Reading suggestions · West and Central Africa

Last February, I took an overland trip using "public transport" from France to southern Senegal via Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania.

It’s time to catch up with the VF buddies and wish you all my best for 2026—a year I obviously hope will be full of travel for you, since, as the saying I just made up goes: "If travel’s good, everything’s good" 😄.

So to celebrate, I’m inviting you to my new "travel journal," the one from our last trip in November 2025, which lasted a couple of weeks.

I especially love these spontaneous trips, and our stay in Cape Verde is one of those because it was only in early April that we decided on this getaway—even though it had been catching our eye for a while, since we’re mountain lovers.

" Ah, here it is at last—this sweet scent of elsewhere so dear to Cricri and Lulu’s noses, that mix of apprehension and desire when facing the unknown.

We’re really diving into the unknown this time, taking you to the island of SÃO TOMÉ... also known as the island: ‘Wait, what? What did you say?’ 😄. Because apparently, no one’s heard of São Tomé... except our Portuguese friends.