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...)
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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...
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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.
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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?[;]
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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.
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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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Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
This is my 15,000th post, and it's a message I would have preferred never to write.
Patrick—Yangguizi—won’t be returning from his trek in Uganda. His health betrayed him in the mountains.
Like many of you, I laughed until I couldn’t anymore at his travel stories. I met him in Shanghai, then in Istanbul... We scoured restaurants—he was an incredible expert on world cuisines. We relived Korea, China. Always brilliant, so sharp, so funny, so down-to-earth. Being even a little bit his friend was something to be proud of. I think I envied him.
Patrick is still out there, of course...
He found his happiness running across the world. He’s on his path. He never doubted that "the traveler doesn’t even know if he’ll return one day."
Not sure this would’ve suited him, but his departure devastates me.
Alright,
Farewell, you foreign devil. Safe travels.
hello to all travelers with their eyes wide open to the desert...
I’ve always wondered what I was "doing" on this earth. And why my father, who died a few months after I was born—a former youngest French resistance fighter—joined the First Saharan Motorized Company in Atar and spent the rest of his life repairing army engines in Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali (which didn’t exist under that name back then), Morocco, and finally Algeria, where my mother was born and raised. (Believe me, it’s not "cool" being the child of a soldier in a country occupied by France, and even less so the child of a "pied-noir.")
Of course, I never got an answer: the dead don’t talk, and the army doesn’t either.
But here’s the thing—I had photos...
So naturally, one day I hit the road. I wanted to see, to understand.
It’s thanks to VF that I was able to do a little research on crossing the Morocco-Mauritania border, and I’m grateful to its members, just as I’m grateful to all those who welcomed me on the road for 14 years.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wondering if I should talk about this or not...
It turns out the Mauritanians changed my life by asking for my help... And that started as early as February 2012... (Did I owe them something? No answer to that question.)
Ah, the irony—they saw me coming. But when you’re handed sick children and begged to do something, what would you have done? I’d worked in a hospital, so I knew a bit about the rules to follow. I didn’t hesitate.
And well, over all these years, I met doctors, surgeons, and together we organized care, evacuations of children, training for surgeons—even trying to stop children from having to travel outside their country. It was never easy. I’d like to thank those who supported us, as well as *La Chaîne de l’Espoir*, *La Fondation Face au Monde*, and everyone who built bridges between our two countries.
Unfortunately, despite the constant efforts of Mauritanian doctors and surgeons, some children couldn’t be helped in time. Today, I want to talk about four siblings—orphans of their mother—suffering from congenital glaucoma causing irreversible blindness. Their case was entrusted to me in 2020, just weeks before the big lockdown. We couldn’t do anything for them then, but when their father asked me for a gift, I rushed to my computer and wrote a story.
Through a tale, the children take a great journey, explore their country, and fulfill a dream. I never thought this book would be published—it was, in 2023.
This book pays tribute to Mauritania. It’s a message for those who know nothing about the hardships of life there, carrying both the harshness and beauty of an immense desert where you can travel by 4x4, bike, on foot, or by camel in complete safety. It bears witness to the kindness of Mauritanians toward travelers.
As a woman traveling alone in my vehicle—a now-rusted old Mercedes that no longer runs—I had the most beautiful encounters of my life there (I’ve seen other parts of the world...). The blind children of Choum, Atar, Nouadhibou, and Nouakchott will forever be in my heart.
Volunteer readers transcribed the book into a free audio version for the visually impaired. It’s available in sound libraries in France, the *Fondation Valentin Haüy*, and the Swiss Romande library.
I made my last trip to Mauritania in my old 4x4 to distribute the book everywhere, especially to its heroes and the school for the visually impaired in Nouakchott.
After that, I thought it was time to close the chapter because I no longer have the means or the strength to travel.
My publishers chose this title for it: *The Blue Eyes of the Desert*.
This publication helped a mission of Swiss volunteer ophthalmologists come to operate on glaucomas in Mauritania. I’m thrilled because they come back every year!
This adventure is ending, yes—everything must come to an end—but ultimately, it was born here, on the VF site!! So yes, I had to say it: THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi everyone,
I’m Loulou, a French expat who’s been living in Southeast Asia for about fifteen years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A passionate walker at heart, I’ve trekked in Nepal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), India, Vietnam, and I’m still planning new hikes (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
I’ve just published my first travel journal, recounting three months of walking and encounters across India. A portion of the sales goes to an educational center I support in Kep, for children whose parents work in the salt marshes.
I’m also working on a second book about Nepal with a musician friend, focusing on the Mardi Himal trek—two independent perspectives on the same journey.
Happy to swap stories with you about the Himalayas, India, Southeast Asia, or just the urge to hit the road and walk far from home.
Safe travels,
Loulou
Hi! It was totally by chance that I stumbled upon VoyageForum (an ad online and a story lol), and I’ve been reading some really old posts from 2011 about Thai massage schools—discussions on how to get by, accommodation, prices, etc. It reminded me of my own experience: I kept things simple by staying with a local family during my entire trip. I only shared all the expenses with them, which, I’ll admit, was super cheap… and I often traveled with them, which naturally opened a lot of doors for me. To start, at the school in Salaya, my Thai friend immediately connected me with Teacher Phong (the school’s mentor and teacher of teachers, a former monk). I was supposed to join a group session with other foreigners, but for some reason I don’t know, I got two days of private lessons for free with this expert… incredible! And on top of that, he loved France! It was an amazing experience. I "discovered" massage by chance—the Thai family just told me: "Try it, you’ll see!" (I’d had a pretty intense massage in the capital before 😅… but the next day, I felt unbelievably great!))
Every morning, I’d take a taxi (chosen by the Thai family at prices that beat all the competition) to this school—I’ve forgotten the name of the little village now… right in the heart of the countryside. Then, in the evenings, I’d keep practicing massage on all the family members… and they’d teach me Thai at the same time!))
Since then, I’ve practiced a bit, with lots of positive feedback. Following Teacher Phong’s advice—he thought my pressure was deep, firm, and precise—he strongly encouraged me to take this seriously.
I love Thailand so much. It’s a whole different way of living… and it’s a real blessing, even if I couldn’t live there full-time. Anyway, that was an unforgettable memory, and sometimes the Thai family and I still say hi—from 2011, 2013… right up to today!
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
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
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