Then, oh surprise! Just before leaving, my 12306 account got verified! Super easy to use from that point on—I could book a few train tickets without fees.
We’re sticking with Free’s e-SIMs, which work great in China.
August 2–3
Anyway, on the morning of August 2nd, we took the RER to CDG. As usual, we couldn’t check in online. It’s always a bit frustrating, especially since we didn’t have any checked luggage. We flew with Air China. We arrived at the check-in counter at 9:50 AM, 2 hours and 40 minutes before the flight. The line for our check-in stretched 300 meters across the airport in both directions. What a joke!! We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes in that line just to reach the counter and get our boarding passes. By then, it was 11:35 AM, and boarding had already started at 11:20 AM. The screens showed a 25-minute walk to our gate—on the other side of the airport, of course—plus we had to go through passport control and security... Long story short, the plane didn’t leave without us 🙂 We boarded among the last passengers, and we took off at 12:30 PM. We’d flown Air China four times before, but this time, it felt *really* low-cost. The check-in chaos, the cramped seats (12 seats per row), no music by artists known outside China, mediocre food, and a boarding area at Beijing Airport with only 10 seats—worthy of Ryanair or EasyJet. And yet, the price was sky-high. Again, D.’s vacation requests were denied outside of July and August, so we’re traveling from August 2nd to 30th. We couldn’t have picked a worse time for inflated prices, and with the situation in Iran, we got hit with a 390 € fuel surcharge. I’ve never paid so much for flights—I felt like I’d bought business class, but nope, far from it!!
We landed in Beijing around 4:15 AM. It was 28°C with thick fog. We drove and drove and drove for 20 minutes, as usual in Beijing. Then we went through a first check, a second check, a third check, and waited for our connecting flight at 6:40 AM. A small Airbus A320, but way more space than in the Boeing 777 from the first flight. We landed in Kunming, Yunnan, around 10:15 AM in the rain.
We headed to the subway. You can’t pay at the machines with Alipay here either, so we set up the transport QR code directly in Alipay to scan at the subway gates. The process is a bit long the first time if you haven’t entered your info before, but once it’s done, it’s *so* much easier! We took Line 6 to the terminus for 6 yuan each.
We’d booked a hotel nearby, on the 16th floor. It’s actually studios on different floors of a huge residential building. The view’s pretty nice from here. We settled in quickly—back to those wooden beds, or rather, mattresses as hard as wood, which we *hadn’t* missed...
Then we went out for our first bowl of noodles of the trip and wandered through the shopping streets of the old town.
It was crowded, and the weather was cool—around 19–20°C. We tried a local specialty: milk skin, thick, dried, then grilled with rose jam. Yeah... we won’t be having that again. The taste and texture of the milk skin... no thanks.
We saw a lot of wild mushroom hotpot too. It’s on our list for later. We also passed through the Jinma and Biji gates, where I played with reflections in puddles. I *love* doing that 🙂
At the end of the day, we headed to a temple advertised as open 24/7 on Amap. Of course, when we got there, it was closed. We’ll go back tomorrow. That was the first of many disappointments with Amap this trip—I hadn’t had that issue on previous visits.
We were exhausted after that sleepless flight. Night was falling, and we decided to grab a quick bite without much appetite. We shared a delicious vegetable fried rice for 12 yuan—we even left half of it. The portions are *huge*.
After a couple of small purchases, we headed back at 9 PM, wiped out, after walking 17 km between the airports and these first steps in Kunming. I expected to see quite a few Western travelers here, but we didn’t spot a single one. Instead, we met lots of curious Chinese people, many of them super friendly and helpful—almost *too* eager, like when they’d run to serve us as fast as possible. It’s a bit much, but it’s great to be back!
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...
Alright, this year, we're heading back to South America!
The initial plan was to retrace the route we imagined in the summer of 2020: a trip to northern Argentina starting from Córdoba.
Unfortunately, the flight to Córdoba no longer exists, and airfares to Javier Milei’s country are both outrageously priced and involve multiple layovers.
So, I tweaked Google Flights every which way and finally found a flight within my budget—departing from Clermont-Ferrand!
Not to Argentina, though...
Our transatlantic flight will cross the snow-capped Andes, landing in Santiago, Chile, with a return from Lima!
In between, two domestic flights and a big road trip loop starting from the coastal city of Arica to explore the treasures of northern Chile.
Our mode of transport: a pseudo 4x4 that won’t take us through sand dunes or devilish tracks but will let us tackle the entire secondary network, including unpaved main roads, while still being insured.
Is the suitcase packed with all-season clothes?
Are the driver’s license and passport ready?
Bank cards and a few euros too?
Off we go for just over 3 weeks of southern wanderings!
--/--
To keep all my esteemed readers on track, here are a few maps outlining the Arica-Arica loop!
1- From Arica to San Pedro de Atacama via Pica and the Salar de Huasco
2- Around San Pedro
3- From San Pedro to Cariquima
4- From Cariquima to Putre
5 - From Putre to Arica
Gas stations in this part of Chile are located in Arica, Iquique, Pozo Almonte, Pica, Calama, and San Pedro de Atacama.
Traveling with just one spare pair of underwear, considering a hot shower a miracle, never staying in the same place too long by sleeping wherever night catches us, taking whatever local, improbable, and rickety transport we can find—this is the DNA of us wanderers. Except this time, the script for our movie is going to be a whole different genre. On paper, the destination doesn’t exactly scream epic adventure: Réunion! And what’s more... we won’t be two, or four, or even ten. We’ll be a solid thirty. All from the same family. Yes, thirty. At this point, it’s not just a trip—it’s a summer camp on the move! Why inflict this on such a peaceful island? Because my brother decided to get married there with his lovely bride. A great idea, you might say... especially when it involves relocating the equivalent of a small Ardennes village 10,000 kilometers from home for three weeks! So who’s stepping up to be the guide and wave the little flag?
So, for an exceptional trip, exceptional stories! Don’t worry, the debates at the supermarket over whether to choose plain chips or roast chicken chips, the beach picnics washed down with ti’ punch, and other rougail sausages to digest by the pool will only make it into the family archives. Here, I’ll stick to the tales of our beautiful escapes, the ones where we explore the wild corners of this little volcanic rock planted in the middle of the Indian Ocean. So where exactly are we headed?
For the first week—the subject of this first installment—we’re taking it easy. We’ll start by rediscovering the coastline, from the Souffleur in Saint-Leu to the Hermitage lagoon, before a little trip to the Cirque de Cilaos and its legendary road with 400 turns, just to get our legs warmed up.
"How about a Christmas market this year, huh? A little romantic weekend getaway...
- Yes! That’d be cool! Strasbourg? Colmar?
- Feels a bit déjà vu, doesn’t it? Plus, slim chance of snow there... And I’d love something a bit more exotic with a touch of originality..."
"Okay, Google, give me the list of the five most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe.
- In fifth place, the Christmas market in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
- Save your breath! Lithuania, here we come!"
We wanted cold, and cold is exactly what we got the moment we set foot in this new, unknown land. As for landscapes, forests and lakes stretch as far as the eye can see across this vast plain, its vegetation scorched by the frost of a winter that’s clearly already well underway here.
Lakes, in fact, set the scene for our first visit to Trakai Castle, whose brick-red towers and walls rise proudly against the azure sky of our first day. Lakes, because this castle was built on an island and is only accessible on foot via a series of walkways spanning half-frozen lake offshoots. I couldn’t have picked a better spot to build my castle! Translation: We’re totally sold! Proof is we spend two hours hiking around the area, alternating between forests, reeds, and cozy houses tastefully decorated for Christmas.
With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo.
But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip.
And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.
So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays:
- 3 nights in St Lucia
- 1 night in Hluhluwe
- 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini)
- 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini)
- 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti)
- 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve
- 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie
All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.
I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).
To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.
Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe).
In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko.
I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip.
Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest.
The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days.
As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.
Transportation:
An ICOCA card is essential.
I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.
Accommodations:
Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.
Meals:
For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés.
For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima.
Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima.
A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto.
Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi).
Tempura and gyoza.
Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal.
One omakase meal (9 different dishes).
In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef.
Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Brussels
Day 2: Arrival in Osaka
Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki
Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi
Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima
Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade
Day 8: To Miyajima
Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto
Day 10: Southern Kyoto
Day 11: Northern Kyoto
Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa
Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago)
Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima)
Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto
Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko)
Day 17: To Tokyo
Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura
Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong
Day 20: Arrival in Brussels
This 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.
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 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!
My buddy Christian and I (Patrick) are off for 28 days in Argentina in March.
We’ve already shared several trips as a duo (Bolivia Peru, Namibia, Laos, Costa Rica).
Since we’re starting from the idea that at our age (65) we won’t be coming back here—there are just too many other corners of the world to discover—we did the "grand tour" of Argentina, with 6 domestic flights to make the most of our 28 days.
Here are our stops:
1) Departure from Brussels to Buenos Aires via Madrid
2) Arrival and first contact with Buenos Aires
3) Early morning flight to Ushuaia. Boat trip on the Beagle Channel
4) Ushuaia: hikes in Tierra del Fuego National Park
5) Ushuaia: last hike and flight to El Calafate
6) El Calafate to El Chaltén by bus. First hike
7) El Chaltén: hike
8) El Chaltén: hike
9) El Chaltén: hike and bus back to El Calafate
10) El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier
11) Flight to Bariloche. Car rental and surrounding areas
12) Seven Lakes Region
13) Nahuel Huapi National Park region
14) Flight to Salta. Car rental
15) To Tilcara
16) To Humahuaca
17) To Purmamarca
18) To Jujuy via the salt flats
19) To Cafayate
20) Around Cafayate
21) To Cachi
22) Back to Salta
23) Flight to Iguazu
24) Waterfalls on the Argentine side
25) Waterfalls on the Brazilian side and flight to Buenos Aires
26) Buenos Aires
27) Return flight
28) Morning arrival
Happy reading!..
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.
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.
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!!!
This time, I landed in Monastir on a direct flight from Nice, again with Tunisair. We left about ten minutes late, and the flight lasted around 1 hour 30 minutes. A meal was served on board (cucumber salad with Edam-like cheese, carrots, and two small portions of dishes I couldn’t identify—semolina with peppers, olives, and parsley, two small rolls, a square of processed cheese, and a chocolate cake). It’s worth noting because it’s not common on flights this short.
In February, France and Tunisia were in the same time zone, but now Tunisia is one hour behind. This time difference and the flight duration work perfectly for a short 15-day trip since it takes me a few days to adjust to jet lag.
Luckily, I’d asked my hotel about the taxi fare from the airport because the drivers (there were several around me) didn’t hesitate to quote outrageous prices. The actual fare is 20 dinars, but one asked for 120 dinars. I refused, and another offered 60 dinars. I replied, "That’s too expensive—I’ll take the metro!" (Having tried the Tunis metro, I had no desire to repeat the experience in Monastir with a suitcase!). I started walking toward the metro, and one of the drivers caught up with me, saying, "20 dinars is fine!" I’ll skip the details, but the negotiation took a little while.
When I arrived at the hotel, I told the receptionist someone had asked for 120 dinars. He put his hands to his head and said, "They’re awful!" He remembered our phone call two days earlier when I’d booked (he’s the one who told me I could take the metro).
The Mezri Hotel isn’t expensive. I got a sea-view room for 75 dinars (22 €). (I’d booked a balcony room for 90 dinars but wouldn’t have had time to enjoy it.) It’s well-located but noisy because there’s no double glazing.
The receptionist is a very kind older gentleman. He called a friend whose wife is from Tozeur to find out if I should take a bus or a *louage* tomorrow and what time.
I arrived at the hotel around 7:00 PM and had time to stroll along the corniche to the ribat. Despite some run-down buildings, the seaside seemed livelier and cheerier than Sousse’s.
Monastir is the hometown of former president Bourguiba. I passed his mausoleum by taxi. There are Tunisian flags along the avenue by the sea because every year on April 6—the anniversary of Habib Bourguiba’s death—the president of the Republic visits the Bourguiba Mausoleum in Monastir to pay respects.
The taxi driver mentioned other Tunisian presidents. He complained about rising prices and insecurity, blaming President Kaïs Saïed (I’d already heard that security was better under Ben Ali).
At the end of my stay, I’ll take time to explore Monastir, but tomorrow morning, I’m off to Tozeur—a long bus ride awaits me.
Here we go!!!
I left home at 4 AM on October 31st and headed to Barcelona. Driving through Barcelona on the ring road stresses me out a bit, but at 6 AM the traffic is smooth, and I arrive at the airport without any issues. I call the valet, who quickly comes to pick up my car. He takes photos of it from all angles before letting me go.
Baggage check-in hasn’t started yet, and there are already several of us waiting.
Once free, everything happens very quickly. The flight to Abu Dhabi is on time and goes smoothly. I’ve never had any problems with this airline, which I’ve been using for several years.
The flight to Bangkok arrives at 7 AM as scheduled. This is my first time in Thailand and Bangkok. I’m used to traveling in India, and I notice that everything here is well organized—the customs process is quick, and the luggage is already on the carousel.
I booked a taxi on Booking. All I have to do is find the right exit and door based on the agency’s instructions. A large sign with the names of people who booked is posted on a wall. A hostess greets me and calls the taxi, which arrives 5 minutes later. I booked one night at the Lost Inn BKK hotel in the Phra Nakhon district, and we arrive at 9 AM. The welcome isn’t warm, and I have to wait until noon, sitting on a chair, before I can check into my room. I’m exhausted, and sleeping sitting up isn’t ideal. Noon finally arrives—the room is small but clean, which is fine for one night. I quickly take a shower to wake up because I plan to spend the afternoon visiting the Grand Palace. First, I need to exchange some money, and the banks are all close together on the same street, which is very convenient. When I enter one, a hostess gives me a ticket and invites me to sit down. There are about twenty counters, and I wait quietly until my number is called. The exchange is quick, so I can head out to find the Royal Palace. It’s actually very easy, and the walk is pleasant.
Entry to the Royal Palace (500 baht).
It’s magnificent and grand, and there are quite a few of us visiting. The sky is gray, it’s very humid, and a shower interrupts the visit. It’s a vast complex of temples and palaces. The buildings are colorful and sparkling, with a great sense of serenity (without the tourists, of course). I quietly enjoy the place and try to take photos without tourists, which isn’t easy.
Very close to the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the capital.
It’s very famous for its 46-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.
Walking around the temple, you can see different representations of Buddha, all covered in gold leaf.
Inside the temple, on one side, monks recite their prayers, while the other side is reserved for tourists who come to meditate in silence.
Before returning to the hotel, I have dinner at an Indian restaurant. I go to bed early because tomorrow’s wake-up call will be very early again.
Saturday, November 2nd
Wake-up at 4 AM, departure from the hotel at 4:30 AM. The taxi I booked via Booking is waiting for me and takes me to the airport. The trip is fairly quick—he takes small roads, and at this hour, there’s no traffic.
The flight to Phnom Penh is on time. Before boarding, I realize I left my fleece jacket on the carousel, but it’s too late to go back for it.
The flight goes well, and customs is quick.
At the exit, I take a tuk-tuk to Julieka’s GH near the museum. The welcome is friendly. I won’t be able to check into my room until noon, so I take the opportunity to exchange some euros on the market street. The street is lined with restaurants, and I’ll have my first meal there.
The museum is right across the street, so I don’t waste any time visiting it.
The representations of Hindu deities are very different from those in India, and I don’t recognize them. Many beautiful Buddhas are on display.
The museum is very pleasant, and there aren’t too many people, which is a plus.
At the exit, I return to the GH, settle into my room—which is decent and clean.
The Royal Palace is 1 km away. I walk along a garden, and at the end of the street is the Tonlé Sap, but I turn right. I arrive at a large esplanade and see the buildings with tiered roofs and glazed tiles. The entrance to the palace is a little further away.
At the entrance, I notice there isn’t the same crowd as at the one in BKK.
Khmer architecture is magnificent. The complex consists of gardens, palaces, pagodas with golden roofs, and slender spires.
The Silver Pagoda houses the small Emerald Buddha, which is actually made of jade. The silver flooring is covered with carpets. Photos are not allowed.
The walls surrounding the pagoda are covered with frescoes depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
My partner and I traveled from Sunday, July 5, 2026, to Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
We spent a long time debating whether to rent a car or use public transportation. In the end, after reading so many posts about travelers getting scammed by police or rental companies—even those recommended by blogs and reviews—we decided to stick with public transport. It worked out really well. Sure, we had a little less freedom to go where we wanted, but it was way less stressful for us.
Sunday, July 5:
Arrived at Cancun Airport. Withdrew cash from the ATM in the terminal just before exiting. The ADO bus counter (they pronounce it "A-Jee-O") is right behind you when you're facing the ATM. Bus to downtown Cancun cost 145 pesos per person.
Stayed at "Rose 5," booked on Booking. The studio was super clean and perfect for one night. The owner’s instructions for accessing the place were very precise, with photos included. Check-in was self-service with a code. The ADO bus terminal isn’t far, and there are shops and restaurants nearby. We really appreciated that the AC was already on when we arrived. By the way, I’d recommend always booking places with AC—it’s *really* hot in Mexico.
Monday, July 6:
Bought a SIM card with data from a TELCEL store. My partner, who’s on Free Mobile, was able to use her regular plan. Just so you know, I found the network pretty unstable. As soon as we left the cities, neither of us—me with TELCEL or her with Free—had any signal.
Another thing to watch out for: roaming charges. I had to turn my SIM back on for less than 30 seconds to get a bank SMS code, and my phone apparently connected to the internet—resulting in an 8-euro roaming fee.
Left on an ADO bus to Chiquila for 278 pesos per person. During our trip, ADO buses were always on time, comfortable, and clean. The AC is *cranked* though, so bring something to cover up with—it gets cold. Some routes were fully booked even in the low season, so try to reserve 1 or 2 days in advance either via the app (when it works) or at the counter.
When we arrived at the ADO terminal in Chiquila, the ferry company counters were right next to it. Ferries leave every 30 minutes, alternating between companies, so no need to book ahead. Just take whichever one is leaving next (330 pesos per person).
When we got to Holbox (pronounced "Hol-bosh"), we’d booked a place via Booking called "Casa de Nana." It was a huge studio with a fridge, cooking plate, and utensils. The best part? The *location*. It was 100 meters from the beach and 200 meters from a Chedraui supermarket. They provided bath towels and beach towels, and the AC worked perfectly. There’s a key box so you can leave your keys inside when you go out. The only downside was that no one was there to let us in when we arrived, so we had to wait a while. The Wi-Fi was good, which was lucky because during our 4-day stay in Holbox, the phone network *never* worked. According to locals, that’s pretty common in Holbox, along with water outages.
Luckily, I’d had the good idea to download an offline map, which helped us find our way back to the place more easily. You can walk there from the dock.
The restaurant next to our place (La Barracuda) was great if you like seafood—I’d recommend their octopus dishes.
Tuesday, July 7:
We did a kayak tour in Holbox’s mangroves at 6 AM. We were looking for a sunrise kayak tour with a French-speaking guide. That’s exactly what we got with "Kayaking Holbox," where Diego, the owner, speaks English and French. He was joined by Gustavo, another guide.
We’d booked for a group tour, but we were the only ones. Diego still went ahead with it instead of canceling due to lack of participants, so we got a private tour at the group rate—really professional of him. They showed us this amazing ecosystem for over 3 hours. We saw all kinds of birds: pink flamingos, pelicans, egrets, frigatebirds... rays, a horseshoe crab, and a little crocodile that was *so* well hidden. Diego and Gustavo have a real eye for spotting animals—I could’ve passed by the crocodile 100 times and never seen it, it blended in so well. Their explanations about the flora and fauna were super interesting. We also got a little break where we tasted mangoes and bananas that taste *nothing* like the ones in France. A real treat—those little Mexican yellow mangoes! I’d definitely recommend Diego and his agency for a French-language kayak tour (1000 pesos per person).
In the evening, we walked to Punta Coco to see the bioluminescence. No need for a guided tour—if you really don’t want to walk, you can take a taxi. At Punta Coco, you have to pass the beach bar/restaurant and then go left into a kind of inlet that forms a lagoon. You have to wiggle your feet or move your hands in the water to create movement, which makes the light appear. Just don’t expect the kind of photos you’ve seen online—they’re all edited! It’s fun to see, but you won’t be dazzled by the light...
Wednesday, July 8:
Whale shark tour with "My Holbox Tours." Why recommend this agency over others for swimming with whale sharks? Simply because Valérie surrounds herself with top professionals to make your experience unforgettable. We were with Captain Fernando, who does everything to position the boat perfectly and make your swim easier. In the water, we were with Humberto, who also goes above and beyond to make sure you have an incredible time. He doesn’t just "supervise" like some guides from other companies who leave you on your own. No, Humberto reads the whale shark’s trajectory and guides you—all you have to do is follow him. He really puts in the effort, even holding your hand to guide you through this quick but intense encounter. Humberto also films the moment and will offer to show you the videos and sell them to you. His footage is really high quality.
Fernando and Humberto also prepared food for us. Special mention for their guacamole! Valérie is there to make sure everything goes smoothly on the boat and to answer your questions in French, English, or Spanish about these animals. If you choose My Holbox Tours, you can be sure you’ll get a top-notch experience.
About the tour itself: before you go, you should know that the sharks can be *really* far away. The day we went, it took 3.5 hours by boat to reach them. The boats are small, and let me tell you—on the way there, when we weren’t going with the waves, it was *rough*. Out of 9 passengers, 4 got seasick. But once you’re face-to-face with the shark, you forget all about that. Even if swimming with a whale shark isn’t exactly a walk in the park—they swim pretty fast, so you need some endurance to keep up. You’ll usually get 2 turns. Our first swim lasted a little over 4 minutes, and the second about 2 minutes because the shark was moving fast and we were still tired from the first swim. It might seem short, but when you’re swimming, it feels *long*. Either way, it’s an experience you *have* to do—but choose your company wisely. On the way back, there’s a stop at Cabo Catoche. Honestly, the snorkeling is pretty disappointing if you’ve done it elsewhere in the world. But the lunch stop at Cabo Catoche is really nice for relaxing (white sand and hammocks).
Thursday, July 9:
Short morning walk to Punta Mosquito at 6 AM. Really nice.
Ferry to Chiquila (330 pesos per person) + ADO bus to Valladolid (300 pesos per person).
In Valladolid, we booked "Casa Lucia" via Booking. The hotel is gorgeous, with a colonial style, and very close to the ADO bus terminal and downtown. It’s super quiet and clean. There’s a shared kitchen you can use with a fridge, microwave, and water dispenser, plus a big table by the pool and a nice indoor terrace. Breakfast was simple but included. The only small downsides were the tiny room and bathroom, no mirror in the room, and a noisy fan.
Friday, July 10:
Not far from the ADO bus terminal is the colectivo station for Chichen Itza. They offer a round-trip to Chichen Itza with an option to stop at Ik Kil cenote on the way back and then drop you off in Valladolid for 370 pesos per person (Ik Kil entrance included).
For the Chichen Itza visit, we’d booked a tour with a guide often mentioned in groups—his name is Juan Pat. He’s a Maya who lives near the site and speaks excellent French. He reserves spots in advance for you and queues up to be the first on-site. It cost 500 pesos per person + entrance fees. His tour lasts 2 hours and focuses mainly on the main pyramid and the ball court. He’s passionate and fascinating, even if some of his claims, as a Maya, might be a little biased. I think it’s *really* important to have a guide—otherwise, you’ll miss so much. You can contact Juan Pat on WhatsApp at +52 985 121 2381.
Afterward, we went to Ik Kil cenote (showers and life jackets mandatory, lockers available). It’s *very* crowded, but still really beautiful with its lush vegetation.
Saturday, July 11:
Since we didn’t have a car but still wanted to visit other cenotes that seemed hard to reach by public transport, we decided to book a taxi for the day. We agreed on 1200 pesos to take us to 3 different cenotes and wait for us at each one. (To find taxis, just look where they park near the ADO bus station.)
He picked us up at Zaci cenote, which we’d walked to. We got there at opening time and were the first ones there—had the place to ourselves for a while! 150 pesos per person. A pretty cenote in the city center with lush vegetation. It’s a bit like Ik Kil but without the deep cylindrical effect.
Cenote Xcanahaltun: the most beautiful cenote we visited. Entry 250 pesos per person. It’s a closed cenote with a hole that lets light in—a cave-like setting. You can kayak inside. There are little fish at the edge that nibble dead skin off your feet. Since it’s closed, the water is *freezing*!
Cenote Palomitas: entry 250 pesos per person. Another stunning closed cenote, even more enclosed than Xcanahaltun. The hole in the ceiling is smaller, so it was pretty dark when we arrived—kind of an eerie vibe. But when the staff turned on the lights, it looked like a "Gothic cathedral" full of bright stalactites.
Cenote Sac Aua: entry 290 pesos per person. The ticket includes a guided cave tour (tip-based). This cenote is really unique with its central island and way less crowded than Suytun. Just so you know, the water is *really* cold in cenotes. In these three, in July, we had the place to ourselves for a while and never saw more than 2 families at once—so peaceful!
Sunday, July 12:
ADO bus to Bacalar (536 pesos per person).
In Bacalar, we stayed via Airbnb with a host named Luli, who offers several rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen.
The room is nicely decorated in a pleasant setting. It’s ideally located near the lagoon and downtown. The shared kitchen is handy. The mosquito net over the bed is useful because there are *a lot* of mosquitoes in Bacalar. Luli provides a water jug, which is really nice. The only big downside is the lack of water pressure in the shower—we had to rinse off by filling a bucket. Also, there’s no real door separating the room from the bathroom. We never met Luli in person, but she was very responsive via messages. The terrace in the middle of the vegetation is lovely.
From the ADO terminal to the place, we took a taxi for 40 pesos. Since this driver was honest about the price (we’d checked beforehand), we decided to use him every time we needed a taxi in Bacalar. Here’s his WhatsApp: +52 983 184 3585.
Monday, July 13:
We did a boat tour on the lagoon with "Bacalar Francophone Activities." Since we were just the two of us, it cost 3500 pesos. If we’d managed to be 4 people, it would’ve been 1000 pesos per person.
We had a private 4-hour tour on the lagoon with Steeve and his very comfortable boat. He’s from Quebec, so his French is perfect. During those 4 hours, Steeve showed us the lagoon’s iconic spots *and* places other boats don’t go. He told us about the lagoon’s history and gave great tips on where to go and where to eat. As a little bonus, he gave us a video taken with his drone during our swimming break.
Tuesday, July 14:
We went to Los Rapidos by taxi (400 pesos round trip) and entry was 225 pesos per person. It’s *very* touristy but really beautiful. You can eat there (expensive), relax, and go down the "rapids" as many times as you want. It’s worth it if you spend a few hours there. You can’t bring in food or drinks—you leave them at the entrance and pick them up on the way out.
Wednesday, July 15:
On Wednesdays, navigation is banned on Bacalar Lagoon, so we’d planned another excursion.
Visit to Calakmul from Bacalar with ABCtours (WhatsApp +52 983 319 8359).
This agency organized a trip from Bacalar to Calakmul with a French-speaking guide. Communication beforehand via WhatsApp was smooth. Mr. Checo, the driver, and Fernando, the guide (who spoke great French), picked us up on the day. Mr. Checo drove very carefully on the long road and always made sure we were comfortable. Fernando is passionate about flora and fauna—he’s a biologist with a degree in ornithology, so he knows *everything* about animals. The slightest sound or song, and he knows what it is. He’s got an eye for spotting them, from the biggest to the smallest.
During the trip, we stopped at km 27 for a short forest walk, then went to see the two main pyramids on the site. On the way back, we stopped at the bat cave for the magical spectacle of millions of bats flying out at dusk. In the end, we saw or glimpsed (some briefly) spider monkeys, howler monkeys, a toucan, 2 tapirs, turkeys, 2 deer, and lots of birds. If, like us, you’re more into flora and fauna than archaeology, I’d *highly* recommend this agency and tour with Fernando.
It’s not cheap, but the road between Bacalar and the site is *long* (3.5 hours). Price: 3900 pesos per person for 2 (3500 for 3, 3200 for 4).
Thursday, July 16:
ADO bus to Playa del Carmen (614 pesos per person).
In Playa del Carmen, we stayed in an Airbnb. The building is on the town hall square, next to the casino.
The best thing about this place is the *location*—super close to Fifth Avenue (La Quinta). The kitchen is pretty basic, but the fridge works well. There are supermarkets nearby. The rooftop pool is really nice. The two big downsides, though, are the soundproofing (you can *hear* the neighbor’s alarm and all the events on the square) and the *total* lack of water pressure in the shower. We had to fill a trash can with water to pour over ourselves. When we told the owner, he said it wasn’t normal and someone would come fix it, but we never heard back. Based on previous reviews, this seems to be a known issue that never gets resolved.
Playa del Carmen is *very* touristy on Fifth Avenue, but in a fun, musical vibe—we never felt unsafe. There are *tons* of little souvenir shops for tourists on this street. There’s a beautiful monumental sculpture on the beach (the two figures meeting in the air), next to which you can see the Voladores show (men climbing a pole, tying themselves with ropes, and descending headfirst while "flying" around the pole). The show is tip-based and happens several times a day. In our opinion, Calle 38 is prettier than Fifth Avenue—it’s lush, green, and quieter, with the sea at the end. Great for an early evening stroll. We had really good meals at great prices at "El Tio Noy" tacos, just a few meters from Fifth Avenue in a side street.
For souvenirs, we’d recommend going to Walmart instead of Fifth Avenue—you’ll find skulls, tequila, mezcal, keychains, mugs, glasses... at good, fixed prices.
Friday, July 17:
We did the excursion to Isla Contoy. Isla Contoy is an uninhabited, highly protected island. Only 200 people are allowed to land per day on a rotating basis, so only a few companies have permission to dock there. Most agencies subcontract the day to a third-party company.
We booked through VRM (Viviendo Riviera Maya), but it was Ocean Tours Mexico that handled the tour. Contoy is a little paradise. We were accompanied by multilingual guides, including French speakers, throughout the day. Steffy gave us info about the island during a short walk on the marked trails, and Leño Tlatemoa kept the mood up on the boat rides with music and dancing. Isla Contoy is *truly* stunning, and the lunch was delicious: grilled fish and chicken, guacamole and tortilla chips, rice, fruit, drinks (everything is brought and taken back by the guides). The snorkeling part was pretty disappointing if you’ve done it in Cozumel, though. The stop at Isla Mujeres isn’t very interesting either—it’s too short to explore, and the island is *extremely* touristy. Still, the excursion was very well organized, and we had a great day (2970 pesos per person).
Saturday, July 18:
We wanted to go snorkeling in Cozumel but thought the prices from French-speaking agencies were too high. Plus, for snorkeling, we figured we didn’t *need* a French-speaking guide.
So we found a much cheaper solution by taking the ferry from Playa del Carmen ourselves and choosing an agency in Playa. The round-trip ferry cost 663.50 pesos per person. Then we took a taxi to the snorkeling boat (100 pesos). The agency we chose is called Mystic Snorkel—they don’t have a physical office. The tour cost 1400 pesos per person. It was a small boat, but that day we were the only ones, so we got a private tour at the group rate. We stopped at 4 different sites, all very different and beautiful. We saw all kinds of fish, corals, a nurse shark, and turtles. El Cielo, with its huge starfish, is *exceptional*. If you’re going snorkeling in the Yucatan Peninsula, this is *the* tour to do—the other sites are pretty "poor" in comparison.
Sunday, July 19:
Morning dive with Triton Diving. I chose the Cozumel dive option. Great experience.
Booking via WhatsApp was easy. On the day of the dive, Selene, who speaks French, was our guide. She’s *very* attentive to the group’s safety. The briefings are clear and precise. In Cozumel, we did 2 very different sites: the first was a drift dive with lots of life—beautiful corals and fish. The second was a wreck, the C53, a 56-meter boat you can enter. Not much marine life, but a beautiful wreck intentionally sunk for divers—still in great condition. An unforgettable moment. Selene even took videos during the dive, which the club sends you for free afterward. I’d *highly* recommend this club.
Just so you know, in Playa del Carmen, the beaches were full of sargassum during our stay, despite barriers and daily cleanup. Locals told us the problem is getting worse and the sargassum is arriving earlier in the season. Tourism has taken a *big* hit this summer, and they’re wondering if tourism can even survive the sargassum season anymore. A lot of tourists are heading to the islands—Isla Mujeres and Cozumel—to enjoy the beaches, as the west side of those islands is sargassum-free.
Monday, July 20:
Colectivo to Puerto Morelos. First, a colectivo toward Cancun that drops you off between Puerto Morelos town and Puerto Morelos beach (40 pesos per person), then another from that junction to the beach (10 pesos per person).
In Puerto Morelos, we’d booked a room via Airbnb at "Piedra del Caribe." *Best* place we stayed in Mexico. It’s an aparthotel. Our room was ready before check-in, so they let us in early. The place matched the description—spacious, with a comfortable king-size bed. The shower had *great* pressure, which isn’t a given in Mexico. The staff was super friendly and welcoming. They let us use the pool, restrooms, and rooftop shower after check-out while we waited for our ride to Cancun Airport. They even kept our luggage. I *highly* recommend this place.
In Puerto Morelos, there was *way* less sargassum than in Playa del Carmen—it was actually swimmable.
We did the snorkeling tour with the fishermen’s cooperative for 450 pesos per person for 2 hours. The reef is close to the beach (you’re not allowed to swim there), so the boat ride is short. It’s not as pretty as Cozumel, but it’s nice and affordable. On Puerto Morelos’s page, you can also access a small, not-very-well-preserved reef. There’s also a cenote in the sea where fresh water mixes with saltwater—the water is murky there. We had a great dinner and excellent cocktails at "La Choza del Puerto."
Tuesday, July 21:
Wandered around Puerto Morelos (check out the church and read everything—it’s entertaining!), relaxed by the hotel pool, and left for Cancun Airport by taxi (400 pesos) booked via InDrive to head back to France.
Our highlights:
- Holbox
- The whale shark tour
- The cenotes
- The local flora and fauna (so present!)
- Isla Contoy
- Cabo Catoche (except for the snorkeling)
What we liked least:
- The bioluminescence (barely visible despite good conditions)
- The food—we found it not very diverse in taquerias
- The constant tipping
- The lack of water pressure in showers (fixed, wall-mounted, no hose or showerhead)
Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions while it’s still fresh in our minds.
Here we go—finally, the big day has arrived! A trip the whole family (my two kids, my husband, and me) had been looking forward to for so long.
To keep it short, we left from Nice, arrived in Namibia on June 25, 2025, and left again on the 21st—four weeks later.
We used an agency for all the camping reservations, activities, and the car rental. At least that side of things was taken care of. Michaël was our contact throughout the planning and the trip itself.
We spent our first night at Londiningi BB. A bit out of the city center but very quiet. The rooms were spacious and clean, and we could eat on-site that evening. Perfect for recovering from the flight.
This travel journal is our second on VoyageForum, following last year’s where we recounted our four weeks in Vietnam.
The goal remains the same: since some members on this site share tips, experiences, and great deals that help us prepare for our trips, we do the same after returning—both to give back a little and in the hope that our experiences might be useful to others in some way.
Our route was as follows: Bangkok, Siem Reap, Krabi, Suratthani, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Chumphon, Bang Saphan, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Sam Roi Yod, Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Bangkok.
Beyond rediscovering Bangkok, our objectives were the long-held dream of seeing Angkor and exploring southern Thailand, much of which isn’t overly touristy.
A quick big thank-you to Barbot, who took the time to answer several of our questions.
12/07/2013
The cheapest flight we found earlier this year was a Paris-Bangkok route with a layover in Moscow for 1440 €, total for two people.
So, this time we tried Aeroflot. Airbus A318 for the first leg, A330 for the second. Nothing particularly annoying to report—the passengers were very calm, the cabin temperature was comfortable, and we had enough legroom.
That said, the quality of the meal trays was pretty mediocre, and the flight attendants weren’t exactly comedians.
We’d like to remind everyone that it’s best to exchange as little money as possible at the airport upon arrival, since the rate is about 5% worse than at city banks.
Of course, we made sure to take the airport exit where you can catch official taxis to avoid getting scammed. So, we queued up, a little lady gave us the ticket, and off we went with the driver.
Generally, this system works well because these drivers are registered, know their duties, and the risks they face if they break the rules. Except that day, right off the bat, we got the scammer of the day. His first move was to snatch the ticket from my wife’s hands—the one you’re supposed to keep in case of a complaint. My husband saw it, but after a full day of travel, we were a bit out of it, and honestly, there was no reason to be suspicious. But once we started driving, the guy refused to turn on the meter. We insisted more and more firmly, but nothing. So, I used the famous method of opening the door and starting to step out of the car. At 40 km/h, that scares the driver more than the passenger. He finally turned on the meter, but that didn’t calm him down—quite the opposite. For the next half-hour, he ruined the ride by demanding extra fees here and there. Having dealt with several scam attempts last year in Vietnam, this wasn’t exactly new, and we were proud of ourselves for staying pretty zen. Still, this guy was a little scary—he was completely wired and aggressive. Honestly, it was hard not to think he was on something. He’d be perfect for a *Scarface* remake. When we finally arrived at the hotel, he followed us to the entrance. We paid the two tolls (25 and 45 baht), gave him the usual 100 baht extra for the ride, and stayed polite but firm. So, meter: 245 baht + 100 baht + 25 and 45 baht for tolls—we paid the exact amount, no way we were tipping this guy. He left furious, but he was already like that before picking us up... Anyway, avoid Mr. Chartree Chidchen, number 089 826 7308, car E2663!
We were so relieved to finally settle in at Feung Nakorn Balcony hotel in the temple district. 42 € per night, great reception, all the staff is friendly. The AC works fine, the bed seemed hard at first but turned out to be comfortable. The hotel is quiet, away from the nightlife, but at this time of year, many places are less crowded than in high season. Even with a nice fish pond and outdoor breakfast area, it’s a decent hotel, though we felt we could’ve found something better.
After a night on the plane, the first afternoon is always a bit of a slog. We napped for a few hours, and when we woke up—guess what—we were starving. We visited a temple across from the hotel (nothing special) and then decided to take the Chao Phraya Express, the river shuttle that serves many piers along the river. It was a really enjoyable experience. The steel gangway wobbles when you board and disembark, the boat sits low in the water, and sometimes you get splashed. During peak times, you’re packed in like sardines, but most of all, there’s that exotic urban landscape passing by, especially the temple rooftops.
At that exact moment, the boat was packed. We didn’t see a ticket booth at the pier, and we tried in vain to pay the few baht for the ride. The cashier on the boat was too busy, and another employee we called didn’t have time to help us. Oh well, we weren’t going to force the issue. Still, this mode of transport is super practical for avoiding traffic, and at the piers, the lines with station names are clearly marked, with colors matching the flags on the boats. Combined with a map like the *Routard* guide, it’s easy to navigate.
We easily made it to the restaurant *Harmonique*, located near one of these piers. It’s a unanimous favorite on this forum, and let us tell you—it’s well-deserved. What a wonderful experience that evening! We only saw the outdoor gazebo because there was no way we were dining inside. It’s not flashy, so those looking for a luxurious setting should look elsewhere.
That night, the staff was a bit slow, and we had to track them down several times to move things along. But oh, my friends—what a feast on the plate! Start with the appetizer platter for two at 250 baht, featuring four specialties, each more tempting than the last, followed by their famous crab curry for 200 baht. There’s *so much* crab in there! The dish is so delicious and rich that when you finish, you feel—how to put it—like it was almost *too* good, to the point where you’re almost put off eating for days. And also, oh yes, we *will* be back. Their satay chicken is just as amazing, and it would be a crime not to mention their generous dessert with ice cream, warm banana, and chocolate, plus their *excellent* almond milkshake.
Later, we took a taxi to Kao San Road, mainly to book a Ko Tao-Chumphon trip for 600 baht per person at the Lomprayah counter. In hindsight, we should’ve booked all three of our trips there right away.
Kao San Road is *ultra*-touristy—better for younger crowds, but it’s still worth seeing. There’s rock ‘n’ roll, hippies, and crowds everywhere.
We walked back to the hotel, and when we got a little lost near a canal, a really nice older Thai man spontaneously appeared out of the night to kindly point us in the right direction.
Finally, a real long night of sleep ahead—we cranked up the AC. Sweet, the vacation has begun!
Hi there,
I just got back from a trip to Sri Lanka from December 18th to January 1st with 2 adults and 2 kids (12 years old).
If it helps, here’s my itinerary.
We left on December 18th from Madrid with Qatar Airways. No complaints. I booked my tickets back in March for 800 € per person. (I flew from Madrid because I live near the Spanish border and was too worried about strikes in France.)
We arrived on December 19th at 4 PM (local time). Before leaving France, I’d booked a taxi through MyTransfer for 59 € to Sigiriya. A van was waiting for us at the airport exit.
A never-ending 3-hour drive to Sigiriya. We stayed at Samana Guesthouse—very simple, clean, with a pool and an excellent Sri Lankan breakfast. Shower and straight to bed.
Friday, December 20th: Beautiful weather, but very humid and hot. We visited Lion Rock (36 € for adults) and then Pidurangala.
I loved both sites—they’re a must-do in my opinion.
Spent the late afternoon by the pool.
Saturday, December 21st: Another gorgeous day. The guesthouse manager offered us a free 2-hour tuk-tuk tour. We first visited a lake, rice fields, the temple, and the Sigiriya market, plus the usual tourist trap—the botanical garden (no pressure to buy anything at the end).
Then we took a tuk-tuk to Dambulla Temple, the Golden Buddha, and the wholesale market.
Sunday, December 22nd: Still beautiful weather. I’d booked a taxi for 8 AM. We did all the long trips by taxi to save time. I’d ask for prices from 2 or 3 WhatsApp taxi agencies 2 days or the day before—super responsive, always got replies within 5 minutes. We headed to Ella (4-hour drive) for 22,000 LKR.
Arrived in the afternoon at Rest Full Homestay—a small, family-run guesthouse. Clean, cozy, and an amazing Sri Lankan breakfast.
In the afternoon, we went to Nine Arches Bridge. It was a Sunday, a Sri Lankan holiday, so it was *packed*—mostly locals and very few white tourists! Even though it was crowded, it was cool because it was all Sri Lankans. We waited an hour for the train. It’s worth seeing, but honestly, I didn’t think it was that amazing.
Then we headed to the station to check if we needed to book tickets for the train to Haputale—turns out, no.
Monday, December 23rd: Beautiful weather. We hiked Ella Rock—a gorgeous trek. The final stretch is steep but shaded, so it wasn’t as tough as I’d read. The whole hike is stunning from start to finish. We saw the train pass twice (one blue, one red) and lots of women picking tea.
After that, we did Little Adam’s Peak. It’s not hard, but it was *packed* with tourists—meh. Luckily, at the top, you can walk a bit farther (down one side and back up) to get some space to yourself.
What I *didn’t* like was the commercial vibe at the big café/restaurant with a pool at the entrance of Little Adam’s Peak. Loud music, all that money being made right next to little souvenir stands run by Sri Lankans or tea-picking women. Felt off.
Ended the day buying souvenirs at one of the few shops we found during the trip.
Tuesday, December 24th: Beautiful weather. Took the train to Haputale. We got to the station 30 minutes before the 9:30 AM train. We could’ve taken 2nd or 3rd class—I went with 2nd (160 LKR per person).
It was crowded, but we managed to get seats—first 2, then 3. Only a 1-hour ride, but I *loved* it—windows and doors open the whole time.
Arrived in Haputale around 11 AM, and the mist was already rolling in.
We walked to our guesthouse, The Mist Holiday Bungalow. Simple but clean, with a great view of the tea plantations. The owner’s wife is Vietnamese and used to work for French tour operators, so her French is still pretty good—helpful for us since our English is terrible. They booked us a tuk-tuk for 4:45 AM the next day (2,000 LKR) to Lipton’s Seat.
Spent the afternoon wandering around Haputale. Not much charm, but there’s a nice fruit and veggie market and a short walk through the tea plantations.
Wednesday, December 25th: Beautiful weather. The tuk-tuk was on time to take us to Lipton’s Seat. We were the first ones there—the sky was just starting to turn pink. In the end, only about ten of us watched the sunrise. The guesthouse had packed us breakfast, and we walked back down (half on the road, half through the plantations). Didn’t see any tea picking since it was Christmas, but the walk was still incredible. We took detours through villages full of kids.
After that, we visited the tea factory. The tour was really interesting, and we took the bus back down to Haputale. Such a great moment—whole families were heading to mass, dressed up and made up. All so beautiful.
At noon, we left for Udawalawe National Park. Taxi for 14,000 LKR. Stayed at River Inn Safari Cottage. *Warning*: It’s the same place as Eagle Safari Cottage. I don’t recommend it. We’d always stayed with families before, but here it was just staff—totally different vibe. The pool was nice but not very clean (water was murky). The bungalow was big and fine, but it was brand new—so new the asphalt floor wasn’t fully dry. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so we had to eat on-site. Couldn’t leave a review on Booking because they never confirmed we’d stayed, and they canceled our reservation the next day.
Thursday, December 26th: Beautiful weather. I’d booked a safari through the hotel for 5:30–10 AM for 54 USD. Honestly, yes, there are a lot of jeeps, but it was great. The kids loved it—we saw everything there was to see.
Left by taxi at 11:30 AM for Welligama (12,000 LKR).
We didn’t stay in Welligama city but at Coconut Beach, between Welligama and Midigama. *Total crush* on the guesthouse: Sky Mountain Café with View. Such a lovely family. The mom makes amazing meals at reasonable prices. The view from the hill over the sea is unreal.
Spent the afternoon walking along the beach.
Friday, December 27th: Beautiful weather. My kids are surfers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any boards their size to rent at Coconut, so we took a tuk-tuk to Welligama Bay (1,000 LKR). They surfed from 8 AM to 5 PM—rental was 5,000 LKR for the day. Meanwhile, we walked the beach and swam. Water was 29°C.
Saturday, December 28th: Beautiful weather, rain from 4 PM until midnight. Same surf day. They were so well-behaved the whole trip, so this was their reward.
Sunday, December 29th: Beautiful weather. Beach day at Coconut. *Warning*: It’s a reef break. For surfers, there are three spots (Coconut Left, Middle, and Right). The boys bodysurfed (with fins) all morning, and at 1 PM, we took the bus to Hikkaduwa.
Stayed at Hotel Universal Beach. Nothing special—right on the water, but the rooms were dark even though they were clean. The manager was super nice, but the rest was meh, and breakfast was mediocre compared to what we’d had before (2 eggs and 3 slices of toast). Plus, it was late—8 AM.
First impression of Hikkaduwa wasn’t great—way too many Russians for our taste.
Monday, December 30th: Beautiful weather. Spent the whole day exploring. Turtle Beach, then the other side of the beach (toward Galle) near the fishing port. The beach there is much wider, with scattered hotels and super quiet. It’s beautiful—I should’ve booked somewhere in that area. Ended up having a great day away from the crowds.
Tuesday, December 31st: Overcast, then beautiful, rain at 4 PM. Had to end the year (and the trip) with some surf. Rented boards for the kids (3,000 LKR per board for the day). Bad luck—the waves were on a reef break but small. Not great for them, but no big deal. They still got out of the water by 2 PM. Walked the beach (which is gorgeous), had a juice, and went for a swim. Then back to surfing in the rain at 4 PM.
Wednesday, January 1st: Left by taxi at 5 AM (18,000 LKR). Flight at 10 AM. Arrived in Madrid at 8 PM.
I could have titled my travel journal like Carmen: "Some trips are born twice." Indeed, we had considered this destination back in February 2020. However, an honest tour operator advised us against traveling at that time due to the climate. So, we gave up and opted for Guatemala instead (see "On the Mayan Lands" on this site).
So, why this title? When I was in primary school, over 65 years ago, the illustrations in my history books (Machu Picchu) and geography books (Lake Titicaca) made me dream, and those images stayed in my mind. It took until 2026 to finally make this dream come true!
We prepared our trip with Tout Pérou, a French-speaking "agency." Everything was handled via email and WhatsApp exchanges with our contact: Laurent, who was both competent, friendly, and full of good advice.
For 200 €, Tout Pérou provided us with drivers and guides whenever we wanted, helped us buy our domestic flights (cheaper when purchased in Peru), booked shuttles between airports and hotels, and got us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, as well as on the buses between Chivay and Puno and between Puno and Cusco. In short, Laurent took care of all the logistics and the Machu Picchu tickets. It was up to us to book our hotels. Tout Pérou provided a list, but we weren’t obliged to follow it. Another advantage of the package: we didn’t have to pay in advance; we paid the service providers directly day by day.
We didn’t meet Laurent in person because he was on vacation in Europe. Before his departure, he gave us a briefing, provided a summary table with the entire program, the service providers, their phone numbers, their fees, the schedules, and gave us plenty of advice (money, exchange, safety, etc.). After returning at the end of our stay, he kept checking in on us.
Lastly, we had also gathered information from Arnaud Lagadec, who runs a hotel in Cusco and offers tours of the region. He gave us a lot of useful information. Another contact: Thomas Montaigne, very friendly, who runs an agency in Arequipa (Agence Pérou Exclusif).
Day 1 – Paris to Lima
Foreword
I’ll share our trip without any pretension—I don’t have the talent of some contributors on this forum—and I’ll illustrate it with a few photos (taken with an ordinary smartphone). My comments are personal and only reflect my own views. So, please be kind! Feel free to comment on my story as you like, but let’s avoid pointless debates.
Even though we live in the south of the Paris region, true to our habits when the flight is in the morning, we chose to spend the night before our departure in a hotel near CDG and parked our car in a parking lot in Garches. This way, we avoid the stress that often comes with traveling around Paris (accidents, roadworks, traffic jams, etc.).
Check-in and border control went smoothly on that Sunday morning. Our Air France flight was uneventful. In Lima, border control took a particularly long time, and for the first time, we didn’t get an entry visa stamped in our passports.
As planned, a driver took us to the Miraflores district, where our hotel was located. We were surprised by the numerous signs about possible tsunamis, having forgotten that Peru is prone to such events and regularly experiences earthquakes. We’d see the consequences of these during our journey.
Exhausted from the early wake-up, the 13-hour flight, and the 7-hour time difference, we had dinner at the hotel before a restful night.
Note that this day was Peru’s presidential election day. As a result, we weren’t served beer—the sale of alcohol was banned that Sunday.
We did the Langtang trek (hike) from September 10th to 17th, with the first and last days being the trip from Kathmandu and back—so 6 days of actual walking. It’s a fairly well-known trek but certainly not as famous or crowded as those in the Annapurna or Everest regions, which is why we chose it.
In theory, it’s mandatory to have a guide for this trek. In reality, it seems there are ways to bypass the regulations: we met at least two people hiking without a guide—a South Korean, a New Zealander, and possibly also a couple of English women and an American couple, though we’re not sure if they had a guide.
The agency we booked with had told us it was an affordable trek for relatively older people in good shape—which is our case (I’m 72 myself). I have to say upfront that we found it quite challenging, maybe because we didn’t have good weather—it was the end of the monsoon season. To be clear, no matter your fitness level, I’d say doing this trek in the middle of the monsoon season would be suicidal.
Day 1 – Journey from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi
On Monday, September 8th, there had been violent protests in Kathmandu against the government, which had, among other things, blocked access to social media and been accused of nepotism and corruption. There were 19 deaths. The situation was very tense on the day of our departure, Wednesday the 10th. The agency warned us that public transport was very unreliable. So, we decided to take a jeep, at an additional cost of $100 ($160 minus what was already budgeted for the bus).
We left a little before 7 a.m. and it took us a good hour just to reach the outskirts of Kathmandu. Along the way, we saw several houses and vehicles set on fire by protesters.
The road to Syapru Besi is only 120 km, but it’s frankly awful. It’s always narrow, winds through endless mountains, and the shoulders range from bad to confusing to nonexistent. Several sections are just dirt tracks. We didn’t regret opting for the jeep, as we could stop several times at our convenience—if only to let Y (my Thai partner) throw up everything she had. She’d taken her usual motion sickness medication, but the constant turns, accelerations, and braking eventually made her terribly carsick.
In Nuwakot, we stopped for breakfast at a nice little restaurant, Jimbu. It was around 8:30 a.m., and we’d barely covered 60 km. The restaurant has a lovely garden overlooking the Trishuli Ganga, the river flowing down from Syapru Besi. First photo: the river in the bottom right corner, mist and clouds over the mountain on the other side.
An hour later, my second photo: the hills along the Trishuli Ganga. You can see the different crops—lush green rice paddies in the lower right and corn, already yellowed and likely harvested, in the foreground on the left. And of course, the mist and clouds through which you can glimpse the mountain on the other side of the river.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
I hesitated about writing this travel journal...
This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.
No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...
But don’t think we were disappointed!
The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together.
So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.
Our 2-week itinerary:
- Arusha (1 night upon arrival)
- Tarangire (1 night)
- Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo)
- Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera)
- Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night)
- Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights)
- Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions...
So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted.
Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some!
Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!
I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!
Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.
In broad strokes, it was very classic:
First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to.
From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km!
Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites.
We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.
A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized.
We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line!
At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris.
You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!
With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter.
To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
It’s an ancient city that breathes, a living spring.
Here, no kitschy signs like “I miss you in Fengyu,” nor mass-produced fake antiques.
The century-old houses still bear the marks of wind and rain; in the morning, you hear roosters crowing, and at dusk, smoke gently rises from the kitchens.
This city doesn’t try to please anyone—like the spring water flowing through it, it simply keeps living at its own pace.
Located in Eryuan County, in the Dali Prefecture of Yunnan, the ancient town of Fengyu is a nationally designated historical and cultural city. It’s nicknamed the “land of scholars and ink”—during the Qing Dynasty, the Fengxiang Academy produced four *jinshi* and eleven *juren* in the imperial examinations. The Bai families made studying and farming a true legacy. Even on market days, you’ll find stalls of calligraphy and paintings, while lintels and screen walls are covered with family mottos.
Fengyu was also an important stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road. It preserves the second-largest Bai architectural complex in China, just after Xizhou. The famous traveler Xu Xiake spent seven days here and compared it to the “peach blossom paradise.”
Vila beach
Sunset behind Santiago
The rocks and sea at Ponta Preta
At the summit of Monte Batalha
Calheta
Calheta de Baixo
The beaches just keep coming...
The dunes
The 3 coconut trees, a landmark to find the track
Boca da Ribeira beach
The hills on our right
Ribeira Dom João
Barreiro
The old track
The church in Vila do Maio
2- Around San Pedro
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.
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!
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.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...