De retour sur le forum pour un petit feedback sur mon dernier roadtrip aux USA.
Séjour du 28sept au 20oct 2013.
Nous sommes partit à 3. Un bro du moto club, mon frère et moi. 3 motards de 28-29 ans avec une bonne expérience de la route et quelques kil au compteur. Soif d’ailleurs et de liberté que seules les grandes plaines de la mère patrie d’Harley Davidson semblaient pouvoir combler… Doux rêve !
Décision rapidement prise, ce sera Vegas à Key West en Streetglide ! 5500km prévus, 7000 au final.
Parenthèse pratique, locations et tarifs, motos et vols.
Choix des brêles : seul sur la moto, besoin d’un peu de place pour un minimum de matos et de confort mais avec du style ) la Streetglide s’imposait et a rempli sa mission !
Détail de location tout compris pour 21jours par l’agence cooldrive.fr chez Eaglerider (ER par la suite), pas la peine de demander on a cherché beaucoup et on a pas trouvé mieux !
3450 € tout inclus
Détail du tarif :
tarif de base 946
décharge obligatoire vip 316
supplément e-vip zero 193 (-> franchise 0 usd, dégâts pneus couverts, remorquage jusqu’à 100 usd)
SLI 438 ( couverture -> 1 mio usd )
miles illimités 667
frais aller simple 665
taxe environnement 115
taxe locale 261
réduction pour réservation anticipée -151
Concernant les vols, réservés par e-booker
946.8 chf
départ Zurich 28.09.2013 à 09h55
escale chicago 3h15
arrivée Vegas 17h39
Parenthèse pratique bis, matériel à prendre.
Je pense ouvrir une autre discussion à ce propos après avoir terminé ce post où vous pourrez trouver ma checklist complète.
En gros il faut se limiter au minimum nécessaire, toutes nos affaires devaient tenir dans un petit sac de sport de 40l litres par personne. La place non utilisée serait pour les souvenirs. Si vous partez à plusieurs évitez les doublons ! 1 pour 3 est suffisant pour bien des choses… Seuls les vêtements, le rasoir et la brosse à dent ne se partagent pas.
JOUR1 : maman taxi jusqu’à l’aéroport. Vol avec Swiss toujours sans problèmes, personnel aimable, écran individuel, pleins de films, séries etc à voir, nourriture et boissons en suffisance. Escale à Chicago, passage à la douane US en ½ heure, transfert de nos bagages et passage des contrôles sécurité pour notre vol intérieur. Reste bien 2h à attendre… Trouvé un bar / pub sympa histoire de descendre quelques bières. Vol UA pour Vegas, nourriture et boisson moyennant finance si besoin. Survol en fin d’aprem de Grand Canyon Ouest et de Lake Mead, vue magnifique ! Puis aperçu furtif des grands hôtels du strip à l’atterrissage.
Dans le terminal de l’aéroport les choses sont claires, machines à sous et ambiance casino de rigueur te rappellent de suite où tu débarques.
Pas s’emmerder, tacot jusqu’à l’hôtel-casino Stratosphere qui était déjà réservé, petite sieste en chambre pour se mettre en condition avant d’aller goûter l’ambiance locale.
20h go départ à pieds, remonter le strip pour trouver où manger. Première impression, le strip c’est long… et pas toujours intéressant. Pour ce premier repas ce sera Outback Grill & Steakhouse, grosse pièce de viande et bières, normal quoi ! Coin sympa placé à l’étage, service impecc. Suite de notre visite nocturne du strip, photos des hôtels déments, arrêts cocktails et un peu de black-jack au casino du Cesar. On repart les 3 avec un bilan positif pour finir notre tour et rentrer boire encore quelques verres au bar de l’hôtel avant d’aller se coucher vers 5h du mat.
JOUR2 : première urgence en se levant, appeler ER Vegas ! Les brêles sont prêtes, un chauffeur vient nous prendre à 11h. Ca nous laisse 2h pour se réveiller, laver et boire un caf’ avec un pain banane au Starbucks de l’hôtel où il y a file…
Une bonne dizaine de minutes en minibus sont nécessaires pour rejoindre l’agence ER, feuilles de réservations, passeports et permis de conduire présentés, embarquer un casque bol inclus dans la loc et voilà nos compagnes pour les 3 prochaines semaines. 1 matt black, 1 vivid black et 1 genre glossy red, au moins pas de risques de se les échanger ! Pneus neufs, freins à 90%, tout fonctionne. Entre 24 et 30'000 km au compteur, bien rodées, ça roulera tout seul et sans ennuis. Direction le commencement du strip et le fameux panneau Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas Nevada pour la photo avec le big smile et la sensation que cette fois c’était partit pour de vrai ! Puis descente du strip en bécane (pas rapide en journée avec le trafic) avec arrêt au Harley Davidson Café pour boire… un soda ! Ok pour la photo mais sans plus, n’achetez rien ici, préférez le shop sur Fremont ou l’agence Harley (qu’on a pas pris le temps de faire, snif). Ensuite reste de l’aprem Coronas et volley dans la piscine de l’hôtel.
Puis départ pour Fremont Street. On repère des Harleys garées pas loin alors on se pose là, devant le Hogs & Heifers Saloon Vegas. Accueil bourru, blagues grasses, ambiance bikers assurée, serveuses au top ! On boit 2 bières, plaisante avec les serveuses et je demande à la miss qui fait la loi à l’entrée si on peut laisser les brêles ici le temps d’aller voir Fremont. « Le premier qui touche à vos bécanes je le butes moi-même » !!! me voilà rassuré.
Visite rapide de la rue, du shop Harley bien fourni et arrêt à un stand hot dogs dans une salle de machines à sous pour croquer. Hot-dogs grands comme un avant bras, blindés de tout et n’importe quoi, y compris plein de jalapenos ! Après avoir vaincu le hot-dog restait à vaincre Vegas ce soir encore, enfilé dans un casino, direction tables de black jack où les croupières en petites tenues passaient des tables à la barre de pole dance, GAAASP ! Magnifique mais fort déconcentrant, surtout pour mon frangin qui y a laissé ses 100$. Ambiance excellente, beaucoup moins coincée que sur le strip, même qu’elles t’aident un peu quand t’es perdu, bien causé, plaisanté et fait plaisir aux yeux. Et des pépettes dans les poches en + pour moi et mon pote. Retour au H&H en reboire 2 puis retour à l’hôtel pour monter sur la tour faire les attractions d’où la vue de nuit sur Vegas est magnifique et puisque j’étais là sauté du 107e étage. C’est haut mais pas exceptionnel, heureusement que la miss m’a fait le prix militaire quand je lui ai dit que je servais mon pays.
Un dernier verre avant d’aller se coucher car la route nous attendait le lendemain. Avec le doux sentiments d’avoir lessivé Vegas car nous partions tous en positif au final ( de quelques centaines de dollars).
JOUR3 : réveil à 7h, étude pour trouver le moins pire moyen de ranger les affaires dans les sacoches des motos, arrêt Starbucks petit déj, pas grand monde à cette heure heureusement puis go rejoindre l’Arizona et la légendaire 66. La température déjà bonne n’allait pas arrêter de s’élever pour égaler les 40°C de la veille sous un soleil de plomb et sec. Attention de prévoir assez d’EAU pour la route. On avait fait des réserves au shop de l’hôtel donc pas de soucis. Prochaine halte prévue Oatman (Az), attention après Bullhead évitez Silver Creek Rd qui est de terre et de graviers à moins d’être très expérimenté. Il y a l’itinéraire normal plus au sud. Nous avons bien sûr décidé de passer par… la route en graviers et on s’est bien marré, couverts de poussière même si les Streetglides ne sont de loin pas aussi agiles que des dirtbikes et qu’on avait un peu peur de crever un gommard ici. Arrivés à Oatman sans pertes à déplorer il fallait urgemment boire une pisse pour faire descendre la poussière. Ensuite visite du bled, bonjour les ânes, photos et premier col. Le Sitgreaves Pass à 3550 feet. La route est magnifique, surtout la descente sur Kingman (Az) mais faut être très attentif aux trous et aux rochers présents de manière aléatoire sur la route. Premier étonnement voir des écriteaux Flooding Area et Watch for ice dans un quasi désert où les cours d’eau sont beaux secs et qu’il fait pas loin de 40°C. Kingman, 1er arrêt carburant et Mr. D’z route 66 Diner pour casser la croûte. Ensuite suivre la 66, halte à l’immanquable General Store de Hackberry le temps de boire un Dr Pepper et de prendre des photos du bric à brac organisé avant de compléter l’étape du jour jusqu’à Seligman (Az). Coin très historique et lié à l’histoire de la 66. Malheureusement peu animé lorsque nous y étions et pratiquement en ruine la crise étant passée par là. Presque une ville fantôme. L’hôtel Canyon Lodge avec la chambre James Dean était très bien et le propriétaire pas avare en conseils, bikers bienvenus. Par contre le Lilo’s Café pas top. Peu de plats inscrits sur la carte disponibles, nappes sales et mes 2 amis se demandaient ce que c’était dans leurs assiettes ?!
JOUR4 : Petit déj rapide inclus avec la chambre. Température matinale plus fraîche mais agréable. On quitte la 66 un peu après pour descendre sur la Prescott Valley. La route ensuite est magnifique en passant par Jerome (Az) pour arriver à Sedona (Az). Petite ville charmante au milieu de paysages westerns magnifiques ! Sedona Pizza Company pour déjeuner, bonne pizza avec un Angry Orchard Cider au poil. Poursuite du trajet pour rejoindre Flagstaff (Az), la route est toujours aussi agréable et magnifique pour les motos. Paysages de type alpins et température très agréable l’aprem. Découverte de Flagstaff, sa gare et son centre. On trouve une chambre au Monte Vista pour 2 nuits. Très bien placé mais cher. L’hôtel est un beau bâtiment historique avec un café, un bar et une salle de jeu. Le personnel est accueillant et serviable mais l’intérieur est très usé et mériterait une grande rénovation. Apéro au Monsoon on the Rim (bar genre asiat et sushis) au soleil sur la terrasse avec bière et rouleaux de printemps. La serveuse était du genre à faire de l’ombre au soleil tellement elle était mignonne. Pour le repas c’est Lumberyard Brewing Company, bière locale sauf pour mes acolytes qui avaient oubliés leurs ID, le comble dans une brasserie, et bonne pièce de viande.
Après quelques verres au bar de l’hôtel direction le lit.
JOUR5 : on quitte Flagstaff par la 180 jusqu’à rejoindre la 64 à Valle (Az) où on s’arrête manger un sandwich pour le petit déj. Quelques belles caisses américaines autour de la station service. Puis on continue direction Grand Canyon Village et là premier panneau qui indique National Park Closed. Le shutdown nous était encore totalement abstrait à ce moment. Nous avons donc continué notre route jusqu’à l’entrée du parc, on nous dit que la parkroad est ouverte pour traverser mais que le parc et les emplacements sont fermés, qu’on a pas le droit de s’arrêter. Alors que j’en cause avec les bros, un biker, vét du nam s’arrête à notre hauteur et nous briefe sur la situation. Il a traversé le jour d’avant en RV, des gardes et des cônes empêchent les gens de s’arrêter, du moins en RV, mais en motos doit y avoir moyen et qu’il a pas risqué son cul pour son pays pour qu’on lui interdise l’accès de ce qui appartient à tous !
Nous voilà donc à 4 à traverser et mis à part quelques endroits où les gardes étaient présents on a pu accéder à tous les points de vue. Mais il s’agissait du dernier parc qu’on ait pu voir. Très belle route, paysages immanquables ! Fin de la boucle et retour à Flagstaff. Repas du soir au Tinderbox Kitchen, petit resto sympa, très bonne cuisine qui change des habituels steaks et burgers. Suite de la soirée prévue au Museum Club et en taxi car le mercredi soir c’est 5$ entrée puis 2$ l’alcool fort et 1 dime la bière ! Ambiance géniale, passage obligé !
JOUR6 : halte au supermarché pour le café et un tacos avant de longs kils de I40 avec dans l’idée de pouvoir au moins traverser Petrified Forest NP par la route. Mais pas de chance cette fois l’accès était bien bloqué. Détour obligé pour pouvoir retrouver notre itinéraire direction Alpine (Az) avec une route agréable les derniers km avant la destination. L’endroit étant minuscule et l’avance considérable puisque nous n’avons pu nous arrêter à Petrified Forest, nous décidons de continuer jusqu’à Socorro (NM). Très belle route entre montagnes et forêts de pins puis traversée des grandes plaines, horizon et herbes hautes à perte de vue. Pas fâchés d’arriver à Socorro, on s’y arrête au Best Western, en général une valeur sûr. Et celui-ci n’y fait pas exception. On a mangé à Socorro Springs Brewing Company situé à 2 pas de l’hôtel. Il y avait beaucoup de monde et de familles, du coup on a eu un peu d’attente mais le repas était bon et la bière locale aussi.
JOUR7 : Petit déj inclus à l’hôtel puis départ avec pour destination Roswell (NM) et ses OVNIs. Découverte incroyable de la Valley of Fires Recreation Area vers Carrizozo (NM). Faune, flore et roches volcaniques… Une belle promenade pour se dégourdir les jambes.
L’arrivée à Roswell est plus difficile, plus désertique la température avoisine à nouveau les 40°C. Arrêt à la concession Harley du coin pour faire quelques achats. Puis direction le Day Inn pour prendre une chambre. Dommage que la piscine était fermée ! Déjeuner presque en face au Cattle Baron Steak and Seafood. Très bien. Puis visite inévitable du UFO International Museum, vraiment nul… Le soir repas au Pepper Grill & Bar, bonne nourriture mexicaine et live music.
JOUR8 : il fait froid et le vent souffle en latéral, la descente direction le Texas au travers des pompes à pétrole n’est vraiment pas agréable. Avec en plus des camions qui transportent du brut en quantité incroyable. L’arrêt du jour à White City (Tx) pour voir le Carlsbad Caverns NP étant annulé on descend jusqu’à Pecos (Tx) où un arrêt pizza est obligatoire pour se réchauffer. La route s’améliore nettement pour devenir vraiment agréable vers le Wild Rose Pass et Old Lincoln avant d’arriver à Fort Davis (Tx) où on a pas pu voir le fort forcément… Mais la ville est jolie et des panneaux scenic loop nous ont interpellé. On avait encore bien du carburant et suffisamment de temps pour le détour, qui s’est avéré bien plus long que prévu… comptez env 75 miles et 1h30 par la Tx166 et 118 qui en valent vraiment la peine. Une route vraiment agréable qui serpente entre collines et montagne. Reprise de notre itinéraire de base et descente jusqu’à Marfa (Tx). Le El Cosmico où l’on pensait dormir dans un teepee ou une vieille caravane US était plein du coup on est descendu au Thunderbird Motel. Très bien mais un peu bruyant pour celui qui dort sous la clim. Dîner au Maiya’s, resto très représentatif du milieu chic-artistique présent à Marfa. La nourriture y était excellente mais nos dégaines bikers n’y semblaient pas trop bien accueillies et les tarifs un peu chéros. Le Lost Horse Saloon était par contre bien plus dans notre registre. Une serveuse derrière un bar usé, un vieux piano détruit, des tables de billards en piteux état et une petite cour avec quelques souches pour s’asseoir et des chaises pliables qui ont probablement servit à taper sur la tête d’ivrognes. Le proprio look vieux cowboy est aussi pittoresque que son bar. L’endroit idéal pour glaner quelques tuyaux et parler avec les vrais gens du coin.
JOUR9 : Big Bend NP étant aussi fermé, l’itinéraire passera donc par Big Bend Ranch State Park. Donc descente direction la frontière mexicaine et le Rio Grande par la 67 puis longer la frontière sur la magnifique 170 à travers le parc, le long du Rio. Attention aux roadrunners qui traversent sans prévenir et au gravier à cause des travaux sur le tronçon. Très bel itinéraire. Arrêt à Terlingua (Tx) ghost town pour croquer des ailes de poulet au High Sierra bar and grill. Très sympa avec music live un dimanche aprem. Remontée sur Alpine (Tx) et arrêt à Marathon (Tx) où on pensait passer la nuit. Mais le coin s’est avéré trop cher, comptez 200$ la nuit au Gage Hotel ou au Eve’s Garden B&B que l’on nous avait conseillé. Attention le dimanche leurs 2 stations service sont fermées ! Donc retour sur la réserve les 30 miles qui nous séparent d’Alpine, il s’en est fallu de peu pour la panne sèche sur ce coup… Nuit au Highland Inn, très bien pour la nuit, tarif raisonnable, les trains sifflent toute la nuit. Repas au Cowboy Grill, nourriture américaine moyenne mais la serveuse était vraiment causante et sympa.
JOUR10 : Visite de la loi à l’ouest du Pecos, domaine du juge Roy Bean à Langtry (Tx) et de son saloon-tribunal original et de son petit musée. Joli sentier botanique pour marcher un peu. On a un jour d’avance avant San Antonio (Tx) à cause de ce damn shutdown. Alors on cherche un autre itinéraire, un détour intéressant avec arrêt intermédiaire. La chance c’est que le mec à l’accueil est un motard, une carte et le problème est rapidement expédié ! Après Del Rio (Tx) on monte sur Camp Wood (Tx) pour la nuit. Plus on avance et plus la route devient sympa. Arrêt au Woodbine Inn, tranquille pour la nuit. Le patron, un motard nous conseille d’aller boire un verre au Harley’s Hide Away à 5 min à pied. Sorte de grand hangar, bar, resto pour bikers. Pas grand monde ce soir là, les 2 ont joué au billard, je causais avec des vieux et la serveuse. Même qu’elle nous a offert la dernière tournée. Sympa.
JOUR11 : très belle route pour les motos depuis Camp Wood en passant par Medina (Tx), attention à la faune du coin qui a la fâcheuse manie de traîner sur la route ( biches, écureuils…), puis Bandera (Tx) qui avait vraiment l’air d’une chouette petite ville pleine de charme et de boutiques, mais manque de temps pour s’arrêter. Car après un lavage à la mousse rose barbapapa des brêles, est venu le moment de rejoindre San Antonio (Tx). Pas de problème pour trouver le Four Points by Sheraton où nous avions déjà réservé. On passera l’après-midi le long des sentiers ombragés et frais du Riverwalk, de ses boutiques et restaurants. Déjeuner au Lone Star Café, très bon emplacement le long du canal et personnel très sympa, nourriture de type texane, mexicaine moyenne. Bonnes bières locales. Puis shopping souvenirs et éléments de première nécessité. Retour à l’hôtel pour profiter du coin piscine et du soleil. Et à nouveau Riverwalk pour la soirée. Grande file d’attente devant le Saltgrass Steakhouse à l’heure de dîner et on avait pas réservé alors on opte pour la Paloma en face. Paye pas de mine mais la terrasse est agréable et les cocktails bons, nourriture mexicaine moyenne. Un détour par le Coyotes Ugly, les filles sont pas mal et elles font le show sur le bar. Le côté décevant est que tout est minuté et tarifé, une vraie industrie, même principe dans tous les CU de toutes les villes… Du coup déplacement stratégique au Mad Dogs Irish Pub, grosse ambiance, bonnes bières et serveuses vraiment mignonnes !
Non la moto n'a pas déteint! La couleur était pareille avec les noires ;)
JOUR12 : On quitte San Antonio au plus facile par la I10 puis bifurque sur la droite pour rejoindre le Golf du Mexique qu’on atteint à Surfside Beach (Tx) par une route où l’industrie pétrochimique est à nouveau bien présente. Ensuite depuis Surfside on suit la Bluewater Hwy le long de la langue de terre au plus proche de l’eau, attention au sable sur la route. Des grandes plages des 2 côtés, parsemées de curieuses maisons sur pilotis, ouragans obligent. Notez la présence d’un petit pont à péage, 2$ le passage pour la brêle. On suit cette petite bande de bitume jusqu’à Galveston Island (Tx), station balnéaire très étendue. On s’arrête devant The Spot, sorte de cahute qui rassemble un resto et plusieurs bars, attirés par la lignée de Harleys posées le long du trottoir. On prend l’apéro ici le temps de trouver un hôtel sur internet. Notre choix se porte sur le Galveston Beach Hotel situé un peu plus loin. Bel hôtel, belle piscine avec bar extérieur, probablement très fréquenté en saison. Pour le dîner se sera le Saltgrass Steakhouse qu’on a loupé à SA. Cette fois on a réservé en passant devant avant d’aller profiter de la piscine de l’hôtel. L’ambiance était bonne et le repas vraiment excellent. Pour finir la soirée retour à The Spot, en haut au bar à cocktails. Légère brise, air de l’océan et vue sur la plage. Serveuse très sympa à tout points de vue comme (presque) partout.
JOUR13 : pour quitter Galveston Island par l’est il s’agit de prendre le ferry. Pas vraiment un problème en moto. Il n’y a pas d’horaires mais en général ils tournent à 2 ferries et la traversée dure env 45min. Notez que le service est gratuit ! Pas mal de bateaux de pêche dans le coin et donc pas mal de dauphins à observer. La route ensuite longe la côte sauf lorsqu’il faut contourner les nombreux Wildlife Refuges. Peu après Port Arthur (Tx) on reprend un petit ferry pour une traversée de quelques centaines de mètres qui nous fait passer en Louisiane. Environ 1/2h d’attente, le temps de causer avec un groupe vieux bikers vét de différentes guerres et avec une dame qui attendait dans son pick up. Arrivé à Creole (La) on décide de quitter la côte et d’emprunter la LA14 pour voir le back country. Beaucoup de petites maisons clairsemées avec des gens qui nous saluaient de la main en tondant leurs pelouses. Arrivée à Abbeville (La), simple étape pour nous, après avoir traversé ce qui semblait être le centre ville avec de chouettes ponts qui se relèvent on se trouve un hôtel en dehors dans la zone commerciale. Le Magnuson Hotel, que je ne conseille pas, mais on a pu faire de la lessive et boire les quelques bières achetées au supermarché du coin au bord de la piscine. Les chambres étaient humides et la propreté ? A noter que les chambres disposent de kitchenettes mais pas d’ustensiles… Pour le repas on décide d’aller à pied jusqu’au Chili’s pas bien loin. Bien nous en a pris car non seulement on a très bien mangé mais les cocktails et l’happy hour ont fait leur effet !
JOUR14 : Rien de particulier sur le trajet, notre but est de rejoindre la 90 pour arriver à la Nouvelle-Orléans rapidement. Sauf que… on est sortit de la principale pour aller faire le plein à un moment et on a continué sur des routes plus petites et très sympas à travers les forêts et marais. Puis on s’est arrêté une première fois à cause d’une grosse averse de type tropicale. On repartait 10min après, on a bien vite rattrapé la pluie et en 2min on était détrempé ! Du coup on a décidé d’essayer de traverser l’orage, d’autant que NO n’était plus très loin… 15min à se demander où on allait en recrachant des litres d’eau puis à nouveau 15min pour sécher et nous voilà aux portes de la ville. Direction quartier français et Inn on St. Peter, réservations pour 2 nuits faites avant départ. Très bon établissement, le problème est le parking. Pas autorisé de parquer dans la rue, il faut aller dans un parking publique, situé à 10min à pieds, extrêmement cher, peu serviable et qui n’ont rien à faire des motards. Alors qu’il est possible de parquer les 3 motos sur une place voiture ils voulaient encaisser le plein tarif pour chaque brêle et les mettre dans un coin en dehors des places… Après avoir marchandé et vu le responsable on a eu un coin potable et un tarif réduit de quand même 90$ pour les 3 pour 2 nuits ! On a rapidement mangé un burger sur Bourbon St avant d’aller prendre la chambre et mettre sécher nos affaires. Il faudra 2 jours pour sécher les baskets renforcées de moto sur la clim. Au programme de la fin de journée, visite du quartier français, dîner au Père Antoine, très bonne nourriture cajun, excellent poisson, puis party time sur Bourbon St très animée. Pleine de monde, week-end de match football universitaire oblige ! Texas vs Louisiane, il y avait du beau monde ) Des bars partout, un peu cachés dans des coures intérieures, musique live. Beaucoup d’ambiance mais pas le bon coin pour les amateurs de club de Jazz et cigares.
JOUR15 : Royal St, Decatur St et les rives du Mississippi. La Cigars Factory et le Hot Sauce Shop où vous pourrez déguster des sauces piquantes de malade ou trouver la sauce ultime pour impressionner vos potes lors de votre prochain bbq ! Déjeuner au Pier 424 Seafood Market, une grosse salade très bien garnie. Ensuite visite des bayous en airboat, grosse rincée à nouveau en arrivant au point de ne pas savoir si on allait pouvoir prendre le bateau. Très belle visite au final, belle flore, faune, beaucoup d’oiseaux et quelques gators. Un guide jeune à l’humour très piquant ! Le truc que je ne comprendrai jamais c’est comment on peut faire des tours pour voir la nature avec des bateaux qui font plus de 100db, avec un gros v8 chevy carbu sans silencieux ni catalyseur ) Retour au quartier français pour le dîner au Royal House, très bonne nourriture locale ici encore et enfin tournée des bars pour notre dernière soirée ici.
JOUR16 : on sort de NO par la I10 que l’on quitte immédiatement pour reprendre la 90 qui serpente au bord du Golf du Mexique autant que possible. En arrivant sur Bay St Louis (Mi) on croise de plus en plus de vieilles caisses américaines, de la pure restauration en passant par le rod improbable et le muscle surpuissant. Toute la côte de Bay St Louis jusqu’à Biloxi (Mi) est envahie par la concentration de véhicules américains Cruisin’ the Coast. Immense rassemblement pour fans de vieilles US qui prenait justement fin ce dimanche. Arrêt prévu à Bayou La Batre (Al) pour la photo obligatoire avec le panneau de la ville. Les fans de Forrest Gump comprendront. A part ça aucun intérêt, il n’y a rien à part des crevettiers… On descend sur Dauphin Island (Al) par un grand pont et de là encore un ferry, payant, pour rejoindre Fort Morgan (Al). A partir de là on peut dire que commence la fameuse côte d’émeraude, lieu où beaucoup de retraités aisés viennent couler leurs vieux jours. Nous on continue jusqu’à la frontière Alabama-Floride, à Perdido Key (Al-Fl), un biker nous avait conseillé le Flora-Bama, un complexe de plusieurs bars, scènes au bord de la plage pile sur la frontière. On trouve un hôtel à Orange Beach (Al) à côté de la page très bien pour voyageurs de passage et tarif raisonnable, le Sleep Inn on the Beach. Le dîner sera pris au Cafe Grazie un italien un peu plus loin avec terrasse sur l’eau. Bien mangé. Ensuite retour à Perdido Key au Flora-Bama pour boire quelques verres, fumer nos cigares de la NO et écouter de la musique live.
JOUR17 : on continue notre traversée de la côte d’émeraude jusqu’à Panama City (Fl). Soit par la 98, beaucoup plus rapide qui passe par les zones commerciales. Soit par la 30A, beaucoup plus belle le long de l’océan, mais qui a des limitations de vitesse très strictes. Qui serpente entre les propriétés et complexes d’appartements. Doublez votre temps de trajet par la 30A… Nous on a alterné les 2 pour pas perdre trop de temps. Arrêtez-vous à Panama City si des envies de shopping vous prennent. Nous on continue jusqu’à Mexico Beach (Fl), la côte redevient plus calme et surtout Le Genevois (ami habitué du forum qui a de très bons carnets de voyages) m’a conseillé de m’arrêter pour un panier de crevettes au Toucan au dessus de la plage. On a tous pris un panier sweet and sour et c’était vraiment excellent ! Petite baignade avant de terminer l’étape du jour à Apalachicola (Fl). Conseil pratique, quand tu roules en short de bain, les grains de sable font pas du bien sur les tibias ! On s’arrête au Best Western où on est extrêmement bien accueilli par Chelsea qui semble vraiment contente de nous voir ! On cause un moment et se renseigne sur l’endroit avant d’aller profiter de la piscine. On mangera au Caroline’s River Dining qui semble être un des meilleurs du coin. Le service était horrible et nos morceaux de viande trop gras (un peu comme le service d’ailleurs )) Et comme on a pas trouvé un bar ouvert on s’arrête au Piggy Wiggly acheter le champagne des bières (de la Miller Harley Davidson limited edition) à boire à l’hôtel.
JOUR18 : on remonte le long de la côte oubliée qui est effectivement très sauvage par rapport aux jours précédents avec un écart par une belle route qui serpente dans la forêt et descente sur Crystal River (Fl) au Port Hotel Manattee Tour qu’on avait réservé quelques jours plus tôt avec excursion pour nager avec des lamantins le lendemain matin. Hôtel moyen, ok pour une nuit. On voulait louer un canoë pour une heure pour s’occuper mais pas possible nulle part. Alors on boit une bière locale sur la terrasse du resto-bar de l’hôtel en regardant 2 dauphins chasser dans la baie. Pour le dîner c’est sans hésiter le Vintage on 5th. Réservation plus que conseillée vu la taille de la salle ! Personnel très aimable, ambiance cosy et nourriture excellente. Probablement la meilleure place où j’aie mangé de tout les USA. Belle carte des vins. Le canard était d’enfer ! Suite de la soirée au Mickey’s Bar & Billiard, repaire de bikers. Très bien accueilli par les gars du coin, bonne ambiance. Le préz nous a invité à rouler avec eux pour aller plus loin, mais ont avait légalement déjà trop d’alcool pour rouler… Méfiez-vous quand même avec certaines couleurs, à savoir qu’ils sont support Outlaws.
JOUR19 : très petit déjeuner à la réception de l’hôtel. On demande à garder la chambre jusqu’au retour de l’excursion pour pouvoir se doucher et changer. Pas de problème. Donc rdv à la marina de l’hôtel pour enfiler combi, choisir palmes, masque et tuba et visionner une vidéo informative quand au comportement à adopter et nous voilà partit avec un vieux guide à la recherche des fameux bestiaux. Beaucoup d’oiseaux marins, aigles pêcheurs, un raton laveur, des dauphins et toutes sortes de poissons avant une première rencontre furtive dans des eaux troubles avec un lamantin peu enclin à venir saluer. On continue jusqu’à la source des 3 demoiselles où l’eau est vraiment cristalline. Rencontre avec différents modèles de poissons et un crabe bleu. C’est seulement en repartant que notre guide, sourd comme un pot, mais avec l’œil aguerri nous trouve une mère et son petit (aussi grand que moi) qui, plein de curiosité, va venir poser son nez contre le mien. Je lui caresse alors le dos, voilà que le pépère se retourne pour que je lui gratte le ventre, comme un clébard ! Expérience magique avec des animaux incroyables, curieux et si paisibles. Pour en voir la meilleure saison est de novembre à mars.
Assez joué, il y a de la route à faire. Pour aller plus vite on opte pour la 589 (à péages, comptez 1.2$ tout les 10 miles pour les 3 brêles), la 275, la 75 pour éviter de traverser les villes importantes vers Tampa, Clearwater et St Petersburg (Fl) et enfin la 41 pour descendre sur Fort Myers Beach (Fl) et s’arrêter au Hooters pour un snack et chercher un endroit où dormir. Silver Sands Villas Resort est voté à l’unanimité, joli complexe de petites maisonnettes de toutes les couleurs, la proprio très gentille nous a fait un prix spécial pour motards. Jardin et piscine. Il est habituellement écrit ne pas sauter aux abords des piscines, ici il doit s’agir du seul endroit où on te crie SAUTE ! quand tu y vas… Après un rapide achat de cigares au tabashop situé presque en face on part tester la plage et dernière baignade dans la piscine. Direction le petit centre animé et coloré des petites échoppes et boutiques pour trouver un restaurant pour dîner. Attirés par la terrasse côté plage et la musique live on opte pour le Beach Pierside Grill. Soirée tranquille, nourriture sans prétention et bonne musique… et cocktails bien sûr !
JOUR20 : descente jusqu’à Naples (Fl) pour prendre le Tamiami Trail qui va nous permettre de traverser toute la pointe de la Floride par différents parks et preserves. Pleins de jolis coins pour s’arrêter un moment. Vous apercevrez beaucoup d’oiseaux et de gators si vous ouvrez l’œil. Avant d’atteindre Miami (Fl) détour par Homestead (Fl) pour visiter la Everglades Alligator Farm. Au programme petits et grands gators, crocos, serpents, vautours et tour en airboat. Direction Miami South Beach où on a réservé une chambre au Beacon Hotel, placé en plein quartier art déco le long d’Ocean Dr. C’était très… artistique oui, très cher aussi pour une chambre minuscule qui donnait sur rien du tout. Même histoire pour le parking qu’à NO, 45$ la nuit pour 3 brêles au parking public à 10min. Du coup on a déjà longé et vu une bonne partie de Ocean Dr en revenant donc on s’arrête sur la terrasse de l’hôtel pour un apéro qu’on est pas prêt d’oublier : 176 $ pour 3 cocktails certes gros et un plateau d’entrées à partager très bien garni de produits frais, mais quand même, l’abus ! Sur le coup on était mort de rire sur cette terrasse et personne comprenait pourquoi… Petit tour à la plage pour se calmer et baignade. Le soir on se fait quelques boutiques en cherchant un resto plus acceptable en peu plus en retrait. On s’arrête au Spiga, petit italien qui s’avère être le meilleur du coin. Nourriture excellente, 120$ pour les 3, presque raisonnable… et surtout un vrai expresso italien ! On retournera ensuite sur Ocean Dr pour boire des bières sur la terrasse d’un sport bar, pub.
JOUR21 : départ de South Beach chaotique, car grandes marées + pleine lune = marée exceptionnel. L’eau est donc remontée par les grilles d’évacuation et a inondé les parties les plus basses, dont font partie les rues d’accès au pont que nous devons emprunter pour quitter les lieux. Il faut beaucoup d’anticipation pour rouler à moto dans 30cm d’eau salée si tu veux pas finir les pieds mouillés ou aspergé par une voiture qui n’en a rien à foutre ! Mais tout s’est bien passé, pour nous, le chrome des brêle a, lui, moyennement apprécié l’aventure. Pont passé, on saute sur la I95 pour rejoindre la US1 et ses ponts pour rejoindre Key West (Fl) le point continental le plus au sud des USA, à quelques encablures de Cuba. Jolie route mais longue sur la fin, avec en plus pas mal de trafic. A Key West on laisse nos affaires au Silver Palm Inn où on a notre chambre réservée. Puis direction la marina pour louer un bateau et des équipements de snorkling. Une coque de noix avec un hors-bord de 90cv, nickel sauf que le trim était hs. Je recommande quand même d’avoir une certaine expérience de navigation et de savoir lire une carte marine car il y a très peu de fond autour des îles et beaucoup de passages obligés ! On a pu voir des poissons, requins et dauphins. Baignade à la piscine de l’hôtel au retour avant de sortir. Dernier gros repas au pays, reste à trouver où aller manger une dernière fois des spareribs. Au New York Pasta Garden on trouve notre bonheur, très bons et grosse portion, terrasse sympa avec de joyeux perroquets sur Duval Square, juste au calme à côté de la très animée Duval St. Passage au Green Parrot pour boire un verre, sans grande conviction, on continue et reste au Cowboy Bills Saloon pour la soirée. Bar sympa pour descendre une bière et des shots de moonshine. Ambiance country et taureau mécanique. Au début de la Fantasy Fest on a pu encourager des jeunes filles seins nus qui tentaient de maîtriser la bête )
Sur la plaque est écrit :
Wanted, woman, must be able to clean, cook, sew leather, tune engines and polish chrome. Must have Harley motorcycle and trailer. PLEASE SEND PICTURE OF BIKE AND TRAILER
JOUR22 : ça sent la fin là, retour sur Miami, dernier arrêt au Hooters vers l’agence Eagle Rider avant de rendre nos fidèles compagnes de voyage. Un peu d’attente pour qu’ils trouvent nos papiers car ils nous attendaient pour le lendemain ( moins cher de louer pour 21 jours que 20 ). Empaqueter nos affaires en mode avion et taxi pour l’aéroport car le chauffeur était partit comme personne ne savait que nous arrivions. Un dernier cocktail à l’aéroport avant de s’envoler avec Swiss pour Zurich.
JOUR23 : Atterrissage à Zurich, petite bière et correspondance pour Genève dans un petit avion quasi vide. Retour @ home avec taxi maman.
Conclusion : un voyage magnifique légèrement modifié à cause du shutdown mais sans regrets. Aucun problème, panne (sauf 2 ampoules), accident. J'avais déjà pu remarqué à quel point les gens étaient sympas et curieux envers les voyageurs de passage, mais ils le sont encore plus avec les bikers. Beaucoup d'endroits affichent Bikers welcome. Des rencontres exceptionnelles!
Prochain trip en tête Portland - Chicago et descente de la route de la musique jusqu'à la Nouvelle-Orleans. Peut-être en 2015 si tout va bien...
Ride your world!
USA4ever
PS, regardez mes autres discussions ;)
N'ayez pas peur de laisser un commentaire merci!
Ahlala, quel trip. Le tien, et le mien à la lecture. J'ai replongé dans notre traversée, j'ai reconnu certains endroits, mais aussi le bruit du vent, l'odeur du bitume chaud, un truc à être vraiment accro...
Pas trop de ballonnements après le Toucan, là, je suis impressionné. Je vais le relire une ou deux fois, histoire de percevoir les nuances et les détails de ton texte. En tous les cas, on sent bien que vous vous êtes éclatés (et je ne parle pas forcément des bières dans l'arrière-salle des saloons ou au bar de Hooters...).
Là, mon voyage 2014 est prêt, avion et moto réservée. Cette fois, c'est départ tout seul, une seule brêle et mon épouse de passagère. Départ de L.A, on remonte jusqu'à Seattle par l'intérieur des terres, via Yosemite, Tahoe, Crater Lake, Portland. Et ensuite, on redescend de Seattle tout au long de la côte pacifique jusqu'à San Francisco. Départ le 20 août, retour le 12 septembre.
C'est vrai que ces voyages sont pas donnés, mais c'est un tel pied. On a plus ou moins décidé d'alterner ces road trips avec des découvertes asiatiques.
A +
Chez vous comme en voyage, respectez la nature, elle nous le rend bien.
Je viens de lire d'une traite ton récit , j'ai été captivé jusqu'au bout !!
mais la seule chose qui m'a fait faire la grimace et l'gator que tu croque à pleine dents , LOL
waouh les 3 cocktails pour 176 $, j'aurai aimé voir une photo 😉
Une question sur ton trip !
à refaire est-ce que tu changerais quelque chose , ,, ????
Hello,
Merci pour ton comm. J ai une photo de l addition, mais j ai pas pour habitude de prendre ma nourriture en photo ;)
Ben le seul endroit qui m a déçu c est Roswell mais si je n y étais pas passé je n aurais pas découvert la magnifique Valley of Fires !
J aurais voulu voir Tombstone aussi, qui était trop au sud pas sur ma route. Il y a des choix pas toujours faciles à faire et le temps manque...
Donc je ne changerais rien, mais peut être je retournerai dans la région... Va savoir! Il y a vraiment des coins magiques.
Bye
Nice road trip découvert seulement aujourd'hui last but not least. Mais en faisant ma blonde j'ai pensé d'abord que le prix de la loc était pour les 3 motos. En fait si je ne m'abuse c'est le tarif par bécane... chérot quand même.
Live to ride but ride to live.
Chris
"Before you judge me take a look at yourself"
Children of Bodom
"On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux" (St Exupéry)
http://palomino34.blogspot.fr/ (blog encore au tout début...)
Salut,
Merci pour ton feedback. Malheureusement oui le prix est par moto ! Enfin on dit quand on aime on ne compte pas... Et l expérience en retour n a pas de prix !
Je n ai pas encore eu l occaz de m y remettre pour diverses raisons mais j ai déjà 2 roadbooks de prêts pour la suite, Portland - Chicago et New-York - New-Orleans. Affaires à suivre !
Ride your world
V
Great ! Et toujours en HD ? Yeeeeeeeeeeees, Harley forever ! Heureux homme car si nous avons voyagé plein de fois dans l'ouest et pu y faire à deux reprises un bout de chemin avec des Harley prêtées nous avons reculé devant le prix d'une location pour trois semaines. Car quand on aime, parfois on est obligé de compter quand même, hélas. Notre belle de Milwaukee nous promène toute l'année ici alors on n'est pas privés. Tes deux itinéraires prévus (euh j'en ai toujours aussi deux ou trois en réserve mais bon...) sont absolument irrésistibles. Bonne route.
Chris
"Before you judge me take a look at yourself"
Children of Bodom
"On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux" (St Exupéry)
http://palomino34.blogspot.fr/ (blog encore au tout début...)
FABULEUX! Nous sommes revenus depuis presque 3 semaines et si nous devions qualifier en un mot ce voyage, c'est ce terme qui viendrait en premier... Suivi de…
Carnets de voyage › États-Unis / Panama · 186 replies
Cette fois, c’est notre tour ..., notre tour d’essayer d’apporter un (petit) plus au forum, notre tour d’apporter un petit retour d’expérience sur notre récent…
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Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Californie, journal de voyage 2012 Le long de la Historic Route 101 et Pacific Coast Highway 1. En espérant être utile à qqn je…
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If you're looking for great tips and offbeat spots, if you love exploring uncharted parts of a country, if the exotic is your adrenaline, then move along!
Our 15 days in early May in this part of Turkey (a country I first discovered during a city trip to Istanbul in 2017) will only tread well-worn paths and revisit popular routes. Simply because I kept hoping until the very end that our flight to Jordan wouldn’t be canceled. Events in the Gulf proved me wrong, so we left with:
Zero preparation.
Not a single hotel booked (well, except the first one), no visits planned, just a flight ticket bought three weeks earlier. No guidebook, no app—just the desire to explore southern Turkey and Cappadocia, whose images and the chance to stretch our legs had caught my eye.
Oh, wait—I did bring along a new guide: Gemini! Yes, my friends, generative AI was my chief advisor throughout the trip for sites to visit, accommodations, routes, and even restaurants! An experiment I wanted to try to form my own opinion on using this new technology. And what better way to test it than a Turkish getaway?
The verdict? You’ll have to wait for the trip recap to find out!
The main idea of the trip is also relaxation.
So, the plan is Antalya for a few days, the Turkish Riviera for a few more, Cappadocia as the highlight, and a return via Antalya to wrap up the trip. And it was all planned by AI!
So, if you're ready, fasten your seatbelts—cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check—boarding for Turkey now!
Bonjour tout le monde, nous voici rentrés d'un RT USA organisé par nos soins du 31/07/2026 au 26/08/2026.
La destination : Le Sud-Ouest USA avec le Texas, l'Arizona et le Nouveau-Mexique. 7000 kilomètres effectués à la louche.
L'Auto : Une Chevrolet Equinoxe pour deux en passant par BSP Auto et Avis. Et dedans 2 valises, un sac de voyage, deux valises cabines, la glacière de chez Walmart, le matos photos et les bouteilles d'eau (pack de 40).
Le trajet : Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo et Dallas pour finir avec départ sur DFW.
Les voyageurs : Deux séniors bien avancés dans l'âge (73 et 75) mais toujours en activité (pas épuisante physiquement) (pour rester vivants et financer les voyages), autonomes physiquement à 100%, intellectuellement beaucoup moins, passionnés des USA, pays où tout est possible, plus marcheurs que randonneurs, plutôt hôtels à partir de 3 étoiles que motels de bord de route, plutôt restos Italiens que nourriture US, adeptes des arrêts fréquents pour les photos, plutôt musées que rien, Plutôt sieste que marches forcées. Pas trop râleurs, juste ce qu'il faut pour rester français au pays du grand Satan qu'ils disent.
Pas trés doués pour les langues, Anglais des rues (mais bien pratique), Espagnol nul pour moi hormis : " Hola ! Una Cerveza por Favor ! " Cela fait court. Madame comprend tout mais refuse de parler.
Le coût du RT : Environ 12 000 euros avec les vols AF, Auto, Essence, cadeaux, visites et tutti quanti. Bien maitrisé puisque 13500 euros prévus au départ.
Le bilan positif : Un régal avec les longues routes à perte de vue. Des Musées à découvrir. Le constat de la présence Hispanique et de son Histoire importante dans ce secteur de l'Amérique. Des locaux adorables. Des touristes plus ou moins sympas. Un accent Texan abominable et difficile à comprendre. Des stations Gas qui sont de véritables magasins avec nourriture préparée et autre alcools vendus en Arizona et Nouveau-Mexique et des employés au top ! Toujours prêts à rigoler !
Le bilan négatif : La chaleur tout au long du séjour...43° sur Dallas en fin de séjour. Impossible de sortir dans les rues. Beaucoup de "Homeless" dans les rues de l'Hyper Centre de Dallas. Les breakfasts Hôtel toujours les mêmes. On s'y fait.
Donc, positif certes mais le concept commence à fatiguer. Il se pourrait que le modèle RT autonome soit repensé pour le prochain. SI celui qui est en haut nous prête vie.
Pour la suite, attendons les premières photos triées et passées à la moulinette.
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
Il arrive souvent qu'on nous demande quoi visiter en Belgique .
Et les réponses ramènent le plus souvent à Bruges , Gand, Anvers et Bruxelles , avec raison , ces villes valant la peine d'être visitées 😉 .
Toutefois, la Belgique, bien que petite , ne se limite pas à ces 4 villes .
J'habite l'une d'entre elles ( Bruxelles) , passe avec plaisir du temps dans les trois autres , mais j'ai envie d'aborder d'autres coins moins connus , qui pourront compléter le séjour de ceux qui ont envie d'en voir un peu plus , ou de voir autre chose .
C'est qu'entre deux voyages , j'aime bien visiter l'un ou l'autre coin du pays où j'habite .
D'où l'idée d'un carnet de balades .
La plupart des endroits dont je vais parler peuvent être visités en faisant l'aller-retour le même jour , au départ de Bruxelles , que ce soit en transports en commun ou en voiture .
Dans l'ordre chronologique des sujets abordés :
- Le barrage de la Gileppe ( province de Liège) -message 2 , page 1
- Le domaine de La Hulpe ( Brabant wallon ) - message 3 , page 1
- Malines ( province d'Anvers ) message 4 , page 1
- La côte - message 5 , page 1
- Le Westhoek , au départ de La Panne - message 6 , page 1
- Le Zwin, au départ de Knokke - message 7 , page 1
- Lier ( entre Malines et Anvers ) - message 8 , page 1
- Mons (Hainaut) - message 9 , page 1
- La région de Florenville . - message 12 , page 1
- Les Cantons de l'Est - message 13 , page 1
- Dinant - message 18 , page 1
- Le jardin japonais d'Hasselt - message 24 , page 2
- Louvain message 29 , page 2
- Louvain-la-neuve - message 32 , page 2
- Ostende - message 42 (page 3) et message 166 (page 9)
- Les floralies de Grand-Bigard . - message 43 , page 3
- Le bois de Halle -message 44 , page 3
- Les pralines - message 54 , page 3
- Charleroi - message 68 , page 4
- Namur - message 92 , page 5
- Le Bois du Cazier ( Marcinelle) - message 95 , page 5
- Les couques et les gozettes - message 96 , page 5
- Liège - message 99 , page 5
- Tournai - message 115 , page 6 .
- Audenarde ( Oudenaarde ) - message 121, page 7
- Jardin botanique de Meise - message 124, page 7 .
- Tongres ( Tongeren ) - message 125 , page 7 .
- Château de Beersel ( Brabant flamand) - message 126, page 7 .
- Bruxelles confinée ( messages 150 et 154 , page 8 )
- L'hôpital Notre Dame à la Rose , à Lessines ( messages 161 et 162 , page 9 ) .
- Westende ( message 167, page 9)
je complète cette liste au fur et à mesure de l'avancement du carnet ...
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 a year at most in Thailand, and I’m no great expert.
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 deliver a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who feel nostalgic about 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 guardians 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 yard. Be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t all that 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? 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 full of holes for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the roadside, sometimes right on the road. When you approach, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, reminding 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. When you see a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you think twice about running into them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at death’s door in temples, enduring terrible suffering with no one to help. The image (and the smell) of one of them, agonizing and exuding 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 animal, well-fed, quickly became a happy and 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 there 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 just for fun—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.
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.
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.
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!
This trip had been on my mind for about fifteen years.
But the discomfort of overnight stays, the difficulty of communication, and the prices of the few car rental options kept making me postpone the project.
And then, everything suddenly fell into place—I told myself, it’s time!
The preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.
A bit of Kazakhstan?
Not in the end.
The south or not the south?
Yes, in the end.
Pre-book or go with the flow?
Only two stops were a leap into the unknown.
To help me find the ideal route, I made great use of this forum (thanks to everyone for patiently answering my questions!), pored over travel journals and blogs (Christian, Jeff), zoomed in on Google Maps and Yandex, and bought the guide published by OunTravela about this destination (the guide has been updated since).
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You’ve got your passport, international driver’s license, bank cards, and euros?
Off we go to Lyon—just one night left before our early morning flight.
Tomorrow night, we’ll be sleeping in Bishkek!
(Steak for my partner’s mischievous nephews...)
You’ll find here a post with some practical information.
And here, the version of the travel journal without comments.
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As a supplement, the route track.
Not necessarily ultra-accurate since Google has serious gaps for this destination...
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...
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!!!
January 2026
Here we go again for new adventures and the pleasure of sharing them with you here! First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me with the preparations, even with some last-minute improvisations just days before departure. Thanks to Montagnard74, Jojoone1, Songsam, Attila, Dennis2, NadegerFERM, and the authors whose travel journals about Laos inspired me (Montagnard74, Muriel18, Mavietongs...).
In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll tell you about the journey of four friends: Catherine, Richard, Nathalie, and Bruno. A reinvented but overall successful trip, filled with discoveries and surprises, the scents of spices and frangipani flowers, (too) spicy food, sunsets, and... one big mess.
Preamble:
Africa was calling to me, so a year ago, with our usual travel companions, we decided to return to the continent we love so much.
Where to go?
Uganda quickly caught our attention—wildlife we’re used to seeing, plus gorillas and the shoebill we missed in Zambia.
We got in touch with Paul, who’s been mentioned several times on the forum back in September, booked our flight tickets, secured the gorilla permits, and by early October, the most important things were done.
We still had plenty of time to hold our "prep meetings" for the final itinerary.
Three days before departure, I sprained my ankle (my weak spot, as you’ll recall from our Colombia trip).
I wasn’t in great spirits, but after a year of waiting, nothing was going to stop me.
We’d see how it goes!
Off we went for our new adventures
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
I’d been wanting to discover Sulawesi for years. But then life happened—COVID, the cost of flight tickets, you name it. Long story short, years went by, but we finally set off as a family for a three-week trip in southern Sulawesi: Rammang Rammang, Rantepao, Sengkang, Bira, and Selayar.
I like to spend a good amount of time in the places I visit, giving myself the chance to really get to know the area and meet locals. So no island-hopping this time—just the south. But when I say "just," it’s not restrictive at all, given how rich this island is in landscapes, little encounters, and magical moments.
Wednesday 07/08 - Thursday 07/09:
We left Montpellier for what was supposed to be five flights, though we only took four to start, landing in Jakarta.
We picked up our luggage there to catch a flight to Makassar the next day. That’s the only way we could get an affordable ticket (702 €).
I won’t bore you with the flight details—there’s not much to say. We arrived at 7 PM and considered heading straight to Makassar that evening. But we opted for a recovery night before taking off again. Good thing we did, because my son’s suitcase was missing...
First contact with the locals was a bit stressful—a trip without your luggage isn’t exactly fun. But right away, a woman reassured us: the suitcase was just enjoying some extra time in Singapore. Maybe it was doing some last-minute shopping. Anyway, nothing serious—it was supposed to arrive at 9 AM the next day. That gave us some breathing room since our flight wasn’t until noon.
So off we went to our hotel (Days Hotel & Suites) near the airport. It was cheap (40 € for three rooms—my kids are older and need their space), but it wasn’t worth much more. The place had definitely seen better days. But no big deal—we were only there for the night, and... we got to watch France beat Morocco in the World Cup live at 3 AM. That’s what really mattered!
Friday 07/10: In search of the lost suitcase
First challenge of the morning: finding our missing suitcase. They sent us to the airport basement, to the staff entrance. We were greeted with smiles, and an airport employee led me through the underground corridors back to the baggage claim. Right on time at 9 AM, the suitcase arrived, just like they’d promised. We were finally complete!
Off we went to change terminals, grab a well-deserved meal, and board our fifth flight to Makassar.
Little side note: I struggled for a while trying to book domestic flights directly on the airlines’ websites with no luck. Without meaning to advertise (though I guess I am a little), I realized it’d be easier to use sites like tiket.com or Traveloka. That turned out to be a great choice—I even ended up booking hotels through them later in the trip.
12:40 PM: We were on our way to Makassar. First good news: we were the only tourists. Well, the only European tourists on the flight, anyway.
No, you’re not dreaming—the bag is full of... potato chip packets.
To each their own souvenirs, I guess...
When we arrived in Makassar, a driver was waiting to take us straight to Rammang Rammang: 250,000 IDR (12 €) to our guesthouse (Rammang Rammang House). Forget about meeting people on the bus—we were headed straight to the first stop of our trip, and it was already stunning.
My kids’ guesthouse:
Ours:
View of the little lake:
But not everything is straightforward around here.
I wanted to get a local SIM card for internet and calls. I found them expensive at Jakarta’s airport (20 € for 20 GB), so I decided to wait. Well, no luck in Rammang Rammang either. You can’t just buy one from the local shop—you need a Telkomsat store (they have the best coverage). So we’d have to wait for Rantepao to get Wi-Fi... When I say "local shop," I mean the little shack around the corner. No big deal—we’d find one easily in Rantepao for 5 € and 25 GB. So there we were, offline, just the four of us enjoying the amazing view.
Saturday 07/11: Rammang Rammang
We woke up early to the sound of wedding music blasting through the village (everyone’s invited!). Off we went to explore the area.
A little walking, a little boat ride (shared with a French tourist and a Polish one—yes, there *are* tourists here, just not many; 750,000 IDR for up to 8 people) through a lovely canal, and we discovered the karst site. It was peaceful and beautiful.
The river:
The karst site:
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)
Okay, Palermo—we know it. We go there to marvel at the architectural wonders born from the Arab-Norman-Byzantine-Gothic mix. And rightly so. We also go to treat our taste buds to all kinds of delights, both savory and sweet. Again, rightly so. We go to succumb to the charms of Palermo’s women, their sun-kissed skin glowing with golden highlights. Still, rightly so. And all while fantasizing about a mafia we’ll never actually see. Anyway.
But you’ll also find street art everywhere, even in the historic center. Sometimes, you just need to step a few meters away from the main tourist highways like Cassaro, Via Maqueda, or the main arteries of the Ballarò, Capo, or Vucciria markets to stumble upon some amazing murals. Duck into one or two slightly grimy alleys, weaving past trash and crumbling walls, and you’ll find real gems.
For example, just 50 meters south of the main artery of the Mercato del Capo, there’s a great spot with dozens of murals in a tiny neighborhood of run-down mini-houses. You’ll find plenty more south of the Mercato di Ballarò, in the Albergheria (the grittier side, not the one near Cassaro). There’s some in Ballarò itself too, but it’s hard to spot when the market’s in full swing with stalls everywhere. La Kalsa isn’t left out either, nor is Vucciria—just step away from the restaurant-packed streets.
Here are a few examples that really caught my eye.
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
We landed in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and headed straight to Kasane in Botswana to pick up our car.
Our vehicle is a 4x4 because in Zambia, it's practically impossible to use anything else, especially in the national parks. I’ve already had the pleasure of visiting South Luangwa National Park—it’s one of the reasons for this trip, the main one being to travel in Africa with one of my sons.
First stop: Livingstone on the banks of the Zambezi River. Along the way, we discovered a lovely restaurant at Socrates with a super-friendly owner (we’ll actually stop there again on our way back). We spent our first night in the rooftop tent after a stunning sunset, accompanied by the grunting of hippos in the river.
The next day, we set off early, heading to Kafue NP. In fact, we’ll always leave early—waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 AM and hitting the road an hour later. Kafue is a lesser-known park, mostly forested, and the animals are skittish because they’re not used to human presence. We crossed the park from south to north and came across various antelopes. Near Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, there are plains where wildlife is easier to spot.
After Kafue, we headed to South Luangwa. This journey requires stops in Mumbwa and Petauke. Two pleasant stops where we found lodges (a nice change from the rooftop tent) at affordable prices and met welcoming people.
For me, South Luangwa is Zambia’s most beautiful park—the river is stunning, the landscapes are gorgeous, and there’s a wide variety of wildlife, including, of course, big cats. A tip for those, like us, who aren’t with a guide: if you’re staying near the park for several days, don’t hesitate to do a "game drive" to scout out where the animals are so you can return the next day with your own vehicle. Of course, in the dry season, you’ll want to focus on waterholes to see the animals—and you’ll need a bit of luck too. The elephant population is growing, and we were lucky enough to see around sixty elephants crossing the Luangwa at dawn, spread across several groups. South Luangwa is the westernmost point of our trip, and we’re now heading east to Lower Zambezi.
Lower Zambezi is Zambia’s side of Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side. We took a boat ride on the Zambezi to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a multitude of birds living along the water and on the river’s islands. The sunset there is also magnificent.
To explore the park, we followed the waterways parallel to the Zambezi, mostly on the western side (see our route). Lower Zambezi is the last park we visit, and the final leg of our trip will be Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls—or Mosi-Oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders")—are truly impressive, even during the dry season. We saw the falls from both countries: in Zambia for the overall view and the bridge that serves as the border, and in Zimbabwe to get as close as possible to the most spectacular parts of the falls.
This marks the end of our trip, which, despite a blown tire on the road, went off without any major issues. Zambia is a beautiful country that immerses you in wild, still-preserved nature.
From Southern Shikoku, between land and sea, to the blue waters of Miyakojima and finally Tokyo’s megacity
Hi everyone,
I have to admit, I really hesitated before deciding to write this travel journal... Writing one takes a lot of time and energy, and since this is my 4th trip, I wondered if it would actually interest anyone other than myself (both for the discovery and the writing). But after a few "Are you going to write a journal?" requests and especially the renewed pleasure from reading other travelers’ travel journals about Japan or elsewhere on this forum or elsewhere, I’ve decided to share this 4th installment in the Land of the Rising Sun here.
The itinerary:
27 full days, from late May to late June 2025, right in the middle of the rainy season, including:
-->13 days in Shikoku, from Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) to Matsuyama (Ehime Prefecture)
-->7 days in Miyakojima (Okinawa Prefecture)
-->7 days in Tokyo
The trip was decided on fairly last-minute this year, as usual.
I regularly check flight prices to track fluctuations for this destination, even without concrete plans. Finding a slightly cheaper direct flight (900 €) than what I’d seen in previous months (around 1,200–1,400 € on average) for a Paris-Tokyo route with Japanese airline ANA was too tempting to resist the urge to return to this enchanting country. After long hesitations between exploring the San’in region (Matsue, Tottori, Yamaguchi) and southern Shikoku, the decision was made—I took the plunge! The tickets are booked: Paris to Kochi with a layover in Tokyo, all with ANA, the airline I’d been dreaming of... for 1,120 € per person. Okay, it’s not cheap, but it’s still better than in 2023.
We leave in 2 weeks!! Now it’s just a matter of getting everything ready!
Intense work ahead in these 2 weeks to:
finalize a more precise itinerary and reach an agreement—yep, because even though we both love Japan, our preferences differ slightly, and we have to choose between exploring new places or taking time to revisit beloved spots...
decide how much time to spend in each selected area without rushing while still exploring
research places that might interest us and watch videos about Japan
book accommodations: yes, it’s possible to do this on the spot as we go, but last year, we noticed that last-minute options were pretty expensive, so we’re booking ahead—even if it means keeping a few options open while we decide or see if better deals pop up later
reserve rental cars
order yen
check the weather regularly and wonder if choosing the *tsuyu* (rainy season) was really a good idea—and whether we’ll be stuck in non-stop rain???
What a tough job, right? Traveling to Japan for a month—such a hard life!
Despite this being my 4th trip, the excitement is just as intense as the first time.
The only small downside is that when we booked the flight tickets, there were only a few seats left, so we’re only sitting together on the international return flight. Plus, on the outbound flight, we’ve got the middle seats.
Another lingering question: what French-language films will be available? According to the internet, the selection seems limited.
Oh well, these are just minor details—it’s almost time to fly!
PS: I’ll be posting slowly and irregularly... so for those interested, be patient or maybe set an alert...
Before Our Departure
Preparing for this trip started 9 months before our departure in June. For those planning a similar itinerary, it’s important to book accommodations well in advance, especially in the Okavango and Savuti campsites—otherwise, you might not find any availability.
Introduction
After visiting Zambia three years ago and Namibia and western Botswana a year and a half ago, this year we chose Zimbabwe (Hwange NP) and the northern half of Botswana.
Our flight from Paris was to Victoria Falls with Ethiopian Airlines, with a layover in Addis Ababa. We rented a 4x4 from Bushlore in Kasane, complete with two rooftop tents since there are four of us on this adventure. Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4 and, most importantly, gave us a rundown of the vehicle and its equipment. Pay close attention to what they tell you—it could be crucial if something goes wrong, as it did for us during the trip.
Our Itinerary
We arrived on June 12th at noon. At Victoria Falls Airport, we got our double-entry visa right away—I’d already pre-booked it online on the site https://www.evisa.gov.zw/.
Since our vehicle was in Botswana, we had to cross the border from Victoria Falls into Botswana for the first time.
The next morning, Bushlore picked us up from our guesthouse to collect our 4x4. After completing the formalities, we headed toward Zimbabwe and the town of Victoria Falls.
We woke up early the next morning to be at Victoria Falls at sunrise. The scenery was stunning, but since it was the start of the dry season, the Zambezi was still high, so the falls had a strong flow. This made it hard to fully appreciate their beauty.
In the early afternoon, we left for Hwange NP, where we stayed for 4 days. Two days at Gwango campsite near Dete, followed by two days at Robins Camp. We expected to see more animals at Robins, but that wasn’t the case. In Hwange, we didn’t spot any predators, but we did see plenty of mammals (buffalo, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes).
After a few days in Zimbabwe, we crossed back into Botswana at Pandamatenga. We stopped at Nata Lodge for a good night’s rest—driving on the dirt roads is exhausting.
We left Nata and headed toward Nxai Pan. The road was sandy but manageable. We made a small detour to admire some beautiful baobabs at "Baines Baobabs." Then we continued to our campsite, Nxai Pan South Camp. Keep in mind that many campsites in Botswana aren’t fenced (except for the shower/toilet areas), so animals can roam freely within the camp. Take precautions, especially after dark.
After our stop in Nxai Pan, we headed to Maun. We decided to break our journey in Maun before heading to Moremi and the Okavango Delta for three reasons: first, we needed to stock up on supplies and fuel for the next 5 days; second, our fridge had broken (luckily, Bushlore has a branch in Maun); and third, the drive from Nxai to our camp in Xakanaxa in the delta would’ve taken too long. I always avoid driving after dark.
We arrived at our Xakanaxa camp on June 21st in the early afternoon. Not wanting to waste time, we booked a boat ride on the Okavango Delta, leaving at 4:00 PM for a 2-hour sunset cruise. For those interested, to the right of the Xakanaxa X1 site, there’s a sign for boat rides. The organizer is very professional and offers prices that are nothing like those of the lodges.
It was a beautiful ride through the delta with a stunning sunset. Being on a boat is much more relaxing than driving on the dirt roads. That didn’t stop us from doing self-drive safaris the next morning and late afternoon, though.
Then came the time to leave the delta and head toward Savuti, a much drier region. And that’s when the toughest part of our trip began. First, we decided to go up via Khwai. The rainy season was over, but the area was still marshy. We had to cross a few small water patches, testing the depth to make sure we could get through. Luckily, a sign on the road pointed us toward a drier route. We reached Khwai without any issues, but then we made a major mistake. Instead of taking the main track toward Mababe Gate to reach Savuti Camp, we took a straight path north and then a right turn to get to our camp. Bad call—we got stuck in the sand, with one rear wheel buried halfway and a front wheel off the ground. We were genuinely scared we wouldn’t get out, especially since we were on a deserted track, 20 kilometers from our destination, with night falling in two hours. This is where paying attention to the vehicle instructions really paid off—we had to use the jack to get out of the mess. The result: we arrived at Savuti campsite just before dark (Distance: 146.3 km, Duration: 9 hours, 56 minutes, and 3 seconds, Average speed: 14.7 km/h, tracked with Osmand). At reception, the staff couldn’t understand how we’d gotten there—we hadn’t passed through any of Savuti’s reserve entry gates.
The next morning, no one felt like driving, so we did a game drive with a guide. I don’t know if it was some kind of reward, but the outing was amazing. We saw three lions and, best of all, a pack of African wild dogs that we had time to admire and photograph. The next day, we did a short self-drive and found one of the lions from the day before drinking at a waterhole. That was the end of our Savuti adventure.
Now we’re heading to Kasane. We returned our vehicle and settled in for our last two nights there. The next morning, since we no longer had a car, we decided to do one last early-morning game drive in Chobe NP. It turned out great—we followed two brother lions and saw plenty of other mammals. The only downside of Chobe is the number of tourists, which was a change from the other parks we’d visited. That said, we’re tourists too, so...
In the evening, we took one last boat ride on the Chobe River to end on a high note with a beautiful sunset.
After a good night’s sleep and plenty of wonderful memories, landscapes, animals, and emotions, it was time to leave. We left early in the morning with the same taxi company as before to cross the border into Zimbabwe one last time and head to the airport, where we took off to return to France.
We all have two lives. And the second one kicks off the day you realize you only have one, with the determination to spend the time you have left on what truly adds sparkle to your life, Kevin! I like to elegantly introduce a trip with a philosophical quote. First, it gives you the illusion that I’m some kind of deep thinker, and second, it lets me fill up the first few lines of my blank page when I don’t know how to tell you I’m diving back into what really lights up my life: another adventure beyond the horizon! And nearly every other year, like a toxic relationship, my horizon tends to take shape in Uncle Sam’s backyard. And this, despite his cousin Donald calling the shots. Speaking of which, it was partly that impulsive guy who pushed us to be just as impulsive and snag our four flight tickets at a ridiculously low price—a direct result of foreign tourism taking a hit from BetaMax’s repeated antics... Four tickets? Who are the other lucky ones? In this case, our lucky ones are actually lucky ladies: My Flo, always up for exploring the world with me on foot, camelback, or scooter, is obviously in on the fun. The other two seats went to our daughters, Sasha and Luna, both thrilled to be part of this new American adventure...
But what’s the American West like in February?... A gamble. Let’s call it Russian roulette since we’re not landing during peak weather season. That’s why we encouraged our transportation and accommodation to get cozy and produce a little camper van, so we can stay ultra-flexible in the face of any weather tantrums. We’ll be roaming in Kara the van with the motto "Follow the sun!" Bad weather? We bolt. Snow? We speed up. Sunny? We act like it was the plan all along and soak it up.
"Okay, but why keep coming back to the same corner of the globe? After ten American adventures, you must be tired of seeing the same things, right?" But I’m not crazy, you know!... The American West is like making love to your gorgeous wife over and over, always enjoying it just as much. And contrary to what you might think, the American West isn’t just the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, and Bryce Canyon. Proof is, after ten trips to the U.S., my retinas are still untouched by three-quarters of the places I scribbled on a napkin for this adventure... Oh, and add to that my wife, who I’ve easily converted to my religion, and boom... relapse is even easier! Because yes, we’ve landed in Los Angeles after a sunny flight over Greenland, still under Danish flag for now. And we’re already heading east through the XXL traffic of L.A.’s eight-lane highways, eager to dive into our first discoveries. But first, night is taking over the sky, and second, we’ve been officially awake for 24 hours, so I suggest wrapping up this intro. I’ll tell you more tomorrow morning. Sound good?
This travel journal aims to help future travelers (well, I hope so!), since there’s so little information available about this remote archipelago. Big thanks to Lolodesiles and Ayis for answering my questions while I planned this trip!
Context
This is our fourth trip to Indonesia as a couple—after Java-Bali in 2011, Flores-Komodo in 2013, and Sulawesi in 2016—each time for three weeks. It’s also our tenth trip to Southeast Asia overall.
We’re traveling like we have in previous years: with a rough itinerary that often changes based on who we meet, tips from other travelers, how tired we are, or what we’re feeling in the moment. In the Moluccas, it’ll change constantly, mostly depending on transportation.
Our only accommodation booking: the first few nights in Ambon when we arrive.
Planned route (to be refined on the spot): Ambon - Banda Islands - Lease Islands - Ternate - Tidore - Halmahera (between Sofifi and Tobelo) - Morotai and the neighboring unnamed archipelago.
Flights: Lyon-Paris-Singapore on Air France (428 € round-trip), with good meals, champagne, and wine (we like our little comforts when going on vacation 😏). Then Singapore-Jakarta-Ambon on Air Asia and Garuda.
Return flight: Ternate-Jakarta-Singapore on Lion Air, with a 3-day stopover in Singapore before heading home.
Episode 1: Ambon to Banda
Our guesthouse, booked two days before departure, is 45 minutes from Ambon Airport, near Natsepa Beach (northeast of Leihitu). It’s a pretty average beach—quiet on weekdays but packed on Sundays (we saw the difference). It’s lined with warungs.
This rainy day helps us readjust to the atmosphere of this country we love so much.
Our “Solim Guesthouse” is a lovely house with a living/dining room and garden, costing 15 € per night for two, including a hearty breakfast.
Dinner is at Gaba Gaba, a great restaurant just a short walk away, right by the water, recommended by our host. Fun fact: it’s in the Lonely Planet, and it might be the only LP-listed spot in the Moluccas that actually matches the description (the others either don’t exist or have nothing to do with what’s advertised 😠).
For the next two days, the super-friendly owner lends us his scooter. We set off to explore the coastal villages in northern Leihitu (the western part of Ambon Island, which has a weird shape).
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
Liang Beach, described as the island’s most beautiful, is almost gone (climate change or something else?), but the colors are magical.
We continue 25 km toward a snorkeling spot our host recommended, taking a gorgeous, deserted little road through tiny villages in clove plantations (oh, those unforgettable scents!), stunning coves, and dense forest.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
We ask for directions to the snorkeling spot (not easy—we only know basic Indonesian like *Selamat pagi*, *siang*, *sore*, and other polite phrases). Not many people know where it is (especially since we never know which village we’re in), but we eventually reach a small village that seems to be the right place. 🙂
We ask a local to take us there by boat (it’s not reachable by land).
The spot is at most 100 meters long, but the coral is in good condition (apparently not dynamited by fishermen, unlike in other parts of this beautiful country where fishing methods are destructive and nature pays the price 😠). The fish are plentiful and diverse. It’s a great start before heading to Banda. We’re happy to have the place to ourselves… though we don’t yet realize we won’t see a single tourist for the rest of the trip!
After two days of rest, we head to Tulehu Port in the morning, aiming for the Banda Islands. We know the journey is often tricky: the Pelni ferry runs twice a month but doesn’t match our dates, the 10-seat Suzi Air plane is always full (you can’t book—you have to show up on Mondays and Fridays), and it’s often canceled due to weather. So we opt for the Tuesday speedboat (which also gets canceled if there are waves or wind), with the next one on Saturday.
We’re used to Indonesian ports—crowded, rusty boats, no English speakers—but we still feel lost. When I ask about the speedboat to Bandaneira, people gesture wildly, someone takes me to the “harbor office,” then tells me there’s no boat, others try to sell me tickets, and some just say, “No boat.”
Luckily, an English-speaking local approaches us and confirms the speedboat is broken. The next one will be Saturday *if* it’s fixed—otherwise, even later. 🤪 😠
We’re crushed. We came here for the Banda Islands… 🙁
We decide waiting five days for a maybe-boat isn’t an option, so we decide to head straight to North Moluccas, which was planned for later. We’re so disappointed we don’t even want to stay in the area. The Lease Islands don’t appeal to us despite what we’ve read, and Seram would deserve its own trip with its remote mountain tribes.
Huge disappointment—we’d been dreaming of Banda for months, with its incredible drop-offs like Bunaken, its islands covered in nutmeg trees, etc. I’d read that Banda is in the world’s top 5, alongside Bunaken (amazing—we went in 2016), Komodo (incredible—we went in 2013), Sipadan, and another spot I’ve forgotten.
We take a taxi back to Ambon (45 minutes) to a travel agency to buy plane tickets to Ternate. There’s a daily ATR72 flight at noon—perfect timing.
Ambon is the capital of South Moluccas (or Central, depending on who you ask!) with 300,000 people. The city doesn’t seem unpleasant, but we don’t stop.
On the plane, there are only about ten passengers for 72 seats. The flight attendants are stunning, as always with Wings Air—clearly, they’re hired for their looks. 😊
Stopover in Bacan—a runway in the middle of coconut trees serving a tiny town—then we fly over countless volcanoes, the last one towering over Ternate.
Bonjour,
De retour sur le forum - et première rédaction d'un espèce de carnet de retour de notre 4ème voyage en Indo.
Contexte : une trentaine de jours, en scooter et en duo, sur Florès (et une petite incursion dans l'archipel de Solor, plus précisément à Lembata (chut, faut pas trop en parler !!!), qui donne envie d'en faire beaucoup plus là bas malgré les infrastructures sporadiques), en partie dans des destinations déjà bien connues du forum (la classique Ruteng / Bajawa / Riung / Moni voir baie de Maumere) ... et qui ne parlera pas du PN de Komodo ou de Wae Rebo, puisque nous n'y sommes pas allés 🏴☠️.
Texte en anglais (issu d'une autre plateforme). Sans nul doute, des traducteurs intelligents ou pas marcheront à merveille en cas d'anglophobie 🤪.
Disponible à toute fin utile pour des détails ou infos.
Equippement : Yam' Nmax 155 ; 2x saccoches cavalières (25L) + sac de selle (30L) + saccoche tunnel (15L pour le matos photo) ; casques et vêtements d'enduro amenés depuis la France.
Itinéraire : boucle depuis Labuan bajo jusqu'à Pulau Lembata ; juillet-août 2026
Road conditions graded from A (excellent) to D (very bad, at least for a Scooter… a CRF/KLX or even honda ADV would do better on that)
D1 : Labuan Bajo – Reok via Ranggoe, Rego & Tagol (130km ; 5hrs). Section LBajo – Rego (90 km ; B) is quite good tarmac, despite a lot of elevation with many small valleys and passes. Rego – Tagol (10km ; D) is a stone road (not gravel), some ascents & very poor condition ; necessary to lower tyre pressure. Tagol – Reok port (22km, quality depends considerably from D to B). Reok port – Towncenter : B. Night @Iffah Homestay (100k for fan room, mandi attached, no breakfast), simple but clean. Notes : path to danau Sano Limbung was closed ; access to Tiwu Pai & Wae Kuli (waterfalls) not permitted in july 2026.
D2 : Reok – Riung via Pota (105km ; 3h-3h30). The road is very narrow in some part, thanks to the uncut bushes (lowering visibility hence extra caution as animals/people can suddenly appear in a turn…) but generally good condition except many eroded sections and some unpaved ones. Grade C/B. 2 nights @Mentos (285k for AC room)
D3 : Boat tour in Riung (booked directly with a captain, 800k for two for private boat incl. lunch and NP fees) + sunset from Watu Mitong Riung (should not be missed).
D4 : Riung – Muku Saki via Mbay (around 100km ; 3h30). Quality varies from A in the vicinity of Mbay to eroded sections (C) in secluded places. Night @Sao Paolo Homestay (250k for fan room with mandi, maybe overpriced but nice house and great food). Note : if you happen to pass by Mbay on Saturday, the market is well worth a stop (cheapest Ikat on the trip : you’ll be asked normal prices providing you’re OK in Bahasa…)
D5 : Muku Saki – Tanjung Kajuwulu (near Ndete) (90km, 3h). Many patholes, eroded (C). Night at Déjà Vu Homestay (220k for a matress on the floor & outside mandi/toilets ; I woud define this as a tourist trap – the quote we had for food was double priced too…)
D6 : Tanjung Kajuwulu – Waiterang (east of Maumere, 55km , 1h30). Pathholes till maumere, then All good (TransFlores), C/A. Night at Sunset Cottage (new concrete room, very serene place ; 270k for AC with bathroom ; much prefered Sunset over Lena House (more customers, more built up).
D7 : Waiterang – Larantuka via Boru and Eputobi (TransFlores ; grade A ; 115km / 2h40). Particularly liked the drink stalls (marked as Rest Area Eputobi) and the out of order aquatic park just before Larantuka (obyej wisata waiplatin). Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay, which is not advertising itself as Larantuka Beach Homestay as some contributor signals here and on goole maps review. Best breakfast of the trip (Cumi Cumi !!!) ; 275k for AC room with bathroom.
D8 : Local Boat (Kapal Kayu) from the main port to Lembata (Lewoleba). Departure 8am ; price 60k/head + 50k for the bike. Stop enroute on Adonara (where we did not stop due to fights between communities). Night @Elmany Homestay (275k for AC room with bathroom, fan room with shared bathroom also available). Whole afternoon at Pantai Hadakewa, fantastic place (good snorkeling, great views of Ile Api aka Gn Lewotolo). Road condition : A (did not expect the TransLembata to be that good…).
D9 : Loop around Ile Api (50km, 2hrs), anticlockwise. Stops enroute at Situs Tulang Paus (whale squeletton), pantai Jotona, pantai Wena (we expected to snorkel from there, but wind was very strong that day), situs Watu Nale, Selat Sonia. The western coast is far less interesting. Road conditions : bad (C) on the eastern side (up to Riangbeda), good (B/A) afterwards. Night @Elmany Homestay.
D10 : Lewoleba – Lamalera via the western and south coast (70km, 2h30). Good road (B) for roughly the first 55km (up to Tapobali), then eroded track for the last 15km (in some parts steep and dangerous) up to Lamalera (D/C). Notes : 1/ Kuma resort denied us the entry for some drink ; 2/Pantai Waijarang « complex » is abandonned but closed with fences ; you can still sneak in ; 3/ some reports advise to skip Bukit Cinta (foreigner entry fee) for Bukit Doa Watomiten (stations of the cross) ; well Bukit Cinta has also been abandonned (well spent money…sic) but remains opened with structures falling (quickly) appart. Night @Lamalera Inn (200k per head including meals ; very basic fan room + attached mandi). Planned 2 nights, spent only one, as it’s the only tenant I had difficulties with (only interested in money, initially stated crazy prices, starts loud music at 6am … and drinking moke at 8am…)
D11 : Trip to Wulandoni for the Barter Market (Saturday only). Bad road (C) along the coast. Had to report at the Kantor upon arrival, which quite surprisingly asked 100k per person (foreigner) to go inside the (outside) market. Other « local » tourists (a group from Jakarta) were not asked to pay. Well, since a market is a public space and not a zoo, we refused payment and enjoyed the activity from the kopi stall next to it. Returned then to Lamalera for the catches of the day, then to Lewoleba via the mountain road (45km, 2 hours). First 10km to Puor is in very bad condition and uphill (D/C). The remaining is on a newly constructed road (A). Note : Air Panas Sabutobo is abandonned and falling apart (again…) but there are still some water pipes along the river that you can enjoy (depending how lucky you are, just with the forest sounds as companion). Night @Elmany Homestay
D12 : Chill day alond the northern coast (Batu Payung, Pantai Hadakewa with lot of snorkeling, drove till Wailolong and backtracked to Pantai Lewolein for more snorkeling (nice canyons there !) and another fantastic sunset over Ile Api (see GMaps pictures)). Night @Elmany Homestay
D13 : Monday weekly market at Pada, southwest of Lewoleba. Renowned but honnestly dont plan any itinerary specifically for it, just an ordinary Kampung weekly market. Returned to Larantuka and Flores with the 12pm local boat (the same boat that leaves from Larantuka at 8am). Same prices as the first leg. Night @ Dewy Onong Homestay
D14 : Larantuka – Waiterang along the northern coast (100km, 3h) via Pantai Kawaliwu, Tewuk Lewokluok (trail is easy to find, very nice snorkelling in a lagoon), Pantai Lato (to my opinion the most beautiful beach on Flores and you’ll be the only visitor, as opposed to Pantai Koka) and Pantai Hia, until rejoining the TransFlores near Nebe. Grade C on the costal eroded road / track. 3 nights @Lena Guesthouse (booked ahead as it fills up quickly, but we prefered its neighbour Sunset Beach Guesthouse)
D15 : Snorkeling trip organised by Lena Guesthouse (200k per head excluding NP fees and lunch)). The drop-off near Pulau Babi is a very nice spot.
D16 : scooter day trip around the Egon Range (too lazy to hike it…), through nice Sikka villages (route : Watublapi, Umauta, Bola, pantai Doreng, Nakatoli, foot of Gn Egon, Air panas Blidit). The track from Natakoli to the foot of Gn Egon is very steep, damaged and wet (with moss) ; I would recommend not to attempt that in case of bad weather.
D17 : Waiterang – Moni (130km, 3h30, transflores grade A/B) via Pantai Koka (refused to pay the mafia entry fee…) and Jopu (some rumah Adat Lio). Stopped at Museum Bikon Blewut, south of Maumere. Very nice artefacts (especially wooden statues from Papuan, great ikat collection) although very disorganized and sadly non-visited (hence masterpieces fall into oblivion). 2 Nights @Liahz Lodge (150k for fan room, basic bathroom… but right next to Air Panas Liasembe (free, no closing time) !!!).
D18 : Sunrise from Kelimutu with a nice weather (stayed until 8.30am). I don’t know if the sunrise is really worth it (lot of people ascending and watching the sunrise – a lot but nothing compared to e.g. Gn Bromo), nearly everyone going down around 7am, then there is virtually nobody. Trip (20km one way, good road B) to Kampung Adat Nggela (Lio). Although the village is habited and mostly out of the beaten path, I have mixed fillings due to the fact that most ladies (some are pushy) try to sell you (bad) pieces of ikat.
D19 : Moni – Ende via Detusoko paddy fields, Kampung Adat Saga (Lio) and Puncak Ndona ; 75km 2h30. We really liked Saga (nice setting on the mountain, friendly villagers, no selling, mix between traditional and more modern houses in that lively village). Sunset from Bukit Raja, on the peninsula with a 360 view on Gn Iya, Gn Meja Kota Ende and the mountains behind. Note : at the end of the road (search for Gunung Meja Tourist Info Center), there is a (sand) track leading to the path. 1/ only intend the track if you have off road driving experience ; 2/ dont trust the walking time stated by Maps.me. Took us 45mins on a steady pace to reach the summit. Night @Hoja Homestay, 300k for a comfortable AC room with bathroom.
D20 : Ende – Bajawa, via Air Panas Mengeruda ; grade A, 120km, 3 hours. Note : don’t plan to short in Mengeruda (Soa), very easy to spend a half day there, especially if playing with local kids. Stay @Cinnamon GH, 250k for double with fan and hot shower (cheaper options with shared hot shower availlable).
D21 : First day in Bajawa : Watu Nari Wowo (Avatar Hill, sic…), Kampung Adat Ngada Tololela & Gurusina (very very friendly people, complementary views of Gn Inerie & Wolo Deru). Sunset from Puncak Manulalu (well… Heaven’s door Bar & Restaurant)
D22 : Second day in Bajawa : Kampung Adat Ngio (hardly visited, best view on Gn Inerie), Air Panas Malanage, Kampung Adat Bena (the most visited Ngada village (after Bela ?) in the area, we went there at the end of the afternoon to avoid tours, early morning would be fine too), and Gunung Wolobobo for a terrific sunset
D23 : returned to Gunung Wolobobo for sunrise with Gn Ebulobo in the distance (search for a track on the eastern slope, near the communication antenna). You can circuit the rim to the usual viewpoint (westside, sunset spot), the path is easy to find. Then took again the road to Aimere, visiting Kampung Adat Belaraghi enroute (the setting is maybe less rewarding than all the previous villages). 56km ; 1h30. The road to Belaraghi is fine, except the final part.
D24 : Aimere – Ruteng (105km, 3h30). Nice detour by the paddy fields of Wodo (southwest of Golo Loni) of Sunset from Golo Curu (nice encounters with locals). Night @Tange GH, 130k for room with outside (private) bathroom, no breakfast.
D25 : Surroundings of Ruteng (paddy fields north and east of ruteng ; Maps.me has funny tracks starting from Kenda), and the rather pleasant city itself (pasar, churches, lapangan). We finally skipped Liang Bua.
D26 : Ruteng - Labuan Bajo (130km, 3h30). No visits of the waterfalls close to the TransFlores (entry fee (with bule prices) + mandatory guide etc…). Sunset from Bukit Hercadi with very few locals (Bukit Sylvia & Bukit Amelia, just south, were packed). 2 nights @Wellamas Homestay, away from the harbour and its advantages/disadvantages. 230k for comfortable AC room with hot shower.
D27 : New road to Golo Mori Convention Center (another big money well spent…), with nice views on the strait separating Flores from Pulau Rinca. Some empty beaches (e.g. Pantai Pasir Pajang ; we were there on a weekday perhaps frequented by people from LBajo only). 30km (40 mins) one way, perhaps the fastest road of Flores…
D28 : Morning on the peninsula north of Labuan Bajo before taking a flight to Jakarta in the afternoon. On Google maps, the asphalt road only goes to Teras Langit ; it now (august 2026) continues to Puncak Basok and is still in progress towards the eastern part of the peninsula. On the way back, two other nice Bukit where you can enjoy nice views on the bay (and the resorts…) : Bukit Lontar & Bukit Beta. Note : we only found one public (and nice and quiet) beach in the area ; tagged as Sunset Point Beach on Gmaps. All the rest was closed by fences ; they are privately owned (although the Indonesian consitution grants the coastline as public space).
We're a family of five: one dad, one mom, and three kids aged 10, 15, and 18.
Before diving into each stop in more detail, here are a few general thoughts:
We wanted to sample a bit of everything Japan has to offer in terms of landscapes, accommodation, and transport. We were after walks, temples, restaurants, shopping, and some downtime—but no "all-inclusive experiences" or museums for this first visit.
Three medium-sized (60x42x25) canvas suitcases, plus a duffel bag and a few small backpacks. 23 kg in the hold on the way out, 60 kg on the way back. 36 kg of shopping, without even trying. I think this is the maximum suitcase size if you don’t want to stress on the Shinkansen: they fit easily in the overhead racks.
Round-trip with Cathay Pacific, layover in Hong Kong: no need to collect luggage in Hong Kong—we checked it in at departure and picked it up in Tokyo, and the same on the way back (checked in Osaka, picked up at our final destination). This let us explore Hong Kong without worrying about our bags. Food and entertainment were pretty good—meals included a little Häagen-Dazs on each flight, and the entertainment had way more Asian cinema than you’d find on a Western airline, which was a nice way to see how much weight Western culture carries in Asia.
The original plan was to fly directly from Ishigaki to Hong Kong, but due to Typhoon Dolphin, we had to cancel the Ishigaki leg. Cathay didn’t bat an eye about swapping the Ishigaki-HK flight for an Osaka-HK one, even though it was twice as long.
We were a bit too attached to the idea of ending the trip with some beach time and replaced Ishigaki with Shirahama. It was a mistake—we should’ve visited Hiroshima or spent a little more time in Tokyo instead.
Last February, I made a trip using "public transport" from France to southern Senegal via Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania.
It’s a journey of about 5,000 km, where I took trains (as far as Marrakech), ferries (to cross Gibraltar and then to reach Casamance from Dakar), and mostly buses on the long desert straightaways. I hadn’t planned any stops in advance or booked any hotels, except for the very first train to Spain, which left plenty of room for the unexpected.
Why travel by land and sea? In recent years, flight-free travel has been gaining popularity. On social media, posts explaining how to cross Europe by train as quickly as possible go viral. Traveling without flying—and making sure people know about it—has become a great way to earn a badge of eco-responsibility: an essential totem for anyone wanting to prove both their dedication to the ecological cause and the wisdom of slow travel.
I haven’t flown in years, and this journey to West Africa could easily be filed under "responsible travel." But it wouldn’t be honest to say that: in reality, it wasn’t really my aversion to flying that motivated this long trek. I see overland travel primarily as a way to experience the world’s geography at a grounded, earthly pace—the pace of the locals. Besides, I’ll be flying back, which disqualifies any claim to being a model of sustainability.
So no eco-badge, and no adventurer’s badge either: you won’t find any heroic tales of camel rides in lost lands or mineral train wagons in this account (popular with influencers, the Mauritania iron ore train now attracts tourists from all over the world, turning "the experience" into something you "have to do at least once in your life"). This five-part story, written on the road, has no other ambition than to recount a journey through places and people, and to share the thoughts they inspire in me. As simply and, I hope, as humbly as possible.
I’m posting the episodes here, which you can also find on my blog (with more photos) at the following links:
Episode 1: Spain, from Avignon to Algeciras
Episode 2: Morocco, from Tangier to Tarfaya
Episode 3: Western Sahara, from Tarfaya to Guerguerat
Episode 4: Mauritania, from Guerguerat to Nouakchott
Episode 5: Senegal, from Rosso to Saloulou
To help those who might want to make the same trip, I’ve also put together a summary of the route with recommendations—you can read it at the end of the story and on the blog:
From France to Senegal Without Flying: Route and Itinerary Recommendations
Hello and welcome aboard this new travel journal!
We’re heading off to Ireland together—a country I’ve wanted to explore for a very long time.
The moment has finally arrived.
We’ll be traveling as a family—my wife, my husband, and our 7-year-old daughter.
Here’s our itinerary:
24/07: Flight from Marseille to Dublin, overnight in Dublin
25/07: Dublin, overnight in Dublin
26/07: Dublin, overnight in Dublin
27/07: Pick up rental car, drive to Dingle, overnight near Tralee on the peninsula
28/07: Visit the Ring of Kerry
29/07: Adare, Bunratty Castle, Galway, overnight in Outheragh, near Galway
30/07: Cliffs of Moher, overnight in Outheragh
31/07: Connemara, overnight in Outheragh
01/08: Drive to Sligo via Westport and Downpatrick Head, overnight in Sligo
02/08: Slieve League, Silver Strand Beach, Glencolmcille, overnight in Sligo
03/08: Drive to Derry via Glenveagh National Park, overnight in Derry
04/08: Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Portrush, Derry, overnight in Derry
05/08: Drive to Belfast, visit Belfast, overnight in Lisburn (Belfast suburbs)
06/08: Game of Thrones filming locations: Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede, Ballintoy, etc., overnight in Lisburn
07/08: Drive to the Wicklow Mountains, visit Wicklow Mountains National Park, overnight in Blessington
08/08: Drive back to Dublin and return to Marseille.
Cost breakdown:
Flights:
Outbound flights with KLM via Amsterdam for 3: 175 € + 40,000 Flying Blue miles (so essentially a free ticket)
Return flight with Aer Lingus for 3: 489 €
Rental car:
10 days booked with Enterprise via Carigami: 443 € including zero-excess insurance.
Accommodation:
Dublin: 3 nights at Maldron Hotel New Cross: 394 €
Tralee: 2 nights in a caravan (Ocean Trail Oasis): 292 €
Outheragh: 3 nights Airbnb, family room with private bathroom: 430 €
Sligo: 2 nights at Clayton Hotel: 456 €
Derry: 2 nights at Belfray Inn: 255 €
Lisburn: 2 nights at Temple Golf Club: 232 €
Blessington: 1 night at Baltyboys Lodges B&B: 158 €
That brings our total to 3,325 € for three.
On the ground, visits, fuel, and food cost around 2,500 €.
So this was quite an expensive trip.
A few price examples:
1 liter of unleaded fuel: 1.89 €
3-day pass in Dublin: 18 €
1 scoop of ice cream: 5 to 6.5 €
Castle visit: 15 € per person
A coffee: 3-4 €
A glass of wine at a restaurant: 8-10 €
A half-pint of Guinness: 7-12 €
Now, here’s the day-by-day account of our adventure in Ireland:
Our decision is our decision. And it’s firm and final. Next winter, our plane will spread its great wings toward the island of Ceylon! "Wait a minute... Ceylon... Ceylon... that name rings a bell, but I can’t quite place it on the globe Grandma gave me for Christmas! Ceylon... Oh right, I’ve got it: Ceylon is the name of my tea!" Exactly. But the name on your pretty tea box is also the one used until 1972 for this island nation, a speck on the Indian Ocean at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent: Sri Lanka!
For this new adventure, I’m exceptionally leaving my Flo behind, cowardly replaced by a double dose of testosterone. To write the book of this journey with me, I’m bringing along my brother, who’s used to this kind of thing, and... a guest star: My model of resilience. My dad! All aboard! Or rather, all aboard our tuk-tuk! Yes, you read that right: A real tuk-tuk, a little colorful rolling box that putters along at two miles an hour. The idea? Well, Sri Lanka and its winding roads overlooking the vastness of lush nature are tailor-made for this kind of vehicle. And since it’s one of only two countries in the world that allow foreigners to rent and drive these mini speedsters, we’ll be crisscrossing the island in our two-square-meter rolling box. Plus, adopting this mode of transport is a surefire way to connect directly with the locals, who’ll surely be curious to see a foreigner driving their iconic vehicle. Not to mention the... let’s say... spicy anecdotes it might generate. I mean, heading into a subtropical zone with my jet-black dad and his unpredictable digestive flora while deliberately choosing the tuk-tuk as our *only* means of transport? That’s the winning combo for an unforgettable adventure! "More seriously, Dad, Sullivan, I’m already loving the idea of living this adventure together, the three of us—brothers and father..."
So, does the intro to this new adventure get your salivary glands going? Yes? Too bad. Because unfortunately, the program handed out by the lady at the entrance has been slightly... let’s say *crumpled*. Some might even say "scrunched up and nearly tossed in the trash." First, six days ago, as the countdown echoed in us like a call to adventure, Cyclone Ditwah grabbed Sri Lanka, played with it like a rag doll, and left it battered on the ground. The toll is devastating: over a thousand dead, thousands of homes wiped out by relentless rains, roads and railways swallowed by massive mudslides. A country wounded once again, after the civil war, the 2004 tsunami, and the post-Covid economic crisis.
But as if this weather disaster wasn’t enough to shake our unbreakable adventurer spirit, fate decided to mess with us further by cutting our trio down to two. The victim? My brother, violently turned away because of a simple date on his passport that didn’t match the border officials’ expectations. Return to sender!
So now it’s just the two of us allowed to board the Qatar Airways Airbus A380 for this trip. If he were here, Denis Brognart would say, "And in the end, only one remains!" Except I know you’ll be with us, following our adventures! Right?
Hello everyone, I’m happy to welcome you to this new travel journal.
We’re heading to Costa Rica together—a Central American destination that dreams are made of for many French travelers and attracts crowds from France.
It was the country’s wild nature and safety that convinced us to go, since we’re traveling with our 7-year-old little one.
We didn’t have much vacation time in February 2026 (only 12 days), so we optimized as much as possible.
Here’s the itinerary:
Wednesday, February 11: Flight from Marseille to San Jose via Paris and Atlanta
Thursday, February 12: Pick up the car, drive to Poas Volcano, visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Friday, February 13: Poas Volcano and drive to Manuel Antonio
Saturday, February 14: Manuel Antonio National Park
Sunday, February 15: Nauyaca Waterfall and Playa Linda
Monday, February 16: Drive to Monte Verde and Santa Elena Reserve
Tuesday, February 17: El Tigre Waterfall Reserve and Treetopia Park
Wednesday, February 18: Monte Verde Reserve with a guide and drive to La Fortuna
Thursday, February 19: Sloth guided tour, Observatory Lodge Park
Friday, February 20: Arenal Volcano National Park, Termalistas del Arenal hot springs, and night tour
Saturday, February 21: Return to San Jose, flight to Paris via Atlanta
Sunday, February 22: Arrival in Paris and flight to Marseille.
That gives us a solid 9 days in the country.
Budget breakdown:
Costa Rica is an expensive country, but no more so than France. However, almost all hikes and waterfalls are paid entry, which can really add up.
For meals, sodas (6–10 €) are cheaper than restaurants (10–20 € per dish).
Flights:
We chose Delta Airlines for the price: Marseille to San Jose was 740 € per person (modifiable, with checked baggage and seat selection included).
Other direct flights from Europe were priced between 1200 € and 1600 € with more restrictive conditions.
That’s 2220 € for the family.
Accommodations:
Alajuela, first night: 139 € (1 night) at Rodeo Estancia Boutique Hotel, with personalized airport pickup, transfer to the hotel, and a briefing from Vert Costa Rica agency the next day.
Poas: 66 € (1 night) at Cabañas Tierra Fértil (entire apartment).
Manuel Antonio: 394 € (3 nights) at La Palapa Ecolodge (hotel in the jungle).
Monte Verde: Chalet Aloha Monteverde Cloud Forest (2 bedrooms): 125 € (2 nights).
La Fortuna: Arenal Dream Garden (1 bedroom): 217 € (3 nights).
Total: 941 €.
Car rental:
I went through Vert Costa Rica agency (Vincent is a French expat who set up the agency in Costa Rica and makes great YouTube videos with useful tips).
I rented a 4x4 that was delivered to the hotel the day after arrival and returned at the airport before the flight. The total was 772 €, including full insurance (zero deductible), a child seat, and a phone with a Costa Rican SIM and WhatsApp. The rental company was Poas Rent a Car. The vehicle was well-maintained—no complaints.
Gas: 100 € for the whole trip (3 fill-ups).
Activities:
To get discounts, I bought the pass offered by Vincent, which paid for itself after just one activity. It cost me 30 € (promo since I rented the car through him).
Prices are for 3 people. I’ve added stars to rate them:
La Paz Waterfall Gardens ****: 112 €
Poas Volcano National Park *: 33 €
Manuel Antonio National Park ****: 35 €
Nauyaca Waterfall ***: 25 €
Santa Elena Reserve **: 45 €
El Tigre Waterfall Reserve ****: 141 € (with meal)
Treetopia (ziplining, suspension bridges) **: 250 €
Guided tour of Monte Verde Reserve ***: 113 €
Sloth guided tour (with breakfast) ***: 115 €
Arenal Observatory Lodge (with meal) ****: 102 €
Arenal Volcano National Park *: 34 €
Termalistas del Arenal ****: 20 €
Night tour ***: 116 €
Total: 1171 €.
Meals: 600 €
My favorite restaurants:
Poas: Food court Mercaditas in Fraijanes
Manuel Antonio (near La Palapa): La Langosta and also El Patio
Near Nauyaca Waterfall: Ricar2 el Avión
Between Manuel Antonio and Monte Verde: Soda D’Calle
Santa Elena: HG’s Food
Guadalupe (between Monte Verde and La Fortuna): Soda Río Piedras
Arenal Observatory Lodge restaurant
Arenal Oasis Ecolodge restaurant
Other expenses: 300 € (groceries for breakfast, drinks, ice cream, souvenirs, etc.)
Total overall: 6065 € (about 2020 € per person).
Now, here’s the day-by-day account of this beautiful trip.
In early March, full of carefree joy and happy to return to Morocco, we landed in Marrakech under the sun.
We spent just one night in Marrakech at the Hôtel Toulousain, as we did on our previous trip. And we booked our 3 nights for the end of our trip, the second half of March... Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! But we’re not there yet...
Our first goal is to reach Magdaz, a mountain village in the Tessaout Valley, sometimes called the lost valley.
We discovered the village of Magdaz on this forum, and we were charmed by the photos and comments from travelers who came before us.
The road is easy—it’s dry, and the tarmac takes us right to the village gates at over 2,000 meters above sea level.
We arrive in the afternoon and are left speechless by the beauty of the place. A jewel of Berber architecture! Perfectly restored granaries and kasbahs!
A young man from the village guides us on the visit and opens the doors to the terraces overlooking the village.
Several magnificent collective granaries have been beautifully restored. The warm colors of the stone capture the light wonderfully. It’s stunning!
We won’t find anything decent to stay overnight there, so we head back down a bit and settle in at the Assounfou guesthouse. Lovely welcome. The place is in excellent condition and very clean. It’s spacious, but we’re the only ones there.
First day full of promise!
Hi everyone,
We (two adults, 74 and 70 years old) had already shared a travel journal about our first trip to the Philippines in February/March 2019 on this forum (https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=9377175;search_string=carnet%20philippines). We had visited Manila, the Banaue rice terraces, Sagada, the Visayas (Bohol, Siquijor, Dumaguette), and on our way back to Luzon, the Taal volcano before returning to France. Delighted by this trip, organized by the French-speaking agency Alizé, we decided to further explore this beautiful country, this time focusing on Coron and Palawan.
Before writing this journal, I should mention that these are personal comments and don’t reflect any differing opinions. Without any literary or photographic talent, I’ll stick to the facts and share a few details about the visits, hotels, and restaurants.
Preparations
We decided to return in mid-January 2025 and consulted three French-speaking tour operators to create a trip based on our wishes (places to visit, type of accommodation) and budget. Comparing three operators helped us weigh their advice and make our choices. Only our first operator respected the budget, a second came close, and the third proposed a slightly more upscale trip. In the end, we chose the agency from our first trip. Our discussions helped refine our itinerary, and when we reviewed it point by point, the document provided was perfect, full of great tips. The most debated point was a 3-day, 2-night cruise between Coron and Palawan. We were tempted but worried about being the only "older" travelers among younger people and feared two uncomfortable nights. Reassured by our tour operator, we finally opted for this "exploration." We’ll come back to that later.
Once the choice was made and dates set, we booked our international flights with Cathay Pacific for 750 € per person, which offers the best schedules (short layovers) at an acceptable price for flights arriving in Cebu. Our trip started on February 25 and returned to Paris on March 15.
International flights
The round-trip flights went smoothly. Cathay does the job well, without frills. The service quality seems to have slightly declined compared to our previous trips with them. Hong Kong Airport is huge but very practical.
Note that not all airlines serve Cebu.
Recommendation: Fill out your Philippine entry form within 72 hours before your flight. This can prevent issues with the airline (possible boarding refusal) and saves a lot of time upon arrival (see the Philippine embassy website).
Domestic flights
For our two domestic flights—Cebu to Coron and Puerto Princesa to Cebu—our tour operator chose Philippine Airlines and their propeller planes. No problems there.
Day 1:
We landed around 12 PM (local time) after 17 hours of travel. A driver was waiting for us at the airport exit and took us to our hotel, intentionally chosen near the airport (Mandaue, about 10 minutes away) to help us recover and get a good night’s sleep before our early morning domestic flight the next day. The Mayoo Hotel, reasonably priced, was perfect for this. Large, beautiful room in a new building—clean, comfortable, with a spa. We could relax by the pool on the 16th floor and enjoy the city view. The breakfast was exceptional, and the staff was smiling, attentive, and helpful. An ATM in the lobby allowed for withdrawals. However, the hotel is in a neighborhood with nothing to see or do. We dined at the Korean restaurant K-GOGI across from the hotel—a real attraction and a great discovery.
Day 2:
After a restful night, we were driven to the airport around 6:30 AM for an 8:10 AM flight from Cebu to Busuanga (Coron).
The flight was uneventful. Upon arrival, we paid 200 pesos per person for the Coron tourist fee before a 40-minute transfer to our hotel: Natura Resort, located outside the city in a secluded spot. The setting is stunning—a beautifully maintained tropical garden, a pleasant pool, and the option to book massages. The cottages are tropical-style with thatched roofs, simple and unpretentious.
The owner, who speaks French, told us that given the heat and our ages, climbing the 721 steps to the top of Mount Tapyas wasn’t necessary. She gave us a few rooftop recommendations to watch the sunset over Coron Bay. After a good swim in the pool and a meal at the resort’s pleasant restaurant, we hired a tricycle to go into town. We were told it costs 150 pesos one way, and depending on the return time, it could exceed 250 pesos. But our driver gave us his WhatsApp number and charged the same price regardless of the time. He just earned two days’ worth of customers.
He dropped us off at the port where bangkas (local boats) gather for day trips. It was the end of the day, so there was a rush. A few shops around the port sold waterproof bags for marine excursions at reasonable prices (compared to back home), after some bargaining. We wandered the town’s alleys looking for the Top Hotel, whose rooftop is famous. Indeed, it’s perfectly located to admire the sunset and enjoy a refreshing drink.
We dined nearby at a small Chinese restaurant, then just had to call our driver to head back.
The night wasn’t entirely restful—our hotel had a soundtrack of all the countryside animals, and it seemed they had no set bedtime! :
Sur la plaque est écrit :
Wanted, woman, must be able to clean, cook, sew leather, tune engines and polish chrome. Must have Harley motorcycle and trailer. PLEASE SEND PICTURE OF BIKE AND TRAILER
A little sneak peek?
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.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
The karst site:
(In the heart of Albergheria, on a street every visitor walks down—lovely message from an unidentified artist)
Laundry and trucks washed in the same stream.
We’re greeted dozens of times with “Hello Mister”—a daily routine in the Moluccas. Every time we stop, we pose for photos to be saved on locals’ smartphones. They don’t see tourists often.
Several magnificent collective granaries have been beautifully restored. The warm colors of the stone capture the light wonderfully. It’s stunning!
