Aller a Damas, ca n' expose pas a grand-chose, les gens s' en font une idee un peu exaggeree .... en toute honnetete. Pour avoir vecu 6 ans en Syrie (1995-2001) et y etre retourne 2 fois depuis (derniere fois: aujourd' hui-meme!), je peux dire que c' est un pays bien plus tranquille qu' on l' imagine, en tout cas pour les quidams comme moi, et toi peut-etre? 😉 Aller en Afghanistan, ou meme au Pakistan, la je me poserais des questions, de nos jours, c' est sur! 🤪
Salut à toi Williama...
La question est vaste.....Perso je dirais:
1)Une nuit dans un Motel paumé aux portes de Deathvalley (USA) où y'avait que 6 chambres, pas de clim...et un patron originaire de Saumur! On a passé la nuit à deviser ( trop chaud pour dormir...) assis sur le perron avec les autres voyageurs en regardant voler les chauves souris....Le lendemain, à peine 4h de route, débarquer en se prenant une baffe à Las Vegas où tout n'est que buit, superficialité et démesure....
2) Une escapade aux Galàpagos: en discutant avec les locaux, la chance de dégotter un bateau " pour nous tous seuls" avec capitaine, cuisinier et guide animalier, et qui nous emmène loin, ailleurs que là où vont tous les touristes ce jour-là... arriver dans une petite crique paradisiaque où se trouve une nurserie de phoques. Observer la flore et la faune. Retourner au bateau et déguster, assis à même le pont du bateau, un poisson si frais pêché et apprété tellement sans chichis que ca fout les larmes aux yeux...
3) Toujours aux Galàpagos: partir plonger...croiser des requins marteaux, des tortues.... puis s'ébahir devant une superbe raie manta de 3m d'envergure qui passe en "volant" devant nous....si près...à en oublier de respirer dans le détendeur! A être presque frustrée de ne pouvoir dire: "eh! t'as vu? " à ses compagnons de palanquée et pour cause...
4) Le Cousimbert dans les Préalpes Fribourgeoises. M'assoir tout là-haut....contempler la ville au loin, entendre les sonailles des vaches, respirer l'odeur du foin qu'un paysan du chalet d'alpage tout proche a fauché et mis à sécher sur une pente...apporter à l'armailli du beurre, de la tresse, et de petites choses pour améliorer son ordinaire...partager une soupe avec lui en devisant sur la montagne...puis redescendre par la forêt en ramassant des fraises des bois...voir des voitures s'arrêter, les chauffeur demander s'ils peuvent vous conduire quelques part et pouvoir répondre "non" avec un grand sourire.
5) Les bords de la Sarine, la rivière qui traverse ma ville se trouve un monastère construit vers 1400. Sur ses berges, hors du temps, partir fureter dans les bois à la recherche de morilles...et en trouver!
6) me lever tous les matins et prendre 5 minutes à ne rien faire d'autre qu'à admirer les montagnes, écouter les oiseaux qui chantent dans la haie toute proche...
7) Canyon de Chelly( USA) à cheval avec un guide indien qui me fait découvrir des peintures et des cavernes, on se fait surprendre par un monstre orage et on rentre à bride abattue, trempés, heureux...
8) Malaisie: loger sur une ile si petite qu'il n'y a que la jungle, un hôtel et la plage... du sable si blanc et si fin qu'on dirait de la farine...sous l'eau une myriade de poissons de toutes tailles et de toutes couleurs...un goût de paradis!
9) Me retrouver en Guadeloupe à faire une nocée mémorable et imprévue avec Mimi, une dame qui tient un bistrot au Moule, et à qui je devais remettre des photos de la part d'une compatriote. M'accueille en me disant: " Salut ma chérie! comment tu vas? ca fait longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas vues" alors qu'on ne s'était jamais rencontrées auparavant !
10) Au milieu de la jungle en Equateur, passer des heures à palabrer avec une dame chez qui on s'est arrêté pour boire un pot, et qui n'en revient pas de la couleur de nos yeux bleus ....échange intéressant sur nos styles de vie...
11) rencontrer une mendiante très âgée aux abords de la Sagrada Familia /Barcelone: échanger avec elle en oubliant tout autour de nous. Vrai moment d'humanité, de sagesse, richesses insoupconnées chez cette femme que beaucoup méprisent ou ne voient pas....
Et puis tant, tant d'autres.... suffit pas de voir! Juste REGARDER et tout devient sujet à l'émerveillement, que ce soit en bas de chez nous ou aux antipodes
Bref....c'est gravé!
Cordialement
PS : vous qui donnez des lieux précis, mettez une ptite photo svp
Un voyage de mille lis a commencé par un pas. (Lao-Tseu ; 1 lis=ancienne mesure chinoise équivalente a 576m définie des la dynastie Qin, mais qui variait selon la région et l'époque, valeur actuelle 500m, le li est une mesure coréenne d'environ 3920m)
pour les pti curieux!!! le chien subliminaleeu
Un endroit associé à un moment : quelque part dans une forêt, vivre le moment intense et fugace de "l'heure bleue", ces quelques minutes que l'on ne peut vivre en forêt que si le vent est nul, pour qu'il ne fasse pas de bruit dans les feuillages, un peu avant le lever du jour, ces quelques fractions de temps silencieux entre le moment où les oiseaux de nuit se taisent et le moment ou le premier oiseau de jour lance son chant ...........................
Je ne l'ai vécu qu'une seule fois. Mais ce fut un grand moment, de ceux qui vous retournent réellement !
DUR, très dur, pour moi tout ce que j'ai vu, je l'ai aimé à 100% j'ai adoré, la vallée de la mort avec scottish vallée, les fjords norvégiens, le soleil de minuit en laponie, temples au mexique, cuernavaca, cozumel, rome, istambul, san diégo, carmel et pour finir EVIAN (j'adore) le lac et ses montagnes mais voilà, pour mon prochain voyage je dois partir en décembre avec mes enfants qui sont bien grands mais ou aller pour contenter tout le monde !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,
être toujours positive afin d'avancer dans la vie!!!!!!!!!!!!!
quelque soit la beauté exceptionnelle des endroits visités (il est relativement facile si tu le veux de te faire cette liste personnelle qui variera selon les voyageurs qui te répondront), ces endroits représentent souvent une prison pour les gens locaux. On se rend vite compte qu'il n'y a pas de paradis sur terre.
D'autre part, la vrai exception, le vrai bonheur, se trouve dans les yeux des enfants, surtout ceux qui n'ont rien d'autres à offrir que leur sourires. Il vaut la peine de voyager rien que pour cela.
Gilnado disait: "D'autre part, la vrai exception, le vrai bonheur, se trouve dans les yeux des enfants, surtout ceux qui n'ont rien d'autres à offrir que leur sourires. Il vaut la peine de voyager rien que pour cela. "
Ouais...mais quand même! Fi d'angélisme, il ne faudrait peut-être pas oublier ces enfants de Roumanie, de Colombie ou d'ailleurs...
120 millions c’est le chiffre estimé aujourd’hui par des études conjointes du BIT (Bureau international du Travail) et l’UNICEF du nombre d’enfants qui vivent dans la rue, la moitié de ces enfants vit dans le continent sud-américain et 30 millions en Asie.
Les enfants des rues ont entre 5 et 16 ans, mais il est courant d’en rencontrer qui ont à peine 3 ou 4 ans aux côtés de frères plus âgés qui assurent leur protection. Meurtris par les intempéries, les privations, le dénuement, les maladies, les accidents et l’indifférence. A cela s’ajoutent la précarité, la violence, les sévices sexuels, la loi du plus fort qui les exposent aux rencontres et influences les plus nuisibles.
Des petites filles sont sollicitées sexuellement dès leur plus jeune âge et finissent par se prostituer. Dans la plupart des pays, la prostitution des filles et des garçons se banalise et constitue une source de revenus pour les enfants.
Enfin la plupart des enfants des rues connaissent la drogue, même les plus petits. En fonction du pays ils consomment la coca, la marijuana, les déchets de cocaïne (bazoca), le cacao sabanico dont les pépins sont hallucinogènes ou encore des mélanges tel que le pipo en Colombie ( mélange de lait, d’alcool local et d’essence).
Mais la vraie drogue des pauvres la plus répandue est la colle de cordonnier. Ils la versent dans un sac en plastique avant de la respirer. Il arrive également que faute de colle, les enfants débouchent les réservoirs d’essence des voitures pour en inhaler les vapeurs. Dans les pays industrialisés ce sont le crack et l’extasie qui font le plus de ravages. Les enfants des rues rencontrent des dangers et des dérives qui leurs sont souvent fatals.
Ils sont meurtris par les intempéries, les privations, le dénuement, les maladies, les accidents et l’indifférence. A cela s’ajoutent la précarité, la violence, les sévices sexuels, la loi du plus fort qui les exposent aux rencontres et influences les plus nuisibles.
Les petites filles sont sollicitées sexuellement dès leur plus jeune âge et finissent par se prostituer. D’ailleurs, dans la plupart des pays, la prostitution des filles et des garçons se banalise et constitue une source de revenus pour les enfants.
Enfin la plupart des enfants des rues connaissent la drogue, même les plus petits. En fonction du pays ils consomment la coca, la marijuana, les déchets de cocaïne (bazoca), le cacao sabanico dont les pépins sont hallucinogènes ou encore des mélanges tel que le pipo en Colombie ( mélange de lait, d’alcool local et d’essence).
Mais la vraie drogue des pauvres la plus répandue est la colle de cordonnier. On la verse dans un sac en plastique avant de la respirer. Il arrive également que faute de colle, les enfants débouchent les réservoirs d’essence des voitures pour en inhaler les vapeurs. Dans les pays industrialisés ce sont le crack et l’extasy qui font le plus de ravages.( source www.droitsenfant.com/rue.htm )
Ces enfants des rues ne savent souvent même plus comment sourire 😕...! Car on leur a volé leur enfance et leur innocence. Là réside le vrai scandale!
Amicalement
Athénaïs, les pieds sur terre, le coeur sur la main et la tête dans les étoiles!
ce que tu as probablement vu (ou lu), ce que tu décris si bien, je l'ai vu et vécu durement. Ces situations existent dans les pays pauvres et de facon différente, chez nous aussi. Il y a le pire et le mieux dans tous les pays, dans toute société, je dirais dans pratiquement tout être humain.
Mais qu'est-ce qui te pousse à voyager, quels endroits sublimes peux-tu référer notre correspondant? Le Tibet, le Népal, les chutes Victoria, la baie de Halong, la rivière Li dans le sud de la Chine? Un endroit physique quelconque? Qu'est ce qui différentie le Népal, du Tibet, des Andes, des Pyrénées sinon les gens qui y vivent et leurs coutumes. C'est avant tout ca les voyages, les sociétés et leurs moeurs. Et cela, dans plusieurs pays, ca inclut des choses difficile à voir, à vivre.
Après avoir connu la pauvreté de l'Afrique, celle de l'Asie du sud-est, de l'Asie du Sud, je reviens de la Chine (nord-ouest) et de la région de Guilin (sud de la Chine) et ce dernier endroit est justement un de ces endroits sublimes. Je me suis promené dans la campagne "sublime" pour rencontrer et parler à des paysans dont des jeunes étudiants. Ils ne voient pas la "beauté subliminale" que j'aie vue; ils voient le labeur quotidien, la sueur de l'effort physique, le peu de valeur qu'on donne à leurs produits. Ils se sentent esclaves de leur vie de pauvreté. Ils n'ont pas les moyens de partir. C'est pourquoi je dis qu'il n'y a pas de paradis sur terre. Il y a des endroits sublimes selon les perceptions de chacun, mais pas de paradis.
Nous avons le choix de voyager et de ne voir que la subliminité des lieux sans tenir compte de ceux qui y vivent et de leur condition et parfois, de leur détresse. Mais dans toute détresse, toute aussi réelle qu'elle existe, il y a toujours un souffle espoir et il n'est jamais aussi bien exprimé que par le regard de l'enfant.
La prochaine fois que tu les verras ces enfants abusés, interviens, montre leur qu'il existe d'autres modèles d'êtres humains sur terre même si tu es incapable de changer leur avenir de facon tangible autant que tu le voudrais. Oui, je sais, tu ne peux aider que quelques enfants dans une multitude, mais ce sera déjà cà de fait. Si tu as peur de te faire avoir, que quelques uns de ces enfants soient poussés par un adulte, ne leur donne pas d'argent mais accepte de partager ton repas, d'acheter une paire de sandales pour un enfant qui n'en a pas, une nouvelle pièce de vêtement pour remplacer des vêtements trop usés. Le sourire que tu récolteras vaudra à lui seul toute la subliminité des lieux.
Toi tu le sais que voyager pour se contenter des endroits sublimes, c'est passer à côté de l'essentiel. Et tu le sais que de voir cette détresse sans intervenir dans les limites de ses capacités, c'est un abandon de plus.
Oui au tourisme, aux voyages, mais oui avant tout à l'humanité dans nos voyages. Juste pour compenser un peu l'inhumanité de trop de gens. Je suis toujours étonné lorsque des touristes (souvent Francais) me disent qu'ils n'ont pas aimé le Cambodge car il y a trop de pauvres et que ca les empêche de jouir de leur voyage. Mais ils n'ont pas remarqué la beauté dans le regard des petits cambodgiens. Malgré que la plupart des cambodgiens sont réellement très pauvres, il n'y a pas un peuple au monde qui aspire à vivre autant qu'eux. Il a vécu l'enfer. Maintenant, c'est un peuple jeune qui veut parler, danser, chanter, vivre quoi, montrer qu'il a survécu. Mais pour le comprendre, il faut s'en approcher, lui parler, le toucher d'une facon ou d'une autre. Je suis sérieux quand je dis que la vraie subliminité du voyage, ce sont les personnes et non les montagnes et les rivières. Et parmi les personnes, ce sont surtout les enfants pour leur vérité.
Angélisme?? peut-être! Moi, je dirais simplement "humanisme".
Ginaldo😉
Bienvenue dans mon club! Ta réaction est très belle!
Cela dit, je considère qu'un pays et/ou ses habitants ont chacun leur charmes repsectifs...Difficile à expliquer, mais en donnant un exemple concret et vécu qui me fait préférer parfois des endroits déserts:
Nous séjournions sur une ile minuscule en Malaisie au large du Terrengganu...La jungle, l'hôtel, la plage et la mer....rien de plus. Hors, un lundi matin, nous vîmes, accosté au ponton, un bateau...et au large un paquebot de croisière. Du petit bateau qui venait d'arriver sont déscendus des flots de japonais ( peuple adorable, mais ayant peu d'éthique lorsqu'ils sont en voyage...) qui nous ont squatté la plage jusqu'à une heure avancée de l'après midi.... Ils ont débarqué avec leurs grosses stéréos, ca beuglait de tous côtés, ils traitaient les insulaires comme de vulgaires larbins, les filles se maquillaient et se vernissaient les ongles sous un parasol alors que les plus téméraires (une grosse majorité des asiatiques ne savent pas nager...) s'aventuraient dans l'eau avec une magnifique chambre à air autour de la taille...En fait ils ressortaient de l'eau avec de gros morceaux de corail, bref, du gros n'importe quoi!
Choqués, nous leur avons demandé ce qu'il comptaient faire des coraux qu'il ramassaient:ils ont répondu qu'ils les destinaient a la décoration de leurs jardins!!! 🤪 EUX trouvaient peut-être ca "sublime"...Je te dis pas ma colère( rentrée) devant ce saccage!
Ce jour-là je ne me suis pas sentie humaniste pour deux sous...plutôt bien mal de faire partie de cette humanité-là... Tant de mépris pour les gens et les choses, tant de superficialité, j'en ai été écoeurée!
Heureusement, cela n'a duré qu'un jour. Et ce fut une belle preuve de l'"humanisme" respectueux de certains.
Cela dénote en fait le même manque de savoir-être que ces " naïades" qui se baladent quasi- dénudées dans des soukhs " sublimes" en Tunisie, ou que des" longs-nez" qui se donnent en spectacle en s'engueulant en pleine rue quelque part en Chine.
Et dans ces cas là, je préfère encore la seule nature (très égoïstement) plutôt que de la " partager" avec des gens qui ne voient rien, qui n'écoutent que leur ego consumeriste et se fichent du reste comme de leurs premières tongs!
Et là....vous et moi, nous nous rejoignons ( je pense) totalement!
Amicalement
je détourne souvent mon regard de la bêtise humaine pour me réfugier dans la pure comtemplation de la "subliminité", de la magnificence et la puissance de la nature. En réponse au correspondant qui a demandé des sites sublimes, on pourrait facilement lui en donner une liste en fait. D'ailleurs, on devrait peut être...
En ce qui concerne les incivilités, malheureusement, il n'y a pas un seul peuple à l'abri de la bêtise surtout quand les gens sont à l'extérieur de leur pays alors qu'ils se croient tout permis. Bizarrement, chacun des peuples estime ses propres valeurs et coutumes comme meilleures, plus civilisées que celles des autres, surtout celles des autochtones des pays visités. J'ai vu des horreurs par des "longs nez" comme tu les appelles qui m'ont fait rougir et ... réagir.
Plusieurs personnes ne comprennent pas que je revienne toujours de voyage rempli de bonheur. Pourtant, ce n'est pas faute d'avoir vu des horreurs. Mais les horreurs, elles nous sautent à la face alors que les belles choses, il faut les dévouvrir et surtout, être capable de les apprécier. Ca demande de faire un petit effort, celui de se mettre dans les souliers des gens locaux, de voir avec leurs yeux. Quand on réussit à faire cela, on en vient à respecter leur manière de vivre mais si au premier abord, elles nous agressent. Et si on n'est pas capable de cela, vaut mieux rester chez nous dans nos affaires, le nez collé sur notre miroir.
Mais ces gens incapables, ils ne sont pas membres de ce club, j'imagine...
- -je rêve de voyages, mais pourquoi rêvons nous de voyages en réalité??je rêve d'entrevoir cette horizon lointain qui chevauche depuis des années l'iréel de…
On va tous crever et brutalement comme les dinosaures en leur temps, c'est imminent! La planète se réchauffe à cause des gaz à effet de serre! La population…
Moi qui ai toujours eu d'énormes fourmis dans les jambes, voilà qu'elles sont parties en voyage, sans moi... Un peu de sitar en zik de fond, les oiseaux…
Un mois en Nouvelle Zélande, la gentillesse des gens, le respect, la propreté, un sentiement énorme de sécurité, l'amour de la nature, les éléphants de mer,…
vu la discussion sur l'Inde je n'ai pas choisi le bon titre...) Dans quelques jours. Je vais quitter le Perou pour descendre les marches du continent et me…
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!
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
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
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Les enfants des rues ont entre 5 et 16 ans, mais il est courant d’en rencontrer qui ont à peine 3 ou 4 ans aux côtés de frères plus âgés qui assurent leur protection. Meurtris par les intempéries, les privations, le dénuement, les maladies, les accidents et l’indifférence. A cela s’ajoutent la précarité, la violence, les sévices sexuels, la loi du plus fort qui les exposent aux rencontres et influences les plus nuisibles.
Des petites filles sont sollicitées sexuellement dès leur plus jeune âge et finissent par se prostituer. Dans la plupart des pays, la prostitution des filles et des garçons se banalise et constitue une source de revenus pour les enfants.
Enfin la plupart des enfants des rues connaissent la drogue, même les plus petits. En fonction du pays ils consomment la coca, la marijuana, les déchets de cocaïne (bazoca), le cacao sabanico dont les pépins sont hallucinogènes ou encore des mélanges tel que le pipo en Colombie ( mélange de lait, d’alcool local et d’essence).
Mais la vraie drogue des pauvres la plus répandue est la colle de cordonnier. Ils la versent dans un sac en plastique avant de la respirer. Il arrive également que faute de colle, les enfants débouchent les réservoirs d’essence des voitures pour en inhaler les vapeurs. Dans les pays industrialisés ce sont le crack et l’extasie qui font le plus de ravages. Les enfants des rues rencontrent des dangers et des dérives qui leurs sont souvent fatals.
Ils sont meurtris par les intempéries, les privations, le dénuement, les maladies, les accidents et l’indifférence. A cela s’ajoutent la précarité, la violence, les sévices sexuels, la loi du plus fort qui les exposent aux rencontres et influences les plus nuisibles.
Les petites filles sont sollicitées sexuellement dès leur plus jeune âge et finissent par se prostituer. D’ailleurs, dans la plupart des pays, la prostitution des filles et des garçons se banalise et constitue une source de revenus pour les enfants.
Enfin la plupart des enfants des rues connaissent la drogue, même les plus petits. En fonction du pays ils consomment la coca, la marijuana, les déchets de cocaïne (bazoca), le cacao sabanico dont les pépins sont hallucinogènes ou encore des mélanges tel que le pipo en Colombie ( mélange de lait, d’alcool local et d’essence).
Mais la vraie drogue des pauvres la plus répandue est la colle de cordonnier. On la verse dans un sac en plastique avant de la respirer. Il arrive également que faute de colle, les enfants débouchent les réservoirs d’essence des voitures pour en inhaler les vapeurs. Dans les pays industrialisés ce sont le crack et l’extasy qui font le plus de ravages.( source www.droitsenfant.com/rue.htm )
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