After 20 years of operation and a 4-year hiatus, we were happy to rediscover this forum following its acquisition by Myatlas.
At the very beginning of the adventure, there was a section allowing members to share their ideas—good or bad, feasible or not—with the team in charge to help perfect the forum.
So, to help VoyageForum regain its momentum and adapt to new audiences and a new environment, why not put our heads together and suggest some improvement ideas in this thread?
I’ll get the ball rolling!
Travel journals are limited to 300 photos because photo storage is expensive.
This limitation is completely understandable, and Myatlas found a solution by offering a paid subscription for those who wanted to exceed the free photo limit.
Maybe this approach could be adapted here?
Limiting without offering an alternative is a reason members leave.
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
At the very beginning of the adventure, there was a section where members could share their ideas—good or bad, feasible or not—with the team in charge to help perfect the forum.
Yes. It was closed because things got even more heated there than in "Thoughts and Reflections." I remember fierce discussions, with words flying, about whether Turkey is in Europe or not, or the split of the pseudo-continent where we happened to be born into East/West...
Travel journals are limited to 300 photos because storing photos is expensive. This limit is completely understandable, and MyAtlas managed to overcome it by offering a paid subscription for those who wanted to exceed the free number of allowed photos. Maybe this solution could be adapted here?
As a good old Gen Xer with boomer tendencies, I see VF first and foremost as a place for writing, for text. Recently, journals like Kate and Richard’s with 120 photos or rjulie’s with 49 are stunning, with exceptional photo quality. With over 300, I have my doubts... And nothing’s stopping anyone who’s a frenetic image poster from opening a parallel discussion in the relevant section to add 300 more.
Maybe I’m just old-fashioned...
The thing is, I have no idea what level of activity is needed for the forum to be considered profitable and thus sustainable, but a month and a half seems a bit short to get a sense of its future.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
It had been closed because things were even more heated there than in "thoughts and reflections."
That’s entirely possible.
But why should today be like yesterday?
There are new members, a new team.
Out of over 300, I have my doubts...
No one’s forced to read a travel journal.
The (paid) right to post 1,000 photos doesn’t take away anyone else’s freedom.
( This discussion kinda reminds me of CG...)
As a good old Gen Xer
As a good old Gen Xer, I pay on MyAtlas.
All this talk about generations being this way or that—it’s a bit random, isn’t it? 🙂
And besides, I hope all ages will mix on the forum!
And nothing stops someone who’s a frantic photo poster from opening a parallel discussion in the section where you add 300 more.
Actually, it’s not allowed.
It’s stated when you open a journal.
MyAtlas was free at first.
Then, like VF, COVID hit. Maybe a marketing plan that wasn’t quite on point too?
The site almost shut down before being taken over.
Since then, there are paid plans for heavy users (those whose journals cost a lot in hosting due to a large number of photos).
The all-free model funded by ads is yesterday’s business plan, I think.
Anyway, the point of this topic is to share ideas.
The team can do what they want with them.
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
I’ll add that all photos in a travel journal are counted—not just those by the author.
This creates discussions (and tensions, to put it mildly) among participants because some post lots of photos in other people’s journals, which limits what the original author can do...🤪
Maybe only the author of a journal should be able to post photos in it?
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
I’ll add that all photos in a travel journal are counted. Not just those by the author.
Sorry, but that’s incorrect. The author of the journal can post up to 300 photos, regardless of photos added by other members in their journal. I just did a test to make sure there’s no bug on this.
As for your suggestion about a subscription to increase the photo limit in journals, we’ve obviously given this a lot of thought. For now, this idea wouldn’t be profitable, as it would require setting up a subscription system, renewals, billing—all of which demands a huge amount of programming and management (for example, a credit card might fail one month, and we’d have to handle each case individually). Also, we’d have to consider how many members would actually pay for this privilege. It’d probably only be a few dozen members, which wouldn’t be profitable given the resources needed for programming and management. And what would we do with journals exceeding 300 photos if authors cancel their subscription? Delete them? 😕 As you can see, it’s not as simple as it seems. If subscriptions were profitable, many more sites would use this model. The truth is, it’s almost never profitable... 😕 Even big media sites with subscriptions aren’t profitable...
This subscription idea has been suggested dozens of times over the past 20+ years. Yes, MyAtlas.com uses a subscription system, but that doesn’t mean it’s actually profitable. Also, keep in mind that MyAtlas.com is primarily designed for publishing travel journals, whereas for VoyageForum, journals only represent a small part of the site’s traffic.
We closed the “Comments” section on VoyageForum because we were constantly explaining and repeating why certain ideas are good or not. There’s a big difference between an idea and its real-world application. Members want to help, and that’s wonderful, but unfortunately, we won’t be able to comment on every suggestion in this discussion—especially since most of them have already been proposed, discussed, and analyzed over the years.
Thank you for wanting to help VoyageForum continue to grow! 🙂 Rest assured, we have a team with extensive experience in site management, and we’re constantly thinking about how to improve VoyageForum and increase its profitability within the possible limits and variables that aren’t necessarily public knowledge.
I’m taking the opportunity of this thread to ask a question about using the site, which doesn’t necessarily warrant opening a new discussion.
Why can’t we log in to VF with a VPN?
This kind of setup is pretty rare on the internet—I honestly don’t know any other examples.
It hasn’t always been this way; is it temporary?
I find it annoying to have to pause my VPN to log in. I know I can add VF as a trusted domain, a sort of bypass, but still, it’s odd. 🙂
Sorry, but that’s incorrect. The travel journal author can post up to 300 photos regardless of other members’ photos in their journal.
The question was discussed in a travel journal. Some people removed their photos, thinking it would increase the author’s quota.
Wrong, according to your answer.
Maybe the message that appears should be changed to warn members about the limit:
Your travel journal can’t contain more than 300 photos in total.
And what would we do with journals that have more than 300 photos when the authors cancel their subscription? Delete them? 😕
I’ve wondered the same thing about journals published on MyAtlas.
This subscription idea has been suggested to us dozens of times over the past 20+ years.
Yes, to avoid ads.
Not to pay for an extra service. 🙂
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
All this talk about generations being like this or that is a bit random, isn’t it?🙂
I don’t know. The fact is, I often hear younger people talking about stuff I’ve checked out and just don’t get the appeal (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok...). I chalked it up to age!
We’re getting off the topic you started 😉
For me, what makes VF truly valuable isn’t its travel journals (though I can enjoy reading them) but the chance to interact with members who have direct, often recent experience of the places I want to visit and can give me the insights to make choices and decisions. From that perspective, over the past month, I’ve been fully satisfied. I don’t know if this aspect still interests people, if there’s an equivalent elsewhere (haven’t looked), or what can be done to boost the volume. I’d bet it just takes time.
Cat
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
We can only block and identify trolls and spammers on the forum if we have their real IP address.
For example, 2-3 weeks ago, we were bombarded with illegal ads for selling medications and loan offers. With a VPN, these spammers can quickly change their IP address, open a new member account, and start again right away. By blocking VPNs and forcing site users to reveal their real IP address, it’s much easier to block them.
By the way, there’s really nothing secure about a VPN, despite what VPN companies claim. You’re just giving your browsing history to the VPN company instead of your internet provider. It’s also important to know that most VPN companies have been quietly bought up in recent years by very shady companies/holdings...
...I admit I no longer remember its real VF identity. On the other hand, I perfectly remember its photographic decrees...
Kate or Masterpo should have a better memory.
When it comes to questions, I rarely get answers. If the questions are easy, the answers can be found online. If they're specific, VF often isn't more helpful than my own searches. That's why I sometimes make very open-ended requests, just in case...
Travel journals are more productive in those cases.
As for the forum format, I think it's a boomer thing—meaning over 40—for younger people—meaning under 35.
We’d need to convince them it’s useful.
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
For the forum format, I think it's a boomer thing—meaning over 40s—for younger people—meaning under 35s.
We’d need to convince them it’s useful.
And what about those between 35 and 40? 😛😏
There are a lot of people over 40... even if we limit it to French speakers. Hey, why not offer automatic English translations of posts? 😎
As a proud boomer—or boomeuse?—I find it way more convenient to have all the info in one place, interactive most of the time, than sorting through tons of sites (it takes me ages, and I’d rather sail the sea than surf the Web).
Cat
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
CG is Christiang, who hasn’t logged into VF since... July 13, 2017!
His last profile showed he was 71 (so 84 today).
Various ideas to revive/improve the site
I still haven’t been notified by VF about the site reopening 🤪 and I’m probably not the only one 😏
"Nous ne sommes plus une communauté d'être humains qui se parlent mais un conglomérat de grappes de consommateurs en niches, séparés les uns des autres par des obsessions diverses et innombrables. Nous sommes de l'ère de la désintégration." Marc Moulin (1942-2008) in Humoeurs
I find it way more convenient to have all the info concentrated here, and interactive most of the time, than to sort through tons of sites
You still have to sort through stuff here.
And the interactivity only works for recent discussions.
If you revive a 15-year-old thread, you won’t get many replies.
It was easier to navigate back in the day when merchant sites didn’t dominate search engine results.
You’d type in a couple of place names and end up diving into several travel journals. 😛
Now, you land on Booking or Get Your Guide—way less dreamy... 🏴☠️
Gotta stop now or they’ll call me an old fuddy-duddy, "ok boomer" in today’s terms.
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
That’s right, thanks! 🙂
71 is his current age, not his age when he signed up.
VF calculates and updates your age if you’ve filled in your birth date.
For the emails, I think I figured out it’s done in waves to avoid everyone showing up at the same time.
I also got the message way after I signed up.
No idea how the waves are ordered (alphabetical order of usernames, email addresses? Sign-up date on VF?).
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
I also received the message long after signing up.
(I still haven’t received anything)
And then there’s a rumor that all posts made before you get the official personalized email saying the forum is back up will be deleted! 😛
Is that true? 🤪
Hey everyone!
I’m that young-ish fifty-something who’s still hip, lol. I tried Facebook to plan our trip to Kenya 😅. There are two groups for French speakers, but 95% of the replies come from tourism pros!
Like, “Nooo, you absolutely mustn’t rent a car in Kenya.” Luckily, a few expats helped me out in private.
We just did a 5-hour drive in our rental car, and it went smoothly—you just have to pick the right routes 😬.
Anyway, long live the return of VF! It would’ve been super helpful for planning all this, but at least now I can say, “I did it myself” 😊.
Kenyan kisses,
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
I agree with you.
Facebook is overrun by travel agencies and influencers.
Getting information is almost impossible, especially since it's hard to search through a group's history (it's not efficient—even less so on FB in general).
Plus, the contributors are mostly beginners rather than experienced travelers.
(Who did you rent your car from? I’m planning to rent one in Tanzania.)
Happy travels! !
Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de voter!
They have so many names I can’t make sense of it!! My voucher says VIP CARS and AUTO UNION.
110,000 km and fumes everywhere—exactly what we wanted 😂
But it’s just for 4 days near Naivasha. After that, we’re taking the train down to Mombasa 😉
Le monde est comme un miroir, si tu lui souris, il te sourit aussi!
I agree with you there.
And as CG mentioned earlier, I don’t think dumping all your memory cards into a travel journal will revive VF. On the other hand, the restriction forces you to sort through, pick the relevant photo, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
D’autre part, the restriction forces you to sort through and choose the relevant photo, and for me, that’s not a bad thing.
I also think it’s a good thing. In a story buried under a string of sometimes redundant photos, I usually lose the thread and end up abandoning it halfway through. Choosing—often tough—the *right* photo is part of the process.
I'm not really sure why this topic turned into a debate about photos for or against.
Agnès, it was you who suggested this option (the only one, in fact) in your opening post.
Travel journals are limited to 300 photos because photo storage is expensive.
This limit is completely understandable, and Myatlas managed to overcome it by offering a paid subscription to those who wanted to exceed the free photo limit.
Maybe this solution could be adapted here?
So we started discussing this idea and shared our opinions.
If some people want to empty their memory cards by agreeing to pay and this option is possible, what’s the harm? 🙂
It doesn’t bother me (though... 😕), but I repeat, how could this help revive or improve the site?
Well... Nothing's coming to mind right now...
But to revive it, I still think about that email that was supposed to be sent to former members (which I never received).
François, if you're reading this?
I agree with you.
Facebook is overrun by travel agencies and influencers.
Getting information is almost impossible, especially since searching a group’s history is so clunky (and even worse on FB in general).
Plus, most contributors are beginners rather than experienced travelers.
With people becoming less and less well-informed, I worry they’ll just settle for what social media feeds them.
Still, it’s true—the VF model, along with its design and usability, seems absolutely irreplaceable.
« 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
I’m in favor of removing a username if, after every 3-year period, the member hasn’t provided at least one helpful answer to another member’s question.
« 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
Wait about ten minutes of consultation before forcing non-registered users to click on the ad.
Experience lived by a friend I sent a link to.
Forcing registered users to view an ad every 20 visits, or 30... (I know it's annoying, but they gotta make a living).
It won’t revive the site, but it’ll ensure financial health.
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
That’s exactly what bums me out. On the other hand, the folks who do contribute are super active.
« 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
I'll take some too, but it doesn't have the same effect on me...😛
« 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
You're exaggerating. I think she's lost a little weight recently. 😉
« 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
- Deletion of a username if, after every 3-year period, the participant hasn't provided at least one helpful answer to another participant's question. (Jojoone1)
I’m jumping in on this...
When my partner Richard signed up, he wanted to use his first name as his username.
Nope, there are tons of Richards.
So he added the ’11’ from his département: Richard11
Still no luck. But the existing Richard11 on VF hasn’t logged in since 2016 and only has 5 posts to his name. So he’s just gonna stay there indefinitely without participating?
Nous souhaitons partir jours au bresil, et souhaitons avoir des infos Quelles solutions de transfert facile entre l'aeroport de rio et l'hotel? Quel endroit…
J'ai remarqué tout récemment que lorsqu'on ''marque comme lu'' une discussion la puce associée à ladite discussion reste ''verte'' comme si on ne l'avait pas…
Je suis à la recherche d'une idée de voyage de noces, nous faisons le tour un peu sur le net et nous nous sommes pas encore arrêtés sur une destination. Auriez…
J'ai 28 ans et habituellement je pars en voyage en octobre avec un membre de ma famille. Mais cette année, cette personne ne peut pas. Je ne sais pas trop…
Many of us have noticed that bugs have been making it difficult to navigate the forum lately.
I’ll let Kate and Ticapi explain the issue:
I went to your profile to check out the Thailand travel journal, and when I clicked on it, it brought me back here again. All week, I’ve been dealing with bugs like this—it’s really discouraging from continuing on VF.🙁
I had the same thing happen, and multiple times. For me, it was Montagnard’s latest journal that kept coming up no matter which discussion I clicked on.
BOLIVIA: EPISODE 5 – RODRIGO PAZ WITH HIS BACK AGAINST THE WALL!
The saga continues in the heart of the Cordillera, and the tension isn’t letting up—quite the opposite! Between high-stakes political negotiations and the harsh reality on the ground, Bolivia is at a historic turning point.
In this new episode, we focus on the latest decisions and the crucial role of Senator Rodrigo Paz, now with his back against the wall as the crisis intensifies by the hour.
To fully understand the political and economic stakes and their direct impact on the country, check out the full analysis here: 👉 https://www.petitherge.com/2026/06/bolivie-episode-5-rodrigo-paz-au-pied-du-mur.html
Note to future travelers: Rest assured, there’s absolutely no violence from Bolivians toward tourists. On the contrary! They’ll often be happy to share their perspective on the crisis and talk about their situation, always with the warmth they’re known for.
The real shift could come if the government eventually orders the military to forcibly clear the roads. So stay alert, keep an eye on how the blockades evolve, and above all: prioritize your safety.
History is unfolding before our eyes—stay tuned for the next on-the-ground updates!
See you soon,
BOLIVIA: THE COUNTRY ON THE BRINK (What's Really Happening)
A dramatic saga is unfolding before our eyes in the Andes. Between suffocating blockades, clashes, an international airlift, and historic political decisions, Bolivia has just experienced 48 hours of rare intensity.
Here’s the full breakdown (economic, social, and political) of the last 48 hours:
For travelers and tourists: the article also includes an important note about the upcoming publication (starting tomorrow) of the precise status of roadblocks, route by route.
I’ll post the full update here on Voyage Forum!
Don’t miss this in-depth analysis. History is being written before our eyes! https://www.petitherge.com/bolivie-paralysie-et-ultimatum
J'ai découvert une super émssion sur Arte.
Il s'agit de "7 en route" : c'est 7 jeunes journalistes européens embarqués dans un bus complétement aménage, pour faire le tour de l'Europe et réaliser des reportages sur chaque ville qu'ils visitent. C'est génial 🙂
hier, par exemple, ils étaient à Rome en Italie et le type de reportages était le suivant : reportage sur le plus petit resto au monde : resto pour 2 personnes super romantique. Ou encore reportage sur le roi des paparazzis en Italie.
Ils doivent choisir des sujets qui nous permettent de découvrir les petits trucs de chaque pays. Et à chaque fin d'émission on découvre le reportage terminé.
C'est vraiment une trop bonne émission, qui allie journalisme, voyage, découverte, ... bref ... à voir absolument !
C'est le soir à partir de 18h50 (je crois), et ça à commencer depuis lundi 14/07.
Si vous la regardez écrivez moi, on pourra en discuter.
I left my heart’s country eight days ago and returned to my adopted one—or was it the other way around? Scotland-Morvan, Morvan-Scotland, I’m not quite sure anymore.
After a quarter without dragging my slippers around here, even though I’d loudly declared I had no interest left in this site, here I am again!
My imagination never stays fallow for long. Just enough time for my inner land to rest. It gets overgrown with fresh nettles, the kind you can pick without getting stung. Then, it’s time to till the fragrant earth and let the story grow.
I hesitated over where to set this story.
Maybe the Highlands, maybe the Hebrides, maybe the Orkney Islands, maybe the Shetland Islands. All of Scotland is myth—easy to embroider.
But in the end, no. I’d almost be too afraid to bare my soul.
The story will take place at home. Simple, practical.
1)
This morning, I was up well before dawn, feeling a bit grumpy, but nothing a bowl of coffee won’t fix. I love my bowl, and no one dares take it. It’s porcelain, edged with intertwined blue flowers. On the bottom, it says "Revol." The factory has existed long before the Revolution. It was my great-grandmother’s bowl. She drank roasted barley from it during the war, then her Leroux chicory.
Last year, a little guy dropped it. My bowl broke into three pieces. A black anger vibrated deep inside me. The little boy was so upset, on the verge of tears. How could I scold him!
I picked up the three pieces and took Little Boy in my arms. His hair smelled of the light, sweet sweat of toddlers. A gentle hug that healed—his budding sorrow and my anger—everything vanished, and time carried on.
Today, my bowl is even prettier. Man fixed it using the traditional kintsugi technique, except he didn’t use gold powder or lacquer but superglue, and he delicately painted the cracks with woad blue. And my bowl is even more beautiful now.
I’m lingering, I can tell—it’s just that a story wraps itself in life, and life can’t be told in the snap of a finger. Life is long. Like in architecture, you start with a rough sketch, called a "sous-cul" (the initial pencil drawing), then you make a tracing, which is the work itself, the one you later carefully roll up in a wooden tube.
Life is like that: you erase, you start over, you use the nub of the pencil until it’s tiny, but you keep going—dreaming, loving.
"Living is a full-time occupation, a unique adventure. Always a surprise and a wonder, which sometimes turns into astonishment. And, from time to time, happiness."*
Alright, enough digressing—this introduction is definitely too long.
Tomorrow, I’ll get to the heart of the matter.
(I hate that expression; it feels like I’m cutting into someone’s skin.)
I’m Yann, a 28-year-old TikToker who loves traveling!
Since I’ve been to several destinations, I’d love to get a flag from each one as a sort of trophy. But from what I’ve seen online, a lot of sites sell them with what looks like really poor quality...
So I’m reaching out to you all to share a site you usually use—help me start my collection! :)
hi there
I’d love to get some opinions—I’ve never used Airbnb before.
They’re offering a key handover via lockbox.
Any tips or advice?
Is it reliable?
Best,
Hi there, I’m Laura, and I’m looking for a few people to answer some questions so I can understand your travel wishes and challenges. It won’t take long—I can chat here, by email, or by phone. Don’t worry, I’m not selling anything! 😊
On this forum, we talk a lot about trekking in the Himalayas, but I’d love to share another side of Nepal: its spiritual, cultural, and religious atmosphere, especially in Kathmandu.
Nepal, much like Tibet and Bhutan, is deeply connected to the Himalayas—the ultimate sacred mountain range. This small country exudes a calming vibe, shaped by a strong spiritual dimension. What I loved most was the unique sensory experience you get there. Walking around temples and tantric monasteries, a distinct scent fills the air—aromatic plants used for ritual fumigation. Locals mainly burn Himalayan juniper, cedar, sandalwood, and other local essences. This fragrant smoke is a way to purify the space and reach the deities, and you’re constantly enveloped in these aromas.
Another striking aspect is the sound. As soon as you step outside, you hear bells ringing in front of temples. People ring them three times before praying to announce their presence to the deities. Nepal is also the birthplace of singing bowls and sound meditation practices. In Kathmandu, you can easily find meditation sessions or "sound baths."
The spiritual dimension is everywhere: a Hindu sadhu practicing asceticism, a lama in deep red robes with his mala, turning a prayer wheel while murmuring "Om mani padme hum." Newar Buddhism, Tantrism, and Hinduism coexist harmoniously in daily life.
For those who love exploring a destination through its culture and spirituality, Nepal is an unforgettable place. What was your spiritual experience in Nepal like?
Hi,
I’m landing in Quebec and then heading to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I’d like to rent a pick-up. My question is: does this vehicle come with a cover and is it secure enough to store luggage in? I’ve heard two conflicting opinions. Thanks
I just installed the Maps.Me app on my phone. I only recently found out about this app. I’m traveling in 2 weeks and a few days, and I’m a bit stuck on how to use it.
I’m from the Montreal (Quebec) area, and I’d love to know if there’s a kind soul out there who could help me get started and use the app at least minimally.
If there are private lessons available, I’d be interested in those too.
Like many others, I’m overjoyed to hear that VoyageForum is reopening! I’ve been waiting hopefully for this, and it’s wonderful that it’s finally happening!
I just couldn’t bring myself to actively participate in other French-language travel forums—their format and way of doing things never appealed to me as much. I really hope that VF’s structure, categories, and interface won’t change too much despite the handover, because I’m very attached to them. Through thick and thin, the site has held strong—it’s amazing!
In a previous message, François mentioned that there were positions to fill ahead of the reopening, including moderators...
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this and hoping to send in my CV.
Now, after reading the latest message, it seems like the team is already fully formed. But are there still a few spots left to fill?
I’ve been a VF member for 20 years (since 2004). I’d love to contribute to this wonderful adventure as a moderator if VF would trust me with the role. If the team is open to reviewing it, I’m ready to send my CV. Could you let me know the next steps?
I’m planning a 3-week trip to Japan in May with Voyage Privé. The package includes a 5 GB eSIM, but my phone isn’t new enough to support it. VP told me I could buy a SIM card when I arrive at the airport.
Sure enough, I’ve seen online that this is possible with different providers.
I only need it for checking routes, looking up addresses, train schedules, etc.—basically using Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and similar apps. No heavy downloads or major internet use. All hotels should provide free Wi-Fi for that, right?
Has anyone got any tips for me on this? What have you tried, and how much did it cost?
Thanks for your help!
I’d like to know if you can buy reef-safe sunscreen sprays at 7-Eleven. If so, how much do they cost? We’re traveling with backpacks, so we’ll either buy 100ml here or in Thailand.
Je viens vous faire part d'une expérience fort désagréable concernant notre dernier séjour réservé chez Promoséjours et organisé par FTI.
Nous avons réservé un séjour de 8 jours/7 nuits en Egypte, du 8 au 15 juin.
Le vol initialement prévu à été modifié une semaine avant départ pour décoller à 22h de Paris CDG.
Finalement il décollera avec 1h de retard et une escale non mentionnée à Marsa Alam.
Nous avons donc atterri à 4h du matin à Hurghada pour arriver à l’hôtel à 6h du matin.
Nous avons donc passé la première nuit dans l'avion.
Pour le retour, surprise, le vol est avancé. Nous quittons donc l’hôtel à 22h30 le vendredi 14 pour décoller à 2h du matin et attérrir à 7h du matin à Paris CDG.
Nous avons donc passé la dernière nuit dans l'avion.
Après un courrier de réclamation promoséjours / FTI ils m'ont répondu que le premier et le dernier jour peuvent être consacrés au transport (chose que je savais déjà) et que peu importe le nombre de nuits réservées, on est pas obligé de les passer dans l’hôtel, ça peut aussi être dans l'avion.
Je m'interroge à ce sujet.
Est-ce qu'il n'y a pas une loi qui protège le client dans ce genre de cas?
Car si je fais le compte, le premier et une partie du deuxième jour ont été consacrés au transport, de même pour l'avant dernier et le dernier jour; Et j'ai payé 7 nuits pour un séjour qui n'en a duré que 5.
En tout cas je leur dis merci car grâce à eux et aux deux nuits blanches passées dans les transports, je rentre encore plus fatigué d'un voyage sensé m'apporter du repos!
Je mets aussi en garde ceux qui réservent par cette agence pour les visas en Egypte.
A la réservation on m'a dit que le visa était inclus dans le prix, ensuite on m'a envoyé un mail pour me dire qu'il faudrait le payer sur place à 25€.
une fois sur place on nous fait emprunter une file spéciale pour les clients FTI et là on nous fait payer 30€!
Bref ils sont doués pour vous faire profiter de vos vacances, en tout cas ils profitent bien de votre portefeuille!
Si quelqu'un a déjà rencontré ce cas de figure et obtenu gain de cause, je suis toute ouïe.
Hi there!
I’m heading to Thailand for two months.
So I thought I’d get a Thai SIM card to use Google Maps for getting around cities, mostly.
Here’s my question: will this SIM affect my apps? Or will they work the same as with my Orange SIM?
Is there any setup I need to do, or can I just pop in the Thai SIM?
I’d also like to switch back to my Orange SIM now and then while I’m in Thailand—on the same phone. Will I need to reset the phone, or will it reconnect without any issues?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Best,
Huiclos
Hi, I’d like to know where we can buy beer or wine in Chefchaouen and around Merzouga. We’ll be doing a circuit and staying at the Parador Hotel in Chefchaouen and in a bivouac in Merzouga.
Thanks for any info you can share!
Hello everyone,
I’m reaching out to all travelers and globe-trotters on this forum. I’m a teacher in Creuse working in a ULIS program (which welcomes children aged 6 to 12 with disabilities into a mainstream school). This year, I’m launching a school journal project that will involve the kids in many different topics. A big part of this journal will focus on opening up to the world, embracing differences, travel, global cultures, and more.
I’m putting out a call to invite as many of you as possible to send us a postcard (from France or anywhere in the world)! The goal is to help us "travel" and discover new places, countries, and horizons in a way that’s much more fun and exciting than a geography textbook. One section of our journal could be called "We received a letter from ," where we’d research the location and share what we learn with our readers—a really enriching activity for the classroom.
The project starts in September 2025 but doesn’t have a strict end date, since this journal and world-discovery initiative will span several school years (the kids stay in the ULIS program for multiple years). Postcards can be sent anytime—throughout the year, across seasons, even during holidays! The kids will find them when they return.
I hope this idea appeals to as many of you as possible, and that you’ll spread the word to your fellow travelers. Help us dream and explore!
For those who’d like to write to us in a language other than French, no problem—quite the opposite!
Thank you in advance for your participation! Below is our address. If you’d like us to write back, feel free to leave your address on a corner of the postcard! 😊
ULIS program students
Bonnat Elementary School
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon! 😊
Julien
🙂
Hi there! I have to leave Ivato/Antananarivo on December 16th. I have a lot of ariary that I’d like to exchange for euros since I might not be coming back to Madagascar (after this 21st trip). I think the exchange office at Ivato also buys ariary back. If any of you have seen the rate for this buyback in advance, thanks a million!
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for a website that would let me plot my travel route in advance so I can print it out. The idea is to create a map with a little “me” on a bike that my parents can move along as I progress, since I’m planning to cycle all the way to Nepal.
If any of you have done something similar or know of a good tool, I’d love to hear your tips!
Thanks in advance! 😊
I'm looking to buy an ultra-lightweight 50/55L travel backpack with a suitcase or front opening.
Does anyone have any brand and/or model recommendations?
Thanks,
Emma
Hello. We’re a retired couple heading to Sri Lanka from January to March. After the November floods, I’d like to know if we can offer hands-on help to the locals, maybe pack some clothes or other items people might need in our luggage, and who we could give them to. Thanks for any info from those on the ground.
Be careful when sailing between Somalia and northern Madagascar.
It appears to be Somali pirates who have widened their search in the Mozambique Channel, far from their usual attack zone, since, to my knowledge, there are no Malagasy pirates.
Not sure if this is the right section, but just wanted to warn future travelers...
Where’s Cape Vidal?
It’s in iSimangaliso, an independent park in KZN Wildlife, stunning and just a stone’s throw from St Lucia (KwaZulu-Natal, Maputaland).
It’s the beach spot at the end of the Eastern Shores road. You can swim, fish... but watch out for waves, currents, and sharks...
There’s a really nice game drive where you can get out of your car at certain points, especially at Cape Vidal.
That’s where the camp with bungalows and campsites is.
The vervets and samango monkeys (endemic to the area, and the males are pretty big) can be a bit of a nuisance if you’re trying to braai...
They’re super persistent and not shy at all—don’t let them intimidate you, and stay alert because their speed at snatching food is impressive.
Anyway...
I’m reporting two recent attacks by these hyenas... who were *not* in a playful mood...
The first one happened at night—a hyena tried to bite a camper’s nose off in their tent... and succeeded.
The other night, a camper returning to their tent in the early hours was violently attacked by two hyenas... and they had a close call!
So, if you’re camping there, be careful...
Measures are being taken, but for now, it’s a bit risky.
A white rental Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 carrying foreign tourists was attacked at the entrance of Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in the village of Bekopaka, western Madagascar, yesterday. So far, there’s been no response from the central government to curb these repeated armed attacks—usually between Malagasy people, but this time targeting foreign tourists.
After an engine failure in mid-2016 on a long-haul flight from BRISBANE to LYON, I developed a persistent aviophobia that I’m struggling to shake off. It’s becoming more and more of a hindrance.
Up until now, I’ve been using an avoidance strategy (for example, avoiding destinations that would require any other mode of transport than a car or train), but lately, it’s become really limiting.
I’m looking for a therapist—either in-person or via video call—who could help me get past this hurdle.
