Hey hey,
A great way to meet locals! I got hooked on it over the years, and after a few women-only trips with an all-female agency (bad experiences with 5 to 10 chicks every time—many of them think they’re well-educated but actually stick their noses in everything 🤪), I’m heading out solo again soon. (Don’t ask me where—I rarely plan my trips and usually leave on a whim within days. Thinking of Canada in September, should be cool!)
Little tip for those who are nervous but still want to travel solo:
It’s all about attitude because everything shows on your face.
Sometimes approached by aggressive or just rowdy groups, it’s easy to spot the ringleader (it’s the one running his mouth 😏). And that’s who you need to target—use a tone that’ll leave him speechless (after that, you’ve won, and sometimes they even become friends). Not always, though! 😄
Traveling solo is above all total freedom at any moment.
Very few women are willing to travel as a pair, for example, with someone who doesn’t share the same desires and tastes. Yet, it’s entirely possible for two women to travel together just to lower the cost of accommodations, transportation, etc. Traveling as a pair doesn’t mean being glued together 24/7—that’s what most girls don’t understand. It has to be said, many are quite timid and prefer to stick to each other like Siamese twins 😏.
I created a Facebook group for co-travelers a little over two years ago, which became the largest in its category (over 40,000 women of all ages in 24 months). I recently closed it because the volunteer work was very time-consuming when you put your heart into it, and especially because it had turned into chaos since very few knew how to use it properly.
At the time, as the creator and moderator of the group, I took advantage of my position to post a few announcements to invite those interested in joining me on my trips, being very flexible with dates and everything else. It didn’t take off.
So, I’m heading out solo again, as I’ve done for over 10 years, to rediscover those sensations that only solo female travelers know. You have to understand that when traveling alone, you meet many more locals than when you’re with others (as a pair or in a small group, you tend to stick together). And that’s a shame because often, locals are curious about tourists, especially in off-the-beaten-path regions—they want to know why you’re visiting their area. When you travel solo, every day brings new encounters, if only because you rely on others for basic information or more detailed searches. As I mentioned earlier, women are generally quite fearful of everything, including believing they won’t be able to manage in an international airport, for example (even though there’s no shortage of staff to help them 🤪).
The thing that comes up often is, "Oh, but I can’t imagine going to a restaurant alone." I tell them that first of all, I go because I’m hungry 😏, the menu appeals to me, and often, even if I go in alone, I don’t stay that way for long. Interactions inevitably happen, if only because of a menu written in a foreign language that’s impossible to understand (preferring to ignore Google Translate). I create connections, exchanges, and sometimes beautiful encounters arise after a few conversations. The same goes for servers, who I’ve noticed pay more attention to a solo customer.
Anyway, that’s all for now. More to come when I have time, and maybe this will inspire other women who don’t travel under the pretext that they’re alone 🤷♀️
Hey hey 😏
Traveling solo means, among other things, visiting places at your own pace without rushing like you often do with tour agencies that go at breakneck speed—too bad if you can’t keep up—or with one (or more) friends who want to see everything in the shortest time possible 🤪
In the coming years, some guides (though not all, unfortunately) should adapt to climate change. They’ll likely start offering earlier and earlier morning hours to avoid the intense heat and crowds. You’ll have to keep an eye out for those who adjust and know there’s a profitable window 😉
Going solo is already exciting on the way to the airport, where you’ve got to take it easy because the temperature’s rising 😏. Personally, I only book the first night or a maximum of two nights in advance. The rest is done with online research and, most importantly, on the spot, face-to-face with hotel owners or other providers (all based on vibes while visiting the places—very important!). The way you’re welcomed also matters to me, and then I decide, always paying in cash, which sometimes (often) leads to discounts 🤩
That's what most girls haven't understood. Many are quite timid and prefer to stick to each other like Siamese twins.
As I mentioned earlier, women are generally quite fearful of everything, including believing they won't be able to manage in an international airport, for example.
Very few girls are willing to travel in pairs, for instance, with someone who doesn’t share the same desires and tastes.
I’ve put together a compilation of what you’ve been sharing since your explosive return!
And I can’t decide if you’re super spontaneous, just impulsive... or very self-centered with a confrontational side—"talk to me about me, that’s all I care about."
On this forum, there are plenty of travel journals from solo female travelers of all ages, who are contemplative, resourceful, and would probably smile—or sigh—reading your prejudices.
And here, when I see that my sense of humor isn’t landing at all because I’ve noticed quite a few grumps, I’ll get annoyed fast 😄
Maybe people respond to you the way you provoke them?
And most importantly: You’ve been on this forum for over 10 years with just as much antipathy and condescension. No wonder you’ve been called out multiple times in your comments, and you have a "record" to remind other members of.
The perfect profile that reminds me of the 4 or 5 regulars from the other forum 🤡
Elsewhere on the forum, you’ve gone after Attila—crudely, for no reason... maybe she’s the Hun, but here, the grass doesn’t grow back behind *you*.
Lamanon30, was she kicked out of here too? Or what?
Hello everyone.
Inspector Gadget didn’t guess that I was simply being straightforward in both senses of the term 😏, and only conducted a one-sided investigation, deliberately ignoring the fact that I had taken it very much to heart to look after these girls who were struggling to travel alone. They also ignored the fact that I was immediately targeted here as soon as I arrived, and claimed I had insulted members without any proof of insulting words being reported. Thanks to the occasional inspectress for noting that on Le Routard, I’m sidelined for a few days but my contributions—along with others—are kept because they’re useful to the forum. 😄 I’m taking this thread to go into detail about my solo trips (the majority) and my attempts at traveling with others.
After about fifteen solo trips to the Colombian Caribbean for cultural reasons similar to mine, having lost my dog and my entire family within six months, I felt the need to make some friendly connections by joining the girls from the CDV agency. Today, I’m actually glad I’ll never travel with those women again—they’re from another planet to me, with an unbelievable level of aggression when it comes to differences between people, French regions and their specific characteristics, as well as cultural and linguistic differences (words don’t mean the same thing in the south as they do in the north, for example).
I won’t talk about my own culture here, even though we can agree that most travelers are in search of authenticity. The gap between Latin culture and those who don’t have it—or only have fragments of Christian culture—is too wide, as misunderstanding dominates.
So, I’ll go back to my solo travels, making very interesting but fortunately superficial connections, because I think it’s better not to get to know people too deeply.
My last experience with these five agency girls (average age 35) was a total disaster, and the worst part is that I didn’t see the hypocrisy they maintained throughout the Kenya trip, while I was in total empathy—as I always am when I meet people.
Coming from a family of resistance fighters and underground army members during the last war in France, I’ve been passionate for years about reading, watching, and researching everything related to the 1939–1945 war. After seeing hundreds of films and documentaries, I wanted to go further and understand how a monster like Adolf Hitler was built by buying his book (*Mein Kampf*), which I read in my spare time during layovers or between two safaris in Kenya.
Out of my five travel companions, one who proclaimed herself a psychologist, secretly analyzing the others while convinced she had the gift of reading people, told me so herself. 😅
Another, whose motivation I still don’t understand, dresses up as a GI (American soldier) every year, rents a jeep, and participates in the D-Day commemorations in France. 🤪
To my great misfortune, I took this dictator’s book with me in my free time in Kenya.
And to my great misfortune, in a passionate discussion with my "GI" 😏—a very friendly girl on the surface but who clearly knew nothing about this war except for dressing up every year for the photos—had to correct her when she claimed it was Hitler who declared war on France, when in fact it was France that declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939 (she got upset and never brought it up again).
I return to France and, to my shock, I receive an email from the agency wanting to talk to me.
The director calls to tell me the agency no longer wants me as a client.
The reason: The "pseudo" psychologist and the pseudo "GI" wrote to her saying I didn’t belong among these travel companions and that it was unacceptable to keep me as a client because, according to them, I’m a pro-Hitler antisemite for daring to say it wasn’t this dictator who declared war on France, and that since I currently had this despicable person’s writings as my bedside book, I must agree with him. 🤪
For 10 days of the trip, these two snakes (I can’t think of another word, sorry) were all sweetness to my face while plotting behind my back.
The director, whom I know well because she always complained about me after every trip for equally crazy reasons, said: "Let’s end our collaboration here." "You can see you’re not compatible with traveling with others."
And me, poor fool, who had once again chosen to travel with others—among other things—to bring my humor and affection to these girls who are afraid to travel alone and choose this 100% female agency to at least have peace from annoying guys.
So yes, long live solo travel and superficial connections—at least that way, I come home with beautiful memories without digging too deep into people’s lives beyond the good times we shared.
Glad to have been "removed" from this agency, to whom I had spent around 20,000 € on trips between my solo travels.
And I still have affectionate thoughts for all those who are afraid to travel alone. 🤗
I’d be afraid to travel with you. It’d be a failed trip from the start.
I say this because of all your misadventures, your recurring difficulty in making yourself understood, the rejections you regularly face, and your insulting attitude (insults aren’t just words—they can be a tone, a behavior, a posture...).
I’d be scared to travel with you. It’d be a failed trip from the start.
I say that given all your misadventures, your recurring difficulty making yourself understood, the rejections you regularly face, and your insulting attitude (insults aren’t just words—they can be a tone, a behavior, a stance...).
You’re right not to want to travel with me because being called pro-Hitler and antisemitic by some girls—when it’s completely the opposite for me and my entire family, who lost loved ones fighting the enemy—is unacceptable (and I should’ve burned their passports so they’d have to swim back. 😄)
That’s one of the reasons I’m going back to solo travel.
I’ll always remember that other travel companion who, in the middle of a heatwave at a villa on Lake Annecy, kept turning off the fan I’d brought from home, supposedly to save the planet 😄—while I was suffocating in over 40°C at my age.
I should’ve drowned her in the lake instead of telling her after four days of her constant interference with my fan that I was going to make her eat it. 😄
Sick of these hysterical, unhinged women with no manners who also misinterpret everything and meddle in other people’s lives—something I’d never do!!!
Long live solo travel! 🚀
In this controversial section, there have been heated debates, clashing viewpoints, and passionate confrontations. Boundaries pushed. Points of no return.
It’s often been invoked, almost always condemned... but this is a first.
Is it the lack of someone to talk to? Do you have some other motive besides sadly stirring the pot here morning, noon, and night out of... boredom? A thirst for recognition?
For the first time in a discussion, the Godwin point was reached only to be vigorously denied by the same person.
Mindless self-indulgence, a desperate headlong rush, just so that, at all costs, the show must go on.?
In this fiery section, there have been heated debates, clashes of perspectives, passionate confrontations. Boundaries pushed. Points of no return.
It’s often been invoked, almost always condemned... but this is a first.
Is it the lack of someone to talk to? Is there some other interest for you besides sadly shaking around here morning, noon, and night out of... boredom? A thirst for recognition?
This is the first time in a discussion that the Godwin point has been reached only to be vigorously denied by the same person.
Mindless self-administration, desperate headlong rush, just so that, at all costs, the show must go on.?
Hey, I just created this discussion and posted 3 messages, nothing more. As for the other topics, I’ve had some free time for the past two days because I broke a rib while crashing hard during sports—I tried to keep going, but the pain is unbearable. So I’m chatting here while waiting for my reintroduction scheduled by the mods in the other forum because I’m eager to respond about Colombia, my heart’s country, where people also claim I’m wrong.
Personally, what others call a controversy is just a debate to me, and I can admit when I’m wrong and say so without any problem.
Attila started this debate about traveling with cash, saying she didn’t understand those who travel that way. I wanted to know which bank card she used so I could answer her question because, personally, I go for the cheapest payment methods (cash, and in countries where I need to exchange euros, I do it at national banks that offer the best rate and make a single exchange for the whole stay since fees are lower for larger amounts). Since 2020 and the pandemic, which brought me back to France, I’ve had over a million Colombian pesos at home that I’ll exchange at the best rate when I’m patient.
If Attila had been willing to tell us about her Fortunéo card, I would’ve checked what she’s entitled to, what she pays, etc... And I would’ve compared it with my cash exchange. If she came out ahead compared to me, I would’ve said so and admitted I was wrong without any issue. But she doesn’t want to say because, even behind an anonymous username, people have their pride, their ego, etc... And they don’t like to lose in their arguments (whereas it doesn’t bother me to be wrong and admit it).
Otherwise, I’m here because I love exchanging with others—that’s also why, between solo trips, I wanted to meet other women through the CDV agency (I’d say 90% of the time, I’ve been disappointed because I’m really not from the same world as most people).
I come from a background as a former street kid—I lived on the streets from the age of 12—and I have a different perception of respect and education. The street, the gangs, the troublemakers I hung out with taught me early on that you have to stay straight and not interfere in other people’s lives. But all these trips with those girls were a disaster because they had no education, while in this agency, due to the high cost, it’s mostly little bourgeois girls who wanted to put me in my place. My approach (outside of travel) was purely driven by empathy (same when I created the FB group that took off right away—I was so overwhelmed). Very disappointed by those girls who didn’t even understand that I did it to help them and nothing else.
The goal of my posts isn’t to show off—just to exchange ideas. With a little extra from me: I love contradiction in debates, and I admire those who make me change my mind and tell me so.
But to get to the heart of contradictions, you need someone who can keep up (and with Attila, no exchange is possible). Does she have the card for the wealthiest based on her income? Which would make you think she doesn’t want to say—oh well.
I can’t find the history of my first exchanges here from early August because I assume some people who know the forum well must’ve schemed to delete a few responses. But I remember they jumped on me right away, calling me a cougar and making insinuations like I was a fan of bullfighting (that’s from members who are also on Le Routard and know my real name because I didn’t hide it, and they dug through my FB profile, confusing tauromachy because, naive as they are about the subject, they think there’s only one kind).
Same on Le Routard, where over 10 years ago, I wanted to share my many stays in Colombia (16 trips of 40-45 days each) in guerrilla zones that are still active today (the same areas controlled by drug cartels that run all those northern departments). I tried to explain that I had no intention of going there for that, as I had something completely different to do related to my culture, which is similar to that of the Colombian Caribbean. They called me a liar, labeled me an international drug trafficker (I even had cops on my tail when I landed in Marignane on my way back home—it annoyed me to see how stupid people or cops can be).
Yes, on Le Routard, they really wound me up—provocative and vicious members who pushed me to the point of using words forbidden in forums because, hidden behind their computers, they were just waiting for that to click the report button with, I imagine, a hideous grin on their faces—oh well.
I love exchanging, I love people, even if I take a lot of hits because I’m not like them and I don’t fit in—that’s all. Just when you tagged me, I discovered here in one of Attila’s topics that in Quebec, it’s the same as where I’m from in the south of France: breakfast is *le déjeuner*, lunch is *diner*, and dinner is *souper*. I also found out while looking for info on Brazil that Mathews, who doesn’t want me to use *tu* with him even though he does with others and couldn’t find any other arguments to keep the discussion going, is a real adventurer who willingly hung out with wild crocodiles—shows you can be like this and like that 🤪. I’m not here to impress but to chat with humans before the mice eat me at home where I live alone by choice 😄
Well, let's see. If you think I’m gonna bother trying to understand, you’re mistaken.
And I’m not waiting for an answer from you about the "why" either. 😄
I’m different from most people, and on top of that, I’m Southern—so that doesn’t help with conversations since some words don’t have the same tone elsewhere. I couldn’t care less, though, because that’s just who I am.
Something to think about for those who don’t have a personality. 😏
Oh right, actually, it's not exchanging you enjoy (since you couldn't care less about your interlocutors).
What you enjoy is soliloquizing. But you still need an audience, huh.
That's exactly what comes through in your messages.
Okay, I'm done being part of your audience; the show is pathetic.
I'm stopping following this "discussion".
Oh right, actually, it’s not exchanging you enjoy (since you couldn’t care less about your interlocutors).
What you enjoy is soliloquizing. But you still need an audience, huh.
That’s exactly what comes through in your messages.
Well, I’m done being part of your audience; the show is pathetic.
I’m stopping following this "discussion."
If I were being mean, I’d say *you’re* the one who’s pathetic.
Because coming to tell me you’d never travel with me when you mostly travel alone 😄 (and in a thread where I *specifically* explain I prefer traveling alone too) 😆
Plus, you’re speaking for everyone else. Who are you?? The forum’s spokesperson??
You also say I obviously have trouble making myself understood, but *you’re* the one who doesn’t understand anything.🤪
Exhibit A (quoting you):
"I’d be scared to travel with you. It’d be a failed trip from the start.
I’m saying this given all your mishaps, your recurring difficulty in making yourself understood."
For you, the mishaps I recounted with those girls who had zero manners and meddled in my life like I’d *never* do to them—you twist it to make it my fault. The height of it, since it’s the opposite!🤪 Who’s not understanding—or understanding everything backward?? You, and here’s the proof 😆
Or should I take it that your fear of traveling with me is actually discovering you’re just like them—trying to ruin my trip??
Who’s got it all backward, you or me??
Meanwhile, reread your own words and you’ll see the fear you’re projecting is really about being a pain to others 😄 You accuse me of running into girls who weren’t nice to me—the irony
As for others not understanding me, my most recent memory is Mathews pretending not to get it when I simply explained that credit cards have more hidden fees than cash and that people often struggle to find a working ATM (and it suited him to play dumb)—him, who *uses* credit cards to travel (afraid to tally up the total cost and admit he’s wrong, maybe?) 😆
And no, ma’am, I don’t disregard my interlocutors—I respond coolly when they’re cool with me and aggressively when they’re aggressive in their replies (and I’ve noticed *you’re* the one who’s messaged me the most in this thread, with a certain hatred or bitterness seeping through the screen, even though I never asked you for anything).
Another reason to want to get back to my solo travels!
And another reason why @ Elhine is afraid to travel with me—probably because she’s like all those examples mentioned in this thread.
We were wandering around Dakar with nine of my fellow travelers and our guide.
As usual, the girls stopped in souvenir shops to buy things, which isn’t my thing at all—I’d rather build and live my memories than buy those cheap trinkets that all come from China, which they still pay top dollar for just to say, "It’s from Dakarrrrr." 😂
Anyway, being the good sport I am, I respected their choices and followed along, waiting outside those touristy shops while the girls maxed out their credit cards.
As we kept walking through the streets, I spotted a vendor selling steaming coffee, and I asked the girls to wait for me for just a tenth of a second, no more—the coffee was ready, and I just had to pay and drink it while keeping up with them without slowing them down.
One of my fellow travelers called out to me between two shops she was browsing and said:
"Christine, you’re in a group, and you shouldn’t just think about yourself. We’re together, and we do everything together, so you follow us—and you can drink your coffee at the hotel."
Here’s yet another example of why @ Elhine will say it’s another reason not to travel with me. Who’s being unfriendly here? The girl I let shop for her junk for hours because I respect others, or me, who just wanted to grab a quick coffee while keeping up with the group? Ask @ Elhine—I’m laughing about it 😂
Solo travel is becoming more and more common. A third of people, I think.
By choice, by bad luck, or by chance.
Let’s consider another option: traveling with your psychiatrist. Indeed, they could constantly analyze our spontaneous reactions. It wouldn’t be too bothersome since they’d mostly stay passive and attentive.
Imagine the peace of mind with such a companion, who could also glance at our forum posts and maybe spare us some frustration.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
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Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
A few years ago, I went with a group of friends to lend a hand at a small rural school near Thiès, Senegal.
It was a relaxed but hardworking atmosphere—hands in the mortar, laughter, exchanges, and everything that a COOPERATION project can bring.
Today, the little project is flying on its own.
Wanting to explore Senegal’s riches, we set off for some tourism in the Siné Saloum. One girl in our group fell ill (a malaria attack), and we decided to take her to see a doctor at a large tourist complex nearby. Despite her condition, we had to "show our credentials" (if I may say so) just to get in. She was treated and has been fine since.
This "stop" at a Club Med-style resort with a Teutonic twist—resembling Le Grau-du-Roi but fancier—was a horror show for us: pools, massive artificial basins dyed blue, pink, or green (!!!!), animators shouting around wet T-shirt contests or coconut tree climbing, and sunburned (or sun-pinked) *toubabs*.
The entire hotel was surrounded by a huge wall, behind which a small souvenir-seller slum had sprung up, worthy of Dakar’s outer neighborhoods.
On leaving, we saw a minibus of guests returning from an "excursion," loaded with masks, fabrics, and djembés—African souvenirs?
Maybe those will be *theirs*?
What impression did the kids clustered at the hotel gates get?
What about the Black servers in "traditional African costumes," serving cocktails and ice cream nonstop?
For me, who experienced Africa very young and in the bush, this remains a haunting image.
On VF, this kind of vacation doesn’t seem to be the norm among users, and that’s exactly why I signed up.
Have you ever experienced this kind of interstellar travel?
Do you understand the Martians?
Are their motivations peaceful?
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
My two bullfighting traditions when I'm back home in Camargue (France) and in Colombia (Caribbean) every time I return. 🤠
Details:
Bullfights (corridas) aren’t part of my two bullfighting traditions, but I respect those who attend them!!!
In these two ancestral bullfighting traditions—which aren’t bullfights—the Bulls and Toros aren’t killed or tortured, as some might think.
These are bull games where the animals return to their pastures afterward and only come back to the Arenas 2–3 times a year at most.
They spend 15 minutes in the ring for the Camarguais and 5 minutes for the Toros in the Colombian Corralejas.
They’re cared for and pampered. They’ll die of old age in miles of open fields.
The young people who face them are professionals, risking their lives to support their families and live their Passion for the Toro!!! 😄
https://youtu.be/yYKQer42HoQ
Colombian Corraleja in the link below (hope it works) 🤪
https://fb.watch/BMfmuCgQpG/
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