First trips after... (page 1 of 3)

A turbulent period came to an end around 2022.

Many of us have returned to big trips after making only very small ones—or none at all. For a little anecdote, my dentist told me that due to the lack of travel, a lot of clients treated themselves to implants they would’ve otherwise skipped. The joy of traveling again probably gave some vacationers smiles they hadn’t dared to show before!

Here, you can share what’s on your mind: Have these new, real trips disappointed you, rejuvenated you, or just relieved a long frustration?

For my part, not being so young anymore, there was definitely relief but no explosion of joy. I just had the feeling of picking up the thread of life after a foggy pause, with the bitter taste that 2 or 3 years of my life had been partly stolen from me.

The first trips after resumed as early as summer 2020... The car replaced the plane. A return to basics (the 70s-80s, decades when flying wasn’t within everyone’s reach) after all!

2020/2021 were amazing years to visit Europe, finally emptied of its tourist overdose. Porto, Mont Saint-Michel, ski resorts with crowds like 50 years ago...

It didn’t last, and overtourism came back as barriers fell.

Today is almost like before, except for the prices... Non-refundable policies are back too, except for airfare...

Still, I wasn’t upset to be able to take long-haul flights again. 😛

Today is now almost like yesterday, except for the prices... Non-refundable options are also a thing of the past, except for flights...

I agree with Attila. I took a flight in 2021, with the constraints of the time: mandatory COVID test before departure, COVID test at the arrival airport, and a COVID test before the return flight. It was a hassle, but on the other hand, there were few tourists (much to the dismay of local businesses, by the way!).

But now, overtourism is back like before, and prices haven’t dropped!

2020/2021 were amazing years to visit Europe, finally free from its overdose of tourists.

Exactly! Lanzarote, Catalonia, Brittany, the Dordogne…

(Feels good to reread old members ;))

Hello, and so happy to see that VF is finally back up and running! :) For me, travel had resumed as early as 2020 BUT only to countries that didn’t require any tests, and later on, no health passes... And there were only a few of them (Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic...). Those are the countries where I was able to spend the second lockdown, and where restrictions were much lighter than in France. 2021 was the only year without travel—too many constraints, especially for returning to France. Starting in 2022, I was able to travel again, still only to places where tests/passes weren’t required. And wow, it was still a huge global shift. A lot of paranoia set in everywhere about illnesses, and many hotels, restaurants, etc., didn’t recover and had to close down... Plus all the crazy, sad stories I heard. COVID was a real collective madness that left lasting scars for so many people. Now, well, normal travel has finally resumed, and that’s a good thing... Until the next pandemic? Let’s enjoy it while we can.

Good evening, COVID gave me the chance to take a trip I’d been waiting for a long time: Jerusalem. I’m not at all sure I would’ve decided to go without these weird circumstances.

It’s December 2021, the pandemic is raging, Israel’s borders are closed to tourism. Despite that, EasyJet is still selling flights to this destination. So I get a Milan-Tel Aviv ticket: 50 € round trip for February. It’s so cheap that if the trip falls through, it won’t be a financial disaster. Three days before departure, I was still undecided (it was still a real hassle with all the required tests). And then, oh well! I’m going!

And I’m so glad I did... 🤪

2020/2021 were amazing years to visit Europe, finally emptied of its tourist overload. Porto, Mont Saint-Michel, ski resorts with crowds like 50 years ago...

Absolutely! Cinque Terre, Pisa, Siena, Antwerp, Ghent, Brittany, Normandy, the Wadden Sea coast in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland. Pure bliss! 😊

Hi everyone, And I’m really happy to see you all again on the irreplaceable VF 😉. To answer your question, Léo, about Marien’s post, the other forums stayed very niche—I’d say they lacked human diversity 😊. For the rest, I really struggled during that crazy time. I thought I’d never get back my "life before," which I loved so much! And yet, I was really lucky because my husband and I left for Spain as early as July 2020. We spent 2 years traveling through Spain and Portugal (even when they said on TV that the border was closed! They really made stuff up!). But for me, there’s no comparison—it was nice and pleasant, but only trips outside Europe really make me feel alive, when I lose my bearings and am immersed in human diversity 😍. In March 2020, when the world stopped, we found ourselves stuck in Sumatra and were repatriated by the embassy (at our own expense, I should add). We had bought several flights that were eventually canceled. And incredibly, the credits we were given at the time worked, and that’s how we ended up in the Seychelles in March 2022. A *very* pleasant surprise, far from the image I had of it as a destination reserved for the "rich." Since then, we’ve kept going and visited Benin, the Mascarene Islands, the Sultanate of Oman, Rajasthan, and Cyprus (if you want info 😍). And in 6 weeks, Kenya is waiting for us 😍. That’s everything! Have a great day, everyone, and see you soon

It was actually in Israel that I went in November 2021 (I have a sister-in-law who lives there). The truth is, it was a hassle with the tests, and after the test upon arrival, if you didn’t have anything, you’d get a green pass within 48 hours max, which let you move around everywhere (though, to be honest, no one ever asked me for it). Still, the whole process was perfectly organized. As for tourism, apart from the Western Wall, which was packed, the rest of Jerusalem and the country were pretty quiet for getting around and sightseeing. It was a really enjoyable trip.

Good evening, The procedure was maybe perfectly organized, with clear rules and super-efficient testing stations at the airport, but it was tough being cooped up in a hotel room (I did get some rest!) having food delivered for a day and a half. Thankfully, the test was negative. Then, on the way back, I had to take an antigen test less than 24 hours before departure—right in the middle of Shabbat.

Pleasant? Not sure. Interesting, yes. I really wanted to see the real city that sparks so much passion. I saw it, and I’m glad I did. But I won’t be going back.

As for the rest of the country, no idea. Since the extra-European plan extension didn’t work for some reason that the 345 international Vodafone employees I spoke to couldn’t fix or even explain, and I was without internet or phone outside the hotel Wi-Fi (this wasn’t a post-pandemic trip—it was more like a pre-pandemic one ), I didn’t dare leave the city.

Totally agree with you, Solene, on all the points you mentioned.

And, ABOVE ALL, glad to see you still so energetic, friendly, warm, and natural—it’s important to highlight the good things too!

I’m especially happy that *you* in particular can travel freely again, knowing how much it means to you.

Good evening UnaMilanese,

Given the particular context due to Covid, I can understand why you haven’t ventured outside Jerusalem.

But at the same time, it’s a shame to limit yourself to Jerusalem because there’s quite a bit to see in Israel. Besides Tel Aviv, where my sister-in-law lives, my wife and I have had the chance to visit: Jerusalem of course, Jaffa, Haifa, the ancient city of Caesarea, Netanya (where many residents speak French), Saint-Jean d’Acre with its medieval fortress, the Latroun Monastery, the village of Ein Kerem, Beer Sheva, the Dead Sea with the Masada fortress and the Ein Bokek oasis (all this over several trips; we’ve been to Israel three times)... Plus, in Tel Aviv, we were just 10 minutes from the beach, and the water in November is still delightful, with perfect temperatures for us Northerners. Staying with family does come with some constraints, but it’s also interesting because my sister-in-law and her husband obviously know the spots tourists don’t visit. You get to see how Israelis live in general (though it’s lucky to have someone who speaks Hebrew with you 🙂!). By the way, we really loved Israeli cuisine—it’s a flavorful Mediterranean cuisine, and you can also find some excellent wines in Israel.

Hello everyone!

What a pleasure to be back here! I’m finally returning after 4 years and 3 bouts of Covid, despite the 3 mandatory shots (no, I won’t debate the topic 🤪). Life in Haute-Savoie has gone back to normal. I’m one of those people who actually coped well with the lockdowns, thanks to a house in the middle of nowhere up in the mountains and a pretty understanding employer... Still, I ended up getting one of my daughters married over a video call (we made up for it at the town hall later 😉) and kept my 90-year-old mom going—luckily, she dodged that nasty virus...

When it comes to travel, I think this pandemic let me take the most amazing trip of my life, in the winter of 2021: Namibia. Anyone who’s been there knows how beautiful the country is, but the various restrictions meant we got to experience it without any tourist crowds. A dream for us, but tough on the locals.

Winter 2022, I followed Léo’s lead and ticked the “no health restrictions” box to explore Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Last winter, I went back to Asia for a month with a couple of friends (a first for me!) on a Laos/Cambodia trip I’d been dreaming of for ages. Angkor and its temples lived up to all expectations! Then a quick trip to the Sultanate of Oman, where I came back with my second Covid 🤪

Of course, I’ve also kept exploring our continent with a few summer getaways (in no particular order): Hvar and Ljubljana (Croatia and Slovenia), Rhodes (Greece), Puglia, the Bay of Naples (Italy), Faro (Portugal), Chania (Crete), and even Brittany this summer!!

In exactly 8 weeks from today, we’ll be flying to Sydney for a month, and I have to admit, it feels surreal to finally discover this last continent—like a "Terra incognita" for me...

This little recap is just to say I’m *really* hoping for another lockdown so I can write all these travel journals on the site. Joking, of course—when you look back at what we’ve all been through, no one wants that to happen again!

Wishing you all wonderful travels—the world is incredible, and one lifetime won’t be enough to see it all. So share your adventures with us now that the site’s back up and running!! Hugs

Starry twilight at Namibrand

Last winter, I returned to Asia for a month with a couple of friends (a first for me!) on a Laos/Cambodia trip I’d been wanting to do for ages. Angkor and its temples lived up to all their promises!

Hi there,

If you write a travel journal to share the story, I’ll be a loyal reader! 🙂 I’ve already been to Cambodia, but I’m considering this combo for the medium term—with my partner and friends.

P.S. Lovely photo!

No vaccinations as far as I'm concerned, and just two tiny bouts of Covid in the last 12 months.

But no, no, we won’t talk about that.

Even though we were pretty privileged (house and garden in the countryside), I really struggled during that cursed period! Like many, it seems, we traveled less far—several big motorcycle trips around France, then a bit farther: 10 days in Seville, which let us explore the city properly, wander around at leisure, and the same in Athens before heading back to the US in 2022. Same here, I really feel like I lost 2 years... 😕 and lost time can’t be made up for.

For my part, not being so young anymore, there was definitely a sense of relief but no explosion of joy. I just had the feeling of picking up the thread of life after a pause in the fog, with the bitter taste that part of 2 or 3 years of my life had been stolen from me.

Hi Léo, don’t worry—you’re not the only one with that feeling. I completely relate. What a great project, Algeria by motorcycle (you’re doing your own little Dakar all by yourself)! I hope you find someone to join you really soon. I started traveling again in Nov 22 (Israel, the whole country by rental car), then Jan 23 Singapore and Malaysia, Jan 24 the entire Rajasthan (a month by car with a driver and two women I didn’t know and didn’t end up forming a friendship with), and yesterday I got back from 5 weeks driving Route 66 in a rental car—couldn’t find a cowboy to do it by motorcycle, sadly. With every trip, I realize the pleasure just isn’t the same anymore. I have big moments of loneliness and a huge need to share, to not travel alone anymore. But if the perfect travel companion were as easy to find as a horse’s hoof, we’d all know about it... Anyway, a big THANK YOU to VF for finally reopening the forum—we missed it so much. Léo, I wish you all the best for 2025 and some amazing trips (for me, it’s South India in February or March, and in autumn 2025 I hope to do the Blues Trail). Take care, my friend. Régine

My mistake: the Algeria by motorcycle trip isn’t mine—it’s the Paris-Dakar.

Hi everyone,

During this period of restrictions, we took the opportunity to visit Norway in 2020 and then Iceland in 2021 to explore volcanic activity.



Back in Switzerland, we bought a Defender, which we fitted out and used to return to Iceland. After that, we roamed around Switzerland, France, Sardinia, Greece, Albania, Morocco, and most importantly, we went back to Iceland this year.

Iceland

Morocco

Hello everyone. What a joy to see the forum reopen and to reconnect with you all. During this time, I went to Morocco twice. What a wonderful country 🧡💚, and as soon as the borders reopened, I headed back to India—three trips and I still can’t get enough. One trip to Karnataka and Maharashtra, and two to Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, which I didn’t know very well 😊😄. I’m leaving Thursday for a month-long trip to Cambodia. I’ll definitely be writing a travel journal when I return before heading back to India in mid-March—Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. The journal will be a must because it’s not easy to find info on this region, which seems extraordinary. So see you soon for new adventures! 😄🧡💛 Mariejo