Earlier, wandering the streets of Copenhagen, surrounded by all that gentrified bourgeois Europe that flew in on low-cost airlines, strolling around with their eco-moralizing attitudes amid fashion shops and rainbow-flagged international trinket stores, I found myself missing the Russians from Almaty and the Volga Germans from the cities of Temirtau.
Deep down, I prefer them.
They know who they are, their gender dynamics are more clearly defined—often to the benefit of women, in reality—and they carry something; they look destiny in the face. You might see Islam there, but very often it’s more about Orthodox orientalism.
In any case, they’re growing, they’re stirring, and not by looking toward us—except maybe toward a sick man of contemporary history.
Agnès is about to head to Central Asia, and it’s going to change her in so many ways
I really have no idea what you’re basing that on.
Probably just a wild imagination.
Oh, I just came across a cooking show about khachapuri.
It made me want to go back to Georgia so badly!
Especially since the country seems way cozier than it was 12 years ago.
There’s one country that changed me in so many ways.
The country that’s (or was) probably talked about the most on this forum.
The United States.
How can people settle there—it’s a mystery!
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Hi there.
This country (which I don’t know much about) is said to be close to Russia, but in what way exactly? Economically, militarily, or tourism-wise—I get that. History’s there, after all. But if it’s about the democratic model, they’re far from progress and moving forward into the future.
You don’t read travel journals, you’re not interested, that’s something you’ve said over and over.
So how can you know how I travel and what I hope to find in my trips?
My views on different topics aren’t obstacles to my travels.
Except for the need to disguise myself to travel, which isn’t the case in the countries I visit.
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So how can you know how I travel and what I hope to find there?
You’ve talked about it quite a bit recently.
Apart from the obligation to dress up to travel, which isn’t the case in the countries I’m targeting.
What you call "dressing up" as a requirement only applies to a handful of states, and even then, it’s less strict than you think.
Georgians are very hard to figure out—somewhere between Orthodox traditions and a more conventional Eastern mindset. The population is much closer to Russia than to Europe, both in spirit and societal habits. Their impossible-to-learn language isolates them, and Russian remains the language of international communication.
The country that’s (was) perhaps the most talked about on this forum.
The United States.
How can one settle there—it’s a mystery?
Personally, between settling in the USA and Georgia, I think I’d still prefer Georgia...
And I’m saying this after spending a few months working in Miami.
Settling in the USA is sink or swim.
If you don’t have two jobs just to get by, if you don’t work like crazy, no one will help you at the slightest existential setback there.
At the risk of quickly becoming a fentanyl-addled zombie in homeless neighborhoods.
But why would you want me to figure out Georgians? I’m not a cop.
and yet, it’s less strict than you think.
Really?
There’s no problem walking around in a knee-length dress and hair blowing in the wind in Iran and Afghanistan (the only countries in question)?
Honestly, the media just makes stuff up—they should hire you instead...
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Oh really?
There’s no problem walking around in a knee-length dress and hair down in Iran and Afghanistan (the only countries in question)? 😮
A knee-length dress—or shorts for men—is pretty inappropriate in a lot of places.
That said, it doesn’t *strictly* cause "problems."
For your hair, in Iran, they’ll say it’s respected about 70% of the time in cities, not 100% everywhere, and often it’s just elegant scarves over the hair.
You’re making a big deal out of two or three countries you wouldn’t even visit, I think.
Moving to the USA is sink or swim.
If you don’t have two jobs just to get by, if you’re not working like a dog, no one will lift a finger to help you if things go south. You risk becoming a fentanyl-addled zombie in homeless neighborhoods fast.
Absolutely.
And more practically, eating well can feel like an obstacle course in some areas. You’ve gotta love junk food... And have the means if you want to eat healthily.
As for housing, it’s often subpar, and insulation? What’s that?
Let’s not even get into the ideology of a growing part of the population or the deep religiosity of many Americans.
You left out racism in your portrait. Between whites (Westerners vs. Latinos), between Black people (long-established vs. "imported"), between every color of the rainbow...
Though, let’s be real, that’s everywhere these days.
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For your hair, in Iran they’ll say it’s respected 70% of the time in cities—not 100% everywhere—and often it’s just elegant scarves over your hair.
You’re making a big deal out of two or three countries you wouldn’t even go to, I think.
Go tell that to Mahsa Amini’s family.
Would you dare?
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For your hair, in Iran they’ll say it’s respected 70% of the time in cities—not 100% everywhere—and often it’s pretty elegant headscarves.
... And pushing the limits of intellectual dishonesty even further. But you’d be wrong not to try it just to see how far decency will hold you back.
The 30%—are you pulling those stats out of your pointy hat?—who wouldn’t respect it do so at the risk of their lives. And some have paid the price.
Have you heard of "Women, Life, Freedom"?
Given some of the connections these past few days, people who’ve been absent are suddenly logging back in.
There must be some kind of trigger. It’s really sad, all this.
« 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
There must have been some kind of triggering event
The email mentioned?
No, look a little further back. I don’t feel like talking about it except in hints.
« 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
Sometimes, given your reactions, I wonder who I’ve really been talking to here for years. Sure, you read the French official press diligently, sure, you hate it when people question the versions it puts out—but still.
Iran is a large state, not a monolithic bloc. There are social classes, a bourgeoisie, an administrative elite, a religious elite, nations, media, and a domestic policy with its own stakes—just like France, for example, which isn’t exactly free from police violence, exploited by both sides.
What happened to this young woman is devastating, but it also needs to be read and reported in context, with motives and surrounding circumstances.
Saying it’s commonplace in Iran—I don’t think that’s fair.
But it did happen, yes.
... And pushing the limits of intellectual dishonesty even further. But you’d be wrong not to try just to see how far decency will stop you.
I’m tired of this way of moralizing at everyone who has a different take on things. It’s a bit too easy—the outraged blame—when it shuts down analysis.
The 30%—did you pull those stats out of your pointy hat?—who don’t comply do so at the risk of their lives. And some have paid the price.
I’ve been to Iran—it was a while ago, admittedly.
More recently, quite a few travel videos, street scenes, in public transport, on YouTube or elsewhere. What I saw makes me think 30%.
Here too, between a rural area and a bourgeois street, it’s not the same story.
There’s no problem walking around in a knee-length dress with your hair down in Iran and Afghanistan (the only countries in question)? 😮
It’s not just in those two countries that it’s an issue.
In most Muslim countries, actually. (And increasingly so, which wasn’t necessarily the case before.)
I’ve never walked around in a knee-length dress in Egypt either, nor in Syria, nor in Jordan...
Iran now:
Even if their situation isn’t enviable, Iranian women have always had the right to drive, study, and work. Saudi women, despite some progress in that area, did they have that possibility a few years ago? The thing is, we demonize some countries and not others...
I went to Iran a few years ago, and the image I got of the country was quite different from the one presented by the media. That same year, I was given the best-selling book *Not Without My Daughter* by Betty Mahmoody. On the cover, there’s a photo of a woman with her face completely covered. That’s a lie. I never saw covered faces in Iran.
But it’s true, the hijab is still mandatory there. And yes, it’s shocking. As a tourist, I couldn’t escape that rule either.
Back then, I had quite a few conversations with women. They were exhausted by the mandatory hijab and the morality police checks.
Afghanistan, I don’t know firsthand. From what I read and hear, it’s hell on earth. And yet, during the decade of the Russian occupation supporting the Afghan communist government against the Islamist Mujahideen rebels, women in Kabul had enjoyed a certain Western-style freedom. They’ve fallen from quite a height since then.
Poor women. 😕
(Just to be clear, I’m not saying I support the Russian political regime... But credit where credit’s due.)
To get back to the topic, Georgia is a beautiful country. I really love Central Asia (even if Georgia isn’t exactly in Central Asia...)
It’s not just in these two countries that it’s a problem.
There are actually a whole bunch of countries where it’s better not to be a woman.
Not necessarily Muslim ones, either. (I’m thinking of India.)
But as far as I know, only two countries kill over a lock of hair.
Even Saudi Arabia no longer forces women to cover their heads.
I’ve never walked around in a knee-length dress in Egypt either, ..., or in Jordan...
I have.
I went to Iran a few years ago, and the image I got of the country was quite different from the one presented by the media.
Yes and no.
Yes, Iranians as a whole aren’t religious fanatics.
They drink, they party, they have mixed-gender relationships...
Basically, they enjoy life and would love to do so openly.
No, the Iranian state isn’t any different from what’s described in the news.
When I mention Iran or Afghanistan, I’m talking about the current regime, not the people in those two unfortunate countries.
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That’s the whole difference between us, Jean Luc; I don’t pass moral judgment on viewpoints that aren’t my own.
Am I the Monsieur Jourdain of morality? I’m simply offering support to a participant stunned by your Prévert-style inventories.
And look at how condescendingly you treat those who oppose you with different viewpoints. But you never doubt your own... moral superiority.
I should refrain from expressing viewpoints, even referenced ones...
Who’s asking you to refrain?
At most, it would be appreciated if you made an effort to drop your specious reasoning. If their repetition were just tiresome, we’d put up with it—even if it’s tough—but too often, your bitterness and victimhood obsessions are an insult to the oppressed (the *real* ones, mind you, those oppressed today by regimes you favor).
As for these “referenced viewpoints,” you’ll find them across all ideologies—so many groups are convinced they hold the truth. Does that make them *universally* valid? That’s what you imply to anyone who doesn’t applaud you, and they end up belittled.
... because they ruffle your feathers?
Did I ever say that? My hair’s as stubborn as your neck is stiff. Though Attila seems to really mess with your style.
Georgia has mostly moved much closer to Russia.
And especially the opposite.
(The problem with propagandists is they can never think against their own certainties.)
Agnès is heading to Central Asia soon—it’ll change her perspective on a lot of things.
In Egypt, I didn’t stroll around in a dress—I wore cropped pants and a tank top, and I regretted it. It was evening in the streets of Cairo. You never think enough about these things.
And yet, during the decade of Russian occupation aimed at supporting the Afghan communist government against the Islamist Mujahideen rebels, women in Kabul were able to enjoy a certain Western-style freedom. They’ve fallen from quite a height since then.
It was the USSR, not Russia, and it was even better for them during the 20 years of American occupation. And now, they’ve fallen from a great height. Just giving credit where it’s due... 😉
(even if Georgia isn’t exactly located in Central Asia...)
Thanks for pointing that out. I’ll add that the project to join the EU and NATO is written into the Georgian constitution.
I’m still seeing, much to my surprise, fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new members logging in, and I see quite a few connected members who aren’t participating—or aren’t participating anymore.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I don’t know about?
Where have the old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on?
« 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
No joke?
Come on, come on.
I left Georgia on August 8, 2008, on a Turkish coach, half an hour before the Russian missiles hit Gori. The people I left behind hated Mr. Saakashvili and the Americans in Hummers parading on the hills of Tbilisi and buying up villas and land.
I even ran into B. Ivanishvili once in a while.
Those same people have been marching in recent weeks for the country’s EU membership, waving European flags, even though back then they completely rejected the idea, mocking their "orientality."
So much for grand principles and moral lessons...
I don’t know why I seem to irritate you so much, Agnès, Laurence, one or two others, and yourself, but I’m waiting for your experiences and arguments—yet they never come.
As a former member—I’m not necessarily representative of the group, though 😛—I read but don’t always feel like participating. I often sigh and roll my eyes, and not just in this discussion.
Travel journals poured in as soon as the site reopened, but most were reposted from other forums.
The photo contest is on life support.
I wanted to ask questions about Istanbul but found answers right away on the GDR.
In quite a few discussions, there’s a lot of "insider" talk.
Something escapes me because, in my opinion, VF is still attractive, and I don’t see which other sites could compete.
You’re right. And yet, the one created by former VF members is doing really well. Fewer people, but more activity.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Yes, or rather, between before and after VF reopened.
Does it just take more time for some to discover the site or learn it’s active again?
I think after 6 months, the deal is sealed.
Do people now prefer a form of quick consumption on sites like FB or others I don’t know?
Who are "people"? Not me, that’s for sure.
Where did the old-timers go, and what are they doing with their time now?
The Georgian constitution, which provides for joining the EU and NATO, dates back to 1995.
I don’t know what it is about me that irritates you so much, Agnès, Laurence, one or two others, and yourselfs, but I’m still waiting for your experiences and arguments—yet they never come.
Perhaps you should try reading without preconceptions.
Alright, you read the French official press diligently, alright, you hate it when people question the versions it puts out, but still.
We’ve told you before: there’s no such thing as the "French official press." That only exists in the imagination of conspiracy theorists. If you’d like, I can put together a selection for you tomorrow on the same topic from *L'Humanité*, *La Croix*, *Le Figaro*, *Le Monde*, *L'Opinion*, *Les Échos*, *Libération*, etc.
You’ll see there’s just as much difference between them as there is between you and me.
I’m struggling to copy the Kola method—post a message and then disappear.🙂
There isn’t, and never has been, a Kola method.
Maybe just a passing weariness with certain overbearing presences, and definitely other priorities… rather than the obsessive goal of having the last word.🙂
Yes, Iranians as a whole aren’t religious fanatics.
They drink, they party, they have mixed-gender relationships...
In short, they enjoy life and would love to do so openly.
This is especially true in big cities.
Drinking is still pretty tricky, but it does happen sometimes—just in secret, of course.😉
We never managed to find any when we were there. Back then, the only thing available was "Islamic beer," which has no alcohol at all. You’ve gotta really like it...
You’ve probably heard this before: the "official French press" doesn’t exist.
You might want to be a bit more nuanced, though, because we’re seeing a well-orchestrated consensus in French public opinion—a result of this non-pluralistic press. For example, today it’s clearly "Trump is evil," yesterday it was "Putin is evil," and before that it was "Zelensky, the brave captain" or "Raoult, the conspiracy theorist." The timing is perfect: you go to social gatherings, and you’re served the day’s talking points on who’s the "good guy" or the "bad guy." As for the arguments? They’re simplistic, nonexistent, or just plain wrong.
Yet the "conspiracy" is based on the fact that the press is state-subsidized—even *L’Humanité*—so you can’t bite the hand that feeds you. The media is in the hands of a few billionaires, with all the consequences you can imagine for newsrooms. There’s no major opposition newspaper left. The press has far fewer journalists than it used to, which is why it often just regurgitates AFP dispatches.
With your usual talent, I trust you to gather articles on the same topic from different newspapers. As for me, given my laziness, I could point out topics that don’t appear in the mainstream written or broadcast media. Is that a consensus too? I’m thinking of a serious issue with major implications that the whole world is talking about—but it’s completely absent from national news outlets. Radio silence, as they say.
That’s why I feed my conspiratorial appetite with all the alternative channels online. But I’m a glutton for punishment, so I still enjoy LCI for the spectacle (especially Nivat’s outfits) and to know what the ideological "ready-to-wear" of the moment is.
I’ve never been to Iran (see: mandatory disguise).
I could’ve looked the other way at one point because the mullahs’ madness seemed to be giving way to modern desires.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and things quickly reverted to normal.
My ex went to Iran. He liked it.
He drank alcohol. It was the vehicle’s driver who organized (and offered...) that forbidden moment.
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If I follow your reasoning, the press is under government orders.
So why this? (It’s just one example among many.)
Would this kind of article be accepted by Putin in his country?
By the mullahs in Iran?
By the dictator ruling North Korea?
I don’t think so...
And then you write yourself that you find media with dissenting voices.
So there are necessarily multiple opinions accessible to everyone.
Finally, if Putin is described as a monster, and if that’s the truth, it’s normal for it to be stated everywhere.
No serious journalist would claim the opposite of what they believe just because others think the same way.
That’s absurd.
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People are completely unaware of how mass manipulation methods have progressed over the last 70 years.
The media are honest and always tell the truth, I swear it to you straight up and with my boots on 🤪
« 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
If I follow your reasoning, the press is under government orders.
No, it's more nuanced than that, and I think that's precisely what you're missing—the nuance. Subsidized "opposition" media know how far they can go without being under orders.
So why this? (It’s one example among many.)
This article is an example of what’s still tolerable.
Would this kind of article be accepted by Putin in his country?
By the mullahs in Iran?
By the dictator ruling North Korea?
Of course not; but beware of the phrase: "comparison is not reasoning."
I don’t think so...
And then you write that you find media with dissenting voices.
Yes, on the internet, there are plenty—thankfully, otherwise it would be stifling.
So there are necessarily multiple opinions accessible to everyone.
Yes, for those with internet access.
Finally, if Putin is described as an ogre, and if that’s the truth, it’s normal for it to be stated everywhere.
If Putin *were* an ogre, it would be normal to denounce him; but *is* he an ogre?
No serious journalist would proclaim the opposite of what they think just because others think the same way.
That’s absurd.
I didn’t understand that last sentence. I think editorial pressure on journalists is very strong.
I wanted to say that no one’s gonna write the opposite of what they think just because everyone else thinks the same way.
Example:
The whole forum writes 2+2=4.
A newcomer arrives.
They think 2+2=4.
They’re not gonna post 2+2=5 on the forum just because everyone else wrote 2+2=4—even if they feel like being contrary or don’t wanna look like they’re following the crowd...
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For example, today it's clearly "Trump is evil," yesterday it was "Putin is evil," the day before it was "Zelensky, brave captain" or "Raoult, conspiracy theorist." The timing is perfect—you go to meeting places where they serve you the phrase of the moment about the "good guy" or the "bad guy" of the day. As for the arguments, they're simplistic, absent, or just plain wrong.
I don’t know which press would take its readers for idiots (that does exist, but it’s another topic), nor which meeting places you frequent, nor who this they is serving you such... basic statements (euphemism). But it’s easy—yes, easy—to look elsewhere.
Far from the caricature presented, if you’re willing and able to spend a little time—perhaps at the expense of time lost here tilting at windmills—if you’re a bit curious, cross-check information, aren’t put off by length or the sometimes dense erudition of articles that analyze the substance without ideology, and don’t shy away from less conventional sources—like the internet—it seems possible to form an informed opinion without giving in to the trend of the moment: picking a side.
I could point out topics that don’t appear in the written or audiovisual press. Is that a consensus too? I’m thinking in particular of a serious issue with major implications that the whole world is talking about but is completely absent from national media. Radio silence, as they say.
You’ve piqued my curiosity—will you shed some light on this?
I don’t know which press—assuming its readers are idiots (that does exist, but that’s another topic)—or what meeting places you frequent, nor who this "they" is that feeds you such... basic assertions (euphemism), but it’s easy, really, to look elsewhere.
Meeting places: these are my friends, acquaintances, or conversations with shopkeepers. Readers aren’t idiots, but they’re incredibly easy to manipulate if we go by the results. I don’t trust print media or mainstream outlets at all.
I confirm the current trend: it’s "Trump is evil"; Putin has dropped off the radar for now. What’s your experience?
Far from the caricature presented, but if you’re willing and able to spend a little time—perhaps at the expense of time lost here tilting at windmills—if you’re a bit curious, cross-check information, aren’t put off by length or the sometimes dense erudition of articles that analyze the core without ideology, and don’t shy away from less conventional sources—internet and others—it seems possible to form an informed opinion without giving in to the current trend of picking a side.
I confirm that by taking the time, it’s possible to form an opinion from open sources, carefully cross-checking information or trusting reliable sites, or reading essays on a given topic. That way, you avoid basic propaganda or LCI.
"I could point out topics that don’t appear in print or broadcast media. Is that a consensus too? I’m thinking in particular of a serious issue with major implications that the whole world is talking about but is completely absent from national news and airwaves. Radio silence, as they say."
You’ve piqued my curiosity—will you shed some light on it?
Sorry for not saying more; it’s a topic that will eventually come out. Alternative media are covering it. We’re not going to flood this travel forum with comments on such a trivial subject.
All I know is that you have a regrettable tendency to use inclusive writing, even though the Académie française has dismissed it for excellent reasons. That said, it probably doesn’t stop you from being a great traveler. Most participants on this forum are likely good-natured and pleasant to meet while traveling—let’s not forget that.
Holding a grudge against someone isn’t good; it doesn’t make the person involved any better.
« 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
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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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