Je suis d'accord avec toi à 200%.
Je découvre la discussion, et j'ai été choquée par cette phrase: "ça permet de retrouver les moutons décérébrés et bêlants en troupeaux".
Chaqu'un fait comme il veut selon ses capacités et sa personnalité! Il en faut pour tous les goûts.
Et heureusement que nous ne sommes pas tous pareils!
Non, je n'ai pas essayé, il parait qu'il n'y a que des profs ! 😉
Plus sérieusement, même si leurs voyages sont alléchants, je les trouve encore trop chers.
Personnellement, j'ai voyagé de pas mal de manières différentes, du sac à dos au camping-car en passant par la voiture perso et le groupe et j'ai apprécié tous mes voyages.
Si un voyage en groupe est bien organisé, le groupe sympa et le guide cool et compétant, je n'y vois aucun inconvénient. Je suis allé en Thailande comme cela en février 2010, ça s'est très bien passé. Le groupe était jeune d'esprit, sympa, on a bien rigolé (et bu 😊), les visites variées et intéressantes (le circuit était plutôt classique, centre et nord du pays) et le guide compétant (pas d'erreurs grossières dans les commentaires, des réponses pertinentes ; je ne suis pas sûr que ce soir toujours le cas).
J'imagine que quelqu'un qui n'a jamais voyagé et qui ne parle pas un mot d'anglais se sent sécuriser et a raison de partir en groupe. Si cette personne partait seule en Moldavie, au Kazakstan ou au Rwanda, sans y connaître personne et seule, le voyage deviendrait cauchemar.
Enfin, il est vrai que le guide parlant la langue locale, il peu servir de traducteur pour discuter avec un passant autochtone, ce qu'un voyageur individuel n'aurait pu faire qu'en baragouinant. C'est rigolo, mais cela reste limité lorsqu'on a une question précise.
Au début, l'association comportait, il est vrai, une majorité d'enseignants. mais ce n'est plus le cas, et c'est mieux ainsi, car plus ouvert à la diversité socio-culturelle?
.
Cela reste une association culturelle, au bon sens du terme, c'est à dire que l'on apprend beaucoup sur les pays visités, à tous points de vue. La vie, dans toutes ses composantes est présente dans la raison d'être comme dans le titre.
Avez-vous essayé l'organisme associatif "Arts et Vie"? Je vous le recommande.
j'ai des amis qui ont vaoyagé avec et qui ont adoré
moi les connaissant et me connaissant je ne supporterais pas
comme quoi la bio diversité du touriste existe encore.
Petit guide pour la photo en voyage... en cours de rédaction..
Quand un sage me montre du doigt la lune, moi je m'en tape je continue de rêver aux étoiles.
Enfin, il est vrai que le guide parlant la langue locale, il peu servir de traducteur pour discuter avec un passant autochtone, ce qu'un voyageur individuel n'aurait pu faire qu'en baragouinant
c'est justement ce " baragouinage " que je trouve passionnant en voyage solo. Tu peux pas savoir combien on rit et qu'on s'esclaffe avec ces passants autochtones, qui sont aussi ravis que nous de ne pas nous voir passer derriere les vitres fumées de nos bus avec AC. Sans compter que quand tu es completement paumé au milieu d'une ville, quelqu'un qui arrete sa voiture pour te conduire sur place, ca vaut toutes les adrenalines du monde.
Ando
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination
Si si ! je reviens d'Albanie et crois moi j'ai pas mal baragouiné ! Cela fait partie aussi des attraits d'un voyage, je le reconnais et je le pratique. Mais cela a des limites dès que tu veux approfondir une discussion. Il m'est arrivé à plusieurs reprises de ne pas parvenir à comprendre mon interlocuteur ou de ne pas être compris, à la grande déception de chacun. Vas demander quel est le salaire moyen d'un paysan ou bien où était la grand-père de ton interlocuteur pendant la 2e Guerre mondiale...La discussion reste régulièrement superficielle. Alors que si tu as un guide qui parle parfaitement la langue du pays, tu peux, par son intermédiaire, poser n'importe quel question, dont les réponse de permettront de connaître beaucoup plus profondément la population du pays que tu visites. L'idéal, naturellement, c'est de parler toutes les langues du monde 🙂 !
Vas demander quel est le salaire moyen d'un paysan ou bien où était la grand-père de ton interlocuteur pendant la 2e Guerre mondiale..
Sauf que......
Un paysan n'est pas salarié, en tous cas normalement, et qu'un guide va y réfléchir à deux fois avant de poser une telle question - sur le grand père - à un quidam rencontré lors d'une visite ; il va discuter avec lui, faire comme si il lui posait la question, vous répondre un truc, mais je doute fort qu'il se livre à de telles indiscrétions.
Tout pouvoir demander parce qu'on a un guide me paraît illusoire, c'est surtout un intermédiaire de plus dans l'échange.
... quand tu vois un paysan dans son champ ou sur son tracteur, tu ne peux sérieusement prétendre pouvoir distinguer l'exploitant agricole (le patron) de l'ouvrier agricole (le salarié) qui lui touche bien un salaire !
... quand bien même on ne peut appeler "salaire" le gagne-pain d'un exploitant agricole, il tire néanmoins de son activité un revenu (enfin, pas tous ... 😕)
... tout le monde ne prend pas un plaisir particulier à couper les cheveux en quatre ! 😇
.. tout le monde ne prend pas un plaisir particulier à couper les cheveux en quatre !
Non, nous sommes deux.
C'était là une digression dans le propos ; je voulais surtout dire que le guide ne pose pas n'importe quelle question, et souvent surtout pas celle qui lui est soumise.
par expérience, et surtout par contact fréquent avec des guides et des chauffeurs de groupes, je peux affirmer que dans 95 % des cas , voire plus, il est impossible d'avoir de leur part des infos concernant l'intimité des gens rencontrés, et surtout qu'ils ne font comme réponses, que ce que veut entendre le client, ou le politiquement correct du moment.
"le Roi est bon"
"les paysans mangent à leur faim"
" les femmes sont opprimées", "les femmes sont libres" (cocher la case de ce que le client veut entendre),
et c'est pour cela qu'il se véhicule sur les forums, et dans les soirées diapos tellement de niaiseries ,
mais précédées du fameux : "je le sais , mon guide me l'a dit !!".
Ils ne vont pas contredire un éventuel bon pourboire !! 😉😉
par expérience, et surtout par contact fréquent avec des guides et des chauffeurs de groupes, je peux affirmer que dans 95 % des cas , voire plus, il est impossible d'avoir de leur part des infos concernant l'intimité des gens rencontrés, et surtout qu'ils ne font comme réponses, que ce que veut entendre le client, ou le politiquement correct du moment.
"le Roi est bon"
"les paysans mangent à leur faim"
" les femmes sont opprimées", "les femmes sont libres" (cocher la case de ce que le client veut entendre),
et c'est pour cela qu'il se véhicule sur les forums, et dans les soirées diapos tellement de niaiseries ,
mais précédées du fameux : "je le sais , mon guide me l'a dit !!".
Très vrai! Mais on peut dire tout autant que les guides racontent ce que les voyageurs veulent entendre.🤪. Par guides j'entend toutes les personnes, guides papier, forums de voyage qui entretiennent et colportent les mythes, préjugés ou niaiseries voyageuses sur mesure.
Combien sont-ils les voyageurs à vouloir entendre des sons de cloche différents sur telle population, pays ou sujet? A vouloir aborder des sujets qui fâchent ou s'interroger sur de simples contradictions? Tu devrais jeter un coup d'oeil sur le tout récent guide du Petit Futé sur l'Algérie ... c'est disons très incorrect et plutôt décoiffant, un anti-guide en sorte. On n'est pas obligé d'être d'accord avec leur vision des choses mais pour une entreprise dont l'objectif est de vendre une destination, la démarche est pour le moins originale et en dehors des clous....
demander quel est le salaire moyen d'un paysan ou bien où était la grand-père de ton interlocuteur pendant la 2e Guerre mondiale...La discussion reste régulièrement superficielle. Alors que si tu as un guide qui parle parfaitement la langue du pays, tu peux, par son intermédiaire, poser n'importe quel question, dont les réponse de permettront de connaître beaucoup plus profondément la population du pays que tu visites
anecdote : je n'etais pas en groupe, mais à deux. Au rameur qui me faisait visiter le gange a varanasi, je lui ai demandé : - combien avez vous d'enfants ? Il a pris un long moment, et avec un large sourire, m'a répondu : - beaucoup ! (sans commentaire)
demander le salaire moyen ? si on te donne la reponse, tu t'exclames de suite : - comment peuvent ils vivre avec ca ? ( "ca" c'est 10 % du RSA francais )
inversons les rôles : le touriste du pays que tu cites visite la France et te demande ou était ton grandpere pendant la guerre ? tu reponds ? ca lui sert a quoi, cette info ?
Ando
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination
Lorsque vous voyagez, à part demander votre route à un autochtone, de quoi parlez vous, puisque vous ne vous intéressés ni à votre interlocuteur (sa famille, son histoire), ni à son pays (salaire moyen par exemple) ? De football (Tatra) ? De philosophie ? De politique intérieure ? J'en doute fort. Et dans quelle langue ?
Finalement, une fois que bous quittez le pays visité...qu'en connaissez-vous ?
Si si ! je reviens d'Albanie et crois moi j'ai pas mal baragouiné ! Cela fait partie aussi des attraits d'un voyage, je le reconnais et je le pratique. Mais cela a des limites dès que tu veux approfondir une discussion. Il m'est arrivé à plusieurs reprises de ne pas parvenir à comprendre mon interlocuteur ou de ne pas être compris, à la grande déception de chacun. Vas demander quel est le salaire moyen d'un paysan ou bien où était la grand-père de ton interlocuteur pendant la 2e Guerre mondiale...La discussion reste régulièrement superficielle. Alors que si tu as un guide qui parle parfaitement la langue du pays, tu peux, par son intermédiaire, poser n'importe quel question, dont les réponse de permettront de connaître beaucoup plus profondément la population du pays que tu visites. L'idéal, naturellement, c'est de parler toutes les langues du monde 🙂 !
tiens c'est quoi ton salaire ??
puisque tu demande celui des autres tu dois biens pouvoir donner ça sur le forum ???
moi si je vois débarquer un japonais ou un chinois chez moi et qu'il me demande ce que faisait mon grand père pendant la guerre
je le vire grands coups de pieds dans le derche.
je dois ête classé dans les indigènes un peu primitifs....
Petit guide pour la photo en voyage... en cours de rédaction..
Quand un sage me montre du doigt la lune, moi je m'en tape je continue de rêver aux étoiles.
bonjour,
chaque fois que je pars, c est un a deux mois minimum. quelques anecdotes : une fois, en Turquie, on a sympathisé avec un chauffeur de taxi, qui a absolument insisté pour nous recevoir chez lui, ensuite nous a fait visiter sa ville gracieusement, de fond en comble, dans des coins ou on n aurait jamais été, car inconnus de TOUT tourisme, nous a présenté sa famille, n'a jamais voulu qu'on le paie, demandé seulement qu'on lui envoie un ou deux disques de enrico macias. On lui a envoyé la totale je crois. Une autre fois, en Inde, un pretre, nous voyant prendre des photos a l'exterieur de l'eglise, a fait ouvrir celle-ci pour nous, nous a demandé de revenir pour nous presenter a sa communauté, fait visiter un centre pour orphelins, et une ecole. A Kathmandu, on a été a l'office de tourisme. Le directeur en personne nous a recus, parce qu'on avait échangé beaucoup de e-mails, et nous a invité ... a son mariage. C'était génial, cette coincidence de date, il nous l'avait cachée jusqu'a notre arrivée, pour nous faire la surprise. Nous avons demandé a sa femme si elle connaissait les parfums x ou y et lui avons envoyé a notre retour. A nous deux, on parle cinq langues mais c'est en anglais qu'ils s'adressent a nous partout. Le directeur de la forteresse de Jaisalmer parle un anglais d'oxford, et a tenu a ce que nous soyons ses invités au diner de la fete nationale. C'est eux qui nous ont posé des questions sur nous !!! Nous l'avons recu recemment a Paris, en voyage d'etudes. il faut dire que nous evitons le look touriste en voyage ou vacances - pas de choses ostentatoires - pas de bob publicitaire, d'appareils photos en bandouliere, de carte ou LP et GdR a la main, de shorts ou sandales que on oserait jamais mettre dans sa propre ville, etc ... trop long a raconter l'avion au japon, avec un general japonais, la balade au fond de la jungle en amazonie, ou aucune langue "civilisée" n'est connue, mais qu'est ce qu'on a rigolé ! malgré ca, tu as raison, quand on quitte le pays , on ne connait toujours rien ...
sauf qu'on a fait des rencontres inoubliables, c'est ca que je cherche et que j'ai trouvé. Et ca suffit a mon bonheur.
Ando
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination
"malgré ca, tu as raison, quand on quitte le pays , on ne connait toujours rien ... "
Au moins, tu es honnête, toi. Ce n'est pas fréquent sur VF.
"sauf qu'on a fait des rencontres inoubliables, c'est ca que je cherche et que j'ai trouvé. Et ca suffit a mon bonheur."
A chacun sa manière de voyager. Ton objectif principal (exclusif ?), visiblement, est de faire d'inoubliables rencontres. Je pense que c'est aussi le but des nombreux voyages de "piliers " de VF, ceux qui s'expriment régulièrement sur ce forum. Ils voyagent pour rencontrer. Point à la ligne. C'est une façon honorable de voyager. Mais que je juge limitée, si elle se réduit seulement à cela.
Pour ma part, j'ai également fait pas mal de rencontres du type que tu décris (par exemple être acceuilli au sein d'une famille albanaise eu kossovo yougoslave en 1985, par une famille kurde très pauvre à Harran en Turquie en 1988 ou dans un bled tunisien près de tozeur, dans une sorte de bidonville, à partager un couscous familial en 2004). Je n'ai fait qu'un voyage organisé. Mais il s'est très bien passé. Il faut respecter ceux qui pratique ce type de voyage et les traiter sans condescendance. Il connaitront peut être mieux le pays que vous à leur départ (s'ils lisent bcp, si leur guide est bon, s'ils posent et se des questions...)!!! Au moins, je peux comparer, contrairement à tous ces voyageurs prétentieux qui méprisent les voyageurs des tours opérateurs. Je ne parle pas forcément de toi. Mais c'est un débat aussi vieux que VF. Il serait en tout cas sage d'expérimenter le voyage collectif avec guide avant de le critiquer. D'ailleurs, qui n'a jamais utilisé un guide, au fin fond de la jungle ou du désert ? Et cessez de croire qu'il y a une espèce supérieure de voyageurs, propension très forte chez certains voyageurs qui sont toutefois incapables de dater le site archéologique le plus célèbre du pays visité, d'en citer le chef d'Etat ou l'évolution économique ou géopolitique récente.
Je suis adepte du voyage "total" : sites historiques et naturels exceptionnels, tous types de transports (pauvre ou de luxe, le plus utile sur le moment), régions et ville touristiques et "réelles" (celles où on ne trouve aucun touriste occidentaux)...Je me lève à 7h et je ne rentre à l'hôtel que vers 22h, je visite toute la journée. J'observe, j'analyse, je mange, je rencontre, je bois, je profite toutes les manières possibles de la chance que j'ai d'être là. J'en ai plus que conscience. Je ne veux rien rater pour ne rien regretter. Je ne voyage pas pour me reposer, et lorsque je vais à la plage, c'est un plaisir, car je nage (et je suis souvent le seul dans ce cas). Au bout de quelques semaines de voyage aussi intense, tu t'imprègnes du pays. Que tu connais mieux que nombre de ses concitoyens. J'observe chaque inscription politique taguée sur les murs, chaque publicité d'une firme occidentale qui s'est implantée dans le pays, ce que regardent les gens à la TV, ce qu'ils lisent comme type de livre, etc.
Je ne prétends pas connaitre parfaitement le pays visité, car c'est impossible, ou plutôt cela ne veut rien dire. Mais en avoir une connaissance correcte, oui. C'est mon objectif. Faire des rencontres, c'est bien, mais pour moi ce n'est pas un but mais un moyen de parvenir à mon objectif.
Les trois types de voyages sont respectables : en groupe, en solo pour rencontrer, voyage "total".
En tous cas, le plus reposant, ce n'est pas le voyage total, ni celui en groupe (lever très tôt tous les jours). C'est le solo, type backpacker, pas pressé, qui part 2 mois ou deux ans, qui prends son temps pour faire des rencontres.
Pour terminer, il ne faut pas non plus idéaliser les rencontres. Tous les ans, des dizaines de voyageurs disparaissent ou se font agresser. C'est encore arrivé, malheureusement, à un français qui a disparu en Indonésie en juin dernier (voir le site d'ABM). Par ailleurs, on a tous fait des rencontres désagréables, vous aussi : vols ou tentatives, insultes, cailloux, arnaqueurs, gens lourdingues, surtout pour les filles...
Heureusement, ces faits sont plutôt rares.
"Très vrai! Mais on peut dire tout autant que les guides racontent ce que les voyageurs veulent entendre.🤪. Par guides j'entend toutes les personnes, guides papier, forums de voyage qui entretiennent et colportent les mythes, préjugés ou niaiseries voyageuses sur mesure."
Il y a du vrai dans ce que tu dis. Ce que tu décris doit être courant. Mais il faut se garder de généraliser. J'ai eu un guide en Mongolie qui racontais n'importe quoi mais celui de Thailande, même sur des questions pointilleuses, répondait avec compétence. Par ailleurs, dans des groupes comme Arts et vie, je crois quand même que ce que tu dénonces doit être nettement moins courant.
Mais ne croyaez pas que c'est une nouveauté, le fait de vouloir calquer ses préjugés sur une réalité. Cela a toujours existé. Un voyageur latin du XIIe siècle qui se rendait dans un pays musulman faisait de même, et vice versa. Sinon, il n'était pas lu ni cru, on ne s'intéressait pas à lui ! Dans le meilleur des cas...
malgré ca, tu as raison, quand on quitte le pays , on ne connait toujours rien ...
Bah, sauf que c'est un préjugé de penser qu'on apprend de manière brute et nette quelque chose de la part d'un habitant ; il faut connaître d'abord, avoir déjà des références, des bases, des lectures, autrement vous n'avez pas la grille de lecture pour comprendre ou entendre ce que l'on vous dit, ou que justement on ne vous dit pas ; la connaissance est une chose qui n'a de valeur que mise en relation avec des connaissances préalables, elle n'a rien d'une information que l'on absorbe.
De toutes façons rien que le fait de poser des questions suppose des connaissances préalables.
Non, je ne pense pas que tu sois primitif. C'est juste que tu manques un peu de curiosité. 🤪
oh ?? commet sais tu ça ??
Petit guide pour la photo en voyage... en cours de rédaction..
Quand un sage me montre du doigt la lune, moi je m'en tape je continue de rêver aux étoiles.
Je trouve un grand plaisir à préparer mes voyages
finalement, cela me permet de mieux en profiter sur place, car j' ai déjà l' impression de connaitre un peu à travers les livres, en consultant VFet le voyage dure plus longtemps et commence déjà avant le départ
Je ne pourrais concevoir de voyager autrement sauf si cela ne s' avère vraiment pas possible
Je pense que ce que tu dis doit souvent se vérifier, même s'il ne faut pas généraliser. En tout cas, cela confirme ce que je disais : il ne faut pas compter (uniquement) sur les rencontres pour essayer de comprendre une population, un pays. De toute façon, les gens qui vous accueillent vous montrent leur meilleur visage, ils sont généreux et chaleureux. Sont-ils toujours comme cela par ailleurs ? Bien sûr que non.
Moi au début j'aimais voyagé en groupe mais depuis un temps je pars seul un peu une habitude😉
mais j'aime bien faire des voyage en groupe, on discute, on rigole c'est chique...
Ces trois pays sont des pays arabes et musulmans. Peut-être cela entraîne t-il des a priori chez pas mal de gens qui ont peu ou pas voyagé. Tous ont été évoqués "à la TV" suite à des attentats (même rares, sauf pour l'Egypte).
En tout cas, pour des pays européens, ils sont particulièrement facile à visiter seul. Mais il faut déjà le savoir !
Pour l'Egypte, si on s'éloigne un peu des coins touristiques, c'est plus compliqué. Je me rappelle avoir galéré en 2005 en gare du Caire pour acheter mon billet de train pour Alexandrie pour le lendemain. Tous les panneaux étaient en arabe et le personnel n'était pas anglophone ! J'ai du payé un bakchich à un officier de la police touristique (quel comble !) pour résoudre cette difficulté.
Oui, cela fait partie du charme d'un voyage "immergé", à condition de ne pas être trop pressé (ex : train sur le point de partir). Heureusement, ce soir là, j'avais le temps. Je regrette tout de même que le policier touristique ne m'ait pas aidé "gratuitement".
Mais bon, en egypte, c'est la loi du bakchich. Dans ma poche gauche, j'avais une liasse de billets de 50 piastres (je crois) à porter de main que je pouvais sortir en 2 secondes, tellement la demande de bakchich était fréquente ! Déjà au début du XIXe siècle, Chateaubriant se plaignait du même phénomène ! Ils n'ont pas changé ces Egyptiens !
Bon, il ne s'agit heureusement que de quelques dizaines d'eurocents.
je pose seulement la question : faut il vivre avec cette habitude ? peut on un jour esperer que cela cesse ? n'alimentons nous pas cette pratique ? le voyageur occidental n est il pas percu partout comme " pété de thunes " quelque soit son niveau social ?
le voyage est un bonheur, pas une destination, Ando
Tu as obtenu un service, ce n'est pas scandaleux de payer pour ça. Il m'arrive ici de passer par une agence proche de chez moi pour acheter un billet de train plutôt que me rendre à la gare dont le guichet a des horaires d'ouverture qui ne me conviennent pas toujours. Je paie une commission. En Egypte, comme dans de nombreux pays, chacun peut s'improviser agence de voyage et toucher une commission. Le principal c'est que cette commission soit raisonnable
Sur le principe, je suis d'accord avec toi.
Sauf que ce sont des fonctionnaires dont c'est le boulot d'aider les touristes et qui sont payés pour ça qui, souvent, me réclamaient un bakchich.
- c'est la fonction d'un policier touristique de renseigner un touriste, non ?
- dans le train, pour trouver ma place (le ticket était en arabe), un contrôleur m'a aussi demandé un bakchich ! C'est quand même son boulot ! Si je m'en rappelle bien, cette fois-ci, un egyptien qui était dans mon compartiment a éconduis ce contrôleur un rien malhonnête.
Pour l'Egypte, si on s'éloigne un peu des coins touristiques, c'est plus compliqué. Je me rappelle avoir galéré en 2005 en gare du Caire pour acheter mon billet de train pour Alexandrie pour le lendemain. Tous les panneaux étaient en arabe et le personnel n'était pas anglophone ! J'ai du payé un bakchich à un officier de la police touristique (quel comble !) pour résoudre cette difficulté.
En Egypte, le français marche parfois très bien avec les personnes d'un certain âge et d'un certain milieu.
Je ne souviens pas d'avoir eu de problèmes sauf avec certains taxis et aux abords des sites les plus touristiques.
Le tourisme de masse pervertit tout : positionnons nous de l'autre coté de la barrière. Vous êtes dans le denuement et arrivent des gens avec un niveau de vie dépassant tout ce que vous pouvez imaginer : vous faites quoi et comment pour survivre ???
Dans le cas que vous évoquez, 90% des gens essaient de gagner leur vie honnêtement même pauvrement, les 10% restant en arnaquant les touristes, plus ou moins gentiment et sévèrement.
Tous ne profitent pas de l'opportunité de profiter des touristes, heureusement ! D'après moi, seule une minorité le fait.
C'est vrai que cette pratique du bakchich en Egypte, en Inde ...... finit par être lassante à la longue, mais ce sont à chaque fois de très petites sommes. Dans nos pays développés, ceux qui touchent des bakchich (pardon, des commissions) -et il y en a- visent beaucoup plus haut, certaines affaires en cours sont là pour le rappeler
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Hello everyone on this forum!
I know in advance that what I'm about to say here won't please everyone, but honesty is a virtue, isn't it?
Here's the thing: for many years now, I've noticed a habit in French-speaking posts of using abbreviations left and right, as if to show that we're "in the know." Let me explain with a few examples:
- - In discussions about Peru, I see "Aguas" for "Aguas Calientes." And if it's Mexico, well, it'll be "Aguas" for "Aguascalientes"!
- - For Guatemala, "travelers" will say "Guaté." Come on, saying "Guatemalas" would maybe be the undeniable sign that you know nothing about the country???
- - Back from Indonesia, many will talk about how familiar they've become with the country's language: "bahasa." Of course, everyone will know what you're talking about, but it still gets on my nerves because the language (one of the many languages) of Indonesia is "bahasa Indonesia." "Bahasa" actually means "language," and you'll find this word of Indian origin ‘Bhāṣā’ (it's Sanskrit originally) outside Indonesia too: in Thailand, for example, any language will be "phasa" as in "phasa thai" (official Thai), "phasa isan" (what's spoken in northeastern Thailand), "phasa angkrit" = English, etc.
Am I an incorrigible nitpicker? Maybe. But I'd also find it ridiculous if a foreigner came and told me they visited "Monte" during their trip to France, when it was actually Monte Carlo.
I read a lot in English and don't think I've encountered such a habit among English speakers.
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.
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