Ladies and gentlemen of the censors and fair-weather friends, we salute you! 😉
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
Are you on bad terms with some people on this forum?
Just 1,299,999, practically nothing.
Plus the other 2,000 😛
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
Hi everyone, I just stumbled upon this discussion a bit by chance, since I don’t come to the forum much anymore. I was on another planet in Thailand, and I’m having a hard time coming back to reality. I’m struggling to "find myself" in India. It’s tough to let go of all my emotional and cultural ties. I still have a long way to go in another life to reach "Enlightenment."
I devoured all 13 pages in one go, like a book you can’t put down. You often made me smile with your discussions and your certainties—everyone mixed together—and I even laughed out loud a few times. It was really interesting to read everything at once because you could see personalities and character traits emerge as the pages went by.
I almost jumped in several times but decided to hold back so I wouldn’t interrupt my reading. Mostly, I didn’t want to take part in the debate. I was watching from the outside, like you might watch what’s happening in the street from your window without intervening. A bit like how I looked at my past life and the last moments I lived when an anesthesiologist coldly told me to prepare my will and final wishes if I had any, because I had a strong chance of not waking up. It’s a strange feeling when a doctor tells you flat-out: you’ll most likely be dead in a few days. You’re living your last days... It changes a person. And once you do wake up, you end up with a whole new philosophy on life—and on the stupid, pointless arguments with this or that person.
Still, I wanted to share my experience since the topic came up several times in this discussion. I now live with three little tubes in my coronary arteries, and one part of the network is too fragile to be protected any other way than medically. Arteries 90% blocked. “We’re amazed you’re not dead...” Three doctors said the same thing to me. Three cardiologists out of five, including two Indian ones, and two French general practitioners acknowledged it was a side effect of the “famous” vaccine. I won’t say more to avoid reigniting the debate here, but I wanted to share my story anyway.
I had planned to talk about my experiences with hospitalizations and surgeries in an Indian hospital. Because I’ve never seen that kind of story here on VF. I wanted to talk about the hesitation from my insurance company, which almost left me to die on the spot. I thought it could be an interesting account for travelers in similar situations.
Then my ban from the forum in November, and the weeks that followed, killed any desire I had to share it once I was “rehabilitated.” I’ve taken a bit of distance from VF, even if I can’t bring myself to leave completely. Kola once wrote to me: “It seems obvious to me, as I’ve often said: Voyage Forum is a diabolical forum.”
Still, I’m addicted to VF and will probably write again, but I need to find the "drive" to do it. I have so little time left to live with a sword of Damocles hanging over my head, and I don’t want to waste my energy on stupid, pointless arguments in real life or in the “vir...tual” one.
For the tips, don’t worry, they’re solid!
I’ve had one for 18 years—it’s never been replaced.🙂
Thanks Agnès, yeah, I know. Normally, that’d be fine, but my situation’s a bit special—I won’t go into details here... But now I’m doing great, full of energy, and ready to travel, hike, and do all sorts of things in life
Oh yeah, Joël... We see the same thing on all travel forums and ESPECIALLY on those that have deactivated.
It makes sense 😅
Plus, we have to admit that COVID really messed everything up across all sectors. Those who hung on and stayed active online are suffering the least (I think).
Tropical greetings from Salvador,
@ivanbahiaguide
...
Yet, to my great surprise, I see fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new members logging in, and I see a number of connected members who don’t participate or no longer participate.
Something escapes me because, in my opinion, VF is attractive, and I don’t see which other sites could compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-COVID?
Does it still take time for some to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer a form of quick consumption on sites like FB or others I don’t know?
Where have the old-timers of the site gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on?
Good evening,
The economic newspaper *Les Échos* titled "the week of all dangers" with Trump’s antics and the consequences—I wonder if this isn’t going to affect international tourism in the long run.
Just for people wanting to travel to the U.S., there’s already a drop in visitor arrivals.
Every week feels like a risk, especially when you run into the wrong people on a forum 🤪
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
hey Jojoone okay, fair enough, there are people who sometimes behave badly on this forum.
But I didn’t express myself well.
Expecting a huge financial storm next week that’s gonna wipe everything out... we might all end up on the streets if that happens.
Maybe a remake of the 1929 crisis 🤪
.No more money for pensions, social security, etc...
Yeah, they played with our money, but we’ll be the ones footing the bill...
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
... Was there really a break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it still take time for some to discover the site or learn it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I don’t know?
Where have the old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time?
What’s actually going on?
Hi Joël,
I’d love to say I’m still here, class of 2005 😄, more active since last fall. I’ve been lucky enough to help a few French tourists make their trips to La Belle Province more enjoyable. 🚗🚗
Here in Quebec, I think I can say there’s definitely been some kind of break after Covid-19. 😔 It’s really sad 😢
Humbly, I think it’ll take a long time to revive this amazing site that is VF. I’m trying, with my modest means, to spark interest by attempting to recruit. On this side, several traveler groups have popped up on Facebook. Nothing comparable, though. But it’s tough to turn the tide. 🧑🏽🔧
With the change in attitude from our American neighbors, I hope VFers will take the chance to visit Quebec. For my part, I’m slowly preparing for another trip in 2026. There’s still so much to see here 😄
Greetings and long live Voyage Forum ❤️❤️
PS No matter what was said or happened, I’m thinking of the family and loved ones of the one who had the brilliance to create Voyage Forum. May he rest in peace 🕊️
People of a certain age were young once too...
And they also faced difficulties back then.
In the end, discrimination between people is more tied to inheritance than to age.
It’s normal to be better off at 40 than at 20.
But inheriting a million or nothing at all—that’s a whole different story... (No personal merit in that. You either win the birth lottery or you don’t...)
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
True. I would’ve loved to be born rich—unfortunately, I was only born handsome and smart. 😏
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
Does that mean Mr. Jojoone is an old monkey who doesn’t need anyone to teach him how to make faces?
Better express the heart of your thought, haha, laule
Actually, I was teaching Miss Attila how to lighten the mood. It might come in handy someday 😛
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
People who are a certain age were young once too...
And they also faced difficulties.
After all, discrimination between people is more linked to inheritance than to age.
It’s normal to be better off at 40 than at 20.
But inheriting a million or nothing—that’s a whole different story... (No personal merit in that. You either win the birth lottery or you don’t...)
Yeah, it was the lottery, but people also work to leave something for their kids—it’s natural, let’s say.
Yeah, older generations struggled too, but in the meantime, there was a generation that had easier access to homeownership, less unemployment, and a pension.
My grandma worked her whole life for an average salary but admits things were simpler back then. They could afford housing, travel (though it was more expensive than now), and she’s been receiving a pension for 30 years and was able to be in a decent nursing home.
My mom had a harder time in life, and I worry about where she’ll end up given the current state of nursing homes and the healthcare system.
As for me, I don’t even ask the question anymore 😅
But I’m not here to pit generations against each other. It’s just an observation. Every era has its own struggles, of course.
One thing is certain, and I’ve noticed it clearly while traveling: the break between pre- and post-COVID is DEEP, and contrary to what people say like "yeah, it’s all behind us," absolutely not!
It’s not behind us at all. COVID keeps coming up in conversations, and with the side effects of vaccines—which are everywhere—this period isn’t closed at all (obviously, it’s only in France where this topic is TOTALLY taboo).
Anyway, this ties into another post about COVID—has it changed how we travel? Personally, it’s mostly my view of others that’s completely changed.
Realizing a friend can turn overnight into a paranoid snitch, and conversely, someone I didn’t particularly like showing kindness and tolerance…
And given the debates we had on this topic on this forum before it closed… it’s clear many won’t be coming back.
Meanwhile, there’s a generation that had easier access to stability, less unemployment, and a retirement
This generation was born before, during, or just after the war.
Personally, I’d rather have lived through the AIDS years, unemployment, and a reduced pension than have had to experience war, the Nazis, and post-war reconstruction.
My father used to fetch coal from the cellar, and the toilet was on the landing.
My mother survived because she won the "Rh factor lottery," but her brothers and sisters died because medicine back then was powerless.
I’ve always had a bathroom (which wasn’t the case for everyone in my generation...), I never heard bombs, and medicine saved me from a heart attack that would’ve been fatal just a few years earlier.
I had access to a checkbook without asking for permission, I could choose my profession, and my generation had access to the pill and abortion.
There are definitely advantages to being part of Generation X, Y, Z, or even Alpha.
And if older generations are often better off, it’s also because they were much more like ants than grasshoppers.
Back then, if you bought a piece of clothing, you either made it yourself or bought it to last a lifetime.
The same went for everything else—which explains the overwhelming decor in some properties for sale...
No flight tickets, no vacations if you didn’t have the money. It was considered total luxury. Same for TVs, phones, etc.
People housed themselves, heated their homes, ate, dressed, and walked a lot more than today. Entertainment was more about conversations by the fire than the latest Taylor Swift concert.
And the Livret A savings account grew...
Consumer society exploded in the 90s.
And with it came resentment...
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
I don’t really know how old you are—56, I think I read? Just a bit younger than me, so our experiences should overlap.
We could look at things in terms of freedoms and point out their steady decline over at least the past decade, but let’s consider them in terms of consumption, which you trace back to the 1990s. Your childhood was in the 1970s. So you knew a world where everyone assumed their salary would be higher next year, where changing jobs was as simple as asking, and where, thanks to inflation, bank loans let you build a house that you’d actually end up paying very little for. Those were years of consumption, of innovations that drove purchases.
Your neighbors probably weren’t that different from mine—they’d switch cars often to have the latest model. Don’t tell me there wasn’t ready-to-wear fashion back then!
Like me, you had measles and chickenpox, and you were encouraged to "get them over with" at the age when it was normal.
To have experienced bombings, our parents must have lived in very specific places—Brest, Lorient, Dunkirk—and the reconstruction was mostly to keep up with the population boom.
There were no cultivated fears back then; the media still had opinions, and the disastrous (and soon-to-be misused) "precautionary principle" hadn’t yet become dogma.
Personally, I’d rather have lived through the AIDS years, unemployment, and a reduced pension than have had to experience war, the Nazis, and post-war reconstruction.
Wait a bit on retirement—just wait till you see the travel budget! 😛[;]
For retirement, wait a bit—you’ll see the travel budget!
Not all retirees are struggling either... At least, not up until now. 😉
We might end up not getting any retirement benefits at all. That’s a possibility.
It’s not at all behind us—COVID keeps coming up in conversations, along with vaccine side effects,
I’m totally clueless about this. Do people around you talk about it?!
Do you think this vaccine has more side effects than others?
this period isn’t at all over (it’s obviously only in France where this topic is TOTALLY taboo).
I don’t hear about it at all around me. Then again, I’m a bit cut off from civilization.
Anyway, this ties into another post about COVID—has it changed how we travel?... Personally, it’s mostly my view of others that’s completely changed. Knowing that a friend can turn into a paranoid snitch overnight, and vice versa—someone I didn’t particularly like showing kindness and tolerance...
Are you talking about on VF or in everyday life?
As for me, I don’t think I’ve been the target of snitching, but it’s possible I wouldn’t know. Either way, no consequences for my life.
In my village, we’ve always helped each other... And we kept living like before.
My grandmother worked her whole life for an average salary but admits that things were simpler back then. They could afford housing and travel
Mine crossed all of Europe from east to west... not for fun.
She was made to retrace the journey by train in the opposite direction but never returned. 🙁
Otherwise, I don’t think our grandmothers—most of them, anyway—traveled much for leisure!
My father was born in March 1940 in the south of France. They had to flee on foot from Alsace. He was born in the seventh month of pregnancy and was so small he fit into a shoebox.
I knew my great-grandmother until I was six. When there were thunderstorms on summer evenings and everything was shaking, it was something to see her in front of the candles, expecting to be struck by lightning at any moment and praying to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
It’s certain that in the 60s, the very first family vacations in a Peugeot 404 all the way to the Côte d'Azur were an absolute blast. It’s crazy how much I loved the smell of the 404’s plastic under the sun.
I had a great idea opening this thread. Anyone else want to share their story?
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
So you knew a world where everyone knew that next year, their salary would be higher, where everyone knew that if they wanted to change jobs, all they had to do was ask, where, with inflation helping, bank loans allowed you to build a house that you actually paid very little for. Years of consumption, of innovations that drove purchases.
It’s certain that from 1 to 10 years old, I asked myself all these questions...😄
I knew a world dominated by AIDS, mass unemployment, and the hangover from the early Mitterrand years.
I knew a world where retirement went from 60 years old and 37.5 years of contributions without penalties to 64 years old and 43 years of contributions with penalties... (Maybe even more, since I still have a few years left to work)
To have experienced bombings, our respective parents would have had to live in very specific places,
Dieppe and Alsace... Very quiet places...🤪
with inflation helping, bank loans allowed you to build a house that you actually paid very little for.
And what if you weren’t a homeowner?
Years of consumption, of innovations that drove purchases.
Black-and-white TV until 1981, no phone before 1976, an apartment that stayed the same in its decor until 1989...
A Simca 1000 for the whole family.
Come on, we had a state-of-the-art hi-fi system!
And above all, we went on vacation... That was the main difference between my parents and my grandparents. But going on vacation meant saving more... More ants than cicadas, but not quite there yet.
Consumption came later. In 1970, we were equipping ourselves. In 1990, we were consuming. In 2020, we’re overconsuming.
they played at changing cars often to have the nicest one, the latest model
I have absolutely no idea.
don’t tell me there was no ready-to-wear.
There was, but not Shein or Temu... It was sturdy, long-lasting, stuff you bought at the start of the school year and wore all year...
But for my parents’ generation, the Singer sewing machine worked just fine...
There were no cultivated fears
Oh really?
And what about the Cold War?
The big bad communist wolf versus the big bad capitalist wolf?
the media still had opinions
Do *L'Heure des Pros* and *C dans l'air* push the same ideas?
Have you read or watched all the print newspapers, TV, TikTok, YouTube, etc.? Is it the same narrative everywhere?
I don’t get that impression.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
My father was born in March 1940 in the south of France. They had to flee on foot from Alsace. He was born at 7 months and was so small he fit in a shoebox.
We have some things in common...
By the way, this has nothing to do with it, but I was wondering,
Was it after your last trip to Thailand that these signs were put up?[;]
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
First off, there’s a mistake—it’s langurs, not rangurs (though that’s not unusual). But more importantly, I have no idea why you’d need to be wary of the most peaceful monkey I know.
You just have to avoid giving them peanuts because it gets them way too hyper. Actually, I suspect that food is harmful to them.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
But for skiing, you’ve gotta wait until 75 or even older to get a truly cheap—or even free—pass...😕
It can’t cost them too much!😏
good evening, who offers these kinds of discounts?
It’s not a bad idea, actually—it’s a solution for the retirement problem.
At 75, you go skiing, have a serious accident because you’re not in the shape you were at 20, end up in the hospital with an open fracture, it gets infected, and you kick the bucket right after—ha ha ha 😛
The info is cut off, and the local source corrects it:
While resorts often offer free passes for those over 75 (and I admit it can’t cost them much),
most of them give discounts starting at 60—can’t wait!
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
Your childhood was in the 1970s.
You lived in a world where everyone knew their salary would be higher next year, where changing jobs was as simple as asking, and where, thanks to inflation, bank loans let you build a house that you’d actually pay very little for. Those were years of consumption, of innovations that drove purchases.
Your neighbors probably weren’t much different from mine—they loved switching cars often to get the latest model. Don’t tell me there wasn’t ready-to-wear fashion back then.
Like me, you had measles and chickenpox, encouraged to "get them over with" at the age when it was normal.
To have experienced bombings, our parents must have lived in very specific places—Brest, Lorient, Dunkirk—and reconstruction was mainly needed to keep up with population growth.
There were no cultivated fears back then. The media still had opinions, and the sinister, soon-to-be-misused "precautionary principle" hadn’t yet become dogma.
Hmm, my most striking memory of the past is the *obligation* of human interaction. Even if it was superficial or scripted. I still can’t get over the fact that outside my circle of friends and family, all I deal with now are FAQs and an endless maze of voicemail menus. It feels like I’ve landed in some shriveled-up sci-fi novel (a genre I’ve never liked, by the way).
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
where, with inflation helping, bank loans allowed you to build a house that you actually paid very little for.
And what about the work needed in that house 20 years after buying it? 🤪
This logic made sense 20 years ago, but now it's completely outdated.
The simple reason is that if you buy a home, not only do you have to do renovations years later, but on top of that, you have to bring it up to code just to get a good Energy Performance Certificate (DPE).
Without a DPE with a good score, you’ll sell your home for next to nothing and lose all the money you’ve invested.
And if you want to do any work, the cost of a tradesperson today is obviously not the same as in the 70s.
Meanwhile, there was a generation that had easier access to stability, less unemployment, and a retirement.
This generation was born before, during, or just after the war.
Personally, I’d rather have lived through the AIDS years, unemployment, and a reduced pension than have had to experience war, the Nazis, and reconstruction.
My father used to fetch coal from the cellar, and the toilet was on the landing.
My mother survived because she won the "Rh factor lottery," but her brothers and sisters died because medicine was powerless back then.
I’ve always had a bathroom (which wasn’t the case for everyone in my generation...), I never heard bombs, and medicine saved me from a heart attack that would’ve been fatal just years earlier.
I had access to a checkbook without asking for permission, I could choose my profession, and my generation had access to the pill and abortion.
There are plenty of advantages to being part of Generation X, Y, Z, or even Alpha.
And if older generations are often better off, it’s also because they were much more ants than grasshoppers.
Back then, if you bought clothes, you made them yourself or bought them to last a lifetime.
Same for everything else—which explains the overwhelming decor in some properties for sale...
No flight tickets, no vacations if you didn’t have money. It was considered total luxury. Same for TVs, phones, etc.
You housed yourself, heated your home, ate, dressed, and walked way more than today. Entertainment was more about conversation by the fire than the latest Taylor Swift concert.
And the Livret A savings account grew...
Consumer society exploded in the 90s.
And brought resentment with it.
Hmm... Real estate has only gone up, and young people can’t afford housing anymore—that’s real.
Unemployment is skyrocketing.
My grandmother was very young during the war; she doesn’t remember much.
My mother struggled a bit, but less than my generation and the ones coming after. Etc.
True, traveling is easier now—that’s at least the positive side!
A woman’s independence, medical advances, technological innovations—none of that matters compared to the fact that real estate is more expensive now?
In the Middle Ages, a roof probably cost less too, but weirdly, I’d still rather live today.
(After the war, you couldn’t find housing either because of all the destruction... And then the repatriates from Algeria must’ve been *thrilled* in their shantytowns...)
You’re so focused on real estate that you’re forgetting everything else, like it’s some kind of given.
And anyway, the baby boomers are a dying generation. Soon, you won’t have anyone left to envy.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
Let’s not dismiss the Middle Ages! It was a period of history that left us Notre-Dame de Paris, among so many other things. Over a thousand years, the men and women of the Middle Ages had plenty of time to create and invent!
And then, baby boomers are a generation on the way out.
Thanks for the reminder! 😎
You won’t have anyone left to envy soon
Yeah, yeah, don’t worry—we’ll be clearing out soon enough. Haha! 😛
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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, 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 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)"
J'ai gardé comme habitude, de me moucher à l'évier, et de me laver ensuite les mains, coutume ramenée d'Inde, parfois, ca choque certains non voyageurs quand je suis prise en flagrand délit...
Aussi, quand je tombe en panne de pq, ca ne me dérange pas, sauf si j'ai de la visite... 🤪
Maintenant je reviens d'avoir baladé le chien (d'un copain en vacance), portant djellabah et bottine tibétaine... 😏😏😏 Ah pour sur si j'avais croisé des locaux, sans doute aurais je choqué?😏
Enfin, tant que je ne suis pas à cracher par terre au resto et à m'accroupir sur le bord d'une autoroute bouteille d'eau en main...
Et vous, vous ramenez des coutumes au pays?
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.
en parcourant le forum pour glaner des infos pour mon prochain voyage en thailande, je vois souvent les mots "voyageur, grand voyageur" mais aussi "touriste" donc pour vous quelle est la nuance?
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?
Vraiment déçu du Costa Rica ! Pura vida ? L'arnaque du siècle !
( Costa frica pure vide ).
Le pays où les animaux sont en liberté et les hommes en cage .
3 semaines en décembre dans ce pays et bien plus jamais. . Imaginez la bande annonce d'un film qui paraît intéressant, et en allant le voir vous vous apercevez que c'est un ''nanard'' et que les meilleurs moments tenaient dans la bande annonce.
Et bien c'est ce que l'on a ressenti avec le Costa frica pure vide .
Nous avons ma femme et moi pas mal voyagé et nous ne nous attendions pas à nous tromper a ce point.
Dans les grands axes nous avons fait :
Sant José
Alaiela
Limon cahuita Porto viejo manzalino ( côté caraïbe)
Jaco quepos manuel Antonio ( côté Pacific)
Et d'autres courts passages dans les villes intermédiaires.
Notre mécontentement c'est fait crescendo de la sorte:
Arrivés à l'hôtel le taxi nous dépose dans une petite rue devant un portail métallique blanc avec les fenêtres du RDC entravé par des barreaux. Nous le regardons dubitatif mais l'enseigne correspondait .
Il s'approche du portail appuie sur la sonnette le buzzer retentit et la porte s'entrouvre .Hôtel pas trop mal pour le prix , à 10 minutes à pied du centre ville, mais avec effet " Fleury merogis" garantie.
Jusqu'ici tout va bien .
Après la douche et après avoir repris nos esprits, nous partons faire un tour au centre ville.
Ce qui a commencé à nous interpeller sur le trajet c'est de voir quelques maisons avec barreaux aux fenêtres au RDC et même au premier étage.
Sur le coup nous nous sommes dit que le quartier de l'hôtel ne devait pas être trop top .
Le centre ville de san José :
C'est une ville quelconque pas dépaysante avec une rue piétonne et un petit mercado où vous pourrez manger local sans artifice. Très peu de touriste pour ne pas dire pas du tout ce qui vous permettra de vous noyer dans la population . Nous déjeunons et avons des difficultés à nous faire comprendre car hormis un ou deux magasins l'anglais n'est pas parlé.
Sur le trajet du retour à l'hôtel nous empruntons un autre chemin et en papotant et flânant ma femme me fait remarquer une belle maison blanche à étage complètement barricadé façon fort Nox.
Dès cet Instant on s'est mis a regarder les façades des maisons et des immeubles et lá , glauque de chez glauque, la plupart des façades ressemblent à des prisons avec barbelés pour certaines.
Bien que refroidi nous nous sommes dit que c'était peut être l'effet grande ville et que tout le pays ne devait pas être comme ça .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
On se pose un peut a l'hôtel on prend un verre au bar de celui ci. La nuit tombe tôt vers 17h30 . Sur les coups de 19h30 on repart pour le centre pour dîner . Un peu flippant le soir pour une capitale, le centre était quasi désert et hormis les chaines de fast food , trés peu de restos ouverts et pas grand monde dans les rues .
Des bars avec agent de sécurité devant .
Je ne dirai pas ce soir là que nous nous sommes senti en insécurité mais la nuit tombée on s'est dit que les barreaux aux fenêtres n'étaient pas la pour rien . Premier jour sur place un peu mitigé.
Le lendemain journée ville et environ , et sentiments inchangés .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
Direction cahuita par bus ,4 h de trajet
Paysages très vert , mais vite lassant la route longe la forêt et traverse quelques villes où villages et à la campagne aussi autant de maisons prisons .
Le bus nous dépose à la station terminus de cahuita, nous sommes 4 a descendre . C'est un village, que dis-je un bourg , c'est simple cahuita c'est une ligne droite et une perpendiculaire et franchement la le doute commençait à s'installer sur nos visages . Quelques restos qui appliquent 13 % de taxes et 10 % de service soit 23% .on pose les affaires a l'hôtel , et on part visiter ce lieu . En 20 minutes on en fait le tour , on déjeune et devions aller jeter un œil a ce fameux parc .
L'entrée est sur donation , enfin l'entrée c'est comique , il y a un chemin en bord de forêt qui longe la mer et voilà le tour et joué.
Jusqu'ici rien ne va plus .
Là on s'est dit que c'était une belle fumisterie mais n'ayant pas été très loin nous décidons de revenir demain pour approfondir.
On rentre a l'hôtel , on se pose, et sur les coups de 20h00 on sort dîner . Et bien , 2 restos ouverts et rues désertes .
Flippant !
Le lendemain on approfondit la visite du Pseudo parc et là vraiment on a compris.
Chemin qui longe la forêt en longeant la mer , 2h de parcours aller et idem retour où vous croisez les animaux qui veulent bien montrer leur museaux
Une belle connerie " tout ça pour ça "
Plage avec plein de morceaux de bois et de cadavres de noix de coco . on s'est demandé si les photos sur le net n'étaient pas retouchées , car la mer trés agitée n'est pas du tout bleue azur
Mais oser appeler ça un parc c'est comique et ressemble à un nouveau concept..
Quand on repense aux avis émis sur le net , on a commencé à se dire que des professionnels ayant des intérêts dans ce pays épiés et contrecarrer tous avis qui risquerait de nuire a leur business.
Dommage que nous n'avons pas pensé a regarder les avis négatifs avant , nous l'avons fait pendant et je dois dire que cela nous bien aidé, car nous nous sommes demandé si nous n'étions pas devenu trop exigeant grâce où a cause nos nombreux voyages, mais non quand c'est pourri c'est pourri .
le parc de manzalino est encore plus comique il y a un début de chemin qui longe la mer mais que sur 500 mètres et ensuite plus rien vous devez escalader dans la boue et vous frayer un passage dans la foret . nous avons fini pieds nues car la boue nous arrivé aux mi- mollets . tout ca pour croiser un raton laveur et un survol de perroquets
On s'attendait pas a voir l'Arche de Noé mais on a vu plus d'animaux a bali au Mexique en thailande en allant voir les temples ou en baladant que dans ces soi disant parcs !
puerto vierjo non loin de cahuita et apparemment plus vivant et bien oui ça pouvait pas être pire !
sur le lonely planet il était question d'ambiance caribéenne et de soirées endiablées et bien peut etre que cette époque a eu bien lieu mais ce n est plus le cas et le très bon son reggae diffusé un peu partout n'y suffit pas .
le soir a puerto viejo un peu plus vivant que cahuita mais ça c'est pas difficile ; pas enormément de touristes voir trés peu, pas de marché de nuit mais 2 à 3 boutiques ouvertes avec leurs t shirts à 20 dollars et même constat qu' a san jose.
Pas grave on a profité de la plage et du soleil qui lui était fidèle au rendez vous.Notre programme devait inclure le parc de tortuguero mais après avoir échangé avec d'autres touristes qui en revenaient nous nous sommes ravisés sachant que nous devions faire côté pacifique le parc de manuel Antonio.
Pour repartir côté pacifique vous êtes obligés de reprendre le bus et passer par sans José . 5 h cette fois ci et ensuite il faut changer de terminal de bus et c'est reparti pour 4h30 pour arriver à quepos .
Ville étape qui permet de se rendre a manuel antonio plage et parc !
ville à l'image de ce que nous avons pu voir jusqu'à present c'est à dire : qui se dérsertifie dés le
coucher du soleil sachant que la journée il n y a pas foule ! ( mais ou sont les touristes ?, )
toujours autant de barreaux aux fenêtres et cette sensation de s'être trompé d endroit
7 km plus loin ; manuel antonio plage et parc
la plage est très belle et assez vaste mais ne vous attendez pas à avoir une mer bleue turquoise car les vagues font remonter le sable en surface et donnent une couleur marron a l'eau ;
le long de la plage boutiques et restos sur 300 mètres et plus rien ; quand au soir après le coucher du soleil la ville se couche aussi .
parc de manuel antonio assez vanté pour la richesse de sa faune nous l'attendions de pieds ferme car quand vous exprimez votre mécontentement concernant les parcs de cahuitat et manzalino , la mode est de vous dire
''mais non il faut faire le parc de monteverde ou manuel antonio '' en fait quoi que vous fassiez ou disiez on vous dira '' mais tu aurais dû aller là bas ou ici
revenons à notre fameux parc ; entrée 16 dollars de mémoire et contrairement à ce que l'on a pu nous dire on ne s'y bouscule pas !
des guides a l entrée équipés de longue vue vous proposent leurs services moyennant une trentaine de dollars
le parc ; un chemin planchéié ou pas dans la forêt qui longe par moment de magnifiques criques et plages .
Dès notre entrée dans le parc , un attroupement qui prenait en photo une biche qui mangeait des feuilles,
un peu plus loin un guide accompagné d'un groupe de 5 personnes marquent l'arrêt, le guide vient de lever le bras et pose sa longue vue ! il leur montre à un centaine de mètres niché sur une branche : un colibri mais oui vous avez bien entendu un colibri! certains en regardant à travers la longue vue s'exclamaient:" oh my good ! amazing ! incredible"
on a cru un moment qu'ils avaient découvert une licorne ou qu'ils étaient à jurassic park et qu'ils venaient de croiser la route d un tyranosor rex !
le concept est comique; regarder un oiseau ou un autre animal à travers une longue vue ! car trop loin ! idem qu'à la télé non ?
pour notre part on a croisés des singes , des fourmis, un tatou, un iguane et le cul d un paresseux qui montait à l'arbre ! amazing incredible !
nous sommes restés quelques jours à manuel antonio pour profiter de la plage en changeant souvent d'hôtel car les prix variés du simple au double du jour au lendemain pour des prestations honteuses ; en plus ils vous annoncent un prix en dollars pour le convertir à leur guise ! des voleurs!.
Alajuela ville proche de l'aéroport avec un mall sur deux étages et marché local au centre ville ! sans interêt si ce n'est la proximité avec l'aéroport !
Ce que nous avons appreciés :
Le climat et la ville de san jose qui avec le recul est la ville la plus authentique que nous avons traversés .
Ce que nous n'avons pas appreçiés en plus de ce que nous venons de citer :
Les costaricains qui ne sont pas très avenants ni communicants , l' anglais qui n' est pratiquement pas parlé , même pas par les medecins de l'hôpital de Quepos où ma femme victime d'une intoxication alimentaire y ait passé, ( merci Google translate) , l'obésité omniprésente des Costaricains qui s'alimentent à l'Américaine, l'insécurité, les bobos ecolos qui quittent leur lodge à 150 dollars en mini-van avec guide pour visiter les parcs et autres sites puis reviennent se barricader dans leur forteresse la nuit tomb��e (oh my god amazing incredible), le panneau bleu à l'entrée des villes qui acceptent ce mode de paiement ; "acceptamos american express" les parkings devenus payants par la seule présence d'un gars qui surveille vos voitures , les prix affichés en dollars , le coût de la vie (hotels rerstos taxes ), les paysages trop verts et pas assez fleuris , les plages rien d exceptionnelles , la pollution dans les villes où les gros camions trucks américain sont rois , les eaux usées rejetées directement à la mer . Hormis la jungle il n'y à rien a visiter, aucun vestiges , ruines , monuments , digne de ce nom .
Bref , nous pensons ma femme et moi que la publicité faite pour ce pays soi disant ecolo est surfaite , mais que c est un peu le pays à la mode du moment ! Il y a beaucoup mieux , moins cher , et plus authentique .
Avec le recul nous gardons que les bons moments et nos belles photos , mais si c'était à refaire .............
Avant de vous quitter petit message à tous ceux qui n'aiment pas que l'on puisse avoir un avis divergent du leurs :
Et bien certaines choses ne se discutent pas , et á ceux qui voudraient nous faire croire qu'en 3 semaines on n'a pas le droit de critiquer un pays ou d exprimer un ressenti , et bien comment pouvez vous l'encencer en si peu de temps. Belle supercherie, Costa frica pompe à fric , pura vida , pure vide sidéral.
Si vous aimez passer vos soirées barricadé dans votre douillé hôtel le soir tombé , et bien ce pays est pour vous .
Pour les autres : fuyezzzzzzzzz !
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 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?
Il y a quelque années, j'étais parti avec un groupe d'amis donner un coup de main dans une petite école rurale à côté de Thiès, au Sénégal.
Ambiance détendue mais travailleuse, avec les mains dans le mortier, la rigolade, les échanges, et tout ce qu'une COOPERATION peut engendrer.
Aujourd'hui, le petit projet vole de ses propres ailes.
Voulant profiter des richesses du Sénégal, on est parti faire un peu de tourisme dans le Siné Saloum. Une fille de notre groupe est tombée malade (crise de paludisme) et on a décider de l'emener voir un médecin dans un grand complexe touristique juste à coté. Malgré son état, il a fallu montrer patte blanche (si j'ose dire) pour entrer. Elle a été soignée et va bien depuis.
Cette "étape" dans ce centre style Club Méditerranée à la sauce teutonne, ressemblant au Grau du Roy en plus chic à été pour nous une vision d'horreur : Piscines, immenses bassins artificiels teintés de bleu, de rose ou de vert (!!!!), animateur hurlant autour d'un concours de teeshirt mouillés ou d'escalade de cocotiers, et toubabs rotis, ou rosés.
L'ensemble de l'hotel était ceinturé d'un immense mur derrière lequel s'était constitué un petit bidonville de marchands de souvenirs digne des derniers faubourgs de Dakar
En repartant, on a vu un minibus de clients de retour "d'excursion", avec masques, tissus et djembés - Souvenirs d'Afrique ?
Ce sera peut être le leur ?
Quel sera l'impression des gamins agglutinés devant les grilles de l'hotel ?
Quel sera l'impression des serveurs noirs en "costumes traditionnels africains", servant à tour de bras cocktails et glaces ?
Pour moi, qui ai connu l'Afrique très jeune, et dans la brousse, cela reste une vision d'horreur, gravée en moi.
Sur V.F. ce genre de vacances ne semble pas être le lot commun des internautes, et c'est bien la raison de mon inscription.
Avez vous aussi connu ce genre de voyage intersidéral ?
Comprennez vous les martiens ?
Leurs motivations sont elles pacifistes ?
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
My two bullfighting traditions when I'm back home in Camargue (France) and in Colombia (Caribbean) every time I return. 🤠
Details:
Bullfights (corridas) aren’t part of my two bullfighting traditions, but I respect those who attend them!!!
In these two ancestral bullfighting traditions—which aren’t bullfights—the Bulls and Toros aren’t killed or tortured, as some might think.
These are bull games where the animals return to their pastures afterward and only come back to the Arenas 2–3 times a year at most.
They spend 15 minutes in the ring for the Camarguais and 5 minutes for the Toros in the Colombian Corralejas.
They’re cared for and pampered. They’ll die of old age in miles of open fields.
The young people who face them are professionals, risking their lives to support their families and live their Passion for the Toro!!! 😄
https://youtu.be/yYKQer42HoQ
Colombian Corraleja in the link below (hope it works) 🤪
https://fb.watch/BMfmuCgQpG/
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