ma foi moi non plus je ne pense pas avoir insulte qui que ce soit mais vu qu on m accuse souvent d insulter les autres(que ce soit dans cette discussion ou dans d autres)et que je venais juste de repondre a quelqu un a ce sujet je croyais que tu y faisais reference, si tel n etait pas le cas, accepte mes excuses.
mais comme tu le sais je n aime pas la delation, on en a deja parle.
de plus, je trouve impartial de la part des moderateurs qu ils effacent des messages ou il n y a pas d injures et en laissent d autres ou il y en a des indeniables, meme si je n irai jamais me plaindre.
bonne nuit aussi a toi(chez moi ce st l apres midi)...
Je ne vois pas pourquoi tu te sens visé...tu aurais alors des choses à te repprocher.
A défaut d'être un Dieu en la matière, tu serais un maitre à panser!😛
"Personne n'est jamais au bout de son histoire..."
Pour se détendre, ou se tendre, c'est selon, voici comment pensent des milliards de personnes et ce grâce à la religion... Ca se passe aujourd'hui et à la TV...
Oh, le lien, c'était pas pour toi, mais c'est en rapport direct avec le prosélytisme et ce que l'on nomme les nouveaux "missionnaires". Ils sont à la TV aujourd'hui, bien plus efficace.
Pour se détendre, ou se tendre, c'est selon, voici comment pensent des milliards de personnes et ce grâce à la religion... Ca se passe aujourd'hui et à la TV...
Je ne voulais pas stigmatiser les musulmans parce que les chrétiens et les juifs ne sont pas en reste en matière d'endoctrinement. Et la première cible de toutes les religions: les enfants. Et au plus on les prend au berceau, au mieux c'est.
Je pense que petit à petit, l'endoctrinement ne passera plus par les missionnaires mais passera aussi par la TV. Aux USA, ils sont déjà très loin dans la médiatisation de la "Parole Divine". En France, il y a KTO, une télé catholique, sur le WEB il y a Catholique TV. Au passage, je ne peux me retenir de spécifier que leurs images sont stockées chez Daylimotion qui est un grand provider d’images pornographiques d’adultes et d’enfants… Qui a dit hypocrisie ? L’Eglise Catholique et ses sbires n’ont AUCUNE déontologie à partir du moment ou ses intérêts sont en jeux.
Et plus notre siècle sombrera dans l'obscurantisme, au plus ces médias auront de l'influence et du pouvoir sur les gens. C'est pour ça que je ne trouve aucune excuse à aucune des religion et à ses représentants. Car toutes, excepté peut-être des juifs, font du prosélytisme, envoient des missionnaires pour appâter les plus souffrants et se trouvent de nouveaux moyens d’évangéliser que sont les médias. Mère Térésa l’avait bien compris tout comme l’Abbé Pierre et d’autres. Il n’y a que voir sur http://www.catholique.tv/ que des sermons de l’OPUS y sont bien mis en ligne à côté de Mère Térésa. Preuve, s’il en fallait, de l’instrumentalisation des missionnaires par leur hiérarchie et ce quel que soit le degré de croyance du dit missionnaire, quel que soit l'honnêteté de celui-ci, il n'est QUE l'instrument de ces patrons.
N’oublions pas que le PREMIER but des missionnaires EST d’évangéliser. C’est pour ça qu’ils ont créé les missionnaires et qu’ils sont encore soutenus aujourd’hui qu’ils soient catholiques, protestants ou autres.
Je t'invite à nous rejoindre, moi-même, des amis parisiens et montreuillois, d'autres de Niamey et de Ouaga, blancs et noirs, des missions catholiques du Niger et du Burkina. Je t'invite à rencontrer ces hommes et ces femmes qui passent leur temps et leur énergie pour pas un rond à soutenir des étudians, des écrivains, des photographes, des cinéastes, des comédiennes et des comédiens, des régisseurs, des pigistes, etc... bref, tout un monde de gens qui se serrent les coudes autour de projets réalisés notamment par le soutien actif et financier de missions catholiques africaines. Ma porte t'es ouverte, et je m'engage à mettre à ta disposition les outils dont tu pourrais avoir besoin pour nous prèter main forte.
Les crimes sont un fait, les bienfaits en sont un autre. J'accepte mal que tu mettes tout dans le même panier, qui est une logique de généralisation d'un groupe de personnes, sous une étiquette que tu juges comme mauvaise. N'est-ce pas ici ce qui mène à la haine ? Un peu comme savent si bien le faire les plus extrèmistes de nos soit disant penseurs ? Je provoque un peu, certes...
"tout un monde de gens qui se serrent les coudes autour de projets réalisés notamment par le soutien actif et financier de missions catholiques africaines."
Une curiosité : comment sont-elles financées ces missions ? d'où vient l'argent ?
Je comprends bien ton soucis et loin de moi l'idée de jeter l'opprobre sur les personnes que tu cites et leur réelle volonté de bien faire. Les personnes dont tu parles, j'en connais des tas et se sont toutes des personnes de bonne volonté. Mais cela n'enlève en rien un autre fait: ils ne sont qu'un instrument d'une machine qui les dépasse.
Si tu fais l'humanitaire au nom d'une religion, tu fais du prosélytisme. Si tu es missionnaire, tu dois évangéliser.
Je distingue les personnes et la machine. Les personnes qui ont de bonnes intentions et la machine qui ne vise qu'à broyer les personnes (endoctrinement, évangélisation). L'enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions.
Une curiosité : comment sont-elles financées ces missions ? d'où vient l'argent ?
Il vient sans aucun doute de l'église catholique française, et donc en partie et indirectement de l'état français. Et puis des dons, aussi bien coté français que coté nigérien ou burkinabé.
Merci Sam.
(J'ai vraiment du mal à encaisser que l'Etat français, même indirectement, finance des missions catholiques 😕 Quel intérêt peut-il donc bien y avoir ?)
Entre temps je suis allée lire un article sur ces "Pères blancs" dont tu nous parles... Sur les objectifs de leur fondateur le Cardinal Lavigerie... Ils ont vraiment changé ?
"Cette insistance à réclamer, par principe, le droit au prosélytisme n'implique en aucune façon une volonté d'arriver à des résultats quantitatifs rapides en matière de baptêmes et de conversions. Instruit par son expérience de l'islam lorsqu'il était directeur des œuvres de l'Orient, Lavigerie sait bien que la conversion individuelle ne peut conduire qu'à exclure l'individu de sa communauté d'origine et conduire ainsi à une situation socialement non viable.
C'est donc toute une stratégie de conquête qui s'élabore, qui tient à la fois de l'encerclement et de l'osmose et qui vise un basculement d'ensemble de la société...."
"J'ai vraiment du mal à encaisser que l'Etat français, même indirectement, finance des missions catholiques 😕 Quel intérêt peut-il donc bien y avoir ?"
Je sens une éducation jésuite derrière cette remarque😉
Ne me faites pas dire ce que je n'ai pas dit... Evidemment que je vous rejoins pleinement sur la dimension inacceptable de l'état d'esprit dans lequel les mouvements de colonisation et d'évangélisation ont eu lieu. Je ne vais pas revenir au début de la discussion, mais je condamne les crimes de la même manière que vous le faites.
Mais là où je ne vous rejoins pas, Migrador et toi, Anàssa, c'est sur le fait que vous rejetiez tout ce qui se fait actuellement de bon par l'intermédiaire des missions, sous prétexte que les ancètres des actuels pères blancs étaient des voyoux. Vous me faites penser à ce Polonais qui rencontre un Allemand et qui lui dit : Ah bon, ton grand-père était SS ? Et qui lui envoie sont poing sur la gueule. Il ne faut pas tout mélanger, et prendre ce que les gens font de bon aujourd'hui, n'empèche pas d'être critique. Sur le passé comme sur le présent d'ailleurs.
En ce qui me concerne, tu te trompes. Je ne parle pas du passé. Je parle d'aujourd'hui.
Je me répète, mais qu'il y ait des missionnaires de bonne volonté c'est un fait. Mais ils le font consciemment ou non au nom d'une religion, au service de celle-ci et ils sont l'instrument de propagande de cette religion qu'ils le veuillent ou non (voir exemple Abbé Pierre et Mère Térésa). C'est ça que je condamne: leur aveuglement!
S'ils veulent faire de l'humanitaire: pas besoin de religion! Pourquoi mêler l'humanitaire à la "bonne parole"? C'est complètement inutile. La seule utilité que j'y vois, c'est l'intérêt de la religion à avoir de nouveaux adeptes. Donc un intérêt complètement condamnable puisque finalement hypocrite, malhonnête et meurtrier!
Comment se fait-il que tu refuses à ce point là que des gens pensent différemment de toi ?
Bon, je devine que ce n'est pas ça, mais tout laisse le penser.
Quand quelque chose est bon pour toi, c'est humain d'avoir envie d'en faire "profiter" à un ami, un proche, en lui en parlant par exemple. Evidemment, après tout dépend de la manière...
Apparemment, ça semble assez difficile de distinguer la première intention.
Une femme va voir l'abbé Pierre "Monsieur, je ne crois pas en Dieu", et ce dernier lui répond "Qu'à cela ne tienne, Dieu croit en vous".
Vous en pensez quoi?
"Personne n'est jamais au bout de son histoire..."
"Mais là où je ne vous rejoins pas, Migrador et toi, Anàssa, c'est sur le fait que vous rejetiez tout ce qui se fait actuellement de bon par l'intermédiaire des missions, sous prétexte que les ancètres des actuels pères blancs étaient des voyoux."
Je pourrais te paraphraser : " Ne me faites pas dire ce que je n'ai pas dit..."
Mes messages les plus virulents dans cette discussion concernaient l'attitude du Vatican en Italie, le contenu de la foi chrétienne, l'histoire de l'Eglise...
Il me semble avoir reconnu qu'il y avait très probablement de braves hommes parmi les missionnaires(et si je pouvais vérifier qu'ils sont aussi désintéressés que tu le dis je suis même prête à enlever le "probablement").
En ce qui concerne leur action : je n'en sais rien, il me manque un élément pour juger qui est le nombre de conversions qu'elle engendre. Pour moi, à partir du moment où elle est à l'origine de conversions que celles-ci soient directes (par le prêche) ou même indirectes (par l'exemple), elle est mauvaise.
PS : ma question sur l'attitude des pères blancs était une vraie question (je ne les connais pas) et non une chausse-trappe.
Je vais vous brusquer, comme beaucoup d'autres, mais je ne suis pas là pour vous plaire.
Je pense qu'il faisait sa mission d’évangélisation par l’empathie tout simplement. Comme les missionnaires blancs cités plus haut. Une méthode comme une autre d’appâter les brebis galeuses. C'était un missionnaire des SDF utilisé par la Vatican, comme les autres mais sa médiatisation et son charisme ont fait qu’il a été mis plus en avant que les autres. Son instrumentalisation est un fait. Ceci n’empêche pas l’être humain qu’il était d’avoir eu une réelle compassion, un réel besoin d’aider son prochain, etc.
Mais tout être humain qu’il était, il croyait honnêtement en sa mission comme il croyait aux thèses révisionnistes aussi...
"tu refuses à ce point là que des gens pensent différemment de toi"
Je pourrais te retourner ton affirmation... Mais je ne le ferais pas😉
D'abord, je ne refuse pas que les gens pensent différemment de moi et ensuite, je ne demande qu'à ce que l'on me fasse changer d'avis, mais aucun argument (sensé) jusqu'à présent n'a réussit à me faire basculer. Je ne suis pas intolérant comme tu voudrais le faire croire.
Enfin, je suis intolérant envers l'intolérance, l'hypocrisie, les mensonges, les manipulations, etc. Et l'église catholique est une grande spécialiste de tout ces qualificatifs.
Bonjour tlm
je pense personnelement que c'est pas bien d'imposer ses cultures, religions ou moeurs a des peulpes qui ne demande pas ca.
par contre je suis pour les aider s'il en exprime le besoin, tt simplement, et je trouve qu'essayer d'apprendre des autres c'est plus instructif que d'IMPOSER kk chose.
enin ca n'engage que moi😛
nan, j ai rien a me reprocher.
toi par contre...
au fait, singer les moines sur ta photo et faire un signe qui correspond a des choses en lesquelles tu ne crois pas ca ne te derange pas?
on n a pas fini de rire😎
nan, elle est tres bien ma memoire!!!
ou alors faudra m expliquer comment elle est selective, et comment dans ce cas la tienne ne l est pas...
par contre, bien vu le jusqu au bouddhiste et le nom d un yack, bien trouve(soi dit sans ironie, je le pense vraiment).
bon allez, arretons de se creper le chignon, on a tort et raison tous les deux, on a une memoire selective tous les deux et une sale tronche de tete de bois tous les deux😎...
bonne continuation a toi et sans rancune(du moins de mon cote, sinceremment)...
Je vois que le silence est de rigueur!!!!.
je vais donc après cette agréable lecture, préciser ma pensée: L'humanité finira grâce AUX religions et à l'argent.???? Ce sont les deux plus grands maux de ce monde. Mais ils est vrai que quelques moins mauvais peuvent exister????
Nous sommes tous pris au piège, car ou s'arrête la croyance, ou commence l'atheisme.!!!!Quand à commencé l'AMOUR de l'argent, quand disparaîtra-t'il. Sans doute avec la fin de l'humanité que l'homme s'évertue à maltraiter.!!!!.Ce sera sans doute bien ainsi.!!!!
Aller, bonne nuit à tous.
Les missionaires, j'en connais quelques uns qui arrivent en sandales et bras de chemises, les traits émaciés. Quelques 6 mois après quand ils refont un tour au
pays; divine surprise pour ceux qui sont restés, le "pasteur " est en costume-cravate, le ventre rebondi, l'aisance donc.
Voyez-vous il n'y a pas que les occidentaux pour tout abandonner et aller évange-
liser les brebis égarés! eux il laissent tout le confort pendant que nous en afrique
nous allons comme " missionnaires du christ pour se faire les poches " passer moi
l'expression. Cela se voit chaque jour au port fluvial ( beach ) de Brazzaville avec
les missionnaires du Congo voisin
j'entre tard dans la discussion : je n'ai pas tout lu avant mais ce que j'ai lu c'est riche !
voilà : je suis un missionnaire.🙂
mon premier voyage fut pour étudier le riz en Cote d'Ivoire (étudiant agro et militant tiersmondiste) et je rencontrais des missionnaires. j'étais critique, mais je trouvais certaines choses pas mal.
puis, le sénégal (voyage d'études) et la coopération pendant 3 ans au Tchad. en pleine guerre civile, mélé aux événements (humanitaire) et solidaire des pauvres. j'ai été touché par la vie des gens, leurs richesses culturelles et leur volonter de lutter. assimilé au colonialisme français, à cause de ma nationalité et la couleur de ma peau, j'ai appris à me faire humble. j'étais accueilli par les gens des villages. dès lors, j'ai voulu vivre avec eux.
retour à Paris pour études de philosophie et théologie. 14 ans plus tard, j'ai pu repartir pour le Tchad. j'y suis resté missionnaire 9 ans pour une mission heureuse (le religieux n'étant pas cloisonné du reste donc l'esssentiel de mon travail couvrait le développement, l'humanitaire, la défense des droits civils dans un contexte d'injustices, d'absence de démocratie et d'exploitation néocoloniale) Je parlais la langue des gens, ami des protestants, musulmans, religieux traditionnels. On a fait beaucoup ensemble. nous nous sommes reconnus des frères par delà les barrières de l'histoire et de la culture. Il est vrai, plusieurs demandaient à connaitre l'évangile. Mais jamais on ne le proposait ou l'imposait. la liberté : option première. Pour une vérité d'être : dire et faire, vivre en respect.
revenu sur le plateau de millevaches (au coeur du Limousin) il y a 2 ans et demi, je continue ma vie missionnaire. avec les mêmes valeurs. j'ai beaucoup appris avec mes frères d'Afrique et d'abord la fraternité. j'essaie d'en faire profiter les limousins !
il s'agit bien sûr d'une expérience. c'est au coeur de la guerre civile, ayant refusé de quitter ces lieux où je travaillais jusque là (l'ambassade de France avait pourtant envoyé un avion me chercher), que j'ai fait un chemin intérieur, qui s'est structuré dans une décision : y vivre comme missionnaire.
cette décision m'a conduit, outre des choix de vie personnels, à des études théologiques.
ma formation d'agronome a été utilisée d'une manière plus large : en France, d'abord, où j'étais pendant près de 10 ans, formateur dans un lycée agricole d'Etat, tout en étant engagé dans des paroisses, puis au Tchad, pendant 9 ans, où j'ai participé et organisé la formation de centaines de jeunes paysans tchadiens, notamment par la gestion de ferme d'expérimentation.
j'ai toujours perçu ce type de vie missionnaire sous la forme d'une gratuité.
bien sûr, on en tire des satisfactions et des joies.
mais il s'agit de permettre à des personnes de vivre dans la dignité.
le "religieux" englobe l'humanitaire, le développement, la défense des droits humains; c'est pourquoi, j'ai énormément aimé ma vie missionnaire en Afrique. depuis que je suis rentré en France, j'essaie, au moins une fois dans l'année, de rejoindre des missionnaires sur un continent; où ils vivent généralement au milieu de populations pauvres, avec et comme.
voilà ce que je peux dire aujourd'hui. je ne prétends pas détenir la vérité.
respect a toi...
dis moi, ca se passe coment en ce moment au tchad?
parce que je pense y passer d ici peu et j ai entendu dire que ca chauffait pas mal ces temps ci...
merci de ta reponse!
ça dépend où tu vas. mais je pense qu'il n'y a pas de problème.
il y a quelques jours sont revenus deux groupes d'amis qui ont circulé dans le pays et qui, notamment, dans les coins où j'étais (au sud), ont bossé dans le soutien des projets que j'avais démarré avec les gens.
Merci d'avoir réagit à mon message,
vous savez cher monsieur dans toute profession, il y a l'immense majorité
qui malgrès les diffilcultés de parcours s'applique à faire leur métier dans les
règles de l'art et heureusement d'ailleurs car la vie serait invivable.
Votre parcours est plus qu'honorable, je vous en félicite, et merci beaucoup
pour cet éclairage.
Mon propos en fait parlait de ces missionnaires qui viennent du congo voisin
dans le but non avoué de s'enrichir, profitant du fait qu'avec les differentes
crises que nos deux pays ont connu (avec tant d'autres d'ailleurs) profitant également du fait que les populations n'ont plus de repères. Je peux vous assurer que les tribunaux sont souvent le théatre ou se règle les comptes
entre "pasteurs et brebis". merci, à bientot.
Bonjour à toi ami missionnaire! J'aimerais vraiment être mise en contact avec des gens qui sont pésentement en mission ou qui l'ont été afin de m'enrichir de vos connaissances et expériences car je suis moi-même en pleine préparation pour un départ à moyen terme (dans 18 mois). Merci de votre réponse!
Sousouk XXX
Il faut que nos rêves soient assez grands pour ne pas les perdre de vu en les poursuivant...
merci de votre recherche
je connais des missionnaires travaillant dans plusieurs parties du monde, qu'ils soient catholiques ou protestants
que voulez vous comme renseignements pour vous préparer ?
personnellement, je suis parti à l'âge de 22 ans pour 3 ans au Tchad, travaillant dans le développement villageois. j'y ai rencontré la guerre civile et il a fallu décider de rester ou partir. j'avais décidé de rester à cause de l'idéal que je vivais.
je suis retourné beaucoup plus tard pour une mission de 9 ans, immergé dans les réalités des gens et ai vécu des années merveilleuses; nous gardons beaucoup de contacts encore, depuis mon retour en europe.
ce qui me parait premier dans la vie missionnaire, c'est l'humilité
on croit savoir ; on ne sait pas
on croit apporter; on s'enrichit de rencontres et d'expériences
on croit être capable de beaucoup de choses ; on est comme un enfant qui doit apprendre
bref, une attitude d'amour qui s'acquièrt dans la patience
Merci de me répondre! Avez-vous regardé mon profil? Je termine mon cours d'infirmière ainsi que mon certificat en coopération international dans 18 mois. J'espère être prête à partir pour une longue période à la fin de mes cours. J'ai vraiment l'Appel missionnaire à l'intérieur de moi. J'ai fais une formation missionnaire laĩque d'une durée de 2 ans. Elle se divise en 3 grands blocs: 1- Connaissance de soi, 2- Mon identité chrétienne, 3- La pauvreté sociale. La formation est un excellent outil de préparation, mais surtout de discernement. Je crois profondément que le missionnaire ne décide pas de devenir missionnaire mais plutôt qu'il est Appelé à l'être; qu'il ne décide pas non plus sa mission mais qu'il a été choisi pour accomplir cette mission (qui se résume toujours à Aimer). Toutefois, bien que la Vie s'occupe de tracer mon chemain à mesure que j'avance et même si je lui fais totalement confiance je sens que je dois commencer à créer des liens, connaître des gens, des communautés, faire des recherches... afin de m'aider à me rapprocher de ma Voie. Peut-être est-ce simplement le besoin de communiquer avec des personnes vibrant au même diapason que moi?
Merci encore de me répondre!
Sousouk XXX
Il faut que nos rêves soient assez grands pour ne pas les perdre de vu en les poursuivant...
j'ai regardé votre profil : je vois que vous êtes déjà bien "embarquée" avec des expériences de rencontres, de sortie du milieu, d'adaptation
vos formations vous mettront d'emblée dans un contexte de service
je suis d'accord avec vos motivations et votre compréhension de ce que peut être pour vous la Voie.
c'est dans un quotidien, dans une attention aux autres et aux événements, que la Voie se révèle. comme vous le sentez, une Voie de l'amour et du don de soi. mais qui parfois provoque des remises en cause personnelles . Qui, grâce à la foi, deviennent des passages intérieurs pour une plus grande croissance.
il vous faut aussi, même si c'est à moyen terme, (18 mois) rechercher un poste ou un organisme qui pourrait vous envoyer. j'ai rencontré aux Philippines des missionnaires laïcs de différents pays ; ainsi que dans divers pays d'afrique.
j'ai aussi travaillé avec les MSF au tchad. Mais est-ce dans ce secteur spécialisé que vous voulez intervenir ?
n'hésitez pas à continuer les communications, au fur et à mesure où les choses vous paraissent claires . Les missionnaires se sentent d'une même famille.
à bientôt
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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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