Prologue

This journal recounts a trip to Rajasthan that’s already over a year old and that I’ve only now found the chance to write about. The summer of 2024 marked my return to India—my tenth trip—after six long years away since my last solo wanderings in Tamil Nadu in 2018 (the journal of which is published on this site). That absence was partly (but not only) due to the long COVID and post-COVID period, which saw a complete halt and then a major slowdown in global tourism. To top it off, Voyage Forum announced its closure in an end-of-the-world atmosphere. A sad time for our favorite social activity…

A few weeks after returning from Rajasthan, I tried to motivate myself to start writing a journal to publish on a forum claiming to be VF’s successor, which I’d eventually signed up for out of desperation. But I kept hesitating and putting the project off because, for one, I no longer have the time I used to. For another, the vibe wasn’t really taking off on that forum—it was overrun with ads and not very active, contrary to what its host’s name suggested. Despite its good intentions and commendable role as a stopgap, it also turned out to be very impractical to use, especially when you don’t have much time like me. I’ll admit I’d occasionally check back on VF to see if anything was happening. But all the discussions remained frozen in time, stuck in that fateful year, 2020. Then, rumors swirled online about shady reasons behind its closure, leaving little room for hope.

And then, one fine morning, I got a message at work from Marien informing me that VF had reopened. What a huge surprise! Even though the forum’s “end” had played out in a somewhat apocalyptic atmosphere, the memories of passionate and heated discussions, the frank debates, and the useful exchanges that made this site a traveler’s goldmine and a unique hub of conviviality all came rushing back to me like a breath of fresh air. I finally saw a sign and tried to motivate myself to find the time to publish the journal of this tenth trip to India and fifth to Rajasthan. But in the end, I got bogged down in professional and family obligations and never managed to find the time to get started. That’s now fixed, though, because I had two reasons for wanting to do it: I find that looking back on a trip to tell others about it is a highly beneficial introspective exercise. Also, I thought this journal could be useful to other travelers on a few points.

Because, “do we really need yet another journal about Rajasthan?” you might rightly ask! Especially in a time when so many journals about the “Land of Kings” have been published since VF’s return, not to mention the countless stories you can already find online about this region, one of India’s most touristy. And I’d add, why go back to Rajasthan for a fifth time, where I’ve already dragged my feet more than enough—through its forts, deserts, temples, cities, villages, bumpy roads, train stations, tasty street food stalls, cheap guesthouses, and more? Where some might see just another overhyped tourist destination full of the same old *Arabian Nights* clichés, worn to a thread, that I mentioned earlier, when there’s so much else to see in India? Well, first because it’s a magnificent country I never tire of, where I started an academic study and made so many connections. It’s also packed with places where you won’t find a single tourist (right, Marie-Jo?), even in the heart of well-trodden paths and classic itineraries. And most importantly, as I said earlier, things have changed in recent years. First, after six years without traveling far, the urge to go back to India was getting stronger. But this time, no more solo trips (often) or duo adventures (sometimes)—now it’s a team of four that has to come along! And even if you can argue with that, what better place than Rajasthan to introduce India to people who’ve never seen it? To kids you want to amaze? Plus, traveling with your new little family to your favorite country isn’t the same as going solo in often spartan conditions that only affect you. It’s a different challenge, but ultimately probably much harder. So, is it really reasonable to take two kids to India, including a two-year-old baby? That’s one of the main goals of this journal (but not the only one)—to try to answer that question.

As you can tell, it’s not so much the destination but the slightly unusual setup of this trip that, in my opinion, will make this journal interesting. Despite my experience and expertise (yes, I dare say it) in India, there were plenty of questions before we finalized the plan and said, “Alright, let’s go!” The questions were flying for us parents. Is it wise to travel to India with a two-year-old? What would we do (it happened) if the kids got very sick? Would they be able to handle a road trip on Rajasthan’s bumpy, dusty roads using public transport? Could they handle the shock of such a different world—the dirt, poverty, pollution, noise (…and the smell, as they say), the spicy food, monkeys, mosquitoes, snakes, tigers, leopards, and so on? In short, all the clichés that I usually joke about suddenly became potential realities. Another concern: as a mixed Franco-African family (not me, but my partner and her oldest), wouldn’t we risk not always being well received, given what you sometimes hear about that in India? How would Indians react to seeing a mixed-race family, the ultimate taboo in a country of purity and social segregation, which would undoubtedly raise many questions for them? Of course, not everything went as expected… Because, as you know, with India—and what makes it charming for some—there are always complications: sometimes where you don’t expect them… and sometimes where you do. I’ll go into detail about that in the journal to come (not right away) and in the final review (even later). These experiences could be useful to travelers who find themselves in similar situations and have the same questions we did before embarking on such a journey. And maybe it’ll spark the curiosity of those who aren’t concerned and will read yet another Rajasthan journal, but with its own unique twists.

Despite my unchanged constraints, which mean I have little time to write this, I don’t want to rush the story, so I’ll take my time. There will probably be lulls. I hope that won’t stop people from coming to react, debate, share their impressions, or ask for information.

Travel Journal: 21 Days in La Gomera and La Palma From February 6 to February 26, 2024

Tuesday, February 6 We left around 9 AM with our car, along with Pierre-Paul and Patricia, heading to the Bluepark parking lot in Bartenheim. As expected, we were awaited and left promptly for EuroAirport Basel. Took off at 12:25 PM for a 4-hour-15-minute flight under excellent conditions. Beautiful arrival in Tenerife with Teide in sight under a clear blue sky. Fifteen minutes later, we waited for bus No. 40 to Los Cristianos with quite a few other tourists, but we managed to find four seats. From the bus station, it was a 20-minute walk to our hotel. We checked into a lovely apartment for the four of us, complete with all the comforts. Outside, it was quite warm—at least 25°C! After dropping off our luggage, we went for a stroll. The immediate surroundings of the hotel held no interest for us: a modern, concrete area filled with hotels, bars, tourist agencies, and unappealing restaurants all offering the same bland international cuisine. Pat went to cool off at the pool, unfortunately overrun by loud, drunk English tourists. I took a walk to the paseo maritimo that leads to the port, skirting the seafront. The promenade was pleasant, but it could have been any seaside resort in the world—same old scene: a succession of bars with blaring music where many elderly people sipped cold beers waiting for the sunset, the backdrop a wall of resort-style hotels resembling rabbit hutches! Upon reaching the port, I scouted the route we’d take the next day to the Fred Olsen ferry. Back at the apartment, in the early evening, we looked for a non-touristy restaurant for dinner. Monique stopped a woman to ask her opinion! In this area, she told us, there’s no restaurant that serves Canarian or Spanish cuisine! The only place with decent restaurants is at the port. Off we went to the port, where we sat down at Al Bordo restaurant and ordered a seafood paella for four. Excellent, and at a very reasonable price (36 € for two). We returned to the hotel along the seafront.

Wednesday, February 7

Woke up at 6 AM. Had breakfast in the apartment with what we’d bought the day before at a supermarket. It was still dark when we left on foot toward the port, walking along the calm seafront at this early hour. Forty minutes later, we arrived and waited 10 minutes before the ferry docked. At 9:30 AM, we left the port of Los Cristianos for a 50-minute crossing on a calm sea under a beautiful blue sky. There were quite a few people on this large ferry, but many had no luggage, meaning they were visiting La Gomera for the day and would take the ferry back in the evening. Upon disembarking, we went straight to our rental car agency to pick up the car we’d booked online a few months earlier. It was a nice Peugeot 2008, spacious enough for the four of us and our luggage. We immediately took the beautiful road from San Sebastián that climbs directly into the mountains toward our rental in Vallehermoso. The road was in perfect condition—it seemed brand new, like all the others we’d take on this island later. This side of the island is very arid with little vegetation, and the terrain is particularly rugged, as it is throughout the island. We stopped at our first miradors, which would be followed by many more throughout our Canarian trip. Our first visit was to the small village of Agulo, perched on a promontory above the sea and at the foot of a high cliff. The village features typical Canarian houses with windows flush with the façade and black volcanic stone masonry on white or reddish-brown walls. The first recommended restaurant was already booked for a group, so we settled for the shaded terrace of the excellent El Alameda bar-restaurant. From Agulo, you can access the Abrante viewpoint via a winding road, where the view of Agulo, 600 meters below, is exceptional. A glass ledge over the void lets you test your fear of heights!

We drove to Vallehermoso to do our grocery shopping at the supermarket—a habit that would continue until the end of the trip. Our little house, "Casa rural El Encatadora," is located in a beautiful flower-filled valley a few kilometers west of Vallehermoso. Each of us had a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, plus a living room, kitchen, and a small terrace overlooking the quiet street at the valley’s end, which didn’t bother us at all.

Thursday, February 8 The good weather seemed to follow us since our arrival in the Canary Islands. This morning, we took the road—still as beautiful and new—toward Arure, high up to the west. The landscape was magnificent, with breathtaking glimpses of the sea far below. In Arure, we parked in front of Conchita’s bar, where a hike (Rother No. 30) starts toward two viewpoints: Alojera, which we reached after 45 minutes on a lovely path. Monique, tired from the first steep climb, stopped at the first viewpoint and hitchhiked back to Arure. Meanwhile, we continued toward the second viewpoint, Los Barranquillos, where the view of the surroundings was partially hidden by misty clouds rising from the sea. The entire mountain is sculpted by ancient, endless terraces climbing until the slope becomes too steep for construction—visible traces of the hard work of past inhabitants trying to survive in a harsh environment. We had a decent lunch at La Conchita bar, then drove to the small seaside town of Puerto la Caleta, sheltered by an immense cliff plunging into the sea. Black sand beach, rough sea—despite our encouragement, Pat didn’t dare to swim! As for the old village of Caleta, it’s perched on the mountainside, and visiting it requires climbing steep, stair-filled alleys to discover a few traditional houses. Back at the casa, dinner in, and card games...

Vallehermoso

Friday, February 9 This morning, the sky was overcast, and the peaks around us were shrouded in clouds. We took the same road as yesterday to hike Las Creces. Quickly gaining altitude, we entered a thick fog—visibility was very limited. We stopped at the Las Creces parking lot; visibility improved, and the sun wasn’t far off. The hike is entirely within a beautiful laurel forest, with the sun playing hide-and-seek, but it wasn’t cold despite the altitude. After finishing the loop trail, we decided to picnic—not there, as it was too chilly—but on Vallehermoso’s beach, where we found a nice picnic area sheltered by large black rocks. A short digestive walk on the surrounding hill to admire the little beach from above. Back in Vallehermoso, we did some grocery shopping, then tried to return to the casa—only to find ourselves locked out because we’d left the key in the lock inside! After several attempts and with the help of Yéli, a relative of the owner we called for help, we were finally able to get back in!

Saturday, February 10

It rained last night, and the sky remained overcast. Monique decided to rest this morning. PP, Pat, and I set off on the hike that starts from the house toward the Marichal reservoir. The sun wasn’t far off, and by 11 AM, it was fully out. The pleasant hike passed by many flower-filled gardens and orchards—orange, lemon, and mandarin trees in fruit. The path climbed gently toward the reservoir, where the view of the Cano rock dominating the landscape was magnificent. The last part of the climb was a bit tough, overgrown with lush vegetation, and the trail was slippery from last night’s rain. We descended via a different, much more pleasant path and returned to the casa just in time for lunch, prepared by Monique. This valley is rich with its many farmers and market gardeners who’ve cultivated the entire valley, taking advantage of the water flowing down from the mountain, captured upstream and redistributed through countless pipes snaking along the paths. Numerous tanks also store water during dry periods. The houses are scattered across both sides of the valley, and these colorful little homes add a beautiful touch to the landscape. The many palm trees give this valley a distinctly tropical feel—you could almost imagine yourself in the Caribbean. Add to that some salsa music drifting from a hut where farmers were working, and the picture is complete. A well-chilled beer apéro capped off a lovely morning. The afternoon was dedicated to rest, relaxation, reading, and games.

Sunday, February 11 The blue sky returned, though a few clouds still capped the highest peaks. Today, we visited Garajonay National Park, which covers the highest central mountains. Up there, we were above the clouds, and the panoramas from the various viewpoints were stunning: first, Cherelepin, accessible from the Laguna Grande parking lot, then Alto de Garajonay, offering an exceptional view of Teide—over 3,000 meters high—emerging from the clouds on Tenerife, far in the distance. We continued to the Los Roques viewpoints, then stopped for lunch at the Degollada de Peraza restaurant, where the view of the barranco was impressive. We descended toward San Sebastián and checked into our new lodging, La Cabezada, located in the countryside about 3 km above San Sebastián. It’s a small apartment adjacent to the owner’s, with a lovely terrace overlooking the surrounding mountains and surrounded by a beautiful garden. Apéro, then dinner on our beautiful terrace.

Monday, February 12 This morning, we went down to visit San Sebastián de La Gomera: its old tower, main street with some beautiful traditional houses, and the Church of the Assumption. Back at the casa for lunch. In the afternoon, Pat, PP, and I set off on the short hike from San Sebastián beach to La Guancha beach. We drove down and parked on the beach. The path climbs along the hill overlooking San Sebastián, passes by the tall Christ statue dominating the landscape, and roughly follows the coast down to the isolated Guancha beach. A beautiful hike under a hot sun, and a swim was welcome, even if the beach and sea access weren’t very comfortable due to large pebbles and quickly deepening water. Apart from two nudist bathers, there was no one on this beach. We returned the same way.

Tuesday, February 13 Rest day. We went down to town to stroll and do some shopping. I took the opportunity to visit the parador, beautifully situated above the city in a lovely garden overlooking the port and town. Together, we went for a cuba libre at the "Cuba Libre" bar, then had lunch at Breñusca (mediocre paella!). Back at the casa, then we went back down to town to see a carnival parade, a "passacalles," which actually passed an hour earlier than scheduled. Oh well.

Wednesday, February 14 Each to their own program this morning. Pat went swimming at San Sebastián beach, Monique rested at the casa, and PP and I set off on the hike from Playa de Avalos to the Ermita de Guadalupe on Playa del Cangrejo. It wasn’t easy to find the right road or the parking spot, but we managed. The path seemed to have suffered landslides, according to a sign at the trailhead! We decided to check it out, ready to turn back if it seemed too dangerous. In the end, apart from one or two slightly tricky spots where we had to climb a pile of rocks, the trail remained passable, though a bit vertigo-inducing in places. The narrow path clings to very vertical cliffs nearly 300 meters above sea level! But what a magnificent view. At one point, the trail runs alongside a wall of basaltic pipes. We returned via the drivable track that parallels the trail a bit lower. Back at the house for lunch. In the late afternoon, we returned to town to attend the "Entierro de las Sardinas" (Burial of the Sardine), which closes the Canarian carnival festivities. While waiting, we strolled through the parador’s gardens and had mojitos in town. Around 9 PM, we heard the noise and cries of the mourners. The procession advanced, led by a large papier-mâché sardine on a float, surrounded by wailing mourners. The procession headed toward the sea, where the sardine was burned, and a mini fireworks display ended the procession. It was all very good-natured, and everyone had fun. We ended the evening with dinner at a good fish restaurant, El Pajar.

Entierro de la Sardina in San Sebastián de La Gomera

Thursday, February 15

Woke up at 5:15 AM. The only suitable ferry was at 7 AM, which would get us to La Palma by late morning rather than evening. We packed our bags, had breakfast, then headed to the port, left our rental car, and boarded the ferry to Tenerife, from where we’d continue to La Palma. Calm sea, beautiful sun—by 10:30 AM, we disembarked in La Palma. We picked up our car and immediately headed to our new apartment in Breña Alta. It’s a large apartment with a superb terrace facing the sea, fully equipped and very comfortable. The hosts recommended Casa Goyo restaurant, near the airport and close to us. It’s a restaurant with many small rooms, some of which can be reserved for families. The fish-based cuisine (chipirones, pulpo) was excellent, hearty, and reasonably priced. Since it’s in the airport’s flight path, we occasionally heard planes landing. Quick and efficient service. Afterward, we visited Santa Cruz de La Palma, which reminded us of the historic quarters of La Orotava in Tenerife or the capital of Gran Canaria.

Friday, February 16

Beautiful weather, blue sky. We headed to the San Bartolo viewpoint toward the northeast coast, then to the lovely village of San Andrés, which we explored. From there, we walked along the shore to the natural pools of Charco Azul, where we swam in the cool but "swimmable" sea. Back in San Andrés for lunch at the "San Andrés" restaurant on the beautiful church square. Very good fish-based meal. We got back in the car and continued along the north coast to the port of Espindola and the natural pools of Fajana near the Cumplida lighthouse. A fairly strong wind whipped up beautiful waves crashing onto the rocky coast in bursts of foam. Back in Santa Cruz, we stopped at the Mercadona supermarket to buy fresh shrimp for dinner. San Andrés

Saturday, February 17

Uniform blue sky, even on the heights. We took the beautiful road that winds up to the summit of the Caldera de Taburiente. Several viewpoints offer 360° views of the entire island and beyond: you can make out La Gomera, El Hierro, and, of course, Tenerife with the perfect triangle of Teide. We parked at the Los Andes viewpoint parking lot and started our hike to Pico de la Cruz along a trail following the ridge, offering superb views into the caldera. We got back in the car and passed by the Roque de los Muchachos astronomical complex, composed of numerous observatories, some with very aesthetic mirror telescopes. We hiked from the Roque de los Muchachos parking lot to the various viewpoints, always as impressive. Picnic on site, then back to Santa Cruz. We stopped by our car dealer because the oil warning light came on—better safe than sorry. The representative reassured us but preferred to give us a Fiat Cross SUV instead. The Caldera de Taburiente

Sunday, February 18 The weather was a bit mixed, with cloudy patches. We set off to hike the Barranco de la Cuba de Galga. Unfortunately, the Los Tilos trail had been closed for several months due to a major landslide. The parking lot by the road was already quite full, and indeed, we crossed paths with many hikers along the way—it’s an easy hike with little elevation gain, which is rare here in La Palma! The beautiful path winds through a very narrow, deep gorge covered in lush tropical vegetation—you’d think you were in a Southeast Asian forest, especially with the humidity in the gorge bringing out earthy and floral scents. Halfway through, Monique turned back while the rest of us continued to the Cuba de Galga. A light drizzle accompanied us on the return. For lunch, we went to Chipi Chipi restaurant in the heights of Santa Cruz. The cool air forced us to leave the lovely terrace for the slightly noisy dining room. The meal was very good and hearty. Afternoon spent resting at our house.

La Cuba de la Galga

Monday, February 19 A few clouds still clung to the nearby mountain peaks. We headed south to Los Canarios. We stopped in front of the small San Antonio Abad church, where a path leads to the viewpoint in 15 minutes. Then we visited the San Antonio Volcano Interpretation Center and climbed to the viewpoint via the trail along the crater’s edge, offering a plunging view into the crater. Then PP, Pat, and I headed toward the Teneguía volcano but turned back given the remaining distance and the intense heat bearing down on us! Plus, the landscape was rather arid and not very interesting. We got back in the car and drove down to the salt flats at the island’s southern tip. The ocean crashes here in large waves, exploding against the volcanic rocks and feeding a "blowhole" carved into the rock. We stopped for drinks at the salt flats restaurant, then headed home. The salt flats in Fuencaliente

Tuesday, February 20 Beautiful weather with a few clouds clinging to the mountains, as usual. A relaxed morning since my parking reservation at La Cumbrecita didn’t start until 1 PM. It takes about 30 minutes from Santa Cruz to reach the valley floor via a beautiful but narrow road toward the end, though there’s very little traffic. Meanwhile, the clouds had disappeared, and the view from the La Cumbrecita viewpoint was superb. We recognized Pico de la Cruz in the distance, where we’d been a few days earlier. We then took the path leading to the Las Chozas viewpoint through a magnificent Canarian pine forest. We picnicked on site, then took the path to the Los Roques viewpoint. We returned the same way since the direct route was closed for construction. Back in Santa Cruz, we visited the Sanctuary of Las Nieves, with its beautiful golden Baroque altar. Hike from La Cumbrecita

Wednesday, February 21 After packing our things and loading the car, we left Santa Cruz under a very blue sky for Los Llanos de Aridane, where we stopped to visit this lovely town. The Church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios has a beautiful coffered ceiling and an original papier-mâché Christ statue from the 16th century. Around it, colorful old Canarian houses brighten the streets of the town center. We took the opportunity to stroll, do some shopping, and finally sat down at La Pergola restaurant for a mediocre lunch. We got back in the car to check into our new house in Arecida. On the way, we stopped at the Mirador del Time, which once again offered an impressive panorama, allowing us—for the first time—to see the damage caused by the Tajogaite volcano eruption in 2021. You can clearly see the still-smoking crater and the large black lava flow covering the landscape down to the sea. We really liked our new accommodation: a local house that’s been renovated on the heights of Arecida, not far from the Canarian pine forest. From several terraces, we have a 360° view of the sea and mountains. We even have a private pool! There are two beautiful, brand-new bedrooms, each with its own bathroom—the best. Plus, we’re on the GR 131 trail that runs along the Barranco de las Angustias toward the northeast.

Los Llanos de Aridane

Thursday, February 22 Once again, beautiful weather greeted us when we woke up. We started the GR 131 with the goal of reaching the Torre del Time viewpoint—about 400 meters of elevation gain. The path, quite steep at first, winds through a superb Canarian pine forest. A few viewpoints let you appreciate the sheer drop of the Barranco de las Angustias—watch out for vertigo! At the Torre del Time viewpoint, there’s a nearly 1,000-meter vertical drop. We returned via another path, the PLP1, which meanders first through this beautiful forest, then along lovely flower-filled gardens adjacent to beautiful properties that cascade from the forest down to the road serving these neighborhoods. This afternoon, we tried to get closer to the area devastated by the 2021 lava flows. Several roads are still closed or reserved for residents, while others—brand new—have been rebuilt to open up this densely populated and cultivated region. In some places, the lava flow slightly diverted, sparing some properties that logically should have disappeared. Now, they’re encircled by a massive cooled lava field. In other spots, twisted and charred metal scraps or greenhouse remains protrude from the lava—all that’s left of the former banana plantations. A little higher up, you can see the slightly smoking crater of Tajogaite, responsible for this disaster. Back to Casa Barreros.

View of Los Llanos and, in the background, the 2021 lava flow

Friday, February 23

Though the sky was still blue, the temperature had dropped due to a chilly wind. By midday, it still rose to 22°C. Today, we headed north, specifically to the town of Tijarafe, where a very narrow road descends to the small port, Porís de Candelaria. The 3.7-kilometer road drops 700 meters in elevation, with gradients up to 30%—it was going to be intense! Indeed, the descent was scary, with the void right next to the very narrow road where passing was impossible except at a few rare spots. Everything went well—there was little traffic at this early hour. From the parking lot at the bottom, a path leads to Porís de Candelaria. It’s surprising to see this small fishing hamlet nestled in the shelter of an immense cave opening onto the sea, which was quite rough today. The sun, at this time of year, would appear late in the cave, which remained in shadow for much of the day. We returned via the same road, strolled through the small town of Puntagorda, and had lunch at El Jardín de los Naranjos restaurant—excellent meal. Fishing hamlet of Candelaria

Saturday, February 24 The air was still cool, but the sun was beautiful. While Monique stayed home to rest, the three of us headed to the village of Las Tricias to hike the Buracas Caves trail. We left the car parked on the LP1 road and took the small paved road down to the sign marking the trail’s start. The signage for all the trails we took here, as in La Gomera, was very well done. The path descended steadily, then more steeply toward the caves where the island’s first inhabitants lived—some petroglyphs are still visible in certain caves. The path then climbed back up, passing magnificent dragon trees and more or less elaborate huts occupied by Germans who’ve lived here for many years. Back at Casa Barreros for some rest.

Sunday, February 25 The weather once again blessed us with a beautiful day. This morning, we visited the local produce market held on weekends in Puntagorda. You’ll find agricultural products, crafts, and food to keep you going. A little further on, there’s a glass viewpoint overlooking the barranco plunging toward the sea, with a view of the thrill-seekers trying the zip line right next to it. Lunch at Naranjos—definitely a good spot—with their shrimp and spice tagliatelle. Back home for an afternoon of relaxation.

Monday, February 26 We left Arecida under a cloudy sky. Driving up from Los Llanos de Aridane toward the east, an enormous cascade of clouds poured from the mountain peaks into the Los Llanos plain—very impressive. Arriving in Santa Cruz, we went for a stroll, did some last-minute shopping, then had a final good-quality paella at La Chalana on the paseo maritimo. We left the car in the parking lot and took the 5 PM Olsen ferry to Tenerife on a slightly choppy sea, but the ferry didn’t rock too much. Arriving at 7:15 PM, we dropped off our things near the port in our reserved apartment and went for dinner at Abordo—rubbery chipirones. A digestive stroll among the ever-increasing number of tourists in Los Cristianos—restaurants were packed to the brim, the season is in full swing here. Gone is the calm of La Gomera and La Palma, and the laid-back tourism of German hikers among whom a few French were hiding!

Tuesday, February 27 To make our homemade breakfast more enjoyable, we went to buy pastries at the local bakery, then took one last walk on the paseo along the beaches, mingling with the many mobility scooters driven by elderly or disabled people, joggers, and tourists. Last apéro near the bus station, then off to the airport. After a smooth 4-hour-30-minute flight, we arrived in Basel-Mulhouse at 10:20 PM.

THE END

Conclusion A fantastic trip to two islands with magnificent and diverse nature, where landscapes range from desert-like to tropical depending on exposure to winds and clouds. Thanks to the many beautiful viewpoints, you can truly appreciate these exceptionally dynamic reliefs. A hiker’s paradise, the trails are all very well marked, though the choice of easy or moderate paths for "casual walkers" is quite limited. Another notable advantage, in our opinion, is that these islands are very lightly developed—you’ll hardly see any of those ugly hotel blocks that spoil the landscapes of some other Canary Islands. It’s true that the beaches on these two islands don’t meet traditional international tourism criteria: they’re small, with black sand, and often difficult to access. Special mention for the quality of the road network (except for a few small local roads), which seems brand new, well-paved, and well-signposted. We also enjoyed exceptional weather for February, with fewer than three days of gray or rainy weather out of 21.

Almost all the accommodations we chose met or exceeded our expectations, often at reasonable prices: an average of 98 € per night for an apartment or house with two bedrooms for four people.

All photos can be viewed by clicking this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/G44pPk4g9PW1rNzg8

I'm starting a new travel journal in Italy. It's about a month-long trip (from September 3, 2025, to October 4, 2025), or rather a part of it. This section matches the title: an opera festival in Verona (one evening) and the Dolomites in the Veneto region. I'm posting the part of the trip I think will interest French-speaking readers the most (since this is where I saw the most French travelers). Here’s a quick summary: - Trip in September 2025 - Solo travel with camping (caravan) - Small geographic area: besides Verona, the surroundings of the Marmolada massif and Cortina d'Ampezzo. - Main but not exclusive activity: hiking.

Since I have limited internet access where I am now, I’ll be writing slowly. Here we go!

Day 1: Thursday, September 4, 2025

I arrived in Veneto under the sun and with warm weather. I drove to Verona and tried to find a spot at the campsite (Verona Village) located south of the city. Unfortunately, it was full. Booking on the website was mandatory, but when I tried to reserve a few days ago, the site never moved from the "reservation" step to the "payment" step (I don’t know why—it’s always like that in these cases). I found another solution over the phone; the drive from southern Verona to the northeast was a bit long, but I finally settled at the "Oro Verde" campsite. It’s an "agricampeggio" (farm camping or rural campsite) on the outskirts of the city, and its name (green gold) suggests they produce olives there. Since it wasn’t late, I biked to the Adige River, following the recommended route into the city.

Hey there, community! Back this weekend, below is my travel journal from my adventure in Indonesia. Enjoy the read!!!

Day 1 - August 10, 2025 New life downloading for three weeks! And for that, Flo and I launched a public tender... A public tender? What’s that got to do with a travel journal???... Well, when you think about it, few destinations tick all the boxes for an August adventure: Meaning, finding a place that’s exotic in the middle of August, not too expensive, not too packed with tourists, warm but not *too* warm, with postcard-perfect landscapes, dreamy beaches, tasty cuisine with a hint of exoticism, friendly and welcoming locals, where you’re free to sleep under the stars among the mosquitos, take transport surrounded by chickens, and even eat from a pig trough if you feel like it—well, turns out it’s not that easy to find! I’d even say, given how thick the list of requirements is, there’s a big risk the tender could be declared unsuccessful for failing to meet just one criterion. Let’s just say the candidates better submit a rock-solid proposal!

After reviewing all the responses and presentations from the candidates, the obvious choice for us is... Indonesia! Except that trying to explore a country as vast as Indonesia and its 17,504 islands in less than five years is a bit like reading the summary of a Proust novel without taking the time to savor each of its 950 pages! Don’t worry, I won’t name them all here. Besides, do they even all have names? No! Only 7,870 have been named—their parents clearly ran out of ideas for the rest. Anyway, our society, which worships the "work more to earn more" mantra, unfortunately limits our adventure time. So we’ll only get to see a small part of Indonesia, and we’ll have to make a tough choice to head for the best of the best in this archipelago of over seventeen thousand islands. Each one has its own selling points: Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, the Celebes, Bali, Borneo, Papua, Timor, the Moluccas... So many names that smell of adventure... Another tender, another list of requirements, another review of proposals... Drumroll... Splash splash... And the lucky winner is... Ta-da... Java, Bali’s big sister, where I’ve already been eight years ago... Java the programming language. The Java of Broadway. We’re gonna *do* the Java. Java the coffee. And yes, Java is also an island!

This island, four times smaller than France, is home to 136 million people, making it the most populated island in the world! Fun fact: Indonesia, with its 260 million inhabitants, is just shy of the podium for the world’s most populated countries, after the winning trio of India, China, and the United States. And it’s on this island of Java that you’ll find Jakarta, the (soon-to-be-former) capital and main airport of the country, where we’ll soon land after our nineteen-hour flight! Yep, nineteen hours! I mean, Indonesia in general—and Java in particular—is a *tad* farther than going on vacation to Grandma Yoyo’s! Not sure where it is? Easy. Grab a map. Plant your finger on the big island at the bottom right—aka Australia for those who struggle with geography—move it up two centimeters, and bam, welcome to Indonesia!



Nice transition, right? Because "Welcome to Indonesia" is exactly what the friendly flight attendant just said to me as we got off the plane! That’s it, our chakras are open, we’ve arrived at our (air)port. Time for rest, pool, cocktails, and a beach with our toes spread out... Wait, if you bought that, you clearly don’t know us yet! Since we still have energy to burn and need to adjust to the flight and time difference, we tackle the long administrative formalities to enter Indonesia, just to earn the right to hop in a 45-minute Grab taxi to the train station. The train station? What train station?... What do you usually do at a train station? Take a train, of course! Off we go for a three-hour train ride to Bandung, where we’ll officially start our adventure tomorrow after our first Indonesian night...

Unfortunately, we were a bit slow off the mark, which meant we missed the 6:25 PM train by two minutes. Oh well, we’ll have to wait until 11 PM. We take the opportunity to stretch our legs in Jakarta, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy the delicious smells wafting from the *warungs*—those little typical street restaurants. A quick stop at the National Monument, a detour to a night market to devour our first *kwetiaw goreng* and *teh manis* for 60,000 rupiahs (that’s 3 € for two), and just like that, our penalty is lifted, and we’re allowed to hit the road again. Off to Bandung, where we arrive at 2 AM for... a *very* short night...

Hello everyone,

At the start of November, a bit of rest before winter will be perfect to kick off this travel journal. There aren’t many recent journals about this part of the world, so I’ll take the plunge—my way of celebrating the (unexpected) return of this forum, which has been such a big part of my life for over 15 years.

So, back to Asia at the end of 2023. After Myanmar in 2015 and Vietnam in 2018, we’ve chosen Laos this time. And when talking with friends (you know how it is—everyone asks, "So, where are you going this year?"), a couple of friends asked to join us ("You see, my wife dreams of a trip to Asia, and I dream of traveling like you, independently"). We’ve spent a week with them (and other friends) in Portugal, so we know they’re easygoing and flexible. They’ll only be with us after Christmas (due to lots of grandkids), so deal—we’re bringing them along! A new experience for us.

A new experience that’ll start with tweaking the itinerary. Originally, I planned to stay a month in Laos, but what could be more magical for my friend’s wife than discovering Asia by way of Angkor! Plus, our two daughters asked for some beach time at the end of the trip! So, it’ll be Laos and Cambodia—neither of which we’ve visited before, so no complaints there.

The route will be pretty classic, though a bit scattered to fit our dates and wishes. For us, we’ll arrive in Luang Prabang (LP) to take some time to acclimate, then a few days in the northern Laos mountains, Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi. Back to LP for a direct flight to Pakse. Yes, I know—so many amazing places we’ll miss along the way, but as you know, choosing means letting go... From Pakse, I’m leaving a few days open (no bookings), but I’m eyeing Champassak and the 4,000 Islands. That’s where Mariel and Naty (our friends!) will join us on December 30th. I’ve tentatively added the Bolaven Plateau loop to the plan (still no bookings). Their Laos adventure will be short—by January 3rd, we’ll cross the border into Cambodia, heading straight to Siem Reap for 5 days. Then, I’ll fulfill my promise with a magical detour to Koh Rong Sanloem via a night bus (a must-do in Asia!). On to Phnom Penh for 2 days—where our trip ends, while Mariel and Naty will stop in Bangkok for 3 days before flying home.

So, fasten your seatbelts, flight attendants at the doors, and sorry for the long intro—here we go on this Asian adventure!

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

Good evening everyone! 🙂

We’re back from our September 2025 road trip, this time to explore Arizona and New Mexico, and it’s time for me to start my travel journal—especially since everything’s already booked for another trip in September 2026 (to California), and I need to get started on the planning.

I was a little worried this new visit to Uncle Sam’s country might not be as "wow" as the others, but we still discovered some incredible places.

For those who don’t know us, we’re a couple in our seventies who speak very little English, but that didn’t stop us from fully enjoying our stay.

For this 6th road trip in the U.S., we spent 21 nights there, drove 4,160 km by car, and walked nearly 160 km in a loop starting from Phoenix.

We’d been to Arizona before (but not this side) and never to New Mexico. This whole road trip was a huge discovery for us.

In the prices mentioned (some in euros, others in dollars), bank fees and exchange charges are included. The flights, car rental, and parking were all paid for in December 2024 when we booked.

We’d downloaded the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) app, but there wasn’t a dedicated line at Phoenix Airport. Still, we got through quickly with friendly, smiling agents.

I don’t drive at all (I hate it), so the stops were chosen based on activities but also, for some, to limit daily mileage for the sole driver. The kilometers listed in the itinerary are the daily distances.

We traveled from September 9th to 22nd, unfortunately once again without our dear friends Mimi and Maumau.

The itinerary



Day 1: Flight Marseille-Paris-Phoenix, then Gold Canyon (133 km) Day 2: Tucson (271 km) Lost Dutchman State Park Day 3: Tucson (155 km) Day 4: Tucson (34 km) Day 5: Bisbee (182 km) Day 6: Lordsburg (345 km) Day 7: Las Cruces (253 km) Day 8: Alamogordo (162 km) Day 9: Roswell (264 km) Day 10: Tucumcari (369 km) Day 11: Las Vegas (281 km) – the one in New Mexico Day 12: Taos (213 km) Day 13: Santa Fe (224 km) Day 14: Albuquerque (123 km) Day 15: Gallup (246 km) Day 16: Holbrook (224 km) Day 17: Flagstaff (179 km) Day 18: Sedona (118 km) Day 19: Sedona (48 km) Day 20: Sedona (41 km) Day 21: Phoenix (256 km) Day 22: Phoenix Airport (35 km)

📊 **Budget**: A little over 7,500 € for both of us, all included. The exchange rate was in our favor (1.17 dollars to 1 €). 📊 **Flights**: Marseille-Paris Charles de Gaulle-Phoenix: 1,787 € for two, with one checked bag each (Air France) 📊 **ESTA**: $42 📊 **America the Beautiful Pass**: $80 📊 **Parking**: 134 € (super eco at Marseille) 📊 **Car rental (Hertz)**: 865 €. Since there were no SUVs left in the reserved category (Nissan Rogue), we got an upgrade (4x4 Ford Explorer). We booked through Air France (15% discount). We’d originally reserved it in December for 1,140 €, but since prices dropped in March, we canceled and rebooked for 865 €. Hertz offers a free Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program, which gives you priority counter service when picking up the car. 📊 **Accommodation**: 2,400 € We stayed in hotels and motels of varying standards (from 60 to 203 € per night, depending on the city), all booked through Booking.com or Hotels.com. Out of 21 nights, only two didn’t include breakfast in the price. Booking.com sometimes offers slightly cheaper rates if you book by phone using the mobile app, and our Genius 3 status on the site also got us some preferential rates. 📊 **Supplementary insurance**: AVA 200 € for medical care if needed 📊 **Cash**: $2,078. We left with 1,000 € exchanged before departure and made two withdrawals of $500. This cash covered: - Evening restaurants and tips - Midday picnics - Gas: $298 for 4,160 km - Museum and private park entries (per person): - Lost Dutchman: $10 - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: $28 - Bird Cage Theater: $16 - Tombstone Shootout: $8 - New Mexico Farm & Ranch Museum: $12 - Roswell International UFO Museum: $5 - Billy the Kid Museum: $7 - Rancho de Taos: $22 - West Fork Oak Creek Trail entry: $15 We got a few discounts thanks to our senior age (+65). - Souvenirs and little treats

Like on our previous road trips, we didn’t rent a GPS. We got around using offline GPS apps Here WeGo and Organic Maps, with maps of the states we visited downloaded before we left (on our phones).

❤️❤️❤️ **Highlights** (there are so many!) 📍 Goldfield Ghost Town (even if it’s a reconstruction) 📍 The standing army of Saguaro cacti at Saguaro National Park West 📍 Diving into the cowboy universe of Tombstone 📍 The welcome from Rick and Henry at our guesthouse in Bisbee (Garden at Mile High Ranch) 📍 The tangled rocks of Chiricahua National Monument 📍 The flavored pistachios from Dwayne’s Fresh Jerky and Mac Ginnis Pistachioland 📍 Restaurants: La Posta (Las Cruces), Diner 66 (Albuquerque), and the Haunted Hamburger (Jerome) 📍 The old plazas of New Mexico 📍 The solitude and beauty of the white dunes at White Sands National Park 📍 Stepping back in time at the Billy the Kid Museum (Fort Stanton) 📍 Sections of historic Route 66 and the old motels of Tucumcari, especially at night when all the neon lights are on 📍 Taos Pueblo and diving into Native American culture 📍 After the Rio Grande Bridge, the descent via NM 567 to the very bottom of the Rio Grande Gorge, then the road along the riverbanks to Taos 📍 The tranquility of the Chimayo Sanctuary 📍 Discovering the ingenious native dwellings at Bandelier National Monument and Walnut Canyon National Park 📍 The small towns along the Turquoise Trail 📍 The red rocks of Red Rock Park and the Painted Desert 📍 The extraordinary colors of the petrified trees at Petrified Forest National Park 📍 Sedona, its red rocks, and the reward of the viewpoints at the end of hikes (Devil’s Bridge, The Subway, and West Fork Oak Creek) 📍 The immersion in Mexico when visiting Tlaquepaque 📍 The almost-ghost town of Jerome and its terraced streets 📍 The incredible kindness of Americans, always ready to help and up for a chat ❤️

☹️☹️☹️ **Flops** (there are very few) 📍 Several museums and churches being closed, so we couldn’t visit them 📍 Some museums and visitor centers opening late (10 AM) and closing early (4 PM) 📍 A 64 € phone roaming charge because we got near the Mexican border and picked up their cell tower 📍 The outrageous price ($5.99) for a gallon of gas at the Shell near Phoenix Airport

I hope this helps! Anyway, thanks for reading my long post. Don’t hesitate to reach out, even via PM, if you see I haven’t replied and you’d like more details. Have a great evening, everyone! 🙂

From Southern Shikoku, between land and sea, to the blue waters of Miyakojima and finally Tokyo’s megacity

Hi everyone,

I have to admit, I really hesitated before deciding to write this travel journal... Writing one takes a lot of time and energy, and since this is my 4th trip, I wondered if it would even interest anyone other than myself (both for the discovery and the writing). But after a few people asked, "Are you going to write a journal?" and especially after rediscovering the joy of reading other travelers’ journals about Japan or elsewhere on this forum, I’ve decided to share my 4th installment in the Land of the Rising Sun here.

The itinerary: 27 full days, from late May to late June 2025, right in the middle of the rainy season, including:

-->13 days in Shikoku, from Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) to Matsuyama (Ehime Prefecture)



-->7 days in Miyakojima (Okinawa Prefecture)



-->7 days in Tokyo



The trip was decided on fairly last-minute again this year.

Since I regularly check flight prices to track fluctuations for this destination even without concrete plans, stumbling upon a slightly cheaper direct flight (900 €) than what I’d seen in previous months (around 1,200–1,400 € on average) for a Paris-Tokyo route with Japanese airline ANA was too tempting to resist the urge to return to this enchanting country. After much hesitation between exploring the San’in region (Matsue, Tottori, Yamaguchi) and Southern Shikoku, the decision was made—I took the plunge! The ticket is booked: Paris to Kochi with a layover in Tokyo, all with ANA, the airline I’d been dreaming of... for 1,120 € per person. Okay, it’s not cheap, but it’s better than in 2023.

Departure in 2 weeks! Now I just have to get everything ready!

Intense prep work over these next 2 weeks to:

finalize a more precise itinerary and reach an agreement—yep, because even though we both love Japan, our preferences differ slightly, and we have to choose between exploring new places or revisiting beloved spots... decide how much time to spend in each area without rushing while still exploring research places that might interest us and watch videos about Japan book accommodations: yes, it’s possible to do this on the spot, but last year, we realized that last-minute options were pretty expensive, so we’re booking ahead—though we’ll keep a few options open in case better deals pop up later reserve rental cars order yen check the weather regularly and wonder if choosing the *tsuyu* (rainy season) was really a good idea—are we going to be drenched the whole time???

"What hard work," you might say! Going to Japan for a month—what a tough life! Despite this being my 4th trip, the excitement is just as intense as the first time.

The only small downside is that when we booked the flight, there weren’t many seats left, so we’re only sitting together on the international return flight. Plus, on the way there, we have middle seats. Another lingering question: what French-language films will be available? According to the internet, the selection seems limited. Oh well, these are just minor details—it’s already time to fly! PS: I’ll be posting slowly and irregularly... so for those interested, be patient, and maybe set an alert...

A somewhat lengthy title... I could have simply written: from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, via Chiang Mai, since that was my route. But when poets embellish our travel journals with their verbal flourishes, you’ve got to try not to be too ordinary.

Skyscrapers of excess? You’ll have gathered that from the photo illustrating this journal—though it might change as the trip goes on.

The excess of markets—not so much in their size, though... Chatuchak... But in their sheer number. Day markets, night markets, floating markets, fresh produce markets, fish markets, meat markets, spice markets, fabric markets... and even... amulet markets... For luck, good fortune, protection. Not to mention, sadly, the market for girls—and boys, incidentally. I’ve even heard they’re displayed in windows. I’ve heard about that one, like you have, but I didn’t set foot in it, so I can’t say anything about it. Some even claim there’s a black-market trade in children. Disgusting! It reminded me of the book *The Parcel* by Anosh Irani, which I recommended in another journal. The story is set in India, but I’ve been told it exists in Thailand too. So, the "famous Thai markets" we’re bombarded with in paper and online guides—sure, they amazed me in the first few days, and I don’t regret visiting them. But no matter how big they were, I quickly got my fill since you saw the same things at every stall...

I had a market overdose.

Excess of tourism? I should say *tourists*, since I saw them literally swarming in the streets and those famous markets. I’d forgotten about them. I’d lost the habit, living in an Indian city for so long...

Waterfalls are a bit like markets. At this time of year, they’re not particularly spectacular, but they’re everywhere. There are the ones everyone goes to see. For example, Erawan, which I decided to skip even though it was in my original itinerary—I guessed it’d be a nightmare with the selfie circus. On the other hand, you come across them all over the place, hidden in the mountains and forests, not listed in any guide. Not to mention the ones you can find in temples or even private homes... Yes, really! Thais love waterfalls, so they install them in their gardens—and I even saw one in the middle of the city, right on the street! Sometimes they’re tiny, but very photogenic.

But what do ice cubes have to do with this? Why the excess of ice cubes? Not only are they everywhere by the ton, but they put them in *everything* you drink. You’d think they’d even put them in soup! And it’s not just one or two ice cubes—no! They fill the container to the brim, whatever it is, then pour the liquid on top to fill the gaps. They’ll make you an excellent coffee right in front of you, piping hot, then—bam! An avalanche of ice cubes in the glass. Okay, I’m exaggerating a little. They *do* sometimes ask if you prefer your coffee—or tea—hot. Everything edible, and especially everything drinkable, is refrigerated: vegetables, fruit, hot drinks (I mean, drinks that are *usually* hot), but meat and fish are left out in the open. They just wave a little whisk to shoo away the flies when they get too eager. Mind you, I never put fruit, cheese, eggs, or water in the fridge in France, but I do in India. And I refrigerate meat and fish too... Though sometimes one of those little flies sneaks into the fridge...

You won’t find practical or technical details in this journal, like addresses or prices. Others do that better than me. You also won’t find the names of obscure or unknown places I discovered, or directions to get there.

I don’t really feel like recounting what I saw day by day, following my schedule and route. There might be flashbacks, projections into the future. It’ll depend on my memories, what I felt, what I hated, what comes back to me—and maybe your questions and our exchanges. And for those who’ve never read me before, you’ll have to get used to my parentheses and digressions, maybe on a completely different subject, as my thoughts wander. Stories within stories. There’ll also be long, endless sentences—but still punctuated, so you can follow along. Though I used to curse Proust and his sentences that started on one page and ended on the next, sometimes even further. I’d have to reread them twenty times to follow and understand what he was saying. I hated Proust. But hey, I was 20. Maybe I’d like him now?

See? The digressions are starting already. Forgive me.

You’ll find few photos here. First, the number is limited, and second, photos aren’t the main purpose of either VF or a travel journal. They’re too often used to mask the poverty of the text. And, sorry to say it, but so many of them are just plain ugly! If you really want to see photos, I’ll share some links where you can browse them at your leisure

So happy the forum reopened last October!!! I’ve started reading again (posts, travel journals) and chiming in on a few discussions. Now I’m stepping it up by writing a new travel journal—I’ve already posted a few between 2018 and 2020.

My latest trip was to Italy from August 27 to September 26, 2024. As the title says, it was a wander through Tuscany in parts of the region that aren’t the most visited. No Firenze-Siena-Pisa trilogy, no San Gimignano; there’ll be a quick detour into Siena, but I’ll skip the best-known sights. That choice, plus traveling in September, should help dodge overtourism. It worked out—crowds were light, sometimes very light, the whole way. Here’s the practical rundown: - a long trip outside peak season (ah, retirees!) - solo camping (caravan) - a mix of activities (hiking, mountain biking, sightseeing) in places that aren’t always packed with tourists. Still, I don’t feel like I ended up in some hidden-away spots. Not sure if this will draw any readers.

DAY 1: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 The heat was intense on the drive in across the plain; two big storms—more rain and hail than lightning and thunder—threw the weather off, the first near Imola, the second on the four-lane road up the Savio valley. I left the Cesena-Roma four-lane at the Verghereto exit and climbed up to Balze (1,100 meters). The campsite is even higher (1,200 meters), in the forest near the source of the Tevere (Tiber). Staying up here will cut down on driving for the first part of the trip: a route through the Appennino (Apennines) on the border between Toscana and Emilia-Romagna. The temperature was surprisingly mild for the altitude, the air thick with moisture by late afternoon. I drove back down from the campsite to Balze (2 km on the road) to grab groceries (it’s doable) and scout tomorrow’s hike. .

The endpoint of the planned hike is just a few meters from this sign (the trail crosses this road about 3 km from Balze). I realized Balze and the source of the Tevere (Tiber) are actually in Emilia-Romagna, not Toscana. I always thought the Tevere (Tiber), which flows toward Roma (Tyrrhenian side), started in Toscana! I’ll come back to this quirk in Day 3’s write-up.

After visiting Newfoundland Island, we took the ferry to Blanc-Sablon, a municipality located on the Lower North Shore in Quebec, Canada.

Instead of heading back to Quebec via Sydney in Nova Scotia, we decided to explore the Lower North Shore—the least-known region of Quebec—as well as Labrador, which is part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

From Blanc-Sablon, we drove to the municipality of Vieux-Fort via Route 138. This road ends in that municipality.

Afterward, we crossed Labrador to return to the Old Capital. Only one road allows this route. It wasn’t fully paved during our trip, but it is now.

We made stops in different areas to go on hikes that let us discover some incredible landscapes.

I hope this travel journal inspires you to venture into these stunning regions.

Videos are embedded throughout the summary. Click on the image to start the video.

Lower North Shore:

Lower North Shore - Blanc-Sablon - Brador Falls Lookout Lower North Shore - Blanc-Sablon - Astragalus Trail (Milk-Vetch Trail) Lower North Shore - Bonne-Espérance - Granny Hill Trail

Labrador:

Red Bay - Tracey Hill Trail Mary's Harbour - White Water Falls Trail Mary's Harbour - Gin Cove Hiking Trail Mary's Harbour - Dr. Moret Hiking Trail Happy Valley-Goose Bay - Birch Island Walk North West River - Sunday Hill Lookout Trail Churchill Falls - Bowdoin Canyon Nature Trail Labrador City - Tanya Lake Loop Trail Labrador City - Crystal Falls Hiking Trail

North Shore

North Shore - Manic 2, 3, 5 Hydroelectric Plants and Daniel-Johnson Dam Baie-Comeau - Pioneers Park Tadoussac Village

**********

More landscapes of the Lower North Shore, Labrador, and the North Shore

Hello! 🙂

January 2026 Here we go again for new adventures and the pleasure of sharing them with you here! First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me with the preparations, even with some last-minute improvisations just days before departure. Thanks to Montagnard74, Jojoone1, Songsam, Attila, Dennis2, NadegerFERM, and the authors whose travel journals about Laos inspired me (Montagnard74, Muriel18, Mavietongs...).

In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll tell you about the journey of four friends: Catherine, Richard, Nathalie, and Bruno. A reinvented but overall successful trip, filled with discoveries and surprises, the scents of spices and frangipani flowers, (too) spicy food, sunsets, and... one big mess.

Hi there,

I arrived in Berlin last night. In another discussion, I shared how much of a "nightmare" the flights from Nice were.

I’ll be posting some impressions here—what I liked and what I didn’t like as much.

This is my first time in Berlin. I’m staying for two weeks. For now, I’m alone, but I’ll be joined by someone in a few days.

Just to clarify, I won’t be posting any photos because my camera gave up the ghost the day before I left. It refused to read memory cards, and I don’t have a smartphone—just a tablet that I leave at the hotel.

Speaking of photos, a few years ago, at the Ducasse d’Ath in Belgium, I met a retired teacher who wasn’t taking any pictures of the festival. I asked her, "You’re not taking any photos?" She told me that during a trip to Nicaragua, she’d photographed howler monkeys and only noticed when looking at the pictures later that the males had huge testicles—something she hadn’t realized in person. She said, "Since then, I don’t bother with photos anymore!" I’ve thought about that often and wonder if I should do the same and stop taking pictures. Still, I’ll probably get a smartphone since it’s hard to go without one these days.

For once, given the destination, the author can’t set aside their religious beliefs, which inevitably shape this kind of journey.

The Trip

Early in the morning at Orly Airport, in the departure lounge for Tel Aviv, a group of about forty young men arrives, all looking identical! The same neatly trimmed beards, the same identical haircuts, the same outfits with a touch of whimsy… The effect of seeing these forty “clones” is striking and raises questions! Why such perfect uniformity among this group of guys? Do they belong to the same family, sports club, cultural association, or religious group? A mystery! At the same time, the waiting area fills up with men who are more expected, given our destination: they wear large felt hats and dress in black suits with white shirts—Hassidim? The ones I’ve glimpsed fleetingly in Paris or New York, who have always been a mystery to me. More discreet-looking women accompany them.

I’m already in Israel without even setting foot there! Plus, I witness the preparations for an improvised show.

The “clones” start a flash mob at seven in the morning in a Paris airport departure lounge! Some pull out musical instruments, others begin singing and dancing. A music with strange, unfamiliar sounds enchants the waiting passengers.

The flight crew finally arrives, cutting through the flash mob, bringing us back to the reality of the moment: waiting to take off soon for this so troubling and mysterious Middle East. We go through passport control, presenting our faces to the scanners that operate the exit gate. The group of “identical” young men gets held up by the system: logically, a scanner let the first one through but blocked the second because of his perfect resemblance to the first. To the machine, the same person shouldn’t be able to cross the border twice? But eventually, the whole group makes it through the glass doors, leaving the Republic behind. My simplistic explanation is left looking ridiculous.

At every new destination, I ask myself countless questions, revealing a certain anxiety tied to the unknown: fear of attacks (one just happened at a bus station in Jerusalem), possible police pressure, unexpected events. Israel isn’t known for being a relaxing destination. In reality, if I did face a serious difficulty in this country, it wasn’t one I had anticipated—and it wasn’t particularly tied to Israel!

I take my seat by the window, which is already occupied by a little girl. Her father, a Hassidic man, politely asks if I’d be willing to give up my seat for his daughter. I tell him I’d be happy to make her happy. Seeing me masked, he asks if I’d like him and his daughter to wear masks too. In response, I take off my mask so as not to impose any constraints on them and wish them a good flight.

It was the first time I’d approached and spoken to a Hassidic man. He didn’t speak the way I might have expected after watching *Rabbi Jacob* with Louis de Funès; he spoke perfectly without an accent, just like you and me! Beware of stereotypes! Throughout the flight, I sneak glances at my strange neighbor: he prayed silently without stopping for a minute. His daughter, as good as gold, never interrupted him. He used several religious accessories during his three-hour continuous prayer: a kippa, a prayer shawl, and a rosary?… I left that plane deeply impressed, me, who has a very distant relationship with my Creator and only prays now and then.

Mid-June, two Auvergnats on the starting blocks—off we go to the former Yugoslavia! We’d already explored some nooks and crannies of northern Croatia back in 2019, so we’re keeping the momentum going by planning a trip to the south of the country and then Montenegro.

On the way back, we’ll drift into Bosnia-Herzegovina just to mix things up a bit!

We’re a little unsure about what to expect in terms of tourist crowds.

Dubrovnik has a reputation for being the hardest-hit city by overtourism, and Kotor and the whole Dalmatian coast aren’t exactly empty...

Luckily, most European countries haven’t started school holidays yet, and some measures seem to have been put in place to limit the flow (like restrictions on the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at the same time).

Maybe we’ll manage to escape the promised hell?

For now, we’re slamming the doors of the Scirocco and heading off to our first stop: northern Italy!

Hi there,

Last February, I made a trip using "public transport" from France to southern Senegal via Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania.

It’s a journey of about 5,000 km, where I took trains (as far as Marrakech), ferries (to cross Gibraltar and then to reach Casamance from Dakar), and mostly buses on the long desert straightaways. I hadn’t planned any stops in advance or booked any hotels, except for the very first train to Spain, which left plenty of room for the unexpected. Why travel by land and sea? In recent years, flight-free travel has been gaining popularity. On social media, posts explaining how to cross Europe by train as quickly as possible go viral. Traveling without flying—and making sure people know about it—has become a great way to earn a badge of eco-responsibility: an essential totem for anyone wanting to prove both their dedication to the ecological cause and the wisdom of slow travel. I haven’t flown in years, and this journey to West Africa could easily be filed under "responsible travel." But it wouldn’t be honest to say that: in reality, it wasn’t really my aversion to flying that motivated this long trek. I see overland travel primarily as a way to experience the world’s geography at a grounded, earthly pace—the pace of the locals. Besides, I’ll be flying back, which disqualifies any claim to being a model of sustainability. So no eco-badge, and no adventurer’s badge either: you won’t find any heroic tales of camel rides in lost lands or mineral train wagons in this account (popular with influencers, the Mauritania iron ore train now attracts tourists from all over the world, turning "the experience" into something you "have to do at least once in your life"). This five-part story, written on the road, has no other ambition than to recount a journey through places and people, and to share the thoughts they inspire in me. As simply and, I hope, as humbly as possible.

I’m posting the episodes here, which you can also find on my blog (with more photos) at the following links:

Episode 1: Spain, from Avignon to Algeciras

Episode 2: Morocco, from Tangier to Tarfaya

Episode 3: Western Sahara, from Tarfaya to Guerguerat

Episode 4: Mauritania, from Guerguerat to Nouakchott

Episode 5: Senegal, from Rosso to Saloulou

To help those who might want to make the same trip, I’ve also put together a summary of the route with recommendations—you can read it at the end of the story and on the blog: From France to Senegal Without Flying: Route and Itinerary Recommendations

Happy reading, and safe travels!

This one-month trip, from January 18 to February 17, 2026, allowed us to visit Mexico City and travel through the states of Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. We mainly used buses (ADO company) for medium and long distances and colectivos or taxis (or Uber) for shorter trips. Before leaving, I had contacted several people on the ground: Harry, a Vendéan settled in Oaxaca offering, among other things, discoveries of artisan villages or the Monte Albán site, and Oscar in Comitán de Domínguez. I’ll come back to our meeting with Oscar, who runs a local agency (CVL Travel Turismo Alternativo & Corre la voz) and owns a very pleasant hostel, a real highlight of our trip. Our journey took place in 8 stages on a loop starting from Mexico City. The connections between each were made by day or night buses depending on the trip duration. I had booked our seats in advance, either directly on the ADO company’s website or through booking platforms depending on the rates offered. Note that by planning ahead, I was able to benefit from very interesting "Early Booking" rates. There are several comfort classes. For all our trips, I had booked seats in Primera class buses, except for two in GL (Grand Luxe) class. The rates are very reasonable, and the buses turned out to be comfortable or even very comfortable (only the basic seat recline might surprise you).

Our itinerary and number of days per stage: Stage 1 – Mexico City: 4 days Stage 2 – Puebla: 2 days Stage 3 – Oaxaca: 4 days Stage 4 – San Agustinillo: 4 days Stage 5 – San Cristóbal de las Casas: 3 days Stage 6 – Comitán de Domínguez: 6 days Stage 7 – Palenque: 4 days Stage 8 – Mexico City: 2 days If I were to do it again, I’d remove one day from Palenque and add it either to Puebla or San Cristóbal to visit nearby sites or villages, or to San Agustinillo to enjoy one more day by the Pacific Ocean.

Stage 1: Mexico City (2,200 m / 9.2 million inhabitants) We arrived in the Mexican capital around 10:00 PM. The simplified customs process was very quick. After exchanging some money at the airport, we took a taxi to our youth hostel. We got around the capital on foot, of course, but also by metro. Signs are very rare, and we took the train in the wrong direction several times. After a few mistakes, we systematically asked on the platform if we were going the right way. The metro is very affordable. You need to get a rechargeable card (the Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada) and top it up as needed. This card (less than 1 €) isn’t personal, so there’s no need to get one per person.

Mexico City: Day 1.



Visits and walks of the day (note: many museums are closed on Mondays): The Zócalo or Constitution Square: it’s one of the most beautiful, largest (195m x 240m), and oldest squares in the world. This is where Cortés decided to build the center of the new Spanish city on the site of the former Tenochtitlan market. Stones from the pyramids were used to pave the esplanade and build the surrounding colonial churches and buildings. During our visit, the huge square was covered with (resin) cacti, the theme of the temporary exhibition at the time. Indeed, temporary events or exhibitions take place here throughout the year. It’s also the endpoint for many protest marches.











The cathedral: it’s sinking by one centimeter per year despite massive stabilization work (the collapse of many Mexican buildings—30 cm/year—is due to groundwater pumping). It was built starting in 1571 and completed in... 1813. The modest remains of the Templo Mayor (exterior view): they have high symbolic value, as this monument was the most important in the Mexica Empire.

We then walked through the streets of the historic center to the Santísima Church, unfortunately closed for renovation work. Next, we took the metro to visit one of Mexico’s most important pilgrimage sites: the Insigne y Nacional Basílicas de Santa María de Guadalupe, as well as the Capilla del Cerrito on the hill. The first, dating from the colonial era, is really leaning a lot.



The second, shaped like a rotunda, is very impressive from the inside.



In the basement, there’s a sacred tunic where, in 1531, an image of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared. A real mystery for scientists, the garment has never deteriorated since that date. Slow-moving conveyor belts allow pilgrims to admire it, preventing crowds from gathering in front of the image for hours. Well thought out!

From the top of the Capilla del Cerrito, you get beautiful views of huge Mexico City.

Before I begin, I’d like to thank Michèle Buisson and her "Misha’s travel journals," which really helped me plan this trip. It’s tough to find information about this part of India, which is quite different from the "more traditional India." I’m so grateful to her for introducing me to a family who hosted me for 4 nights and 3 days. I can’t wait to return the favor and welcome you all to my place in early July!

Thursday, March 20th. The alarm goes off super early, but I’m already awake—I was too worried I’d sleep through it. I leave the house at 4:00 AM. The rain has stopped, and at this hour, there aren’t many trucks on the road. I arrive at Barcelona Airport easily by 6:20 AM, let the valet know I’m there, and he quickly picks up my car. This time, I’m flying with Etihad Airways again. I booked the ticket during my trip to Cambodia: Barcelona/Kolkata, Delhi/Barcelona for 567 €. At that price, I didn’t hesitate for long—I knew I had to take it. And I’m glad I did because, by the time I returned, the price had gone up to 700 €. I can already hear the reactions: "Wow, how’d you get a ticket for that price? What site did you use? You’re amazing, MarieJo!" One thing’s for sure—I’m really happy with this deal. The flights from Barcelona to Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi to Kolkata go smoothly, and we arrive on time at 2:55 AM. There aren’t many people at immigration, so I get through quickly. My luggage isn’t on the carousel yet. After collecting my bag, I check in for my next flight with IndiGo, a 5:40 AM flight to Guwahati, arriving at 7:00 AM. I’m starting to feel pretty tired, so I take a taxi from the airport to Gruham Sojourn Homestay. The house is upstairs, and the neighborhood seems quiet, with restaurants lining the street. The room won’t be ready until 10:00 AM, so I rest on the bench in the meantime. Once in the room, I take a shower—it really helps me feel refreshed. I need to exchange some euros, so I look up a nearby exchange bureau on Google and head out to find it. I locate it easily, and the staff are super friendly. I get a great rate (1 € = 90 INR). I wander around the neighborhood. The train station isn’t far, and small markets line the streets. I head back to my area, walking along the main avenue. About 500 meters from my street, I discover a museum. The visit is fascinating—I see the famous Majuli masks, among other things.



I’m not far from the Brahmaputra River, and the temptation to visit is too strong to resist. I’d hoped to find a promenade along the river, but that doesn’t exist here. I walk back calmly and notice several restaurants in my street. On the doorstep of my accommodation, I spot a pastry shop with cakes that look more like the ones we have in France than the typical ones here in India. A visit is a must, and I’m not disappointed!



Tonight, I’m dining at a restaurant in the street. The menu is a bit disappointing—burgers, pizzas, pasta—nothing very Indian. So, I’ll go with tomato pasta.

A travel journal—it’s been a while!

I must say, my personal situation has "changed a bit" since my last journals (my 3 kids are grown up + a divorce finalized in early 2021). So, no more long-haul family trips; now I’m focusing on multi-day hikes for my vacations. I found a hiking buddy in 2021 to join me on the Laugavegur trek in Iceland, but this year, no one was available.

That’s how the idea of a solo trek in Lapland took root—a region I’ve been dreaming about ever since I read Marie Lefevre’s 2012 journal on the topic.

Marie, who I hiked with for the first time in 2015 during my very first multi-day trek, and whom I can never thank enough for sharing her knowledge and saving me so much time.

To build my confidence for this solo trek, I hiked around Cantal in May (okay, I’m capable of spending nights alone in the middle of nowhere without being overly terrified) and camped in the Mercantour in July, where a massive storm made me realize I still had room for improvement in managing wet conditions...

After some research, I bought 2 Nylofume bags—large, ultra-lightweight ones to protect my gear in my backpack—and a set of 4 Aloksak bags in different sizes for my passport, camera, battery, etc. (and I’m so glad I did!!)

Well, I think I’m all set...

My 16/08 - Day 1 - Ritsem – Gisuris (well, almost) Wed 17/08 – Day 2 - Partly in the tent + minimal progress toward Gisuris Thu 18/08 – Day 3 - Gisuris – Laddejakha (23 km) Fri 19/08 – Day 4 – Laddejakha – Arasluokta (13 km) Sat 20/08 - Day 5 - Arasluokta – Staloluokta (12 km) Sun 21/08 – Day 6 - Staloluokta – Duottar (18 km) Mon 22/08 Day 7 - Duottar – Dareluoppal (10 km) Sammarlappa (15.3 km) Tue 23/08 - Day 8 - Sammarlappa – Tarrekaise (12 km) + halfway to Tarrekaise-Nunjes (approx. 3 km) Wed 24/08 – Day 9 – Finish Tarrekaise-Nunjes (approx. 4 km) Kvikkjokk (12.6 km) Thu 25/08 and Fri 26/08 – Around Kvikkjokk Food and gear summary

Aaah, I'm so glad Voyage Forum is back up and running. For reading... and for writing...

My last travel journal was from 2019, when I went hiking and backpacking with my son, who was 15 at the time. We visited some places that were still pretty unknown back then! I was supposed to go in April 2020, still solo, with arches as the main focus. I’d spent nearly two months getting physically prepared, and had managed to snag a bunch of permits for CBS, The Needles, and so on... Of course, it all got postponed—first to October 2020, then April 2021, then October 2021, and finally it happened in April 2022. Maybe I’ll write about that in another journal. The thing is, every time, I spend at least 6 to 8 weeks getting physically ready, even though I work out all year. Huge disappointment during that trip—so much had changed because of Covid, kind of like in the mountains back home. Overcrowding, not just in the national parks (we knew about that), but also in a lot of remote, lesser-known spots. Like the French, Americans realized they had a lot of beautiful places in their own country during those travel bans. And they kept exploring... Prices for pretty much everything had already gone up a lot. Gas, restaurants, cars, but especially lodging! Then, after dealing with so much wind in April, I got a little "fed up" with that time of year. It felt like I had strong winds and sandstorms for 3 out of the 3.5 weeks I was there...

So, the next trip was October 2023, to catch the partial eclipse in New Mexico, and of course, a bunch of arches ;). So many arches. Maybe I’ll write about that one too... Then came (among others) April 2024 for the total eclipse, in Texas, but starting from L.A., with my partner Valérie. Since I’d never visited some places I wanted to see further south of my usual loops, it was the perfect opportunity... And here we are at the end of September 2024. Another trip focused on arches—I never get tired of them. Every time I check one off my list, another gets added. Often it’s a photo I’ve seen online or in the NABS (Natural Arches and Bridges Society) magazine, which I’m a member of. I also scour the WAD (World Arches Database) and make a list of arches I want to visit. Fewer and fewer "viewpoints"—I’ve done all the most famous ones, and unless the sky is amazing, the photos all look the same. Since my goal is always photography *and* hiking, I’m always on the lookout. So this time, a packed itinerary—27 days, very busy. In past trips, if I didn’t plan enough and hiked fast, I’d end up with too many "gaps" in my days. This time, I’d rather have too much than too little (like in 2023, actually).

A few stats: - 6,589 km, including +/-1,400 km of off-road trails - 323 km of hiking, 8,829 m of elevation gain - 142 new arches for my collection, including some stunning ones, some less so, and some downright ugly—but all in the WAD. - Two outings with a Navajo guide - Almost no injuries - 8 bivouacs, including 2 backpacking trips - 4 days of backpacking - 22 freeze-dried meals and 15 Subways eaten - 6 thorns in my shoes (long live the tweezers in my backpack) - 3 kg lost (plus the 5 kg lost during prep)

Almost every day, I posted a little update on Facebook for family and friends. So I’ll be copy-pasting those texts here, written "my way" as usual. Some will like it, some won’t—that’s just how it is... 😏

For months, I planned this trip—looking for info, creating GPS tracks on Google Earth, exchanging tips with NABS members and other passionate friends. I snagged permits for The Needles again (4-5 days), for Fiery Furnace, timed entries for Arches National Park (2), and booked just one campsite, a "triple tour" in Monument Valley, and the first night in a motel. This is the first time I haven’t booked 80% of the motels—I was tired of having constraints because of the weather. This time, I want to be able to adjust my plans based on the weather and what I feel like doing more or less of. Camp when the weather’s nice, hotel/motel when it’s crappy.

Here we go...

Day 1

As usual, early morning flights: BRU-AMS, then AMS-SLC. Those who follow me know I’ve been renting a Rubicon from Rugged for years, which "forces" me to land in SLC. Up at 3:30 AM, but I’d been awake since 2:00 AM—the day’s going to be long. Shuttle to the airport. In Brussels, only two check-in counters open. I get there—no cabin baggage weigh-in, while the agent next to me is weighing everyone’s, even kids’ backpacks! A bit of luck, because as usual, if they weighed my backpack *and* my cabin bag, I’d already be over 20 kg. I check two hold bags, since I’ve got a lot of camping/backpacking gear, lots of freeze-dried meals, the backpacking bag, the Bear Canister needed for The Needles, etc. First flight is 30 minutes late, so the second one is already boarding. I’ve got the SSSS mark on my ticket (extra security check), so I head straight to the front when I arrive at the same time as Zone 3, even though I’m Zone 6. I pretend the check will take a while, and it "works"—they didn’t notice! No way I want to board last and risk them making me check my cabin bag. It’s packed with photo gear, laptop, drone, etc.—unthinkable to have to put it in the hold. Always a worry... SLC: baggage claim, customs, and out in 32 minutes. The MPC app makes something that was already quick even faster at this airport. And all the bags are there. That’s always a relief too. Since I drive at least 3 hours straight after landing, losing a hold bag would really mess up the trip and force me to spend the first night closer to SLC. On the way to Rugged. A young French couple from Reims is in the shuttle with me—they discovered Rugged thanks to my post in a Facebook group! Well, the team has changed again, and they lost half the stuff I’d left last October (plastic boxes, pillow, sugar, gas cartridges, folding chair, Crocs, etc.), but at least there are gas cartridges, so I don’t have to go to REI. REI would’ve been at least an hour out of my way. But as far as I know, there are no gas cartridges in Green River. I still get my tent stake hammer back, and a folding chair—different from mine but identical.

20,000 km Rubicon 4Xe, white. I check the tires—they’re in great shape, as requested. I’ll come back to the hybrid later. I didn’t want a hybrid, but that’s all they had this year. Why? Higher fuel consumption, smaller tank, higher cargo floor.

Stop at the Walmart near Provo, whose layout I know like the back of my hand (Walmarts are often similar). Start-of-trip shopping: water, Coke, Gatorade, UHT milk for cereal (not very common in the US), Special K "Almond and Vanilla", cold meds that work well (and don’t exist back home—you never know), two plastic bins, a pillow for the tent, Trail Mix, that’s about it. On the road to Nebo Loop for the fall colors. I’d driven this route last year, in the opposite direction on my way back to SLC, but it was a bit too late. This time, I’m a little early. At the start of the road, the maples are in the sun, so I go up to 2,200 m for the bright yellow aspens, then head back down. Mostly drone shots—no time to go for a walk. After a day like this, 4.5-5 hours of driving is already a lot... Arrived in Green River at 9:00 PM. Organize all the stuff from the bags properly, then sleep.

A few photos from these first few hours.

This first trip of 2025 will have the taste of Asia.

More precisely, Thailand!

It’s not my first time—I’ve often traveled across Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2015. (This travel journal, for example...)

But it’ll be my partner’s first steps in this part of the world.

The itinerary we’ve chosen will alternate between familiar sights for me and new discoveries for both of us.

I’ll get to see how the country has changed in 20 years—and what’s stayed the same!

We were torn between the north and the south of the kingdom. Fears of smoke from slash-and-burn farming and a desire to relax on the sand tipped the scales toward the south...

What if we rented a car?

I think driving in sprawling Bangkok would be a bit ambitious, so we’ll only book our vehicle from Hua Hin to return it in Surat Thani.

Other transportation will range from tuk-tuks to overnight trains and ride-hailing services.

And of course, the plane!

I’d love to travel from Auvergne to Bangkok by road, but 15 days wouldn’t be enough...

Plus, the current geopolitical situation isn’t exactly favorable...

So, once again, we’ll be stuck for hours in the less-than-comfortable economy class of Qatar Airways.

The arrival time was on schedule, entry formalities were quick, and all our luggage made it.

We left Lyon in wind and cold—now we’re breathing in the warm, humid air of กรุงเทพมหานคร.

To reach our hotel, we first took the metro, which dropped us off in the city center in about 30 minutes for the incredible price of 1.18 €.

A few taps on the GRAB app, and we booked a ride-hailing service for the last few kilometers.

We waited a while for our driver due to insane traffic in the area, but once in the 4x4, we were at our lodging in no time.

We chose this small hotel for its riverside location, tranquility, and price.

It’ll do the job perfectly—the only downside is the weak breakfast.

The room is inviting, and we collapse onto the bed for a well-deserved short nap.

Wake-up call in an hour for our first visits!

See you soon...

We took this trip from September 12 to October 7, 2022. I didn’t post this travel journal earlier in Voyage Forum because the site wasn’t back up yet (and also because I was short on time). Then, at the end of 2024, I made a promise to a friend: to publish my travel journal on VF. So here it is! We took off from Paris in the late afternoon on September 12 and arrived in Tashkent around 7:15 AM on the 13th. This trip was the result of long contemplation and preparation (it was originally planned for the year of the lockdown (2020) and was prepared with the help and advice of Nasrullo Jumanov from Turquoise Travel. Stages and Itinerary Stage 1: Tashkent - September 13 and 14 Stage 2: Ferghana Valley – September 15 to 17 Stage 3: Nukus and Moynaq - September 18 and 19 Stage 4: Mysterious Khiva - September 20 to 22 Stage 5: Holy Bukhara - September 23 to 26 Stage 6: Asraf - September 27 and 28 Stage 7: Mythical Samarkand - September 29 to October 2 Stage 8: Tersak (via Shakhrisabz and Urgut) – October 3 and 4 Stage 9: Samarkand – October 5 and 6 Stage 10: Tashkent/Istanbul/Paris – October 6 and 7 Stage 1: Tashkent September 13 At the airport exit, we were greeted by the owner of our B&B (B&B Gulnara). Today was all about recovery and our first steps in the capital. Our first currency exchange made us feel like sudden millionaires. Our first stroll down the avenue leading to Chorsu Market introduced us to the fact that 80 to 90% of the cars here are white Chevrolets. A walk under the arcades facing Chorsu: hardware stores, cabinetmakers, lute makers (one of them gave me a little concert/demo of a few string instruments).





As we entered the market, many vendors called out to us, including this florist who asked where we were from: ‘France? Ah! Macron! PSG!’ He then recited a list of players from the Parisian team as well as past (Platini, Zidane, etc.) and current (Giroud, Griezmann, Mbappé, etc.) French national team players. Since we’re more into rugby (we live near Toulouse), he knew more players than I did!

The market sprawls outside around the large circular, multi-story hall. We bought some grapes and bottles of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice for just a few sums. This evening, we had a meet-up with Nasrullo. The reunion was very warm: we’d been exchanging messages for over two years, and I’d been ‘torturing’ him with changes to our itinerary and trip duration. We were finally eager to meet, and honestly, I wasn’t disappointed—in fact, it was the opposite. Nasrullo was very attentive throughout our trip and always made sure, even from a distance (and most often from a distance!), that everything went smoothly. His goal was for us to leave delighted with our trip and, why not, indirectly become ambassadors for this destination. September 14 Breakfast with Nasrullo, then we set off with him by taxi to explore some of the capital’s sites.



We started by visiting the Khazrati Imam complex, which includes the mausoleum of Kaffal Shashi, the Barak Khan and Muyi Muborak madrasas, and the great Khazrati Imam Mosque with its immense prayer hall.





In the Muyi Muborak madrasa, now a museum, you can see the oldest Quran in the world. It was written by three religious scholars, including the secretary of the Prophet Muhammad, on large ‘pages’ made of antelope skin. Next, we explored Soviet-era Tashkent, discovering its parks, canals, and squares: Independence Square with its storks and phoenixes, Amir Temur Square with its large statue and, in the background, the massive Soviet-era hotel that has become one of Tashkent’s iconic buildings. Nasrullo took us through Broadway Boulevard and along what he calls ‘Tashkent’s Montmartre’… Well, it’s far, very far from Montmartre (in every sense of the word!). Then we took the metro to Chorsu station. Rush hour is pretty much the same everywhere in the metro… When we arrived at Chorsu, it was time to say goodbye. Nasrullo had to head back to Samarkand. Before leaving, he recommended some chaikhanas at the end of the galleries facing the market. We ate there for just a few euros (2 or 3 € for two people). After eating, we headed back to our room to cool off (our B&B is about a 10-minute walk away).



Around 4 PM, we set off to visit the Kokeldash Madrasa, which is still active. On the way, we stopped to watch some bread vendors and take a few photos. We were hesitating about buying some for our evening picnic when a young woman approached us. In perfect English, she asked: ‘Are you looking for something? Do you want to buy bread? Which one? How much?’ She then spoke to one of the vendors and negotiated the price. ‘Do you want one?’ And she took two. She paid directly. I took out my wallet to reimburse her, but she refused. It’s on the house! Then the vendor asked where we were from. And off we went again: Macron, PSG, football players… We’ll have to get used to it. The young woman smiled at the questions and comments, barely gave us time to thank her, and left as quickly as she had approached us.

We continued our walk. Visited the madrasa. Then we crossed the boulevard to see the Tashkent Circus. I would’ve loved to go in and visit, but the ticket seller wouldn’t hear of it. We carried on around what should’ve been a park with old-fashioned rides and attractions. All we found was a construction site. Oh well! Back at our hotel, a message from Nasrullo was waiting for us. He had managed to change our train ticket for the next day. Instead of taking the 6:00 AM train, we’d take the 8:00 AM one. And instead of second class, we’d be in first class! Great! This evening, we had a picnic at one of the breakfast tables in the B&B courtyard. Under a shelter, the owner and his family were celebrating a birthday. The owner started by offering us some tea. Then they brought us some fruit (watermelon and melon). Finally, after the song, candles, and cake cutting, they brought us two generous slices of that beautiful birthday cake. Delicious!

A new work assignment means our vacation dates can't stay the same.

We had planned to go to the Canary Islands, but flight prices are skyrocketing with this new holiday schedule.

So, I’m looking for an alternative to Gran Canaria and El Hierro and found two round-trip flights with Wizz Air to Tirana.

398 €, including baggage and seats—perfect!

Plus, the departure and return times are great, which is pretty rare for a low-cost flight!

All that’s left is to rent a car, plan the route, and book accommodations.

With two weeks, we’ll have to make some choices!

Here’s the final itinerary: Shkodra (2 nights), Valbonë (3 nights), Tirana (1 night), Lake Ohrid (1 night), Korçë (1 night), Përmet (1 night), Gjirokastër (1 night), Himarë (2 nights), Berat (2 nights), and Krujë (1 night).

A mix of countryside and small towns, a bit of the Mediterranean, and some mountains!

Late October isn’t the best season, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for the rest...

Hey fellow travelers!

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 😊.

Hugs 😘

In January 2023, we started our second road trip across the United States. We stayed from January to mid-March, which gave us plenty of time to visit several cities, attractions, and parks in multiple states.

This travel journal will be split into two parts due to the considerable number of places we visited.

This first journal covers the following states: Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California, and takes you through the outbound leg of our road trip.

The second journal will showcase the attractions we visited on the return trip, which mainly follows the famous Highway 1 along the Pacific coast.

So, I invite you to keep reading this first journal, which serves as a long recap to help you discover the various attractions we explored throughout this road trip.

Videos are included throughout the recap. Please click on the image to start the video.

Here are the links to jump to a specific post:

OHIO:

WinterLand - Christmas Lights at Cleveland Public Square Lake View Cemetery - Cleveland - Part 1 Lake View Cemetery - Cleveland - Part 2 Stroll through Columbus Upper Falls to Lower Falls via Buckeye Trail - Hocking Hills State Park – Logan Cedar Falls & Whispering Falls Hiking Trail - Hocking Hills State Park – Logan Ash Cave Hiking Trail - Hocking Hills State Park – Logan Exploring Cincinnati

INDIANA:

Visiting Indianapolis

MISSOURI:

Exploring St. Louis

OKLAHOMA:

Catoosa Blue Whale Discovering Tulsa Exploring Oklahoma City

TEXAS:

Exploring Shamrock Discovering McLean Exploring Amarillo

NEW MEXICO:

Ancestral Sites Trail - Pecos National Historical Park Discovering Santa Fe The Santuario de Chimayó Stroll through Los Cerrillos Walk through the village of Madrid San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church & The Bottle House - Golden Albuquerque Murals 66 Diner - Albuquerque Stroll through Old Town (Albuquerque) Rinconada Canyon Trail - Petroglyph National Monument Mesa Point Trail - Boca Negra Canyon - Petroglyph National Monument Macaw Trail - Boca Negra Canyon - Petroglyph National Monument Cliff Base Trail - Boca Negra Canyon - Petroglyph National Monument Piedras Marcadas Canyon - Petroglyph National Monument Sandstone Bluffs & Ventana Natural Arch - El Malpais National Monument

ARIZONA:

Stewart's Petrified Wood Shop – Holbrook Stroll through Holbrook Discovering Joseph City Exploring Winslow Grand Falls (The "Chocolate Falls") – Leupp Island Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument Rim Trail - Walnut Canyon National Monument Wukoki Pueblo Trail – Wupatki National Monument Wupatki Pueblo Trail – Wupatki National Monument Doney Mountain Trail – Wupatki National Monument Citadel & Nalakihu Pueblos Trail – Wupatki National Monument Lomaki & Box Canyon Pueblos Trail – Wupatki National Monument Discovering Flagstaff On the way to Sedona Slide Rock State Park – Sedona Midgley Bridge Trail – Wilson Canyon – Sedona Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village Walking Tour - Sedona Chapel of the Holy Cross - Sedona Hiking at Cathedral Rock - Sedona Hiking the Bell Rock Trail - Sedona Hiking the Airport Loop Trail - Sedona Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park - Sedona Hiking the Boynton Canyon Vortex Trail - Sedona Hiking the Devil's Bridge Trail - Sedona Hiking the Birthing Cave Trail - Sedona Bell Rock Inn - Sedona On the roads of Sedona - Part 1 On the roads of Sedona - Part 2 Keyhole Sink Hiking Trail - Kaibab National Forest Discovering Williams Exploring Ash Fork Discovering Kingman Ramada by Wyndham Kingman Davis Camp Park - Bullhead City Discovering Yucca Lake Havasu Boardwalk Tour A duck catches a lobster – Lake Havasu Boardwalk

CALIFORNIA:

Exploring Needles Discovering Goffs Discovering Amboy Visiting the famous Bagdad Cafe - Newberry Springs Exploring Barstow Vehicles from Hell (Mad Max Cars) - Barstow Peggy Sue's 50's Diner - Yermo Liberty Sculpture Park - Yermo Lake Dolores Water Park - Newberry Springs ZZYZX Road - Mojave National Preserve Alien Fresh Jerky - Baker Kelso Dunes Trail - Mojave National Preserve Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail - Mojave National Preserve Visiting Mitchell Caverns - Mojave National Preserve Dante's View - Death Valley National Park Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park Golden Canyon - Death Valley National Park Artists Drive & Artists Palette - Death Valley National Park Devil's Golf Course - Death Valley National Park Natural Bridge Trail - Death Valley National Park Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park Harmony Borax Works - Death Valley National Park Devil's Cornfield - Death Valley National Park Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes - Death Valley National Park Mosaic Canyon Trail - Death Valley National Park On the road - Death Valley National Park

NEVADA:

Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health - Las Vegas Exploring Downtown Las Vegas SlotZilla Zipline - Fremont Street Experience – Downtown Las Vegas Viva Vision Light Show 1 - Fremont Street Experience - Downtown Las Vegas Viva Vision Light Show 2 - Fremont Street Experience - Downtown Las Vegas Viva Vision Light Show 3 - Fremont Street Experience - Downtown Las Vegas Viva Vision Light Show 4 - Fremont Street Experience - Downtown Las Vegas Free Live Music – Fremont Street Experience - Downtown Las Vegas Chucky – Fremont Street Experience - Downtown Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip - Part 1 Las Vegas Strip - Part 2 Las Vegas Strip - Part 3 Las Vegas Strip - Part 4 Las Vegas Strip - Part 5 Tom Devlin's Monster Museum - Boulder City Hoover Dam Lake Mead - Lakeview Overlook - Boulder City Nelson Ghost Town - Searchlight

CALIFORNIA:

Scenic Route through Joshua Tree National Park via the North Entrance Hidden Valley Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Barker Dam Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Cap Rock Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Keys View Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Hall of Horrors Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Skull Rock Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Arch Rock Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Cholla Cactus Garden Trail - Joshua Tree National Park Lone Pine - Owens Valley Miss Alabama & Shark Fin - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley Lone Ranger Canyon - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley Mobius Arch Loop Trail (Heart Arch & Lathe Arch) - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley Eye of the Alabama Hills Arch - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley Boot & Cyclops Arches - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley One Mile Arch, Bowling Ball and Pins & Gunga Din Area - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley Whitney Portal Arch Trailhead - Alabama Hills - Owens Valley Fish Rocks & Trona Pinnacles - Mojave Desert Red Cliffs Trail - Red Rock Canyon State Park Hagen Canyon Nature Trail - Red Rock Canyon State Park Tour of Historic Downtown Tehachapi View of the Tehachapi Loop – Monolith César E. Chávez National Monument – Keene Discovering Bakersfield Kern County Museum – Bakersfield Bravo Farms, Tree House & Petting Zoo - Traver Walking Tour of Kingsburg Exploring Fresno Simonian Farms & Soul Consoling Japanese Internment Tower - Fresno Duncan Ceramic Products (iLoveToCreate) - Fresno Walking Tour of Modesto Wat Dhammararam Buddhist Temple - Stockton Walking Tour of Stockton Discovering Stockton University of the Pacific - Stockton Visiting Lodi Sutter's Fort State Historic Park - Sacramento California State Capitol - Sacramento Walking Tour - Sacramento Walking Tour - Winters Walking Tour - Napa The Chandelier Tree In Drive-Thru Tree Park - Leggett One Log House - Garberville Grandfather Tree - Piercy The Living Chimney Tree - Avenue of the Giants Stephens Grove Loop Trail - Avenue of the Giants Gould Grove Nature Loop Trail - Avenue of the Giants Fleishmann Grove Trail - Avenue of the Giants Mahan Plaque Trail - Avenue of the Giants Founders Grove Nature Loop Trail - Avenue of the Giants Eternal Tree House & Immortal Tree - Avenue of the Giants Drury-Chaney Loop Trail - Avenue of the Giants Walking Tour - Redcrest

COMING UP NEXT:

USA Road Trip 2023 - Part 2

The Afrosiyob races through a premature twilight, lashed by a blizzard of thick snow. In the endless gray, a monumental industrial complex occasionally emerges, ghostly. Here and there, in the middle of nowhere, a human silhouette appears (a soldier?), standing motionless by the tracks. On the screen mounted in the middle of the ceiling, a dashing Bollywood cat in vibrant colors writhes in all directions, throwing smoldering glances at a dancer on the verge of fainting. A server moves down the central aisle, offering crepes for sale—ones I suspect are stuffed with ground beef. I’m in Central Asia, in Uzbekistan, somewhere between Bukhara and Samarkand.

I chose the title "notes"—scattered thoughts, rough drafts. I’m not sure what I’ll write, but one thing’s certain: this won’t be a linear travel journal.

And a photo... there must be a photo, so here:



Local tourists between a Bactrian camel and an electric car, in front of ancient walls—it’ll do.

Preamble

June 2024. While hiking with my brother on the GR 36 Tour du Morvan, I catch sight now and then of strange rectangular markers fixed to tree trunks. Against a bright orange background, a deep black Greek tau topped with a white dove. My first encounter with the Assisi Way. The Way of St. Francis: a pilgrimage route linking Vézelay in Burgundy to Assisi in Italy, covering nearly 1,800 km. It felt like an obvious next step—I immediately knew I’d take it on, attempt the adventure solo.



In the months that followed, I talked about my project to everyone—family, friends, my partner. An avalanche of comments, more or less the same but varying depending on each person’s character and life experiences. But deep down, it all boiled down to one legitimate question: why?

And the answers? Hesitant, awkward, partial, even confused. I quickly realized they weren’t so easy to find. It was as if my project seemed more like a whim, a kind of intimate caprice, rather than a well-thought-out plan. Of course, I knew the reasons that pushed me to leave—you always have to give some. Loved ones need to understand to feel reassured, and that’s understandable. But I fear that when I list them, they’ll sound like the same old checklist anyone embarking on this kind of journey might give. Of all the reasons I could mention, I’ll highlight just one here: the call of the road, the solo adventure that brings a powerful sense of freedom. A bit like Monsieur Seguin’s goat, who from her comfortable pen gazes longingly at the unconstrained horizon of the mountain. But if I’m being honest, I think I didn’t really know what I was looking for—or, more importantly, what I’d find. Deep down, when I reflect on it, one word keeps coming up that explains nothing and everything at once: desire.

Now well past sixty, I know that when I ask myself who I am or where I’m going, two things bring me fully back to myself: hiking and writing. And my intention was also to anchor this adventure through words, day by day. Writing down my feelings, emotions, discoveries, and reflections each evening. The famous travel journal that grounds the daily experience in reality. When I discovered the app "Polarstep," which was initially just meant to keep my loved ones updated and reassured, inform them of my progress, and maintain a connection, I found an opportunity to do it a little differently than usual. No retrospective notes polished up after returning, but spontaneous writing—recounting everything that crossed my mind during the day and publishing it immediately. A journey lived in real time.

This text is the exact transcription of my daily writings. Rereading them, I didn’t change a thing—just corrected a few mistakes and tweaked some awkward phrasing here and there. Short texts, fitting the format imposed by this kind of app. Writing as if addressing others.

Now, all that was left was to walk. April 18, 2026 – Vézelay.

February 9th is a pivotal day during my trip to Thailand. Up until this date, my focus had been on cities, temples, and other urban landmarks. Starting February 10th, I’ll finally leave the city behind for the outskirts—one town, one life, farther from tourism, more real, more authentic... Then comes the bucolic surroundings of Chiang Mai, nature, the countryside, the mountains.

This morning, I head to visit the ethnographic museum. I’d been told about another one, but it’s permanently closed. I wonder if it’s the same one that might have changed its name and location.

I thoroughly enjoy visiting this museum. At first, I’m a bit annoyed because the place is packed with noisy school groups blocking the display cases without even showing the slightest interest. But soon, their chaperones manage to lead them into another room, giving me some peace. They maintain this distance throughout the tour, allowing me to explore the museum in complete tranquility. I really appreciate their tact.

I’m amazed by the absolutely stunning fabric displays and the countless everyday objects, especially the very old pottery. There’s so much beautiful basketry and intricately carved wood. The statues are also incredible... After seeing all of them, I no longer feel like buying any from the shops.

On my way back, not far from my hotel, I discover a rather unique place that only serves one drink, which they’ve made their specialty: egg coffee! A pretty surprising novelty. I have to try it.



At the bottom of the cup, they pour a layer of milk, topped with a layer of liquid coffee, followed by a layer of egg yolk, and finally a top layer that turns out to be a mix of coffee and cocoa powder. It’s a cold drink that, in the end, doesn’t have much flavor, and the price is pretty steep for such a small cup. You’re paying for the exclusivity!

Later in the day, I venture once again into small alleys, something I love doing when exploring a new city—no specific goal, just wandering east of the city, outside the walls.



I encounter very few tourists there and discover unsuspected little shops overflowing with lovely items, much cheaper than what you find in the heart of the tourist district. Then I wander through the floors of Warorot Market. I discover another kind of temple there: the temple of good deals. I love finding clothes that are really original for locals, not the flood of shirts and pants that tourists love but no Thai would ever buy, which invade the shops in the "Historic Square." I stop in my tracks in front of a stall with beautiful shirts featuring stunning geometric patterns in elegant color combinations and very short sleeves. Hmm, these would be perfect for showing off my biceps, one of which is adorned with the magnificent Ganesh tattoo I got last year in Bali. "When you’ve got nice things, you’ve got to show them off!" he said. 😜🙏💪 I pick out two for 380 baht and negotiate them down to 300. But the seller won’t go any lower. I understand I’ve reached the limit of her commercial possibilities. Just as I’m leaving the shop, happy with my purchase, my ever-helpful inner voice, Petite Voix, suggests: - You didn’t try them on because you were too lazy to take off the one you’re wearing and also because of the sweat, but you could just put one on over the one you’re wearing. It’s light enough that it won’t bother you.

I go back to the two sellers, who burst out laughing when I ask to try them on. - Oh no, it’s way too small for you! It’s a women’s shirt! - But they don’t look particularly feminine in style! And I chose XXL... I put the shirt on, and of course, it won’t close. Then I notice the buttons are on the wrong side. That’s why the sleeves seemed so short!!! They put the shirts back on the rack and refund me without any fuss, commenting amid total hilarity: - Well, thank goodness you tried it on just as you were leaving the shop!

Since I don’t want to walk too much before tomorrow’s first Big Outing with the driver, I end my stroll with a visit to two very pretty temples recommended by Joël.



I’d rather not post more temple photos. But these ones smell like village and countryside...







I’ve never seen anything like Wat Ket Karam, so extravagant...





And I end my day with two other lesser-known temples: Wat Noung Kham, simple and finally free of gold and glitter,



and Wat Dap Phai, where an intimate ceremony is taking place at the end of the day.

Friday, April 18 Night in Guwahati Before leaving the guesthouse, I drop off a small bag that I’ll pick up when I return. I take a tuk-tuk at 7:40 AM to get to the sumo departure point for Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya. My bag is loaded onto the roof, my seat is assigned, and we have to wait for the car to fill up.



While waiting, I watch the street come to life. I have fun photographing the different modes of transport passing by.









Time passes faster when you’re occupied. We leave at 8:20 AM, and the driver does door-to-door service along the way. We make our first stop for 25 minutes at 9:10 AM, then another for breakfast at 10:10 AM. The scenery is very different from Assam and Nagaland. We drive alongside a pine forest and a large lake. There are beautiful viewpoints, but the driver isn’t stopping for sightseeing, so I have to settle for looking through the car windows.

We finally arrive in Shillong at 11:45 AM. The driver stops in the middle of nowhere, so I have to walk up the street to find a taxi. I flag one down, and he agrees to take me to my new guesthouse, the Rockski Boutique Bed & Breakfast. No sooner do I arrive than a storm with a heavy downpour welcomes me. When I arrived in Guwahati at the end of October, I’d booked a guide with a car for this week. There’s no public transport to get from village to village, so I had to take a car to visit. The tourism manager, Sachin, sent me a message to let me know that the driver, Welbis, will pick me up tomorrow morning at 8 AM. The temperature is much cooler here—only 19°C. At 2:30 PM, the rain stops, and I take the opportunity to explore the city. I start with the cathedral. Today is Good Friday, so I’m going to see how it’s celebrated here. Meghalaya is a Catholic state. The cathedral isn’t far from the guesthouse—it’s huge and all blue.



I arrive during mass, and it’s impossible to enter—the faithful are numerous outside in the parking lot. Giant screens broadcast the ceremony.

Hi everyone,

I’m a newbie to this forum, passionate about wildlife, the landscapes of East Africa, and Tanzania in particular. This June 2024 trip/safari is our 7th visit to Tanzania and our 5th in the south, which has drawn us more than the north ever since we discovered it in 2015.

In 2024, the entrance fees for the reserves and services have gone up again since our last visit. I chose to return first to Mikumi Reserve, which was the very first one we visited in the south. Then, we’ll head to Selous (J. Nyerere N. P.) as usual. Initially, we wanted to spend 2/3 days on Mafia Island at the end of the trip, but it made the total cost too high, so we gave up... We usually go to Ruaha and Selous, but I wanted to mix it up a bit—also to save some money...

As for the timing, June is a new experience for us. I thought it might be interesting to come just after the lodges reopen... hoping for some great wildlife encounters??

The trip starts in Marseille with our first flight on Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa, then continues to Dar es Salaam, where we’ll finally set foot on Tanzanian soil again.

In Addis... "our" A-350.



.....

After arriving in Dar, we spent one night at a hotel near the airport. The next morning, we headed to the domestic flights terminal, which hasn’t changed in years.

By mid-morning, we boarded a Cessna 208B Caravan with Safari Air Link, heading to the Kikoboga bush airstrip in Mikumi, which we reached 45 minutes later. Fun fact: the pilot was the same one as on our return flight two years ago.

Welcome on board:



Of course, a driver/guide team from our chosen lodge was waiting for us upon arrival:



I was surprised to see so many aircraft parked there... even twin-engine Embraer Brasilias?? As a fan of vintage planes, I loved it...



On the other hand, the light was incredibly harsh.....!! Our guides only speak English. We knew that in advance. In the south, it’s very rare to find someone who speaks French. This’ll force us to dig into our high school English memories... from 60 years ago... at least.

It’s noon, and we head toward the lodge. Near the airstrip, next to the Mikumi rangers’ base, there are quite a few herbivores. They find a bit more peace here—the big cats don’t venture this way...

Our first encounter was a group of Masai giraffes.





Rarer (for us), a savanna monitor lizard basking in the sun right in the middle of the track...??



A large gathering of impalas (mostly males) along with a few blue wildebeest:





Also unusual: a African crowned hornbill taking a dust bath in the middle of the track...!!



When it comes to identifying mammals or birds, I don’t know everything... so I might make mistakes. Please forgive me. I’m counting on my friend Blesl’s active participation... 😉

...