Hi everyone,
I’m Loulou, a French expat who’s been living in Southeast Asia for about fifteen years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A passionate walker at heart, I’ve trekked in Nepal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), India, Vietnam, and I’m still planning new hikes (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
I’ve just published my first travel journal, recounting three months of walking and encounters across India. A portion of the sales goes to an educational center I support in Kep, for children whose parents work in the salt marshes.
I’m also working on a second book about Nepal with a musician friend, focusing on the Mardi Himal trek—two independent perspectives on the same journey.
Happy to swap stories with you about the Himalayas, India, Southeast Asia, or just the urge to hit the road and walk far from home.
Safe travels,
Loulou
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
Hello everyone.
It's to greet all the old-timers here with whom I had so many interactions when I used to visit this platform regularly and eagerly before it was shut down, much to our dismay.
I was a member under the name "Jaydev," but it seems I can't log in with that name anymore. Maybe I deleted the username, thinking VoyageForum wouldn't come back.
I'm so happy to be able to log in here again. Talking about Indian things—and in the language I love—lets me practice and chat with people who love the land where I was born.
From a visitor's perspective, I find it really interesting to interact with the local population. That's what gives meaning to the word "travel." Without it, traveling is essentially just "getting from one place to another."
Hi everyone, after a trip to India last October, I stayed in touch with an Indian guide who speaks French. His dream is to visit France. To get his visa, he told me he needs a letter from me confirming that I met him during my trip to his country and that I’m able to host him. He has other contacts in France, and he mentioned he’s asked them for the same thing. I’m reaching out to see if his request is legitimate or if he’s taking advantage of my kindness. I’m sorry if I offend anyone—it’s not my intention. I’m very spontaneous and don’t want to put myself in a bad situation. Thanks for your feedback. Have a great weekend. Florence/florie73
Hello,
There’s a big debate among travelers who are attached to India and have been visiting often, regularly, for 15 years or more.
I’ve experienced it—and still do—in every sense of the word, first as a tourist, then from the inside by living there for 12 years. I feel it has changed a lot and continues to change at a dizzying pace, year after year, almost month after month.
It all depends on how you see it, how you visit it, where you stay, etc... North or south, and so on...
The debate is open—no animosity or arguments if opinions differ. Just your own take, your personal experiences, your travel conditions, what you’ve noticed and still notice today... Let’s try to be objective, if possible, though it’s a tough exercise.
