Adapting to the country with a preference for card payments and withdrawals from ATMs.
An online bank account to reduce fees.
Yeah, what’s the amount (percentage) of your ATM withdrawal fees? (outside the Eurozone)
One note: ATMs also depend on the banks in the country where you’re withdrawing.
I noticed that in South Africa, fees could be higher at some banks. Do you pay attention to that, or are you carefree in those cases?
What’s the fee percentage for your ATM withdrawals outside the Eurozone?
Zero.
ATMs also depend on the banks in the country where you’re withdrawing.
Yep.
So I always withdraw the maximum each time and compare banks on the first withdrawal (usually, there are several ATMs in the same spot...).
For 18 days in South Africa, about 2-3 withdrawals.
Not enough to break the bank or change my habits (way more cost-effective than exchanging currency anyway).
(For Fortuneo, it matches what I use it for. What’s the mistake?)
You’re telling me—I had no idea! There was a big controversy a while back about this site and its sponsor for insurance: Chapka... So I’ve been cautious...
But there are also some interesting things I’ll check out. The tip to avoid those 220 baht fees on every withdrawal in Thailand... So thanks anyway for the link—this tip wasn’t there before.
Fortuneo just made its Gold Mastercard completely free this month... No more fees, except for those infamous ATM charges. The only thing left to improve for Fortuneo to be a great travel deal is lifting the limits, which are too restrictive.
Qui écoute trop la météo, passe sa vie au bistrot !
Has anyone on this forum ever traveled with just one suitcase, even a carry-on, full of cash?
If so, that’s interesting.
If not, that could put an end to the topic 😉
Has anyone on this forum ever traveled with just one suitcase full of cash?
If so, that’s interesting.
I haven’t traveled with one, but once I ended up with almost a suitcase full of cash while I was there.
After selling my car in Niger or Togo, I had an impressive amount of cash in West African CFA francs! Then I went to Ghana, where exchanging on the black market (just a small portion) gave me 2 to 3 times the official rate for a currency that was basically worthless! (Unheard of!) There were no ATMs in Ghana back then😏. You can’t imagine how much cash I hauled around in my bag until the next border! When I crossed into Côte d’Ivoire through some random border post, the customs officer searched my bag, started counting every single bill one by one, and incredibly, didn’t ask for a single one!
People often tell me I'm too down-to-earth.
Now I use a figurative expression and that’s not right either...
Piles of bills add up quickly in some countries.
One trip to the ATM and you can’t fit any more in your wallet.
Plus, you have to be careful given the condition of those bills.
The smallest is worth just a few euro cents...
I remember hiding my Indian rupees in a cigarette pack back when international bank cards were a luxury.
Yet I hadn’t exchanged much...
It’s also one of the reasons I started using my card intensively as soon as possible.
Ending up with several centimeters of bills in your pocket—and collecting those little yellow coins like Chirac’s grandma—gets heavy after a while.
Some locals even end up adopting another currency for large transactions because they were literally using suitcases of cash.
My memories are fading. I can’t remember if it was in Cambodia or Laos where I saw this almost 20 years ago.
Local currency and dollars for big sums.
Wads of bills add up fast in some countries.
One trip to the ATM and you can’t even fit them in your wallet anymore.
Plus, you’ve gotta watch out for the condition of those bills.
The smallest denomination is worth just a few euro cents...
I remember hiding my Indian rupees in a cigarette pack back when international bank cards were a luxury.
And I hadn’t even exchanged that much...
That’s also one of the reasons I switched to using my card as much as possible as soon as I could.
Yeah, it’s a good solution, but it’s not always the best in every country.
For South Africa, it’s ideal—Botswana and Namibia, I’m not sure, but probably too... In other African countries, not so much, just like in parts of South America or certain Asian countries...
But like I said, ATMs aren’t always reliable when you’ve been (like me) "burned" twice: card swallowed, bank closed, cash not dispensed, etc. You *have* to have two cards, and not from the same bank—one Mastercard and one Visa, for example... and that still doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carry cash in large bills, well hidden!
In Asia and Latin America, I’ve always used my card (except in Myanmar during the blockade).
Even in Cambodia when there were no ATMs.
You go to a bank counter with your card, and they give you cash.
It takes longer than an ATM and costs more, but it saves you from carrying a month’s salary with the risk of losing it, forgetting it, or getting scammed by money changers.
So Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Armenia, Georgia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Israel, Jordan, Turkey → card.
Argentina if you want to contribute to the enrichment of local banks.
That’s already quite a few countries, right?
In all the African countries I’ve crossed too: Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Egypt, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Morocco, Tunisia.
You use cash exchange, like others, because it’s in your mindset, your habits—not always because it’s the only option.
Basically, you could do without it 90% of the time, but you prefer another way for personal reasons tied to who you are. It’s your choice, not an obligation.
The obligation comes when you have no other choice, when alternatives are extremely complicated or very costly. (In Myanmar, you could get cash with a card despite the blockade, but with a prohibitive commission...)
I’m talking about exchange, not cash payments, which isn’t the topic of this discussion.
Cards and exchange both allow cash payments.
The subject is how to obtain local currency.
when I’ve been "tricked" twice (like me)
If I followed that logic, I’d stay home instead of trekking above 4,000 meters since a stent lets me breathe.
It’s the same thing.
It shows that when you have irrational fears yourself, you’d do better not to mock others for theirs... 😄
Some locals even end up adopting another currency for their large transactions because, precisely, they were made with suitcases of bills.
My memories are fading. I can't remember if it was in Cambodia or Laos where I observed this almost 20 years ago.
In Laos...
(Message 118, I was actually recalling some memories with "suitcases" of Kip! 🙂)
I remember seeing someone in a small bank in Luang Prabang with a well-filled bag...
You're right about it being around twenty years ago—my trip was in '99.
I searched the internet for a representative photo of travelers with those stacks of bills... I’d seen some on blogs, but can’t find them anymore.
- Here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia:
Until 2006, the largest bill was 20,000 Kips, but it wasn’t always available in large quantities, and it was common to need a special bag to carry an amount from the exchange bureau if you got small denominations.
With a 100 € bill, you’d often receive more than 200 bills of 5,000 Kip!
Iran, for example. Three years ago, there was no way to use a credit card.
Other countries like Burundi where it's better to exchange cash on the black market unless you want to lose a third of your budget.
"Qui vit voit beaucoup, qui voyage voit d'avantage"
You go to a bank counter with your card and they give you cash.
Hmm, that’s an option I hadn’t considered... But I’d need to get a new card. I think it only makes sense if you travel several times a year. That’s not my case anymore, or if it’s a second trip within the eurozone, so no extra fees with my debit card.
For those who only travel once a year, I don’t think it’s worth the hassle (or the cost!). But it *does* become interesting to look into when you’re traveling long-term...
Basically, you could do without it 90% of the time, but you prefer another way of doing things for personal reasons that reflect who you are.
Mostly, for any transaction, I’d rather have a real person in front of me than a machine. By handling things this way—at the bank and especially with insurers—I’ve been able to negotiate (not for foreign exchanges, though) in ways I couldn’t over the phone, for example...
The banker never confiscated my card, but that little ATM box did it twice, and despite my protests, they refused to give it back...
I had to spend a ton of energy (and money) and a lot of time to get it back or recover my funds. Not to mention all the little hassles that come with losing a card...
As long as it hasn’t happened to you, life’s great with ATMs!
If I followed that logic, I’d stay home instead of trekking above 4,000 meters since a stent lets me breathe. Same category. It just shows that when you have your own irrational fears, you shouldn’t mock others for theirs...
Yeah, you’re right—it’s the same thing... I’m less afraid of getting mugged by shady people on a street corner who’d take my cash (I always keep a few bills in my pocket just in case) than of having my card swallowed by that little box and having to chase people down, send emails, make calls to get it back...
I don’t mock people who have fears that aren’t mine, though.
Other countries like Burundi where it's better to exchange cash on the black market unless you want to lose a third of your budget
Oh yeah, in Burundi it was definitely more worthwhile that way, but also without getting caught. I remember on the street, especially in Buja but not only there, as soon as we started digging into our bags or pockets, eyes were practically always locked on us to see what we pulled out. Never felt that anywhere else.
Speaking of suitcases, there’s also Guinea Conakry, where when you went to a restaurant, your wallet had to be the size of a briefcase! !
Other countries like Burundi where it's better to exchange cash on the black market unless you want to lose a third of your budget
Losing 1/3 isn’t huge compared to what I’ve seen in Ghana, for example, but it still adds up! You’ve gotta be sure of your move when you do your little transaction on a street corner in the middle of the city. In Delhi, I met a money changer who was an amazing sleight-of-hand artist (the Gérard Majax of black-market exchange!), and a lot of people got scammed. Luckily, I practice this art myself a little... 😏
Thanks for the comparative link, Attila—it’s really interesting.
After looking into it, the two that seem most appealing to me are:
- Max, with its Mastercard
- MaFrenchBanque, with its Visa
If anyone uses either of these banks, I’d love to hear your thoughts...
A few advantages I’ve found:
- Withdrawals are free in France and abroad for both online banks.
That’s not the case with N26 or Monabanq, for example.
- Account maintenance fees are low (MaFrenchBanq: 2 €) or free (Monabanq).
Unlike N26 (9.90 €/month) or Monabanq (6–9 €/month).
- No commitment for either.
Unlike N26 (minimum 1-year commitment, renewable).
Okay, but one downside in my opinion:
- Both online banks (Max and MaFrenchBanque) validate online payments by sending an SMS (which is tricky for me since I travel without a mobile phone).
Finally, is it better to have a Mastercard or a Visa when traveling outside the EU?
- The two online banks (Max and MaFrenchBanq) validate online payments by sending an SMS (which is inconvenient for me since I travel without a mobile phone).
Yep... Some here would say you just need that monthly plan thing for 39 €! Not to mention that if someone steals your cash, they can also steal your phone!
. People often accuse me of being too down-to-earth.
Now I use a figurative expression and it still doesn’t go over well...
So I tried my hand at sarcasm and it flopped 😉
Still, I did some research to find out how much cash you can take out of France (how much in the suitcase?) and I didn’t find any answers.
. People often criticize me for being too down-to-earth.
Now I use a figurative expression and that’s not okay either...
Turns out I tried sarcasm and it flopped 😉
Still, I did some research to find out how much cash you can take out of France (how much in the suitcase?) and didn’t find any answers.
You can take out as much as you want—hundreds of millions—if you have it, as long as you fill out a declaration for any amount over 10,000 €... For larger sums, you’ll need to prove where the money came from.
This discussion is enlightening.
This story reminds me of my first days of retirement. On my way to the deep south of Morocco, I made a stop in Andalusia and got a call from the bank that stopped me in my tracks: "Can you explain the origin of the sum that was deposited into your account?" (a little over 8,000 €—my retirement severance pay plus my paid leave). Good grief, I brushed off the kind lady... What business is it of mine? Plus, the origin was clearly stated on the transfer.
I felt like a notorious trafficker. No explanation from the person, just suspicion in her voice. Me, who had never had such a large sum in my account before—how could this be... and blah blah blah...
When I got back, the bank apologized. It was apparently Tracfin’s orders.
Yet, you can withdraw as much cash as you want... What kind of world do we live in?
Generally speaking, I’d still side with Attila on traveling with my credit cards, mostly because I’m too absent-minded and can’t be bothered to dry bills after doing laundry...
I was wondering if there are still countries like Mauritania was about ten years ago, where I could finance a trip on top of the one I was already taking.
In Mauritania, there was the fake exchange rate at banks and the street exchange (in shops). There were two seasons when you could find the ouguiya (UM) around 270–300, and for the same euro, you’d get between 380 and 420. Since I often passed through the area either to sell or to go sell further away, I played the game a lot... Same with selling cars... It worked from 2005 to 2010. I’d stock up on the dollars I needed instead of paying fees to my bank.
I don’t do it anymore, but a few years ago, I also kept an eye on the dollar’s exchange rate... It’s less profitable now, but I’ve managed to score some nice deals by anticipating dollar purchases.
Qui écoute trop la météo, passe sa vie au bistrot !
We just got back from Argentina with US dollars and euros. We also exchanged some for pesos because it’s better for small markets and artisans. Don’t forget tips—they’re happy with dollars or euros. Of course, credit cards work too.
I’m adding Burundi to the list of countries where, like Venezuela, the official exchange rate is terrible, making the black-market exchange preferable.
For those who only travel once a year, I don’t think it’s worth the hassle (or the cost!)
If you’ve read all the comments, you’ll see that most people aren’t motivated by the financial side but by the convenience.
So even for a single trip, those who find cards practical will use them.
Especially since they can be just as useful in daily life here as abroad—no need to open multiple accounts or deal with extra banks if you don’t want to.
I prefer having a real person to talk to rather than a machine.
Machines are often more reliable...
Here and everywhere else.
Humans have moods. They can be corruptible. They can be incompetent.
As long as it hasn’t happened to you, life’s great with ATMs!
I’ve had issues with cards and debit/credit systems.
Nothing that justifies the trauma of swearing them off.
The country that gave me the most problems? France...
Try buying something when your card’s been hacked and you don’t have it anymore.
Cash? Your bank needs to be open...
A check? Thanks to scammers who pay with bad checks, they’re rarely accepted now...
So it wasn’t the card I cursed—it was the merchants refusing checks...
than having my card stolen from the little box and having to chase people down, write emails left and right, and call around to get it back...
A card can be used at a bank during opening hours for those who are worried.
I’m not mocking those who have fears that aren’t mine.
Oh really?
Do you always take things at face value?
You never make fun of some VF members’ concerns, like in the *Travel & Health* section?
When you recommend gris-gris against malaria, is that serious?😮
Still, be careful with 10,000 € when leaving France, because most of the time it’s only $10,000 when you arrive!
(For example, it’s posted pretty much everywhere in Buenos Aires airports)
Oh really?
Do you always write in earnest?
You never mock the questions some VF members have, like in the "Travel and Health" section?
When you recommend gris-gris against malaria, is that serious?
It’s precisely because I take malaria seriously. When a VF member suggests essential oils or some herbal tea as an effective way to protect against malaria, I recommend gris-gris just as effectively to provoke a reaction.
And besides, I often respond on this forum based on what I know or what I’ve learned from the person asking the question, you see. By the way, after what I recently learned from one of your posts, I’ll adjust some of my answers.
If you feel like mocking people who believe in gris-gris, that’s your call.
Come on, Attila—I’m not mocking anyone at all. I actually think gris-gris works wonders for all sorts of everyday things, just not for curing cancer or protecting against malaria.
Didn’t you make the same kind of jokes about the "pilgrims" on the Moses or Jesus Trail in Israel when you referenced *Life of Brian*? Don’t you think that comparison might also hurt some believers’ feelings?
the alternative of wiring money to yourself from France is often convenient...
I’m revisiting this point, which could be useful for me—and for future travelers heading to Argentina.
If I understood correctly, this involves transferring a sum via your bank card, bank account, or cash from France to Argentina through an agency like Western Union.
You pick up the amount in pesos at the chosen counter.
Do you know how long the money waits for you and how much time passes between requesting the transfer and being able to collect the cash?
It’s not exactly easy to organize if you’re not staying in the same place for several days, right?
Do you know how long the money waits for you and how much time passes between requesting a transfer and being able to pick up the tickets?
I’m only speaking from my experience with Worlremit, which I’ve used several times, but there are plenty of other companies out there: Western Union, Transferwise, Azimo, etc.
I had my bank register their IBAN before leaving France, so I wouldn’t have to deal with SMS validation during the transfer—something that often doesn’t work well for me in Argentina.
Here’s how it works:
- Make a SEPA transfer from your personal bank to their European account.
- WorldRemit always confirms the transfer as soon as they receive the email from my bank, without waiting for the money to actually land in their account.
- They then send a code by email for pickup at one of the Argentine networks.
WorldRemit partners with More Money Transfer: just a heads-up, they aren’t everywhere in Argentina (especially not in the south), and some neighborhood branches don’t always have cash available.
For the first transfer, they asked me to send a scanned ID. From sending the SEPA transfer to having the cash in pesos, it took 3 hours (I just checked my emails).
For subsequent transfers, the whole process takes a maximum of 20 minutes (yes, I mean funds available in 20 minutes).
Currently, the maximum you can transfer to Argentina (this varies by country) in one go is around 1,400 € (1,500 USD), with a monthly limit of 10,000 USD.
The fee is 3.99 € per transfer.
The exchange rate isn’t great: 64.17 pesos today, compared to 65.40 at Banco Nación.
Worth comparing with Western Union, for example (though I don’t know their terms), where the rate seems amazing right now!
Totally agree. Bank fees are painless but prohibitive.
Personally, depending on the country, I carry euros and US dollars (the ideal currency in Central and South America) in cash.
I book hotels with a credit card, but I let them know I’ll pay in cash when I arrive. Generally no problem.
I’ve had issues with credit cards getting damaged by the imprinters used in some countries (including the US) or having data skimmed via a receipt kept under the counter... Since then, I’ve been careful and suspicious.
As a rule, I never withdraw money from street ATMs at night or outside bank opening hours (which must be locally recognized). I’ve also had a card swallowed by an ATM. Total bad luck!!!
Finally, I don’t give my bank or anyone else the right or the ability to know which country I’m visiting. That’s nobody’s business. In the age of intrusive and inquisitive social media and IT, I like to keep my freedom of movement.
And I’m not the only one who operates this way! Contrary to what’s said and written here and there, the French aren’t ready to give up cash. Media and government propaganda.
We’ll see that in neighboring European countries, people love cash and large bills: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal....
False problem, then.
When you join a discussion, you read it in full.
You could’ve learned that this common belief has become rather outdated.
On the other hand, exchange bureau fees *are* still painless (the "no commission" smokescreen) but often prohibitive (depends on the country and the exchanger’s honesty).
I’ve had credit cards crushed by the clamps used in some countries
Haven’t seen a clamp in ages…
Never had any issues with cash?
Theft, dishonest exchangers, loss, forgetting it in the washing machine, a sudden gust of wind (yep, happened to me…)
Finally, I don’t give my bank—or anyone else—the right or the ability to know which country I’ve traveled to. That’s nobody’s business
Then what are you doing here?
I’m always surprised to read these conspiracy theories on forums.
Do you use workarounds so VoyageForum can’t see your real IP address?
Italy, Spain, Portugal…
Money-laundering paradises.
You can add Greece to that list.
Some Nordic countries, often seen as virtuous, behave the opposite way.
The French aren’t ready to give up cash.
Old-school thinkers (not necessarily by age) and schemers.
Sure, suitcases of bills handed under the table by companies to secure public contracts—that’s *totally* the future…
Comment et pourquoi devient-on accro des voyages? Pour ma part, j'ai toujours soupçonné que le fait d'être né (il y a 50++ années) à proximité de la frontière…
Sanary sur Mer, un samedi maussade de Novembre... Une pâtisserie à la vitrine alléchante... Deux femmes, la quarantaine bien maquillée... Un soupçon de parfum,…
Ce titre accrocheur et quelque peu mystérieux résulte de plusieurs questions que je me pose. VF a rouvert depuis un nombre raisonnable de semaines et de mois.…
Juste quelques mots pour avoir des avis sur le sevrage de voyages du à l'arrivée d'un enfant. Je vais être papa dans quelques jours et j'en suis très heureux.…
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"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?
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
A few years ago, I went with a group of friends to lend a hand at a small rural school near Thiès, Senegal.
It was a relaxed but hardworking atmosphere—hands in the mortar, laughter, exchanges, and everything that a COOPERATION project can bring.
Today, the little project is flying on its own.
Wanting to explore Senegal’s riches, we set off for some tourism in the Siné Saloum. One girl in our group fell ill (a malaria attack), and we decided to take her to see a doctor at a large tourist complex nearby. Despite her condition, we had to "show our credentials" (if I may say so) just to get in. She was treated and has been fine since.
This "stop" at a Club Med-style resort with a Teutonic twist—resembling Le Grau-du-Roi but fancier—was a horror show for us: pools, massive artificial basins dyed blue, pink, or green (!!!!), animators shouting around wet T-shirt contests or coconut tree climbing, and sunburned (or sun-pinked) *toubabs*.
The entire hotel was surrounded by a huge wall, behind which a small souvenir-seller slum had sprung up, worthy of Dakar’s outer neighborhoods.
On leaving, we saw a minibus of guests returning from an "excursion," loaded with masks, fabrics, and djembés—African souvenirs?
Maybe those will be *theirs*?
What impression did the kids clustered at the hotel gates get?
What about the Black servers in "traditional African costumes," serving cocktails and ice cream nonstop?
For me, who experienced Africa very young and in the bush, this remains a haunting image.
On VF, this kind of vacation doesn’t seem to be the norm among users, and that’s exactly why I signed up.
Have you ever experienced this kind of interstellar travel?
Do you understand the Martians?
Are their motivations peaceful?
.
.
