It’s normal to admire the guy who doesn’t have to grind away (at the factory, in the office) to
live and can fulfill his dreams thanks to… (dad/mom/lottery?)
As rouxy said, you can live on the road without necessarily spending your life working; but you’ve got to make it happen and make compromises or let go of certain things. You can’t always have the money, the big house, the wife and kids, *and* the bohemian life at the same time 😉
Bohemian life or the daily grind—sometimes you’ve got to choose!
Interesting reflection. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Here’s the average daily cost of raising a child in England up to age 21 (fresh data from UK debt statistics). I don’t think there’s a huge difference compared to France.
Raising a child to the age of 21 in Britain will now set you back £23.50 daily.
Or, alternatively, do you plan to have a child with your partner and then leave her to figure it out alone?
Interesting reflection. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Here’s the average daily cost of raising a child in England up to age 21 (fresh data from UK debt statistics). I don’t think there’s a huge difference compared to France.
Raising a child to the age of 21 in Britain will now set you back £23.50 daily.
Or are you planning to have a kid with your partner and then leave her to figure it out alone?
Or do you plan to have a baby with the lady and then leave her to raise it alone?
LOL
And that desperately reminds me of someone very close....
😎
P: To be or to have, that’s an essential question... for kids!
(little or big 😉)
Si vous avez compris tout ce que je viens de vous dire, c'est que j'ai dû faire une erreur quelque part. - Alan Greenspan
Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme - Rabelais
It’s normal to admire the guy who doesn’t have to work (in a factory, at the office) to
live and can fulfill his desires thanks to… (mom/dad/lottery?)
If that’s the case for the majority, there are still people who’ve traveled without help from mom/dad or the lottery, and I can confirm that because I was one of them.
I’d add (based on my own criteria): Tourism is something you buy; travel is something you earn!
When you work (like—almost—everyone 😉), of course you’re not
"admirable," you’re just "ordinary," and in that case, it’s time that’s most lacking… (even with paid leave…)
Admirable or not, for those who lack motivation, there’s always a reason (time, money, health, family, etc.) not to follow their own path but someone else’s…
That applies to travel just like any other activity or life choice…
Hey Williama,
I know you love debates, so I’m gonna give you something to sink your teeth into😉.
I agree that most people travel as "vacationers," but a lot of "travelers" (myself included) do it mainly out of curiosity. I just got back from a trip to Asia, and honestly, China and Japan didn’t interest me at all as "vacation destinations."
I only stopped there to satisfy my curiosity—and I wasn’t even on vacation.
I’d like to think I’m not the only "tourist" in this situation.
The ball’s in your court now. I’m curious to see where this forum thread goes. 😉
Thanks!
It's as simple as that...
Not bad, this Chesterton!
I’d even add that the tourist comes to see, photograph, and actually immortalize what they’ve seen and heard—to reproduce it through their own eyes and ears, as if to capture that lived moment forever.
A great tip!
If I may dare to say it, and I think this applies to many of us on this forum too.
You can be a vacationer at home. Conversely, you can also travel for many different personal or professional reasons, outside of a vacation context.
Without paid leave or school holidays for students, 99.9% of the people who visit this forum wouldn’t be anything! The "travelers vs. tourists" debate is just a sterile aristocratic joust that tries to pit the noble against the common in travel, when our behavior is really dictated by our vacation time! You can already see a clear difference in how travel is viewed within the same French-speaking space—between the French, with their 5 weeks of paid leave per year, and Quebecers, who only get between 2 and 4 weeks based on seniority...
And let’s not even talk about retirees who suddenly discover a passion for the planet later in life... I’d also be curious to know what these "adventure junkies" who regularly visit forums like this one do for a living?
I just got back from a trip to Asia, and honestly, China and Japan didn’t interest me at all as "vacation destinations."
China and Japan aren’t really alike, except that both populations are "Asian." Can you share why you went to these two countries (aside from your time off, if I understood correctly)? And if it was a work trip, how did you manage to "explore" a bit and get a sense of these places—enough to conclude they’ll never be vacation spots for you? What kind of countries *would* be your ideal vacation destination, and why?
I’ll try to settle this for you—personally, travel is just a way to get around, whether by bike, metro, or whatever. It’s the mode of transportation.
Once you reach your destination, anywhere in the world, you and I are just human beings among other human beings. All it takes is mutual respect, and everything goes smoothly.
But since we’re only "poor humans," we can sometimes act in unacceptable ways, so we’ve got to stay extra careful.
" I’ll try to settle this for you—travel, to me, is just the way you get around, whether by bike, subway, or whatever. It’s the mode of transportation. "
... you had a good start, though...
... but the rest is full of nonsense and contradictions—it doesn’t hold up at all, not even close! 🤪
I admit I have trouble understanding how some people don’t grasp that you can actually travel without being on vacation.
- What about all kinds of humanitarian workers? Everyone knows some, right?
- And language teachers, whether volunteers or paid?
- And many researchers, scientists, etc.?
- And those who choose—I know quite a few—to leave with the goal of digging wells in villages in Mali, building brick walls in Kenya so children have a place to study, conducting wildlife censuses, setting up irrigation for agriculture, etc. They’re truly nomadic without being vacationers, aren’t they?
- What about artistic professions (musicians, theater troupes, circus companies...)? Aren’t they non-vacationing travelers too?
- And all the professions tied to information, journalism, photojournalism, etc. Without them, could we read a newspaper or—if we have a TV—watch the news?
- What about jobs in tourism, entertainment, or divemasters all around the planet who spend their time explaining to passing tourists how to breathe through a regulator? They have a job that’s certainly enjoyable, but they’re not on vacation during their travels.
- What about those Westerners who choose to invest in a business abroad during the usual 6-7 months of high season? Aren’t there countless people who’ve become partners with locals so we can find a bed in a guesthouse or a sandwich on the street? Haven’t they had to make trips back and forth to set up and maintain their businesses? We all know people like that.
- And what about the growing number of people who leave to scout out artisanal product manufacturers, buy all sorts of items from them, and then resell them at markets in our Western cities?
The list could go on forever, but I hope, with all humility, to have at least partially satisfied your curiosity, globetrotter, about "the profession of these ‘adventurers’ addicted to travel who regularly frequent a forum like this one."
But I’m sure others here—whether vacationers or travel professionals who enjoy participating in forums—will be able to shed more light on this than I have.
Williama, something still bothers me just a little, though. Your profile says this: "and also the must-visit emerging countries for work."
The way this is phrased suggests you yourself spend time abroad for your job, meaning something other than vacations. If that’s the case, it seems to contradict what you wrote earlier—that when we’re traveling, we’re all vacationers without daring to say so.
So why do you have so many doubts about the existence of those who travel for work if that’s what you do yourself?
Of course, I might have misunderstood the meaning of that sentence in your profile.
To wrap up, I’ll say I admire you—Williama, still—for having conducted a conclusive survey that, to quote you: "Without paid leave or school holidays for students, 99.9% of those who frequent this forum would be nothing!"
Your precision leaves us stunned, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have any basis other than your own opinion.
Already on the plane, we were impatient to return to Southeast Asia. When we set foot in Bangkok, we suddenly feel happy to be back in this city. Returning to the Khao San Road area, we feel right at home and quickly fall back into our little routines: hotels, restaurants, massages… and nights out!
So? Traveler, great traveler, or tourist?
Sorry, I’ve got no words—or if I do, they’re escaping my mouth and...
This morning, I heard a segment on France Inter, not the one by Caroline Fourest
In Egypt, some people looted the museum where others—who you could call by any name you like—were cultivating knowledge. As a result, some of them targeted the museum shop.
They walked off with plaster copies.
The commentator cleverly drew a parallel with a human society obsessed with appearances—a life where you *appear* to be a... dignified person.
Ding dong
I admit I have trouble understanding how some people don’t get that you can actually travel without being on vacation.
- What about all the humanitarian workers out there? Everyone knows someone like that, right? ...
Hi Hugues,
And that’s exactly what I’m saying... all the people you mention only represent the tiny 0.xx% I was talking about earlier. Each in their own way, they’re the new globetrotting stars of globalization. In a sense, they’ve erased borders—whether by choice, humanitarianism, or their work. Vacationing travelers, on the other hand, are first and foremost beneficiaries of a state system built on paid leave. They’re still representatives of the old world, the one of compartmentalization under the protective shadow of the state. Every year, they leave their cozy nest hoping to return in good health after 3 or 4 weeks abroad, with a head full of memories. The traveler vs. tourist debate doesn’t make sense—it’s paid leave that shapes the "adventurer"...
When I go abroad for work, I’m not traveling—I’m just getting around. Let’s not mix things up.
So, to settle scores... (sorry, I can’t think of another way to describe what you’re doing...)
You inexplicably dig up a post from 2004 here... (your post #124)
http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=36886#36886
I admit I have a hard time understanding how some people don’t get that you can actually travel without being on vacation.
They leave their cozy nest every year, hoping to return in good health after 3 or 4 weeks abroad with a head full of memories. The traveler vs. tourist debate makes no sense—it’s paid leave that shapes the "adventurer"...
Not everyone, and that’s exactly the difference those who—rightly or wrongly—consider themselves travelers rather than tourists like to highlight... 😇
Sorry for the inconvenience,
but I just don’t like the way some people talk down to others, no matter the situation.
I admit I let myself get carried away, trying to "track down" the kite person (I don’t remember their exact name anymore), and I regret it.
Your reply is odd, and almost touching in its awkwardness... you sound like a little boy caught in the act!
You wanted to track down ..."the person with the kite whose exact name you don’t remember"? 🤪
(I think it’s not a kite on the avatar... but prayer flags.)
Hi! For me, a tourist is someone who travels with everything organized by travel agencies or with everything planned in advance. A traveler is someone who plans part of their trip and wants to experience the country's immersion (values, customs, etc.). Finally, a great traveler plans the broad strokes of their trip and lets themselves be carried away by the unexpected. Roughly speaking, that's my take!.....................thanks
Hi! For me, a tourist is someone who travels with everything organized by travel agencies or with everything planned in advance. A traveler is someone who plans part of their trip and wants to immerse themselves in the country (values, customs, etc.). Finally, a great traveler plans the broad strokes of their trip and lets themselves be carried away by the unexpected. Roughly, that's my opinion!.....................thanks
Hello,
Tourists and independent travelers are both obsessive planners... The only difference between them lies in how they plan. The first outsources the problem to an agency, while the second tackles the planning themselves. On this forum, we’ve lost count of posts like "what do you think of my schedule: Day 1 here... Day 2 there... Day 24 still around here, etc."... The independent traveler leaves even less room for the unexpected than the tourist, as they’re so focused on seeing as much as possible, squeezed by dates, all on a tight budget...
In both cases, they’re just vacationers, I’m telling you!!!!
Absolutely, you're right about planning!
And yes, the tourist vs. traveler debate is a bit outdated.
Having said that, unlike you, I do make more of a distinction between vacation and travel. For me, vacations are really about rest and tranquility. A traveler is more active, gets out there, and rolls with the punches...
Tourists and independent travelers are obsessive planners... The only difference between them lies in how they plan. The first outsources the problem to an agency, while the second tackles the planning themselves. On this forum, we can’t count the number of posts like, "What do you think of my schedule: Day 1 here... Day 2 over there... Day 24 still around here, etc."... The independent traveler leaves even less room for the unexpected than the tourist, as they’re so focused on seeing as much as possible, squeezed by dates, all on a tight budget...
In both cases, they’re vacationers, I’m telling you!!!!
Is an independent traveler not a tourist?
Can a tourist not be an independent traveler?
Haha. This forum, honestly...
I’m jumping into this discussion, which seems to be stirring up some strong feelings!
Just like human evolution, we go through different stages depending on how long our journey lasts! We’ve all been tourists at some point, when time was limited. I get it now! When you don’t have much time, you travel differently......... We’ve met so many people like that! So, I think it’s already great to go see what’s happening elsewhere, no matter how you do it! And yes, travel makes you more tolerant! In three years, I’ve learned way more about myself than about others! Maybe that’s simply what "being a traveler" is all about—GETTING TO THE ESSENTIALS, because above all, it’s a very personal story! ;) Currently in Vietnam!
PS: It’s true—after three months, NO MORE TOURISTA! A fond memory from three years ago!
For me, there are very few true travelers—that is, people who travel primarily by their own means, preferably modestly and respectfully toward the Earth and the nature of this planet.
I have much more respect and admiration for those who travel on foot, by bike, by sailboat, among other ways (though not the obnoxious rich yacht owners, of course ;)), "by fair means," rather than those who are "transported" by airlines for nearly all their trips, catapulted from one place to another on the planet. To me, those aren’t travelers but rather "kerosene burners," consumerist tourists who rush to invade many places in the world (often already overcrowded...), contributing to the destruction of the biosphere...
Mass tourism, at the expense of quiet and still-wild places (if any remain).
On this forum, I’ve often noticed that many are "proud" to show off the countries they’ve visited, like a trophy or a hunting score—it always strokes their ego. Ego-ism is the most widespread religion on Earth, along with money, consumption, and its sidekicks: greed and the rest.
It’s too bad—I’m not blameless either, since I’ve also taken a few flights abroad—but at least I don’t see things the same way as others do.
«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
On this forum, I’ve often noticed that many people are "proud" to show off the countries they’ve visited, like a trophy or a hunting scorecard. It always strokes their ego—ego-ism being the most widespread religion on Earth, alongside money, consumption, and its sidekicks: greed and the rest.
Between the ego-boosting display of how many countries you’ve visited and the smug self-righteousness of someone who sees themselves as the world’s moral savior, expecting blind admiration from others, I’m not sure I want to pick a side.
Tourism is the act of leaving one's home for personal reasons, for a period longer than 24 hours. This may involve staying overnight with a hotelier and possibly booking transportation tickets.
Initially linked only to leisure and health, tourism now also encompasses all the economic activities a person uses during an unusual trip (transportation, hotels, restaurants, etc.).
For example, it could be a business trip (referred to as "business tourism") or a religious pilgrimage ("cultural tourism"). You can also receive medical treatment in a country other than your own, which is called medical tourism.
Practicing tourism also allows you to take breaks from the utilitarian schedule imposed by the need to earn a living.
Tourists are generally interested in the culture or landscapes they visit. This practice was long the privilege of wealthy people who could afford to travel to see remarkable buildings, works of art, or taste other cuisines.
Tourism gave rise to a real industry when the middle classes of Western countries (Europe and North America) began to travel. The general improvement in living standards allowed people to devote more time to leisure, including tourism, not to mention the considerable progress in transportation (maritime, rail, but especially air travel).
According to the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization), "tourism is traveling outside one's usual place of residence for more than 24 hours but less than 4 months, for leisure, professional (business tourism), or health purposes (health tourism)."
so, according to Wikipedia, beyond 4 months, you're no longer a tourist!
but does that make us travelers?
Personally, I travel to get from point A to point B, and once I arrive, I'm a tourist.
I take tours.
City tours, village tours, countryside or mountain tours.
I wander and meet people—locals or other wanderers.
I wander, look, eat, and even buy souvenirs sometimes.
And, I barely dare say it, I take photos.
(and maybe I even write postcards...)
But I promise, next time I'll try to leave for more than 4 months, now that I know it'll make me a traveler.
aaaah, I can't wait!
and to answer Williama about the 99%: I always travel with my own money, saved up with difficulty. The last time I left, I didn’t claim unemployment benefits (which I was entitled to) because I didn’t want to owe anything to anyone.
I’ve met a lot of people "traveling" (can we really use such a strong word?) who did the same.
And I think many here travel outside of "paid leave/retirement/parents’ help."
If we had to guess percentages, it’d be closer to 60%.
Cheers.
ps: adapting Levi-Strauss a bit (sounds fancy, right!): "The traveler is first and foremost someone who believes in travel." It works for tourists too.
And those who choose—I know quite a few—who leave with the goal of digging wells in villages in Mali or building brick walls in Kenya so that children have a place to study,
hello,
I’d call those people ‘Useless Travelers’ or ‘Useless Tourists.’ Because traveling to dig a well or build walls? I’m sorry, but the locals know how to do that without needing these tourists. What they *actually* need is the materials to do it—so money to buy them. If those travelers donated the cost of their flight ticket toward the materials instead, they’d be a lot more credible...
Yes, but starting from that principle, you could argue that (for example) the locals in Thailand also know very well how to clear the ruins of their homes after a tsunami. Yet that doesn’t stop us from helping them. The key is wanting to. There are those who give their time to meaningful causes... and then there are those who just watch, criticize them on forums, and suggest they donate the cost of their flight ticket instead.
Credibility? Oh, really?!
What I do, I don’t write about on the forum. Where I live, the needs are huge, and I’d never say I’m going to dig a well or build walls. But they do it because we help them with materials and give them work...
You’re confusing a daily latent need with a tsunami, an exceptional event. I’ve even seen people come to help after cyclones, but they spent their time taking photos to sell later—that’s pathetic. It’s true there are different kinds of people: those who do whatever and those who act with some logic. But logic... when you want exoticism on top of that... 😏
I agree with you—you and I have seen the same kind of people—and my point wasn’t against yours, no offense intended! I still firmly believe that the desire and the act of giving are far more important than the means by which we give. It’s the intention behind giving that should take precedence, with the method adapting to each person’s possibilities. Not everyone has exceptional financial means (myself included, for example), so I try to offer my services by giving my time, just like the people I mentioned earlier, whose selfless and logical actions I know firsthand. They balance their travels between on-the-ground help and sharing through photos, videos, etc. All of this isn’t incompatible or contradictory when you manage to find a bit of balance and common sense.
Right now, I'm traveling completely independently: 6 months by bike, maybe more, and for resources... I started at 16. I worked in a crappy supermarket butcher shop where I was taken for a fool, but I think it's more honorable to work, to endure, to save up knowing you have goals. Very few people show that kind of determination (for me, it was two years; for others, twelve).
As for mom and dad, I don’t hide the fact that in a way, I was privileged: I stayed at their place with a larger monthly allowance, but I would never have done the traveler thing with a silver spoon in my mouth and my parents breathing down my neck... Freedom is something you earn for yourself, not what your parents/family or sometimes even 100% sponsors hand you :/
I’m a tourist traveler....
I stay at a hotel but dine with locals.
I visit monuments AND the trails less traveled by 'tourists.'
I always try to learn a few words of the local dialect (Maltese and Chinese weren’t easy, but with enough repetition, the words eventually 'sound right' and people understand you).
I respect the places I visit (no wild camping, I pick up my trash and other litter) but still enjoy my vacation.
I talk to people, even if I’m shy—I try to reach out to them, hoping to make friends, but when you’re only there for a week or two, it’s not easy to build real connections.
I think humility has nothing to do with it. A tourist can be humble, and a traveler can be condescending.
J'ai voyagé avec Jules Verne et Saint-Saint-Exupéry, mais maintenant j'aimerais voyager avec moi-même.
On lit souvent: que certains voyageurs, veulent aller à un endroit, mais en évitant les touristes, ils veulent un endroit "touristique sans touristes" on lit…
Je me suis rendu avec ma famille l'année dernière en Australie et j'en ai profité pour faire escale en Chine et visiter Pekin et Shanghai. Nous étions surpris…
Birmanie Myanmar il est trop tard pour y aller... C'est la lecture de quelques blogs et témoignages qui me font réagir Je n'en peux plus et je souffre de lire…
Désolé de venir en plein milieu de"ou trouver des iles desertes" et "peut on boire de la bintang dans un resto muslim", mais j'ai trouvé un message qui merite…
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
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?
.
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