From a purely practical standpoint, without touching on "happiness" in a social or psychological sense, being in the sun—that is, in a hot country—certainly offers more conveniences than being in a cold one.
To take extreme cases, with every passing hour, the Inuit or the Nenets have to struggle against the cold. This means needing clothes, shelter, and making fire... whereas in hot countries, it seems easier to live (or even, unfortunately, to survive)!
Personally, I wouldn’t trade my life in Marrakech for one in Wainwright, Alaska. 😎
I’ve been following this thread from the start, this post is good,
Meh... You’re still as classy as ever, huh? 😉
So, what do *you* think about the sun? I see on your profile that your country choices are pretty much driven by the climate, right?
In a similar spirit—song, boat, dreams of exoticism, and travel—and from the same era (1967 for Aznavour’s Emmenez-moi), there’s Guy Bontempelli’s 1966 song Quand je vois passer un bateau.
Dailymotion - Guy Bontempelli - When I See a Boat Pass By ...
The Tilongkabila, a Pelni ship, anchored on May 30, 2008, in the port of Lembar, Lombok (Indonesia).
"Nous ne sommes plus une communauté d'être humains qui se parlent mais un conglomérat de grappes de consommateurs en niches, séparés les uns des autres par des obsessions diverses et innombrables. Nous sommes de l'ère de la désintégration." Marc Moulin (1942-2008) in Humoeurs
Hey!
To me, happiness—like unhappiness—isn’t really about "place," even if, as jalma says, external "conditions" are often just as necessary (for most of us, anyway) as internal "conditions" or state of mind.
More than location or climate, happiness and suffering are really about "mindset" (a positive, serene attitude—or, on the contrary, a pessimistic, anxious one—toward life).
Of course, those who love traveling will likely find a lot of happiness in it, but what’s key for a "happy spirit" is being and living in alignment with your dreams and desires. A guy who dreams of being a "sedentary" carpenter or a hermit will probably be at least as happy as someone who dreams of wandering—unless, of course, you take away each of their ways of life.
Someone who dreams of finding the love of their life but stays alone, finds no one, or keeps getting rejected will likely be just as sad as someone who dreams of being a monk but is married with three kids.
And of course, someone basking in the tropical sun who suddenly craves seeing Norway’s fjords or the Arctic ice will see their happiness melt away in the heat. Everything’s relative, as they say...
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
I still wonder where you get all these artistic references from?! 😏
Had to remember Guy Bontempelli 🤪
(Did you listen to Wiwi’s version on your Dailymotion page?)
But your sentence is really good: A happy country is a country where it rains.
It rhymes too! 😉
I have friends from Béziers who just got back from Belgium. They had to buy sweaters there!
But they loved their trip and adored Brussels, despite the bad weather...
Oh yeah! And it’s so true these days.
In this sunny region that is the Horn of Africa, if it rained more—without turning it into a horn of plenty—the hardship would be a little easier to bear.
More than the place or the climate, happiness—as well as suffering—is therefore a matter of "mindset" (positive, serene attitude, or conversely, pessimistic, anxious, etc., toward life)
Maybe... for those whose bellies are full enough to have the mental space for it.
I just want to ask the question: what is happiness?
The answer to this question is both simple and difficult!
A rough answer...
For any individual living on Earth, happiness can only begin to be conceived from a foundation common to all people:
- Having enough to eat (I didn’t say caviar!)
- Having decent housing (or shelter) (I didn’t say a castle!)
- Staying in good health (in other words, being able to get proper medical care when you’re sick!)
Harder to achieve:
- Living in peace (that’s actually a bit more difficult, since the warrior spirit is so deeply rooted in human nature!!!)
Once these essential elements are in place—which, by the way, should be easily achievable anywhere in the world with our current scientific knowledge and a more equitable distribution of wealth—we can only then start talking about the "other factors" that contribute to happiness!
Such as: love, friendship, education, culture, leisure (travel is part of that!), beliefs, unnecessary material goods, etc., etc., etc... 😉
And honestly (to get back to the original topic of the discussion!), I don’t think sunshine has any importance in all of this!!!
When you’re cold, you bundle up, and when you’re hot, you take off layers and find some shade—end of story!!!!!!!!!!!!😉😉😉
I just wanted to talk about the simple joy of living.
One day, deep in a bush village, a young man told me:
"here we have the land to grow food, the sun to keep us warm, our huts to shelter us, and our children"—that’s happiness!
And like you said: back then they had enough to eat, which isn’t always true today, enough to shelter themselves, and enough to take care of their health (hmm, that’s debatable, unless real traditional healers—not charlatans—still use local remedies) 😉
And honestly (to get back to the original topic of the discussion!), I don’t think the sun has any importance in all this!!!
When you're cold, you bundle up, and when you're hot, you strip down and find some shade—end of story!!!!!!!!!!!!😉😉😉
And what about when it rains?????😉
It’s not the temperature that matters, but the sunlight, which affects our health (see light therapy).
I don’t know if it works, but I’d trade the current downpour for a few hours of sunshine without hesitation🤪
let's stop complaining! ;)
At work, I used to deal with people who complained about the rain one day and the next about it being too hot...
Let's enjoy the present moment!
😏😏😏😏😏😏😏
le mérite d'un homme réside dans sa connaissance et dans ses actes et non point dans la couleur de sa peau ou de sa religion!
Khalil Gibran
Taking shelter and watching the rain fall can sometimes have a certain charm! 😏
Just like listening to the wind blow in the desert!
Or hearing thunder rumble and seeing lightning streak across the sky!
Observing (when you're safely sheltered!) nature unleashing its elements can sometimes be quite enjoyable!
Of course, all in moderation—as I can already see you coming to tell me about cyclones, earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions!!! 😉😉😉
Oh, I almost forgot:
For you, who seems to love light...
A little "hello" at the start of a message is, you see, like a first "ray of sunshine" brightening up the rest of the conversation! 😉
Are you sensitive to my luminous poetry? 😏
hi 😉
I’m talking about my clients, not my work colleagues—I worked alone!
And I’m not sure people are any less depressed when it’s hot... though in Africa, I never saw my friends taking antidepressants!
Why are we the biggest consumers of these treatments??????
Have a good evening,
Francia
le mérite d'un homme réside dans sa connaissance et dans ses actes et non point dans la couleur de sa peau ou de sa religion!
Khalil Gibran
Let’s stop complaining!😉
At work, I used to deal with people who’d complain about the rain one day and the heat the next...
Let’s enjoy the present moment!
😏😏😏😏😏😏😏
Good evening,
It’s true that we could do like Pernault’s 1 p.m. news—nothing but lighthearted, trivial stories to keep everyone happy—but I much prefer those who challenge the status quo for the most vulnerable, to avoid confusion with others who shake everything up just to end up like a roly-poly toy, changing nothing in reality—or even giving more to their own clique!
La réponse est oui. Mais quelle était la question ?
Woody Allen
And then the weather is the most-watched TV program in France
So we’re all really preoccupied with it!
It’s also a topic we often bring up when we run into someone we know.
And bad weather usually gets us down...
Except for Brassens 😉
"Talk to me about rain, not fine weather
Fine weather disgusts me and makes me grind my teeth
The beautiful blue sky infuriates me
For the greatest love I was ever given on earth
I owe to bad weather, I owe it to Jupiter
It fell from a stormy sky"
Hello! (or rather, good evening given the time ;))
I don’t think it’s very fitting for a forum because, to me, that word is more for speaking than writing. I think there’s an emoji with a little yellow guy holding a "hello" sign—that little drawing would make a better introduction for a forum. If VF could add it to their panel......
Taking shelter and watching the rain fall can sometimes have a certain charm! 😏
Just like listening to the wind blow in the desert!
Or hearing thunder rumble and seeing lightning streak across the sky!
Observing (when you’re safely sheltered!) nature unleashing its elements can sometimes be quite enjoyable!
Even without being sheltered, all of this can be really pleasant!
But back to moderation ;), not every day 😄
Since this topic is very "song-like," I’ll take the liberty of quoting *Au P'tit Bonheur* with "I want some sun" :)
I’m not sure people are less depressed when it’s hot... though in Africa, I never saw my friends taking antidepressants!
You associate sun with heat, but the sun is also just linked to the word *light*.
It seems to me that Nordic countries are hit hard by seasonal depression. It’s true that the almost endless night in winter is enough to get you down
Why are we the biggest consumers of these treatments??????
Medical school teachings?
Pharma reps?
The pharmaceutical lobby?
Ignorance?
The society of the "Western model" is often a form of materialistic "false religion" that claims or makes its "flocks" or "citizens" believe that happiness is just around the corner! But that’s rarely the case. More often than not.
Poverty in so-called "developed" countries is certainly much harder to live with than in the pampas or the jungle (not the urban jungle, which is often far worse).
Because the system they’re trying to impose on the entire planet is always the same: work hard for your boss your whole life (or die trying), be a "good little worker," find a partner, have kids, and then die—that’s it. That’s what’s offered in a so-called "modern" society. That’s why so many suffer intensely in this system, why there’s despair, the "no hope" feeling so common among young people and newcomers ("We’ll all have to tighten our belts, there’s not much room left..."). How are they supposed to find their place? "So this is why I was born? I’m going to waste my life just to earn it?"
That’s the world most have chosen to "follow." And let’s not forget the "dropouts," the excluded, those lost along the way—because let’s be honest, not everyone will find a job, love, health, family, or kids. Even fewer will find "leisure, travel, consumer goods, houses, cars for all, and all the rest." Dream on.
That’s why the "depreciation"—the sense of worthlessness—is, in my opinion, much harder to live with (especially when comparing yourself to "others") for many "poor" people, or those who are alone or isolated, in so-called "civilized" countries. But these places are often the most "savage" (in a pejorative sense) when it comes to competition—school, studies, jobs, "supposedly succeeding in life," careers, social relationships, romance, finding a partner who’ll accept you (or not), etc., etc.
In short, "poverty in the sun" is, from this perspective, less painful to endure than in a modern city. At least there’s always the possibility of "sharing" with others or finding a little hut in nature to "cultivate your garden," whereas poverty in France or Paris, just to name a few, often means ending up on the streets, with nothing but a cardboard box to call home.
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
good evening
I don’t watch the news, so the PERNO news bulletin 😉 even less!
I don’t really see why you’re talking about the news, and I don’t quite understand your explanation!
"I much prefer those who question things for the most vulnerable to avoid confusion with others who turn everything upside down just to achieve a jack-in-the-box result—changing nothing in reality, or even giving more to their own clique of friends!"
le mérite d'un homme réside dans sa connaissance et dans ses actes et non point dans la couleur de sa peau ou de sa religion!
Khalil Gibran
though in Africa I never saw my friends take antidepressants!
why are we the biggest consumers of these treatments??????
It's because we don’t have a witch doctor or healer anymore, no priest to tell our stories to, and we wouldn’t be satisfied with their answers anymore—and psychoanalysis doesn’t work for everyone!
Western society's "model" is often a form of materialistic "false religion" that claims or leads its "flocks" or "citizens" to believe happiness is just around the corner! But that’s rarely the case.
Shall we listen to a bit of Souchon with *Foule Sentimentale*?
In short, "poverty in the sun" is, in my opinion, less harsh to live with from that perspective than in a modern city. There’s always the chance to "share" with others or find a shack in nature to "cultivate your garden," whereas poverty in France—or Paris, to name just one—often means ending up on the streets, sleeping in cardboard boxes.
In France, poverty often boils down to not being able to consume but having to settle for the basics: food, healthcare, clothing, access to education, and culture. The right to housing isn’t guaranteed despite laws passed, but slums haven’t yet encircled major French cities.
Someone living in poverty in India would probably love to experience French-style poverty😕
That said, I’m not claiming that those left behind by France’s economic growth don’t have reasons to revolt or that their living conditions are acceptable. But life is still easier in a developed country (with some social safety nets) than in a third-world nation. Whether it’s hot or cold, raining, snowing, or windy...
because let's be honest, not everyone will find: work, a wife (or "love"), health, family, kids, and even fewer will find "leisure, travel, consumer goods, houses, and cars for all, and so on." No point dreaming.
When it comes to women, we should be able to make it work! So far, they’re roughly equal in number to men—unless they get caught up in polygamy...
As for love, it’s not just our system that controls that—at least not entirely—so the issue lies within ourselves...
For women, we should be able to manage it! So far, they are roughly equal in number to men unless they let themselves be drawn into polygamy...
When it comes to Love, it's not just our system that controls it—at least not entirely—so the problem lies within ourselves...
Regarding "Love," I agree with you—its presence or absence depends only on "oneself," whether you're rich or poor, single or in a relationship, etc.
But when it comes to "forming couples," we can also talk about "emotional poverty" to keep it polite, since not everyone has access to it, or at least isn’t "loved" or desired. That’s a reality too. And very often, it’s still "poverty" (financial, social, or otherwise) that plays a role. Logically, women will be more attracted to men who are "rich, good-looking, or sociable," even if "beauty" doesn’t last. Meanwhile, poor men, or those who aren’t attractive or sociable, often end up alone. But honestly, I’m not worried about women—the number of "males circling around females" means they don’t have to put in much effort to find someone they "desire" (I’m not talking about love, which is different for me). We see this "ethological" behavior in many other animal species too.
And when it comes to the "heart and mind," that’s a whole other story 😉
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
That’s a reality too; and very often, it’s once again "poverty" (financial, social, or otherwise) that plays a role. Logically, women tend to be more attracted to men who are "rich, good-looking, sociable," even if "good looks" don’t last. Meanwhile, poor men, or those who aren’t attractive or sociable, often end up alone. But honestly, I’m not worried about women—given how many "males swarm around females," they barely have to lift a finger to find the one they "desire" (and I’m not talking about love, which is a different thing for me). We see this "ethological" behavior in many other animal species.
Well, that’s kinda true—maybe you’re not totally wrong. I’d never looked at it that way, me being rich... and good-looking!
I hadn’t looked at it that way—I’m rich... and handsome!
That’s great for you, but you must have some flaws too ;)
I’m rich and handsome too, apparently.
But not really sociable—you can’t have it all!
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
I thought you already had a partner, period, right?
She wouldn’t follow you?
Unless you’re looking for a second one with a "travel" option 😄
The ideal is a partner/traveler—"two for the price of one"! But hey, some people struggle so much to find a partner, period, that it’s not a sure thing.
What a bummer!
Might as well live it in the sun
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
I'm looking for one that's a bit wild, sporty, and not too expensive—someone who'd be up for joining me on my adventures... not easy! I'll stop now. I feel like I'm gonna get censored!
I spent a long time looking for the kind of girls you're after—
the mountain shepherdess type, or the forest nomad.
Unfortunately, I’ve stopped looking, because it’s a myth ;)
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
In short, "poverty in the sun" is, in my opinion, less harsh to live with from that perspective than in a modern city, because there’s always the possibility of "sharing" with others or finding a shack in nature to "cultivate your garden," whereas poverty in France or Paris—just to name a few—often means ending up on the street with nothing but cardboard to sleep on.
You know, the "cardboard" in Paris or the "sheet metal" in a Rio favela—it’s all the same, isn’t it?
Yes, indeed, I’m very attached to it, because for me it represents so much more than just a simple, ordinary polite phrase!
On a forum like this one, I see it more as a small, delicate "friendly gesture" between people who are supposed to share a common passion! In this case, travel!
I think there’s a smiley with a little yellow guy holding a "hello" sign. That little drawing would seem like a better introduction for a forum.
That’s a great idea and would suit me just fine!
You see, I’m not that difficult after all!!! 😉
Yes, I really care about it, because for me it means so much more than just a simple, ordinary polite phrase!
People may disagree. For my part, starting all my posts with "hello" would feel mechanical—just an extra line that’s impersonal and insincere.
So no "hello" (except in PMs) unless I can insert a "Hello, " like you can with a signature (which I don’t use either).
For my part, starting all my posts with a hello would feel mechanical.
It’s not about writing "hello" in every post!
Once a day, when first contacting one of the forum members, is more than enough! 😉
You never start an email with "hello" when you send one to a friend or acquaintance, right???
That said, we can indeed, as you say, disagree on this!
And if it became a widespread custom affecting all VF members, I’d go along with it (reluctantly), just like everyone else!
But for now, that’s far from being the case! So I’ll keep writing my way and might stop replying to those who don’t seem genuinely friendly!
Now, to wrap up, I must honestly tell you that the day there’s no more "Hello," "Please," or "Thank you" on the forum, 😕
I’ll quickly look elsewhere!!! 😉
Fortunately, for now, few are those (though there are still a few!) who don’t even bother replying
(whether individually or collectively) when they get answers to their messages—sometimes with very specific requests!
So all hope isn’t lost yet!!!
You never start an email with "hello" when you send one to a friend or acquaintance???
Of course I do (I even mentioned in my previous post that I do it in PMs), but I make a clear distinction between private exchanges (PMs or emails) and public posts, which are much less personal.
Honestly, whether there’s a "Hello" when a member (known or not) replies to me on VF doesn’t make any difference to me—it’s the content of the post that matters, substance over form.
You know, the "cardboard" in Paris or the "sheet metal" in a shantytown on the hills of Rio, it's all the same, isn't it?
I don't really agree; I think there's more humanity in a favela in Rio or a slum in India than on the sidewalks of Paris.
Personally, I've never (just like you, I think) lived in a favela in Rio, a slum in India, a cardboard house in Buenos Aires, or squatted on the sidewalks of Paris or anywhere else, but during my travels, I've often (just like you, I suppose) come across these kinds of places without any voyeurism (I assure you!) and the poverty that goes with them.
And quite honestly, I think that no matter the place, you find a sort of microcosm of each of our societies there!
With its rules (good or bad), its codes, its humanity (or not), its "good" and its "bad," its leaders and its resigned...
In fact, an exact replica of our society, but in a "different world"!
Here's an example of what I mean:
I recently saw a report about the unfortunate "new left-behinds" in America who became "homeless" after the last crisis. The report showed poor people who had gathered on a vacant lot on the outskirts of a city, living as best they could in old trailers, tents, or makeshift shelters. A disturbing detail struck me:
Several of these "new homeless" proudly (!) displayed the American flag on their makeshift shelters???
Unbelievable, right? These people didn't seem to have any "hatred" for the system that had so outrageously rejected them?
To the point of still honoring (naively?) one of the most powerful symbols of their ex-society!
I wouldn’t want to live under a cardboard box or a Parisian highway overpass any more than in a Rio favela or a Calcutta slum, even though, for me, there are clear differences between the life of a homeless person or even a poor person in their suburban housing project in France and that of a poor person in a third-world country.
The first important factor is simply the climate. While we might not particularly love the sun and heat, it’s undeniable that tropical poverty is easier to endure than poverty in so-called temperate climates. Here, when winter rears its head—even in a makeshift shack or an unheated housing project, let alone under a cardboard box wrapped in a blanket—spending the night isn’t exactly a walk in the park when temperatures hover around zero or often drop below.
Next, and in my opinion just as important, are social relationships. Whether in a Brazilian favela or an Indian slum, people never live alone or in isolation like they do in Europe. I’ve never been to the heart of a favela, but (this goes way back) I spent several days in very underprivileged neighborhoods of different African cities (Douala, Abidjan, Accra), which could actually be compared to the old shantytowns I knew in Seine-Saint-Denis (La Courneuve) in the late 1960s. The people there are very poor, but they help each other out, and there’s no need for a meet-up to go share a millet meal with the neighbor. The whole family lives together, from children to grandparents (who don’t end their lives in nursing homes!), and sometimes it’s a little hard to tell whose kids are whose since they all live with each other.
Here, without even going under bridges, it’s increasingly common to discover someone who lived alone, found dead in their apartment after several weeks—or even months—without any of their neighbors noticing their absence.
People might tell me that in France, social aid exists, and all you have to do is knock on the doors of the Secours Catholique or the Salvation Army to find shelter for the night. Yet many homeless people refuse the room offered to them—it’s easy to understand why.
Going back to the old shantytowns I knew in Seine-Saint-Denis, it seems to me that people lived better there than in the high-rises where they were relocated after their shacks were torn down. You only have to see the distress and boredom eating away at these young people and the violence that stems from it to realize how unbearable life is without work in what we euphemistically call "the neighborhoods."
As for American homeless people, they’ve been so bombarded by the media after the 9/11 attacks, followed by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with finger-pointing at the enemies of freedom, that the star-spangled banner—symbol of liberties—has become for many a shield against what isn’t American and a refuge from material hardships...
And what exactly is poverty?
There’s financial poverty, moral poverty, emotional poverty, social poverty, and more.
A "poor fisherman" (of fish) who tends his vegetable garden, is content with little, and appreciates the place, the peace, and the simplicity of his life, can also be happier than a millionaire who chains purchases and trips together but remains unsatisfied and always "greedy" for more 😉
«Si tu ne trouves pas d'ami sage, prêt à cheminer avec toi, résolu, constant, marche seul, comme un roi après une conquête ou un éléphant dans la forêt.» Bouddha
Oh, this isn’t aimed at anyone in particular. It’s the conversation as a whole that left me with a certain sense of unease.
Imagining people calmly sitting in front of a computer discussing where the poor are better off—it feels strange to me. Especially when comparing situations that are hardly comparable (for example: the homeless person in Paris, who usually wasn’t born on the streets but ended up there, often alone, versus someone who grew up in a slum with their family and has never known anything else).
So, the word might be a bit strong (unfortunately, I can’t find another one), but I do think there’s a certain indecency in the idea of this conversation.
Admettons que vous traversiez une période très difficile de votre vie, et que des fois, pour aller mieux, la solution c'est de partir loin, se ressourcer, etc.…
Réflexions de voyageurs › Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre · 120 replies
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Depuis décembre 2006, j'ai passé plus d'une année en Inde. Mon dernier séjour (avant celui-ci) remonte à décembre 2010. Que de changements depuis! Je ne me…
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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
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
A few years ago, I went with a group of friends to lend a hand at a small rural school near Thiès, Senegal.
It was a relaxed but hardworking atmosphere—hands in the mortar, laughter, exchanges, and everything that a COOPERATION project can bring.
Today, the little project is flying on its own.
Wanting to explore Senegal’s riches, we set off for some tourism in the Siné Saloum. One girl in our group fell ill (a malaria attack), and we decided to take her to see a doctor at a large tourist complex nearby. Despite her condition, we had to "show our credentials" (if I may say so) just to get in. She was treated and has been fine since.
This "stop" at a Club Med-style resort with a Teutonic twist—resembling Le Grau-du-Roi but fancier—was a horror show for us: pools, massive artificial basins dyed blue, pink, or green (!!!!), animators shouting around wet T-shirt contests or coconut tree climbing, and sunburned (or sun-pinked) *toubabs*.
The entire hotel was surrounded by a huge wall, behind which a small souvenir-seller slum had sprung up, worthy of Dakar’s outer neighborhoods.
On leaving, we saw a minibus of guests returning from an "excursion," loaded with masks, fabrics, and djembés—African souvenirs?
Maybe those will be *theirs*?
What impression did the kids clustered at the hotel gates get?
What about the Black servers in "traditional African costumes," serving cocktails and ice cream nonstop?
For me, who experienced Africa very young and in the bush, this remains a haunting image.
On VF, this kind of vacation doesn’t seem to be the norm among users, and that’s exactly why I signed up.
Have you ever experienced this kind of interstellar travel?
Do you understand the Martians?
Are their motivations peaceful?
The Tilongkabila, a Pelni ship, anchored on May 30, 2008, in the port of Lembar, Lombok (Indonesia).
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