Travel companions for South India, Sri Lanka, or Mexico – fall 2026

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

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

Hello,

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

Stay cozy (life is beautiful outside too).

Best regards

hi there I’d love to travel with you if you cover my airfare… But for real heat, the best destination is Mauritania🙂

Hi there, I found round-trip tickets for 561 € with AirFrance/KLM to Bangalore. Plan on about 25 € per day per person, all included, once you're there. No issues with heat or sunshine (I’ve been there three times during this season). Best, JPBRIERE

Hi



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



Are you sure this photo was taken in India?

in South Africa

I’ve rarely seen beaches this empty in India, or those "thatched cottages" 😏

Nice one! South Africa is always a great pleasure.

South Africa is always a great pleasure

I much prefer India and Sri Lanka—that’ll be for this winter. I’ve been there before, back in 1975. I’m sure things have changed since then. 😏

I just found a round-trip ticket to Bangalore for 530 € with Air France from January 25 to March 8. If my health is good, I’ll be going!

hi there and thanks for the info! is the photo you posted taken in INDIA?

no, in South Africa

and the profile photo (school transport for 6 kids + one adult, by motorbike in Bali)

Hello, I'm considering a cycling trip to Mexico from early January to early April. I plan to start in Cancun and finish in Mexico City. The beginning of the route will be quite flat, but from Chiapas onward, it'll be mountainous. I know this country a bit, and the terrain makes me hesitate a bit since the years are passing and I'll be turning 76 in October. I still feel capable of doing this trip, but a flatter region might be better suited to my age.

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

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

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

Here’s a map of the Mexico trip—it’s a draft to modify and adapt. I’ve done all the routes from Palenque in 2016 and 2020. I don’t know the Yucatán, which seems quite flat and monotonous, but it’s a good way to get your legs ready. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1Ooy_g3AVGGiWhPo6KD-VSYOmX2C5SYo&usp=sharing

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

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

Hi Jean-Pierre,

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

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

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

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

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

Best,

Jean Marie

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

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

Bonjour Jean-Pierre,

Pour la descente du Mékong en bateau je sais qu’il existe des bateaux lents réguliers qui relient Huay Xai (poste frontière Thaïlande Laso le plus au nord) et Luang Phrabang en 2 jours avec une nuit à Pak Beng. Il y a beaucoup d’hébergements à Pak Beng. Je n’ai pas fait ce parcours en bateau mais j’ai passé une nuit à Pak Beng où je suis passé à vélo en 2017.

Le compte rendu d’une croisière « confort » entre Houay Xay et Luang Phrabang. Bien que la page ait été mise à jour cette croisière doit dater de plusieurs années car la conversion Euros vers Kips donne moins de 10 000 Kips pour un Euros alors que depuis quelques années car le Kip s’est beaucoup dévalué depuis 2021. On avait plus de 20 000 Kips pour 1 Euro en 2024 et le cours actuel est d’environ 25 000 Kips pour 1 Euro.https://thailande-et-asie.com/slow-boat-mekong-2-jours-entre-houai-sai-luang-prabang

Autre récit de voyageur https://www.ici-laos-cambodge.fr/slow-boat-laos/

Les différentes options pour cette croisière https://peuplesdumekong.com/blog/slow-boat-mekong

Il existe aussi des bateaux rapides réguliers qui font la liaison entre Phnom Penh au Cambodge et Chau Doc au Vietnam en 4 à 5 heures. Ces bateaux s’arrêtent aux postes frontières fluviaux Cambodgiens et Vietnamiens pour les formalités.

Bateaux rapides entre Phnom Penh et chau Doc https://www.baolau.com/fr/transportation/vietnam/ferries/hct-hang-chau-tourist/

A part ces deux liaisons, courtes par rapport la longueur du Mekong dans la traversée de ces pays, il n’y a pas à ma connaissance de liaison régulière pour le reste du parcours. Il est probablement possible d’organiser une croisière en bateau privée mais le budget à prévoir doit être conséquent.

Il y a des chutes infranchissables en bateau sur le Mékong au Sud du Laos et seulement un poste frontière terrestre entre le Laos et le Cambodge.

Cordialement

Jean Marie