Pour ceux qui travaillent 35 heures (sans parler des éventuels temps de transport...)...
Il faut que je travaille pour que la société dans laquelle je vis perdure mais ma vie n'est pas du tout mon travail.
En ce qui me concerne, je considère qu'à partir du moment où le travail représente une part non négligeable de notre vie active et sociale, autant y prendre plaisir. D'autant que cela peut être très enrichissant (autrement que par l'argent).
Pourquoi faire autre chose que restaurateur de 19h30 à 21h00 si on y gagne assez d'argent pour vivre comme on l'entend et si la torture est supportable voire plaisante ?
Pourquoi ouvrir jusqu'à 23 heures dans ce cas là ?
Où est l'intérêt de la personne ? 🤪🤪🤪
Tu as la chance d'avoir un boulot qui ne soit pas uniquement alimentaire.
Mais cette chance n'est pas donnée à tous.
En effet, mais tout le monde n'a pas non plus un boulot rébarbatif... Et beaucoup ne cherchent même pas à trouver les bons côtés d'un boulot, c'est souvent ça le problème.
Enfin, je ne dis pas que c'est possible facilement, mais on n'est pas obligé non plus de faire le même boulot toute sa vie...
C'est la différence entre ceux qui aiment leur travail et les autres. Facile d'être positif quand on fait quelque chose qu'on aime dans de bonnes conditions !
Que l'on affirme que la Bretagne est une région où on a des difficultés à manger le soir après 22heures moi je veux bien.
Mais encore , de Paris , faut-il pouvoir y arriver en Bretagne et ne pas être coincé gare Montparnasse mouarf mouarf ( avalanche de rire) 😏
En tout cas quel gros fiasco...Mr grand-ponte-de-l-ENA avec ses lunettes de ministre et qui gére cette grande entreprise de transports ferroviaires reste dans le mutisme le plus total.
"Nous avons gardé vives ou mortes saisons
nos âtres chauffés nos souvenances"
Il nous est fait reproche de n'être pas modernes (Ah! le grand projet!) et pourtant nous avons des food-trucks (ôte-moi d'un doute, ce mot existe-t-il en breton? 😉).
C'est la différence entre ceux qui aiment leur travail et les autres. Facile d'être positif quand on fait quelque chose qu'on aime dans de bonnes conditions !
C'est très juste petite souris. Avoir un job intéressant, enrichissant, bien payé, qu'on a choisi, avec des horaires corrects, des collègues sympas est une chance. Qu'on ne mesure même pas quelquefois. Ça m'exaspère...
Après les couacs de notre téléphérique voici ceux de la LGV, sans doute un coup du FLK (Front de Libération des Korrigans). Pas facile de "Passez à l'Ouest", alors qu'avec "passez en Bretagne" rien ne serait probablement arrivé.
😉
Après les couacs de notre téléphérique voici ceux de la LGV, sans doute un coup du FLK (Front de Libération des Korrigans). Pas facile de "Passez à l'Ouest", alors qu'avec "passez en Bretagne" rien ne serait probablement arrivé.
Tant qu'il ne s'agit que de pannes, ça va. Si tu avais vu le sous-sol de certains tronçons, tu n'oserais pas monter dans le train.
C'est très juste petite souris. Avoir un job intéressant, enrichissant, bien payé, qu'on a choisi, avec des horaires corrects, des collègues sympas est une chance.
En même temps, même sans avoir pléthore de collègues et avec des horaires à rallonge on peut aussi y prendre plaisir... C'est justement ce qui m'exaspère souvent, cette limite des 35 heures au-delà de laquelle il ne faudrait surtout pas aller sous peine de se sentir exploité ou de trop donner à son travail.
C'est justement ce qui m'exaspère souvent, cette limite des 35 heures au-delà de laquelle il ne faudrait surtout pas aller sous peine de se sentir exploité ou de trop donner à son travail.
Travail supplémentaire rime avec salaire.
Sinon ça s appelle du bénévolat.
Et puis, il n'y a pas de boulot pour tous....
Pas ailleurs, même si tu aimes le vin ou le chocolat, tu me vas pas en boire ou manger une bouteille ou une plaquette chaque jour qui passe.
Sinon, le plaisir se transforme en addiction...
Enfin, un patron remarque toujours tes dix minutes de retard le matin mais jamais celles effectuées en rab le soir.
Ça finit par lasser.
Tu as un boulot qui t'épanouit. Ceux qui votent les lois et ceux qui dirigent le monde économique aussi.
C'est un problème.
L'autre souci du monde moderne est l'éducation.
Tu apprends à tous à réfléchir alors qu'il n'existe pas pléthore d'emplois où le cerveau doit turbiner.
Tu obtiens donc une masse de sous employés qui acceptent de moins en moins le contrat social.
C'est dans ta vision "employeur - employé" de base. Quand c'est ta boîte, quand tu es indépendant, free-lance, quand tu fais un boulot avec des déplacements, dans toutes ces circonstances et bien d'autres (réunies ou non), ce concept rigide ne s'applique pas.
Enfin, un patron remarque toujours tes dix minutes de retard le matin mais jamais celles effectuées en rab le soir.
Un gros cliché quand même... Une vision un peu étriquée du monde du travail non ?
Tu apprends à tous à réfléchir alors qu'il n'existe pas pléthore d'emplois où le cerveau doit turbiner.
Un boulot qui plaît ne nécessite pas obligatoirement des capacités intellectuelles surdéveloppées. Je pense que, pour ceux qui aiment, tu dois pouvoir t'éclater en étant prof de ski ou de surf... Ça ne rapporte pas forcément beaucoup, ça ne demande pas d'effort intellectuel particulier, et pourtant, il y en a sûrement qui doivent trouver que c'est un boulot formidable.
La vision d'une personne à son compte n'est évidemment pas la même.
Mais pour un employé comme pour un patron, le bénévolat n'existe pas...
. Une vision un peu étriquée du monde du travail non ?
Mon expérience personnelle et celles des personnes qui m entourent.
Public privé même combat.
Après je ne connais pas tous les salariés et patrons de France mais toi non plus. ..
Ça ne rapporte pas forcément beaucoup, ça ne demande pas d'effort intellectuel particulier, et pourtant, il y en a sûrement qui doivent trouver que c'est un boulot formidable.
Toute la France ne peut se transformer en prof de ski, de surf ou chanteur à minettes.
Au lieu de chercher des micro exemples, tu devrais regarder la réalité en face.
Je suis en revanche d accord avec le fait que certains boulots manuels sont beaucoup plus intéressants que des emplois dits de bureau.
Ça demande plus d attention pour bien faire et cela peut être nettement plus créatif.
Par ailleurs, la paie peut s avérer très correcte . Surtout si on utilise son cerveau pour mettre en valeur ce que ses mains savent faire. ..
La vision d'une personne à son compte n'est évidemment pas la même.
Il y a énormément de gens qui sont dans ce cas. Parfois au départ un peu par obligation (perte d'un boulot notamment), assez souvent par choix.
Toute la France ne peut se transformer en prof de ski, de surf ou chanteur à minettes.
C'était un exemple au hasard au cas où tu n'aurais pas compris...
Tu crois vraiment que je suis prof de ski 😛 ?
Je suis en revanche d accord avec le fait que certains boulots manuels sont beaucoup plus intéressants que des emplois dits de bureau.
Il n'y a pas de règles. De nombreux boulots sont potentiellement intéressants mais la plupart des gens ne préfèrent même pas essayer d'en tirer le moindre plaisir, pensant dans ce cas satisfaire leur patron, alors qu'en réalité ils amélioreraient en priorité leur cadre de vie...
ben oui , en France on ferme les usines et on dit : travaillez dans le tourisme : pas de syndicats , pas de revendications , vous prendrez vos vacances en novembre quand les enfants vont à l'école ( bonjour la vie de famille vue par les soi-disant défenseurs de la famille-la droite française ) , de toutes façons , la plage ce n'est pas pour vous , c'est pour les touristes
De nombreux boulots sont potentiellement intéressants
Lesquels et pourquoi? Payés comment ? Accessibilité ? Taux de chômage de la branche ou importance de la clientèle cible ? Compatibilité avec une vie de famille avec ou sans enfants ?
plupart des gens ne préfèrent même pas essayer d'en tirer le moindre plaisir, pensant dans ce cas satisfaire leur patron, alors qu'en réalité ils amélioreraient en priorité leur cadre de vie...
L'initiative n'est pas toujours bienvenue auprès de l'employeur qui n'aime pas souvent se sentir dépassé par son employé.
Alors, tu finis par faire ce qu on te demande et surtout pas plus.
ben oui, en France on ferme les usines et on dit : travaillez dans le tourisme : pas de syndicats, pas de revendications, vous prendrez vos vacances en novembre quand les enfants vont à l'école (bonjour la vie de famille vue par les soi-disant défenseurs de la famille-la droite française), de toutes façons, la plage ce n'est pas pour vous, c'est pour les touristes
Une vision un peu simpliste des choses peut-être, non ?
Ben, je ne vais pas te faire une liste quand même... Mais il y en a des tas. Même des boulots simples et a priori pas forcément passionnants sont potentiellement intéressants. Il suffit souvent de voir son travail autrement que comme une corvée qui ramène un chèque à la fin du mois.
L'initiative n'est pas toujours bienvenue auprès de l'employeur qui n'aime pas souvent se sentir dépassé par son employé.
C'est surtout l'inverse qui se produit en général : la plupart des gens ne veulent surtout pas prendre d'initiatives pour ne pas avoir de responsabilités à assumer. Les cas de gens qui prennent des initiatives spontanées sont en réalité rares. Et tu as encore une vision étriquée de "l'employeur" : dans les faits, celui-ci voit rarement d'un mauvais œil les prises d'initiatives des gens avec lesquels il travaille.
Il y en a sans doute qui l'acceptent mal (probablement de peur de mettre à jour une incompétence) mais c'est logiquement dans une faible proportion.
Tu es dans un module typiquement français, avec le boulot qui est forcément une corvée, les patrons qui sont forcément des exploiteurs, le salaire et les vacances pour seules motivations, et le refus de s'investir personnellement de crainte de travailler trop... Je pensais que tu étais capable de prendre davantage de recul et que tu étais plus large d'esprit...
Je suis dans le modèle de ma vie. (Employée de base ou intermédiaire)
Une vie faite de plusieurs employeurs qui ont plus souvent ressemblé au portrait dressé qu'à l'inverse.
Une vie où j'ai croisé plus de travailleurs partageant mon opinion que la tienne.
L'esprit étriqué existe aussi largement chez patrons et décideurs.
Je rentre d'une escapade dans le lot , trois jours de balades et deux soirées à se dépêcher car le resto arrête le service à 20h30 ...on a le choix soit apéros tranquille dans une guinguette et sandwich , ou bon repas à 20h30 😕
Donc il n'y a pas qu'en Bretagne que les horaires sont aussi serrés . Et pourtant c'était des petites villes touristiques .
Mais miracle , une guinguette dans un village au bord du lot , un accordéoniste et un service sans trop d'horaire le dernier soir , en plus une cuisine savoureuse et copieuse franco-portugaise à prix doux . Pas de cuisine d'assemblage .
Comble du comble , il ne prenne pas la CB ( installation récente) , je gratte les fonds de tiroir caisse , et la patronne me propose gentiment de revenir payer le lendemain , sans me connaitre . 😎
Je suis rassuré, on peut encore manger de la bonne cuisine en France , avec le sourire de la patronne et du cuisinier .
J'avoue que je suis une habituée de l'Espagne ou j'apprécie de pouvoir profiter des longues soirées en mangeant tard , mais ....combien de français râlent la bas car ils ne peuvent pas manger à 19h30 😉😉😉
simple sens du service et du commerce dans une région touristique, y compris d'ailleurs pour les locaux, il y a un monde peut-être ? 🤪
Il y a ce qu'on a envie de faire de sa vie . Travailler pour vivre ou vivre pour travailler...
Certains ne pensent qu'à travailler et gagner de l'argent quitte à mourir avec, d'autres se contentent de travailler selon leurs besoins sans être esclaves de la société du H24.
Bah dans ce cas on choisit un autre métier non ?
le souci c'est qu'aujourd'hui on ne choisit ps toujours son métier, et c'est particulièrement vrai en province...;
Eh oui la province c'est pas comme Paris. Plus de boulot dans ces zone rurales isolées comme la Bretagne... D'ailleurs on n' y trouve même plus de croissants, tous les boulangers ont fait faillite car ils ne voulaient plus se lever de bonne heure On va maintenant chercher son "pain" sous plastique au supermarché... Et bientôt plus de restos dignes de ce nom; rien que des Macdo ou alors des crêperies travaillant le surgelé qui fermeront à 19h. Heureusement que les bars en Bretagne resteront toujours ouvert très tard .C'est pas encore demain qu'on rentrera de Bretagne le gosier sec!
comment pourraient vivre les parisiens dans une autre langue que le français où le mot province ( au sens parisien ) n'existe pas ? en anglais , par exemple , aller en province ne peut se traduire que par: to go in an other region ( in an other city )
Parler aujourd'hui des "régions" pour décrire ce qui était auparavant désigné par "province" a encore moins de sens au demeurant, Paris appartenant elle-même à une région, l'Île-de-France.
Comment traduis-tu ce sens du mot région en anglais ?
Les langues n'ont pas forcément toujours des mots appropriés pour décrire les découpages d'autres pays...
un anglais ne dira pas : je vais vivre en province , il dira je vais vivre à manchester , canterbury ou triffoully the ducks
dire je pars vivre en province n'à aucun sens : partir à lyon , marseille , lille , nantes ( par exemple ) ou dans un village de 100 habitants au fin fond du cantal , quel rapport.
ethymologiquement , la province est un pays vaincu et annexé ; ce qui correspond d'ailleurs à l'histoire de france ( ce que dans l'histoire officielle falsifiée on appelle agrandissement du domaine royal )
après province , il y a provincial , qui correspond à arriéré un peu lourdaud ; le racisme est interdit en france ( tant mieux ) mais pas envers les provinciaux
ethymologiquement, la province est un pays vaincu et annexé ; ce qui correspond d'ailleurs à l'histoire de france (ce que dans l'histoire officielle falsifiée on appelle agrandissement du domaine royal)
Tu oublies juste l'une des définitions du dictionnaire français qui dit que province signifie ce qui, en France, n'est pas Paris. C'est reconnu officiellement dans la langue française...
après province, il y a provincial, qui correspond à arriéré un peu lourdaud
Cette définition en revanche est la tienne. Je ne l'ai pas lue dans le dictionnaire...
Pour moi qui habite dans un village de 300 habitants , dans une région viticole touristique , ça veut dire plus de médecin, de dentiste, d'ophtalmo , de transports publics efficaces , de services publics en général . On est loin du sujet mais tant qu'à faire ....
300 habitants, dans une région viticole touristique, ça veut dire plus de médecin, de dentiste, d'ophtalmo, de transports publics efficaces, de services publics en génér
300 habitants ???
Région touristique ou pas il n'y a aucune raison logique pour que ces services existent dans ton village. 🤪
Ou alors ce serait comme base d un bassin d habitations beaucoup plus vaste.
""Tu oublies juste l'une des définitions du dictionnaire français qui dit que province signifie ce qui, en France, n'est pas Paris. C'est reconnu officiellement dans la langue française...""
Les conflits permanents de ce monde ne m'étonnent plus guère quand je vois qu'entre français, nous en sommes encore à pinailler entre Paris et province.
C'est quoi Paris si ce n'est un mélange de toutes les provinces ?
Y a combien de purs parisiens sur des siècles et des siècles, amen ? ( pareil pour les bretons alsaciens auvergnats normands occitans etc...)
La position géographique de Paris explique son succès.
Clermont entourée de montagnes, Brest à mille lieux du reste ou Fort de France de l autre côté de l'atlantique comme centre ?
Faut aimer la difficulté...
""Tu oublies juste l'une des définitions du dictionnaire français qui dit que province signifie ce qui, en France, n'est pas Paris. C'est reconnu officiellement dans la langue française...""
Toi aussi tu en oublies du Larousse:
www.larousse.fr/...ncais/province/64653
Les ex-colonies étaient aussi des provinces, elles avaient leurs "gouverneurs" équivalents des préfets.
Pour un mot français en général, il y a plusieurs définitions. Le mot province utilisé lorsque l'on parle de la France hors de Paris est l'une d'elle. Les autres définitions ne concernent pas ce sens.
comment pourraient vivre les parisiens dans une autre langue que le français où le mot province ( au sens parisien ) n'existe pas ? en anglais , par exemple , aller en province ne peut se traduire que par: to go in an other region ( in an other city )
et donc....il n'y a rien de pejoratif à parler de Province sauf pour ceux qui comme toi voient le mal partout..commentaire déplacé et sans intéret....en ce qui concerne le bassin d'emploi, malheureusement, force est de constater qu'il est plus facile de trouver du travail à PARIS qu'au fin fond des côtes d'Armor ou des Hauts de France...sans parler de certaines regions entièrement desertifiées.
il n'y a rien de pejoratif à parler de Province sauf pour ceux qui comme toi voient le mal partout..
C'est surtout un mot qui, dans mon expérience, identifie immédiatement le locuteur comme parisien. Pour les Français d'ailleurs que la capitale, il est inutile.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
"La position géographique de Paris explique son succès."
Ah 😐.. La géographie tout court ? !!
Alors là j'ai de plus en plus peur!
"Clermont entourée de montagnes, Brest à mille lieux du reste ou Fort de France de l autre côté de l'atlantique comme centre ?
Faut aimer la difficulté..."
Cette difficulté ou ce modèle politique du centralisme conservé de la royauté(la grande arnaque), on s'en serait bien passé et on pourrait bien s'en passer encore.
Voilà le Paris auquel je pense, et auquel pensent bien de "provinciaux" ne serait ce que quand ils allument la tv nationale, et qui quand même induit une certaine mentalité chez les Français et pas seulement chez les parisiens.
"Bien dit. Pour tenter un retour vers le sujet initial, rappelons que le Breton, qui dîne tôt, est originaire d'outre-Manche."
Comme si on ne le savait pas, et what else? D'ailleurs Paris a tant fait savoir aux Bretons qu'ils étaient "une province réputée étrangère" et j'en passe de ces citations, certaines bien plus récentes... où il n'y avait sans doute là aucune recherche de pureté nationale...hem!
Sinon, pour revenir au sujet initial j'en ai une bonne :
Oui mais voilà, pour bien de gens ce terme reste bel et bien connoté. Et à leur dire qu'ils voient le mal partout leur semble injuste.
En effet de miroir il y en a d'autres. C'est ainsi.
La désertification des "territoires ruraux" (ça sonne mieux comme ça, y a du progrès donc huhu!), ça pourrait rallumer des braises un de ces quatre si ça continue. Et on verra alors qui c'est qui se repliera le plus tentant de se durcir.
Je suis une pure provinciale mélange de différents coins de la France voire d'Europe si on remonte un peu dans le temps voire d'Afrique si on franchit quelques millénaires.
Allez, quelques petits mots quand même (Oui, on va me dire que j'ai quitté la discussion, mais elle a bien changé de sujet, au fond).
Je fais une réponse un peu collective...
Marriecurry se plante complètement en amorçant un procès en pureté nationale ; il n'y a jamais rien eu de cela, il n'y a pas de "sang breton", ça ne vient à l'idée de personne. Là je crois que c'est une véritable méconnaissance de la Bretagne, et s'il y a une nation elle ne repose pas du tout sur une nature, sur une origine réelle ou fantasmée.
La Bretagne était avant Colbert une des provinces (là on peut le dire, une province, pas la province) les plus riches du Royaume ; très peuplée, très commerçante, très ouverte. Elle a été asséchée par une politique centraliste délibérée, et si on paie très cher de devoir passer par ce chaos incroyable qu'est la gare Montparnasse pour aller par exemple à Bordeaux, on ne le doit pas à la géographie, on le doit à un plan centralisateur.
Les monts et les vals n'y sont pour rien, les choix de l'Etat y sont pour tout.
Enfin, soyons sérieux, dire "en province" identifie comme le dit Unamilanese ipso facto le parisien ; l'expression est performative d'une certaine façon, et elle distingue "soi" d'un "autre" indistinct, ou d'un "reste".
Alors bien sûr celui qui le dit ne s'en rend pas compte, prisonnier qu'il est de son logiciel ; mais l'"autre", celui qui reçoit et se voit renvoyé à une altérité indistincte, il sait très bien comment il doit le comprendre.
Enfin, Attila, Clochemerle, ne serait-ce pas cette France déchirée par les psychodrames et les querelles idéologiques qui se voit seule au monde comme un phare chargée d'éclairer les consciences, la prétendue "exception" culturelle à la main, tremblant de subir le traitement linguistique qu'elle a infligé fièrement aux autres ?
Michel
Je suis une pure provinciale mélange de différents coins de la France voire d'Europe si on remonte un peu dans le temps voire d'Afrique si on franchit quelques millénaires.
Enfin, soyons sérieux, dire "en province" identifie comme le dit Unamilanese ipso facto le parisien ; l'expression est performative d'une certaine façon, et elle distingue "soi" d'un "autre" indistinct, ou d'un "reste".
Lorsque j'habitais en province, je n'ai jamais vu où était le problème de dire que j'étais provincial.
Il y en a qui se créent des problèmes, des frustrations et qui voient des vexations là où il où il n'y en a pas. Complexe d'infériorité, vie hors de Paris difficile à assumer (on ne parle pas assez de leur ville aux infos...), sensation d'être mélangé d'avec d'autres, les prétextes et causes sont nombreux à mon avis. C'est la spécialité de certains (de manière inconsciente souvent), de tout interpréter mal et de travers, et de débattre sans fin sur des problèmes qui n'existent pas.
Il y a Paris et la province, c'est comme ça, et si on n'est pas d'accord, on n'est pas obligé d'utiliser ces termes, mais ils existent et font partie du langage français. Lorsque l'on parle d'un bouchon et d'une route coupée dans le sens "Paris-province", tout le monde comprend, personne ne s'en offusque...
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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