Cet été 2007, pendant quatre semaines, j’ai voyagé seule en Tunisie. Je suis allée dans les régions de Matmata, Tataouine, Monastir, Kerkennah, Gafsa. J’ai utilisé les transports en commun, et j’ai évité les zones touristiques, sauf à Kerkennah, ce qui était pratiquement impossible, et les touristes dans cette île sont surtout tunisiens. Je connaissais un peu les problèmes des droits de l’homme, j’avais lu les rapports d’Amnesty International et de la LTDH (ligue des droits de l’homme tunisienne, rattachée à la FIDH, ligue internationale des droits de l’homme). Je connaissais aussi un peu les problèmes des femmes en Afrique du Nord, pour avoir voyagé au Maroc et Algérie.
La peur
J’ai eu de nombreuses occasions de parler de politique et de liberté. J’ai constaté le besoin des Tunisiens de parler de ces sujets, et j’ai entendu beaucoup de critiques sur le régime en place ; mais toujours, la conclusion de la discussion était la même : « on ne peut rien faire, c’est comme ça ; si on parle, on aura des problèmes, la famille aussi ; ici, on essaie de vivre, déjà… »
Je m’étais déjà interrogée sur la façon dont on vit sous une dictature : comment vivre sans s’exprimer, sans informations, comment vivre sans se rebeller, comment vivre cette soumission, cette humiliation, quelles sont les implications dans la vie de tous les jours, dans la littérature, l’expression artistique…
Comment font ceux qui se révoltent, qui prennent des risques, qui sont torturés, emprisonnés ?…Comment font ceux qui se taisent ?
J’ai souvent rencontré le sourire, la gentillesse, la joie de vivre, bien plus souvent qu’en France, où les contacts sont plus difficiles.
Mais progressivement, j’ai senti l’étouffement, la peur autour de moi, les barreaux de la prison…
Les affiches de Ben Ali étaient partout, et déjà pour les élections de 2009 ! Une fête de village à laquelle j’ai assistée s’est terminée par les acclamations bien organisées des enfants : « vive Ben Ali ! »
J’ai senti, que moi aussi, j’étais touchée par la dictature, même en étant touriste et en ne risquant rien, seulement au pire des cas, d’être expulsée, et de ne pas pouvoir revenir en Tunisie.
J’ai été touchée, moi aussi, par les conditions de vie faites aux femmes, j’ai ressenti le manque de liberté et la domination masculine.
J’ai compris que je ne pouvais pas vivre quelques semaines en Tunisie, et me taire.
Demande d’aide dans le train
Dans le train Sousse- Sfax, j’ai rencontré un Algérien Kabyle qui travaille en Tunisie, qui m’a parlé des luttes dans son pays, qui m’a dit aussi qu’il sentait cette peur lui aussi, qu’on ne pouvait pas s’en sortir en ayant peur… Ce premier échange « libre » a été comme une bouffée d’oxygène ! Je me suis sentie moins seule.
En face de nous, un adolescent écoutait, intéressé. Il portait un tee-shirt avec la célèbre photo de Che Guevarra. Je lui ai demandé s’il allait faire la révolution, si il savait qui était le Che… Il m’a répondu :
« ici, on ne fait pas la révolution, on est tranquille… » Un jeune homme, H, est alors venu me dire que son frère avait été arrêté par la police il y a trois jours, qu’il ne savait pas dans quelle prison il se trouvait, qu’il ne savait pas quoi faire, que 12 hommes avaient été arrêtés à Gafsa…
H m’a dit aussi que son frère n’avait rien fait, qu’il priait, et allait à la mosquée, seulement… Cela m’a semblé étrange qu’il me dise cela, mais je savais que le régime utilise l��argument de terrorisme islamique pour emprisonner…
Je lui ai donné le n° de la Ligue tunisienne des droits de l’homme à Tunis (n° qui était dans mon guide de voyage), je lui ai proposé d’écrire et de diffuser son témoignage, même anonyme, puisqu’il avait peur, et qu’il me disait que toutes les familles concernées par les arrestations avaient peur.
Nous avons échangé nos coordonnées, et je lui ai promis de le rappeler, en lui laissant le temps de réfléchir.
Le téléphone de la Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme ne répond pas.
Le lendemain, j’ai appelé la LDTH, à Tunis, mais le téléphone était coupé (pourquoi ?). J’ai réussi à trouver le numéro de téléphone d’Amnesty International à Tunis. Je les ai appelé, leur ai demandé comment faire, et ils m’ont donné le numéro d’un militant à Gafsa, que j’ai aussitôt contacté. Celui-ci, T, militant aussi de la LDTH m’a proposé de venir à Gafsa.
J’ai ensuite appelé H, qui m’a dit être sans nouvelles de son frère, qu’il fallait attendre, et que seulement une famille était prête à témoigner. Je lui ai dit qu’à Gafsa, des militants pouvaient l’aider…J’ai senti la peur, toujours la peur.
J’ai alors quitté Kerkennah, pour Gafsa, pensant que c’était une chance de rencontrer des opposants, des militants, des hommes debout, même si la chaleur du sud me faisait un peu peur….
« Je n’ai pas peur, la peur est une sorte de maladie… »
Les premiers mots de T ont été : « Je n’ai jamais peur, je ne veux pas avoir peur, la peur est une sorte de maladie qui entraîne la soumission. », « Là où il n’y a pas de liberté, je serai là ! » T m’a fait rencontrer d’autres militants.
A Gafsa, j’ai appris que depuis un an, environ 100 personnes ont été arrêtées. J’ai rencontré des hommes et des femmes qui « sont » le courage. Ils sont parfois communistes, et/ou militants d’Amnesty International, et de la LDTH. Il y a des grèves de la faim, à Gafsa, pour un logement, un travail…
A a vécu dix ans en clandestinité et dix ans en prison. J’ai vu les cicatrices des brûlures de cigarettes sur sa poitrine. Il m’a dit que son plus terrible souvenir est quand on l’a arrêté et menotté avec sa fille de 5ans : pourquoi avec sa fille ? Il a fait des grèves de la faim pour obtenir des papiers. Il n’aura plus jamais de travail. Quand il était en prison, on lui a imposé le divorce, sans le prévenir.
K n’a pas de travail, suite à ses engagements politiques. Elle a fait une grève de la faim. Elle était enceinte, son bébé est mort.
On a proposé de l’argent à T, pour qu’il se taise, il continue de militer.
Des islamistes l’ont frappé, et lui ont ensuite demandé de l’aide pour des problèmes de détention, et il les a aidés !
Quand j’ai rencontré ces militants, j’ai senti leur force, leur détermination. Ils semblent se battre naturellement, comme une nécessité.
Pourtant, le prix à payer est lourd : pour que les militants ou opposants renoncent, le régime essaie de les corrompre, les prive de leur travail, de leur logement, les emprisonne, les harcèle, les torture.
Le jeune homme arrêté était islamiste
Dans un café de Gafsa, j’ai rencontré H, très fuyant, qui a fini par venir à un rendez-vous parce que j’ai insisté. Il savait enfin que son frère était détenu à Tunis. Je lui ai présenté T, qui lui a expliqué comment faire un dossier, pour que son frère soit défendu. H n’a pas donné suite. Sa famille est islamiste, ce que je pressentais.
Que se passe-t-il pour ces islamistes arrêtés ? Combien ont été emprisonnés et non répertoriés ? Pourquoi ne demandent-ils pas d’aide aux associations de droits de l’homme ?
Est- ce seulement la peur que d’autres problèmes s’abattent sur leur famille ?
Les militants des droits de l’homme sont-ils aussi leurs ennemis? Ou seront-ils leurs ennemis s’ils accèdent au pouvoir ?
Je me suis souvenue de L qui me disait à Toujane, que le régime en place était la moins pire des solutions, à cause de « ces gens fermés qui sont dangereux ». Peut-être, mais emprisonner un peuple sous prétexte de le protéger, à quoi cela mène-t-il ?
L’oppression des femmes
En plaisantant avec ces hommes militants, je leur ai dit que si les Tunisiens libéraient leurs femmes, ils seraient deux fois plus forts, qu’elles aussi se révolteraient…
Je leur ai demandé s’ils n’en n’avaient pas assez d’être toujours entre hommes aux terrasses des bistrots, (ou à l’intérieur)
Cela les a fait rire… (gentiment)
J’ai vu des femmes qui n’osaient pas sortir seules de la maison, même pour un petit tour du quartier !
Qu’on ne me réponde pas que les femmes sont plus libres qu’on ne le croit, qu’elles décident de tout à la maison…J’ai entendu ça ailleurs. …
J’ai vu les femmes se déplacer avec tant de difficultés dans la mer avec leurs vêtements trempés. D’ailleurs, n’est-ce pas quelque fois érotique, des vêtements collés à la peau ? A côté, les hommes sont en maillot de bain, libres de leurs mouvements…
Ont-ils essayé de mettre une djellaba et de nager ?J’ai essayé pour quelques minutes une tenue avec djellaba, foulard, et pointe en tissu devant la bouche, en Algérie. Que les hommes essaient, et ils me diront leur sentiment de liberté !
J’ai vu les femmes au hammam, entre elles, libérées, transformées, gaies, heureuses, sans leur voile et foulards.
Qu’on ne me réponde pas que c’est une affaire de culture, qui ne me regarde pas ! Cela me ferait penser aux vieilles querelles sur l’excision, décrite parfois lâchement comme une affaire de culture !
Il y a des droits universels, qui devraient concerner tous les humains, même si la déclaration des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen a été écrite par les occidentaux. C’est tout de même une base essentielle que la plupart des pays ont ratifiée. La Tunisie a ratifié plusieurs textes internationaux sur les droits de l’homme, et de la femme !
Une adolescente de 16 ans m’a dit : « Oui, mais vous, vous avez eu les Lumières, Voltaire, Montesquieu…. »
Les musulmans ont eu Avérroes, et bien d’autres…
Il me semble que les Tunisiens vivent dans trois cadres qui sont liés, qui s’interpénètrent :
La dictature, l’Islam, et les traditions, et que l’oppression en résulte.
Voyager seule en Tunisie
J’ai souvent été un objet de drague, en fait considérée comme un objet sexuel, ou un plan pour avoir des papiers et il me fallait démontrer que je n’étais pas là pour une aventure, mais pour découvrir un pays ! Les sollicitations étaient presque permanentes.
J’ai renoncé à m’asseoir seule aux terrasses de café où il n’yavait que des hommes, leur regard était trop pesant (j’avais pourtant une tenue tout à fait correcte !)
Quelle image ont beaucoup d’hommes tunisiens d’une femme européenne qui voyage seule ? Et pourquoi ? On entend qu’il y a du tourisme sexuel, que ce serait de notre responsabilité mais cela ne suffit pas à tout expliquer!
A un moment de fatigue, l’idée m’a même effleurée d’aller dans un hôtel d’une zone touristique, pour avoir la paix, ce que je n’ai tout de même pas fait.
A la fin du séjour, j’étais vraiment lasse de cela, et contente de retrouver l’anonymat en France ! Pourtant, ce qu’est la France aujourd’hui ne me plait pas… : liberté d’expression, peut-être, mais aussi injustices, inégalités, exclusions, expulsions….et peu de révolte !
Je n’ai pas eu de réponses à toutes mes questions : Comment vit-on sous une dictature, quelles en sont les implications ? Pourquoi certains hommes se révoltent, d’autres pas ? C’est aussi un sujet philosophique et universel…Je relis Camus, et d’autres…La révolte me tient à cœur, elle fait partie de moi !
La Tunisie est un pays magnifique, accueillant. J’y ai rencontré des hommes qui résistent héroïquement et
un peuple attachant, chaleureux. J’espère y retourner bientôt ! Je signerai donc de mes initiales.
CS
merci d'avoir choisi l aTunisie pour passer ton sejours, je croix que tu as bien amusé profiter de ton sejour et en qlq sorte aimé c pays et son paysage, t'as reussie a parler de plein de choses comme tu disais politique, culture autre et autre .....
Mais c je te signal que comment vivre? comment accepté notre gouvernement ? si nous sommes contre ou avec???? c notre probleme a nous et on ne vous permet en aucun cas de la critiqué ou de dire n'importe quoi sur notre vie politique, d'ailleur c grace a cette gouvernement que tu as reussie a passé en tunisie, profiter de sa beauté, de sa mer, ces osis et desert et c a cause de cette gouvernement que tu as pu circuler ds toute la Tunisie sans avoir peur ou avoir des soucis..... donc je ca ne te concerne en aucun cas de critiqué notre vie politique ou autre ......................
je te signal aussi en parlant de droit de la femme au nord afrique, a un certain temps on a 5 femmes ministres alors que chez toi et dans plein de pays qui croix la liberté de la femme il n'yavais mm pas une seule....
Merci et veillez svp de respecter notre vie personnel a nous
Autant le récit de pléiades m'a beaucoup intéressé, je l'ai trouvé admirable, autant ta réponse me met mal à l'aise.
S'il est parfaitement légitime de se satisfaire du régime tunisien en vertu de l'équation selon laquelle ses avantages sont supérieurs à ses inconvénients, ne pas reconnaître le droit d'aborder la question à quelqu'un du simple fait qu'il (elle) est étranger est déplacé. C'est qui plus est la négation même de ce à quoi sert ce forum, ainsi que de la volonté de certains de voyager intelligent. Je te ferai également remarquer que, si, des soucis elle en a eus, du simple fait qu'elle était une femme.
Tu dis qu'il faut respecter votre vie personnelle? Mais ici c'est de régime politique et de vie publique qu'il s'agit! Remarque déplacée donc, encore une fois.
Je trouve enfin pour ma part que pléiades fait preuve d'un respect à l'égard des tunisiens infiniment plus grand que les personnes qui viennent "consommer" la Tunisie en se faisant rôtir dans des ghettos hors du pays réel pour 149.99 euros la semaine vol compris, sans se poser la moindre question et sans s'intéresser le moins du monde au pays qui les accueille. Et ça, tu ne peux décemment pas le nier. Pourquoi donc l'agresser ainsi?
Il est toujours aisé de vouloir balayer devant la porte du voisin, alors que l'on n'est pas capable de balayer devant la sienne, et que l'on préfère l'anonymat chez nous, bien au chaud, porte fermée, alors que dans notre beau pays, des gens dorment dehors, d'autres se cachent de peur d'être expulsés, que des journaux sont interdits de publication de photos car elles concernent notre cher président...et cette liste n'est pas exhaustive.
Ce que tu dis de la Tunisie est sans doute vrai, mais tu as voulu montrer le côté sombre de cette démocratie, en essayant de ne pas voir ce qui se passe chez NOUS.
Je sais de quoi je parle pour avoir fait pusieurs années de bénévolat, et le slogan LIBERTE-EGALITE-FRATERNITE est loin d'être le porte-drapeau de notre beau pays.
Qui es-tu pour te permettre de critique un pays dans lequel tu as pu rentrer sans visa?
Es-tu restée assez longtemps pour porter des jugements?
Connais-tu l'histoire de la Tunisie?
Qui t'a permis de mettre en danger la vie de ces miitants en les rencontrant dans des lieux pulics (un café par exemple).
Qui te permet de t'élever en égérie des difficultés d'autrui, dans un pays qui n'est pas le tien, et qui t'acceuille.
Si la Tunisie n'est pas un modèle de démocratie, je te conseille d'aller dans un pays comme le Maroc où la polygamie est encore tolérée et les droits de l'homme encore plus bafouées qu'en Tunisie.
J'espère que tu as eu honte lorsque tu étais là-bas de l'agent de poche dont tu disposais et qui eprésente pour eux des fortunes.Parce que moi, cette honte, je l'ai éprouvée et cet argent, j'ai fait en sorte qu'ils profitentà ceux qu en avaient besoin.
Je ne suis pas une de ces touristes qui partent avec un séjour au rabais, j'ai vécu dans une famille tunisienne au quotidien pendant 5 semaines, j'ai partagé les joies et les peines, les bonheurs des gens du quartier dans lequel je vivais, et pour tout ce qu'ils m'ont offerts, je leur dis MERCI, mille fois MERCI.
Dernière chose, mon père est né à Tunis, fils d'immigré italien naturalisé francais en 57 avec toute sa famille.
Je suis née en France, de parents francais, et pourtant, lorsque je dos refaire mes papiers, je dois toujours justifier de la naturalisation de mes grands parents.
Merci pour ton post. Il a le mérite de faire refléchir.
C'est l'intérêt majeur d'un forum à mon avis.
Tu serais restée sur une plage à te faire bronzer sans te poser de questions pour revenir manger dans un grand hôtel, tu ne serais pas posée de questions, et tu n'aurais pas essuyé de critques comme celles qui suivent ton message.
Je partage entièrement votre commentaire suite aux propos de "Madame Pléiades" que je trouve à la limite de l'indécence et de toute façon de l'ingérence. "Madame" est enseignante et elle a pris pour habitude de donner des leçons aux autres. Ceci explique peut-être un peu cela !
Je partage entièrement votre commentaire suite aux propos de "Madame Pléiades" que je trouve à la limite de l'indécence et de toute façon de l'ingérence. "Madame" est enseignante et elle a pris pour habitude de donner des leçons aux autres. Ceci explique peut-être un peu cela !
Et bien moi je ne partage pas ce commentaire sur ce pays qui n'est qu'une pseudo démocratie.
Et à priori je ne suis pas le seul :
Je suis une femme qui pars seule depuis plus de 20 ans en Tunisie, j'y pars 4 x par an dans le sud, là où on vit de manière encore traditionnelle.
je n'ai jamais eu le moindre problème, je discute avec bon nombre de femmes et pas une ne s'est dite opprimée ou pas libérée.
je vais nager avec elles sur les plages publique (et met un paréo sur mon maillot pour me baigner en guise de respect de leurs coutumes, et pas une ne me dit que ça l'ennuie) de nombreuse autres tunsieinnes se baignent en bikini (j'en ai amené deux à une amie en juillet)
Il m'arive de boire un café à une terrasse et je ne me sens nullement agressée (alors que chez nous, je serais peut-être insultée dans certains quartier non maghrébens)
Vous avez "vu", "ressenti" des impressions, mais vous n'avez pas vécu dans une famille tunisienne, partager de longues heures de discussion.
C'était votre premier voyage en Tunisie mais vous avez tout vu, tout compris et surtout tout jugé i
Pourquoi restez-vous anonyme et ne vous battez-vous pas auprès de ces "opprimés" si c'est tellement grave ?
Parce que vous avez envie d'y retourner ?
Vous allez apporter à nouveau des devises à ce régime "fort" que vous critiquez avec tant de virulence ? Curieux !
Mais peut-être, êtes vous contente de profiter des bas salaires de tunisiens pour vous payer 4 semaines de vacances à bon prix qu'ils ne pourront jamais prendre.
Ils gagnent en moyenne 150 € par mois, somme que vous allez dépenser en une semaine, voire en quelques jours.
Et là, ce n'est pas le régime tunisien qui les exploite, ce sont...des entreprises de TO ou des chaînes hôtelières bien françaises, allemandes ou suisses ...!!
Excusez-moi, mais j'ai fait plus de 50 séjours en Tunisie et j'ai un avis bien plus nuancé que le vôtre.
J'y repars la semaine prochaine, y vais 4 x par an mais nous ne devons pas aller dans les même rues ou dans les mêmes villes apparamment.
J'y vois des femmes et des jeunes filles en quantité qui sortent seules dans leur quartier ou ailleurs, certaines voilées mais par choix, d'autres non.
Evidemment, quand ils fait chaud, elles restent chez elles et, surtout, contrairement à chez nous, elles s'occupent de leurs enfants et de leurs maisons.
C'est le même genre de vie que celle que ma grand-mère avait au début du 20me siècle .
Seuls les homme se retrouvaient au café le dimanche après la messe mais, surtout, il y avait bien moins de chômage.
Des amis tunisiens m'ont fait remarquer que les handicapés bénéficient de transports gratuits décidés par le Président. Qu'en est-il en France, à part le fait d'inviter une personne en fauteuil à un débat télévisé pendant la campagne électorale
Comme on vous l'a dit, pas de SDF en Tunisie (sauf dans les grandes villes) et en Frabnnce ?
En Irak aussi, des "étrangers" ont voulu "libérer l"es irakiens (qui n'avaient rien demandé) de leur dictateur (bien plus sanguinaire, celui-là)
Résultat, ils sont libérés de Saddam mais sont tombés de Charybde en Scylla et les factions se sont réveillées et c'est la guerre civils. Ce n'est donc pas si simple
Que nous venions au secours de peuples quand ils nous appellent, bien entendu, mais pour le moment, la majorité des tunisiens n'a pas pris cette décision
la Tunisie n'est pas la Birmanie.
Des amis tunisiens me disent qu'il ne sont pas rassurés de ce qui se passera le jour où le Président Ben Ali ne sera plus là et, pourtant, ils ne sont pas satisfait du régime mais "de deux maux.."
Pour le moment, les intégristes "fous de Dieu" tunisiens sont, pour la plupart en prison.
Lorsque je suis allée pour la première fois en Tunisie, j'avais moi aussi eu des "impressions" mais...je les ai vérifiées et recoupées depuis et, je le répète, ce n'est pas si simple.
Jamais je ne me serais permise de faire une diatribe aussi peu nuancée sur un forum de...voyage .
La femme tunisienne est diplomée, fait des études universitaires, peut divorcer et exercer une profession sans l'accord de son mari. Pas de polygamie, depuis 1957 en Tunisie.
Si les intégristes islamistes arrivaient au pouvoir après le Président actuel, quel serait leur sort ?
Alors oui, à nos yeux le regime ne nous conviendrait pas, mais...c'est au tunisiens de décider de leur sort et surement pas à des français (qui les ont colonisés) de donner pareille leçon !!!
Comme vous l'a dit un autre membre, le code de la femme en Tunisie n'a rien à voir avec celui des autres pays du Maghreb. i 30 % des chef d'entreprise en Tunisie sont des femmes ! regardez en France où vous en êtes !! Moins de 10 %
Alors, ce n'est pas tout de se limiter à parler à des gens qui vous disent ce que vous voulez entendre (et qui est vrai, soyons claire) mais il faut y mettre de la nuance.
Attendez d'avoir vécu bon nombre de séjours dans ce pays avant de juger de manière aussi manichéenne.
En Tunisie, pas de violence faite aux femmes comme en France, quasiment pas de viol, pas d'attaqque de bus et de femme brulée vives, pas de jeunes gens poignardés, comme en Belgique, pour le vol d'un MP3
La police est effectivement partout mais a a aussi des avantages non négligeables.
Alors, oui, c'est un régime "fort" et ça me dérange aussi parfois, mais jamais je ne me permettrais de donner des leçons à nos amis tunisiens comme vous venez de le faire.
Ceci dit, c'est votre avis et le forum est là pour que vous puissiez vous exprimer
mais je ne reconnais absolument pas ce pays que j'aime tant dans la description outrée que vous en avez faites.
Bonjour,
Très étonnée et choquée par le message de pléiade. Je partage les commentaires de Fradniad. J'ai vécu deux ans en Tunisie et j'y vais chaque année, j'y suis comme chez moi, et jamais je n'ai eu peur de quoi que se soit. Quand à leurs coutûmes, elles sont ce qu'elles sont...Je me souviens dans mon village en France dans les années cinquante, les femmes n'allaient pas dans les cafés...et se tenaient assises à l'églises séparées des hommes. Puis Brigite Bardot est arrivée avec ses bikinis...La Tunisie est un pays où il fait bon vivre, bien sûr il y a des gens pauvres, comme partout sur notre planète où les écarts de niveaux de vie sont de plus en plus grands. Aujourd'hui, environ 32% de la population mondiale vivent dans des bidonvilles et environ 24% de la population vit dans les limites de pauvreté.
Il s'est fait d'énormes progrès dans ce petit pays, qui il y a à peine une soixantaine d'année était encore sous le joug de la France ! des leçons de démocratie?
Savoir que: c'est seulement le 21 avril) 1945 que le droit de vote est accordé aux femmes en France. Oui ça ne fait pas si longtemps que cela. Le droit de vote est aussi alors accordé aux colonies françaises lors de la conférence de Brazzaville où sont réunis le Général de Gaulle et les gouverneurs des colonies. La France combattante à Alger accorde le droit de vote aux femmes, près d'un siècle après l'adoption du suffrage universel masculin. La France est l'un des derniers pays d'Europe a avoir accordé le droit de vote et d'éligibilité aux femmes, juste avant l'Italie, la Belgique, la Grèce et la Suisse. Les femmes useront de ce droit pour la 1ère fois aux élections municipales du 29 avril 1945.
Interessant: 1945 (le 17 août) un peu plus d'un an après les femmes, les militaires de carrière sont les derniers citoyens français à obtenir le droit de vote. Jusque là, les militaires étaient exclus du droit de vote sous prétexte qu’ils ne devaient pas prendre parti dans les luttes politiques (ils n'ont toutefois toujours pas le droit d'adhérer à un parti politique). L'Armée ne sera donc plus surnommée la "Grande Muette".
Il faut regarder de temps à autre du côté de l'histoire pour ne pas se prendre pour un autre. Vivre et laisser Vivre. Anne
pourquoi dénoncer ainsi ce pays?? pour quel but?? en France nous avons bien plus a faire...... comme deja noté sur un post précédent.. sommes-nous des redresseurs de tors?? les resto du coeur ne devaient pas durer... et nous en sommes deja a combien d années de combat?? voir des gens dormir sur des bouches de métro en plein paris à 2 pas des champs élysées, voir des gens travaillants légalement, et qui sont obligés de vivre dans leur voiture (quand ils en possedent une!!) se voir refuser les soins médicaux sous n'importe prétexte..... cela me fait froid dans le dos..... nous Français, dans notre propre pays nous ne sommes pas a l'abri d'etre un jour des Homeless.... je connais le systeme anglais pour y avoir vécu.. et nous en prenons le chemin le plus court à l'heure actuelle.... alors pourquoi dénoncer ce pays??
je ne reviendrai pas sur les droits de la femme commentés et détaillés par d'autres forumeurs.. je veux juste dire que les femmes en tunisie sont libres... et peut etre plus reconnues que chez nous...
vous parlez de peur et de crainte lors de vos déplacements ?? sur votre profil, vous etes située sur Metz.. allez-vous le soir boire un café à Borny (banlieue chaude messine) ou Woippy?? pour y avoir habitée 10ans, je n 'ai jamais eu cette inconscience....
avez vous ressenti cette frayeur en vous déplacant en tunisie?? moi jamais !!!
et pourtant j'y vais... et non pas dans le contexte "cocoonée dans les hotels des zones touristiques"..
avez vous ouvert un quotidien en tunisie ou était relaté un enlevement d'enfant?? un viol?? ben moi j'ai posé cette question la-bas... et on m'a répondu quoi?? ici en tunisie, un enfant est sacré !!
j aimerais pouvoir voir mes enfants jouer dans la rue, les voir s'éclater sans avoir une trouille qui me tord le ventre qui me dise, attention un cinglé traine dans le coin..... notre systeme pénal est tellement bien fait que nous les laissons en liberté... ou bien pire, nous les remettons en liberté sciamment pour vice de procédure.... elle est belle la france !!!....
vous avez donné des détails sur une personne qui avait été emprisonnée et qui avait subi "aprés vous" des tortures....... de part votre récit et les détails que vous avez donnés, je pense que les autorités n'auront aucun mal à le situer.... peut etre aurait il été judicieux de se préoccuper de savoir cette personne en sécurité avant de donner tous ces détails....
je n'adhere pas du tout à votre vision de la tunisie......
Faut-il être tunisien pour évoquer la Tunisie sans complaisance ? Non. Dire qu’elle est dirigée par une clique de mafieux, est-ce dire du mal de la Tunisie ? Non plus.
J’y vois plutôt chez les amis de la Tunisie l’expression d’un souhait sincère et bienveillant: que ce pays trouve à l’avenir des personnes intelligentes, compétentes et humanistes pour le diriger. Des tunisiens de valeur existent certainement. En attendant, ce pays est mené d’une main de fer et sans aucune légitimité par un ancien petit flic, un ex mouchard des renseignements généraux. Au moment de leur recrutement, ces préposés aux basses œuvres se caractérisent pour l'essentiel par leur médiocrité intellectuelle et leur totale absence de principes moraux. Ils sont généralement incultes, à moitié analphabètes et d’une bêtise écoeurante. Et c’est avec un échantillon de ce crû là que la Tunisie compte se développer ? Il y en a qui rêvent.
Alors, on peut être un ami de la Tunisie et affirmer tranquillement que les tunisiens vivent sous une dictature : absence de débat public, censure, culte de la personnalité, emprisonnement des opposants, pratique de la torture, justice aux ordres et chroniquement corrompue, détournements etc.
Le texte de Pleiades pèche par une certaine candeur, une touchante sincérité, je trouve. Avant d’aller en Tunisie, elle avait juste " un peu lu sur les Droits de l’Homme et sur Amnesty International". A 51 ans, elle découvre la réalité d’une dictature. Et bien, il n’est jamais trop tard pour apprendre ! Et c’est ça de gagné. Alors, bravo à elle.
Dernière remarque : il n’est pas question de la France sur ce topic. Cessez donc de jouer la diversion.
Il n'est pas question de diversion lorsque l'on parle de la France.
Il s'agit simplement de remettre les choses à leur place en faisant sienne la devise "CHARITE BIEN ORDONNEE COMMENCE PAR SOI-MËME".
La Tunisie est ce qu'elle est, et au vu des dialogues sur ce forum, certains d'entre nous ne sont pas dupes, Inch'Allah.
Mais partir découvrir un pays aprés avoir lu les rapports d'amnisty international, ca me rend malade.
Cette dame n'a vu de la Tunisie que ce qu'elle a bien voulu voir.
Le contact, le vrai, avec les gens qui vivent au quotidien, partager leur vie, leur joie, leur doute, l'a-t'elle fait ou s'est-elle contentée de vouloir livrer bataille.
Dis-toi bien que lorsque les portes sont fermés, les tunisiens parlent ouvertement de la situation dans leur pays.ILS NE SONT PAS DUPES.
Mais leur sort est bien plus enviables que leurs voisins algériens et le terrorisme aveugle n'est pas de mise.
Dis-toi bien que chacun y trouve son intérêt.
Oui, la Tunisie est une pseudo démocratie, et alors?
Quant à toi, je trouve lamentable de cracher sur un pays dans lequel vous ne vivez pas.
Sans doute une manifestation de ta "GRANDEUR D'AME" à l'égard des opprimés.
si je parle de la france dans mon post, c est qu avant d avancer des inepties, je connais le marasme ambiant dans lequel nous vivons en France !!! et si je me permets de comparer, c est qu avant de partir telle Jeanne d Arc sur son beau cheval, engager la croisade contre le systeme, la politique et le pays qui est la tunisie, nous aurions de quoi dresser les barricades en France !!!
OUI la tunisie est jolie mais je pense qu avant de la critiquer, peut etre serait il judicieux de la connaitre a long terme et a maintes reprises lors de voyages continus et réguliers !!!
je connais la tunisie, oh pas a fond, je n ai aucunement cette prétention... je suis en couple avec un tunisien et je sais de quoi je parle !! c est clair que cette dame a voulu narrer son voyage en tunisie...... soit... mais je trouve étrange que des gens croisés dans un train, des rencontres forfuites dans des cafés etc on pu lui donner autant de détails glauques, oui le tunisien parle lorsque la porte est fermée mais cela m étonnerait qu'il le fasse avec le premier quidam qui passe ???
son analyse des femmes en tunisie, n'est pas du tout justifiée ni réaliste !!
elle a vu des femmes voilées et djélaba se baigner.. et alors??? ces femmes le font pour elles-memes et non pas par obligation !! je n ai jamais vu de femmes voilées cantonnées par un mari, un frere ou autre membre de la famille.. si elles le font, ce sont leurs seules convictions religieuses qui font qu'elles se baignent habillées...
et je préfere voir des femmes voilées "dans leur pays" prendre un bain dans la bonne humeur, plutot que voir ces hordes de touristes mal éduqués qui salissent les plages et on des tenues indécentes dans un pays Musulman !!! et c est la que le RESPECT commence avant tout !!!
un jour, j ai demandé a une amie tunisienne pourquoi elle portait le voile, elle m'a dit : je désire juste que seul le regard de mon mari se porte sur ma chevelure et c est tout !!!
ok elle a soit disant rencontré des gens brimés... mais pourquoi nous donner autant de détails noirs et de telles indications que sur Gafsa, il doit etre possible de se douter de qui elle parlait... et c est cela qui me dérange..... avant d avancer, de raconter, il faut comprendre le systeme... et etre a meme d'aider, de résoudre le probleme avant de coucher des mots sur un forum voyage !!!
et lorsque nous sommes dans un pays étranger autre que le notre, le plus simple est de SIMPLEMENT RESPECTER... mais je pense que pour certains, cela est trop difficile !!!
si nous vivions dans un "fabuleux pays ou tout le monde il est gentil et tout le monde il est heureux" peut etre pourrions nous essayer de donner des leçons aux autres mais nous en sommes bien loin hélas !!!!
He bien Madame l'enseignante, j'espère que vous vous occupez aussi bien de vos élèves en difficultés et de notre jeunesse en manque d'avenir que vous ne le faites à des centaines de kilomètres de devant votre porte!!!!
Comme disait un autre forumiste : CHARITE BIEN ORDONNEE.......
Pas besoin de lire une charte des droits de l'homme pour savoir que la misère et l'injustice est partout, même chez nous.
Est-ce la première fois que vous sortiez de la France pour vos vacances ? Car si vous voulez répandre la bonne parole dans le monde c'est bien que plus 4 semaines de temps en temps qu'il vous faudra. Et êtes-vous bien sûre d'avoir fait de bonnes choses ? Vous n'y êtes plus pour voir la conséquences de vos actes et surtout de les assumer.
Et voyager seule en Tunisie n'est pas dangereux, je n'ai jamais été abordée de façon malhonnête comme vous l'avez été et la Tunisie est un pays civilisé contrairement à ce que vous voulez laisser penser.
Il me semble que malgré vos péripéties vous êtes restée très près de vous-même et bien loin de la réalité de ce pays.
Lorsque j'en aurais assez d'aller voir au loin j'irai voir d'où je viens.
Woaw quel enthousiasme ! Merci à vous ! J'ai beaucoup de peine à accepter que certaines personnes, du haut de leur piédestal, se permettent de considérer comme inférieur un pays d'Afrique ou d'ailleurs sous prétexte qu'ils n'ont pas les mêmes habitudes que nous. Et d'autant plus quand il s'agit d'enseignant qui sont censés, je dis bien, censés, apprendre en toute impartialité aux autres et non pas dire n'importe quoi !!🤪 Bon d'accord c'est sous
le couvert de l'anonymat mais quand même.
D'autant plus que j'aime particulièrement les pays d'Afrique du Nord où j'aime me rendre le plus souvent possible, depuis longtemps et dans lesquels je n'ai jamais eu le moindre problème du genre de Madame. Il ne faut pas regarder les gens de haut, ni avec pitié, c'est ainsi que l'on attire leur foudre. Dans n'importe quelle région du monde....A méditer
Lorsque j'en aurais assez d'aller voir au loin j'irai voir d'où je viens.
Profitons de ces dernières paroles d'Ahmes pour clore la polémique.
Je suis écoeurée de constater que notre " chère Pleiades" n'a pas saisi au bond le droit de réponse que lui procure ce forum.
Notre enseignante(?), aprés avoir lancer la polémique, s'en est détournée et doit bien rigoler derrière son écran.
Je la laisse donc à son comportement courageux (Hourra, elle est redevenue anonyme et a bien refermé sa porte aprés avoir bien mis la merde).
je le répète haut et fort, j'aime la Tunisie et son peuple généreux.
bonjour bonjour. j'ai lu votre post et je dois dire que je relativement décue de lire tout ceci.
Depuis combien de temps aller vous en Tunisie ?
De quel droit vous pouvez vous permettre de critiquer un pays comme vous le fait ?
Faut déja balayer devant sa porte avant de causer.
Je vais trés souvent en Tunisie car mon ami est Tunisien et je peux vous dire il ne suffirt pas de prendre des comptes rendus sortit de bouquins ou autre pour raconter tout et n'importe quoi.
Quand vous parler que vous n'oseriez pas aller boire un café en terrasse, car vous senter un regard pesant voir étouffant des gens, c'est du n'importe quoi.
J'ai été plusieurs fois dans une terrasse de café seule, et je n'ai jamais ressentit quoi que soit.
Les tunisiennes et les tunisiennes sont des gens trés respecteux(ses) .
Je crois tout simplement qu'il ne faut pas raconter n'importe quoi.
Enfin bref !!!! pour un prochain voyage en Tunisie laisser vos bouquins a la maison et decouvrer un pays un pays vraiment bien avec un peuple accueuillant & respectueux.Cordialement.
bonjour. je vous envie et je vous souhaite une trés bonne installation en Tunisie.
Vous avez vraiment de la chance car la Tunisie est un pays vraiment superbe avec un peuple extrémement magnifique.
Bonne installation et bonne continuation. 😛waliby!!!!!!!
Mon départ ne se fera que dans quelques mois.Mais depuis que j'ai pris ma décision, je respire à nouveau.
La vraie richesse n'est pas d'aspirer à être plus riche, ou mieux loti que les autres, mais la vraie richesse est celle du coeur, et je l'aie trouvée aupres de ces gens qui m'ont acceuillie, sourie, aidée lors de mes séjours.Ces gens qui n'avaient quasiment rien au travers de nos regards d'europeens corrompus par le fric et la course au mieux-être.
Mes plus belles nuits, je les ai passées sur une terrasse, sur un matelas à regarder les étoiles et à discuter jusqu'à l'aube, avec ces gens dont je n'imaginais pas l'ouverture d'esprit.
J'ai partagé leur pain, ils m'ont soignée lorsque la chaleur m'accablait à en être malade.J'ai dû me battre pour ne pas toujours avoir dans mon assiette le meilleur morceau, comme il est de tradition chez eux.
J'ai ri et j'ai pleuré avec eux.
Ils m'ont redonnée VIE.
Je les aime et je leur dis merci.
Aujourd'hui, je me fiche de vivre avec peu, tant que je vis comme eux, auprés d'eux, moi, qu'ils on accepté comme une de leur fille, leur soeur, leur amie, leur cousine, leur nièce.
Je les respecte infiniment pour ce qu'ils m'offrent, un peu d'eux même, sans me juger, ni m'envier.
Vous avez, vous aussi, fait le choix de les rejoindre.
Bonjour!
Je suis étonnée de toutes les réponses à mon texte, et trés intéressée!
J'ai écrit ce texte à la demande d'un site d'opposants tunisiens, simples internautes qui essaient de faire passer de l'information librement!
Ce site s'appelle "réveil tunisien", allez le voir!... Mon texte y figure.Vous pouvez y répondre sur ce site aussi...
Allez sur le site d'Amnesty, de la fédération internationale des droits de l'homme...
Cherchez de véritables infos...
J'ai envoyé mon texte à mes amis tunisiens pour leur demander leur avis, avant de le publier: ils étaient d'accord, et le diffusent eux -mêmes.
Je rappelle que dans ce texte, je parle de la France aussi, des inégalités, des injustices..
Je ne me pose pas en donneuse de leçons, je suis simplement attachée à des principes universels, c'est à dire aux droits de l'homme et de la femme.
J'étais déjà allée en Tunisie, je suis aussi allée à Cuba, et au Burkina, et dans les autres pays du Maghreb...
J'ai bien conscience que ce texte réveille beaucoup d'émotions, (suite à un accueil chaleureux, une filiation...) de haine aussi, (des enseignants par exemple).Ce n'est pas mon problème, c'est le votre.
Je travaille en banlieue, et j'aime mon travail; j'essaie d'agir contre l'exclusion, et les inégalités, avec mes moyens, j'aurais aussi beaucoup de choses à dénoncer, et vais le faire un jour!
Je ne juge personne, j'essaie de comprendre.
Critiquer un régime politique, ce n'est pas critiquer un peuple.
Sankara (ancien président du Burkina avait déjà dit que les femmes en Afrique étaient doublement oppressées: par les traditions des hommes, et par les régimes politiques.
Si mon texte dérange autant, c'est que le problème est important, et difficile...et que ce n'est pas si simple de voyager... et d'être clair avec soi-même, et ses émotions, ses ressentis (culpabilité, honte...) qui viennent de son histoire personnelle.
Je te félicite moi aussi pour ta réponse, et te renouvelle mes encouragements.
Je trouve incroyable la proportion de commentaires négatifs que tu as reçus. A croire que le cabinet du président Ben Ali a mis en place un système de veille sur internet, avec une équipe prête à répondre promptement à toute attaque.
Bonsoir pléiades!
Merci pour votre témoignage et votre réponse!
De l'intelligence, beaucoup de douceur et de prudence dans vos mots. Je rajoute ma voix à celle de yangguizi au sujet du respect que vous vouez aux personnes dont vous parlez, que vous avez rencontrées, au pays que vous avez parcouru.
Surtout, je ne comprends pas ces réactions hostiles, épidermiques et agressives.
Qu'on ne soit pas d'accord avec vos propos, admettons ; un forum est un endroit où l'on échange des points de vue.
Mais... il y a la manière, et les arguments.
Des "c'est pire ailleurs" et des "c'est pas mieux chez nous" n'ont jamais apporté la moindre once de lumière à une réflexion, ni alimenté la moindre discussion constructive.
Comme l'a dit Khaldun, faut-il être Tunisien pour critiquer la Tunisie? A compléter à l'envi, bien sûr (faut-il être Belge pour raconter des blagues belges, une gueule cassée pour parler de la première guerre mondiale, etc.)
Et ces "charité bien ordonnée"... c'est ça... et puis chacun chez soi pour que "l'église reste au milieu du village" et que "les chèvres soient bien gardées"...
Je vous souhaite de nombreux autres beaux voyages, en gardant ce regard et cette lucidité qui permettent les rencontres, les vraies...
Dommage que vous n'ayez pas dit dès le début que vous "rouliez pour quelqu'un".
votre message aurait sans doute été différemment interprété.
Dommage que vous n'ayez pas réagi plus tôt mais que vous ayez laissé monter la mayonnaise.
Je n'est rien contre les enseignants mais contre les "donneurs de lecons", qui lorsqu'ils abordent un sujet aussi délicat, ne sont pas capabes de donner tous les paramètres du problème.
Je vous reconnais un mérite, celui d'avoir (enfin) entrouvert la porte afin de nous expliquer les tenants de votre acte.
Quant aux aboutissants....
Bonne chance, nos combats ne sont pas les mêmes à ce jour, mais il est vrai aussi que je n'ai pas votre âge.
Chère pleiades quand je vois que de simples mots passent pour de la haine envers les enseignants SIC !!!🤪 Je crains pour votre clairvoyance décidément. Cela s'appelle de l'extrêmisme. De la haine, ça va pas le chalet ????????
Et encore une fois, il est facile de semer la pagaille dans un pays et de rentrer chez soi bien à l'abri après.
Lorsque j'en aurais assez d'aller voir au loin j'irai voir d'où je viens.
Jolie mise au point. Ton retard nous a même permis de nous plonger dans des versions tunisiennes de haute volée d’Alice au Pays des Merveilles et d’essuyer quelques larmes…de rire.
A part ça, ton titre "Voyage en Tunisie : la peur et le courage" prête à confusion. Il laisserait penser que tu es la courageuse dans l’histoire. Tu es loin d'avoir accompli les travaux d'Hercule, soyons honnêtes. C’est peut-être ce qui agace finalement dans ton texte : ce côté "mise en scène", le manque de recul, l’absence de synthèse… Sur les Droits de la femme, tu pourrais nuancer tes propos en citant les progrès réalisés depuis l’indépendance du pays. Sur les opposants, tu pourrais travailler à affiner leur personnalité. Je suis certain que certaines de leurs idées sont loin d’être pétries d’humanisme. Bref, à l’enseignante, on a envie de dire "Travail méritant. Mais il faut persévérer. Peut mieux faire."…
Tu cites Sankara, ce qui n'est pas du meilleur goût lorsqu'on se dit préoccupé par les libertés fondamentales. Au moment de connaître le sort qui fut le sien, sache qu’il était en train de mettre son pays en coupe réglée sur le modèle castriste…
Pourquoi ne pas vous contacter en message privé avec Pleiades.
A priori, vous avez beaucoup à lui dire sur sa facon de dire les choses...
Est-ce une nouvelle facon de la remettre à sa place pour le peu de tact qu'elle a eu?
Ne soyez pas surpris Mossieur qui vous sentez bien supérieur à nous, pauvres âmes simples et incultes.
Mais je n'aime pas l'injustice sous toutes ses formes (Incroyable, non?).
Je ne vous envie pas, et vous devez être bien seul pour vous commettre sur un forum comme celui-ci.
En fait, je vous plains....
Ah oui, j'aime "Alice au pays des merveilles"et bien d'autres choses, désolée de vouloir préserver mon âme d'enfant.
Monsieur j'ai bien lu votre petit récit sur la Tunisie trés attentivement, et je pense sincerement que ce que tu as vu est caractéristique de seulement certaines régions et ce n'est pas généralisé sur le territoire. Pour voir comme tu dit les femmes libres il faut visiter les régions côtieres de tabarka à djerba, là tu verras une autre image de la Tunisie un pays libre dont les femmes veillent dans les boites de nuit jusqu'à l'aûbe, il faut visiter certains cartiers de la capitale: el manar, ennasr, et certaines rue du centre ville pour voir l'animation du soir et là si tu te considere bon juge tu pourrais juger, quoique tout le monde peut en dire des choses sur n'importe quel autre pays qu'on il y va en visiteur.
NB : je n'ai pas parler de hammamet et de souce les pôles de tourisme.
j'ai lu avec attention votre texte et votre réponse aux attaques "délirantes" qui ont été faites.
Je suis de tout coeur avec vous, oui il faut dénoncer toutes les attaques aux droits de l'homme et admirer le courage de ceux qui osent s'opposer à l'oppression des libertés quelles qu'elles soient !
Bon je sais que ce post est vieux mais j'y répond quand même. Avant de paranoyer contre Ben Ali, vous devriez vous occuper des problèmes plus proche de vous: Votre Sarkozy agent de la CIA qui ne travaille pas du tout pour les intérêts de la France et vous sort des discours délirants sur le "Nouvel Ordre Mondial". (ca ne vous rappelle pas le fameux "New World Order" de Bush père durant la première guerre du Golfe? Sarko prend un regard satanique et en rajoute: "personne, je dis bien personne ne pourra s'y opposer!" il avait l'air saoul si vous voulez mon avis. Puis il parle de censurer l'internet. S'cusez de vous dire ca la, mais la France est dans la merde jusqu'au cou avec un psychopate a sa tête.
Mais je ne dis pas que le Canada est meilleur. Ici on a un gouvernement de droite pro-guerre a la tête du pays et des scandales de corruption sortent souvent. Le Canada c'est juste une filière du complexe militaro-industriel américain. Mais ca tout le monde le sait. Alors je ne ferai pas la morale a un pays peu influent dans le monde comme la Tunisie et implique dans aucunes guerres sales.
La démocratie n'existe pas. C'est une illusion partout en occident. On se fait f... Vous croyez vraiment que les votes du peuple changent quelque choses? Les pions sont places d'avance et le gouvernement US en particulier est un monstre a deux têtes. Quand il y a un parti qui prend le pouvoir l'autre tête dors, mais c'est le même monstre. "ILS" ont mis Sarkozy au pouvoir en France et ILS l'ont places a la tête de l'union européenne afin de mieux controler l'Europe. Et vous appellez ca une démocratie?
Je ne sais pas très bien pourquoi vous remettez à l'ordre du jour ce message...
Ceci dit, au moins une précision au sujet de vos propos un peu surprenants et sans doute outranciers :
"ILS" ont mis Sarkozy au pouvoir en France et ILS l'ont places a la tête de l'union européenne afin de mieux controler l'Europe.
De quoi parlez-vous ? Le président français n'a pas été en tant que tel à la tête de l'UE, d'ailleurs l'UE n'a pas de tête, au sens où elle n'est pas dirigée par un pouvoir exécutif présidentiel ; il a été le président du pays qui exerçait pendant 6 mois la présidence tournante du Conseil de l'UE, où le président français ne siège pas de toutes façons (ce sont des ministres qui y siègent). Bientôt c'est au tour de la Suède de présider le Conseil de l'UE. Donc il est sans grand sens de dire que tel ou tel aurait été "mis" à cette place, qui n'existe même pas vraiment.
Ceci dit, je suis en effet très inquiet de la situation des libertés civiles en France ; j'ai grandi dans ce pays, et il n'est pas difficile de voir à quel point, dans une apparente indifférence générale, les libertés sont réduites et malmenées depuis une dizaine d'années. Je suis très décontenancé par cette situation.
j'ai lu avec attention votre texte et votre réponse aux attaques "délirantes" qui ont été faites.
Je suis de tout coeur avec vous, oui il faut dénoncer toutes les attaques aux droits de l'homme et admirer le courage de ceux qui osent s'opposer à l'oppression des libertés quelles qu'elles soient !
je pense que la n'est pas la question! Tout le monde pense qu il est imperatif de denoncer les gouvernement qui brime les droit fondamentales de l'homme...mais voila, si l'ont voyage avec cette intenetion, aussi bien rester chez soi.
La regle numero un du voyageur est il me semble LE RESPECT DE L'HOTE!!!! Si tu n aime pas comment fonctionne ce pays, n y vas pas, en tout cas, n y avas pas pour donner ta doctrine!!!!!! Tu souhaite une meilleur qualité de vie pour c est gens de tel ou tel pays?????? APPREND la, apprend l historique dans le temps et ensuite, ensuite seulement fait ce que tu peux pour aider a l'avancement.
Je vie au Canada, au Quebec, ici c'est un pays libre, democratique, mais si tu viens en vacance , que tu va dans les ruelle de montreal, que tu vas dans les regions, tu y verras la miseres!!!!!!!!!!! Si tu parle avec les gens d ici, la plupart te parleront contre leur gouvernement, ce gouvernement que l'ont a elu democratiquement!!!!!! Alors voila, tout ca pour te dire, que peut etre la Tunisie n'est pas comme tu le souhaiterais, mais peut etre que tu ne vois pas qu elle a changer, qu elle a beaucoup evoluer comparativement au autres pays de l'Afrique du nord.
...elle n est pas parfaite.....oh non...mais peux tu me nommer un seul pays sur cette planete qui est gouverner de facon parfaite????????? tout le monde y viverais!!!!
La Tunisie est en changement depuis plusieurs années, laissons lui le temps de fleurir....politiquement parlant....
Mais sinon, je dit et redit bien fort, si tu vas dans un pays, la premiere regle est le respect.
Et vous, que me diriez vous si je debarquais chez vous et que je m'opposais a votre culture, a votre politique, a vos cutume et a votre religion???? Que me repondrait t'on si je vous disais que vous devez vous revolter et que votre systeme est erroné????
J ai ete en Tunisis, et non ce n est pas un pays parfait, et non la politique n est pas parfaite, j en est fait les frais tres durement...mais franchement, ce petit pays pourrait tout de meme donner des lecons a plusieurs dans leur evolutions!
RESPECT
a ne JAMAIS oublier
Chatrel
en ce moment je suis ce que je suis! plus tard on verra!
et bien je suis désolée, mais je ne respecte pas l'hote quand il s'agit d'un gouvernement tortionnaire ou liberticide, si je vais en Birmanie, je ne respecterai pas la junte au pouvoir, si je vais au ZImbabwe je ne respecterai pas le dictateur en place.... Je respecte les peuples et pas forcément ceux qui les gouverne...Je suis allée en Syrie en étant bien consciente que c'était une dictature et sans respecter le gouvernement de ce pays.
La grande différence : Tu peux critiquer mon pays la France sans risquer l'emprisonnement ou la peine de mort....
Bonjour à tous ceux qui réagissent encore à mon carnet de voyage!
La Tunisie est vraiment sous surveillance... Et Ben Ali a beaucoup d'alliés dans le monde, prêts à le défendre ...
Encore une fois, ce n'est pas parce qu'on critique un régime politique qu'on ne respecte pas le peuple.
En France, les libertés sont effectivement en danger, et il y a maintenant "le délit de solidarité": aider des "sans papiers" (sans être passeur), est passible d'amende et d'emprisonnement. Les centres de rétention pour étrangers sont nombreux, souvent pleins, et les conditions d'expulsion inhumaines: familles déchirées, personnes en danger renvoyées dans leur pays...(pour plus d'infos, voir le site de RESF ou CIMADE, ou LDH, ou GISTI)
Et il y a les banlieues, la misère aussi, la santé à 2 vitesses, des inégalités croissantes, beaucoup de choses à dénoncer.
Sous une dictature, on sait qui est l'ennemi mais dans une démocratie occidentale, c'est plus difficile, puisqu'on peut encore s'exprimer...
Soyons solidaires face à l'absence de justice et de liberté!
Bonjour,
Mom mari et moi voulions nous installer au costa-rica pour notre retraite, alors je me suis inscrit sur ce site pour discuter et échanger avec les gens qui en avaient fait l'expérience et pouvaient nous conseiller et tous les échanges se sont avérés super sympathique, gentil, aimable et le but était d'aider les autres, jamais je n'ai entendu des propos tel que je lis sur ce présent forum (car nous avons décider d'aller voir la tunisie avant de prendre notre décission) mais avec je que j'ai lu plus haut , je crois que notre choix ne sera pas difficile a faire, les propos sont teintés d'attaques et de défenses, accusé les autres semble être le mot d'ordre, au lieu de simplement dire son opinion, point a la ligne et la respecter!
continuer de vous chamailler, moi je n'entre pas dans cette énergie négative.
salutation!
Car je crois que ce n'est pas l'endroit pour parler de politique ou de religion.....ce forum s'appelle bien (voyageforum) alors c'est ce que je m'attends d'y trouver...de l'info, des expériences, d'endroit a visiter, de coins de pays, ce qu'il y a de beau et d'intéressant a voir, mais s.v.p. y t-il moyen d'éviter des querelles politiques, il me semble qu'on en entends assez parler au quotidien.
a bon entendeur salut!
"Car je crois que ce n'est pas l'endroit pour parler de politique ou de religion.....ce forum s'appelle bien (voyageforum) alors c'est ce que je m'attends d'y trouver...de l'info, des expériences, d'endroit a visiter, de coins de pays, ce qu'il y a de beau et d'intéressant a voir, mais s.v.p. y t-il moyen d'éviter des querelles politiques, il me semble qu'on en entends assez parler au quotidien.
a bon entendeur salut! "
Je trouve au contraire que ce genre de texte a toute sa place ici...
On peut appréhender une destination autrement qu'avec une attitude purement consumériste.
S'intéresser à ses aspects politiques, sociaux, culturels, économiques, géostratégiques....
Plutôt que de saliver, engloutir, et digérer.
D'ailleurs, il est fort probable qu'en ignorant de nombreux aspects d'une destination, la digestion soit quelque peu difficile...
Je respecte votre opinion, vous y avez droit....mais je continue à croire que l'endroit n'est pas approprié.....il y d'autres forums pour ça....
avant que ne tombe un autre cheveu dans la soupe.................je vous laisse.
ho'oponopono!
Je respecte votre opinion, vous y avez droit....mais je continue à croire que l'endroit n'est pas approprié.....il y d'autres forums pour ça.
Bonsoir,
Je vous recommande la lecture des Conditions d'utilisation de VF, plus particulièrement le paragraphe "Vos responsabilités, certifications, accords et consentements:".
Je viens de les relire et il n'est nullement fait part d'une quelconque interdiction de discussion politique, religieuse ou autre. Si les limites sont dépassées, la modération clôt la discussion et c'est tout.
Danielle
A man, a plan, a canal, Panama - palindrome, auteur inconnu
Mais vous n'avez rien clos du tout, vous avez juste décidé de vous retirer d'une discussion qui continue sans vous (quoique vous soyez encore présente 😛).
Quand la modération ferme une discussion, plus personne ne peut poster et un cadenas apparaît sur les posts.
Je reviens sur votre intervention initiale, je ne comprends vraiment pas pourquoi vous avez jugé bon de réagir comme vous l'avez fait alors qu'il suffisait de passer votre chemin et de ne point y revenir. Personne n'en aurait rien su.
Sur un forum comme sur n'importe quel médium, vous êtes libre de ne pas continuer à lire ce qui vous choque ou vous ennuie. Chacun a ses propres limites.
Finalement, c'est vous qui avez envoyé de l'énergie négative.
En tant que voyageur nous devons donc fermer les yeux sur ce qui se passe !!!! la politique et la religion font partie de la vie, y compris et surtout celle du voyageur. Ces discussions ne vous intéressent pas n'y participer pas, c'est l'avantage d'un forum, on vient on part ou on reste....Beaucoup de pays ne sont pas Bisounours land, savoir ce qu'il y a vraiment sous les cocotiers et les longues plages de sable fin c'est très important !
Mais au contraire, je crois qu'il faut cesser ces plaidoiries, car à mon avis c'est comme ça que les guerre ont commencé, politique et religion ont toujours été depuis la nuit des temps source de conflit qui n'en finissent plus.... comme cette discution....pour savoir qui a raison ...ah! ce cher égo....
et pour ce qui est de l'énergie négative , elle étais bien intallé lorsque j'ai lu ces posts.
Sur ce forum j’avais raconté mon premier séjour en Tunisie de la mi- février à début mars ( séjour que j’ai tellement apprécié que six semaines plus tard je…
Je suis arrivée cet après-midi en Tunisie pour un séjour de 14 jours pleins. J’ai pris un vol Tunisair direct depuis Nice, il est parti avec une trentaine de…
Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe).
In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko.
I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip.
Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest.
The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days.
As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.
Transportation:
An ICOCA card is essential.
I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.
Accommodations:
Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.
Meals:
For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés.
For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima.
Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima.
A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto.
Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi).
Tempura and gyoza.
Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal.
One omakase meal (9 different dishes).
In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef.
Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Brussels
Day 2: Arrival in Osaka
Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki
Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi
Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido
Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima
Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade
Day 8: To Miyajima
Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto
Day 10: Southern Kyoto
Day 11: Northern Kyoto
Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa
Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago)
Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima)
Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto
Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko)
Day 17: To Tokyo
Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura
Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong
Day 20: Arrival in Brussels
"So, my little wanderers, back at the decks? What’s this mystery destination you’ve got in store for us at the start of the year?"
Yes, the schoolyard bell’s ringing again! We’re hitting the road... or rather, the skies! At first glance, our destination might surprise more than a few. First off, simply because I was here exactly twenty years ago, and I don’t usually like retracing my own footsteps. Secondly, because the name of this place screams mass tourism—basically the opposite of what Flo and I look for.
Despite that, in this land of backsheesh, I’d promised myself I’d come back one day to experience it my way. And since Flo told me, during our wanderer chats, that this destination straddling Africa and the Middle East was in her top 2 travel dreams, the stars aligned for this roots-style trip to quickly make it onto our pharaonic festivities program! Unless you’re totally clueless in general knowledge, you’ve probably guessed by now—we’re off to Egypt! Of course, a few classics will be on our itinerary, but above all, we want to soak up a culture that can’t be appreciated in four-star resorts or on a Nile cruise boat. And let’s be clear, these next two weeks won’t be a walk in the park—neither for our two daughters who are joining us, nor for our bodies!
And that’s clear from the get-go: after our first flight, eight hours of trying (and failing) to sleep on Milan airport’s metal seats, our second flight, landing, passport stamps, our Uber ride, and our first Cairo kilometers, we finally drop our exhaustion at the little guesthouse we booked in Giza. Doesn’t all that energy deserve a little reward?
Oh, absolutely! And here it is: a full-on slap in the face for everyone! But just look at this view from our hotel terrace? For 20 € a night for four, even with this incredible view, I figured the room must be pretty shabby, right? Nope... Is the staff rude, then? Nope... Okay, so what’s the catch? You’re gonna tell me breakfast is included too? Well, yes! Honestly, this Egypt trip is off to a great start.
And the rest of the afternoon, spent rubbing shoulders with locals, only confirmed this vibe. After digesting our pyramid view, we dove into the hustle and bustle of our neighborhood with the goal of exchanging money, eating at street stalls, and testing the hospitality of the locals. Ten out of ten!
Eight little sun breads with baba ganoush and falafel? 80 pounds, or 1.5 €. A dozen Middle Eastern pastries? Same! 80 pounds! Two hawawshis, those little pita breads stuffed with meat and spices? 10 pounds each, or about twenty cents! Not to mention all those smiles and free "welcomes" left and right!!!
What a welcome! We end this first day with a sunset over the three sisters of Giza—where we’ll obviously be gawking tomorrow...
After as many weeks as I have fingers on my right hand, we're hitting the road again, fully recovered from our pharaonic adventure. Back in France to drop off our daughters (sorry, girls!), this time it's just the two of us, ready to be welcomed by a new destination. They say it offers one of the richest cultural heritages in the world for those willing to put in the effort. It's the land of the ancient Silk Road, where we'll follow a journey steeped in history and discoveries straight out of *One Thousand and One Nights*. A former Soviet bloc region independent only since 1991, we'll be walking in the footsteps of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo...
Another fun fact about this country: it's strictly forbidden to import porn on your phone. True story. The same goes for painkillers! Unless it's about sodomy—though the two don’t seem connected, that’s just how it is. Don’t ask me why! Anyway, I’m getting off track. Here’s the big question: Where do you think we’ve just landed?... To give you a hint, the locals are known for being incredibly welcoming. No sooner said than done—our first taxi driver, proud to transport French travelers, refused to let us pay for the ride. Great vibes for these two weeks ahead. So, any guesses?
Uzbekistan!!!
So, a new year has begun. It’s time to reconnect with the VF buddies and wish you all my best for 2026—a year I hope is obviously full of travel, since, as I just made up:
"If travel’s good, everything’s good" 😄.
To celebrate, I’m inviting you into my new "travel journal," the one from our latest trip in November 2025, a little two-week adventure.
This time, we headed to The Gambia, a tiny country tucked right in the middle of Senegal, before making our way to Casamance.
The Gambia is English-speaking, Senegal is French-speaking, but the locals? They couldn’t care less—because in this part of the world, they mostly speak Wolof, Fula, Jola, or Mandinka.
Hence the title: Senegambia 😉.
As usual, I’m sharing the live updates I sent to friends and family—super casual, of course.
I know this isn’t the kind of destination that draws crowds, but if you love adventure, laughter, and emotion, it might just be your thing 😊.
Alright, this year, we're heading back to South America!
The initial plan was to retrace the route we imagined in the summer of 2020: a trip to northern Argentina starting from Córdoba.
Unfortunately, the flight to Córdoba no longer exists, and airfares to Javier Milei’s country are both outrageously priced and involve multiple layovers.
So, I tweaked Google Flights every which way and finally found a flight within my budget—departing from Clermont-Ferrand!
Not to Argentina, though...
Our transatlantic flight will cross the snow-capped Andes, landing in Santiago, Chile, with a return from Lima!
In between, two domestic flights and a big road trip loop starting from the coastal city of Arica to explore the treasures of northern Chile.
Our mode of transport: a pseudo 4x4 that won’t take us through sand dunes or devilish tracks but will let us tackle the entire secondary network, including unpaved main roads, while still being insured.
Is the suitcase packed with all-season clothes?
Are the driver’s license and passport ready?
Bank cards and a few euros too?
Off we go for just over 3 weeks of southern wanderings!
--/--
To keep all my esteemed readers on track, here are a few maps outlining the Arica-Arica loop!
1- From Arica to San Pedro de Atacama via Pica and the Salar de Huasco
2- Around San Pedro
3- From San Pedro to Cariquima
4- From Cariquima to Putre
5 - From Putre to Arica
Gas stations in this part of Chile are located in Arica, Iquique, Pozo Almonte, Pica, Calama, and San Pedro de Atacama.
And we still haven’t seen everything!
Before setting off for new horizons at the end of this year, it’s time for me to share my trip to Cape Verde this summer 2025.
I particularly love these spontaneous trips, and our stay in Cape Verde is one of those because it was only at the beginning of April that we decided on this getaway, which had been catching our eye for a while, given our love for the mountains.
As always—well, when it’s open—I turned to VF, and I want to immediately thank Marie, aka ptitortue, who helped me a lot in planning this trip through her travel journals and our exchanges!
Because Cape Verde is both small and vast! We decided not to rush from one airport to another, to enjoy the places and the people, but also to relax, since the work backlog from being stuck in May (see my previous travel journal 😅) had to be caught up on in June.
So, 4 islands will be our winners from 06/28 to 07/19:
Santiago first for logistical reasons, as round-trip flights from the capital Praia were the cheapest (650 €/person from Lyon via Lisbon with TAP, still!)
São Vicente, because it’s the gateway to the next one but ultimately more than that...
Santo Antão, pretty much the main goal of the trip since Marie (and the photos) had really sold it to me.
And finally, Sal Island, for some rest—a non-negotiable condition for my other half—and we’ll see that I should’ve listened to Marie...
That said, what a chatterbox I am—buckle up, flight attendants at the doors, off we go on new beautiful escapes! (Thanks to Sophie for the easy loan)
Last note for my eager fan club 😏: yes, there will be alcohol—how could there not be in the land of grogue!
Hi everyone, we're back from a DIY USA road trip we organized from July 31, 2026, to August 26, 2026.
The destination: The Southwest USA, including Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. Roughly 7,000 kilometers covered.
The car: A Chevrolet Equinox for two, rented through BSP Auto and Avis. Inside, we had 2 suitcases, a travel bag, two carry-on bags, a Walmart cooler, photo gear, and water bottles (a 40-pack).
The route: Dallas DFW, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, El Paso, Tucson, Sedona, Albuquerque, Amarillo, and back to Dallas to finish with a departure from DFW.
The travelers: Two seniors well advanced in years (73 and 75) but still active (nothing too physically demanding—to stay alive and fund our trips), fully independent physically, though a bit less so mentally. Big USA fans, a country where anything is possible. More walkers than hikers, preferring 3-star hotels over roadside motels, Italian restaurants over US food, frequent stops for photos, museums over nothing, naps over forced marches. Not too whiny, just enough to stay French in the land of the "great Satan," as they say.
Not great with languages—street English (but handy), and my Spanish is non-existent except for: "Hola! Una cerveza por favor!" That’s about it. My wife understands everything but refuses to speak.
The cost of the road trip: Around 12,000 €, including AF flights, the car, gas, gifts, visits, and everything else. Well managed, since we’d budgeted 13,500 € initially.
The positive side: A delight, with those endless open roads. Museums to discover. The realization of the Hispanic presence and its important history in this part of America. Lovely locals. Tourists who were more or less friendly. A terrible Texan accent that was hard to understand. Gas stations that were like real stores, with prepared food, alcohol sold in Arizona and New Mexico, and employees who were always up for a laugh!
The negative side: The heat throughout the trip... 43°C in Dallas at the end. Impossible to walk the streets. Lots of homeless people in downtown Dallas. Hotel breakfasts that were always the same. You get used to it.
So, it was positive overall, but the concept is starting to wear us out. We might rethink the DIY road trip model for next time. If the man upstairs grants us more time.
Next up, we’ll wait for the first batch of sorted photos to go through the wringer.
I hope this travel journal might interest some people, but since we were completely self-sufficient (tent, sleeping bag, pot, cooking over a wood fire…) almost every day, I don’t have many hotel addresses or great restaurant tips to share! Sorry!
We used the Maio map at 1:50,000 scale. It’s part of the Boa Vista/Sal/Maio map. Bought on Amazon, but currently unavailable as of the latest news.
The people of Maio are extremely welcoming and warm, and we were always more than well received in the villages where we pitched our tent!
We’re usually big hikers, but since Maio is a beach island (gorgeous ones, at that!), we alternated a few hours of walking in the morning with some relaxation in the afternoon: beach, reading, fishing, resting…
1 euro = 110 escudos
Day 1 (Friday) Transfers by plane: Fogo-Praia-Maio
We opted for the plane to save some time on transfers, as the boat connections between Fogo and Praia take a while, and those between Praia and Maio are almost nonexistent.
You should budget around 40-50 euros per flight per person.
There are 2 flights per week between Praia and Maio—on Tuesdays and Fridays when we were there (January 2016), but currently on Mondays and Fridays.
A bit of a delay leaving Praia, but we arrived on Maio without any problems around 4 PM.
We took an *aluguer* (shared transport, 200 escudos per person) to the center of Vila do Maio, but it’s totally doable on foot with a backpack.
Since it was already a bit late, for this first night, we dropped our bags at Big Game Maio. A standard European-style hotel run by a very nice Italian family. It’s a bit pricey for us (5500 escudos for 2 people with breakfast), but after our 2 weeks in a tent on Fogo, we were happy to find a little comfort. And the breakfast is ultra-generous, with fresh products (cured ham, fruit, cheese, bread) and top quality. The hotel restaurant offers dishes that are a clever mix of Italian and Cape Verdean cuisine. Excellent!
Little tip: We didn’t try it, but Big Game Maio offers big-game fishing trips, diving, and quad rentals.
The hotel is 2 minutes from Vila’s beautiful beach, and we went for a dip at sunset and took a stroll around town. They’re redeveloping the waterfront with pretty sidewalks and light stone walls.
Vila beach
Sunset behind Santiago
Day 2 (Saturday): rest day + fishing
After 2 weeks of hiking and since Vila is such a peaceful place where it’s nice to take your time, we decided to spend an extra day there. We took the path heading south along the coast to reach Ponta Preta beach in 20 minutes. The path isn’t very pretty because there’s quite a bit of construction going on, which prevents you from really walking along the shore. Lots of real estate agencies, especially Italian ones, have taken over the land. But Ponta Preta beach is a stunning black-sand beach where we had the whole place to ourselves. We decided to go fishing from the rocks.
At 1 PM, the sun was blazing, so we headed back to Vila and dried the fish for the following days.
At 6 PM, we went fishing again, but this time at night from the rocks at the end of Vila beach.
8:30 PM: back to shower and eat at the restaurant.
The rocks and sea at Ponta Preta
Day 3 (Sunday): from Vila do Maio to Calheta de Baixo, via Monte Batalha (path 101) Hiking time: 5h
Since there aren’t many “summits” on Maio, we decided to head to Calheta de Baixo but via Monte Batalha. We left at 8:20 AM and somehow made it to Monte Batalha by 11 AM (2h40 of hiking). But the path is really hard to find in the middle of the dry grass and acacia trees. We kind of cut through randomly, aiming for the summit. Even though it’s not very high (around 300 m), the view is amazing—you can see all of Maio at 360°!
Short 30-minute break. The descent through the “forest” of acacias is even worse for finding your way. We oriented ourselves a bit by the sun to find the road connecting Vila to Calheta. We arrived around 1:30 PM at Calheta de Baixo. A very pretty little seaside village with colorful houses. An idyllic beach, a newly renovated square, and super-friendly people. We pitched our tent facing the sea on the terrace of an abandoned house (after asking the locals for permission).
We cooked some of the dried fish we’d caught the day before, along with fresh beans we’d brought from Fogo (and were still carrying!).
At the summit of Monte Batalha
Calheta
Calheta de Baixo
Day 4 (Monday): From Calheta de Baixo to Morrinho on foot. Hiking time: 3h. Then hitching a bus to Cascabulho, and a car to Pedro Vaz.
We left around 9:30 AM heading north (path 201), following the coastline where the beaches just keep coming—each one wilder and more beautiful than the last: Praia de Soca, Calheta Braca, Ponta de Pau Seco, Calhetina. We reached the dunes of Baia de Santana. There’s no real path, so you have to follow the coast, then go around the dunes, and when you spot the 3 coconut trees, head east toward them to find the track leading to Morrinho. Again, we discovered a village with a Wild West vibe, with colorful houses lined up on either side of a paved road. Just enough time to accept a drink offered by a local before jumping onto the passing school bus that took us to Cascabulho. There, we waited for a ride. A political delegation of 10 cars drove right past us without stopping. Luckily, one of the cars had a flat tire and came by 30 minutes later—and that one, thankfully, gave us a lift! They were heading to the inauguration of a water pump in Pedro Vaz. So that’s where we stopped too. After getting permission from the school principal, we pitched our tent in front of the village school… and became the attraction for all the kids who kept us company until nightfall! A woman gave us 2 jugs of water, but with all that company, it was tough to take a peaceful shower!!
Dinner: pasta with beans.
We were woken up by rain during the night and had to rush to bring all our stuff inside the tent!
The beaches just keep coming...
The dunes
The 3 coconut trees, a landmark to find the track
Day 5 (Tuesday): Rest day and fishing at Boca da Ribeira beach
We packed up at 8 AM because the kids had school. We filled the 2 water jugs that the woman lent us and headed down to camp at Boca da Ribeira beach, which is a bit further east of Pedro Vaz. It took less than an hour to get there. This time, we really were alone in the world! We pitched the tent and spent the day fishing, reading, playing, and swimming regularly because the sun was beating down hard!!! We caught a nice fish that we grilled over the fire in the evening. With the crabs and shellfish we gathered, we made a seafood rice! Yum! What a feast!
That night, once the tent was zipped up, we felt something like rain on the tent fabric. I decided to go out and gather our things, and then—shock!!! It wasn’t raindrops we were feeling and hearing, but bugs attracted by the light!! Not just a few bugs—a huge swarm of them!!! Thousands of bugs covering the whole tent, the ropes, slipping into the seams and hems! Everywhere! The blue tent had turned green!!! After that, it was a real struggle to get back inside without letting any in! A real challenge, and there were always 3 or 4 that managed to sneak in anyway. Total war!!!
Boca da Ribeira beach
Day 6 (Wednesday): From Boca da Ribeira to Ribeira Dom João. Hiking time: 3h30
We woke up leisurely and waited for the sun to dry our things, damp from the dew. A man passed by, and we gave him the water jugs we’d borrowed, which saved us a trip back to Pedro Vaz to return them to the woman.
We left around 10 AM. We followed the sea to Alcatraz, then headed toward Pilão Cão. The path runs alongside the small hills on our right, and we passed above Lagoa Cimidor. The terrain is arid, and the path is hard to find among the many goat tracks.
After 3h30 of hiking, we reached Ribeira Dom João with 2 young people we’d met along the way.
Since it was a public holiday in Cape Verde, the kids didn’t have school, and with the principal’s permission, we pitched our tent in the kindergarten. She even kindly opened the school toilets for us. The neighbor gave us the water we needed to wash up and cook. We cooked beef steaks on charcoal. A nice change from fish!! Charcoal is a widespread artisanal product on the island. People almost never cook directly over wood but always with these big chunks of charcoal.
The hills on our right
Ribeira Dom João
Day 7 (Thursday): From Ribeira Dom João to Vila do Maio. Hiking time: 3h30
We woke up at 6:30 AM to clear out of the school by 8 AM. The neighbor made us coffee to save time. It took us 2 hours to reach Barreiro, another Wild West-style town! Since we didn’t want to walk on the road, we took the old track and reached Vila do Maio in 1h30.
Last night before taking the plane back to Praia the next day.
Barreiro
The old track
The church in Vila do Maio
That’s where this trip ends!
Maio is truly a magical island! A remote, isolated place with incredible, wild beaches and villages with a Wild West feel—colorful houses on either side of well-paved, well-maintained, and decorated streets. And the locals are so warm and welcoming.
Even for hikers like us, it was a great discovery, and we were able to alternate hiking and relaxation with great pleasure! Too bad the area around Vila do Maio is being overrun by real estate construction—ongoing, unfinished, abandoned…
I’m sharing a little recap of this new 4-week trip to China—nothing fancy, just my experience.
We’re taking advantage of the extended visa exemption to return to China for the 4th time. I loved last summer’s trip so much that I’m a bit worried about being disappointed this year. Plus, I’ve had a few hiccups before this departure: my WeChat account got blocked, and I couldn’t recover it (luckily, Alipay still works fine); I couldn’t verify my 12306 account for weeks; Trip.com failed to book our second train; and I’ve got an injury that’ll slow me down during the trip... Ugh, I hate starting a trip with these kinds of issues. Then, oh surprise! Just before leaving, my 12306 account got verified! Super easy to use from that point on—I could book a few train tickets without fees.
We’re sticking with Free’s e-SIMs, which work great in China.
August 2–3
Anyway, on the morning of August 2nd, we took the RER to CDG. As usual, we couldn’t check in online. It’s always a bit frustrating, especially since we didn’t have any checked luggage. We flew with Air China. We arrived at the check-in counter at 9:50 AM, 2 hours and 40 minutes before the flight. The line for our check-in stretched 300 meters across the airport in both directions. What a joke!! We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes in that line just to reach the counter and get our boarding passes. By then, it was 11:35 AM, and boarding had already started at 11:20 AM. The screens showed a 25-minute walk to our gate—on the other side of the airport, of course—plus we had to go through passport control and security... Long story short, the plane didn’t leave without us 🙂 We boarded among the last passengers, and we took off at 12:30 PM. We’d flown Air China four times before, but this time, it felt *really* low-cost. The check-in chaos, the cramped seats (12 seats per row), no music by artists known outside China, mediocre food, and a boarding area at Beijing Airport with only 10 seats—worthy of Ryanair or EasyJet. And yet, the price was sky-high. Again, D.’s vacation requests were denied outside of July and August, so we’re traveling from August 2nd to 30th. We couldn’t have picked a worse time for inflated prices, and with the situation in Iran, we got hit with a 390 € fuel surcharge. I’ve never paid so much for flights—I felt like I’d bought business class, but nope, far from it!!
We landed in Beijing around 4:15 AM. It was 28°C with thick fog. We drove and drove and drove for 20 minutes, as usual in Beijing. Then we went through a first check, a second check, a third check, and waited for our connecting flight at 6:40 AM. A small Airbus A320, but way more space than in the Boeing 777 from the first flight. We landed in Kunming, Yunnan, around 10:15 AM in the rain.
We headed to the subway. You can’t pay at the machines with Alipay here either, so we set up the transport QR code directly in Alipay to scan at the subway gates. The process is a bit long the first time if you haven’t entered your info before, but once it’s done, it’s *so* much easier! We took Line 6 to the terminus for 6 yuan each.
We’d booked a hotel nearby, on the 16th floor. It’s actually studios on different floors of a huge residential building. The view’s pretty nice from here. We settled in quickly—back to those wooden beds, or rather, mattresses as hard as wood, which we *hadn’t* missed...
Then we went out for our first bowl of noodles of the trip and wandered through the shopping streets of the old town.
It was crowded, and the weather was cool—around 19–20°C. We tried a local specialty: milk skin, thick, dried, then grilled with rose jam. Yeah... we won’t be having that again. The taste and texture of the milk skin... no thanks.
We saw a lot of wild mushroom hotpot too. It’s on our list for later. We also passed through the Jinma and Biji gates, where I played with reflections in puddles. I *love* doing that 🙂
At the end of the day, we headed to a temple advertised as open 24/7 on Amap. Of course, when we got there, it was closed. We’ll go back tomorrow. That was the first of many disappointments with Amap this trip—I hadn’t had that issue on previous visits.
We were exhausted after that sleepless flight. Night was falling, and we decided to grab a quick bite without much appetite. We shared a delicious vegetable fried rice for 12 yuan—we even left half of it. The portions are *huge*.
After a couple of small purchases, we headed back at 9 PM, wiped out, after walking 17 km between the airports and these first steps in Kunming. I expected to see quite a few Western travelers here, but we didn’t spot a single one. Instead, we met lots of curious Chinese people, many of them super friendly and helpful—almost *too* eager, like when they’d run to serve us as fast as possible. It’s a bit much, but it’s great to be back!
It was winter, a winter with beautiful weather,
A season that only exists in the southwest of America,
I remember very well what I told you that morning
A month ago... A century ago, an eternity ago...
We’ll go... wherever you want, whenever you want...
Well, yeah, back from our adventure in our enchanting American West just a month ago, we’re already taking a bite out of one of its lesser-known competitors. "Flo, if you had to pick just one reason to justify your love for the U.S., what would it be?" The greasy, dripping burgers? No, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying it’d be the wide-open spaces... And that’s exactly what our new quest is taking us to—a land on the other side of the globe where the horizon also seems endless, where silence tastes like salty wind and sand, where freedom is measured in kilometers of desert tracks, where the GPS is mostly there to confirm you’re lost in the middle of nowhere... Add to that magic formula the fact that you’ll see more zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and elephants than people per square kilometer, and you can imagine us setting foot in Southern Africa for the first time, more precisely at the small airport in Windhoek, capital of... of...? Brush up on your geography, damn it! We’re landing in Namibia!!!
To be honest, Namibian landscapes have been flirting with me for ages. So how did I resist this island of temptation for so long? First, the budget. Let’s just say that for the same amount of effort (and kidneys), the bank lets you choose two other adventures almost anywhere else on the planet. Then there were my girls. Yeah, back then, they were too little to dose up on Malarone, the only malaria remedy at the time... Long story short, ten years later, all the planets have aligned. First, I won the Euromillions! Well, almost... Let’s just say my girls are now old enough... not to take Malarone, but to stop following me on all my adventures! Jackpot! "Flo, how about a little two-person caprice, just the two of us, tackling the Namibian tracks?"
As we landed on the runway, first wow effect: The horizon is immense. It’s flat as can be, incredibly flat... So much flat space! Did I mention it was flat?... Looking into the distance, it feels like your gaze could circle the Earth without hitting a single obstacle—until you end up staring at your own backside. "Oh, what a nice view!" Well, it’s the first time I’ve seen my butt from this angle! Touching moment... Sorry, I’m rambling—must be the exhaustion from the three-flight marathon we just powered through via Ethiopia and South Africa... And yet, no time to philosophize about my anatomy. As usual, we want to rack up our first kilometers to be front and center at dawn tomorrow. After wrapping up the tedious Namibian immigration formalities and meeting the 4x4 that’ll be our companion day and night for the next fifteen days, we’re off! We’re not exactly fresh, but we’re ready to tackle the next five hundred kilometers in night mode, cruise control set due south! Just outside Windhoek, the local wildlife—a jackal—welcomes us with a smile: "Welcome to Namibia!" That’s what it said! Honest... Okay, first endless straight road, first flaming sunset, first corrugated dirt track, first Milky Way with zero light pollution... You get it—it’s definitely the day of firsts... First night camping, too, in the big trunk of our Toyota Fortuner parked by the side of the track... The real adventure, the kind that smells under the arms, can finally begin...
Traveling with just one spare pair of underwear, considering a hot shower a miracle, never staying in the same place too long by sleeping wherever night catches us, taking whatever local, improbable, and rickety transport we can find—this is the DNA of us wanderers. Except this time, the script for our movie is going to be a whole different genre. On paper, the destination doesn’t exactly scream epic adventure: Réunion! And what’s more... we won’t be two, or four, or even ten. We’ll be a solid thirty. All from the same family. Yes, thirty. At this point, it’s not just a trip—it’s a summer camp on the move! Why inflict this on such a peaceful island? Because my brother decided to get married there with his lovely bride. A great idea, you might say... especially when it involves relocating the equivalent of a small Ardennes village 10,000 kilometers from home for three weeks! So who’s stepping up to be the guide and wave the little flag?
So, for an exceptional trip, exceptional stories! Don’t worry, the debates at the supermarket over whether to choose plain chips or roast chicken chips, the beach picnics washed down with ti’ punch, and other rougail sausages to digest by the pool will only make it into the family archives. Here, I’ll stick to the tales of our beautiful escapes, the ones where we explore the wild corners of this little volcanic rock planted in the middle of the Indian Ocean. So where exactly are we headed?
For the first week—the subject of this first installment—we’re taking it easy. We’ll start by rediscovering the coastline, from the Souffleur in Saint-Leu to the Hermitage lagoon, before a little trip to the Cirque de Cilaos and its legendary road with 400 turns, just to get our legs warmed up.
"How about a Christmas market this year, huh? A little romantic weekend getaway...
- Yes! That’d be cool! Strasbourg? Colmar?
- Feels a bit déjà vu, doesn’t it? Plus, slim chance of snow there... And I’d love something a bit more exotic with a touch of originality..."
"Okay, Google, give me the list of the five most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe.
- In fifth place, the Christmas market in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
- Save your breath! Lithuania, here we come!"
We wanted cold, and cold is exactly what we got the moment we set foot in this new, unknown land. As for landscapes, forests and lakes stretch as far as the eye can see across this vast plain, its vegetation scorched by the frost of a winter that’s clearly already well underway here.
Lakes, in fact, set the scene for our first visit to Trakai Castle, whose brick-red towers and walls rise proudly against the azure sky of our first day. Lakes, because this castle was built on an island and is only accessible on foot via a series of walkways spanning half-frozen lake offshoots. I couldn’t have picked a better spot to build my castle! Translation: We’re totally sold! Proof is we spend two hours hiking around the area, alternating between forests, reeds, and cozy houses tastefully decorated for Christmas.
With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo.
But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip.
And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.
So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays:
- 3 nights in St Lucia
- 1 night in Hluhluwe
- 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini)
- 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini)
- 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti)
- 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve
- 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie
All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.
I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).
To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.
This travel journal is therefore intended solely for my photos, to present a consistent style.
All the shots were taken with a simple Samsung Galaxy smartphone and with whatever was at hand.
All stays combined, I’ve spent the equivalent of three years at most in Thailand, and I’m not a big expert on the country.
However, after many trips, lots of reading on VoyageForum and other sites, and conversations with many locals as well as expats, my view of the country is becoming clearer, though it’s constantly evolving. You never stop discovering and learning.
I guess I wanted to piece together a puzzle, mainly for those who want to get an idea of the country here and for those who miss it.
I don’t know if this minimalist sharing will interest anyone, but it’ll do me good to put it together. After so many months without traveling and then these other long months with VF closed, there’s plenty of material available.
There’ll be a mix of places, periods, and subjects, but it might well be intentional.
I suspect many Thais have dogs because they make excellent guards for the home. Nothing better to deter burglars or to signal the presence of a snake. You’ll often see Thais tapping the top of their dog’s head, but don’t be fooled: it’s a sign of affection from them. Judging by the dogs’ reactions, they’re used to it.
Thailand is one of the countries on the planet where rabies is still present, so keep that in mind. It’s not just bites that can be dangerous, so don’t let just any dog lick you. Especially on a wound, of course.
Even though dogs often fear humans—this dangerous and unpredictable predator—we still need to stay cautious.
Be careful when walking into alleys because the dog will defend its master’s big property, be careful at night, and be careful when they’re in packs.
It sometimes crosses our minds that Thailand isn’t really made for walking around, and dogs are one of the reasons.
That said, it’s not uncommon to see them chasing bikes or scooters. Cars, though, are much rarer—they’re too big.
It seems Thais prefer to give their dogs freedom by not locking them behind gates. Though sometimes the gate is closed, the little side door is wide open. Oh, and sometimes there’s no gate in front of the property, or it’s been broken for years.
You’ll often see dogs sleeping on the side of the road, sometimes right on the road. When you arrive, they move aside nonchalantly—or not at all. It’s less funny when they suddenly appear from thick vegetation, which reminds visitors not to drive too fast. As a result, you’ll notice that dogs with injuries or missing legs aren’t that rare.
Since they believe in reincarnation and respect for all forms of life, they don’t chase dog packs away too much, and they don’t sterilize them enough. Seeing a small pack roaming freely in the countryside, you might think it’s best not to cross paths with them at the edge of a field.
A darker side of this is that euthanasia isn’t often practiced. Twice, we saw dogs at temples on the brink of death, enduring terrible suffering. No one did anything about it. The image (and the smell) of one of them, dying and emitting the stench of death, still comes back to me sometimes.
Some of you may have seen the YouTube vlog of a French woman living in Phuket who was given a little pig by her Thai friends. The well-fed animal quickly became a happy, enormous beast with its own garden. Yet, it didn’t take long for it to fall seriously ill and become incurable. In her video, the French woman described how difficult it was to find a vet willing to perform euthanasia.
You’ll often see bowls by the side of the road. Thais leave food and water in them for stray cats and dogs. Overall, they have a big heart for animals.
If you ever pop into a shopping mall, you might see people pushing their small dogs in strollers. It’s not a gimmick—it’s just that these strollers are provided for customers to put their pets in, otherwise you can’t bring them inside. It looks a bit odd when you expect to see a baby.
When we started looking for a summer destination a few months ago, our first criterion was to avoid extreme heat and heatwaves. We had already been to Norway two years ago and are considering going back in the future for other occasions. So, we had some fun asking ChatGPT which destinations enjoyed a mild climate during the summer without going too far. Among the list provided by the AI were the Canary Islands... The idea of a place we wouldn’t have thought of first, both not too far away and exotic enough, appealed to us: “Hmm, why not?”
This destination had never really attracted me, though Magali was a bit more interested. Five years earlier, COVID had caused a short break in my professional activity, and I had planned a trip because the flight price was attractive, and I was looking for a destination different from what usually appeals to me, more than out of deep interest. From a distance and with a social judgment I acknowledge (it’s not great, but it’s not completely wrong), I had the image of a destination for party-goers enjoying the sun without the slightest interest in local culture, with concrete coastlines and denatured landscapes—everything I detest the most. Still, I had done some quick research on the different islands and spotted Lanzarote for its beautiful volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, beaches, and the impression of a good balance between activity and fewer crowds than Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Then I dropped the idea of going, without ever reconsidering traveling to the Canaries...
Until now! Because we started researching the different islands of the archipelago to see which ones might appeal to us the most. It was La Gomera, the third smallest island of the archipelago, more praised for its hiking trails and preserved nature than for its beaches, away from mass tourism (fifty times fewer tourists than Tenerife) but still a bit more developed than its wild neighbor El Hierro, that caught our attention. Contrary to what might be suggested later, I’m not at all addicted to AI, but I use it from time to time to synthesize quick research or simply for experimentation. Since ChatGPT had started anticipating my tastes lately as if it had become my buddy (often successfully, sometimes off the mark), I asked which Canary Island would suit me best for a trip with my family. The tool answered first with... La Gomera. So, I tested it and teased it a bit to see if this suggestion was well-founded, as the method sometimes makes it contradict itself. But no luck: “You’d appreciate the wild nature of El Hierro, but with family, you’ll find little activity for the kids. You won’t like the touristy vibe of the big islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. You could consider La Palma, but it’s really La Gomera that will suit you best, based on your interests and the criteria given.” So, we dug deeper into our research and were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that this island was the one waiting for us.
Without knowing it, we had Canarians in our circle who revealed their origins when they heard about our travel plans. One from Tenerife insisted we’d be better off choosing Tenerife (obviously...) because it also has preserved spots and that La Gomera, “you can explore it in two or three days, you’ll get bored quickly...” The other, a colleague from Gran Canaria who had never visited La Gomera, still recommended it without hesitation because it turned out her parents had just gone there on vacation: they loved it and had encountered few tourists. She also tended to think this destination was usually the subject of short stays, but according to what her parents told her, taking your time there was also a great idea. However, in our research, the idea that La Gomera is an island you can explore in three or four days max kept coming up. So, we considered combining its visit with La Palma or El Hierro, the other two that caught our eye. But hopping between islands by ferry represents a significant budget for non-Canarians, even more so for a family of four. Then, scrutinizing Google Maps, it seemed obvious that two weeks were too short to discover two islands as they deserve, and that there seemed to be plenty to see in La Gomera, given its very unique culture. After all, we read that some people spend several months a year there, others never even leave... Finally, these landscapes and this atmosphere, which seemed to us a mix of Europe, North Africa, and Latin America, tempted us. So, it would be two weeks in La Gomera, deal!
La Gomera is therefore the second... well, the third smallest island of the Canaries since La Graciosa was recently recognized as a fully inhabited island. It has the shape of a rough circle about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter and has just over 20,000 inhabitants, half of them in its capital, San Sebastián de la Gomera, the only real town. Like its Canarian sisters, La Gomera is a volcanic formation that rose about 10 million years ago. The island is very mountainous and rugged, covered with red and black rocky landscapes. Geological activity has shaped, between the sprawling massifs that end in steep cliffs in the ocean, six coastal valleys with tropical vegetation that have favored human settlement. They divide the island like slices of a cake; from the north clockwise: the agricultural Vallehermoso, the rustic Agulo, the green, humid, and fertile Hermigua, the sunny capital San Sebastián de la Gomera, the southern and isolated Alajeró-Santiago, and the seaside Valle Gran Rey. They constitute the six municipalities (more like cantons to our French understanding) of the territory.
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
La Gomera was populated late. As with the rest of the Canaries, human presence is thought to have begun about 2,000 years ago. Groups of animist Berbers, probably fleeing persecution, gradually populated the archipelago, especially the western islands and La Gomera, becoming its small aboriginal population: the Guanches (or later Gomeros). The animist and pastoral civilization of the Guanches thrived until the Spanish takeover in the 15th century, which, after a short period of harmony and mixing with the indigenous people, suddenly ended in bloodshed... La Gomera later became the “Columbus Island” after Christopher Columbus’s stopover, increasing the blending of populations. In the 20th century, many Gomeros emigrated to Cuba and other Latin American countries in search of a better life, bringing back a mix of cultures and traits quite palpable in today’s Gomeran culture. It is, however, in La Gomera that the vestiges of Guanche culture seem to have left the most traces, in the language, gastronomy, social practices... Moreover, most Gomeros, especially in remote villages, have a particular identifiable type and proudly claim their ancestral roots, even making La Gomera a bit exotic in the eyes of other Canarians.
Perhaps that’s why it has never really wanted to develop its tourist infrastructure too much. If we set aside the tourists who visit for the day by bus or boat from Tenerife on a marked itinerary (and whom we ultimately rarely encounter), La Gomera has remained a hidden gem, a destination focused on nature discovery that attracts hikers, nature-loving divers, and scientists for its fauna and flora, and to a lesser extent, beachgoers who don’t seek overly developed coastlines. Tourist activity is therefore limited. Roughly speaking, you’ll find a majority of Spaniards, including a substantial number of residents from other Canary Islands, many Germans who have a particular fondness for La Gomera and spend long stays there or own second homes, to the point that the German cultural footprint is clearly noticeable in some places (it’s said to be Angela Merkel’s favorite holiday spot), and still quite a few French. The presence of other nationalities seemed negligible to us. Most travelers come mainly for hiking, but it’s also a prime spot for whale watching. Additionally, the seaside resorts of La Gomera—San Sebastián, Santiago, and especially Valle Gran Rey—are well-known destinations for hippies, especially German ones, ranging from chic boho hippies to old-school hippies who’ve been there for decades, quite similar to those you’d meet in India in Goa, Rishikesh, or Paharganj. Thus, practices like naturism, vegetarianism, and local organic production are quite well established in some areas.
Some practical info:
- The round-trip flight from Paris to Tenerife cost us 365 € per person (outbound with Transavia, return with EasyJet), including checked luggage and three seats reserved side by side.
- We chose two bases to explore the island: one week in Valle Gran Rey, reputed to be the most pleasant of the three seaside resorts, and one week in Hermigua, more mountainous and close to the natural park. We booked two houses with balconies and views: the first at 120 € per night, the second at 99 €.
- The round-trip ferry between Tenerife and La Gomera cost us 270 € with the company Baleària Canarias, including discounts for children aged 4 and 12, but I don’t have the exact details. It was a bit cheaper than with the other company, Fred Olsen.
- Finally, we rented a car through the agency Cicar for 360 € for 16 days, which comes to 22.50 € per day.
- Apart from that, we didn’t plan anything and decided the day before or even the morning of what we wanted to do. We didn’t invest in any paper guide on the Canaries, as information on La Gomera was scarce, but we used the very comprehensive site La Gomera Travel, a travel guide published by the Canary Islands Tourism Council, a real goldmine of almost exhaustive information on the island.
Alright, off we go for 16 days of adventure discovering La Gomera!
If I close my eyes and think of the Sultanate of Oman, I first smell a light scent of incense, feel the warmth of a sunbeam on my skin, before sand slips through my fingers. I taste the sweetness of a date, a real candy, then the flavor of coffee with a hint of cardamom and rosewater... I hear the desert wind whistling in my ears, the distant call of a muezzin, then the murmur of water. I open my eyes to see smiles, welcoming gestures, a turquoise sea, rocks ranging from ochre to purple, deep wadis where torrents burst forth, orange dunes, white sandy beaches where tiny crabs scurry at full speed. I see incredible oases emerging between arid mountains. I see abandoned villages that I’d dream were full of life, imposing fortresses overlooking valleys, and lively souks where offers are delicate and negotiation is a mutual courtesy.
All that, and so much more.
This is what I tried to capture in my illustrated travel journal, which I’ll fill in here and there with photos.
I drew this journal “cold,” after my return (actually, I made it this summer, while our trip was last winter). It’s a pretty special format—I bought it in Japan without really knowing what I’d do with it. Well, it found its purpose! Below is a photo of this accordion-style journal: here, it’s only partially open, because when fully unfolded, it’s 5 meters long!
For drawing enthusiasts: The accordion format is both a constraint (each sheet is 9 cm x 27 cm) and a freedom (you can create a fresco). The paper is also a bit special: it doesn’t allow for fine lines, but it takes ink well (liner pen). However, everything has to be done almost in one go (with a very light pencil sketch) because it erases poorly. It absorbs too much water for coloring with markers or watercolors (unless you avoid soaking it), but it works well with oil pastels and their use with a brush and solvent. Since it’s yellowish, it allowed me to create contrasts even with white pastel.
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Oman is one of the world’s largest producers of frankincense resin. Incense burners are everywhere, from the simplest clay ones to the most precious handcrafted silver ones...
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
My buddy Christian and I (Patrick) are off for 28 days in Argentina in March.
We’ve already shared several trips as a duo (Bolivia Peru, Namibia, Laos, Costa Rica).
Since we’re starting from the idea that at our age (65) we won’t be coming back here—there are just too many other corners of the world to discover—we did the "grand tour" of Argentina, with 6 domestic flights to make the most of our 28 days.
Here are our stops:
1) Departure from Brussels to Buenos Aires via Madrid
2) Arrival and first contact with Buenos Aires
3) Early morning flight to Ushuaia. Boat trip on the Beagle Channel
4) Ushuaia: hikes in Tierra del Fuego National Park
5) Ushuaia: last hike and flight to El Calafate
6) El Calafate to El Chaltén by bus. First hike
7) El Chaltén: hike
8) El Chaltén: hike
9) El Chaltén: hike and bus back to El Calafate
10) El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier
11) Flight to Bariloche. Car rental and surrounding areas
12) Seven Lakes Region
13) Nahuel Huapi National Park region
14) Flight to Salta. Car rental
15) To Tilcara
16) To Humahuaca
17) To Purmamarca
18) To Jujuy via the salt flats
19) To Cafayate
20) Around Cafayate
21) To Cachi
22) Back to Salta
23) Flight to Iguazu
24) Waterfalls on the Argentine side
25) Waterfalls on the Brazilian side and flight to Buenos Aires
26) Buenos Aires
27) Return flight
28) Morning arrival
Happy reading!..
We landed in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and headed straight to Kasane in Botswana to pick up our car.
Our vehicle is a 4x4 because in Zambia, it's practically impossible to use anything else, especially in the national parks. I’ve already had the pleasure of visiting South Luangwa National Park—it’s one of the reasons for this trip, the main one being to travel in Africa with one of my sons.
First stop: Livingstone on the banks of the Zambezi River. Along the way, we discovered a lovely restaurant at Socrates with a super-friendly owner (we’ll actually stop there again on our way back). We spent our first night in the rooftop tent after a stunning sunset, accompanied by the grunting of hippos in the river.
The next day, we set off early, heading to Kafue NP. In fact, we’ll always leave early—waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 AM and hitting the road an hour later. Kafue is a lesser-known park, mostly forested, and the animals are skittish because they’re not used to human presence. We crossed the park from south to north and came across various antelopes. Near Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, there are plains where wildlife is easier to spot.
After Kafue, we headed to South Luangwa. This journey requires stops in Mumbwa and Petauke. Two pleasant stops where we found lodges (a nice change from the rooftop tent) at affordable prices and met welcoming people.
For me, South Luangwa is Zambia’s most beautiful park—the river is stunning, the landscapes are gorgeous, and there’s a wide variety of wildlife, including, of course, big cats. A tip for those, like us, who aren’t with a guide: if you’re staying near the park for several days, don’t hesitate to do a "game drive" to scout out where the animals are so you can return the next day with your own vehicle. Of course, in the dry season, you’ll want to focus on waterholes to see the animals—and you’ll need a bit of luck too. The elephant population is growing, and we were lucky enough to see around sixty elephants crossing the Luangwa at dawn, spread across several groups. South Luangwa is the westernmost point of our trip, and we’re now heading east to Lower Zambezi.
Lower Zambezi is Zambia’s side of Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side. We took a boat ride on the Zambezi to see elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a multitude of birds living along the water and on the river’s islands. The sunset there is also magnificent.
To explore the park, we followed the waterways parallel to the Zambezi, mostly on the western side (see our route). Lower Zambezi is the last park we visit, and the final leg of our trip will be Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls—or Mosi-Oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders")—are truly impressive, even during the dry season. We saw the falls from both countries: in Zambia for the overall view and the bridge that serves as the border, and in Zimbabwe to get as close as possible to the most spectacular parts of the falls.
This marks the end of our trip, which, despite a blown tire on the road, went off without any major issues. Zambia is a beautiful country that immerses you in wild, still-preserved nature.
The latest travel journal about Turkmenistan dates back to 2019. Here’s a quick update on this vast desert country, which is now a bit easier to visit than before.
This is my first travel journal. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. The country is slowly opening up, but it’s still possible to visit sites where you’ll be completely alone. In five days, I saw two Hongkongers, a few Germans, and a Chilean at the crater, ten Chinese people in a capital bazaar, and that’s it!
It’s possible to visit Turkmenistan from Uzbekistan. The easiest and most economical way is to take a taxi to the border from Bukhara. The trip takes a little over an hour.
Crossing the border takes quite a while because many Turkmen bring back items bought in Uzbekistan to resell in Turkmenistan. For example, diapers, baby products, or beauty products.
It took me over 2.5 hours to cross the border. To visit Turkmenistan, it’s mandatory to have a guide and go through a travel agency. British agencies often offer three-, five-, or seven-day trips for over 1,500 or 2,000 €.
But if your budget is more limited, you can contact a few Turkmen agencies directly by email, and they’ll make you an offer between 700 and 1,300 € for three to seven days. I took a five-day trip from Turkmenabat in the northeast of the country to Dashoguz in the north. The goal was to visit the main UNESCO-listed sites, including Merv, and archaeological sites like Nisa or Gonur Tepe.
Your guide will also be your driver. They’ll pick you up at the border. The formalities are very long because customs officers have to stamp multiple documents, and obtaining the visa you previously requested from your travel agency requires several checks. But the process goes relatively smoothly, even if each step takes a while.
Once on the other side, the first surprise is the brand-new highway all the way to Turkmenabat. A very long line of trucks stretches for several kilometers on the Turkmen side to cross the border into Uzbekistan. According to my guide, Turkmen trucks transport gas and cotton (though not this season, since the harvest is in September), but they mainly fill up their tanks because fuel is much cheaper in Turkmenistan. A full tank for a car costs about 3 €, which is unbeatable.
From the Farap border post, the goal is to reach the city of Mary, which is home to the UNESCO-listed site of Merv in its suburbs, about thirty kilometers away. This city is known as a foundation by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC under the name Alexandria of Margiana. Several fortresses are visible.
After more than three hours on the road, we have lunch at a Turkish restaurant called Aladdin. Several quotes from the president are visible along the highway, but the road is in good condition, and we move along easily. This will be by far the best road in the country—things will get much worse later.
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
This time, I landed in Monastir on a direct flight from Nice, again with Tunisair. We left about ten minutes late, and the flight lasted around 1 hour 30 minutes. A meal was served on board (cucumber salad with Edam-like cheese, carrots, and two small portions of dishes I couldn’t identify—semolina with peppers, olives, and parsley, two small rolls, a square of processed cheese, and a chocolate cake). It’s worth noting because it’s not common on flights this short.
In February, France and Tunisia were in the same time zone, but now Tunisia is one hour behind. This time difference and the flight duration work perfectly for a short 15-day trip since it takes me a few days to adjust to jet lag.
Luckily, I’d asked my hotel about the taxi fare from the airport because the drivers (there were several around me) didn’t hesitate to quote outrageous prices. The actual fare is 20 dinars, but one asked for 120 dinars. I refused, and another offered 60 dinars. I replied, "That’s too expensive—I’ll take the metro!" (Having tried the Tunis metro, I had no desire to repeat the experience in Monastir with a suitcase!). I started walking toward the metro, and one of the drivers caught up with me, saying, "20 dinars is fine!" I’ll skip the details, but the negotiation took a little while.
When I arrived at the hotel, I told the receptionist someone had asked for 120 dinars. He put his hands to his head and said, "They’re awful!" He remembered our phone call two days earlier when I’d booked (he’s the one who told me I could take the metro).
The Mezri Hotel isn’t expensive. I got a sea-view room for 75 dinars (22 €). (I’d booked a balcony room for 90 dinars but wouldn’t have had time to enjoy it.) It’s well-located but noisy because there’s no double glazing.
The receptionist is a very kind older gentleman. He called a friend whose wife is from Tozeur to find out if I should take a bus or a *louage* tomorrow and what time.
I arrived at the hotel around 7:00 PM and had time to stroll along the corniche to the ribat. Despite some run-down buildings, the seaside seemed livelier and cheerier than Sousse’s.
Monastir is the hometown of former president Bourguiba. I passed his mausoleum by taxi. There are Tunisian flags along the avenue by the sea because every year on April 6—the anniversary of Habib Bourguiba’s death—the president of the Republic visits the Bourguiba Mausoleum in Monastir to pay respects.
The taxi driver mentioned other Tunisian presidents. He complained about rising prices and insecurity, blaming President Kaïs Saïed (I’d already heard that security was better under Ben Ali).
At the end of my stay, I’ll take time to explore Monastir, but tomorrow morning, I’m off to Tozeur—a long bus ride awaits me.
Here we go!!!
I left home at 4 AM on October 31st and headed to Barcelona. Driving through Barcelona on the ring road stresses me out a bit, but at 6 AM the traffic is smooth, and I arrive at the airport without any issues. I call the valet, who quickly comes to pick up my car. He takes photos of it from all angles before letting me go.
Baggage check-in hasn’t started yet, and there are already several of us waiting.
Once free, everything happens very quickly. The flight to Abu Dhabi is on time and goes smoothly. I’ve never had any problems with this airline, which I’ve been using for several years.
The flight to Bangkok arrives at 7 AM as scheduled. This is my first time in Thailand and Bangkok. I’m used to traveling in India, and I notice that everything here is well organized—the customs process is quick, and the luggage is already on the carousel.
I booked a taxi on Booking. All I have to do is find the right exit and door based on the agency’s instructions. A large sign with the names of people who booked is posted on a wall. A hostess greets me and calls the taxi, which arrives 5 minutes later. I booked one night at the Lost Inn BKK hotel in the Phra Nakhon district, and we arrive at 9 AM. The welcome isn’t warm, and I have to wait until noon, sitting on a chair, before I can check into my room. I’m exhausted, and sleeping sitting up isn’t ideal. Noon finally arrives—the room is small but clean, which is fine for one night. I quickly take a shower to wake up because I plan to spend the afternoon visiting the Grand Palace. First, I need to exchange some money, and the banks are all close together on the same street, which is very convenient. When I enter one, a hostess gives me a ticket and invites me to sit down. There are about twenty counters, and I wait quietly until my number is called. The exchange is quick, so I can head out to find the Royal Palace. It’s actually very easy, and the walk is pleasant.
Entry to the Royal Palace (500 baht).
It’s magnificent and grand, and there are quite a few of us visiting. The sky is gray, it’s very humid, and a shower interrupts the visit. It’s a vast complex of temples and palaces. The buildings are colorful and sparkling, with a great sense of serenity (without the tourists, of course). I quietly enjoy the place and try to take photos without tourists, which isn’t easy.
Very close to the Grand Palace is Wat Pho, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the capital.
It’s very famous for its 46-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.
Walking around the temple, you can see different representations of Buddha, all covered in gold leaf.
Inside the temple, on one side, monks recite their prayers, while the other side is reserved for tourists who come to meditate in silence.
Before returning to the hotel, I have dinner at an Indian restaurant. I go to bed early because tomorrow’s wake-up call will be very early again.
Saturday, November 2nd
Wake-up at 4 AM, departure from the hotel at 4:30 AM. The taxi I booked via Booking is waiting for me and takes me to the airport. The trip is fairly quick—he takes small roads, and at this hour, there’s no traffic.
The flight to Phnom Penh is on time. Before boarding, I realize I left my fleece jacket on the carousel, but it’s too late to go back for it.
The flight goes well, and customs is quick.
At the exit, I take a tuk-tuk to Julieka’s GH near the museum. The welcome is friendly. I won’t be able to check into my room until noon, so I take the opportunity to exchange some euros on the market street. The street is lined with restaurants, and I’ll have my first meal there.
The museum is right across the street, so I don’t waste any time visiting it.
The representations of Hindu deities are very different from those in India, and I don’t recognize them. Many beautiful Buddhas are on display.
The museum is very pleasant, and there aren’t too many people, which is a plus.
At the exit, I return to the GH, settle into my room—which is decent and clean.
The Royal Palace is 1 km away. I walk along a garden, and at the end of the street is the Tonlé Sap, but I turn right. I arrive at a large esplanade and see the buildings with tiered roofs and glazed tiles. The entrance to the palace is a little further away.
At the entrance, I notice there isn’t the same crowd as at the one in BKK.
Khmer architecture is magnificent. The complex consists of gardens, palaces, pagodas with golden roofs, and slender spires.
The Silver Pagoda houses the small Emerald Buddha, which is actually made of jade. The silver flooring is covered with carpets. Photos are not allowed.
The walls surrounding the pagoda are covered with frescoes depicting scenes from the Ramayana.
My partner and I traveled from Sunday, July 5, 2026, to Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
We spent a long time debating whether to rent a car or use public transportation. In the end, after reading so many posts about travelers getting scammed by police or rental companies—even those recommended by blogs and reviews—we decided to stick with public transport. It worked out really well. Sure, we had a little less freedom to go where we wanted, but it was way less stressful for us.
Sunday, July 5:
Arrived at Cancun Airport. Withdrew cash from the ATM in the terminal just before exiting. The ADO bus counter (they pronounce it "A-Jee-O") is right behind you when you're facing the ATM. Bus to downtown Cancun cost 145 pesos per person.
Stayed at "Rose 5," booked on Booking. The studio was super clean and perfect for one night. The owner’s instructions for accessing the place were very precise, with photos included. Check-in was self-service with a code. The ADO bus terminal isn’t far, and there are shops and restaurants nearby. We really appreciated that the AC was already on when we arrived. By the way, I’d recommend always booking places with AC—it’s *really* hot in Mexico.
Monday, July 6:
Bought a SIM card with data from a TELCEL store. My partner, who’s on Free Mobile, was able to use her regular plan. Just so you know, I found the network pretty unstable. As soon as we left the cities, neither of us—me with TELCEL or her with Free—had any signal.
Another thing to watch out for: roaming charges. I had to turn my SIM back on for less than 30 seconds to get a bank SMS code, and my phone apparently connected to the internet—resulting in an 8-euro roaming fee.
Left on an ADO bus to Chiquila for 278 pesos per person. During our trip, ADO buses were always on time, comfortable, and clean. The AC is *cranked* though, so bring something to cover up with—it gets cold. Some routes were fully booked even in the low season, so try to reserve 1 or 2 days in advance either via the app (when it works) or at the counter.
When we arrived at the ADO terminal in Chiquila, the ferry company counters were right next to it. Ferries leave every 30 minutes, alternating between companies, so no need to book ahead. Just take whichever one is leaving next (330 pesos per person).
When we got to Holbox (pronounced "Hol-bosh"), we’d booked a place via Booking called "Casa de Nana." It was a huge studio with a fridge, cooking plate, and utensils. The best part? The *location*. It was 100 meters from the beach and 200 meters from a Chedraui supermarket. They provided bath towels and beach towels, and the AC worked perfectly. There’s a key box so you can leave your keys inside when you go out. The only downside was that no one was there to let us in when we arrived, so we had to wait a while. The Wi-Fi was good, which was lucky because during our 4-day stay in Holbox, the phone network *never* worked. According to locals, that’s pretty common in Holbox, along with water outages.
Luckily, I’d had the good idea to download an offline map, which helped us find our way back to the place more easily. You can walk there from the dock.
The restaurant next to our place (La Barracuda) was great if you like seafood—I’d recommend their octopus dishes.
Tuesday, July 7:
We did a kayak tour in Holbox’s mangroves at 6 AM. We were looking for a sunrise kayak tour with a French-speaking guide. That’s exactly what we got with "Kayaking Holbox," where Diego, the owner, speaks English and French. He was joined by Gustavo, another guide.
We’d booked for a group tour, but we were the only ones. Diego still went ahead with it instead of canceling due to lack of participants, so we got a private tour at the group rate—really professional of him. They showed us this amazing ecosystem for over 3 hours. We saw all kinds of birds: pink flamingos, pelicans, egrets, frigatebirds... rays, a horseshoe crab, and a little crocodile that was *so* well hidden. Diego and Gustavo have a real eye for spotting animals—I could’ve passed by the crocodile 100 times and never seen it, it blended in so well. Their explanations about the flora and fauna were super interesting. We also got a little break where we tasted mangoes and bananas that taste *nothing* like the ones in France. A real treat—those little Mexican yellow mangoes! I’d definitely recommend Diego and his agency for a French-language kayak tour (1000 pesos per person).
In the evening, we walked to Punta Coco to see the bioluminescence. No need for a guided tour—if you really don’t want to walk, you can take a taxi. At Punta Coco, you have to pass the beach bar/restaurant and then go left into a kind of inlet that forms a lagoon. You have to wiggle your feet or move your hands in the water to create movement, which makes the light appear. Just don’t expect the kind of photos you’ve seen online—they’re all edited! It’s fun to see, but you won’t be dazzled by the light...
Wednesday, July 8:
Whale shark tour with "My Holbox Tours." Why recommend this agency over others for swimming with whale sharks? Simply because Valérie surrounds herself with top professionals to make your experience unforgettable. We were with Captain Fernando, who does everything to position the boat perfectly and make your swim easier. In the water, we were with Humberto, who also goes above and beyond to make sure you have an incredible time. He doesn’t just "supervise" like some guides from other companies who leave you on your own. No, Humberto reads the whale shark’s trajectory and guides you—all you have to do is follow him. He really puts in the effort, even holding your hand to guide you through this quick but intense encounter. Humberto also films the moment and will offer to show you the videos and sell them to you. His footage is really high quality.
Fernando and Humberto also prepared food for us. Special mention for their guacamole! Valérie is there to make sure everything goes smoothly on the boat and to answer your questions in French, English, or Spanish about these animals. If you choose My Holbox Tours, you can be sure you’ll get a top-notch experience.
About the tour itself: before you go, you should know that the sharks can be *really* far away. The day we went, it took 3.5 hours by boat to reach them. The boats are small, and let me tell you—on the way there, when we weren’t going with the waves, it was *rough*. Out of 9 passengers, 4 got seasick. But once you’re face-to-face with the shark, you forget all about that. Even if swimming with a whale shark isn’t exactly a walk in the park—they swim pretty fast, so you need some endurance to keep up. You’ll usually get 2 turns. Our first swim lasted a little over 4 minutes, and the second about 2 minutes because the shark was moving fast and we were still tired from the first swim. It might seem short, but when you’re swimming, it feels *long*. Either way, it’s an experience you *have* to do—but choose your company wisely. On the way back, there’s a stop at Cabo Catoche. Honestly, the snorkeling is pretty disappointing if you’ve done it elsewhere in the world. But the lunch stop at Cabo Catoche is really nice for relaxing (white sand and hammocks).
Thursday, July 9:
Short morning walk to Punta Mosquito at 6 AM. Really nice.
Ferry to Chiquila (330 pesos per person) + ADO bus to Valladolid (300 pesos per person).
In Valladolid, we booked "Casa Lucia" via Booking. The hotel is gorgeous, with a colonial style, and very close to the ADO bus terminal and downtown. It’s super quiet and clean. There’s a shared kitchen you can use with a fridge, microwave, and water dispenser, plus a big table by the pool and a nice indoor terrace. Breakfast was simple but included. The only small downsides were the tiny room and bathroom, no mirror in the room, and a noisy fan.
Friday, July 10:
Not far from the ADO bus terminal is the colectivo station for Chichen Itza. They offer a round-trip to Chichen Itza with an option to stop at Ik Kil cenote on the way back and then drop you off in Valladolid for 370 pesos per person (Ik Kil entrance included).
For the Chichen Itza visit, we’d booked a tour with a guide often mentioned in groups—his name is Juan Pat. He’s a Maya who lives near the site and speaks excellent French. He reserves spots in advance for you and queues up to be the first on-site. It cost 500 pesos per person + entrance fees. His tour lasts 2 hours and focuses mainly on the main pyramid and the ball court. He’s passionate and fascinating, even if some of his claims, as a Maya, might be a little biased. I think it’s *really* important to have a guide—otherwise, you’ll miss so much. You can contact Juan Pat on WhatsApp at +52 985 121 2381.
Afterward, we went to Ik Kil cenote (showers and life jackets mandatory, lockers available). It’s *very* crowded, but still really beautiful with its lush vegetation.
Saturday, July 11:
Since we didn’t have a car but still wanted to visit other cenotes that seemed hard to reach by public transport, we decided to book a taxi for the day. We agreed on 1200 pesos to take us to 3 different cenotes and wait for us at each one. (To find taxis, just look where they park near the ADO bus station.)
He picked us up at Zaci cenote, which we’d walked to. We got there at opening time and were the first ones there—had the place to ourselves for a while! 150 pesos per person. A pretty cenote in the city center with lush vegetation. It’s a bit like Ik Kil but without the deep cylindrical effect.
Cenote Xcanahaltun: the most beautiful cenote we visited. Entry 250 pesos per person. It’s a closed cenote with a hole that lets light in—a cave-like setting. You can kayak inside. There are little fish at the edge that nibble dead skin off your feet. Since it’s closed, the water is *freezing*!
Cenote Palomitas: entry 250 pesos per person. Another stunning closed cenote, even more enclosed than Xcanahaltun. The hole in the ceiling is smaller, so it was pretty dark when we arrived—kind of an eerie vibe. But when the staff turned on the lights, it looked like a "Gothic cathedral" full of bright stalactites.
Cenote Sac Aua: entry 290 pesos per person. The ticket includes a guided cave tour (tip-based). This cenote is really unique with its central island and way less crowded than Suytun. Just so you know, the water is *really* cold in cenotes. In these three, in July, we had the place to ourselves for a while and never saw more than 2 families at once—so peaceful!
Sunday, July 12:
ADO bus to Bacalar (536 pesos per person).
In Bacalar, we stayed via Airbnb with a host named Luli, who offers several rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen.
The room is nicely decorated in a pleasant setting. It’s ideally located near the lagoon and downtown. The shared kitchen is handy. The mosquito net over the bed is useful because there are *a lot* of mosquitoes in Bacalar. Luli provides a water jug, which is really nice. The only big downside is the lack of water pressure in the shower—we had to rinse off by filling a bucket. Also, there’s no real door separating the room from the bathroom. We never met Luli in person, but she was very responsive via messages. The terrace in the middle of the vegetation is lovely.
From the ADO terminal to the place, we took a taxi for 40 pesos. Since this driver was honest about the price (we’d checked beforehand), we decided to use him every time we needed a taxi in Bacalar. Here’s his WhatsApp: +52 983 184 3585.
Monday, July 13:
We did a boat tour on the lagoon with "Bacalar Francophone Activities." Since we were just the two of us, it cost 3500 pesos. If we’d managed to be 4 people, it would’ve been 1000 pesos per person.
We had a private 4-hour tour on the lagoon with Steeve and his very comfortable boat. He’s from Quebec, so his French is perfect. During those 4 hours, Steeve showed us the lagoon’s iconic spots *and* places other boats don’t go. He told us about the lagoon’s history and gave great tips on where to go and where to eat. As a little bonus, he gave us a video taken with his drone during our swimming break.
Tuesday, July 14:
We went to Los Rapidos by taxi (400 pesos round trip) and entry was 225 pesos per person. It’s *very* touristy but really beautiful. You can eat there (expensive), relax, and go down the "rapids" as many times as you want. It’s worth it if you spend a few hours there. You can’t bring in food or drinks—you leave them at the entrance and pick them up on the way out.
Wednesday, July 15:
On Wednesdays, navigation is banned on Bacalar Lagoon, so we’d planned another excursion.
Visit to Calakmul from Bacalar with ABCtours (WhatsApp +52 983 319 8359).
This agency organized a trip from Bacalar to Calakmul with a French-speaking guide. Communication beforehand via WhatsApp was smooth. Mr. Checo, the driver, and Fernando, the guide (who spoke great French), picked us up on the day. Mr. Checo drove very carefully on the long road and always made sure we were comfortable. Fernando is passionate about flora and fauna—he’s a biologist with a degree in ornithology, so he knows *everything* about animals. The slightest sound or song, and he knows what it is. He’s got an eye for spotting them, from the biggest to the smallest.
During the trip, we stopped at km 27 for a short forest walk, then went to see the two main pyramids on the site. On the way back, we stopped at the bat cave for the magical spectacle of millions of bats flying out at dusk. In the end, we saw or glimpsed (some briefly) spider monkeys, howler monkeys, a toucan, 2 tapirs, turkeys, 2 deer, and lots of birds. If, like us, you’re more into flora and fauna than archaeology, I’d *highly* recommend this agency and tour with Fernando.
It’s not cheap, but the road between Bacalar and the site is *long* (3.5 hours). Price: 3900 pesos per person for 2 (3500 for 3, 3200 for 4).
Thursday, July 16:
ADO bus to Playa del Carmen (614 pesos per person).
In Playa del Carmen, we stayed in an Airbnb. The building is on the town hall square, next to the casino.
The best thing about this place is the *location*—super close to Fifth Avenue (La Quinta). The kitchen is pretty basic, but the fridge works well. There are supermarkets nearby. The rooftop pool is really nice. The two big downsides, though, are the soundproofing (you can *hear* the neighbor’s alarm and all the events on the square) and the *total* lack of water pressure in the shower. We had to fill a trash can with water to pour over ourselves. When we told the owner, he said it wasn’t normal and someone would come fix it, but we never heard back. Based on previous reviews, this seems to be a known issue that never gets resolved.
Playa del Carmen is *very* touristy on Fifth Avenue, but in a fun, musical vibe—we never felt unsafe. There are *tons* of little souvenir shops for tourists on this street. There’s a beautiful monumental sculpture on the beach (the two figures meeting in the air), next to which you can see the Voladores show (men climbing a pole, tying themselves with ropes, and descending headfirst while "flying" around the pole). The show is tip-based and happens several times a day. In our opinion, Calle 38 is prettier than Fifth Avenue—it’s lush, green, and quieter, with the sea at the end. Great for an early evening stroll. We had really good meals at great prices at "El Tio Noy" tacos, just a few meters from Fifth Avenue in a side street.
For souvenirs, we’d recommend going to Walmart instead of Fifth Avenue—you’ll find skulls, tequila, mezcal, keychains, mugs, glasses... at good, fixed prices.
Friday, July 17:
We did the excursion to Isla Contoy. Isla Contoy is an uninhabited, highly protected island. Only 200 people are allowed to land per day on a rotating basis, so only a few companies have permission to dock there. Most agencies subcontract the day to a third-party company.
We booked through VRM (Viviendo Riviera Maya), but it was Ocean Tours Mexico that handled the tour. Contoy is a little paradise. We were accompanied by multilingual guides, including French speakers, throughout the day. Steffy gave us info about the island during a short walk on the marked trails, and Leño Tlatemoa kept the mood up on the boat rides with music and dancing. Isla Contoy is *truly* stunning, and the lunch was delicious: grilled fish and chicken, guacamole and tortilla chips, rice, fruit, drinks (everything is brought and taken back by the guides). The snorkeling part was pretty disappointing if you’ve done it in Cozumel, though. The stop at Isla Mujeres isn’t very interesting either—it’s too short to explore, and the island is *extremely* touristy. Still, the excursion was very well organized, and we had a great day (2970 pesos per person).
Saturday, July 18:
We wanted to go snorkeling in Cozumel but thought the prices from French-speaking agencies were too high. Plus, for snorkeling, we figured we didn’t *need* a French-speaking guide.
So we found a much cheaper solution by taking the ferry from Playa del Carmen ourselves and choosing an agency in Playa. The round-trip ferry cost 663.50 pesos per person. Then we took a taxi to the snorkeling boat (100 pesos). The agency we chose is called Mystic Snorkel—they don’t have a physical office. The tour cost 1400 pesos per person. It was a small boat, but that day we were the only ones, so we got a private tour at the group rate. We stopped at 4 different sites, all very different and beautiful. We saw all kinds of fish, corals, a nurse shark, and turtles. El Cielo, with its huge starfish, is *exceptional*. If you’re going snorkeling in the Yucatan Peninsula, this is *the* tour to do—the other sites are pretty "poor" in comparison.
Sunday, July 19:
Morning dive with Triton Diving. I chose the Cozumel dive option. Great experience.
Booking via WhatsApp was easy. On the day of the dive, Selene, who speaks French, was our guide. She’s *very* attentive to the group’s safety. The briefings are clear and precise. In Cozumel, we did 2 very different sites: the first was a drift dive with lots of life—beautiful corals and fish. The second was a wreck, the C53, a 56-meter boat you can enter. Not much marine life, but a beautiful wreck intentionally sunk for divers—still in great condition. An unforgettable moment. Selene even took videos during the dive, which the club sends you for free afterward. I’d *highly* recommend this club.
Just so you know, in Playa del Carmen, the beaches were full of sargassum during our stay, despite barriers and daily cleanup. Locals told us the problem is getting worse and the sargassum is arriving earlier in the season. Tourism has taken a *big* hit this summer, and they’re wondering if tourism can even survive the sargassum season anymore. A lot of tourists are heading to the islands—Isla Mujeres and Cozumel—to enjoy the beaches, as the west side of those islands is sargassum-free.
Monday, July 20:
Colectivo to Puerto Morelos. First, a colectivo toward Cancun that drops you off between Puerto Morelos town and Puerto Morelos beach (40 pesos per person), then another from that junction to the beach (10 pesos per person).
In Puerto Morelos, we’d booked a room via Airbnb at "Piedra del Caribe." *Best* place we stayed in Mexico. It’s an aparthotel. Our room was ready before check-in, so they let us in early. The place matched the description—spacious, with a comfortable king-size bed. The shower had *great* pressure, which isn’t a given in Mexico. The staff was super friendly and welcoming. They let us use the pool, restrooms, and rooftop shower after check-out while we waited for our ride to Cancun Airport. They even kept our luggage. I *highly* recommend this place.
In Puerto Morelos, there was *way* less sargassum than in Playa del Carmen—it was actually swimmable.
We did the snorkeling tour with the fishermen’s cooperative for 450 pesos per person for 2 hours. The reef is close to the beach (you’re not allowed to swim there), so the boat ride is short. It’s not as pretty as Cozumel, but it’s nice and affordable. On Puerto Morelos’s page, you can also access a small, not-very-well-preserved reef. There’s also a cenote in the sea where fresh water mixes with saltwater—the water is murky there. We had a great dinner and excellent cocktails at "La Choza del Puerto."
Tuesday, July 21:
Wandered around Puerto Morelos (check out the church and read everything—it’s entertaining!), relaxed by the hotel pool, and left for Cancun Airport by taxi (400 pesos) booked via InDrive to head back to France.
Our highlights:
- Holbox
- The whale shark tour
- The cenotes
- The local flora and fauna (so present!)
- Isla Contoy
- Cabo Catoche (except for the snorkeling)
What we liked least:
- The bioluminescence (barely visible despite good conditions)
- The food—we found it not very diverse in taquerias
- The constant tipping
- The lack of water pressure in showers (fixed, wall-mounted, no hose or showerhead)
Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions while it’s still fresh in our minds.
Here we go—finally, the big day has arrived! A trip the whole family (my two kids, my husband, and me) had been looking forward to for so long.
To keep it short, we left from Nice, arrived in Namibia on June 25, 2025, and left again on the 21st—four weeks later.
We used an agency for all the camping reservations, activities, and the car rental. At least that side of things was taken care of. Michaël was our contact throughout the planning and the trip itself.
We spent our first night at Londiningi BB. A bit out of the city center but very quiet. The rooms were spacious and clean, and we could eat on-site that evening. Perfect for recovering from the flight.
This travel journal is our second on VoyageForum, following last year’s where we recounted our four weeks in Vietnam.
The goal remains the same: since some members on this site share tips, experiences, and great deals that help us prepare for our trips, we do the same after returning—both to give back a little and in the hope that our experiences might be useful to others in some way.
Our route was as follows: Bangkok, Siem Reap, Krabi, Suratthani, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Chumphon, Bang Saphan, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Sam Roi Yod, Hua Hin, Phetchaburi, Bangkok.
Beyond rediscovering Bangkok, our objectives were the long-held dream of seeing Angkor and exploring southern Thailand, much of which isn’t overly touristy.
A quick big thank-you to Barbot, who took the time to answer several of our questions.
12/07/2013
The cheapest flight we found earlier this year was a Paris-Bangkok route with a layover in Moscow for 1440 €, total for two people.
So, this time we tried Aeroflot. Airbus A318 for the first leg, A330 for the second. Nothing particularly annoying to report—the passengers were very calm, the cabin temperature was comfortable, and we had enough legroom.
That said, the quality of the meal trays was pretty mediocre, and the flight attendants weren’t exactly comedians.
We’d like to remind everyone that it’s best to exchange as little money as possible at the airport upon arrival, since the rate is about 5% worse than at city banks.
Of course, we made sure to take the airport exit where you can catch official taxis to avoid getting scammed. So, we queued up, a little lady gave us the ticket, and off we went with the driver.
Generally, this system works well because these drivers are registered, know their duties, and the risks they face if they break the rules. Except that day, right off the bat, we got the scammer of the day. His first move was to snatch the ticket from my wife’s hands—the one you’re supposed to keep in case of a complaint. My husband saw it, but after a full day of travel, we were a bit out of it, and honestly, there was no reason to be suspicious. But once we started driving, the guy refused to turn on the meter. We insisted more and more firmly, but nothing. So, I used the famous method of opening the door and starting to step out of the car. At 40 km/h, that scares the driver more than the passenger. He finally turned on the meter, but that didn’t calm him down—quite the opposite. For the next half-hour, he ruined the ride by demanding extra fees here and there. Having dealt with several scam attempts last year in Vietnam, this wasn’t exactly new, and we were proud of ourselves for staying pretty zen. Still, this guy was a little scary—he was completely wired and aggressive. Honestly, it was hard not to think he was on something. He’d be perfect for a *Scarface* remake. When we finally arrived at the hotel, he followed us to the entrance. We paid the two tolls (25 and 45 baht), gave him the usual 100 baht extra for the ride, and stayed polite but firm. So, meter: 245 baht + 100 baht + 25 and 45 baht for tolls—we paid the exact amount, no way we were tipping this guy. He left furious, but he was already like that before picking us up... Anyway, avoid Mr. Chartree Chidchen, number 089 826 7308, car E2663!
We were so relieved to finally settle in at Feung Nakorn Balcony hotel in the temple district. 42 € per night, great reception, all the staff is friendly. The AC works fine, the bed seemed hard at first but turned out to be comfortable. The hotel is quiet, away from the nightlife, but at this time of year, many places are less crowded than in high season. Even with a nice fish pond and outdoor breakfast area, it’s a decent hotel, though we felt we could’ve found something better.
After a night on the plane, the first afternoon is always a bit of a slog. We napped for a few hours, and when we woke up—guess what—we were starving. We visited a temple across from the hotel (nothing special) and then decided to take the Chao Phraya Express, the river shuttle that serves many piers along the river. It was a really enjoyable experience. The steel gangway wobbles when you board and disembark, the boat sits low in the water, and sometimes you get splashed. During peak times, you’re packed in like sardines, but most of all, there’s that exotic urban landscape passing by, especially the temple rooftops.
At that exact moment, the boat was packed. We didn’t see a ticket booth at the pier, and we tried in vain to pay the few baht for the ride. The cashier on the boat was too busy, and another employee we called didn’t have time to help us. Oh well, we weren’t going to force the issue. Still, this mode of transport is super practical for avoiding traffic, and at the piers, the lines with station names are clearly marked, with colors matching the flags on the boats. Combined with a map like the *Routard* guide, it’s easy to navigate.
We easily made it to the restaurant *Harmonique*, located near one of these piers. It’s a unanimous favorite on this forum, and let us tell you—it’s well-deserved. What a wonderful experience that evening! We only saw the outdoor gazebo because there was no way we were dining inside. It’s not flashy, so those looking for a luxurious setting should look elsewhere.
That night, the staff was a bit slow, and we had to track them down several times to move things along. But oh, my friends—what a feast on the plate! Start with the appetizer platter for two at 250 baht, featuring four specialties, each more tempting than the last, followed by their famous crab curry for 200 baht. There’s *so much* crab in there! The dish is so delicious and rich that when you finish, you feel—how to put it—like it was almost *too* good, to the point where you’re almost put off eating for days. And also, oh yes, we *will* be back. Their satay chicken is just as amazing, and it would be a crime not to mention their generous dessert with ice cream, warm banana, and chocolate, plus their *excellent* almond milkshake.
Later, we took a taxi to Kao San Road, mainly to book a Ko Tao-Chumphon trip for 600 baht per person at the Lomprayah counter. In hindsight, we should’ve booked all three of our trips there right away.
Kao San Road is *ultra*-touristy—better for younger crowds, but it’s still worth seeing. There’s rock ‘n’ roll, hippies, and crowds everywhere.
We walked back to the hotel, and when we got a little lost near a canal, a really nice older Thai man spontaneously appeared out of the night to kindly point us in the right direction.
Finally, a real long night of sleep ahead—we cranked up the AC. Sweet, the vacation has begun!
Hi there,
I just got back from a trip to Sri Lanka from December 18th to January 1st with 2 adults and 2 kids (12 years old).
If it helps, here’s my itinerary.
We left on December 18th from Madrid with Qatar Airways. No complaints. I booked my tickets back in March for 800 € per person. (I flew from Madrid because I live near the Spanish border and was too worried about strikes in France.)
We arrived on December 19th at 4 PM (local time). Before leaving France, I’d booked a taxi through MyTransfer for 59 € to Sigiriya. A van was waiting for us at the airport exit.
A never-ending 3-hour drive to Sigiriya. We stayed at Samana Guesthouse—very simple, clean, with a pool and an excellent Sri Lankan breakfast. Shower and straight to bed.
Friday, December 20th: Beautiful weather, but very humid and hot. We visited Lion Rock (36 € for adults) and then Pidurangala.
I loved both sites—they’re a must-do in my opinion.
Spent the late afternoon by the pool.
Saturday, December 21st: Another gorgeous day. The guesthouse manager offered us a free 2-hour tuk-tuk tour. We first visited a lake, rice fields, the temple, and the Sigiriya market, plus the usual tourist trap—the botanical garden (no pressure to buy anything at the end).
Then we took a tuk-tuk to Dambulla Temple, the Golden Buddha, and the wholesale market.
Sunday, December 22nd: Still beautiful weather. I’d booked a taxi for 8 AM. We did all the long trips by taxi to save time. I’d ask for prices from 2 or 3 WhatsApp taxi agencies 2 days or the day before—super responsive, always got replies within 5 minutes. We headed to Ella (4-hour drive) for 22,000 LKR.
Arrived in the afternoon at Rest Full Homestay—a small, family-run guesthouse. Clean, cozy, and an amazing Sri Lankan breakfast.
In the afternoon, we went to Nine Arches Bridge. It was a Sunday, a Sri Lankan holiday, so it was *packed*—mostly locals and very few white tourists! Even though it was crowded, it was cool because it was all Sri Lankans. We waited an hour for the train. It’s worth seeing, but honestly, I didn’t think it was that amazing.
Then we headed to the station to check if we needed to book tickets for the train to Haputale—turns out, no.
Monday, December 23rd: Beautiful weather. We hiked Ella Rock—a gorgeous trek. The final stretch is steep but shaded, so it wasn’t as tough as I’d read. The whole hike is stunning from start to finish. We saw the train pass twice (one blue, one red) and lots of women picking tea.
After that, we did Little Adam’s Peak. It’s not hard, but it was *packed* with tourists—meh. Luckily, at the top, you can walk a bit farther (down one side and back up) to get some space to yourself.
What I *didn’t* like was the commercial vibe at the big café/restaurant with a pool at the entrance of Little Adam’s Peak. Loud music, all that money being made right next to little souvenir stands run by Sri Lankans or tea-picking women. Felt off.
Ended the day buying souvenirs at one of the few shops we found during the trip.
Tuesday, December 24th: Beautiful weather. Took the train to Haputale. We got to the station 30 minutes before the 9:30 AM train. We could’ve taken 2nd or 3rd class—I went with 2nd (160 LKR per person).
It was crowded, but we managed to get seats—first 2, then 3. Only a 1-hour ride, but I *loved* it—windows and doors open the whole time.
Arrived in Haputale around 11 AM, and the mist was already rolling in.
We walked to our guesthouse, The Mist Holiday Bungalow. Simple but clean, with a great view of the tea plantations. The owner’s wife is Vietnamese and used to work for French tour operators, so her French is still pretty good—helpful for us since our English is terrible. They booked us a tuk-tuk for 4:45 AM the next day (2,000 LKR) to Lipton’s Seat.
Spent the afternoon wandering around Haputale. Not much charm, but there’s a nice fruit and veggie market and a short walk through the tea plantations.
Wednesday, December 25th: Beautiful weather. The tuk-tuk was on time to take us to Lipton’s Seat. We were the first ones there—the sky was just starting to turn pink. In the end, only about ten of us watched the sunrise. The guesthouse had packed us breakfast, and we walked back down (half on the road, half through the plantations). Didn’t see any tea picking since it was Christmas, but the walk was still incredible. We took detours through villages full of kids.
After that, we visited the tea factory. The tour was really interesting, and we took the bus back down to Haputale. Such a great moment—whole families were heading to mass, dressed up and made up. All so beautiful.
At noon, we left for Udawalawe National Park. Taxi for 14,000 LKR. Stayed at River Inn Safari Cottage. *Warning*: It’s the same place as Eagle Safari Cottage. I don’t recommend it. We’d always stayed with families before, but here it was just staff—totally different vibe. The pool was nice but not very clean (water was murky). The bungalow was big and fine, but it was brand new—so new the asphalt floor wasn’t fully dry. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so we had to eat on-site. Couldn’t leave a review on Booking because they never confirmed we’d stayed, and they canceled our reservation the next day.
Thursday, December 26th: Beautiful weather. I’d booked a safari through the hotel for 5:30–10 AM for 54 USD. Honestly, yes, there are a lot of jeeps, but it was great. The kids loved it—we saw everything there was to see.
Left by taxi at 11:30 AM for Welligama (12,000 LKR).
We didn’t stay in Welligama city but at Coconut Beach, between Welligama and Midigama. *Total crush* on the guesthouse: Sky Mountain Café with View. Such a lovely family. The mom makes amazing meals at reasonable prices. The view from the hill over the sea is unreal.
Spent the afternoon walking along the beach.
Friday, December 27th: Beautiful weather. My kids are surfers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any boards their size to rent at Coconut, so we took a tuk-tuk to Welligama Bay (1,000 LKR). They surfed from 8 AM to 5 PM—rental was 5,000 LKR for the day. Meanwhile, we walked the beach and swam. Water was 29°C.
Saturday, December 28th: Beautiful weather, rain from 4 PM until midnight. Same surf day. They were so well-behaved the whole trip, so this was their reward.
Sunday, December 29th: Beautiful weather. Beach day at Coconut. *Warning*: It’s a reef break. For surfers, there are three spots (Coconut Left, Middle, and Right). The boys bodysurfed (with fins) all morning, and at 1 PM, we took the bus to Hikkaduwa.
Stayed at Hotel Universal Beach. Nothing special—right on the water, but the rooms were dark even though they were clean. The manager was super nice, but the rest was meh, and breakfast was mediocre compared to what we’d had before (2 eggs and 3 slices of toast). Plus, it was late—8 AM.
First impression of Hikkaduwa wasn’t great—way too many Russians for our taste.
Monday, December 30th: Beautiful weather. Spent the whole day exploring. Turtle Beach, then the other side of the beach (toward Galle) near the fishing port. The beach there is much wider, with scattered hotels and super quiet. It’s beautiful—I should’ve booked somewhere in that area. Ended up having a great day away from the crowds.
Tuesday, December 31st: Overcast, then beautiful, rain at 4 PM. Had to end the year (and the trip) with some surf. Rented boards for the kids (3,000 LKR per board for the day). Bad luck—the waves were on a reef break but small. Not great for them, but no big deal. They still got out of the water by 2 PM. Walked the beach (which is gorgeous), had a juice, and went for a swim. Then back to surfing in the rain at 4 PM.
Wednesday, January 1st: Left by taxi at 5 AM (18,000 LKR). Flight at 10 AM. Arrived in Madrid at 8 PM.
I could have titled my travel journal like Carmen: "Some trips are born twice." Indeed, we had considered this destination back in February 2020. However, an honest tour operator advised us against traveling at that time due to the climate. So, we gave up and opted for Guatemala instead (see "On the Mayan Lands" on this site).
So, why this title? When I was in primary school, over 65 years ago, the illustrations in my history books (Machu Picchu) and geography books (Lake Titicaca) made me dream, and those images stayed in my mind. It took until 2026 to finally make this dream come true!
We prepared our trip with Tout Pérou, a French-speaking "agency." Everything was handled via email and WhatsApp exchanges with our contact: Laurent, who was both competent, friendly, and full of good advice.
For 200 €, Tout Pérou provided us with drivers and guides whenever we wanted, helped us buy our domestic flights (cheaper when purchased in Peru), booked shuttles between airports and hotels, and got us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, as well as on the buses between Chivay and Puno and between Puno and Cusco. In short, Laurent took care of all the logistics and the Machu Picchu tickets. It was up to us to book our hotels. Tout Pérou provided a list, but we weren’t obliged to follow it. Another advantage of the package: we didn’t have to pay in advance; we paid the service providers directly day by day.
We didn’t meet Laurent in person because he was on vacation in Europe. Before his departure, he gave us a briefing, provided a summary table with the entire program, the service providers, their phone numbers, their fees, the schedules, and gave us plenty of advice (money, exchange, safety, etc.). After returning at the end of our stay, he kept checking in on us.
Lastly, we had also gathered information from Arnaud Lagadec, who runs a hotel in Cusco and offers tours of the region. He gave us a lot of useful information. Another contact: Thomas Montaigne, very friendly, who runs an agency in Arequipa (Agence Pérou Exclusif).
Day 1 – Paris to Lima
Foreword
I’ll share our trip without any pretension—I don’t have the talent of some contributors on this forum—and I’ll illustrate it with a few photos (taken with an ordinary smartphone). My comments are personal and only reflect my own views. So, please be kind! Feel free to comment on my story as you like, but let’s avoid pointless debates.
Even though we live in the south of the Paris region, true to our habits when the flight is in the morning, we chose to spend the night before our departure in a hotel near CDG and parked our car in a parking lot in Garches. This way, we avoid the stress that often comes with traveling around Paris (accidents, roadworks, traffic jams, etc.).
Check-in and border control went smoothly on that Sunday morning. Our Air France flight was uneventful. In Lima, border control took a particularly long time, and for the first time, we didn’t get an entry visa stamped in our passports.
As planned, a driver took us to the Miraflores district, where our hotel was located. We were surprised by the numerous signs about possible tsunamis, having forgotten that Peru is prone to such events and regularly experiences earthquakes. We’d see the consequences of these during our journey.
Exhausted from the early wake-up, the 13-hour flight, and the 7-hour time difference, we had dinner at the hotel before a restful night.
Note that this day was Peru’s presidential election day. As a result, we weren’t served beer—the sale of alcohol was banned that Sunday.
We did the Langtang trek (hike) from September 10th to 17th, with the first and last days being the trip from Kathmandu and back—so 6 days of actual walking. It’s a fairly well-known trek but certainly not as famous or crowded as those in the Annapurna or Everest regions, which is why we chose it.
In theory, it’s mandatory to have a guide for this trek. In reality, it seems there are ways to bypass the regulations: we met at least two people hiking without a guide—a South Korean, a New Zealander, and possibly also a couple of English women and an American couple, though we’re not sure if they had a guide.
The agency we booked with had told us it was an affordable trek for relatively older people in good shape—which is our case (I’m 72 myself). I have to say upfront that we found it quite challenging, maybe because we didn’t have good weather—it was the end of the monsoon season. To be clear, no matter your fitness level, I’d say doing this trek in the middle of the monsoon season would be suicidal.
Day 1 – Journey from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi
On Monday, September 8th, there had been violent protests in Kathmandu against the government, which had, among other things, blocked access to social media and been accused of nepotism and corruption. There were 19 deaths. The situation was very tense on the day of our departure, Wednesday the 10th. The agency warned us that public transport was very unreliable. So, we decided to take a jeep, at an additional cost of $100 ($160 minus what was already budgeted for the bus).
We left a little before 7 a.m. and it took us a good hour just to reach the outskirts of Kathmandu. Along the way, we saw several houses and vehicles set on fire by protesters.
The road to Syapru Besi is only 120 km, but it’s frankly awful. It’s always narrow, winds through endless mountains, and the shoulders range from bad to confusing to nonexistent. Several sections are just dirt tracks. We didn’t regret opting for the jeep, as we could stop several times at our convenience—if only to let Y (my Thai partner) throw up everything she had. She’d taken her usual motion sickness medication, but the constant turns, accelerations, and braking eventually made her terribly carsick.
In Nuwakot, we stopped for breakfast at a nice little restaurant, Jimbu. It was around 8:30 a.m., and we’d barely covered 60 km. The restaurant has a lovely garden overlooking the Trishuli Ganga, the river flowing down from Syapru Besi. First photo: the river in the bottom right corner, mist and clouds over the mountain on the other side.
An hour later, my second photo: the hills along the Trishuli Ganga. You can see the different crops—lush green rice paddies in the lower right and corn, already yellowed and likely harvested, in the foreground on the left. And of course, the mist and clouds through which you can glimpse the mountain on the other side of the river.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.
Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.
Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.
I hesitated about writing this travel journal...
This summer, we only did the classics (the 3 northern parks and Zanzibar) and let a local agency take care of everything from start to finish.
No craziness, no risks, no sleeping under the stars, no self-drive, no venturing off the beaten path, no incidents, and not even any delays in the pre-planned itinerary...
But don’t think we were disappointed!
The whole family (there were 6 of us) came back with smiles and memories of great moments spent together.
So, if you're looking for a "classic" way to discover Tanzania, this is the place to be.
Our 2-week itinerary:
- Arusha (1 night upon arrival)
- Tarangire (1 night)
- Ngorongoro (2 nights in Karatu then Irmisigiyo)
- Serengeti (3 nights in Robanda, Togoro Plains, and Seronera)
- Zanzibar Stone Town (1 night)
- Zanzibar Matemwe (3 nights)
- Zanzibar Jambiani (3 nights)
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...
This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions...
So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted.
Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some!
Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!
I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!
Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.
In broad strokes, it was very classic:
First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to.
From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km!
Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites.
We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.
A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized.
We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line!
At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris.
You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!
With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter.
To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang
2- Around San Pedro
Vila beach
Sunset behind Santiago
The rocks and sea at Ponta Preta
At the summit of Monte Batalha
Calheta
Calheta de Baixo
The beaches just keep coming...
The dunes
The 3 coconut trees, a landmark to find the track
Boca da Ribeira beach
The hills on our right
Ribeira Dom João
Barreiro
The old track
The church in Vila do Maio
The large solidified magma massifs that shape the heart of the island have created a large depression more protected from the sun at its center, allowing the growth of a vast laurel forest, today grouped within the Garajonay National Park, La Gomera’s green lung, which has earned it the status of a World Biosphere Reserve. Its completely European appearance contrasts sharply with the rocky and tropical landscapes of the rest of the island. Thus, the climate varies greatly from one point to another on the island: in summer, you can quickly go from a dry and sunny valley at 35°C to a humid forest area at altitude at 18°C.
On the right, the "welcome marker"—those dates offered everywhere as a sign of hospitality. On the left, a tribute to those stunning doors worn by time, admired all over the old quarters, including the abandoned ones.
Hospitality will often lead you to accept a small coffee, an "Omani coffee," very light, subtly flavored with cardamom, maybe a touch of saffron, and occasionally rosewater.
Here, I’ve depicted a man in the common everyday attire of Omanis: the dishdasha, mostly white (during the week and daytime; colors are more common in the evening or on Fridays and Saturdays). While you’ll see some men dressed in Western clothes, they’re very few. The white dishdasha is truly the shared attire of all men. The dishdasha, which has no hood, is distinguished by a small pom-pom attached to the collar, the furakha, which is soaked in perfume. And believe me, Omanis go overboard with it! "It smells like the pom-pom" is an expression that’s now part of our shared language, my husband and I.
Another must of men’s attire is the kuma, a small round head covering, usually white with brightly colored patterns. The keffiyeh is also worn (but without the cord called an agal in Arab countries), and it’s mostly worn by those with roots in the desert, from what I understood.
And what about the women, you might ask? Some are veiled, some in full black (but not a burka—more like a chador + abaya), due to the influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas the traditional outfit used to be a layering of very colorful dresses. Most of the women we saw wore neutral clothing, a plain veil over their hair, but with their faces uncovered. We also saw many saris and colorful veils—don’t forget that 40% of the population consists of Indian, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi immigrants, who work a lot in tourism, hospitality, restaurants, services, and construction.
Just to clarify, as a tourist, there’s no pressure to wear a veil, and never any disapproving looks. Of course, you’ll save the mini shorts, plunging necklines, bare shoulders, and midriffs for the hotel terrace—but I’d say that’s the same for men and women, and with the sun being strong, it’s better for your skin too.
Here’s the introduction! In the next post, I’ll tell you about my itinerary, and we can dive in!
Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.
Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads.
Transport: a rented Dacia.
Accommodations: small guesthouses.
Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...