I don’t know if this escapes Attila, but if you stuck to it, you wouldn’t write things like, among others, « would Trump have been massively elected if the campaign to take him down, discredit him, and eliminate him hadn’t been so strong?».
Words have meaning, as you regularly remind us. The American electoral system (indirect universal suffrage), as you well know, is unique and complex. While the delegate count—those who actually vote for the president—was quite significant (312 vs. 227), the popular vote, which counts in France, for example, was much closer: 77.3 million (49.8%) for Trump and 75.02 million (48.3%) for Harris. That’s a difference of 2.3 million votes (1.5% of voters).
Incidentally, the election was decided by a bandana-thin margin of 250,000 votes (0.18% of voters) in three swing states.
You called that massive?
(Figures from Wikipedia, so take them with a grain of salt, 😇)
Here, she invokes reasons and assessment factors that make no sense, quite simply
Implacable doesn’t mean incoherent in its reasoning: and honestly, whether it’s her or anyone else, this isn’t coherent.
As a citizen, you can say what you want (count your blessings—elsewhere, you’d be on the foreign agents list), but unlike the legal experts cited by Zorba and Kola, you’re simply not qualified to comment on a court decision like this. Just read your own wording.
The Massif viewed in terms of states and major voters.
If as a citizen you can say what you want (count your blessings: elsewhere you’d be on the list of foreign agents), unlike the legal experts cited by Zorba and Kola, you’re simply not qualified to comment on a court decision like this. Just read your own wording.
We’re seeing a recurring flaw in public discourse that really came to the fore in 2020: the idea that only the "professionals of the profession" can have a legitimate opinion, even on the social implications of their actions.
Legal experts judging only as legal experts, doctors unable to step outside their paradigm.
A kind of technocratic corporatism, then, which you happily promote when it suits you, but which does a lot of damage to debate and trust.
Don’t forget that democracy, in its ancient foundations, sought to escape professional judgments and kept scholars and specialists out of the realm of political and social ideas.
As E. Macron once said, back when he still knew how to be liberal: "be proud to be amateurs."
Don’t cling to the branches of the sequoia—you don’t have the agility for it.
You’re basing your analysis on images? So does my 4-year-old grandson!
I’ve noticed you place more importance on vox populi.
For the rest, you’re dodging the question, as usual.
I took a while to reply because I’ve been struggling to gather ideas that aren’t too stupid or too cliché—but these struggles only grow with the weeks. I feel like soon my thoughts will only churn out platitudes...
Indeed, I’m a "quoque" conspiracy theorist. Conspiracy-mindedness is the mark of a scientist or practitioner of any discipline who questions things. Science has always progressed through doubt. Calling someone a conspiracy theorist, to me, is the height of stupidity—a sign of blind conformity, lack of imagination, and arrogance. Let’s get to the topics you mentioned, but first, I’d like to bring up the great philosopher Caius Laïusmaximus:
"Sumpti dum est hic, apportavit legato alacrem eorum"
Let’s talk simply about the "national mainstream press." It barely exists in print anymore; it’s read online or heard on the airwaves. It’s owned by a handful of billionaires. I won’t say "they’re all corrupt"—that’s a label more fitting for politicians. The press, on the other hand, is either "the voice of its master" or "takes orders."
The alternative media I follow all rely on Patreon for funding. I doubt they receive government handouts.
Now, to the facts—and I’m sorry to contradict you: the national press is a powerful collective tool for pushing agendas. It all started with the sudden launch of a toothpaste mascot, "Mr. White Teeth": Jean Lecanuet. Just as suddenly and in perfect sync, we got the rise of Ségolène Royal, with the slogan "What if it were her?" Then, a complete unknown—Emmanuel Macron—saturated the landscape with his 50 magazine covers.
Another example of manufactured consensus is the narrative around the Ukraine war, which is said to have begun on February 23, 2022, casting the Russians as savage aggressors against peaceful Ukraine. Erased are Putin’s warnings at the Munich Conference, the Maidan coup, Victoria Nuland with her doughnuts and her "fuck the EU" moment, the Ukrainian civil war, and the Minsk agreements. The press uniformly portrays Zelensky as Churchillian, Ukraine as virtuous, and the conflict as one between the Russian Federation and Ukraine—when the reality is quite different, as seen by who’s actually at the negotiating table.
Another case of directed opinion is the COVID-19 episode. It certainly wasn’t the national press that revealed the lab-leak theory or the vaccine’s inability to stop transmission. We’re still waiting for a flood of information on this—information that will come from abroad, not from our national media.
I’m just tossing out ideas from my limited intellectual toolkit, but I can assure you that this kind of truth manipulation is the subject of very advanced studies in various organizations. The UK, in particular, is a leader in this field.
Talking to people here and there, I sense a soft consensus and a real lack of information—kind of like the U.S. population 40 years ago. What a dream to rule over the ignorant!
Finally, I have something to say about challenging your own certainties. I’ll talk about my experience soon. It was painful but incredibly liberating. That experience is probably what pushed me into conspiracy theories.
A legal expert gives a technical assessment of a court decision; and in itself, technically, the one we’re discussing is no doubt formally within the rules.
But that’s not the point.
The point is that the worst person to comment is probably the legal expert, who is steeped in a paradigm and can only offer opinions within their own system of thought, references, and benchmarks.
I’m talking about medical specialists—I’m *not* saying doctors—in 2020, because it’s exactly the same thing: specialists blinded by what matters to them, unable to take into account society, the human condition, values, religion, everything that people live by when influencing the executive on initiatives.
Specialists who played with public opinion, with fears, relying on compliant and oligarchic media; we see every day, elsewhere and here too, the cost of these mistakes and their consequences on trust in institutional speech.
Giving too much power to specialists, in law, medicine, or anything else, is harmful, and we must keep them in check when they don’t restrain themselves.
I hope what Catherine is glimpsing is wrong: the idea that the real motivation behind the decision would be to anticipate the possible election of someone who could be confirmed guilty, as a breach of public order would pose a real democratic problem.
Who is sovereign and of age in a democracy without their choices?
The people? The so-called elites?
Let’s just talk about "the great national press." It hardly exists in print anymore; it’s read in digital form or listened to on the airwaves. It’s owned by a handful of billionaires. I won’t say "they’re all corrupt"; that friendly jab applies to parliamentarians. The press, on the other hand, is either "the voice of its master" or "taking orders."
don’t you think the information fed by major media outlets leans more toward facts than real political, sociological, or economic analysis?
Despite some excellent editorials here and there.
And the thing you shouldn’t lose sight of—what a scoop, ha ha—is that as soon as an article or text doesn’t go viral, the media doesn’t make money because it’s only seen by a limited number of readers.
Moral of the story: if you want to cultivate your mind (and I’m sure you already are, no doubt about it), then you should listen to media focused on deeper themes, like France Culture, for example.
Staying informed and learning are two different things. Q.E.D.
Giving too much power to specialists—whether in law, medicine, or anything else—is harmful, and we must keep them in check when they don’t regulate themselves.
So, molecular biology, alpha-amino acids, messenger RNA—none of it holds any secrets for you now? You can explain all of this in a snap?
sudden launch of a tube of toothpaste, Mr. "White Teeth": Jean Lecanuet. With the same suddenness and synchronism, we got the launch of Ségolène Royal, with the language element "What if it were her?" Finally, a perfect unknown came to saturate the landscape in the person of Emmanuel Macron with his 50 magazine covers.
It's not quite there yet—it only works one time out of three! :
Édifices religieux : concours de photos amical d'août 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
They're really clever and they've studied the electoral landscape down to the last detail. We're gonna get fooled again. Elections = a trap, basically...
No, two out of three, because Ségolène Royal was chosen to be an easy opponent compared to Sarkozy. It’s a bit like if they picked Sandrine Rousseau or Annalena Baerbock in Germany—top-tier women politicians!
Molecular biology, alpha-amino acids, messenger RNA—none of it holds any secrets for you?
You can explain all that in the snap of a finger?
That’s not what I’m saying, even if I’m not as clueless on the subject as you might think.
Experts are meant to study and understand, but they have no legitimacy in dictating to the public what they believe the societal consequences of their knowledge should be—even less so in the form of a "scientific committee" that prescribes policy to politicians and the executive branch.
We saw some very serious actions of this kind in 2020, and what we’re discussing here about legal experts follows the same pattern.
Let me introduce you to the next President of the French Republic, but please don’t spread the word—his name is Attila, and the secret is still well kept.
- No one understands a word he says, he’ll sweep up the votes from the Résistons! supporters.
- He’s a predator, all the members of Hunting, Fishing, Nature, and Traditions will rally behind him.
- He’s a cat with blue eyes, Marine L will prefer him over Jordan B.
- He’s a sensitive being, the Animalist Party will jump on his ballot.
- He comes from diversity, he’ll seem like the ideal candidate for the LFI voters.
- He’s a female cat, he’ll appeal to feminists and deconstructed men.
- And since he’s photogenic, young, and so cute, he’ll melt the hearts of many undecided voters.
Russian and Chinese disinformation agencies will launch their campaigns as early as June 2026. TikTok, X, Instagram, and Telegram will be flooded with messages—Hanouna is in on it too.
I think he’ll get close to 65% in the first round! !
Édifices religieux : concours de photos amical d'août 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I admire your political sense ; the cat’s candidacy is tempting too, since I’m pretty lost when it comes to this early election business. Coluche’s candidacy had me pretty interested back in the day.
As for AI, I have no idea. It can’t even come up with a credible route from Mostar to Clermont-Ferrand, so there’s still work to be done to translate the super complex language that is Mi A Ou.
Édifices religieux : concours de photos amical d'août 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
The specialist is meant to study and understand, but has no legitimacy to impose on the public what they believe should be the societal consequences of their knowledge—even less so in the form of a "scientific committee" that prescribes to politicians and the executive.
I think you’ve got the "hierarchy" backwards here... and that, between the specialist and the politician, the one who "imposed" on the other isn’t necessarily the one you’re pointing at instead of showing us the moon...
...didn’t you realize that the so-called "scientific committee" only existed because the political/executive branch wanted a screen, an alibi, an excuse, a cover—a "straw man committee," if you will... to make the country accept the worst missteps we’ve endured? 😕
I think you’ve got this backwards in the "hierarchy"... and that, between the specialist and the politician, the one who "imposed" on the other isn’t necessarily the one you’re pointing at instead of showing us the moon...
... didn’t you realize that the so-called "scientific committee" only existed because the political/executive branch wanted a screen, an alibi, an excuse, a cover—a "straw man committee"—take your pick... to make the country accept the worst missteps we’ve endured? 😕
No excuses.
Accepting this role out of weakness or personal ambition was still a mistake.
Politicians in France already had zero credibility—it didn’t get any worse. But institutional scientific and medical discourse *did* have credibility. And now it’s gone.
I have the unpleasant feeling of being back 5 years ago in the not-so-good times of Voyage Forum.
To attract people, it’s a fail.
Did you really think things would be forgotten and forgiven?
That afterward, it’d be "Let’s all make up!"?
On a more positive note, I’d be happy to contribute again here on travel topics, but only rare subjects come up now—ones I usually don’t have the skills or knowledge for.
I’ve tried sharing experiences and tips, like here for example, but these stay as isolated, informative posts with no follow-up or discussion.
Got any other ideas—better ones?
I tried to share experiences and knowledge, like here for example, but these remain informative and isolated messages that go nowhere and don’t spark any discussion.
Hi there,
Your experience only covers one airport. Maybe more general info would interest people more? Reading your post, you kinda wanna say: "Okay, so what?"...
Maybe we should invite travelers to share other experiences?
But is that what you’re looking for?
Your experience only concerns one airport. Maybe some more general info would be more interesting? After reading your post, we’re left thinking: "Okay, and so?"...
Schiphol is pretty representative of a trend we’re seeing almost everywhere these days with the new security filter operations—except in France, which has fallen behind in modernizing this area.
Boarding via gates that scan the boarding pass without document checks has also become really common, and I haven’t seen a European airport that isn’t doing this for a while now.
if you want some travel impressions, here you go: and if you can avoid Schiphol or London Heathrow, you’ll be better off.
These airports are a bit of a pain.
Try Changi Airport in Singapore—it’s really the most beautiful in the world.
I find it shocking, even quite serious.
In my opinion, the justice system shouldn’t interfere or interpolate like this as a precaution or in anticipation of voters' potential choices.
The people are sovereign.
A choice must be made.
The fundamental alternative is the Berlusconi model in Italy, Netanyahu’s Israel, Trump’s USA... Rushing headlong, with urgency, to take refuge in the immunity granted by democratic preference. Even a scoundrel anointed by your people—which is a very abstract entity, nonexistent in reality—let’s say by a majority of voting citizens, remains a scoundrel. It’s fascinating, by the way, to see how the absolute power this grants them intoxicates and galvanizes them, to the point of caricaturing themselves. Objectively, it’s a captivating spectacle, that of this kind of individual.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
What would Machiavelli have thought about that?
You see justice as the guarantor of virtue, like a moral and superior overseer, an arbiter tasked with judging who is or isn’t a scoundrel?
Who do you see in the European political sphere as a model of virtue without being the secular arm of puritanism?
« 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
Thanks, I tried to match your level. Breaking down complex ideas or summarizing them isn’t easy.
Anyway, in your opinion—where are they now, and what are they doing? Will the old VF crew ever come back?
« 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
every weekend, the Gulf monarchies lend us hundreds of millions to balance our banks' books—otherwise, one fine Monday morning, we'd wake up to some very big surprises.
I'd really like to know where you got this information...
French banks are the ones with the largest market capitalizations in the world.
BNP Paribas alone has over 3,000 billion euros in assets, so there’s plenty of room.
And debt is actually considered a financial asset in accounting.
The problem arises if the debtor can’t meet their repayment deadlines.
Contrary to what people think and the common misconceptions, the French banking system is very solid.
Don’t listen to those doing "French bashing" in YouTube videos—they’re just pushing a liberal lobbying agenda.
And you’re forgetting the Silicon Valley Bank case, the Credit Suisse affair, and the Chinese real estate developer Evergrande, which went bankrupt—so financial risks aren’t unique to the French economy.
Assuming YouTube is my source of information isn’t exactly a compliment, but no worries. Meanwhile, I notice quite a few people seem to get their info from *Picsou Magazine*.
No big deal—at the rate things are going, soon nobody will know how to read anyway, and all these problems will fade away. 😎
« 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 need to contact Jean-Pierre Chevallier, a business economist.
Alright, but this big bank has a lot of assets, doesn’t it?
After that, if there’s any accounting misconduct, either Bercy or the Financial Markets Authority might step in and sue BNP.
Okay, but what should be done, and what do you want to do?
Put the bank’s employees and management in prison?
Alright, but on one hand, Saudi state-owned Aramco has a smaller market cap than BNP Paribas.
Plus, we can’t read the full article—it’s for subscribers only.
And besides, BNP Paribas isn’t the only European bank; there are others, after all.
I notice quite a few people get their sources from Picsou Magazine.
That’s not very nice, I think.
You’re basically saying I have the logic and reasoning of a middle schooler, and I’ll take that.
But in case you have no accounting logic, I see a problem coming: you’ve got a hole in the bank’s accounts and a urgent call from your advisor.
I obviously don’t wish that on anyone 😉
« 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
Every weekend, the Gulf monarchies lend us hundreds of millions to balance our banks' books—otherwise, one fine Monday morning, we’d wake up to some very big surprises.
I’d love to know where you got this information...
French banks are among those with the largest market capitalizations in the world.
Take BNP Paribas, for example—it has over 3,000 billion in assets, so there’s plenty of wiggle room.
And debt is actually counted as a financial asset in accounting.
The problem arises if the debtor can’t meet their repayment deadlines.
Contrary to what people think and the common misconceptions, the French banking system is very solid.
Don’t listen to those doing "French bashing" in YouTube videos—they’re just pushing a liberal lobbying agenda.
And you’re forgetting the Silicon Valley Bank case, the Credit Suisse affair, and the Chinese real estate developer Evergrande, which went bankrupt—so financial risks aren’t unique to the French economy.
Be careful with a bank’s balance sheet: in the assets column, there are doubtful receivables that will eventually need to be provisioned to acknowledge that some are unrecoverable.
Above all, you have to look at the off-balance-sheet items, which I believe include commitments related to derivative products. A few years ago, I noticed that Deutsche Bank’s commitments were several times Germany’s GDP.
Otherwise, I think it’s the state that borrows from the Gulf countries. If they’re understanding with us, it’s our turn to be understanding with them—like giving the Qatari sultan a preferential tax regime or not being too strict about the hijab or issues related to Islam in France. The same thing happens with the U.S., which asks us to buy Treasury bonds.
The time for "French bashing" is over—it’s time to realize that our financial situation is extremely serious and that our economy is MECHANICALLY heading for disaster. Next year, will we have an interest burden of 100 billion? That’s impossible to pay unless...
I hope you’ve read *Uncle Scrooge Magazine* and followed Uncle Scrooge’s advice: gold bought by all central banks has seen its price soar. Some expect it to triple again. It’s no longer being manipulated by short selling and seems to be a safe haven for USD holders—a fiat currency. "Fiat" means trust, but what if that trust disappears?
In the assets column, there are doubtful receivables that will one day need to be provisioned to acknowledge that some are unrecoverable.
Uh, don’t say that to me, with all due respect.
I’m just a long-term Sunday traveler, not a bank director, ha ha.
But when it comes to doubtful receivables, do you dare say that the accounting of a major bank is overvalued? The answer is certainly contained in the question.
And that our economy is MECHANICALLY heading for a crash: will we have an interest charge of 100 billion next year?
I was sure someone would bring up France’s public debt.
But it’s the perfect example of a non-issue ;)
Because it costs the French government’s public finances nothing, zilch.
Since the public sector has golden geese like highway concessions, railways, etc...
Just the right to use highways, paid by motorists, brings in billions every year to the state’s coffers. So, since small streams make big rivers, a revenue stream plus another revenue stream eventually cancels out the debt charge.
QED
It’s impossible to pay unless......
By "unless," should we understand IMF intervention? That’s unfortunate because France is a contributor to the IMF’s budget.
Villepin sold off highway concessions; toll revenues end up in private pockets.
"It's impossible unless"... the State dips into your pockets to help itself. That would only be a short-term fix because the deficit keeps growing mechanically if nothing is done.
France’s economic situation is catastrophic despite having the "Mozart of finance" at the helm. You’ll see for yourselves in 2026-27.
Otherwise, in your opinion, where are they and what are they doing?
I’ve already shared my thoughts on this topic, here and elsewhere. Some are on a neighboring forum that’s starting to claim it’s the top French-speaking one. They talk about... travel there.
Will the old VF members come back?
Maybe when you start causing trouble over there. (You can totally return the compliment 😎)
Thanks, I tried to match your level.
Your message was aimed at Zorba. To reach me, you’ll have to aim lower (I know you can) or higher.
Simplifying complex ideas or summarizing them, if you prefer, isn’t easy.
And it seems like an impossible task when the “ideas” themselves aren’t well understood.
If you don’t like the *gloubi-boulga*, try *salmigondis*—it’s the same ingredients. And from those ingredients, I’ll highlight this spice:
That’s why it’s pointless to hope for a dialogue with opponents, especially since some seem quite out of touch based on the style and substance of their replies.
To me, it’s the women who’ve dominated recent debates here—is it because they’re out of touch, or is there something else going on?
@ Kola
... gloubi-boulga that shifts or expands the Overton window.
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Je trouve un peu dommage que bon nombre de membres de ce forum critique le tourisme de masse qu'il faut à tout prix éviter pour des raisons qui ne sont pas…
Bonjour à tous et à toutes qui se retrouvent sur ce forum !
Je sais d’avance que ce que je vais dire ici ne va pas plaire à tout le monde, mais la franchise est une qualité, n‘est-ce pas ?
Voilà, cela fait moultes années que je retrouve une manie dans les postes francophones de plaquer des abréviations à tout bout de champ, comme une manière de montrer qu‘on est ‘introduit dans le sujet‘. Je m‘explique en donnant quelques exemples :
- - Dans des discussions sur le Pérou, je trouve ‘Aguas‘ pour ‘Aguas Calientes‘. Et s‘il s‘agit du Mexique, allez, ce sera ‘Aguas‘ pour ‘Aguascalientes‘ !
- - Pour le Guatemala, les ‘voyageurs‘ diront ‘Guaté‘ . Allez donc, dire ‘Guatemalas‘, ce serait peut-être le signe indiscutable de ne rien y connaitre sur le pays en question ???
- - De retour de l‘Indonésie, beaucoup diront à quel degré ils se sont familiarisés avec la langue du pays : le ‘bahasa‘. Bien sur, tout un chacun saura de quoi on parle, mais ça me hérisse tout de même, car la langue (l‘une des multiples langues) de l‘Indonésie, c‘est le ‘bahasa Indonesia‘. ‘Bahasa‘ veut d‘ailleurs dire ‘langue‘, et on retrouve ce mot d’origine Indienne ‘Bhāṣā‘ (c‘est du sanskrit au départ) ailleurs qu‘en Indonésie : en Thaïlande par exemple, toute langue sera ‘phasǎa‘ comme dans ‘phasǎa thaï‘ (le Thai officiel), ‘phasǎa iisǎan‘ (ce qu‘on parle dans le nord-est de la Thaïlande, ‘phasǎa angkrit‘ = l‘Anglais etc.
Suis-je un incorrigible pinailleur ? Peut-être. Mais je trouverais ridicule également si un étranger venait me dire qu‘il/elle a visité ‘Monte‘ pendant son voyage en France, cela ayant été Monte Carlo.
Je lis beaucoup en Anglais et je ne crois pas avoir rencontré une telle manie chez les anglophones.
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
This is my 15,000th post, and it's a message I would have preferred never to write.
Patrick—Yangguizi—won’t be returning from his trek in Uganda. His health betrayed him in the mountains.
Like many of you, I laughed until I couldn’t anymore at his travel stories. I met him in Shanghai, then in Istanbul... We scoured restaurants—he was an incredible expert on world cuisines. We relived Korea, China. Always brilliant, so sharp, so funny, so down-to-earth. Being even a little bit his friend was something to be proud of. I think I envied him.
Patrick is still out there, of course...
He found his happiness running across the world. He’s on his path. He never doubted that "the traveler doesn’t even know if he’ll return one day."
Not sure this would’ve suited him, but his departure devastates me.
Alright,
Farewell, you foreign devil. Safe travels.
hello to all travelers with their eyes wide open to the desert...
I’ve always wondered what I was "doing" on this earth. And why my father, who died a few months after I was born—a former youngest French resistance fighter—joined the First Saharan Motorized Company in Atar and spent the rest of his life repairing army engines in Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali (which didn’t exist under that name back then), Morocco, and finally Algeria, where my mother was born and raised. (Believe me, it’s not "cool" being the child of a soldier in a country occupied by France, and even less so the child of a "pied-noir.")
Of course, I never got an answer: the dead don’t talk, and the army doesn’t either.
But here’s the thing—I had photos...
So naturally, one day I hit the road. I wanted to see, to understand.
It’s thanks to VF that I was able to do a little research on crossing the Morocco-Mauritania border, and I’m grateful to its members, just as I’m grateful to all those who welcomed me on the road for 14 years.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wondering if I should talk about this or not...
It turns out the Mauritanians changed my life by asking for my help... And that started as early as February 2012... (Did I owe them something? No answer to that question.)
Ah, the irony—they saw me coming. But when you’re handed sick children and begged to do something, what would you have done? I’d worked in a hospital, so I knew a bit about the rules to follow. I didn’t hesitate.
And well, over all these years, I met doctors, surgeons, and together we organized care, evacuations of children, training for surgeons—even trying to stop children from having to travel outside their country. It was never easy. I’d like to thank those who supported us, as well as *La Chaîne de l’Espoir*, *La Fondation Face au Monde*, and everyone who built bridges between our two countries.
Unfortunately, despite the constant efforts of Mauritanian doctors and surgeons, some children couldn’t be helped in time. Today, I want to talk about four siblings—orphans of their mother—suffering from congenital glaucoma causing irreversible blindness. Their case was entrusted to me in 2020, just weeks before the big lockdown. We couldn’t do anything for them then, but when their father asked me for a gift, I rushed to my computer and wrote a story.
Through a tale, the children take a great journey, explore their country, and fulfill a dream. I never thought this book would be published—it was, in 2023.
This book pays tribute to Mauritania. It’s a message for those who know nothing about the hardships of life there, carrying both the harshness and beauty of an immense desert where you can travel by 4x4, bike, on foot, or by camel in complete safety. It bears witness to the kindness of Mauritanians toward travelers.
As a woman traveling alone in my vehicle—a now-rusted old Mercedes that no longer runs—I had the most beautiful encounters of my life there (I’ve seen other parts of the world...). The blind children of Choum, Atar, Nouadhibou, and Nouakchott will forever be in my heart.
Volunteer readers transcribed the book into a free audio version for the visually impaired. It’s available in sound libraries in France, the *Fondation Valentin Haüy*, and the Swiss Romande library.
I made my last trip to Mauritania in my old 4x4 to distribute the book everywhere, especially to its heroes and the school for the visually impaired in Nouakchott.
After that, I thought it was time to close the chapter because I no longer have the means or the strength to travel.
My publishers chose this title for it: *The Blue Eyes of the Desert*.
This publication helped a mission of Swiss volunteer ophthalmologists come to operate on glaucomas in Mauritania. I’m thrilled because they come back every year!
This adventure is ending, yes—everything must come to an end—but ultimately, it was born here, on the VF site!! So yes, I had to say it: THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi everyone,
I’m Loulou, a French expat who’s been living in Southeast Asia for about fifteen years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A passionate walker at heart, I’ve trekked in Nepal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), India, Vietnam, and I’m still planning new hikes (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
I’ve just published my first travel journal, recounting three months of walking and encounters across India. A portion of the sales goes to an educational center I support in Kep, for children whose parents work in the salt marshes.
I’m also working on a second book about Nepal with a musician friend, focusing on the Mardi Himal trek—two independent perspectives on the same journey.
Happy to swap stories with you about the Himalayas, India, Southeast Asia, or just the urge to hit the road and walk far from home.
Safe travels,
Loulou
Hi! It was totally by chance that I stumbled upon VoyageForum (an ad online and a story lol), and I’ve been reading some really old posts from 2011 about Thai massage schools—discussions on how to get by, accommodation, prices, etc. It reminded me of my own experience: I kept things simple by staying with a local family during my entire trip. I only shared all the expenses with them, which, I’ll admit, was super cheap… and I often traveled with them, which naturally opened a lot of doors for me. To start, at the school in Salaya, my Thai friend immediately connected me with Teacher Phong (the school’s mentor and teacher of teachers, a former monk). I was supposed to join a group session with other foreigners, but for some reason I don’t know, I got two days of private lessons for free with this expert… incredible! And on top of that, he loved France! It was an amazing experience. I "discovered" massage by chance—the Thai family just told me: "Try it, you’ll see!" (I’d had a pretty intense massage in the capital before 😅… but the next day, I felt unbelievably great!))
Every morning, I’d take a taxi (chosen by the Thai family at prices that beat all the competition) to this school—I’ve forgotten the name of the little village now… right in the heart of the countryside. Then, in the evenings, I’d keep practicing massage on all the family members… and they’d teach me Thai at the same time!))
Since then, I’ve practiced a bit, with lots of positive feedback. Following Teacher Phong’s advice—he thought my pressure was deep, firm, and precise—he strongly encouraged me to take this seriously.
I love Thailand so much. It’s a whole different way of living… and it’s a real blessing, even if I couldn’t live there full-time. Anyway, that was an unforgettable memory, and sometimes the Thai family and I still say hi—from 2011, 2013… right up to today!
"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.
, but these remain informative and isolated messages that go nowhere and don’t spark any discussion.
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