Hey hey,
A great way to meet locals! I got hooked on it over the years, and after a few women-only trips with an all-female agency (bad experiences with 5 to 10 chicks every time—many of them think they’re well-educated but actually stick their noses in everything 🤪), I’m heading out solo again soon. (Don’t ask me where—I rarely plan my trips and usually leave on a whim within days. Thinking of Canada in September, should be cool!)
Little tip for those who are nervous but still want to travel solo:
It’s all about attitude because everything shows on your face.
Sometimes approached by aggressive or just rowdy groups, it’s easy to spot the ringleader (it’s the one running his mouth 😏). And that’s who you need to target—use a tone that’ll leave him speechless (after that, you’ve won, and sometimes they even become friends). Not always, though! 😄
Traveling solo is above all total freedom at any moment.
Very few women are willing to travel as a pair, for example, with someone who doesn’t share the same desires and tastes. Yet, it’s entirely possible for two women to travel together just to lower the cost of accommodations, transportation, etc. Traveling as a pair doesn’t mean being glued together 24/7—that’s what most girls don’t understand. It has to be said, many are quite timid and prefer to stick to each other like Siamese twins 😏.
I created a Facebook group for co-travelers a little over two years ago, which became the largest in its category (over 40,000 women of all ages in 24 months). I recently closed it because the volunteer work was very time-consuming when you put your heart into it, and especially because it had turned into chaos since very few knew how to use it properly.
At the time, as the creator and moderator of the group, I took advantage of my position to post a few announcements to invite those interested in joining me on my trips, being very flexible with dates and everything else. It didn’t take off.
So, I’m heading out solo again, as I’ve done for over 10 years, to rediscover those sensations that only solo female travelers know. You have to understand that when traveling alone, you meet many more locals than when you’re with others (as a pair or in a small group, you tend to stick together). And that’s a shame because often, locals are curious about tourists, especially in off-the-beaten-path regions—they want to know why you’re visiting their area. When you travel solo, every day brings new encounters, if only because you rely on others for basic information or more detailed searches. As I mentioned earlier, women are generally quite fearful of everything, including believing they won’t be able to manage in an international airport, for example (even though there’s no shortage of staff to help them 🤪).
The thing that comes up often is, "Oh, but I can’t imagine going to a restaurant alone." I tell them that first of all, I go because I’m hungry 😏, the menu appeals to me, and often, even if I go in alone, I don’t stay that way for long. Interactions inevitably happen, if only because of a menu written in a foreign language that’s impossible to understand (preferring to ignore Google Translate). I create connections, exchanges, and sometimes beautiful encounters arise after a few conversations. The same goes for servers, who I’ve noticed pay more attention to a solo customer.
Anyway, that’s all for now. More to come when I have time, and maybe this will inspire other women who don’t travel under the pretext that they’re alone 🤷♀️
Hey hey 😏
Traveling solo means, among other things, visiting places at your own pace without rushing like you often do with tour agencies that go at breakneck speed—too bad if you can’t keep up—or with one (or more) friends who want to see everything in the shortest time possible 🤪
In the coming years, some guides (though not all, unfortunately) should adapt to climate change. They’ll likely start offering earlier and earlier morning hours to avoid the intense heat and crowds. You’ll have to keep an eye out for those who adjust and know there’s a profitable window 😉
Going solo is already exciting on the way to the airport, where you’ve got to take it easy because the temperature’s rising 😏. Personally, I only book the first night or a maximum of two nights in advance. The rest is done with online research and, most importantly, on the spot, face-to-face with hotel owners or other providers (all based on vibes while visiting the places—very important!). The way you’re welcomed also matters to me, and then I decide, always paying in cash, which sometimes (often) leads to discounts 🤩
That's what most girls haven't understood. Many are quite timid and prefer to stick to each other like Siamese twins.
As I mentioned earlier, women are generally quite fearful of everything, including believing they won't be able to manage in an international airport, for example.
Very few girls are willing to travel in pairs, for instance, with someone who doesn’t share the same desires and tastes.
I’ve put together a compilation of what you’ve been sharing since your explosive return!
And I can’t decide if you’re super spontaneous, just impulsive... or very self-centered with a confrontational side—"talk to me about me, that’s all I care about."
On this forum, there are plenty of travel journals from solo female travelers of all ages, who are contemplative, resourceful, and would probably smile—or sigh—reading your prejudices.
And here, when I see that my sense of humor isn’t landing at all because I’ve noticed quite a few grumps, I’ll get annoyed fast 😄
Maybe people respond to you the way you provoke them?
And most importantly: You’ve been on this forum for over 10 years with just as much antipathy and condescension. No wonder you’ve been called out multiple times in your comments, and you have a "record" to remind other members of.
The perfect profile that reminds me of the 4 or 5 regulars from the other forum 🤡
Elsewhere on the forum, you’ve gone after Attila—crudely, for no reason... maybe she’s the Hun, but here, the grass doesn’t grow back behind *you*.
Lamanon30, was she kicked out of here too? Or what?
Hello everyone.
Inspector Gadget didn’t guess that I was simply being straightforward in both senses of the term 😏, and only conducted a one-sided investigation, deliberately ignoring the fact that I had taken it very much to heart to look after these girls who were struggling to travel alone. They also ignored the fact that I was immediately targeted here as soon as I arrived, and claimed I had insulted members without any proof of insulting words being reported. Thanks to the occasional inspectress for noting that on Le Routard, I’m sidelined for a few days but my contributions—along with others—are kept because they’re useful to the forum. 😄 I’m taking this thread to go into detail about my solo trips (the majority) and my attempts at traveling with others.
After about fifteen solo trips to the Colombian Caribbean for cultural reasons similar to mine, having lost my dog and my entire family within six months, I felt the need to make some friendly connections by joining the girls from the CDV agency. Today, I’m actually glad I’ll never travel with those women again—they’re from another planet to me, with an unbelievable level of aggression when it comes to differences between people, French regions and their specific characteristics, as well as cultural and linguistic differences (words don’t mean the same thing in the south as they do in the north, for example).
I won’t talk about my own culture here, even though we can agree that most travelers are in search of authenticity. The gap between Latin culture and those who don’t have it—or only have fragments of Christian culture—is too wide, as misunderstanding dominates.
So, I’ll go back to my solo travels, making very interesting but fortunately superficial connections, because I think it’s better not to get to know people too deeply.
My last experience with these five agency girls (average age 35) was a total disaster, and the worst part is that I didn’t see the hypocrisy they maintained throughout the Kenya trip, while I was in total empathy—as I always am when I meet people.
Coming from a family of resistance fighters and underground army members during the last war in France, I’ve been passionate for years about reading, watching, and researching everything related to the 1939–1945 war. After seeing hundreds of films and documentaries, I wanted to go further and understand how a monster like Adolf Hitler was built by buying his book (*Mein Kampf*), which I read in my spare time during layovers or between two safaris in Kenya.
Out of my five travel companions, one who proclaimed herself a psychologist, secretly analyzing the others while convinced she had the gift of reading people, told me so herself. 😅
Another, whose motivation I still don’t understand, dresses up as a GI (American soldier) every year, rents a jeep, and participates in the D-Day commemorations in France. 🤪
To my great misfortune, I took this dictator’s book with me in my free time in Kenya.
And to my great misfortune, in a passionate discussion with my "GI" 😏—a very friendly girl on the surface but who clearly knew nothing about this war except for dressing up every year for the photos—had to correct her when she claimed it was Hitler who declared war on France, when in fact it was France that declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939 (she got upset and never brought it up again).
I return to France and, to my shock, I receive an email from the agency wanting to talk to me.
The director calls to tell me the agency no longer wants me as a client.
The reason: The "pseudo" psychologist and the pseudo "GI" wrote to her saying I didn’t belong among these travel companions and that it was unacceptable to keep me as a client because, according to them, I’m a pro-Hitler antisemite for daring to say it wasn’t this dictator who declared war on France, and that since I currently had this despicable person’s writings as my bedside book, I must agree with him. 🤪
For 10 days of the trip, these two snakes (I can’t think of another word, sorry) were all sweetness to my face while plotting behind my back.
The director, whom I know well because she always complained about me after every trip for equally crazy reasons, said: "Let’s end our collaboration here." "You can see you’re not compatible with traveling with others."
And me, poor fool, who had once again chosen to travel with others—among other things—to bring my humor and affection to these girls who are afraid to travel alone and choose this 100% female agency to at least have peace from annoying guys.
So yes, long live solo travel and superficial connections—at least that way, I come home with beautiful memories without digging too deep into people’s lives beyond the good times we shared.
Glad to have been "removed" from this agency, to whom I had spent around 20,000 € on trips between my solo travels.
And I still have affectionate thoughts for all those who are afraid to travel alone. 🤗
I’d be afraid to travel with you. It’d be a failed trip from the start.
I say this because of all your misadventures, your recurring difficulty in making yourself understood, the rejections you regularly face, and your insulting attitude (insults aren’t just words—they can be a tone, a behavior, a posture...).
I’d be scared to travel with you. It’d be a failed trip from the start.
I say that given all your misadventures, your recurring difficulty making yourself understood, the rejections you regularly face, and your insulting attitude (insults aren’t just words—they can be a tone, a behavior, a stance...).
You’re right not to want to travel with me because being called pro-Hitler and antisemitic by some girls—when it’s completely the opposite for me and my entire family, who lost loved ones fighting the enemy—is unacceptable (and I should’ve burned their passports so they’d have to swim back. 😄)
That’s one of the reasons I’m going back to solo travel.
I’ll always remember that other travel companion who, in the middle of a heatwave at a villa on Lake Annecy, kept turning off the fan I’d brought from home, supposedly to save the planet 😄—while I was suffocating in over 40°C at my age.
I should’ve drowned her in the lake instead of telling her after four days of her constant interference with my fan that I was going to make her eat it. 😄
Sick of these hysterical, unhinged women with no manners who also misinterpret everything and meddle in other people’s lives—something I’d never do!!!
Long live solo travel! 🚀
In this controversial section, there have been heated debates, clashing viewpoints, and passionate confrontations. Boundaries pushed. Points of no return.
It’s often been invoked, almost always condemned... but this is a first.
Is it the lack of someone to talk to? Do you have some other motive besides sadly stirring the pot here morning, noon, and night out of... boredom? A thirst for recognition?
For the first time in a discussion, the Godwin point was reached only to be vigorously denied by the same person.
Mindless self-indulgence, a desperate headlong rush, just so that, at all costs, the show must go on.?
In this fiery section, there have been heated debates, clashes of perspectives, passionate confrontations. Boundaries pushed. Points of no return.
It’s often been invoked, almost always condemned... but this is a first.
Is it the lack of someone to talk to? Is there some other interest for you besides sadly shaking around here morning, noon, and night out of... boredom? A thirst for recognition?
This is the first time in a discussion that the Godwin point has been reached only to be vigorously denied by the same person.
Mindless self-administration, desperate headlong rush, just so that, at all costs, the show must go on.?
Hey, I just created this discussion and posted 3 messages, nothing more. As for the other topics, I’ve had some free time for the past two days because I broke a rib while crashing hard during sports—I tried to keep going, but the pain is unbearable. So I’m chatting here while waiting for my reintroduction scheduled by the mods in the other forum because I’m eager to respond about Colombia, my heart’s country, where people also claim I’m wrong.
Personally, what others call a controversy is just a debate to me, and I can admit when I’m wrong and say so without any problem.
Attila started this debate about traveling with cash, saying she didn’t understand those who travel that way. I wanted to know which bank card she used so I could answer her question because, personally, I go for the cheapest payment methods (cash, and in countries where I need to exchange euros, I do it at national banks that offer the best rate and make a single exchange for the whole stay since fees are lower for larger amounts). Since 2020 and the pandemic, which brought me back to France, I’ve had over a million Colombian pesos at home that I’ll exchange at the best rate when I’m patient.
If Attila had been willing to tell us about her Fortunéo card, I would’ve checked what she’s entitled to, what she pays, etc... And I would’ve compared it with my cash exchange. If she came out ahead compared to me, I would’ve said so and admitted I was wrong without any issue. But she doesn’t want to say because, even behind an anonymous username, people have their pride, their ego, etc... And they don’t like to lose in their arguments (whereas it doesn’t bother me to be wrong and admit it).
Otherwise, I’m here because I love exchanging with others—that’s also why, between solo trips, I wanted to meet other women through the CDV agency (I’d say 90% of the time, I’ve been disappointed because I’m really not from the same world as most people).
I come from a background as a former street kid—I lived on the streets from the age of 12—and I have a different perception of respect and education. The street, the gangs, the troublemakers I hung out with taught me early on that you have to stay straight and not interfere in other people’s lives. But all these trips with those girls were a disaster because they had no education, while in this agency, due to the high cost, it’s mostly little bourgeois girls who wanted to put me in my place. My approach (outside of travel) was purely driven by empathy (same when I created the FB group that took off right away—I was so overwhelmed). Very disappointed by those girls who didn’t even understand that I did it to help them and nothing else.
The goal of my posts isn’t to show off—just to exchange ideas. With a little extra from me: I love contradiction in debates, and I admire those who make me change my mind and tell me so.
But to get to the heart of contradictions, you need someone who can keep up (and with Attila, no exchange is possible). Does she have the card for the wealthiest based on her income? Which would make you think she doesn’t want to say—oh well.
I can’t find the history of my first exchanges here from early August because I assume some people who know the forum well must’ve schemed to delete a few responses. But I remember they jumped on me right away, calling me a cougar and making insinuations like I was a fan of bullfighting (that’s from members who are also on Le Routard and know my real name because I didn’t hide it, and they dug through my FB profile, confusing tauromachy because, naive as they are about the subject, they think there’s only one kind).
Same on Le Routard, where over 10 years ago, I wanted to share my many stays in Colombia (16 trips of 40-45 days each) in guerrilla zones that are still active today (the same areas controlled by drug cartels that run all those northern departments). I tried to explain that I had no intention of going there for that, as I had something completely different to do related to my culture, which is similar to that of the Colombian Caribbean. They called me a liar, labeled me an international drug trafficker (I even had cops on my tail when I landed in Marignane on my way back home—it annoyed me to see how stupid people or cops can be).
Yes, on Le Routard, they really wound me up—provocative and vicious members who pushed me to the point of using words forbidden in forums because, hidden behind their computers, they were just waiting for that to click the report button with, I imagine, a hideous grin on their faces—oh well.
I love exchanging, I love people, even if I take a lot of hits because I’m not like them and I don’t fit in—that’s all. Just when you tagged me, I discovered here in one of Attila’s topics that in Quebec, it’s the same as where I’m from in the south of France: breakfast is *le déjeuner*, lunch is *diner*, and dinner is *souper*. I also found out while looking for info on Brazil that Mathews, who doesn’t want me to use *tu* with him even though he does with others and couldn’t find any other arguments to keep the discussion going, is a real adventurer who willingly hung out with wild crocodiles—shows you can be like this and like that 🤪. I’m not here to impress but to chat with humans before the mice eat me at home where I live alone by choice 😄
Well, let's see. If you think I’m gonna bother trying to understand, you’re mistaken.
And I’m not waiting for an answer from you about the "why" either. 😄
I’m different from most people, and on top of that, I’m Southern—so that doesn’t help with conversations since some words don’t have the same tone elsewhere. I couldn’t care less, though, because that’s just who I am.
Something to think about for those who don’t have a personality. 😏
Oh right, actually, it's not exchanging you enjoy (since you couldn't care less about your interlocutors).
What you enjoy is soliloquizing. But you still need an audience, huh.
That's exactly what comes through in your messages.
Okay, I'm done being part of your audience; the show is pathetic.
I'm stopping following this "discussion".
Oh right, actually, it’s not exchanging you enjoy (since you couldn’t care less about your interlocutors).
What you enjoy is soliloquizing. But you still need an audience, huh.
That’s exactly what comes through in your messages.
Well, I’m done being part of your audience; the show is pathetic.
I’m stopping following this "discussion."
If I were being mean, I’d say *you’re* the one who’s pathetic.
Because coming to tell me you’d never travel with me when you mostly travel alone 😄 (and in a thread where I *specifically* explain I prefer traveling alone too) 😆
Plus, you’re speaking for everyone else. Who are you?? The forum’s spokesperson??
You also say I obviously have trouble making myself understood, but *you’re* the one who doesn’t understand anything.🤪
Exhibit A (quoting you):
"I’d be scared to travel with you. It’d be a failed trip from the start.
I’m saying this given all your mishaps, your recurring difficulty in making yourself understood."
For you, the mishaps I recounted with those girls who had zero manners and meddled in my life like I’d *never* do to them—you twist it to make it my fault. The height of it, since it’s the opposite!🤪 Who’s not understanding—or understanding everything backward?? You, and here’s the proof 😆
Or should I take it that your fear of traveling with me is actually discovering you’re just like them—trying to ruin my trip??
Who’s got it all backward, you or me??
Meanwhile, reread your own words and you’ll see the fear you’re projecting is really about being a pain to others 😄 You accuse me of running into girls who weren’t nice to me—the irony
As for others not understanding me, my most recent memory is Mathews pretending not to get it when I simply explained that credit cards have more hidden fees than cash and that people often struggle to find a working ATM (and it suited him to play dumb)—him, who *uses* credit cards to travel (afraid to tally up the total cost and admit he’s wrong, maybe?) 😆
And no, ma’am, I don’t disregard my interlocutors—I respond coolly when they’re cool with me and aggressively when they’re aggressive in their replies (and I’ve noticed *you’re* the one who’s messaged me the most in this thread, with a certain hatred or bitterness seeping through the screen, even though I never asked you for anything).
Another reason to want to get back to my solo travels!
And another reason why @ Elhine is afraid to travel with me—probably because she’s like all those examples mentioned in this thread.
We were wandering around Dakar with nine of my fellow travelers and our guide.
As usual, the girls stopped in souvenir shops to buy things, which isn’t my thing at all—I’d rather build and live my memories than buy those cheap trinkets that all come from China, which they still pay top dollar for just to say, "It’s from Dakarrrrr." 😂
Anyway, being the good sport I am, I respected their choices and followed along, waiting outside those touristy shops while the girls maxed out their credit cards.
As we kept walking through the streets, I spotted a vendor selling steaming coffee, and I asked the girls to wait for me for just a tenth of a second, no more—the coffee was ready, and I just had to pay and drink it while keeping up with them without slowing them down.
One of my fellow travelers called out to me between two shops she was browsing and said:
"Christine, you’re in a group, and you shouldn’t just think about yourself. We’re together, and we do everything together, so you follow us—and you can drink your coffee at the hotel."
Here’s yet another example of why @ Elhine will say it’s another reason not to travel with me. Who’s being unfriendly here? The girl I let shop for her junk for hours because I respect others, or me, who just wanted to grab a quick coffee while keeping up with the group? Ask @ Elhine—I’m laughing about it 😂
Solo travel is becoming more and more common. A third of people, I think.
By choice, by bad luck, or by chance.
Let’s consider another option: traveling with your psychiatrist. Indeed, they could constantly analyze our spontaneous reactions. It wouldn’t be too bothersome since they’d mostly stay passive and attentive.
Imagine the peace of mind with such a companion, who could also glance at our forum posts and maybe spare us some frustration.
« 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
On se pose souvent la question de l'âge quant à l'ampleur des aventures que l'on veut entreprendre. Est-il raisonnable de se lancer dans une escalade extrême…
J'ai pu voir qu'il y avait un sujet sur "voyager seul, sauter le pas" qui soulevait la question d’où aller en voyageant seul... J'aime beaucoup voyager et…
Je ne comprends pas pourquoi on me met pas l'accent sur l'aprentissage de plusieurs langues à l'école? Grâce à Internet, de nos jours, on peut sensibiliser les…
Elles voyagent seules. Pour le plaisir pour certaines, par obligation pour d’autres. Vous les avez peut être rencontrées au cours de vos voyages. Un homme qui…
Suite aux dernières réflexions, je voulais lancer un thème sur le voyage en solo ou non, pourquoi le faire et quels sont les freins? POURQUOI VOYAGER SEUL (E)?…
Bonjour a tous, une fois n'est pas coutume ce n'est pas pour un récit de voyage que je poste, mais pour une pensée pour le Vénezuela.
Si vous ne le saviez pas, car ça ne fait pas la une, mais le Venezuela a subit 2 tremblement de terre de magnitude 7,5 la semaine dernière, ou plus de 2200 personnes sont mortes, plus de 50 000 sont portées disparues, et certaines villes côtières entièrement détruites.
Alors peut être que quand on se rendra compte de l'ampleur de la crise humanitaire a laquelle le pays fait face, peut être que nos médias en parleront un peu plus....d'autant plus que quand il y a un séisme et un nombre de victime de cette ampleur, ca fait généralement la une, mais la rien en France....
Donc voila, une pensée pour ce pays, qui quoiqu'on en puisse en penser niveau politique, est un véritable joyau du continent sud américain, tant par ces paysages que par sa population.
bonjour
je vous invite a decouvrir ma province balneaire au centre du Vietnam : Quang Ngai,
cette annee ma province s'est bien amenagee : montagne, campagne, mer sont autentiques,
ici pas de harceleur ou voleur, pas de russe,
le repas de midi local est a environ 1 euro
la chambre d'hotel *** environ 25 euro, hotel sur la plage de My Khe,
on a une specialite : le banh xeo 1,5 euros les 10 crepes
vous pouvez louer des motos pour decouvrir la province et eventuellemt visiter les nombreuses minorites ethniques ,
moi j'habite la, je ne vends rien, j'aide eventuellement (mon beau pere est medecin traditionnel vietnamien, il est tres competent)
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
J'ai gardé comme habitude, de me moucher à l'évier, et de me laver ensuite les mains, coutume ramenée d'Inde, parfois, ca choque certains non voyageurs quand je suis prise en flagrand délit...
Aussi, quand je tombe en panne de pq, ca ne me dérange pas, sauf si j'ai de la visite... 🤪
Maintenant je reviens d'avoir baladé le chien (d'un copain en vacance), portant djellabah et bottine tibétaine... 😏😏😏 Ah pour sur si j'avais croisé des locaux, sans doute aurais je choqué?😏
Enfin, tant que je ne suis pas à cracher par terre au resto et à m'accroupir sur le bord d'une autoroute bouteille d'eau en main...
Et vous, vous ramenez des coutumes au pays?
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
en parcourant le forum pour glaner des infos pour mon prochain voyage en thailande, je vois souvent les mots "voyageur, grand voyageur" mais aussi "touriste" donc pour vous quelle est la nuance?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Vraiment déçu du Costa Rica ! Pura vida ? L'arnaque du siècle !
( Costa frica pure vide ).
Le pays où les animaux sont en liberté et les hommes en cage .
3 semaines en décembre dans ce pays et bien plus jamais. . Imaginez la bande annonce d'un film qui paraît intéressant, et en allant le voir vous vous apercevez que c'est un ''nanard'' et que les meilleurs moments tenaient dans la bande annonce.
Et bien c'est ce que l'on a ressenti avec le Costa frica pure vide .
Nous avons ma femme et moi pas mal voyagé et nous ne nous attendions pas à nous tromper a ce point.
Dans les grands axes nous avons fait :
Sant José
Alaiela
Limon cahuita Porto viejo manzalino ( côté caraïbe)
Jaco quepos manuel Antonio ( côté Pacific)
Et d'autres courts passages dans les villes intermédiaires.
Notre mécontentement c'est fait crescendo de la sorte:
Arrivés à l'hôtel le taxi nous dépose dans une petite rue devant un portail métallique blanc avec les fenêtres du RDC entravé par des barreaux. Nous le regardons dubitatif mais l'enseigne correspondait .
Il s'approche du portail appuie sur la sonnette le buzzer retentit et la porte s'entrouvre .Hôtel pas trop mal pour le prix , à 10 minutes à pied du centre ville, mais avec effet " Fleury merogis" garantie.
Jusqu'ici tout va bien .
Après la douche et après avoir repris nos esprits, nous partons faire un tour au centre ville.
Ce qui a commencé à nous interpeller sur le trajet c'est de voir quelques maisons avec barreaux aux fenêtres au RDC et même au premier étage.
Sur le coup nous nous sommes dit que le quartier de l'hôtel ne devait pas être trop top .
Le centre ville de san José :
C'est une ville quelconque pas dépaysante avec une rue piétonne et un petit mercado où vous pourrez manger local sans artifice. Très peu de touriste pour ne pas dire pas du tout ce qui vous permettra de vous noyer dans la population . Nous déjeunons et avons des difficultés à nous faire comprendre car hormis un ou deux magasins l'anglais n'est pas parlé.
Sur le trajet du retour à l'hôtel nous empruntons un autre chemin et en papotant et flânant ma femme me fait remarquer une belle maison blanche à étage complètement barricadé façon fort Nox.
Dès cet Instant on s'est mis a regarder les façades des maisons et des immeubles et lá , glauque de chez glauque, la plupart des façades ressemblent à des prisons avec barbelés pour certaines.
Bien que refroidi nous nous sommes dit que c'était peut être l'effet grande ville et que tout le pays ne devait pas être comme ça .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
On se pose un peut a l'hôtel on prend un verre au bar de celui ci. La nuit tombe tôt vers 17h30 . Sur les coups de 19h30 on repart pour le centre pour dîner . Un peu flippant le soir pour une capitale, le centre était quasi désert et hormis les chaines de fast food , trés peu de restos ouverts et pas grand monde dans les rues .
Des bars avec agent de sécurité devant .
Je ne dirai pas ce soir là que nous nous sommes senti en insécurité mais la nuit tombée on s'est dit que les barreaux aux fenêtres n'étaient pas la pour rien . Premier jour sur place un peu mitigé.
Le lendemain journée ville et environ , et sentiments inchangés .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
Direction cahuita par bus ,4 h de trajet
Paysages très vert , mais vite lassant la route longe la forêt et traverse quelques villes où villages et à la campagne aussi autant de maisons prisons .
Le bus nous dépose à la station terminus de cahuita, nous sommes 4 a descendre . C'est un village, que dis-je un bourg , c'est simple cahuita c'est une ligne droite et une perpendiculaire et franchement la le doute commençait à s'installer sur nos visages . Quelques restos qui appliquent 13 % de taxes et 10 % de service soit 23% .on pose les affaires a l'hôtel , et on part visiter ce lieu . En 20 minutes on en fait le tour , on déjeune et devions aller jeter un œil a ce fameux parc .
L'entrée est sur donation , enfin l'entrée c'est comique , il y a un chemin en bord de forêt qui longe la mer et voilà le tour et joué.
Jusqu'ici rien ne va plus .
Là on s'est dit que c'était une belle fumisterie mais n'ayant pas été très loin nous décidons de revenir demain pour approfondir.
On rentre a l'hôtel , on se pose, et sur les coups de 20h00 on sort dîner . Et bien , 2 restos ouverts et rues désertes .
Flippant !
Le lendemain on approfondit la visite du Pseudo parc et là vraiment on a compris.
Chemin qui longe la forêt en longeant la mer , 2h de parcours aller et idem retour où vous croisez les animaux qui veulent bien montrer leur museaux
Une belle connerie " tout ça pour ça "
Plage avec plein de morceaux de bois et de cadavres de noix de coco . on s'est demandé si les photos sur le net n'étaient pas retouchées , car la mer trés agitée n'est pas du tout bleue azur
Mais oser appeler ça un parc c'est comique et ressemble à un nouveau concept..
Quand on repense aux avis émis sur le net , on a commencé à se dire que des professionnels ayant des intérêts dans ce pays épiés et contrecarrer tous avis qui risquerait de nuire a leur business.
Dommage que nous n'avons pas pensé a regarder les avis négatifs avant , nous l'avons fait pendant et je dois dire que cela nous bien aidé, car nous nous sommes demandé si nous n'étions pas devenu trop exigeant grâce où a cause nos nombreux voyages, mais non quand c'est pourri c'est pourri .
le parc de manzalino est encore plus comique il y a un début de chemin qui longe la mer mais que sur 500 mètres et ensuite plus rien vous devez escalader dans la boue et vous frayer un passage dans la foret . nous avons fini pieds nues car la boue nous arrivé aux mi- mollets . tout ca pour croiser un raton laveur et un survol de perroquets
On s'attendait pas a voir l'Arche de Noé mais on a vu plus d'animaux a bali au Mexique en thailande en allant voir les temples ou en baladant que dans ces soi disant parcs !
puerto vierjo non loin de cahuita et apparemment plus vivant et bien oui ça pouvait pas être pire !
sur le lonely planet il était question d'ambiance caribéenne et de soirées endiablées et bien peut etre que cette époque a eu bien lieu mais ce n est plus le cas et le très bon son reggae diffusé un peu partout n'y suffit pas .
le soir a puerto viejo un peu plus vivant que cahuita mais ça c'est pas difficile ; pas enormément de touristes voir trés peu, pas de marché de nuit mais 2 à 3 boutiques ouvertes avec leurs t shirts à 20 dollars et même constat qu' a san jose.
Pas grave on a profité de la plage et du soleil qui lui était fidèle au rendez vous.Notre programme devait inclure le parc de tortuguero mais après avoir échangé avec d'autres touristes qui en revenaient nous nous sommes ravisés sachant que nous devions faire côté pacifique le parc de manuel Antonio.
Pour repartir côté pacifique vous êtes obligés de reprendre le bus et passer par sans José . 5 h cette fois ci et ensuite il faut changer de terminal de bus et c'est reparti pour 4h30 pour arriver à quepos .
Ville étape qui permet de se rendre a manuel antonio plage et parc !
ville à l'image de ce que nous avons pu voir jusqu'à present c'est à dire : qui se dérsertifie dés le
coucher du soleil sachant que la journée il n y a pas foule ! ( mais ou sont les touristes ?, )
toujours autant de barreaux aux fenêtres et cette sensation de s'être trompé d endroit
7 km plus loin ; manuel antonio plage et parc
la plage est très belle et assez vaste mais ne vous attendez pas à avoir une mer bleue turquoise car les vagues font remonter le sable en surface et donnent une couleur marron a l'eau ;
le long de la plage boutiques et restos sur 300 mètres et plus rien ; quand au soir après le coucher du soleil la ville se couche aussi .
parc de manuel antonio assez vanté pour la richesse de sa faune nous l'attendions de pieds ferme car quand vous exprimez votre mécontentement concernant les parcs de cahuitat et manzalino , la mode est de vous dire
''mais non il faut faire le parc de monteverde ou manuel antonio '' en fait quoi que vous fassiez ou disiez on vous dira '' mais tu aurais dû aller là bas ou ici
revenons à notre fameux parc ; entrée 16 dollars de mémoire et contrairement à ce que l'on a pu nous dire on ne s'y bouscule pas !
des guides a l entrée équipés de longue vue vous proposent leurs services moyennant une trentaine de dollars
le parc ; un chemin planchéié ou pas dans la forêt qui longe par moment de magnifiques criques et plages .
Dès notre entrée dans le parc , un attroupement qui prenait en photo une biche qui mangeait des feuilles,
un peu plus loin un guide accompagné d'un groupe de 5 personnes marquent l'arrêt, le guide vient de lever le bras et pose sa longue vue ! il leur montre à un centaine de mètres niché sur une branche : un colibri mais oui vous avez bien entendu un colibri! certains en regardant à travers la longue vue s'exclamaient:" oh my good ! amazing ! incredible"
on a cru un moment qu'ils avaient découvert une licorne ou qu'ils étaient à jurassic park et qu'ils venaient de croiser la route d un tyranosor rex !
le concept est comique; regarder un oiseau ou un autre animal à travers une longue vue ! car trop loin ! idem qu'à la télé non ?
pour notre part on a croisés des singes , des fourmis, un tatou, un iguane et le cul d un paresseux qui montait à l'arbre ! amazing incredible !
nous sommes restés quelques jours à manuel antonio pour profiter de la plage en changeant souvent d'hôtel car les prix variés du simple au double du jour au lendemain pour des prestations honteuses ; en plus ils vous annoncent un prix en dollars pour le convertir à leur guise ! des voleurs!.
Alajuela ville proche de l'aéroport avec un mall sur deux étages et marché local au centre ville ! sans interêt si ce n'est la proximité avec l'aéroport !
Ce que nous avons appreciés :
Le climat et la ville de san jose qui avec le recul est la ville la plus authentique que nous avons traversés .
Ce que nous n'avons pas appreçiés en plus de ce que nous venons de citer :
Les costaricains qui ne sont pas très avenants ni communicants , l' anglais qui n' est pratiquement pas parlé , même pas par les medecins de l'hôpital de Quepos où ma femme victime d'une intoxication alimentaire y ait passé, ( merci Google translate) , l'obésité omniprésente des Costaricains qui s'alimentent à l'Américaine, l'insécurité, les bobos ecolos qui quittent leur lodge à 150 dollars en mini-van avec guide pour visiter les parcs et autres sites puis reviennent se barricader dans leur forteresse la nuit tombée (oh my god amazing incredible), le panneau bleu à l'entrée des villes qui acceptent ce mode de paiement ; "acceptamos american express" les parkings devenus payants par la seule présence d'un gars qui surveille vos voitures , les prix affichés en dollars , le coût de la vie (hotels rerstos taxes ), les paysages trop verts et pas assez fleuris , les plages rien d exceptionnelles , la pollution dans les villes où les gros camions trucks américain sont rois , les eaux usées rejetées directement à la mer . Hormis la jungle il n'y à rien a visiter, aucun vestiges , ruines , monuments , digne de ce nom .
Bref , nous pensons ma femme et moi que la publicité faite pour ce pays soi disant ecolo est surfaite , mais que c est un peu le pays à la mode du moment ! Il y a beaucoup mieux , moins cher , et plus authentique .
Avec le recul nous gardons que les bons moments et nos belles photos , mais si c'était à refaire .............
Avant de vous quitter petit message à tous ceux qui n'aiment pas que l'on puisse avoir un avis divergent du leurs :
Et bien certaines choses ne se discutent pas , et á ceux qui voudraient nous faire croire qu'en 3 semaines on n'a pas le droit de critiquer un pays ou d exprimer un ressenti , et bien comment pouvez vous l'encencer en si peu de temps. Belle supercherie, Costa frica pompe à fric , pura vida , pure vide sidéral.
Si vous aimez passer vos soirées barricadé dans votre douillé hôtel le soir tombé , et bien ce pays est pour vous .
Pour les autres : fuyezzzzzzzzz !
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
Il y a quelque années, j'étais parti avec un groupe d'amis donner un coup de main dans une petite école rurale à côté de Thiès, au Sénégal.
Ambiance détendue mais travailleuse, avec les mains dans le mortier, la rigolade, les échanges, et tout ce qu'une COOPERATION peut engendrer.
Aujourd'hui, le petit projet vole de ses propres ailes.
Voulant profiter des richesses du Sénégal, on est parti faire un peu de tourisme dans le Siné Saloum. Une fille de notre groupe est tombée malade (crise de paludisme) et on a décider de l'emener voir un médecin dans un grand complexe touristique juste à coté. Malgré son état, il a fallu montrer patte blanche (si j'ose dire) pour entrer. Elle a été soignée et va bien depuis.
Cette "étape" dans ce centre style Club Méditerranée à la sauce teutonne, ressemblant au Grau du Roy en plus chic à été pour nous une vision d'horreur : Piscines, immenses bassins artificiels teintés de bleu, de rose ou de vert (!!!!), animateur hurlant autour d'un concours de teeshirt mouillés ou d'escalade de cocotiers, et toubabs rotis, ou rosés.
L'ensemble de l'hotel était ceinturé d'un immense mur derrière lequel s'était constitué un petit bidonville de marchands de souvenirs digne des derniers faubourgs de Dakar
En repartant, on a vu un minibus de clients de retour "d'excursion", avec masques, tissus et djembés - Souvenirs d'Afrique ?
Ce sera peut être le leur ?
Quel sera l'impression des gamins agglutinés devant les grilles de l'hotel ?
Quel sera l'impression des serveurs noirs en "costumes traditionnels africains", servant à tour de bras cocktails et glaces ?
Pour moi, qui ai connu l'Afrique très jeune, et dans la brousse, cela reste une vision d'horreur, gravée en moi.
Sur V.F. ce genre de vacances ne semble pas être le lot commun des internautes, et c'est bien la raison de mon inscription.
Avez vous aussi connu ce genre de voyage intersidéral ?
Comprennez vous les martiens ?
Leurs motivations sont elles pacifistes ?
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
My two bullfighting traditions when I'm back home in Camargue (France) and in Colombia (Caribbean) every time I return. 🤠
Details:
Bullfights (corridas) aren’t part of my two bullfighting traditions, but I respect those who attend them!!!
In these two ancestral bullfighting traditions—which aren’t bullfights—the Bulls and Toros aren’t killed or tortured, as some might think.
These are bull games where the animals return to their pastures afterward and only come back to the Arenas 2–3 times a year at most.
They spend 15 minutes in the ring for the Camarguais and 5 minutes for the Toros in the Colombian Corralejas.
They’re cared for and pampered. They’ll die of old age in miles of open fields.
The young people who face them are professionals, risking their lives to support their families and live their Passion for the Toro!!! 😄
https://youtu.be/yYKQer42HoQ
Colombian Corraleja in the link below (hope it works) 🤪
https://fb.watch/BMfmuCgQpG/
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