Hi everyone, Okay, here I go—I haven’t done a cruise review in ages, and even longer since I’ve posted one on this forum. So, this is kinda your fault, Catherine, if I’m getting back into it... I just hope I haven’t lost my touch!

It’s a transatlantic cruise, so there are a lot of sea days. That means this review will mostly focus on the ship, especially the "Haven" section, which doesn’t get much coverage on this forum. There’ll definitely be some comparisons with MSC’s Yacht Club, since they’re direct competitors.

This will be my third cruise with NCL—a company I really love—but my first in The Haven.

My two previous cruises were on smaller ships: the NCL Sun for the Chilean fjords and the NCL Spirit in February 2025 in Asia, departing from Taiwan and arriving in Korea. I *loved* the Spirit.

Alright, let’s get started!

This trip was booked almost last-minute in early October for late November, after I had to cut short my August trip for medical reasons.

At first, when I looked at this cruise, I hadn’t specifically decided to go for The Haven. I wanted a relaxing cruise but still with destinations I hadn’t been to before. I kinda stumbled upon this one, and the itinerary appealed to me. I also found the balcony cabin price pretty good—around 2800 € for a balcony cabin (for two), all-inclusive package included. Not including flights, of course. In the end, we decided to try The Haven (obviously not the same price), but I think we got a great deal for the promised perks.

Itinerary: Departure from Lisbon, arrival in Galveston, Texas. Stops: St. Martin, St. Thomas, La Romana, Cabo Rojo, Falmouth in Jamaica.

Friday, November 4 My flight Barcelona - Abu Dhabi - Delhi went smoothly, it’s on time, and here I am back in India after 3 long years. As I step off the plane, we head toward customs. It’s 3 AM, I’m tired but happy. The huge customs hall is below ground level and buzzing with people who’ve just arrived. In the end, they’re well organized—Indians to the left, foreigners to the right, and all along the hall, the customs officers’ posts, who remain very zen despite the crowd. It took me less than 2 hours to get out of the airport, which was pretty quick. For this return trip, I got in touch with a driver from the "Lovers of India" group who was supposed to take me from the airport to Udaipur, passing through non-touristy villages like I love. This French-speaking driver had convinced me to travel by car, which was supposed to make moving from village to village easier. Two or three days before departure, I receive a message from the driver saying he was sick with a cold and sending another driver, his very kind brother who knows Rajasthan well but doesn’t speak French. I’m a bit disappointed by this message and doubtful about the driver’s sincerity, but I don’t have time to find another driver, so I stick to my plans, though I’m not at ease. At the exit, the driver hasn’t arrived, and I wait half an hour before seeing him show up with a big smile, "Namaste." We don’t waste time and head to the car, which is clean and new. We get to know each other in the car and hit the road toward Alwar. Along the way, we stop for lunch and to taste my first masala chai, which wakes up my taste buds.



I doze off during the drive, and we arrive at the Atlantic Hotel in Alwar at 10:30 AM. My room is on the ground floor, and I settle in quickly. The Wi-Fi isn’t working, but the staff do everything they can to fix it. At noon, Gajender, the driver, suggests visiting the Qila Fort, which is on the heights of Alwar. The fort is closed for restoration, but safari tours are offered—jeep, guide, driver, and visit for 1600 Rs.



We follow the great wall, which is impressive—the second largest in India and the third in the world.



We spot peacocks and monkeys.





The guide shows me an old stepwell lost in nature. It’s always my thing to check out these baoris, which can be stunning, but this one isn’t anything special. We arrive at the palace overlooking the city.



We walk around the palace, and I discover another stepwell that’s not worth lingering over.

The tour is over, and I had a great time despite the fatigue. We head back down to Alwar, near the City Palace, which has been turned into administrative offices. Gaju (the driver’s nickname) finds a parking spot near a dhaba where we have lunch (paneer masala, chapatis, chai)—it’s delicious. With my energy restored, we head to the palace. On the top floor is a museum that I visit.



At the exit of the museum, we have to go back down and walk around the palace to get to the Moosi Maharani Chhatri. I’ve been here once before and really liked it, and the place is still the same—calm and relaxing.



"This monument is the most artistic in Alwar and also the most royal, filled with fascinating history. Maharaja Vinay Singh of Alwar built this two-story cenotaph in 1815 in memory of his father, Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh. It’s also known as Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri, named after the king’s mistress, who performed sati upon his death. After the sati, she was accepted as the king’s wife. It’s an elegant monument, shaped like a flower and built with a mix of brown sandstone and white marble. The first floor is made of sandstone, while the upper floor and the chhatris (cenotaphs) are in white marble. Its sculpted pavilion has dome-shaped arches with intricate lace-like and exquisite floral patterns. There are complex motifs that shine brightly in the sunlight. The colorful circular ceiling is an important part of Moosi Maharani Ki Chhatri and is adorned with faded gold-leaf paintings of mythological figures and scenes. The footprints of Maharaja and Moosi Rani are engraved in marble inside the cenotaph, and locals pay their respects to them."



Near the chhatri, there’s a large water reservoir with a magnificent view. The place is peaceful and relaxing, and I stay here for a while, contemplating and daydreaming before heading back to the hotel for some well-deserved rest. The Wi-Fi is working now. I’m the only foreign guest, and since my room is near the entrance, I’ll be well taken care of throughout my stay.

Hi there, This travel journal is to share our trip to Myanmar in January-February 2017 and relive the experience... Six stops: - the economic capital, Yangon, - the ethnic groups in the east around Kengtong, - Inle Lake - Mandalay - Bagan - the Golden Rock and Bago A trip for two, but organized with a local agency. Flight with Vietnam Airlines (Paris/Ho Chi Minh City/Yangon on the way out, Yangon/Hanoi/Paris on the way back)

First stop, Yangon

At last, we arrive! That moment of excitement and impatience we all know when we land in a country we don’t know but have been dreaming about for a while. Butterflies in our stomachs—not just from the long flight! It’s noon, everything goes smoothly (baggage, immigration, currency exchange, pre-booked taxi, ride to Yangon), and by 2:30 PM we check out of our hotel, tired from the journey but eager to explore the city and power through until evening to beat the jet lag. We’re driven by To-Wen. Traffic is pretty heavy, but strangely, no motorbikes or scooters... To-Wen explains that two-wheelers have been banned in Yangon for several years because they’d become too numerous and caused many injuries and fatalities. To compensate, a very developed public transport system has been put in place. Yangon, or Rangoon, isn’t Myanmar’s administrative capital. The official capital was moved to Naypyidaw in 2005 by government decision—some say to distance themselves from potential popular uprisings. Whatever the reason, it cost a fortune, and no one followed (only civil servants, who were forced to go), not even foreign embassies. This ghost capital makes all the Burmese we spoke to chuckle. Yangon is the economic, cultural, and diplomatic capital, and it’s the most populous city (4.5 million people).

What did we see? Well, first we discovered the Sule Pagoda, a funny concept of a "roundabout pagoda" since it’s right in the middle of a busy intersection! Circular, its outer wall houses many tiny stalls. Then comes the miracle: the hustle and bustle of the street contrasts with the calm inside. You leave a noisy roundabout and suddenly find yourself in another world... flowers and fruit in front of the altars, the scent of jasmine mixed with incense... Actually, this pagoda is very old—it’s said to have been founded in 230 BC to enshrine a hair of the Buddha, but it was in the 15th century that the great zedi (a slender stupa) on top reached its current height of 44 meters (see photos). It’s a symbolic site in the fight for democracy, as it was the rallying point for monk protests in 2007.



Next to the Sule Pagoda is Independence Park, which borders the colonial district (very run-down).



Then we had our first wow moment: the stunning Shwedagon Pagoda (see photos). It’s Myanmar’s most sacred Buddhist sanctuary, drawing crowds of devotees. Its stupa rises to 99 meters, surrounded by dozens of temples and zedis... It’s said that successive rulers have been embellishing and expanding it for over 1,500 years.



Believers gather in the many halls and circle the great golden stupa. Here, we encounter for the first time the incredible "quiet fervor" of the Burmese. A kind, open religiosity that doesn’t make us feel like intruders or nuisances—instead, it makes us want to understand their faith better.



If you go, make sure to be there in the late afternoon: the low rays of the setting sun bathe the site in gold and orange. The zedis glow... and everything becomes surreal.





The sun sets early, so we head back to the hotel around 6:30 PM. Lucky for us, it has a stunning view of Yangon by night from the top floor. We settle in to sip our first vacation cocktail. In the foreground, the shadow of Kandawgyi Lake, and in the background, the illuminated Shwedagon Pagoda, which serves as a landmark for the whole city. (See photo.)

Tomorrow, we fly to Kengtung. We’ll be back in Yangon at the end of our trip to explore more.

Time for bed by 10 PM—we need a restful night to adjust to Myanmar time...

Next post: Kengtung and meeting the local ethnic groups.

Hi! I’m 76 and have traveled a lot in my life, and now I’m looking to settle in Réunion.

I’ve seen a retirement community in Saint-Pierre (Ravine des Cabris) and a residence called Village d’Or in Sainte-Clotilde. I have a feeling that living in Saint-Joseph might be better. I’ve submitted both applications and would love your thoughts—also if you know of any friendly small residences for rent, or if you have experience living there.

My pension is 1,460 €.

Thanks so much for your help! Looking forward to hearing from you—warm regards to everyone

Hi everyone!

So, I’m putting into action an idea I had two years ago... I’m inviting anyone who’s interested to help build a beautiful collaborative project—a shared travel journal!!!

The concept: one post =

a photo you’ve taken in the American West that means something to you and your thoughts on that photo or about it: where and when it was taken, the story behind it, why it’s special to you...

Grab your pens!!!! (And I hope this doesn’t flop, but if it does, at least I’ll have tried!!!)

And I’ll kick things off in the next post!

From Beijing to Khiva: China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Chronicle of anecdotes, highlights, and other adventures that marked this eight-week journey in 2018.



The Chinese Far West More than 30 years after my first trip to eastern China, I finally fulfilled an old dream: traveling solo from Beijing to the far west, discovering Xinjiang, the Uyghur people and the oppression they endure, the oases of Turpan and Kashgar, the Taklamakan Desert, the end of the Great Wall... The route was covered by train.

MENU PART 1: CHINA

1- Beijing (Jiankou) : the authentic Great Wall, without tourists 2- Cycling in Beijing, the best way to get around 3- Beijing : departure for the far west 4- Jiayuguan : getting by without English 5- Jiayuguan : scams and heritage 6- Dunhuang : abundance in the middle of the desert 7- Turpan : the Uyghurs under heavy surveillance 8- Kashgar : love at first sight for the old city 9- Kashgar : China’s recipe for controlling the populace 10- Tashkurgan : what on earth was I thinking going there! Kyrgyz border: a surreal epic Photo album from the 80s, contributions from other travelers (page 2)

1- JIANKOU Finding the authentic Great Wall, without tourists or a guide Friday, August 24, 2018 Thirty years later, I didn’t feel like revisiting the Great Wall at Badaling or any other overcrowded site. I chose to explore it at Jiankou, in its wildest, most authentic, and unrestored section, starting from a lost village deep in a valley—though it wasn’t *that* lost, since it had everything for communication.



No need to pay for a taxi to get there—by timing it right, you can take the bus for just a few yuan. You have to get off at Xizhazi, the bus terminus. Be careful, there are only two buses a day in each direction. At the Xizhazi bus stop, I met a young couple who’d arrived with zero information about what to expect. We hiked the three of us toward the restored section of Mutianyu.

Still, be cautious With GPS and a topographic map (OpenTopoMap), you can set off without a problem or guide. The trail up to Jiankou is easy and well-marked. The trails down are too. But be careful—once you’re on the Wall, it’s real mountain hiking, with easy but dangerous climbing sections (over sheer drops). Not for amateurs or those afraid of heights! But what a reward. The Wall all to yourself, where it’s at its most daring. Truly mesmerizing.

More photos...

2- BEIJING The best way to get around the capital Sunday, August 26 The best way to explore the city is still by bike. Most are in a bike-share system, but you need to use an app—WeChat, the app that does everything, like monitoring your every move. No way I was installing that.



I found one at a rental shop near the hostel. The key is to quickly learn local traffic customs to minimize risks. Bike lanes are wide along the avenues.

But you still have to: - Watch out for anything parked on the bike paths—the most annoying are people napping or talking on the phone in their cars - Keep an eye on everything coming the wrong way—the list is long - The worst is right turns on red, which in Chinese traffic rules seem to have priority Once you get the hang of it, it’s fine. The city is huge but flat, so you can just wing it.

3- BEIJING By train to the far west Sunday, August 26 Beijing West Station is the size and operates like an airport. With your e-ticket from the agency, you first have to pick up your ticket at the special "English" counter, after passing through security. With your ticket in hand, you have to exit and enter through the boarding waiting area—not the platform—after a second security check.

Then you find the right hall and wait for the sign to finally access the platform. In the end, it works pretty well given the incredible number of passengers to manage. Everywhere in Beijing, I saw that the Chinese have mastered crowd flow management.

Nice surprise: second-class carriages are clean, air-conditioned, and bright. Perfect, since I was in for 20 hours. One uniformed attendant per carriage, mobile meal service—luxury! Small downside: no luggage space. Hauling your suitcase up to the top bunk is quite a workout. I was in the middle, so it wasn’t too bad. The landscape, though, whether rural or urban, is pretty bleak. That should change once we leave the eastern plains.

Of course, I got my first police visit, with a thorough passport check and bag search. I was warned—going to the Chinese far west exposes you to this kind of hassle. But they were polite and respectful.

The Chinese Far West

4- JIAYUGUAN Getting by without English Monday, August 27 At the gates of two deserts (Gobi and Taklamakan) and at the foot of the Tibetan highlands, the Great Wall ends at Jiayuguan. Here, I found the deeper China I’d somewhat rediscovered during my bike ride, even if now everyone gets around on electric bikes and I’m no longer stared at like an alien.



Prices are nothing like Beijing: you can find a full meal for 2 €, and my bike cost 7 € for two days. Plus, few people speak English—neither the owner of the HI hostel where I stayed, nor the ticket sellers at the sites, let alone the servers at the small eateries where I ate. Everything is written in Chinese. So I had to use the little Chinese I know to communicate about essentials. It makes the locals laugh to see a European trying to speak their language, but it earns respect. With Google Translate’s help, I managed.

Rant: With their avenues blocked for construction for kilometers without warning, and new roads not yet on maps, I must’ve taken 15 km of detours. More photos...

5- JIAYUGUAN Scams and heritage Tuesday, August 28 The Great Wall doesn’t exactly end at the fort I visited yesterday but 10 km further, at the entrance to a river gorge at the foot of the mountains. All that’s left is a badly damaged tower (more like a mound of earth) and a section of clay wall, similar to the one I biked yesterday.



This morning, I hopped on my bike, determined to venture into the desert to see this highly symbolic site. First, you access it via a wide, brand-new road with not a soul in sight. Just before the site, I came across a grand welcome gate, very period-style, but it’s actually the inevitable toll booth.

Behind the gate, the road continues straight to the site, which you can see in the distance—at least 2 km away—the remains of the tower and wall. I had to leave my bike here. Fine. I went to the ticket counter and asked the price: 120 yuan! I couldn’t believe it—over 15 € for a simple mound of earth.

I showed my displeasure to the attendant, who couldn’t care less, and immediately turned back. 120 yuan—that’s the price for a new road, a fancy gate planted 2 km before the site just to force you to take a shuttle, and employees with nothing to do all day... Now I understand why I didn’t meet anyone!

Heritage China is a bit pricey Generally, sites are expensive for the country’s standard of living, but travelers are supposed to have money, so why hold back? I even gave up on the Forbidden City—reservations required days in advance (or on the black market at an impossible price). I prefer to keep the memory of my first visit, when entry must’ve cost a few dozen cents, and there were only a handful of visitors.

This morning, I took a taxi to see remarkable tombs of common people from the 3rd to 6th centuries. They’re small vaulted caves made of painted bricks, depicting scenes of daily life. Very pretty and moving. But even here, though the price was more reasonable, I was left wanting—only one of the 16 tombs is open to visitors, and it’s apparently not the most beautiful.

The authentic China—at least what’s left of it... Wandering the impersonal avenues of the city, you stumble upon a market. There, you still find traditional China—small shops with questionable hygiene, Go players, musicians, and even a dental prosthetist. The last refuge for those untouched by modernity. More photos...

6- DUNHUANG Abundance in the middle of the desert Wednesday, August 29 Well, I thought the landscape would be less bleak as I headed west. Nope. The only distraction in this expanse of dark, clayey sand is the forests of pylons and wind turbines, plus wild camels racing each other.

However, Dunhuang, the gateway to the Taklamakan, is by far the most pleasant Chinese city I know. There’s a real city center you can explore on foot. It’s hot but not unbearable, with a light, dry breeze. Much nicer than Beijing. The Han Chinese are still the majority, but the Muslim Uyghurs are more numerous, and the muezzin’s call to prayer echoes around the mosque.

The most surprising thing is the abundance and diversity of fruits and vegetables. You wonder how it all grows here. Well-irrigated, the desert sands are very fertile. Here, raisins have subtle, mysterious flavors, and the lamb really tastes like lamb.

Today, I visited the must-see Mingshashan, a dune complex next to which Pila is a molehill. The Basque Country, but covered in sand... More photos...

7- TURPAN The Uyghurs under heavy surveillance Friday, August 31 Surveillance cameras everywhere in the city, armed police stationed at intersections, in front of public buildings, at the entrance and inside tourist sites, police stations on every corner, patrols on foot or by car, khaki uniforms even for middle schoolers... here, the Han Chinese are in the minority, and you can feel it. Turpan feels like a city under siege.



To enter the youth hostel where I stayed, there’s even a security gate, and the receptionist (a Han, like everyone in tourism) wears a bulletproof vest! Reassuring. Still, you don’t feel particularly threatened here, especially as a European. The troublemakers are the Chinese, not the Uyghurs. Generally, China is a very safe country for visitors.

Smile, you’re on camera! I was biking on an avenue when the car in front of me got flashed for driving slowly. I quickly understood why when I got flashed too.

Here, the official time is Beijing time, but it gets dark two hours later. It’ll be even worse in Kashgar. Trickier to manage: everything is displayed in Chinese and Arabic. Nothing in English. Choosing a menu is a shot in the dark. Apart from a few young Chinese, no one here speaks English, and my Chinese doesn’t seem very understandable...

Mogao, the end of the road for the Han Yesterday, near Dunhuang, I went to Mogao, a complex of decorated caves with Buddha sculptures and paintings. Stunning, but so crowded! Luckily, here in Turpan, Chinese tourists barely venture out. So I visited a Silk Road ghost town with only a handful of other visitors and under a howling wind.

The modern Chinese city is swallowing up the old Uyghur neighborhoods—only a museum-like district remains in the center, and pockets of resistance on the outskirts are doomed to disappear soon. More photos...

8- KASHGAR A (relative) love at first sight for the old city Sunday, September 2 After three overnight trains, here I am in the far west of China, nearly 4,000 km from the capital. Despite the omnipresent police and an old city preserved UNESCO-style, Kashgar is my Chinese love at first sight.



Finally, Chinese... well, sort of, because we’re in Uyghur territory here—a Turkic people with nothing culturally in common with the Han, the eastern Chinese. It started badly yesterday at Turfan station, where after three security gate passes, at least five passport checks, and a bag search, three adorable policewomen confiscated my antibacterial lotion because it had a flammable logo...

Then came the welcoming committee of armed cops at Kashgar station. Once all that was over, they left me alone—except you still have to go through security checks like everyone else to enter the old city, the bazaar, the livestock market... The further west you go, the more the siege mentality is evident. Luckily, the border isn’t far...

Despite the inevitable destruction-reconstruction, the city center has been well preserved. Thankfully, because it’s a very original style, a mix of local and colonial. I love it, even if it’s a bit too artificial, sanitized, and watered-down, and rather empty of residents. On the Silk Road, the city was famous for its great food. And it still is—rarely have I seen such richness and abundance of food! And not just scorpions or snakes. More photos...

9- KASHGAR China’s recipe for controlling the populace Saturday, September 1 Xinjiang, along with Tibet, is a "sensitive" area of rebellion in the eyes of Chinese authorities. As a result, the state has these regions and their populations under total control. Tourists also feel the consequences, even if they’re not at risk of re-education camps.

- Putting barbed wire and anti-ramming barriers around sensitive sites (schools, big hotels, government buildings...) - Installing traffic surveillance gates with cameras and photo flashes (for all vehicles passing, including bikes) throughout the city and even in the countryside - Posting uniformed guards with tasers, batons, or huge baseball bats every 100 meters - Training the Han population (ethnic Chinese) in self-defense with sticks, preferably in the morning on the street. Men and women of all ages - Starting school with the national anthem, doing military exercises, and receiving political indoctrination, all neatly lined up in the courtyard. (The dream school for any teacher) - Placing a snitch in uniform (a pseudo-guard) in public gathering places, like youth hostels. Mine spends the day loafing around the courtyard - Putting Chinese flags everywhere on the streets to remind everyone who’s in charge - Installing security gates at every entrance to areas frequented by tourists (thanks for that) but not just there - Never photographing cops, or else! I tried, but it’s not easy...

With all that, you can stroll around safely Not much crime! As for the amount the Chinese state spends to maintain such a system, it’s staggering! A third of the Han living in Xinjiang work in security. Today, I wandered freely around old Kashgar, which is quite large after all. More photos...

10- TASHKURGAN What on earth was I thinking going there! Wednesday, September 5 First, there’s the taxi—pretty crappy, with a driver who doesn’t speak a word of English and won’t stop smoking. Over six hours in that... shared with a completely out-of-it American.



Then there are all the checkpoints along the way. I won’t go on—you know the drill by now.

After that, there’s Tashkurgan—a town with nothing to see, nothing to do. Deserted as soon as night falls. There’s this huge youth hostel and a few lost Chinese tapping away on their smartphones, chain-smoking. This lost American-European crowd, swapping tips on how to enter Pakistan or Tajikistan.

Luckily, there’s the Chinese Pamir Highway, lined with peaks over 7,000m. There’s the feeling of no longer being in China, with a population whose features are Middle Eastern. And these Tajik women with their stunning hairstyles and vibrant costumes. There’s the fact of having reached the westernmost Chinese city, far from crowds and tourist sites. A sort of end of the world. More photos...

11- KYRGYZ BORDER A surreal epic Thursday, September 6 The road from Kashgar to the Kyrgyzstan border is a little over 200 km and passes through beautiful landscapes of colorful, desert-like mountains with acrobatic folds. That’s the bucolic part of the trip.

Yesterday, I managed to gather four people to rent a minibus to reach the border more easily: a Spaniard and an Argentine I’d already met in Turpan, and two New Zealanders who responded to the ad left at the hostel.

Absurdity and paranoia of Chinese authorities The highlight was crossing the town of Wuqia, 50 km past Kashgar. After tallying up with my fellow sufferers, we must’ve passed about ten checkpoints with: - Passport checks: 14 times, sometimes by two cops side by side - Bag checks: 4 times - Smartphone checks: 2 times, with deletion of "non-compliant" photos, and registration of your IMEI in the exit log!... Absurd and surreal at the same time, since my camera stayed in my bag, my apps are in French, and my photos have been online for ages...

With all that, we arrived just as the last checkpoint before the no man’s land marking the border between the two countries was on lunch break. And bam! Another 1.5-hour wait, alongside truckers who were much more used to this than we were.

What to think? The cops themselves aren’t fooled. They play the role they’re asked to, but sometimes you can coax a smile out of them—they realize how ridiculous the situation is.

What’s the point? That’s the big question my companions and I were tempted to answer with "to piss people off." To show you your place isn’t here, but with the other tourists, over there in the east, in Shanghai, Xi’an, or Guangzhou.

As for you, a traveler from a democratic country, you really experience this as aggression, humiliation, a violation of your private space. And yet, I’m respected, they speak to me properly. Today, I better understand what a Palestinian or a citizen of an occupied country might feel daily. A unique experience! Thanks, China.

And to top it off, the cherry on the cake! It’s still this glowing button you press to rate your passage after clearing the last obstacle before the exit stamp. I was so surprised it turned off before I could react. The Spaniard, with great humor and irony, had time to vote "excellent." In the end, he wasn’t wrong—you can hardly do better!

PS: I ditched my buddies at the border. They didn’t want to pay for a taxi to continue. So I took a direct taxi to Osh. The first 100 km are fabulous. I couldn’t take many photos, but I’ll be back on Monday to go to Tajikistan.

More photos...

The rest of the Silk Road, Part 2, in these travel journals: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.

I'm currently converting a DAF/HEULIEZ MB205 bus.

Cheaper and more spacious than a regular vehicle, the paperwork (in France) isn't too difficult for approval.

I'm ready to help anyone who wants to tackle this kind of project. Those who know, help those who want to....

This is where you can chat about bridges... let’s get the conversation started! 😊

Hi everyone,

What a joy to be back here and pick up where we left off after all these months of hiatus.

I hope you’ll enjoy the story of this little trip around the Eastern Mediterranean. This cruise was the perfect way to satisfy our longing to return to Greece and Istanbul. The end of the season, until late November, is the best time to visit the Mediterranean in my opinion—when climate disruptions don’t get in the way.

Departing from Trieste, our stops were Katakolon, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Corfu, and Bari, before returning to Trieste and then Venice, where we planned a very short 24-hour stay.

We left home at 6:15 AM—our first cruise departure since moving to Normandy. What I miss most about living in the Gard is how close we were to Marseille Airport. No more hopping over to Marignane in an hour; now we have to plan for a three-hour trip to CDG, even under the best conditions on an early Sunday morning.

It was impossible to book a hotel night before our flight because, starting in April, the Ibis was priced at 450 € per night, and the Mercure was flirting with 800 €—breakfast not included, of course. 😏

I had a feeling there must’ve been a conference or something going on… Turns out, it was just the auto show. They simply adjusted the room prices to match the cost of the cars. 😛

Our flight took us to Venice, where we caught a FlixBus to Trieste. We arrived at Trieste’s train station in the afternoon and walked to our hotel in the city center.

After treating ourselves to an amazing pizza at a restaurant (Di Napoli Maestri Pizzaioli, Via Armando Diaz 10) for a very reasonable price, we enjoyed the mild evening temperature while exploring the stunning buildings of this charming city by night. These magnificent structures are a testament to the city’s past. Trieste became Austrian in 1382 due to its complicated relationship with Venice, and it wasn’t until 1918, at the end of World War I, that it became Italian again. The city’s lighting beautifully highlights the architecture of the buildings.

The terraces were lively, and the atmosphere was so warm and inviting that we wanted to stay out even longer.



But we’d been up since 4 AM, so we were happy to retreat to the quiet of our hotel, located in the pedestrian center just a few steps from the port (Urban Hotel Design—highly recommended).

More to come soon.

Hi there,

I’m looking for a beach spot within 3 hours max of Bangkok for the end of my trip (January). I know full well I won’t find that postcard-perfect vibe of the more remote islands! But I don’t have a choice. If you’ve got any ideas... no high-rises, obviously not Pattaya, somewhere quiet, swimming possible, a hotel right on the beach (and not too dirty, the beach itself!) I’ve looked at hotels around Ko Samet or, across from it, on the mainland. I spotted the Bann Pae Cabana. But nothing really exciting on either side. New ideas welcome! 🙂

I’d heard—and rightly so—about the incredible kindness of Taiwanese people. I had just spent a few weeks in Korea, a country of teddy bears, where the locals loved telling me about a place full of… more teddy bears. It was going in circles.

So I arrived in Taipei with stars in my eyes, ready to face all that generosity. Yet, surprisingly, the guard posted in front of the presidential palace wasn’t exactly courteous. And then, the countless military vehicles really struck me. Have you ever seen a teddy bear driving a tank?

I spent most of my evenings in a bar along a very large avenue. I’d go alone and always find company—men, women, it didn’t matter as long as I could blend into this new country, discover its people, their culture, their history.

The heat made me sweat nonstop, my beard had grown back, I was wearing a black T-shirt as worn-out as possible, and my face bore the marks of several months in Russia and Korea. In short, I looked like the perfect globetrotter—the kind I’d probably dreamed of being as a kid.

So there I was, sitting at the bar, deep in conversation with a Taiwanese friend, when a fight broke out between an Italian and an American—two drunk, stupid beasts. Shouting, shoving, we kicked them out. Well, *we* didn’t. My friend didn’t move; I was the only one who reacted, letting my temper get the better of me. He looked at me and said, without malice, that white guys had also fought two days earlier. I turned my head toward the room—I was the only foreigner. I was used to it, but tonight was different. The looks in the mirror were full of distrust. I felt like an idiot for all the others. I felt like an idiot. I said goodbye to my friend; I was convinced I’d never see him again. As I headed toward my hostel, my brain was racing. Asia had confronted me with a side of travel I didn’t know. I’d always managed to blend in, to go unnoticed, but when your features and skin color prevent that, the game changes. And this hyper-globalization, this hyper-communication, the fact that poor guys like me can enjoy travel—is it really a good thing? Does it create an expectation, a need for a mass of tourists who couldn’t care less about the country they’re visiting? No, really, I felt like an idiot. And then all those damn tanks, and what’s with those dozen tents in front of the presidential palace? It intrigued me. It was late, but there was movement. Hey! Hey! How are you? Good, just a little drunk. Ha ah aha! What are you doing here? Why are there so many military personnel around you? Ha ha ah! You can come if you want! Oh really? Yeah, yeah!

I climbed over the fence and learned. I learned that in the mountains to the east of the island, the island’s natives still live. I learned that their culture is disappearing, that they themselves are disappearing. That nothing is being done to preserve the very origin of this country. That all those tanks and military personnel were there for about thirty cheerful troublemakers who had made the trip. Because by being there, they were announcing: *Yes, we’re still here.* I spent the rest of the evening with them until early morning. They showed me how to weave my own shoes (flip-flops), plied me with endless coffee, laughed when a cop took my picture and I shouted, *Yes, I’m a French spy*, and gave me a bracelet. I left with a new look in my eyes. This trip will end as it began, but the next one will be different. I’ll be prepared; it won’t just be an escape or an adventure. Travelers destroy more than they preserve—it’s not easy to tip the scales, but I’m going to try anyway.

Hey there, fellow travelers 😎

We’re back from 15 days in northern India.

For our 6th visit to this country, we traveled between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and let’s just say it was an emotional rollercoaster!!

So if you’re up for it, we’re taking you to Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Khajuraho, Orchha, and Agra.

Ready for takeoff??

WELCOME TO VARANASI



When you leave your sanitized, rigid Western world behind, there’s nothing like diving back into the Indian chaos. And we nailed it—because when it comes to monumental madness, we couldn’t have picked a better place to start than Varanasi 😉!!

Here’s a little recap of our first day in this insane city.

It all starts with landing at the city’s airport.

As soon as we step out, hundreds of Indians stare at us like they’ve never seen white people before (I’d forgotten how intense that is!). There are lots of women covered in black fabric, only their eyes visible—pretty striking, I must say. Turns out they’re Indians working in the Middle East, heading back to "work" after a month’s vacation.

We hop in a taxi, but after a few kilometers, we’re stopped… by the passage of the "state minister." The roads are freshly paved and spotless for his convoy (you can *totally* tell the difference with the roads he didn’t use 😛). We didn’t manage to spot him in the middle of the 25 cars surrounding him, though!!

Then we arrive in front of the mythical Ganges—a peaceful spot, except for a boat full of Indian pilgrims who, once again, stare at us and take our pictures (the mutual curiosity is hilarious!!).



We board a boat, and almost immediately, we pass a cremation ghat!! Oh crap, I wasn’t expecting that so soon—it hits me hard (like, *really* hard 🤪)!! Huge piles of wood, eight massive fires with families gathered around. It lasts as long as the boat ride, and you think you must’ve imagined it… but no!!

You dock and wander through the tiny alleys.

It’s 36°C (97°F) with 90% humidity—you’re dripping.

Cows block the way sometimes. The air smells like incense, then urine, then a woman’s perfume, then rotten fruit, then amazing street food—all within two meters, and *everywhere*!!



Then you step into the main street where pilgrims arrive (60,000 a day—Varanasi is the country’s holiest city!!). The chaos ramps up as you head toward the main road: nonstop honking, a bike whizzing past on your right, a scooter on your left, people brushing against you from all sides, air thick with dust and smoke (diesel *or* cremation!!), beggars of all kinds (kids, elderly, disabled) lined up to appeal to the pilgrims, the suffocating heat, and noise—*so much* noise…



In some areas, people constantly approach you: "Come see my shop," "Need a taxi?" "Want to exchange money?" And then there’s the woman with her baby in her arms, following you for meters, repeating, "No money, milk; no money, milk…" And you’re *dying* inside, but you can’t stop. If you give in, ten more will come running!! You grit your teeth, keep walking, even talk to yourself out loud!!

After half an hour, it feels like you’ve run a marathon, and you don’t even know where you live anymore!

In the evening, you head to the PUJA (public prayers for all the pilgrims) on a boat in the middle of hundreds of others. Two ghats are competing—who can make the most noise. One side is singing, the other chanting, then they switch. They wave flames, the ghats are packed.



After dinner, you head back to your room around 9 PM and see hundreds of people sleeping on the scorching stones—with cows, dogs, and goats!!!!

A huge thank-you to our parents for giving us the mental balance to handle this, because *India drives you crazy*—and we’re right in the thick of it!!!

It’s an ex.tra.or.di.nary place in the truest sense of the word, with incredible beauty—especially in its human diversity—if you can look past what shocks you.



We stayed for 3 days—3 days of unmatched intensity, where the spectacle is *constant*.



So I *highly* recommend it to all travel lovers, those who embrace difference, and the strange (for us, at least). But definitely *not* for anyone looking for a relaxing vacation!!



More to come soon if you’re interested!!

I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...

Here’s the prompt I gave:

"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.

- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.

- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...

- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.

- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.

- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.

- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.

- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.). Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.

- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.

- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."

The AI asked for a few clarifications:

"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."

In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did. I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...

Its proposal:

"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights Sidemen (2 nights) Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur

It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):

IN UBUD: - Walk around central Ubud (1–2h) - Campuhan Ridge Walk - Tegalalang Rice Terrace - Tirta Empul - Gunung Kawi - Massage / market / slow café

IN SIDEMEN: - Rice terrace hike (2–3h) - Cooking class

IN AMED: - Snorkeling - Japanese Shipwreck - Beach + relaxation - Volcano sunset

ON GILI: - Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues

IN MUNDUK: - Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall - Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level) - Ulun Danu Bratan Temple - Twin Lakes

IN PEMUTERAN - Snorkeling: Menjangan Island

For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well: 👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option 12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM) 1 PM: ferry 3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer 11 PM: start ascent 2 AM–6 AM: volcano Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM) 👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency 💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive

IN SANUR: - Relaxation - Quiet beach - Proximity to airport (30 min)"

BUDGET: "3,000 – 3,900 € for 2 people" (We paid 3,200 €)

In conclusion, it’s not (yet) enough, but it’s (already) pretty impressive!

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.

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.

I'm starting my first travel journal since VF reopened!

This will mostly be to share my impressions and some photos, with a few days' delay, but I'm starting this journal while I'm still here.

First, I'd like to thank those who helped me prepare for this trip.

I was able to organize this stay in one of the most expensive countries in the world thanks to the home-exchange principle. Not necessarily a direct swap, but through a points system, which is more practical for choosing where you want to go without it having to be a reciprocal exchange.

For this trip, there will already be two different accommodations. We'll see how it goes after that.

The first place is near Yverdon-les-Bains, close to Lake Neuchâtel.

So, we're going to explore this area!

We arrived under capricious weather that won’t leave us for the next few days!

We had dinner at a pizzeria recommended by *Le Routard* in Yverdon, then took a little nighttime stroll through the town center before heading inland to settle into our accommodation.

We discovered a very large, quiet house—and especially the cat that stayed behind! Funny for a couple of mice! He’ll be sleeping with us 😹

After my trip to Oregon in 2018 (see Travel Journal "Oregon and Only Oregon"), I vaguely intended to return to the West (the western USA, of course—the west of France is where I almost live) someday, later... with no specific date or plan.

November 2018, I stumbled upon a promotion for round-trip flights from Paris to San Francisco. Well, I *stumbled*—they must’ve collected some "data" on me to make sure this deal crossed my path. And it worked! My ESTA was still valid, and two days later, it was decided: May 13, 2019 (departure from Paris) to June 15, 2019 (return to Paris).

The travel style? Just like last year: low-budget trip, rental car, and accommodation only in campgrounds, with no reservations to stay as free as possible.

Exceptions? 3 nights in a youth hostel upon arrival in downtown San Francisco, and 1 night on the way back (right before flying) in Montara, near Pacifica—a spot that seemed well-located for driving back to the airport in the middle of the night.

Now, to sketch out the rough itinerary. Here’s what it looked like after the trip:

Westernmost point: Montara Lighthouse on the coast, 30 km south of San Francisco (California); Easternmost point: Zion National Park (Utah). Northernmost point: Reno (Nevada). Southernmost point: Spring Mountain Ranch State Park in Blue Diamond, near Las Vegas (Nevada).

Another view:



I’ll be spending 33 days in this little area! I’m a slow traveler.

Meanwhile, I realized that in some places I wanted to visit (Las Vegas and National Parks), it was better to book ahead. So, I added to my reservations: - 2 nights in a hostel in Las Vegas - 6 nights of camping in the national parks (2 at Zion NP, 2 at Yosemite NP, 2 at Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP). Between all these dated stops, it’s a choose-your-own-adventure from the ideas I found.

I’m also a slow writer—slow writer, slow traveler—so it’ll take me a while to wrap this up. I’ll start tomorrow.

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.

Hi everyone,

Better late than never—I’m finally getting around to sharing our trip to Romania from last year.

Before I start, I have a personal history with this country: I lived there in 2004 for three and a half months during a student internship. I still have friends there and a decent grasp of Romanian. That helps. But more than anything, I’ve grown attached to the country. It’s well-deserved—Romania gives back just as much. That said, when I talk about it, maybe I see things differently than someone visiting for the first time.

This was my third trip to Romania. This time, I brought my wife and our two daughters. After years of wanting to take a family trip there, this was finally the right moment. My wife wasn’t exactly thrilled at first—she’d been hesitant for years. But she ended up loving it, and we’ll definitely go back together. For our 6- and 8-year-old girls, the trip was fascinating in so many ways: the sights, learning about communism and totalitarian regimes, the Roma community, how different religions coexist, the Saxon minorities...

We landed in Bucharest last July. We spent two and a half weeks in the country. We took off from Toulouse early in the morning and arrived at Bucharest airport around noon. We flew with Lufthansa because it’s a solid airline and the cheapest option we found.

We rented a car. I don’t remember the rental agency’s name, but we got scammed a bit. We’d booked insurance through Booking, but when we arrived, we couldn’t print a credit card receipt. The issue? We only had debit cards, not credit cards (or vice versa), and without one, we couldn’t pick up the car without buying their on-site insurance. It was buried in the fine print—I’d read it but naively assumed a gold card would work. So, we had to take extra insurance. Basically, we threw 120 € in insurance fees out the window. Still, we got a Dacia Logan, and it ran like a dream the whole trip.

Here’s our rough itinerary: - Bucharest Airport => Sinaia => Brasov - Brasov => Viscri => Sighișoara => Sovata - Sovata => Bicaz Gorge => Iași - Iași => Bucharest

**Sinaia** We started in Sinaia, in the Carpathians. It’s an old Romanian vacation spot from the country’s golden age. A really nice place with great hikes. The mountains are stunning, covered in tall fir trees. There are beautiful buildings and old houses—it’s all very charming. We took the cable car up to the summit (no time to hike with the kids). It’s an old 1960s cable car with two sections (there are also detachable chairlifts). The view from the top is amazing. Then, Peles Castle—a must-see.

**On the road to Brasov** We stayed in a homestay in the village of Purcareni (15 minutes from Brasov by car) through an association called "L’Arbre de Joie." We spent a few days there. The association was founded by a French woman in the 90s and runs local projects. The family we stayed with was Hungarian. The price was around 90 € per day, including breakfast and dinner. The host spoke a little French, and her 16-year-old daughter spoke English fluently. We had great conversations. This family lives like a typical French family—they work at a clinic and a factory, own a car, and have a small chalet in the nearby mountains. From Purcareni, we explored: - **Bran Castle**: The iconic castle. There are way more tourist stalls now than when I first visited in 2004, but it’s still charming and worth seeing. - **Zărnești Bear Reserve**: Interesting—you learn a lot about bears. But it’s expensive, and it’s sad to see these beautiful animals in captivity. - **Râșnov Citadel**: Right near Zărnești. We did Bran, the bears, and this citadel all in one day last year. It’s pretty—you hike up a trail to get there. The view is gorgeous, but the site feels a bit neglected (or not fully restored yet). Some people love it, others don’t, but at least it’s authentic and not some Disneyland with fry stands everywhere. - **Brasov**: Of course! We went twice. It’s beautiful and nothing like what you’d imagine Romania to look like. We hiked up the hill overlooking the city—about 45 to 60 minutes with the kids. The view from the top is incredible, especially over the medieval rooftops. I wasn’t expecting much—I thought we’d see rundown buildings, but the "new" part of town is built farther to the right, so you barely notice it. - One day, we took a horse-drawn carriage (a touristy thing to do for the kids) to our hosts’ second home. It was still really fun. The area is super wild—just a few kilometers from the village, so close to Brasov. We ate *amazingly* with them. Traditional Romanian food is best enjoyed in people’s homes, not restaurants. So, I’d recommend eating at small guesthouses or homestays as much as possible.

**On the road to Viscri** No stops—just straight to Viscri. I found Viscri just as I’d left it in 2004. Maybe a few more tourists, maybe one or two new restaurants. The road still isn’t paved in the village. Viscri is my favorite place in Romania—a simple village with colorful houses. We found a reasonably priced Airbnb and had a great evening with our hosts. They were fascinating people, and we talked about Romania, Saxon minorities, Europe... The next morning, I went for a run and found a trail in the nearby forest. I followed it for a while before turning back. We also visited the fortified church.

**Sighișoara** I’d been there in 2004 and wasn’t particularly moved or impressed. I felt the same way in 2019. But that’s just our take.

**Sovata** In Sovata, we traveled the way I love—arriving around 5 PM with nothing booked and finding a place to stay by asking around. We ended up in homestays for two nights, and both were great. It’s a Hungarian-Romanian thermal spa town. The place is nice but nothing extraordinary, except when you get closer (but not too close) to the thermal complexes. There, you’ll find beautiful mansions and hotels from the early 19th century. It’s touristy, but only Romanians go there. We visited a warm-water lake—it was fun for the folklore, though the water wasn’t exactly inviting. Apparently, there’s another lake higher up that’s so salty you float in it, but we didn’t go. In the afternoon, we took the tourist steam train ("mocăniță" in Romanian). It was a blast—we chatted with people in the carriage. The train covers about 20 kilometers, then turns around (the locomotive detaches, spins, and reattaches). Everyone gets off at the halfway point, where people grill corn on the cob. Then the train heads back. The scenery isn’t breathtaking, but the fields were full of flowers, and the ride was lovely.

**Toward Bicaz Gorge** The next day, we headed to Bicaz Gorge and the Ceahlău Massif in Neamț (pronounced "Nyamts"). We passed through Corund, a village known for local crafts. Whether it’s actually made there or not is always up for debate in a society where cutting corners is common. Still, we found some nice plates, dishes, and souvenirs to bring home. Funny story: I was chatting with a young saleswoman in Romanian and was shocked to realize she didn’t understand me—not because my Romanian was bad, but because she *didn’t speak Romanian at all*. She only spoke Hungarian. Mind-blowing: you’re Romanian and don’t speak Romanian? We crossed a mountain (or big hill) before reaching the Gheorgheni plain—a small town nestled in the mountains, feeling like the end of the world. Was it the season? We saw *so many* storks, and they were *so close*. It was adorable.

**Bicaz Gorge** We stopped at "Lacul Roșu" (Red Lake) to take a boat ride with the kids. (Yeah, we did things we don’t usually do—gotta keep everyone engaged! And maybe that’s why they have such great memories of the trip.) Then, the Bicaz Gorge—one of my favorite spots in Romania. We stayed at Pensiunea Paleu in Bicazu Ardelean, a place I already knew. I think the price for four people, half-board (with delicious home-cooked meals), was around 90 € per day. The rooms are clean and simple, and there’s a big garden with a vegetable patch, a cow, and a pig. Most of the food served comes straight from the garden.

In the afternoon, after much hesitation, we headed to Ceahlău National Park. About 30 minutes by car, we entered the park (after waking up the park ranger, who reeked of booze and was napping). We drove to the end of the road, and then—against all odds—the four of us made it to the summit of Toaca Peak. This peak towers over the surrounding mountains. It was a great hike—starting in the Carpathian fir forests, then crossing a plateau covered in flowers (mid-July). We stopped for a drink at Cabana Dochia before heading up. The summit is a bit unusual because they’ve installed a big metal staircase. It’s steep in places—straight up, and I wouldn’t want to fall. There’s a sturdy railing, though. Even if the "normal route" doesn’t seem too hard. The view from the top is stunning—you can see the entire Carpathian region, vast forests, and the Bicaz Lake below.

**Iași** I used to live in Iași. We stayed with my former internship supervisor and his family. It’s not the first time we’ve crashed at people’s places. In Iași, we visited: - **The Opera House**: A beautiful building from the early 20th century, if I’m not mistaken. Our friends arranged a tour with the firefighters, who let us in and showed us around. It was fun. - **The "Hall of Lost Steps"**: You enter a massive room with stunning woodwork. It’s a huge university library, home to around a million books. The whole place is meticulously decorated. Visiting this room makes you wonder how Romania could have such a grand image. This country, in its golden age, had universities and thinkers. When you build something like this for knowledge and science, you’ve come a long way. - **The Palace of Culture**: This building was completely run-down in 2004 but has since been fully renovated. Where it was once gray, dull, and dirty, it now shines in the sunlight. It’s magnificent.

Beyond these three sights, we explored parks, wandered the city, went treetop climbing, and spent time with friends. Sure, Iași is way over in the east on a map of Romania, but it’s worth the detour.

After Iași, we headed back.

**In conclusion**, we spent three weeks in Romania. Here’s a rough breakdown of expenses (in €, all taxes included): - Flight tickets: 660 € - Car rental for 2.5 weeks: 250 € - Everything else (accommodation, food, activities, etc.): around 1,500 €

All in all, the trip wasn’t exactly cheap—around 2,500 to 2,800 € total. But we had a blast, and that’s what matters.

I had tons of great photos and wanted to share some, but I couldn’t upload them. If anyone’s interested, I can send them along.

Hi everyone, I’m Patrick, 67 years old, a seasoned traveler (already 22 trips outside Europe). In autumn 2025, I took my first 3-week trip to Japan, with stops in Tokyo, Kamakura, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan, Tokyo again, and Nikko. I wanted to go back in May 2026 and explore some lesser-known places to complement my first trip. Last year, there were four of us traveling together to discover Japan (a fairly classic itinerary). This time, I’ll be traveling solo for part of the trip and with a couple of French friends for the rest. The weather was gorgeous in May, averaging around 25°C, with two very hot days in Kyoto and only two rainy days. As usual, I organized everything myself, gathering plenty of information from various sites, including this one.

Transportation: An ICOCA card is essential. I got a 5-day Kansai-Hiroshima pass because I took the shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka three times, and it paid for itself quickly.

Accommodations: Mostly through Booking. No issues at all. Average cost was 46 € per night.

Meals: For breakfast, I alternated between buying food at a konbini to eat in my room or on the train and grabbing something at local cafés. For lunch and dinner, I tried to vary my meals as much as possible—lots of sashimi, sushi, and ramen. Okonomiyaki in Osaka and Hiroshima. Oysters in every form (raw, grilled, fried) in Onomichi and Hiroshima. A variety of seafood (shrimp, shellfish) in Hiroshima and Matsumoto. Fish whose names often escaped me, but notably mackerel and eel (unagi). Tempura and gyoza. Chicken skewers (yakitori) and one teppanyaki meal. One omakase meal (9 different dishes). In the end, not much meat aside from a few yakitori skewers. No splurges on super expensive wagyu or Kobe beef. Average dinner cost: 4,800 yen, drinks included.

The Itinerary: Day 1: Departure from Brussels Day 2: Arrival in Osaka Day 3: To Himeji, then Kurashiki Day 4: To Fukuyama, then Tomo no Ura, then Onomichi Day 5: Cycling the Shimanami Kaido Day 6: To Takahara, then Hiroshima Day 7: To Kyoto to attend the Aoi Matsuri parade Day 8: To Miyajima Day 9: Hiroshima, then Kyoto Day 10: Southern Kyoto Day 11: Northern Kyoto Day 12: Final day in Kyoto, then to Nagatsugawa Day 13: Start of the Nakasendo Trail (Magome to Tsumago) Day 14: Second day of the trail (Kiso Fukushima) Day 15: Third day of the trail (Narai), then Matsumoto Day 16: To Mt. Fuji (Kawaguchiko) Day 17: To Tokyo Day 18: Excursion to Enoshima and Kamakura Day 19: Flight home, with a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong Day 20: Arrival in Brussels

Hello everyone,

After sharing some safari photos from southern Tanzania, I’d like to show you those from our latest safari in Kenya in October 2025.

First, I’d like to thank Sylvie56, whose previous travel journals about this country inspired our trip choices. Thanks also for the info you sent us via PM. THANK YOU!

The following account is from a simple wildlife enthusiast. You won’t find anything here but images of landscapes, mammals, and birds. The stated purpose of this trip was purely and solely wildlife-focused. (It was in no way a discovery of the country or its people).

This stay/safari began (and ended) in Nairobi, with flights between France and Kenya operated by Qatar Airways departing from Nice.

Over two weeks, we first visited the reserves of Tsavo West and Tsavo East, then after a long road trip, the two reserves of Buffalo Springs and Samburu.

= Please wait until the end of the journal to ask any specific questions (or send them via PM) to keep the story flowing without interruptions or off-topic comments.

Thanks for your understanding.

...

Previous Kenya safari trip in 2017, here:

http://www.image-nature.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=162&t=61119

...

Passionate about travel, animals (furry, feathered, scaly), and my partner’s love for photography, it was in 2014, after encountering orangutans in Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, that I felt the urge to see other great apes in their natural habitat and in the wild. For my 40th birthday, I dreamed of only one thing... seeing gorillas. I still had four years to wait and four years to save up.

At the time, I had only heard of the Virunga Mountains, particularly the part in Rwanda. To be honest, Uganda had never really struck me as a destination I’d ever set foot in, and the DRC, for security reasons, didn’t particularly appeal to me.

But then, one day, I heard that Rwanda was going to increase the price of gorilla permits to USD 1,500 per person. Ouch... that seemed way overpriced, especially since we were going as a couple and I really wanted to see them twice. $6,000 for two days... Okay, it’s for my 40th birthday, but still...

At the end of 2017, I started looking more closely into our trip planned for December 2018. A stroke of luck in my schedule meant my former English teacher sent me a link to an article she’d written for her travel agency about her encounter with gorillas in Uganda. Hmm, Uganda? It was the first time I’d read about the country. Why not?

I scoured various forums in French and English and re-discovered voyageforum.com. And most importantly, I came across Ticapi’s travel journal, which I devoured in one evening, and a few months later, Muriel18’s, whose release I eagerly awaited. Wow!!! Not only can you see gorillas in Uganda, but also chimpanzees and the shoebill, not to mention the savannah and the chance to go on more classic safaris.

All that’s left is to convince my better half that Uganda is a safe country...

Usually, and now more than ever, we prefer independent travel and self-drive trips in particular. But given the proximity to the DRC border, the potentially impassable roads after rain, and rental cars that aren’t always in the best condition, we hired a guide for two weeks in December 2018. The months passed, and the excitement grew.

Three weeks before departure, I fell ill after a work trip to Asia. Darn! This time, I didn’t waste any time—I quickly saw a doctor and got rid of that virus. That was the plan! Flu or malaria? (I’d been to the Amazon six months earlier.) The doctor didn’t know; the cough only appeared a few days later. We did blood tests two days in a row to rule out malaria. So it was the flu or... pneumonia :-( ...?

The X-rays spoke for themselves—it was pneumonia, and it was already quite advanced. No big deal, I still had two weeks to recover! I religiously took my antibiotics, downed loads of vitamin C, but nothing worked—the antibiotics didn’t seem to be doing anything. I was coughing so hard I thought my lungs would come up, I was short of breath, exhausted. I’d dreamed of this trip for so long... it seemed unthinkable not to go. Five days before departure, my doctor hospitalized me—the pneumonia had worsened, and my blood oxygen levels were dangerously low. I was in tears but still in denial about what was happening to me. Besides, I’d still taken my anti-malarial, because I was determined to leave.

I spent the first day in the emergency room on oxygen 24/7. The germ causing my pneumonia was unknown to the infectious disease and pulmonary specialists. They tried a combination of antibiotics. No big deal, in four days, I’d be leaving. I harassed the doctor, who must have thought I was crazy, to find out when I could be discharged—"because, you see, doctor, I have a flight to Uganda on Saturday." On Thursday, the doctor was firm: I’d still be hospitalized on Saturday... deep down, I knew it but didn’t want to admit it. My partner handled canceling the flights, contacted our travel insurance (thankfully we had some), and I wrote to our guide (who, in the meantime, had become our tour operator) who could hardly believe it. And neither could I! We told ourselves it was just postponed and that we’d take this long-awaited trip at the end of 2019!

March 2019, the tour operator reached out to us: "Didn’t you say you wanted to go to Uganda this year? You’d better hurry and book the gorilla permits before they run out."

Oh yes, we wanted to see the gorillas. But we hesitated about rebooking. I still hoped to do this trip as a self-drive. The thing is, this year, we managed to take three weeks off, and we also wanted to spend a week in Rwanda. My partner still didn’t feel comfortable driving there. Yet, he’s driven all over the world. I respected his feelings, especially since he’s the only one who drives.

Anyway, we went back and forth but neither of us really said what we were thinking: "What if we used someone else to organize our trip?" In the end, we went with him again, made a first deposit for four gorilla permits (two days each) (not the best idea we’ve ever had), and looked into adding Rwanda to our itinerary. We’d have a guide/driver for the whole trip with mid-range accommodations.

After several back-and-forths, the itinerary was supposed to look something like this. To be honest, I got fed up after a while.

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali in the evening Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Akagera NP Day 3: Safari in Akagera NP Day 4: Akagera NP and night in Nyagatare Day 5: Transfer from Nyagatare to Nyungwe Forest Day 6: Nyungwe Day 7: Nyungwe Day 8: Transfer from Nyungwe to Lake Kivu, Rubavu/Gisenyi Day 9: Transfer from Rubavu/Gisenyi to Kisoro/Uganda via the Cyanika border Day 10: Gorilla tracking in Mgahinga NP Day 11: Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga NP, night at Lake Mutanda Day 12: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi, Ruhija (later changed to Rushaga) Day 13: Queen Elizabeth NP, Ishasha sector in the morning and Kazinga Channel in the afternoon Day 14: No clear answer on activities for that day. After three attempts, I gave up. I shouldn’t have... Day 15: Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, night at Lake Nkuruba Day 16: Lake Nkuruba, morning activities around the lake and Bigodi Swamps in the afternoon Day 17: Transfer from Lake Nkuruba to Murchison Falls Day 18: Murchison Falls Day 19: Murchison Falls Day 20: Transfer from Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, night in Entebbe Day 21: Entebbe – Mabamba Swamps Day 22: Mabamba Swamps in the morning, Botanical Garden in Entebbe in the afternoon, and transfer to the airport for the overnight return flight.

In April, he asked us for a substantial deposit for the accommodations and some park activities, as one of his colleagues was doing the same tour in May and it would be good if he could secure the already-made reservations by paying the bill.

A week before departure, just like in 2018, we paid the remaining balance of the agreed amount. Three days later, since I hadn’t heard from him (the TO is based in Germany), I sent him a message to confirm he’d received the payment.

My partner joked, "And that’s when he tells us he closed the account we sent the money to." I forced a laugh... and even more so when the TO asked me which account I’d sent the balance to... "Uh, the same one as before." And then he told me he’d closed that account and maybe should’ve mentioned it earlier... uh, you think?! And of course, he needed the money sent again quickly. "Well, buddy, you’ll have to wait until I get it back!!!

It was already late, and my bank had been closed for hours. The next morning, first thing, I called my bank and explained the situation.

"Unfortunately, we can’t do anything for you; you’ll have to wait for the money to be returned." "But how long will that take?" "A few days or weeks, depending on the banks, and you should expect transfer fees."

Brilliant! :-(

After nearly 10 years of traveling almost exclusively without traditional travel agencies, had we just been scammed? I went back to the forums to reread posts about this TO from other travelers. They were all positive; no one mentioned a scam.

The next day, I searched online for the contact details of his bank in Germany. I wrote to the generic email address in English, explaining that I’d made a transfer without knowing that this gentleman had closed his bank account. The employee replied in impeccable English that the bank only responded to emails written in German. Grrr! I used a well-known translator since my German is, let’s say, rusty, and resent my email in German. The same agent replied in German that unfortunately, they couldn’t do anything for me—that if the account had been closed, an automatic rule would return the money to the sender... period, end of story!

Well, our money is lost somewhere in the "cloud," or so we hope! Wait and see!

No news from our TO, and we didn’t reach out either—we were too annoyed by the whole situation.

Hi there, I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category. Have any forum members tried it? What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid? We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series. We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big. Thanks in advance for your feedback! Best, Claudine

Hi everyone, I rented a car through Klaus Wagen, picking it up in downtown Porto and returning it in downtown Lisbon. After paying, I read some pretty negative reviews about them. So, can anyone reassure me with positive experiences they’ve had with them? Thanks in advance!

hi Do you know of any travel insurance for someone with a pre-existing condition? Can a person who’s had a heart attack and is on medication get travel insurance? Thanks

I'm looking for a small, not-too-touristy restaurant in Fort Kochi. Do you know one not too far from Jacob Road? Thanks

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a website that would let me plot my travel route in advance so I can print it out. The idea is to create a map with a little “me” on a bike that my parents can move along as I progress, since I’m planning to cycle all the way to Nepal. If any of you have done something similar or know of a good tool, I’d love to hear your tips! Thanks in advance! 😊

We’d like to explore Scotland on an organized tour, preferably in a small group, since we can’t drive on the left. Which agencies would you recommend, whether they’re based in France or Scotland? Thanks! P.Cander

Hello, We’re a retired couple planning a trip to Colombia in January 2026. We’ve been reading the current travel advisories for the country, and they’re quite alarming. Do you have any recommendations for trustworthy local tour agencies we could contact to help organize visits to safe areas? Thanks so much.

CUSCO-LA PAZ FLIGHT Hi, I’d like to fly from Cusco to LA PAZ (to save time… so I don’t want to deal with a canceled flight). Any feedback on Avianca? (It’s the only direct flight I’ve found.) Thanks