Si on est vraiment un accroc au voyage et sa compagne non, je suis sceptique sur le couple...C'est tout de meme frustrant de ne pas partager avec l'autre, cela peut meme créer un fossé, sans compter les risques de tentation en voyage(enfin là je parle surtout pour les longs voyage)
Apres cela dépend ce que l'on cherche dans la relation ou il faut avoir un gros sens maso du sacrifice...
Cela fait 14 ans que je suis avec mon conjoint. Il n'aime pas sortir de sa zone de confort... Et n'a pas trop de moyens pour les voyages. Ou alors il faudrait qu'il supprime de son budget les 100 à 150 euros par mois pour les jeux vidéos - je ne lui demanderai jamais, car comme il dit "je n'aime pas mon boulot, ma passion, ce sont les jeux vidéos, au moins j'ai ce plaisir"... je ne lui ai jamais reproché, j'aime mon travail et je gagne plus que lui, et ma passion ce sont les voyages.
... et s'il se décide à partir en voyage avec toi... tu lui prêteras des sous? et à quel taux?😏😉
bonjour lavieestbelle,
trouvé ton sujet ce jour seulement, grace a une pub de VF;
je suis parti seul ... et j ai rencontré quelqu'une.
je suis rentré, j ai divorcé . ce risque, personne n'en a parlé.
bonne journee
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination, Ando
Je ne vois pas ce que la culpabilité a a voir la dedans.
sacré morale judéo chrétienne ????
Toujours aprés 40 ans de vie conjugale je préfère les voyages en sa compagnie (MON MARI).
Moi, je serai toujours ailleurs et mon mari plus casanier resterait bien toujours à la maison.
En fin de compte nous consilions et tout cela SANS SACRIFICES. Depuis sa retraite 2 voyages par années. Je suis entièrement satisfaite.
Et de plus , je vais faire grincer les dents à certains, j'organise mes voyages pas mal organisé ( pas de groupe mais privé) pour que le tout se passe sans problèmes. J'irai bien à l'aventure mais.......je ne veux pas de disputes conjugales en route. Pour le moment tout marche à merveille (10 ans ) depuis sa retraite à 65 ans.
Voilà mon point de vue
Je ne sais pas bien voyager seule, car j'aime partager mes impressions avec d'autres personnes avec qui je me sens sur la même longueur d'onde. Jusqu'au décès de mon conjoint, et sauf en de rares occasions où mon travail ou le sien nous forçait à voyager l'un sans l'autre, nous n'avions jamais envisagé en 36 ans de vie commune de partir en solo, car nous avions un tel bonheur à vivre et à découvrir des choses ensemble, que ce désir ne nous jamais traversé l'esprit. Il est vrai aussi que nous avions une relation de couple peu commune, une relation à rendre les dieux jaloux! Est-ce eux ou le sort? je ne sais, mais une force mauvaise a décidé qu'il était temps de mettre fin à un bonheur aussi insolent, par le biais d'un cancer fulgurant. J'ai recommencé depuis peu à désirer voyager, mais je ne sais comment m'y prendre, car jusqu'à maintenant, mes rares tentatives de partir seule se sont révélées des plus pénibles, l'absence d'un compagnon, d'un complice d'aventure ramenant en force les souvenirs. Des suggestions à me faire? je les recevrais avec plaisir.
Tu as un beau pays et vous êtes des "cousins" extras !!!
J'ai visité le Québec avec ma femme, en voyage organisé, un très bon souvenir !
Mais maintenant que je suis à la retraite, je repars seul, sac à dos, en A du S, pour
l'instant, ce sera la toisième fois, mars 2008, Chili, Bolivie, Pérou, mars 2009, Argentine,
février 2010, Vénézuéla, Colombie, Equateur, chaque fois, 2 mois et plus !
Au fait, si je lancais un message pour chercher un compagnon de route !!!
La suite sur le forum, qu'est ce tu en penses ...?
A tout de suite !!!
As tu eu les renseignements que tu voulais pour Ushuaia, certainement que cette information était ancienne ?
Pour en revenier aux voyages en solitaire, moi aussi, chaque année depuis mars 2008 je repars seul, en A du S, pour
plus de 2 mois, sac à dos et cette fois encore, j'ai mon billet A R pour Paris Caracas, (564€ !), pas cher, pour le 27 janvier !
Je lance un appel, si quelqu'un veut se joindre à moi, c'est volontier Vénézuéla, Colombie, Equateur !!!
Ma femme n'aime pas ma façon de voyager en routard, alors je lui fais plaisir et pars en voyage organisé avec elle !
Je reconnais que seul, parfois, c'est un peu dur, mais les rencontres dans les auberges de jeunesse ou les bus, parfois
on rencontre des gens sympa qui veulent bien partager notre route qques jours voire semaines !
On garde souvent, même qques années après, de très bons contacts .
Au plaisir de voyager peut être avec toi, qui lis ce message,
SALUT , LAISSE MOI TE DIRE QUE CE N'EST PAS ÉVIDENT DE RESTER EN COUPLE QUAND NOUS N'AVONS PAS LES MÈMES PASSIONS. JE N'AI PAS VOYAGÉ BEAUCOUP MALHEUREUSEMENT , LE VOYAGE DE MES REVES EN ÉGYPTE EN 2008 , ( AVEC UN AMI ) ENSUITE EN 2009 , CANCUN AU MEXIQUE AVEC MA CONJOINTE... CE NE FUT PAS AGRÉABLE COMME VOYAGE CAR MA CONJOINTE A BESOIN DE SON PETIT CONFORT ET L'AVENTURE POUR ELLE... CA N'A PAS DE BON SENS. IL LUI FAUT DES ENDROITS SÉCURS , PROPRE , ET JE SENS QUE LE FAIT DE VISITER UN VILLAGE POUR VOIR LES GENS DANS LEUR HABITAT , SORTIR DU TRAIN-TRAIN TOURISTIQUE CE N'EST VRAIMENT PAS SON BAG. MOI DE MON COTÉ , JE SUIS UN PEU AVENTURIER , JE FERAIS UN VOYAGE EN AMAZONIE, OU JE NE SAIS , MAIS VRAIMENT POUR ÈTRE DÉPAYSER ET VOIR AUTRE CHOSE QUE L'HABITUDE. DONC FINALEMENT , FAUT SOIT SE FAIRE UNE IDÉE OU JE ME DÉBARASSE DE MA CONJOINTE. JE LE DIT AVEC HUMOUR . SIGNÉ = UN VOYAGEUR EN MANQUE D'AVENTURE
Bonjour,
Mon conjoint ayant peur de l'avion et moi voulant toujours aller le plus loin possible, je pars toujours seul.
Je ne peut rester plus de 6 mois sans voyager.
C'est d' un commun accord que je fais ces voyages et depuis 10 ans cela ne pose aucun probleme.Bien sur le soir tout seul dans ma chambre d'hotel je m'ennuie un peu mais les voyages dépassent rarement les 3 semaines.
Je m'interroge... y-a-t-il encore un intérêt à rester en couple quand on ne partage pas les mêmes passions ?
Pourtant beaucoup de couples fonctionnent ainsi non?
Par exemple je fais beaucoup de sport (cyclisme en compétition) alors que ma femme déteste ça...je pars donc faire mes courses seules et puis la vie reprend son chemin...rien de bien grave à cela😉
Je connais beaucoup de couples où apparemment, l'épouse a la passion de faire la cuisine, le ménage, passer l'aspirateur pendant que l'homme a la passion de regarder un match de foot une bière à la main dans le canapé😏😏😏😏
"Le touriste apparait comme le principal agent de diffusion du mépris anti touristique. Plus le touriste se voit en miroir de l'autre, plus il le déteste".
Je suis retraité et mon épouse travaille encore. J'ai découvert la passion du voyage en solitaire à 45 ans et, dès que le moment s'en fait sentir, je pars. Mon épouse comprend très bien cet état de chose même si c'est dur pour elle. Je suis déjà parti pour 10 mois sans donner beaucoup de nouvelles car je vis autrement ces moments là puis, quand le moment est venu, je reviens avec plus de plaisir. Nos retrouvailles sont toujours aussi émouvantes et j'admire sa patience. Si ton époux aime les voyages, je pense qu'il comprendra ton désir, s'il t'aime il te poussera à partir, votre amour en sera plus fort mais surtout ne restes pas sur tes envies non satisfaites, vous en pâtiriez tous les deux. bon vent à toi
J'espere que tout se passe bien pour toi, Laviestbelle, et tes envies de voyages ^^
Cela me fait beaucoup de bien de savoir que je ne suis pas la seule dans ce questionnement...
Depuis des années je parle de passer un an en Nouvelle-Zelande et les démarches sont en cours : si tout se passe bien je dois partir en septembre/octobre prochain.
Oui mais maintenant je remets un peu mon choix en question, je m'explique :
Je suis avec mon copain depuis 8 mois (oui, nous sommes jeunes, 18 et 19 ans et ça ne fait pas si longtemps que çà comparé à certains que nous sommes ensembles), il aimerais beaucoup partir avec moi pour cette aventure mais probleme : l'argent (et là tu deteste notre société capitaliste basée sur "money-money"), le voyage coute cher et son porte-monnaie ne suit pas... Je "crois" que je suis decidé à partir mais j'ai peur, vraiment peur que les choses changent entre nous 😕.
Donc voilà, personnellement je suis en grande période de doute, je pèse le pour et le contre!
Je reviendrais dans un an pour expliquer comment ça se passe 😛
(Si vous avez des suggestions pour "stopper cette indecision", elles sont les bienvenues :) )
Amicalement,
L.
"En cas de morsure de vipère, sucez-vous le genou, ça fait marrer les écureuils" - Desproges
Je viens de lire ton poste et il m'a donné envie de réagir.
De un la Nouvelle-Zélande c'es beau, c'est tellement beau que tu dois partir si tu en as vraiment envie.
Deusièmement je comprends que cela puisse être frustrant de savoir que son bien-aimé ne puisse pas venir pour des raisons financières, mais ce serait tout de même dommage de ne pas y aller pour cette raison. Les regrets c'est la pire des choses.
Une année c'est quoi dans une relation si celle-ci est basée sur la confiance ? Maintenant à toi de savoir à quoi vous en êtes dans votre relation.
Et peut être peut-il te rejoindre après 6 mois pour passer des vacances ?!
Et puis de nos jours il y a tellement de moyens de communications : le tél fixe, le tél portable, les e-mails, facebook, et skype. Franchement....
Si vraiment votre relation est durable et sincère tu devrais pouvoir partir sans que cela ne change quoique ce soit. Je suis partie une fois presque 6 mois et une autre fois 3 mois sans mon cher et tendre et nos retrouvailles ne furent que du bonheur. Et pour te dire cela fait 7 ans que nous sommes les deux. La vie a ensuite repris son cours. J'ai pu lui expliquer mes aventures et tout et tout. Il a tjrs été intéressé mais jamais motivé à venir.
En relisant ce topic je m'interroge sur la difficulté d'asssumer aujourd'hui et en général le célibat. Je met de côté les quelques témoignages de retraités et autres couples qui alternent par goût, voyages en commun et d'autres séparément.
Franchement, mais où est l'intérêt de voyager sans son amoureux ou sa bien aimée à l'autre bout du monde en entretenant l'idée bien confortable qu'au bout des 12 mois de séparation on retrouvera la même personne pour de folles embrassades!!! Je crois qu'il faut se rendre à l'évidence, il s'agit "d'une relation moyenne" comme la vie en réserve souvent. Ce type de relation s'apparente plus à la catégorie des "mariages arrangés" où le temps et la raison servent de paravent à de fausses certitudes. Et pendant toute cette longue période qu'arrivera-t-il? chacun vivra sa vie monacale dans la plus grande confiance réciproque!🤪
Je crois surtout que ce qui est refusé par dessus tout c'est la peur de la solitude du célibat en s'illusionant sur le mythe d'un couple fort. Ce sont toujours les avantages du célibat qui sont portés au pinacle sans en assumer les inconvénients. Tout comme la très à la mode colocation entre célibataires, les voyages chacun pour soi, les aventures sentimentales et même aussi la sexualité séparées procèdent tous de ce même scénario qui entretient l'illusion qu'au bout du chemin quoi qu'il arrive l'autre vous attendra toujours servilement dans la chaumière.
Il y a du vrai dans ce que tu dis. Je pense qu'ily a deux choses à prendre en compte:
- les raisons d'un long voyage. Si les raisons sont d'avantage d'ordre psychologique, si c'est un besoin, une fuite et/ ou une recherche, disons que là cela fait vraiment partie de la personne
- la qualité de la relation comme tu dis. Peut-etre que si celle-ci n'est pas suffisament intense, on est plus motive pour faire un long voyage.
Après on touche à à la vision du couple qui est propre à chacun. Certains vont se contenter d'une relation tranquille pour différentes raisons, peur de la solitude, de l'engagement etc. Ou peut-être car cela est suffisant pour certaines personnes...
D'abord, merci Knukette, ton message m'a fait très plaisir et me rassure beaucoup, la preuve : Mon choix est fait, je pars début octobre pour Christchurch ou Wellington (à voir) 🙂. Je vais discuter avec lui de la possibilité qu'il me rejoigne en vacances ! Serait-il possible que je te pose quelques questions sur la NZ ? (par mails bien sur, pas sur ce topic)
Après je suis d'accord aussi avec le point de vue de williama, c'est vrai que les idéos culturels ont la peau dur ^^, on accepte ou on accepte pas de s'y laissé prendre , chacuns a "sa vision du couple qui lui est propre" comme dit Fabd
Encore merci pour vos reflexions.
"Voyageusement",
L.
"En cas de morsure de vipère, sucez-vous le genou, ça fait marrer les écureuils" - Desproges
Tu as tout à fait le droit de te poser cette question. Toutefois je n'ai pas dit que je ne voyageais jamais avec lui. J'ai dit que de longs voyages mode routard
ça ne l'intéressait pas. C'est tout.
Je n'ai pas envie de m'étaler dans ma réponse. Je ne suis évidemment pas du tout d'accord avec ta manière conservatrice de voir les choses, mais chacun ses idées, je respecte.
Il y a toutefois une chose qui me dérange dans ta réponse c'est ton jugement sur ma relation : tu ne nous connais pas alors de quel droit peux tu dire que notre relation est moyenne ?
Tu ne vis pas ce que l on vit, tu ne sais pas sur quoi est basée notre relation. En fait tu ne sais rien de nous. Cela fait 7 ans que je suis avec mon ami et je te jure que notre relation
n'as rien de moyen.
Comment oses tu alors juger. Je ne comprends pas.
Je te souhaite malgré tout le meilleur et une bonne journée
Mon post ci-dessus ne s'adressait pas spécialement à toi! mais j'essayais de traiter de la contradiction entre implorer l'imprévu au cours d'un voyage et souhaiter le convenu au retour par peur de retrouver la solitude.
Je ne sais pas d'autre part s'il existe une manière conservatrice d'aimer et une autre plus révolutionnaire, mais je crois pour ma part que l'amour comme le voyage c'est avant tout le partage. Je ne me vois pas comme une internaute plus haut dire à son ou sa bien-aimée "si tu veux je t'avance l'argent pour ton billet..." ou alors revenir seul au bout de plusieurs mois de périple et dire à ma compagne "c'était super chérie allume le PC je vais te montrer les images...". Si l'amour n'aboutit pas à concrétiser des rêves communs alors il s'agit d'une association entre 2 potes, façon de vivre qui en effet peut convenir tout a fait à certains couples. Mais c'est une situation qui est difficilement tenable sur la durée.
Et puis de nos jours il y a tellement de moyens de communications : le tél fixe, le tél portable, les e-mails, facebook, et skype. Franchement....
... sur ce plan, je fais effectivement parti des conservateurs pour qui aimer consiste à toucher, caresser, embrasser et j'arrête là😊😏...
J'ai déjà voyagé en Inde du Nord avec une amie américaine et j'aimerai visiter l'inde du Sud entre le 20 Janvier et fin février 2011. J'aimerais par la même occasion, suivre une
cure ayurvédique de 8 jours à Pondichéry
Je suis à la retraite, j'ai 66 ans et j'aimerai bien partir avec des copines intéressées par les massages et les visites.
plusieurs questions et remarques :
un voyage d un an n est pas anodin , ce ne sont plus des " vacances " . pourquoi si longtemps ? ton copain ne peut pas suivre pour une question d argent seulement ?, ou plutot de durée ?, de pays ? -- peut etre qu il aime pas la NZ -- tres particulier comme pays, je connais
il faut reflechir et essayer de savoir ce que cache reellement cette longue separation -- presque psy, là, plutot que VF -- sorry
pour moi l experience a été la suivante : je suis revenu, bien regaillardi et toujours partant pour la relation laissée a l aller .... mais c est elle qui n etait plus là ( experience perso, faut pas generaliser )
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination, Ando
salut,
tes dates sont OK, c est la meilleure periode pour visiter l inde . pour les massages ayurvediques -- surtout cures . Mefie toi des etablissements pour etrangers , ils sont chers tres clean mais pas vraiment ni massages ni ayurvediques partant du principe que
l'etranger est incapable de faire la difference.
demande plutot sur place a un indien des endroits de cures pour les autochtones
mais pour l ayurveda, je te conseille plutot l autre côte, de Allepey vers Varkala ou Kovalam ou Trivandrum. c'est la vraie region de l ayurveda
ando
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination, Ando
Ne t'en fait pas pour moi, j'ai déjà un hôpital à Pondichéry avec des vrais docteurs car je voudrais descendre mon taux de diabète et la tension. Et l'hébergement en question est une petite structure de 3 chambres chez l'habitant, un indien qui parle le français et avec lequel j'ai déjà pris contact. Et toi, parles-tu l'anglais ? moi pas trop...
Salut Ando,
merci d'avoir temoigné et pour répondre à tes questions : Je gonfle mes parents avec la NZ depuis que je suis enfant (10-11 ans) et c'est vers 14 ans que j'ai décidé vraiment de partir là-bas. D'abord je voulais partir à la fin du collège mais mes parents m'ont demandé de terminer le lycée avant de façon à ce que je "mûrisse" ce projet, que je sois majeure et bachelière si possible 😛 . Donc ce projet est là depuis plus longtemps que mon copain si je puis dire et j'ai décidé de réaliser mon rêve quoiqu'il arrive même si à la fin cela doit se terminer par une rupture (autant s'attendre à tout), donc quant à ce que cache cette longue séparation, comme tu l'as dis, je pense juste qu'il a fait son choix : faire ses études de cuisto, et moi le mien : je pars. Même si ça risque de faire mal : on a choisi et on respecte le choix de l'autre.
Ton expérience me confirme dans mon idée que chaque cas est différent et que tout peut arriver alors je tente et on verra dans un an (je reviendrais pour vous tenir au courant)
Tu connais la Nouvelle-Zélande ? Dans quel cadre es-tu parti ?
Léa.
"En cas de morsure de vipère, sucez-vous le genou, ça fait marrer les écureuils" - Desproges
salut ! j'aime bien visiter les musées, les vieilles pierres, les villes🙂...mon époux pas trop😕 ! alors que faire ? partir ensemble et se fâcher ensuite car l'autre ne suit pas, ou s'accorder des "trous"dans la journée où chacun visite ce qui lui fait plaisir en se retrouvant au bout de 2 ou 3 heures ? ou partir seul et faire des rencontres auxquelles l'autre ne participe pas et ne pourra donc pas apprécier..et pourtant...une valise, un sac..un train même pour ne pas aller très loin, c'est déjà un parfum de liberté de respiration...pour tout le monde !Je voyageais seule avant mon mariage, avant les enfants, et cela manque souvent, alors là parfois je file juste quelques heures..loin de la routine. Mais les grands voyages, Australie, Cuba, Grèce plusieurs fois, Chypre, nous les avons faits ensemble avec plein de concessions...pas trop de musées de mon côté, pas trop de sport de son côté...et ça marche assez bien. Partir c'est de toute façon ..extraordinaire ! Là ma fille est au Laos, elle est en Asie depuis plus d'un mois, sac à dos et copain compris!!
Je suis tout à fait d'accord avec vous , faut savoir faire des concessions dans la vie , c'est toujours une histoire de choix la vie , personnellement , les voyages , seule , ne m'attirent pas trop , plus de partage , dejà chacun travaille dans son coin , il ne reste que les vacances pour se retrouver , bien sûr , histoire perso pour moi !!!! en tout cas , dans ma vie , ceux sont les meilleurs moments !!!!!
Pascale , la ch'tie !!!!!
Les voyages forment la jeunesse , je m'empresse de m'y atteler et au galop!!!!!
salut,
sur ce forum, j ai vu que tu habitais ou habite encore a Koh Samui, j ai besoin d infos
n ayant rien a voir sur le voyage solo, mais sur koh samui
peux tu m aider ? cordialement, Ando
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination, Ando
j ai besoin d infos
n ayant rien a voir sur le voyage solo, mais sur koh samui
Vous trouverez sans doute pléthore d'informations sur ce que vous souhaitez sur la branche Asie du sud-est, en zoomant sur la destination Thaïlande, et en zoomant encore sur Koh Samui en utilisant le moteur de recherche.
Trois échelles, vous être prêt à devenir un bon géographe....😏
Ou un agile écureuil...
merci mais j ai besoin de questions pour quelqu un habitant koh samui --
bien sur deja été sur VF , et fait comme tu dis, mais pas trouve reponses a mes questions
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination, Ando
Dans ce cas, une petite recherche dans le bottin des membres vous donne 30 personnes résidant à Koh Samui, à contacter en Mp si vos questions ne souffrent pas d'êtres lues publiquement (pardon à ces 30 membres, j'accepte vos insultes en privé si j'ai mal fait....😊)
Moi, j'dis ça, c'est juste pour que la discussion "Partir sans son conjoint" reste dans ses rails... Mais si elle change de cap, je ne m'en offusquerais pas, c'est assez ordinaire comme devenir...
Suis bien d'accord avec Williama, à propos du partage... Un petit voyage en solo avec des copains ou copines... ok, mais un grand voyage non partagé avec son conjoint ou ami... Pour ma part, je l'ai fait 1 fois et mon couple (de plus de 10 ans) a volé en éclat dans le mois qui a suivi mon retour !! Bon, il n'était peut être plus très solide... mais il y aussi le fait que ce voyage m'a fait rencontré une autre personne avec qui j'ai partagé de superbes moments !! le partage et encore le partage... Mu
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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.
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
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