As soon as I return to France, I catch myself thinking, "it’s better elsewhere."
Wherever we’ve been, I feel this lightness of living—less restriction, less pressure, less sadness—and I start dreaming of somewhere else, of living somewhere else, a simpler life, more authentic, with colors everywhere: markets, clothes, homes...!!! Meeting kindred spirits, genuine people, gentle and kind, and letting go of all this modernism, this technological rat race, the indifference toward others, the confinement, the racism against the elderly in France, against the poor, the weak, the beautiful... fleeing the news, politics, jealousy, meanness, stupidity, greed... And in my moments of clarity, I tell myself that every country, every city has its pros and cons, and that maybe the best of all worlds isn’t down here. But I also remind myself that you have to know how to COME BACK in order to LEAVE again... yet still...!!! IS IT REALLY BETTER ELSEWHERE?😏😏😏
That’s a great reflection on everyday life and the questions I used to ask myself when traveling in Latin America or elsewhere, searching for something I wasn’t getting while living in France. When I returned home, I often felt nostalgia for the countries and people I’d discovered during my travels.
Then, while living in a country other than my own, I—like most residents—"learned" to criticize what didn’t work the way I wanted, to dislike certain aspects of the society around me, and sometimes even to think that the country I’d left wasn’t as dull as I’d imagined.
When traveling for a few weeks or months in a country that isn’t your own, you often have an idealized image of the places you were so determined to discover, no matter what style of travel you use. The backpacker will likely get closer to the local population and see it through a different lens than someone staying in luxury hotels and only moving around on organized tours to explore the country’s architectural wonders. But even with this way of traveling closely among the people, something fundamental is missing to truly understand the country: living like its inhabitants do every day—working with them, sharing all their daily concerns.
To the question, "Why do we always think that *elsewhere* is better than our own country?" we probably can’t answer it without having truly lived *elsewhere*—to see if anything from our home country ends up missing... and when the sum of all those little things adds up to a lot, we realize that our homeland, despite its flaws, is often much *better* than the others.
On ne voyage pas pour chercher son destin mais pour fuir l’endroit d’où on est parti. (Miguel de Unamuno)
L'homme est un dieu quand il rêve, et un mendiant quand il réfléchit (Friedrich Holderlin)
To that question "Why do we always think that 'ELSEWHERE' is better than our own country," we certainly can't answer it without having truly lived "elsewhere" to know if anything we loved about our home country ends up missing... and when the sum of all those little things adds up to a lot, we realize that the country of our roots, despite its flaws, is often much "better" than the others.
From my perspective, this reflection really only holds true for "relatively" short trips (a few months at most), because you quickly start to see the limits of that societal detachment. It also assumes you're in good health.
Take Nepal, for example:
I feel particularly at ease and detached from any material needs when I'm there. Simply because all those French administrative "duties" are absent—no taxes, no TV license fees, no random paperwork X or Y, no EDF/GDF bills, no internet contracts. Life is simpler in a way.
But when I had to register as a student at KTM University and open a bank account, believe me, I needed all the help from my Nepali contacts to navigate that administration, which is horribly more difficult (and corrupt) than our good old France.
Likewise, being sick in France versus Nepal... There’s a huge gap between the two. I hope you never have to deal with anything more serious than a cold in Nepal. It gets expensive fast at the country’s only well-equipped clinic, or you have to be ready to step back 80 years and endure the crowds at Bir Hospital (Kathmandu’s public hospital, just to give a concrete example).
Having lived through this, I’ve really come to put expatriation and the idea of "it’s always better elsewhere" into perspective. You have to accept that, while we may find plenty of flaws in our everyday lives, there are also plenty of advantages alongside them.
"It seems to me that elsewhere is what we don’t know" Yes, just like the Little Prince of Saint-Exupéry...!!! Philosophical thoughts... yes, but that wonderful elsewhere in our minds might magically end up existing... WHO KNOWS...!!!
Many people believe that life is better somewhere else than in their own country—these are the economic migrants who come from the Global South (Africa or Latin America) to the Global North (Europe or North America). They must have their reasons....
"Le touriste apparait comme le principal agent de diffusion du mépris anti touristique. Plus le touriste se voit en miroir de l'autre, plus il le déteste".
Even though I appreciate your perspective, I still want to remind you that there isn’t just one "elsewhere"—there are countless. As Le Chat put it, "elsewheres" are everywhere, except here.
When you live in France, for example, you just have to go to another European country to be somewhere else, without necessarily rushing off to the poorest countries on the planet. And why wouldn’t things be better elsewhere? In some cases, the job market might be more forgiving, the healthcare system more efficient, the bureaucracy less overwhelming—sometimes all of that can even come together. And then, that "elsewhere" you visited, even just for a trip, can feel really appealing...
Qui veut chasser une migraine n'a qu'à boire toujours du bon
There's something odd about that capitalized ELSEWHERE—the one this discussion is about. It feels like a fantasized place, an imagined location that we shouldn’t actually reach...
"It was better before." "It’s better somewhere else..."
The past or some distant place with a softened reality, refuge spots that some would dream of escaping to when, here and now, daily life feels too heavy.
For me, elsewhere is within us, in our visions, our sensitivity, our openness, our knowledge in managing these different components 😉
I took the liberty of broadening the proposition—it seems to me that elsewhere is what we don’t know 😎 And it’s often wonderful 😎
I totally share this opinion... Could this "country" we search for, covet, and fantasize about—this "Shangri-La"—simply be a hidden part of our soul? A piece of our deepest personality, buried by life’s circumstances, education, rejection by others, exclusion, or even racism for some? And could all our travels in the "real" world toward this longed-for elsewhere actually just be a transposition into our so-called "real" world of a need for an "inner journey"? A quest into the depths of ourselves, searching for those forgotten pieces of who we are?
I spent my childhood in the gloom of one of the most sordid housing projects in the inner suburbs of Paris; everything I saw around me was nothing but ugliness...
Years later, in my nighttime dreams, I’ve often found myself wandering those same soulless streets of my childhood neighborhood, which I’d circled so many times I knew them by heart—there was nothing new to discover, and yet... around the corner of an alley, a vacant lot would suddenly appear, and I’d head toward it... After a few hundred meters... Oh! Surprise! A wonderful landscape would emerge—a hidden valley bursting with a thousand colors and intoxicating scents, with pure water fountains, trees laden with exotic fruit, houses with astonishing architecture inhabited by joyful people—basically, a kind of Paradise. In my dream, I’d ask myself: "How is it that you never discovered this place sooner, when it was so close to home?"
Couldn’t this elsewhere simply be an unknown part of our inner being, suddenly surfacing at certain opportune moments in our lives—one that simply deserves our attention and consideration?
Isn’t the important thing finding a place where you feel good? Whether it’s in your home country or somewhere else... Every place has its strengths and weaknesses, just like each of us. For everyone, it’s always better somewhere else—like that old saying, "It was better before, in my day..." The unknown makes us dream, while we know our own home, which can be reassuring too... Is "elsewhere" really better? Something to think about...
hello,
we think the same way...
when we return to our farm, we're happy to find our work and our animals again, even though our travels around the world have enchanted us.
We love leaving, and we love coming back...
but in three years, we'll be leaving to work elsewhere... probably somewhere sunny...
Is it better elsewhere? Not necessarily—happiness is within us! We're happy in Aveyron because we chose to be, despite the rain... despite the drop in prices for our products, despite all kinds of profiteers... so we'll be happy wherever we decide to go...
The only thing I'm aware of is that, as a woman, we're happiest in France...
Freedom to live, to think, to dress—and we need to be aware of that.
Happy travels!
I’ve often had the same thought after returning from trips, and I agree with most of the replies about idealizing "elsewhere." It’s human nature, after all—if we actually moved to a country where we feel great on vacation and started living and working like the locals, we’d probably end up finding things to complain about in our new daily life.
So what’s the solution?
Constant movement to avoid getting used to anything? Always skimming the surface to stay amazed without growing jaded?
Or, as some say, is happiness something we declare? Is happiness, as Saint Augustine put it, about continuing to desire what we already have?
I think everyone has to find their own answer.
For me, I’ve just dropped everything and I’m setting off on a year-long (minimum) trip around the world, hoping the perspective I gain will help me see my idea of happiness a little more clearly.
Si j’ai l’occasion, j’aimerais mieux mourir de mon vivant! Coluche.
There are quite a few European countries where the gender pay gap is smaller than in France. There are quite a few European countries where parental leave can be taken freely by either the father or the mother, leaving the couple to decide who continues their career. There are quite a few European countries where being a woman doesn’t lead to any discrimination, negative or positive. There are quite a few European countries where the "head of the household" isn’t automatically a man. In quite a few European countries, fundamental rights (like the right to vote or the right to work without a husband’s consent) were granted to women decades, if not centuries, before France... France, like on many other issues, is pretty backward when it comes to real gender equality.
Another point: you know absolutely nothing about the happiness or unhappiness of women in other countries who, by our standards, have outdated customs and legislation. I’m not convinced that a female executive living in the 92 area, working her fingers to the bone to afford her Audi A6 and her apartment with a view, is necessarily happier than the Mongolian nomad who lives with her husband, children, and herd in a yurt... Yet, in that case, the roles of men and women are very clearly defined, and to us Westerners, they seem completely outdated.
Qui veut chasser une migraine n'a qu'à boire toujours du bon
I won’t argue about it...
I know one thing for sure—me...
I feel free and happy in France, and it’s through my own feelings and my own story that I feel privileged. In France... (or European countries!!! I should’ve added that too...)
After all, if you’re a woman (and I don’t think that’s your case!), happiness belongs to each of us... based on our religion, our experiences, and our history. But in my eyes, I know many women are oppressed.
Thank you for understanding that everyone’s freedom depends on so many factors. Mine lead me to think and say that, as a woman, I’m happy to live in France. I won’t stay here forever, but I have the right to feel that way.
Have a great day
thank you for understanding that everyone's freedom depends on many criteria.. mine lead me to think and say that as a woman, I'm happy to live in France
That’s exactly why, Nadine, I raised an eyebrow at your statement. There’s no rule that says "women are happier here or there"—the same goes for men.
I’m glad you feel good in France, and no one should question or comment on that. What bothered me was the impression that you were making it a general rule 🙂
Qui veut chasser une migraine n'a qu'à boire toujours du bon
No, I was comparing myself and knowing that some women whom I find pitiful consider themselves happy...
I love Mankind with a capital M too much to respect, love, and go meet them during our travels...
And in our choice of countries in 3 years, we’ll pay attention to lots of criteria (freedom, landscape beauty, people’s hospitality, sunshine ;) etc.)
Have a great week
Forgive me for not taking this too seriously... especially coming from Bhutan, where respect for fundamental rights is, shall we say, unique.
Or more prosaically, a map of non-economic migration flows...
Why leave a country if you're happy there?
Sure, but that doesn’t apply to the whole planet.... Especially since those who emigrate don’t represent the entire population. Some people were very happy in the USSR for the exact same reasons that drove so many others to flee.
Qui veut chasser une migraine n'a qu'à boire toujours du bon
Attila, of course—I used a dramatic example to make my point. But you can be happy in France for the same reasons you might be unhappy there. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about 😉
When it comes to statistics, I’m the first to use them, so I can only agree that if there’s a massive exodus from one region to others, there’s clearly a problem.
Qui veut chasser une migraine n'a qu'à boire toujours du bon
Leaving!
I’ll never come back,
I’ll never come back because you never really do,
The place you return to is always different.
The station you return to is a different station.
It’s no longer the same people, nor the same light, nor the same philosophy.
Leaving! My God, leaving! Yes, I’m afraid to leave!
Fernando Pessoa - Excerpt: "out there, I don’t know where..."
Hello,
I wish you an excellent trip around the world. You're right, and I think this introspection will illuminate your inner path—and who knows, it might even give you the key to how and where to live your future! Best regards.
Hi,
Moving abroad for sunshine! That’s one "ELSEWHERE" that makes sense....!!! Good luck to you. Still, I wanted to point out that in many other countries, women experience the same things we do in France—but there’s still a lot to improve regarding women’s conditions, even in France.
Best regards.
Hello, thank you for your encouragement..
You're right, but I'm speaking for myself here..
I've always had the position I wanted..
Maybe I had to fight a bit harder than men in the environment I was in (agricultural union circles), but I made it.
I believe that in France, everything is provided (and in other countries too, of course) for a woman to be free to do, think, and act.. (look at well-known women in agriculture, like Christiane Lambert, whom I admire), but some women have to want it!
Have a good day
Yes, Americas is right, but only partly.
Indeed, wherever we go, we always carry our own Spanish inn with us, and inevitably, we find ourselves wanting to tweak this or that to match our own standards—even when it makes sense!
As a building and civil engineering technician, I often step in with Vietnamese masonry companies to point out, with calculations to back it up, that the way they work leads to massive waste of materials and rebar, which seriously eats into their budgets and profits. Even though it’s none of my business, the urge to intervene still itches at the tip of my tongue. I do it tactfully, selflessly, and for the good of people who didn’t have the chance to go to school for long...
That said, I’d never ask for any thanks—my joy lies in sharing with others, without seeing myself as St. Martin, who gave half his coat to the poor man who was cold.
Best to everyone contributing to V-Forum.
— Vietalier
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Even though I like your take, I still want to point out that there isn’t just one "elsewhere"—there are countless. As Le Chat put it, "elsewhere" is everywhere except here.
When you live in France, for example, you just have to go to another European country to be somewhere else, without necessarily rushing off to the poorest countries on the planet. And why couldn’t things be better elsewhere? In some cases, the job market might be kinder, the healthcare system more efficient, the bureaucracy less overwhelming—sometimes all of that can even come together. And then, that "elsewhere" you visited for a trip can feel really appealing...
Totally agree with you...!!!! France isn’t "wonderland."
I don’t feel unhappy in France because I accept its little annoyances while being grateful for the quality of life it gives me (healthcare, education, comfort, etc.). Happiness only depends on how we perceive things, our tolerance toward our fellow citizens, and how we adapt to daily frustrations...
I have nothing against expatriation—I’ve lived it before and will likely do it again—but I don’t see it as running away from the country in search of happiness. Instead, it’s an enriching experience that allows me to come back with a more open mind. I don’t think anywhere else is better than my country, nor the opposite—it’s just different.
It's true, we think the grass is greener elsewhere, but I actually believe it's because we don't know our own country well enough. I thought I knew everything about France, and I dreamed of other places. I ended up with the mirage of the Vahine, white sandy beaches, coconut trees... You're talking about those idealized postcard images? There's another truth behind them, but it's not in just a few days—or even several months or a year—that you can discover it.
I've been living in Tahiti for over thirty years. Paradise? Yes, for tourists and the wealthy (and at one time, for the military), but the reality goes far beyond that.
Now, I look at France through the internet, and I realize I was completely wrong. I miss my France, and I dream about it.
My blog is very revealing—I express myself as best I can. I'd love to see it again, but will I ever be able to?
les voyages forme la jeunesse, la preuve j'ai 20 ans (dans ma tête )
Interesting discussion. I’ll chime in (or add my two cents, as they say) because for once, we’re not just showing off or getting personal.
After 7 months of traveling, I still can’t answer the recurring question: *Which country did you like best?* If I arrive with positive preconceptions, I’m disappointed; if I arrive with negative ones, I’m pleasantly surprised. So I’ve learned to be wary of statements like “the people are so nice” or the opposite. There are plenty of things I don’t like about France, but just as many in every country I’ve visited. Is there really a “better elsewhere”? Yes… and no. Yes, if expatriation meets a material need (sunshine, standard of living, recognition), but no if that desire is driven by the idealized vision of a perfect country. How many expats today would admit they were wrong? What I mean is that this inability to face reality (as with other issues in our own country) will probably lead other dreamers to make the same mistakes… In short, I hate generalizations because I know they’re biased by the desire to see only what pleases us, what doesn’t hurt, and/or what avoids self-questioning.
On a side note—but not unrelated—I’d like to clarify a few things. Almost every discussion on this forum makes me cringe because the reality of behaviors on the ground (if I may put it that way) is fundamentally different. If it’s impossible in France to discuss a sensitive topic without it turning into a personal attack, the same goes here. I read all these “super REAL travelers” criticizing those who don’t share their opinions or travel differently, who boast about being more open-minded, more objective, closer to locals (yeah, right! That’s a whole debate in itself), yet they never fail to slip in an “I” here and there and ultimately repeat the same flaws elsewhere. So I hold back from replying like Attila (who I hope will forgive the reference, because I’ve often stumbled upon those remarks by chance, and they were spot-on. Unfortunately, not all truths are easy to hear).
Since we’re here to exchange opinions, here’s mine:
If the underlying question is *Does a wonderful world exist?* The answer is no.
The need for an “elsewhere” only becomes “better” if it truly matches a personal desire to live differently—accepting both the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. It’s a choice that shouldn’t be based on an ideal. Just because living a certain way appeals to Paul doesn’t mean it will appeal to Jacques…
Be careful not to base your choices on others’ experiences to fill the disappointments caused by the downsides of your own country. Rest assured, you’ll encounter new ones. Whether they’re worse or better, you’ll be the only judge.
It’s always unhealthy when people try to convince others that their life choices are the best or the most fantastic—because it often hides something else. Keep that in mind.
As a self-proclaimed moralist, I bid you farewell (laughs). Joking aside, given the various discussions I’ve had with future expats, it seemed important to share a few reflections to consider before embarking on the “great adventure,” which can turn into a nightmare if it’s only about “living life to the fullest before dying.” Because it’s also about being able to live as long as possible. And life expectancy is often tied to quality of life. Quality of life?! Oh, isn’t that exactly what we’re all looking for? Didn’t some of us already realize that? Personally, I tend to agree with them.
Good luck reading this wall of text—I’m off to continue my journey…
PS: To Jupiteria: May I suggest a little exercise to answer your questions?
Try backpacking in France with the same mindset you had while traveling… You might discover another side of France. Who knows, your “elsewhere” might be closer than you think ;)
It’s doable—hostels, mobile homes, chalets, small studios, available monthly or weekly.
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
It’s not easy to answer this question. Elsewhere often seems better simply because it’s new. Once the novelty wears off (for example, if you live somewhere else long enough), you start to see the attractions and shortcomings of your own home more clearly. Every culture has its strengths and weaknesses. There’s no such thing as an ideal culture. Some are more favorable for women’s empowerment, others are more permissive for men, some promote healthy eating or harmony with nature, while others prioritize the collective over the individual. Our views on this depend on our age, gender, cultural background, financial situation, and current needs. Poor countries can be paradise for the rich. Western countries are often mistakenly seen as an eldorado by citizens of poorer nations. Personally, I feel stifled by the over-regulation in our Western countries and really appreciate living and driving in places that are less organized. But when I see that a wealthy driver in a country like Cambodia can hit a poor person and get away with it by paying less than $500 to the victim’s family, I realize my own country has a lot more to offer. I love that in poorer countries, I can get basic medical services for a reasonable cost without waiting in line like I would at home. On the other hand, I know that if I ever needed advanced treatment, it would be better in my own country. There’s no paradise on Earth—just places and people to discover and appreciate for a time. When you’re sick, you always want to return to your roots. That said, when you’re healthy, you should take the chance to explore the diversity of landscapes and cultures around the world. And above all, never go elsewhere assuming your culture is superior to others. What works for us might not work in another context. It’s important to keep an open mind and not judge others based on our own beliefs and habits. Easier said than done, though.
I think when we travel, we also explore other facets of our personality and temperament—we don’t see things the same way.
Personally, I’m in love with Asia, but I stay very clear-eyed. I realize we have plenty of reasons to be happy living in France... our social rights, for example (even if they’re eroding due to abuses), our working hours (across Asia, people don’t get paid leave—or very little—and don’t have set weekly hours; they work hard).
I complain—believe me—about the weather, which I don’t like, especially in the Paris region... but monsoons are tough, and at least for now, our climate remains relatively stable.
Of course, the French are chronic complainers, and I’m no exception... I grumble about politicians—though I won’t risk prison for it—I moan about public transport (but I know we’re well-served, at least in cities), I gripe about immigration, and a whole bunch of other things.
Yes, there’s ageism, racism against older people, and against the attractive, our endless grievances... but France is still a pretty privileged country, even if those in power try to make us believe otherwise every day.
I still feel more welcome in Asia than tourists do in France (especially in Paris), but isn’t that an illusion?
And as someone who’s crazy about animals, it’s not always a dream here—but when I see the conditions animals endure in Asia (most of the time), I feel pretty awful.
As soon as I get back to France, I think to myself, "it's better elsewhere."
IS IT REALLY BETTER ELSEWHERE?😏😏😏
I think you feel better elsewhere because you're on vacation there, whereas in France, you're working. Take a vacation in France—you'll see you get that same sense of freedom.
I think every traveler feels this at some point or another... Who hasn't thought, "I'd love to settle down here, to live here." My life experience led me to leave France for about ten years, and I loved that period, which I don’t call expatriation because the country where I lived became my home—I learned the language, worked there, and my daughter was born there... I wanted to stay forever, and only a difficult political situation made me give up, as it’s a Middle Eastern country. I didn’t want to take the risk of raising my daughter in that tense climate, so I came back.
But even though I loved that country, I found politics, power, grumps, jealous people, the greedy, and my life wasn’t any simpler or more authentic. I had problems, professional difficulties, anxieties—just the same as anywhere. It’s just life in society. Wherever you go, there’s a core of human nature that stays the same. I didn’t meet people rejecting modernity (the Bedouins have had cell phones and TV for a long time). In the East, many people envy our individualism, what you call "isolation" or "indifference," because they dream of living without the whole neighborhood or family meddling in their business. A little indifference would be a relief for them!
As for what you call "racism" against the elderly, the weak, or the beautiful (I hadn’t heard of that last one), don’t forget that in France, society is organized so that as few people as possible are left behind. It doesn’t always work, but the intention is there and recognized by all. In the country where I lived, when you’re old, you’d better have children who love you and are willing to take care of you—otherwise... the same goes if you’re sick or need care (15 years ago, I paid $10,000 to give birth, 3 days in the hospital with no complications... luckily, money wasn’t an issue, but still). And I won’t even get into the cost of pediatric consultations, but I totally understand those who take the opportunity to get treated in France while traveling.
In conclusion, I’d say NO, it’s not better ELSEWHERE—it’s just different. You can have an extraordinary experience in another country; you should try it. But don’t idealize elsewhere. Being a traveler passing through (even if you stay for months) and living in a country after cutting ties with France are two very different things.
Good evening,
I totally agree with you—200%! I’ve been living in Canada for over a year now, and I’ve felt (and still feel) the same things you’re describing. Even with the crisis and its flaws, France isn’t so bad after all.
Hello Jupiteria,
I think the answer to your question is personal. There are coral or rock fish that only find safety by staying close to the rock that serves as their refuge. For fast-water fish, it's a different adventure. Migratory creatures of all kinds (if we can say that) find, at the right time, their salvation in elsewhere, which shouldn’t stop them from appreciating the good spots.
What I’m certain of is that when you can afford to travel, it really gets your neurons firing. For me, the best trips are those where you decide the itinerary yourself, find the means of transport, the lodgings, share food with locals, strike up conversations, make friends along the way, take an interest in their lives, outsmart the predators with a smile, help if possible, and face nature head-on.
Then, when you return to France after admiring how other peoples adapt to incredible living conditions, recognizing their courage and intelligence as at least equal to ours, you realize the French are sulking like spoiled brats. But you have to admit, seeing from the plane the layout of our villages clustered around a church steeple and all that bears witness to the past is moving.
So, for me, traveling is an undeniable plus—essential or not. But seeking elsewhere at all costs is simply unwise.
No need for your backpacking advice about France..... Who do you think you are...!!! And with your two-bit criticisms on this forum, it wasn’t even worth writing such long posts just to vent your frustrations on everyone’s opinions. We all have the right—and THE DUTY—to express ourselves freely, so keep your JUDGMENTS to yourself—WE DON’T CARE....... Why don’t you set down *your* backpack for a bit.... it looks heavy to carry...!!! Probably the weight of your stupidity.
Je m'appelle Rabah et j'ai 22 ans. Je suis actuellement en pleine recherche sur le sentiment de nostalgie qu'on éprouve au pays d'origine.Je recherche des…
En voyage, êtes-vous sensibles aux odeurs? Sans avoir le sens olfactif aussi développé que celui de Jean-Baptiste GRENOUILLE! (personnage principal du fameux…
La rubrique « Pensées, réflexions de voyageurs est en basses eaux, les Matthews et les Rhume n’ont plus rien à se mettre sous la dent. Est ce que mon sujet va…
Ou seriez vous si vous pourriez etre ailleurs que devant votre écran d'ordinateur a lire ce message sur ce forum??? Moi je serai sans doute très très loin...…
J ai connu un âge d or des voyages en pays etrangers. En gros des annees 1980 aux annees 2000. avant c était les avions pour les privilégiés, des zones…
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
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?
.
.
