Travel companions for South India, Sri Lanka, or Mexico – fall 2026
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Translated into English.

Original post
PO
Hello, Don’t stay in the cold and damp! I’m looking for one or more people (men or women, travel companions) to spend a few weeks in South India, Sri Lanka, or Mexico from late October 2026 to early December.

I’m Jean Pierre, 74 years old, and I manage just fine when traveling. Phone: 0389812641 Cheers, Jean Pierre
PO Posepose Regular ·
Hello,

It’s really disappointing not to find anyone interested in this easy and exciting trip.

Stay cozy (life is beautiful outside too).

Best regards
PA Partirester Regular ·
hi there I’d love to travel with you if you cover my airfare… But for real heat, the best destination is Mauritania🙂
PO Posepose Regular ·
Hi there, I found round-trip tickets for 561 € with AirFrance/KLM to Bangalore. Plan on about 25 € per day per person, all included, once you're there. No issues with heat or sunshine (I’ve been there three times during this season). Best, JPBRIERE
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
Hi



I found round-trip tickets for 561 € with AirFrance/KLM to Bangalore



Are you sure this photo was taken in India?
PO Posepose Regular ·
in South Africa
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
I’ve rarely seen beaches this empty in India, or those "thatched cottages" 😏
PO Posepose Regular ·
Nice one! South Africa is always a great pleasure.
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
South Africa is always a great pleasure

I much prefer India and Sri Lanka—that’ll be for this winter. I’ve been there before, back in 1975. I’m sure things have changed since then. 😏
PO Posepose Regular ·
I just found a round-trip ticket to Bangalore for 530 € with Air France from January 25 to March 8. If my health is good, I’ll be going!
PA Partirester Regular ·
hi there and thanks for the info! is the photo you posted taken in INDIA?
PO Posepose Regular ·
no, in South Africa
PO Posepose Regular ·
and the profile photo (school transport for 6 kids + one adult, by motorbike in Bali)
JM Jmc1 Regular ·
Hello, I'm considering a cycling trip to Mexico from early January to early April. I plan to start in Cancun and finish in Mexico City. The beginning of the route will be quite flat, but from Chiapas onward, it'll be mountainous. I know this country a bit, and the terrain makes me hesitate a bit since the years are passing and I'll be turning 76 in October. I still feel capable of doing this trip, but a flatter region might be better suited to my age.

Originally, I wanted to travel in Southeast Asia, arriving in Phuket, Thailand, and returning from Ho Chi Minh City, but Thailand has gone back to 30 days of visa exemption, and you need a return or exit ticket within 90 days of arrival to get an e-visa. Additionally, land crossings between Thailand and Cambodia have been closed since June 2025. Returning from Bangkok within 90 days of arrival, with a week or two in Laos, might be a safer solution for getting the e-visa. Then there are the uncertainties with the wars in the Persian Gulf and Ukraine, which could disrupt or block air travel in the region if the situation worsens. These considerations led me to consider Mexico.

For now, I'm alone for this trip, and I haven't booked the flights yet. If you're tempted by a cycling adventure, I’d be happy to have a travel companion.

I’ve drafted some routes for Mexico and Southeast Asia. For Mexico, it would be interesting to be in San Cristóbal de Las Casas on February 4th, as there are usually indigenous festivals in Chamula from February 5th to 9th, 2027 (the five days before Ash Wednesday). I was thinking of arriving in Cancun on January 6th and leaving from Mexico City around April 3rd to 6th. The dates can vary depending on flight prices.

Here’s a map of the Mexico trip—it’s a draft to modify and adapt. I’ve done all the routes from Palenque in 2016 and 2020. I don’t know the Yucatán, which seems quite flat and monotonous, but it’s a good way to get your legs ready. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1Ooy_g3AVGGiWhPo6KD-VSYOmX2C5SYo&usp=sharing
PO Posepose Regular ·
Hello, I'm considering a cycling trip to Mexico from early January to early April. I plan to start in Cancun and finish in Mexico City. The beginning of the route will be fairly flat, but from Chiapas onward, it'll be mountainous. I know this country a bit, and the terrain makes me hesitate a bit since the years are passing and I'll be turning 76 in October. I still feel capable of doing this trip, but a flatter region might be better suited to my age. Originally, I wanted to travel in Southeast Asia, arriving in Phuket, Thailand, and returning from Ho Chi Minh City, but Thailand has gone back to 30 days of visa exemption, and you need a return or exit ticket within 90 days of arrival to get an e-visa. Plus, the land crossings between Thailand and Cambodia have been closed since June 2025. Returning from Bangkok within 90 days of arrival, with a week or two in Laos, might be a safer solution for getting the e-visa. Then there are the uncertainties with the wars in the Persian Gulf and Ukraine, which could disrupt or block air travel in the region if the situation worsens. These are the considerations that led me to think about Mexico. For now, I'm alone on this trip, and I haven't booked the flights yet. If you're tempted by a cycling adventure, I'd be happy to have a travel companion. I've made draft itineraries for Mexico and Southeast Asia. For Mexico, it would be interesting to be in San Cristóbal de Las Casas on February 4th, as there are usually indigenous festivals in Chamula from February 5th to 9th, 2027 (the 5 days before Ash Wednesday). I was thinking of arriving in Cancun on January 6th and leaving from Mexico City around April 3rd to 6th. The dates can vary depending on flight prices. Here’s a map of the Mexico trip—it's a draft to modify and adapt. I’ve done all the routes from Palenque in 2016 and 2020. I don’t know the Yucatán, which seems quite flat and monotonous, but it’s a good way to get your legs in shape. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1Ooy_g3AVGGiWhPo6KD-VSYOmX2C5SYo&usp=sharing

Hi Jean Marie, I encourage you to go to Mexico, but not alone—if you get sick, have something stolen, or have a cycling accident (it happens to more than just others), things get more complicated. I now use an electric bike (for flat areas). Have you heard of Warmshowers? It’s the global platform for connecting cyclists with free homestays. I’ve been to Mexico and Guatemala twice. https://www.partirou.com/vols/ is a good site for finding flight tickets. Best regards, Jean Pierre
JM Jmc1 Regular ·
Hi Jean-Pierre,

Thanks for your reply and the info. I’ve already traveled solo in Mexico and other countries considered less safe, like Colombia. I’ve never had any issues other than the usual traffic hazards you find everywhere. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.

Traveling with others *is* more reassuring—if your teammates are people you can count on in a pinch and who don’t increase risks with their behavior. Those conditions aren’t always met.

I only know Warmshowers from hosting cyclists once. It was one of my sons who was registered on the platform. It’s probably a good way to connect with locals, but it also means being available to chat after a day of cycling and arriving at your destination on time, no matter the conditions.

I prefer to keep constraints to a minimum, and I plan my routes (GPX track) so they end in a town with affordable lodging. The day’s ride already gives me plenty of contact with locals, and I like having some quiet time after cycling.

I’m still on a muscle-powered bike and hope that lasts as long as possible. When planning a trip, though, I do question my ability to handle mountainous countries more than I used to. Mexico is mountainous, and while the route I’ve planned seems within my physical limits, I’m still torn between that and easier routes in Southeast Asia. Without the hassles of border crossings and other risks from conflicts in the Middle East, Southeast Asia would be my top choice.

Best,

Jean Marie
PO Posepose Regular ·
Hello, I think planes avoid risk zones and danger is unlikely. I’ve been dreaming of traveling down the Mekong (alongside or on it) from Laos (Golden Triangle) all the way to the mouth in Vietnam. Do you think that’s possible? (I’ve already been to Laos and Vietnam.)

I already have my tickets to relax in Morocco in November/December, and if cancer doesn’t ruin everything, I’ll head to South India at the end of January (for 5 to 6 weeks). Best regards, JPBRIERE
JM Jmc1 Regular ·
Hi Jean-Pierre,

For the Mekong River boat trip, I know there are regular slow boats connecting Huay Xai (the northernmost Thailand-Laos border crossing) and Luang Prabang in 2 days with an overnight stay in Pak Beng. There are plenty of accommodations in Pak Beng. I haven’t done this boat route myself, but I spent a night in Pak Beng when I passed through by bike in 2017.

Here’s a review of a "comfort" cruise between Houay Xay and Luang Prabang. Although the page has been updated, this cruise must be from several years ago because the euro-to-kip conversion shows less than 10,000 kips for 1 €, whereas in recent years, the kip has depreciated significantly since 2021. In 2024, we had over 20,000 kips for 1 €, and the current rate is around 25,000 kips for 1 €.https://thailande-et-asie.com/slow-boat-mekong-2-jours-entre-houai-sai-luang-prabang

Another traveler’s account https://www.ici-laos-cambodge.fr/slow-boat-laos/

Different options for this cruise https://peuplesdumekong.com/blog/slow-boat-mekong

There are also regular speedboats that connect Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Chau Doc in Vietnam in 4 to 5 hours. These boats stop at the Cambodian and Vietnamese river border crossings for formalities.

Speedboats between Phnom Penh and Chau Doc https://www.baolau.com/fr/transportation/vietnam/ferries/hct-hang-chau-tourist/

Apart from these two relatively short routes compared to the length of the Mekong through these countries, I’m not aware of any other regular connections for the rest of the journey. It’s probably possible to arrange a private boat cruise, but the budget would likely be substantial.

There are impassable waterfalls on the Mekong south of Laos, and only one land border crossing between Laos and Cambodia.

Best regards,

Jean Marie
JM Jmc1 Regular ·
Details about descending the Mekong in parallel, by bike, on foot, or another means of transport. North of Luang Prabang in Laos, alternatives to the boat would be Route 13, but it runs far from the Mekong and it's a very mountainous section. See the 2011 map from D35 to D44 (from Houay Xay to Vientiane - north to south route). The link to download the GPX tracks is in the description. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1IaQEugHR9kf2zM-ldp1hdnF1EQuE-d6_&usp=sharing

There are also paths connecting Houay Xay to Pak Beng, but they quickly move away from the Mekong (at Pak Tha). The rest of the route is mountainous until Pak Beng (on the Mekong). There are several options between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, but none allow you to follow the Mekong entirely, and all include mountainous sections. The most mountainous and farthest from the Mekong is Route 13. The least mountainous option is Route 7, which passes near Kuang Si Waterfall and ends at Muang Nan. It's a bit hilly at the start and to climb to the falls, but fairly flat for the rest. After Muang Nan, it's Route 7 again, which is a bit hilly until Pak Lay, mountainous between Pak Lay and Xanamkhan (a few kilometers before reaching the Mekong banks). The rest to Vientiane follows the Mekong. It's not perfectly flat but quite easy. See the 2017 map from D46 to D64 (route from Vientiane to Houay Xay - south to north). The link to download the GPX tracks is in the description. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1r5X3tDaVa-lc4eZ5tY3Ga6odBmc&usp=sharing

South of Vientiane, Route 13 more or less follows the Mekong, and there are sometimes small roads that are closer to the river. This section can be a bit hilly but still fairly easy. Lao roads aren't always in good condition, and in this area, you can follow the Mekong on the other bank on the Thai side.
PO Posepose Regular ·
Hi Jean Marie, Great to see you're so organized and meticulous with your research—you must be a real travel enthusiast! I’m looking for one or more travel companions (men or women)! Do you think it’s possible, you on bike and me with another mode of transport? (hitchhiking, bus, boats, etc.)—any country works! Best, Jean Pierre

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