Hello, We’re planning our first trip to Brazil from October 10 to November 7, 2025. We’re a couple traveling with light backpacks using local transport. Here’s our planned route: Arrival in Rio de Janeiro, 5 days, Tiradentes, Ouro Preto, Belo Horizonte, 7 days, Flight from Belo Horizonte to Recife, Recife, Olinda, 4 days, Maceió, Penedo, 3 days, Aracaju, 3 days, Salvador de Bahia and surrounding areas, 5 days Departure from Salvador de Bahia to Paris

Thanks in advance for any feedback you can share!

Of course, everything is flexible except for our arrival in Rio and departure from Salvador de Bahia.

Could you also recommend a neighborhood to stay in Rio? Alod

Hello. I’m looking for participants for a safari in Tanzania in the first quarter of 2026. I’m in direct negotiations with a local guide. Below is the description (via a draft service contract). If you’re interested, reply to me. We’ll then communicate via private email.

Between the undersigned:

Ms./Mr. (provide the provider’s name), representing the company (specify), whose registered office is located at (provide the address), Hereinafter referred to as The Provider

And,

Ms./Mr. (provide the client’s name and contact details), Hereinafter referred to as The Client

The following has been agreed:

I. Purpose This service contract covers the organization of a safari in Tanzania by The Provider for the benefit of The Client.

II. Duration This contract is concluded for a duration of (specify). It takes effect from day J1: (specify the date) and will end on (specify the date). Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties, this contract is not subject to any automatic renewal.

III. Execution Terms The Provider undertakes to carry out the tasks assigned by The Client with professionalism and rigor, in accordance with best practices. They also agree to comply with all applicable regulations and standards for their tasks. To fulfill their duties, The Provider will mobilize all necessary resources. The Client, for their part, agrees to collaborate with The Provider and provide all useful information for the smooth execution of the tasks. IV. Payment The Client will pay The Provider the sum of (specify), according to the following terms: (specify). In case of late payment, The Provider reserves the right to claim penalties in the amount of (specify). V. Confidentiality The Provider agrees not to disclose any information or documents provided by The Client. Upon completion of their task, they will destroy all documents in their possession. VI. Service Details Accommodation during the stay (excluding days 1, 2, and 9): participants will sleep in tents, with 2 people per tent. A sleeping bag and an inflatable mattress will be provided. They will have water for washing and access to toilets. Tents will be set up and taken down during each transfer. It will be possible to charge camera batteries. Day 1: ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER Welcome at Kilimanjaro Airport for transfer to Arusha and overnight at Green Mountain Hotel (breakfast included) - https://greenmountainhotel.co.tz/ Day 2: HIKE ON THE TRAILS OF KILIMANJARO. Pick-up from your hotel in Arusha to the village of Moshi Materuni, at the foot of Kilimanjaro. You’ll begin a day of hiking toward the impressive waterfalls in one of the country’s highest regions, where crystal-clear glacial water cascades from 70 meters high. The beautiful trail leads to the Materuni waterfalls, located at 2,500 meters altitude. To reach these falls, you’ll cross valleys and hills covered in tropical forest, coffee, avocado, and banana plantations. On a clear day, you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of Kibo, the highest peak of Kilimanjaro. You’ll also learn how to prepare and taste coffee. In the evening, you’ll be picked up in Arusha and spend the night at Green Mountain Hotel. Day 3: HIKE IN A MAASAI VILLAGE After breakfast around 8:30 AM, you’ll be picked up from your hotel for a walking hike in the wild nature of the village. You’ll visit local primary schools, meet traditional healers, and discover their techniques. You’ll also visit one of the local livestock markets. Dinner and overnight at the Maasai village house in Boma. Day 4: WILDLIFE IN 4X4 ALONG THE TARANGIRE RIVER Around 8 AM, you’ll be picked up from your hotel in Arusha and drive for 2 hours to Tarangire National Park for a day of wildlife viewing. The park is known for its dense wildlife along the Tarangire River. It’s home to a large number of elephants in the northern circuit and hosts 550 bird species. You’ll also observe herds of impalas, hartebeests, wildebeests, kudus, oryxes, gerenuks, zebras, buffaloes, and giraffes. Predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and massive African baobabs can also be spotted. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Fig Tree Lodge. Day 5: LAKE MANYARA PARK - WILDLIFE VIEWING IN THE RIFT VALLEY Around 8 AM, departure from your camp to Lake Manyara Park (at the foot of a 600-meter escarpment in the Great Rift Valley) for a day of safaris. You’ll see giraffes, buffaloes, groups of baboons, tree-climbing lions, and many other animals. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Fig Tree Lodge. Day 6: WILDLIFE IN SERENGETI In the morning, you’ll drive for 5 hours to the magnificent Serengeti National Park, passing through the archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge. This park is arguably the world’s most famous wildlife reserve. It’s home to over 3 million large mammals, and you’ll quickly spot the "Big Five": buffaloes, elephants, black rhinos of the Moru Kopjes, lions, and leopards. Over 500 bird species have been recorded here. You’ll also witness the spectacular wildebeest migration in the western Serengeti. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Nyani campsite. Day 7: MAGNIFICENT WILDLIFE AT SUNRISE IN SERENGETI Stunning sunrise safaris in the golden savanna of the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, all day long, following the animals’ movements. You’ll spend the night at the campsite and share your exceptional experience so far at Serengeti Nyani campsite. Day 8: MAJESTIC EXCURSION IN THE SERENGETI PLAINS Wake-up at 6 AM, coffee at the campsite, then departure for a sunrise safari in the Serengeti. Our guide will take you to the best spots to admire the sunrise and observe predators, as most of them, like lions, are very active at this time of day. You’ll return to the campsite around 10 AM for brunch, then load your belongings into the jeep for a 2-hour safari on the way to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Simba Lodge. Day 9: SPECTACULAR EXCURSION TO NGORONGORO CRATER Shortly after breakfast, you’ll descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a sunrise safari in the world’s largest uninterrupted caldera, surrounded by steep walls rising 610 meters from the crater floor. This natural wonder measures 19.2 km in diameter and covers 304 km². You’ll go on safaris and discover rare species like black rhinos, wildebeests, giraffes, ostriches, bustards, lions, cheetahs, and flamingos in the Soda Lake. In the afternoon, you’ll return to Arusha, arriving in the evening for your private activities. Accommodation in half-board (dinner, overnight, breakfast) Day 10: TRANSFER TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT Breakfast and transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport. VII- RATES: The package price is 2030 USD (approximately per person in a double room). VIII- THE PRICE INCLUDES: - Provision of sealed water bottles for participants - Park entry fees. - Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport. - Accommodation in Arusha (breakfast included). - Village development fees. - Accommodation in camps/lodges (breakfast, lunch, dinner). - Transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof in national parks. - Government taxes. - Activities detailed in the itinerary. - Safari guides. - Transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport on day 10.

IX- THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: - Alcoholic beverages. - International flights. - Personal items such as visas, laundry, etc. - Tips.

Done at Done at

Date: Date: Provider’s Signature: Client’s Signature:

Hello.

I’m looking for participants to form a group of 5 to 6 people for a safari in Tanzania during the dry season in January or even February 2026. There are already two of us. This period is ideal for the Great Migration (when animals cross into Kenya, including wildebeest and zebras, with predators like lions around).

Duration: about one week. A 13-day option is available, but it’s more expensive.

Approximate price: 3500 € (flights included).

You can either go through an agency (local or not) or directly contact a guide (like the SO GUIDES association, for example). I have a contact with a guide who has received very positive reviews.

I won’t go into all the details yet. The first step is to form a group so we can negotiate with a provider. After that, we’ll communicate and make decisions together.

You can reach me at this email: jp54pradines@gmail.com (my personal OVS space is no longer valid—this is my partner’s email).

If you’re interested, please contact me quickly. It’s best to book flight tickets as early as possible for better prices.

Here’s an example of a safari package with a guide:

**8-DAY/7-NIGHT WILD ADVENTURE SAFARI**

**Day 1: ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER** Welcome at Kilimanjaro Airport and transfer to Arusha. Overnight at Green Mountain Hotel (breakfast included).

**Day 2: HIKE ON THE TRAILS OF KILIMANJARO** Pickup from your hotel in Arusha to Moshi Materuni village at the foot of Kilimanjaro. Start a day hike to the impressive waterfalls in one of the country’s highest regions, where glacial, crystal-clear water cascades from 70 meters high. The beautiful trail leads to Materuni Waterfalls at 2,500 meters altitude. To reach them, you’ll cross valleys and hills covered in tropical forest, coffee, avocado, and banana plantations. On clear days, you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of Kibo, Kilimanjaro’s highest peak. You’ll also learn how to prepare and taste coffee. In the evening, return to Arusha for an overnight stay at Green Mountain Hotel.

**Day 3: HIKE IN A MAASAI VILLAGE** After breakfast around 8:30 AM, you’ll be picked up from your hotel for a walking safari in the wild village. Visit local primary schools, meet traditional healers, and learn about their techniques. You’ll also visit one of the local livestock markets. Dinner and overnight at the Maasai village Boma house.

**Day 4: WILDLIFE IN 4X4 ALONG THE TARANGIRE RIVER** Around 8 AM, pickup from your hotel in Arusha for a 2-hour drive to Tarangire National Park for a day of wildlife viewing. The park is famous for its dense wildlife along the Tarangire River. It’s home to a large number of elephants in the northern circuit and over 550 bird species. You’ll also spot herds of impalas, hartebeests, wildebeests, kudus, oryxes, gerenuks, zebras, buffaloes, and giraffes. Predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas are also present, along with massive African baobabs. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Fig Tree Lodge.

**Day 5: LAKE MANYARA PARK – WILDLIFE VIEWING IN THE RIFT VALLEY** Around 8 AM, depart from your camp to Lake Manyara Park (at the foot of a 600-meter escarpment in the Great Rift Valley) for a day of safaris. You’ll see giraffes, buffaloes, baboon troops, tree-climbing lions, and many other animals. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Fig Tree Lodge.

**Day 6: WILDLIFE IN SERENGETI** In the morning, drive for 5 hours to the stunning Serengeti National Park, passing through the Olduvai Gorge archaeological site. This park is arguably the world’s most famous wildlife reserve, home to over 3 million large mammals. You’ll quickly spot the “Big Five”: buffaloes, elephants, black rhinos in the Moru Kopjes, lions, and leopards. Over 500 bird species have been recorded here. You’ll also witness the spectacular wildebeest migration in the western Serengeti. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Nyani Camp.

**Day 7: MAGNIFICENT SUNRISE SAFARI IN SERENGETI** Enjoy a stunning sunrise safari in the golden savanna of the Serengeti’s endless plains, all day long, following the animals’ movements. Spend the night at the camp and share your incredible experience so far at Serengeti Nyani Camp.

**Day 8: MAJESTIC EXCURSION IN THE SERENGETI PLAINS** Wake up at 6 AM for coffee at the camp, then head out for a sunrise safari in the Serengeti. Our guide will take you to the best spots to admire the sunrise and observe predators, as many of them, like lions, are most active at this time of day. Return to camp around 10 AM for brunch, then load your belongings into the jeep for a 2-hour safari en route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Simba Lodge.

**Day 9: SPECTACULAR EXCURSION TO NGORONGORO CRATER** Shortly after breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a sunrise safari in the world’s largest uninterrupted caldera, surrounded by steep walls rising 610 meters from the crater floor. This natural wonder is 19.2 km in diameter and covers 304 km². You’ll explore the area on safari and spot rare species like black rhinos, wildebeests, giraffes, ostriches, bustards, lions, cheetahs, and flamingos in the Soda Lake. In the afternoon, return to Arusha, arriving in the evening for your private activities.

**END OF SERVICES**

**RATES:** The package price is 1,800 USD per person in a double room. Since the guide doesn’t handle flight tickets, we’ll need to arrange those ourselves.

You’ll need to add around 1200 €, bringing the total to 3000 €. This is the price for an independent guide. For a travel agency, you’d need to budget at least 3600 €. Plus, with the guide, we get an extra day of activities compared to an agency’s offer.

**PRICE INCLUDES:** - Park entry fees. - Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport. - Accommodation in Arusha (breakfast included). - Village development fees. - Accommodation in camps/lodges (breakfast, lunch, dinner). - Transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof in national parks. - Government taxes. - Activities detailed in the itinerary. - Safari guides. - You’ll need to add: return trip from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport.

**PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:** - Alcoholic beverages. - International flights. - Personal items like visas, laundry, etc. - Tips.

Meleji Mollel (the guide).

This package is for a non-private group. If we form our own group, it becomes private, and we can negotiate with the guide—including requesting a French-speaking guide.

So, are you interested? Could you let me know soon, please?

It’s been over 10 years since I last went to Madagascar. Back then, I flew Corsair from Paris. I’m planning to go back in September 2025. I’ve heard about Air Austral... Air France: the issue is the flight arrives in the evening at Ivato. What do you recommend? Which airlines fly from Paris to Tana? Thanks for the help!

We’d like to spend 15 days in August visiting Normandy by camper van, starting from Lyon. Has anyone got an itinerary to suggest for exploring Normandy?

We’d like to go to Calvados to visit: Flower Coast, Honfleur, Cabourg, Deauville, D-Day landing beaches

Mont Saint-Michel

Alabaster Coast, Étretat cliffs, and maybe Rouen Fabienne

Hi there! 🙂

We’re heading to Sri Lanka for 23 days in January 2027—there are four of us—and we’ll wrap up the trip with 5 days in Mumbai. Our itinerary is coming together, but what do you think? (We can’t change the dates since our flights are already booked.)

We still have one night to slot in, and I’ve tentatively planned it in Tangalle, though it was a bit random. Would it make more sense to place it at a different stop? Or is there an intermediate stop I might be missing?

I’ve got accommodations sorted everywhere except Mumbai—it’s a nightmare (either way too expensive or really dodgy). By default, we’ve spotted the Residency Hotel Fort, but 70 € a night (with a discount) for a hotel that doesn’t offer anything special in India?!

Thanks so much for your help!

🎭 She wanted to see Auxerre, we saw Auxerre I wanted to see Spain, we saw Iceland As always... 🎭 That’s how this Icelandic adventure could begin. Choosing, did you say? Indeed, while we’d planned for months to go to Spain, while the volunteer gigs had been sorted (and for 4 months before the date), I one day announced, “I don’t want to. I don’t find any meaning in it.” Meaning, a word I’ve been using a lot for months. What’s the meaning of life? What’s the meaning of MY life? For a long time, I’ve felt this need for adventures—adventures with a capital A. For a change of scenery with a sense of the unknown. To feel that thrill of events you can’t control, of people you meet and don’t understand, and customs you don’t know. I still announced it properly, though. Not by saying: No, we’re not going to Spain. I did it with a certain class—not sure Mélanie would say that…

I chose a country she’d dreamed of going to: Iceland was high on the list. I sent volunteer requests on the site helpx.net before telling her, so I could be proactive and not just the person who complains and whines all the time.

We’d decided that September and October would be dedicated to traveling outside France and volunteering. A method I love for traveling. Discovering locals, the culture, cool places while helping and being housed and fed. What could be better?! After volunteering for a few days in Morocco last year on a lemon plantation, after 15 days on an organic market garden in the South Morvan this August, we really appreciate this way of traveling—which is why it was the plan: Volunteering in Spain at a Buddhist meditation center, with a short volunteer stint somewhere else beforehand.



Photo taken at the Kadampa Center France in April 2025 Well, I’d be lying if I said the responses to my requests came quickly. No. They took their time. I even had to follow up with everyone I’d contacted. Internet connection issues in Iceland? But miraculously, a week later, on a Friday in Auvergne, while I’m talking to my dad, the answer arrives. “Yes, it’s okay.” My heart skips a beat. My lungs relax. Finally, I find meaning in this trip. Me, always searching for meaning—my meaning, not the universal one—I’m going to explore distant lands with a culture different from France’s. He said YES! Indeed, the person who said yes—Björn*—lives in northwestern Iceland, an area known for its fjords, and which seems a bit remote. Proof: in the ad, it says the nearest town is 35 km away, and only two buses, one on Friday and one on Sunday, go there or leave. PERFECT! It also mentions taking a kayak to collect feathers from eider duck nests and taking care of rainbow trout. Things I don’t know how to do! And She said yes! So I tell Mélanie, who’d known about my last-minute change of mind since the day before—for the umpteenth time, I must admit. A little dilemma: our month of volunteering in Spain had just been sorted, so should we cancel it? Yes! The pull of Iceland and adventure is stronger! Change of plans, then. Normally, we’d continue our route to Montauban for the 400 Coups festival with friends, then stay in the south for the Mantra festival before heading to southern Spain toward Malaga. Now, the migration will be more northward since we’re returning to Rennes Monday morning (after the 400 Coups festival, which we wouldn’t have missed for the world!!) to change our wardrobe. Indeed, the weather won’t be the same between southern Spain and northern Iceland. It was September 12, and we were leaving on the 20th! Because, yes, that same evening, after arriving at our friends’ place and quickly summarizing the situation—even trying to convince one of them to join us—we start looking at bookings.

First thing: flight tickets—which I’d already more or less looked at and knew weren’t that expensive, thanks to low-cost airlines—,

Second thing: train tickets to Paris, and oh, miracle, they’re not expensive at all. 25 € per person one way! What’s happening at SNCF?!

Third thing: accommodation for Saturday night so we could take the bus on Sunday—which I hadn’t looked at and seemed quite pricey for just a bed in a dorm—.

Sometimes, we spend months and months planning a vacation (only to change everything at the last minute… We still remember the trip to Churchill…), and here, in one day, it’s almost done. Welcome to my life. Build, deconstruct, and rebuild. Why don’t I plan ahead? You have the answer. The week in Rennes does us good. Coming back to a familiar place after a month and a half of wandering around France. Resting because we’re accumulating fatigue. I also take the opportunity to have sessions with the few people who contacted me during our August road trip, see some friends, binge on galettes (5 galette meals in 9 meals—I went all out!), and realize we really need to take winter clothes—5°C expected in Iceland—. And boom, Saturday arrives. Like a calm river? Boom ??? No, that would’ve been too simple, too idyllic. Indeed, on Wednesday, a little message from Björn—who’s the intermediary between the volunteer site owner and us—tells us the owner no longer wants to host volunteers, so it’s off for us, and he’s really sorry. And that he can try to see with a friend if they can host us, if we want. What?! Uh, that’s not possible. Me, who changed all the plans at the last minute, how do I tell Mélanie we’ve got nothing left? That’ll teach me to never be satisfied with what I have and to always plan everything at the last minute. Take a breath: after all, the situation isn’t ruined. He has a friend who might host us, and maybe there are other ads I haven’t seen. So I tell him yes, and a few minutes later, he confirms it’s good, his friend is okay to take us starting October 1st, and he’ll host us until September 30th. Phew!!! The plan seems twisted, we still don’t know what we’ll be doing, or with whom, or where, but at least we haven’t thrown money out the airplane windows. After double-checking that I understood everything correctly, after confirming we still need to go to H in northwestern Iceland, it’s good, the clouds are clearing again.

Hi everyone, Here’s the theme for August... the world’s felines. Yep, wildlife photography! 😺

Forest cat

So, this theme isn’t exactly a "travel invitation," but coming up with a new one is quite a puzzle 😅. During February’s “white” theme discussion, we had pages of cats, so you should be inspired 😸. I won’t be restrictive—wild felines, domestic cats, and even those in zoos (though I’m not a fan) will be accepted. Plus, engravings, paintings, statues, or any other representations of felines fit the theme. The Sphinx is also welcome ;).



Practical details:

Participation: Each VF member can submit up to 3 photos, until Monday, August 25th at 11:59 PM Paris time. Each photo must be posted in a separate message, with its number (1, 2, or 3). Don’t forget to add a little explanation (comment, location, etc.).

Voting: Each VF member can vote for the 3 photos they consider the best, based on their own criteria and the theme.

Voting will take place from Tuesday, August 26th to Saturday, August 30th at 11:59 PM Paris time.

Selected photos will be ranked in order of preference: - 1st photo: 3 points - 2nd photo: 2 points - 3rd photo: 1 point

The winner is the photographer with the most points.

Results will be published on August 31st. In case of a tie, the number of first-place votes will decide. The winner will have the honor of organizing September 2025’s contest.

Photos that have already been nominated (1st, 2nd, or 3rd place) in another contest are not eligible for this one.

This thread is exclusively for contest submissions. Any discussions or comments should be posted here.

Hi everyone,

We’re heading to the Pacific Northwest (USA) and Western Canada this summer. We’ve made some progress planning, but we still have a few questions.

Our trip is mostly nature-focused—hiking, wildlife spotting (ideally bears, orcas/whales, otters, etc.), mountains, forests—and a few days in cities, though we’re not big on museums.

We’re looking at flying into Seattle (cheaper than Vancouver), then renting a car and staying in Airbnbs.

A few years ago, we traveled through eastern Canada/USA (Halifax/Montréal/Boston/Halifax) and ended up driving *way* too much and switching accommodations too often. This time, we’d like to settle in a bit more.

Here’s our current plan:

- 2 nights in Seattle to avoid hitting the road right after the flight. One day for a quick city visit, then we’ll leave early after the second night. -> Heading to Olympic National Park from the south.

- 4 nights near Olympic National Park, likely around Forks. -> Then to Port Angeles and a ferry to Vancouver Island via Victoria (maybe 1 night there).

- 7 nights in Port Alberni, which seems like a central base for exploring Vancouver Island (Tofino, Pacific Rim, Cathedral Grove, etc.). We really want to enjoy the area without constantly packing and unpacking.

The issue is, that brings us to 13–14 nights, and we’d like to spend 2 in Vancouver.

We’re wondering if we should head farther north on the island and add a few more days, or reduce our stay in Port Alberni to explore the north as well.

After that, we’d have about a week left. We’re considering a detour near the Canadian Rockies, then slowly making our way back to Seattle via North Cascades National Park.

Anyway, we’d love your input on all this!

Thanks for your suggestions,

Emilie and Thomas

Hi everyone, I’d love to hear from your experience—does having just a carry-on bag actually save time during boarding and disembarking? Thanks in advance! Muriel

Since I used this forum a lot to prepare our trip, here’s a little feedback from our 15-day self-drive adventure in southwestern Uganda. For those who have questions, don’t hesitate! I’ll do my best to answer them 😉

We’d already traveled quite a bit in South Africa and once in Namibia, always self-driving. When the idea of visiting Uganda came up, we debated—especially me 😛—whether to go solo or with a guide. My husband quickly convinced me to do it self-drive, so I started planning and organizing the trip accordingly. We began preparations and bookings in June 2019 for a trip scheduled during the first two weeks of February 2020. We deliberately chose to explore just a small part of Uganda and take our time. We traveled as a group of four, with our oldest son and his partner.

Here’s our itinerary: - February 1: Departure from Brussels, arrival and overnight in Entebbe - February 2: Drive to Lake Mburo and overnight there - February 3: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi and overnight there - February 4: Boat ride on the lake, then departure for Kisoro. Overnight there - February 5: Trek in Mount Mgahinga National Park for the youngsters. Overnight in Kisoro - February 6: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Overnight in Rushaga - February 7: Gorilla tracking in Rushaga. Overnight in Rushaga - February 8: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Southern sector – Overnight on the park’s edge - February 9: Morning in the southern sector of the park, then crossing to the northern part – Short safari in the late afternoon – Overnight by the Kazinga Channel - February 10: Safari and boat cruise – Second night on site - February 11: Drive to Kibale Forest – Overnight there - February 12: Chimpanzee tracking in the morning – Bigodi swamps in the afternoon – Second night there - February 13: Scenic drive to see the crater lakes + walk at Lake Nkuruba Nature Reserve – Third night there - February 14: Return to Entebbe - February 15: Morning boat ride in the Mabamba swamps – Afternoon by Lake Victoria and midnight flight to Brussels. That’s the broad outline of our trip.

We fell in love with this country: the people, the kids shouting "muzungu," the colors, the landscapes, the wildlife... But we were also saddened by the poverty in some villages and the child labor, especially in "quarries."

I’ll try to post a day-by-day account if it interests anyone.

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 everyone,

Actually, we ended up going to Japan almost by chance. I’d caught glimpses of the country during business trips, and it had been on my “wish list” for a while, but I thought we’d go “when the kids were grown up.”

But this summer (2016), the kids couldn’t agree on a destination—their wishes were completely opposite. Then, realizing that flight tickets weren’t outrageously priced—and having read that Japan wasn’t as expensive as people think—we, the parents, suggested Japan… while warning that it would be scorching hot and humid and that no one should complain. Our eldest (18) was immediately thrilled: “Oh! Mom! I’ve always dreamed of going to Japan!” She convinced her brother (16) that it was the perfect destination. Deal sealed: we’re going to Japan, but no one complains about the heat.

After some forum discussions and family brainstorming, I settled on the following itinerary. One non-negotiable shaped part of our choices: being in Hiroshima on August 6th to attend the lantern floating ceremony. To avoid overloading the trip with extra transport, we skipped Nara, Nikko, and Kamakura.

Day 1 - Arrival at 8:30 AM in Osaka – Kyoto - around the station Day 2 - Kyoto - East - night: Kyoto Day 3 - Kyoto - North and center - night: Kyoto Day 4 - Osaka (stroll with Osaka Safari) - Fushimi Inari -night : Kyoto Day 5 - Train - Naoshima - night: Uno Day 6 - Teshima -night: Uno Day 7 - Naoshima – Hiroshima - night: Hiroshima Day 8 - Hiroshima – Commemorations - night: Hiroshima Day 10 - Miyajima- night: Miyajima Day 10 - Miyajima - Himeji Castle - night: Osaka Day 11 - Osaka - night: Osaka Day 12 - Kyoto - West -night: Osaka Day 13 - Kanazawa to Ainokura - night: Ainokura Day 14 - Shirakawa-go - Takayama - night: Takayama Day 15 - Kamikochi night: Takayama Day 16 - Takayama - return to Kanazawa night: Kanazawa Day 17 - Kanazawa -night: Kanazawa Day 18 - Travel to Tokyo (Shibuya) -night: Tokyo Day 19 - Tokyo (visit with Tokyo Free Guide – Yoyogi Park - Meiji Shrine - Harajuku - Takeshita-dori - Omote Sando - Odaiba) - night: Tokyo Day 20 - Tokyo (with Tokyo Safari) - night: Tokyo Day 21 - Tokyo (Tsukiji, Hama-Rikyu Onshi Teien, Asakusa and Senso-ji, Kappabashi, Ameyoko, and Ueno) - night: Tokyo Day 22 - Tokyo (Shibuya-Yoyogi Park again - Ikebukuro - Shinjuku (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Omoide-yokocho, Golden Gai) - night: Tokyo Day 23 - Tokyo (Yanaka – Ueno – Edo-Tokyo Museum - Takashita-Dori again - back to Shibuya) - departure at 10:50 PM for Paris

(You can access the published days directly by clicking on them).

The itinerary perfectly matched our expectations: a good pace, a wide variety of visits, the must-sees, but also a first taste of rural Japan. If we were to do it again, I’d do exactly the same (except for the back-and-forth between Kyoto and Osaka on Days 4 and 12, which were due to my desire to explore Osaka with Osaka Safari). Of course, we had to skip some sights, especially in Kyoto where we missed a few “highlights,” but that was a deliberate choice—I’d limited our time in the city, which is known for being stifling in summer.

For accommodations, we mixed Airbnb apartments and quadruple rooms in guesthouses and ryokan. It worked out perfectly. The apartments gave us more space and the chance to dine in some evenings, while the guesthouses and ryokan helped us experience Japanese customs.

First, a quick recap: all four of us were enchanted by our trip. Japan is a constant source of wonder, just like the preface of *Tokyo Sanpo* by Florent Chavouet describes—I’ll take this opportunity to plug the book, which I read with great pleasure after our vacation. That’s exactly it: everything is a reason for amazement. Everything is so different from home. I wanted to photograph everything around me constantly. I promise, I won’t say “photograph like a Japanese” anymore—during this trip, *I* was the Japanese. And I better understand the culture shock Japanese travelers experience in Europe.

As a friend of mine put it: “It’s simple—they have ten fingers, so they count in base 10. Otherwise, they do everything differently from us.” Well summarized.

Another thing: everything is easy. Everything seems to have its place and be exactly where it should be. The smallest detail seems to have been thought out to make life easier. Things that come to mind: the incredibly well-designed signage in train stations and the subway, the ubiquitous public toilets, designated smoking areas, those hyper-detailed maps with all the useful information available at every place we visited… These maps are so well done that we got into the habit of picking them up systematically. It’s that simple: I came back to Paris with a complete collection. And when we arrived in Takayama by car, our first stop was at the train station to get THE map. But this order goes beyond all these practical elements. There’s a certain *je ne sais quoi* that makes you feel like everything is exactly where it should be. Even during rush hour, in the crowds, people manage to avoid each other in a smooth, collision-free flow—the opposite of the Paris metro. Anyone who’s experienced certain transfers in Paris at certain times will understand.

The exquisite politeness of the Japanese and their desire to be helpful are another highlight of the trip. Every person we met tried to help us and make our lives easier. It was really great.

Oh! I almost forgot: Japan’s hyper-safe side. I’ve rarely felt as safe as I did in Japan. No need to keep an eye on your belongings—they’re not going anywhere. One example among many: in Tokyo, Japanese women leave their bags open with their smartphones casually placed on top. Even I could’ve taken them without them noticing, let alone a pickpocket… No wonder France is seen as dangerous.

That said, I’m not claiming Japanese society is flawless. The role of women and gender relations are downright shocking and archaic from our European perspective. I also don’t think I could live in such a codified society, where the individual is so dissolved into the collective. But for a vacation, it’s simply delightful. On that note, I recommend *Nââânde?!* by Eriko Nakamura, which I discovered after our trip on the recommendation of our eldest’s friend. It’s the story of a Japanese woman married to a Frenchman living in Paris, recounting her astonishment at French habits and customs. Even though I tried to be careful, I’m sure I made quite a few blunders.

As for the climate, it didn’t stop us from enjoying our trip. Sure, we were hot—*really* hot—but by protecting ourselves from the sun (hat for me, caps for the others, plus umbrellas—Japanese-style parasols) and drinking liters and liters of water, it was manageable and didn’t bother us too much, even if we probably had a slower pace than we would’ve with milder weather. That said, with small children, we would’ve struggled more.

Last point before diving into the trip details: the cost. Despite what I’d read, traveling in Japan is still expensive. I’m not talking about our specific trip, where—using our daughter’s 18th birthday and our 20th wedding anniversary as an excuse—I splurged on a few extras that drove up the cost. I was particularly surprised by the price of quadruple rooms, which is roughly the same as two double rooms. So for a family, that’s a significant extra cost. The various paid sites in Kyoto also add up. As for food, it’s generally cheap, but it would be a shame not to budget for a few extras to try some less affordable specialties—like Hida beef in our case.

Namaste! Here I am live from Delhi, past midnight, at least 30 degrees.... I wanted to post the start of this France travel journal but couldn’t find the time, so here it is live! Off we go for a third trip, but this time for double the duration—6 weeks with the goal of discovering Ladakh and Spiti, starting with a detour to Varanasi to meet up with Babeli and her family.

Phir milenge for the rest of the adventures...

Hi everyone,

I’m sharing a little recap of this new 4-week trip to China—nothing fancy, just my experience.

We’re taking advantage of the extended visa exemption to return to China for the 4th time. I loved last summer’s trip so much that I’m a bit worried about being disappointed this year. Plus, I’ve had a few hiccups before this departure: my WeChat account got blocked, and I couldn’t recover it (luckily, Alipay still works fine); I couldn’t verify my 12306 account for weeks; Trip.com failed to book our second train; and I’ve got an injury that’ll slow me down during the trip... Ugh, I hate starting a trip with these kinds of issues. Then, oh surprise! Just before leaving, my 12306 account got verified! Super easy to use from that point on—I could book a few train tickets without fees.

We’re sticking with Free’s e-SIMs, which work great in China.

August 2–3

Anyway, on the morning of August 2nd, we took the RER to CDG. As usual, we couldn’t check in online. It’s always a bit frustrating, especially since we didn’t have any checked luggage. We flew with Air China. We arrived at the check-in counter at 9:50 AM, 2 hours and 40 minutes before the flight. The line for our check-in stretched 300 meters across the airport in both directions. What a joke!! We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes in that line just to reach the counter and get our boarding passes. By then, it was 11:35 AM, and boarding had already started at 11:20 AM. The screens showed a 25-minute walk to our gate—on the other side of the airport, of course—plus we had to go through passport control and security... Long story short, the plane didn’t leave without us 🙂 We boarded among the last passengers, and we took off at 12:30 PM. We’d flown Air China four times before, but this time, it felt *really* low-cost. The check-in chaos, the cramped seats (12 seats per row), no music by artists known outside China, mediocre food, and a boarding area at Beijing Airport with only 10 seats—worthy of Ryanair or EasyJet. And yet, the price was sky-high. Again, D.’s vacation requests were denied outside of July and August, so we’re traveling from August 2nd to 30th. We couldn’t have picked a worse time for inflated prices, and with the situation in Iran, we got hit with a 390 € fuel surcharge. I’ve never paid so much for flights—I felt like I’d bought business class, but nope, far from it!!

We landed in Beijing around 4:15 AM. It was 28°C with thick fog. We drove and drove and drove for 20 minutes, as usual in Beijing. Then we went through a first check, a second check, a third check, and waited for our connecting flight at 6:40 AM. A small Airbus A320, but way more space than in the Boeing 777 from the first flight. We landed in Kunming, Yunnan, around 10:15 AM in the rain.

We headed to the subway. You can’t pay at the machines with Alipay here either, so we set up the transport QR code directly in Alipay to scan at the subway gates. The process is a bit long the first time if you haven’t entered your info before, but once it’s done, it’s *so* much easier! We took Line 6 to the terminus for 6 yuan each.

We’d booked a hotel nearby, on the 16th floor. It’s actually studios on different floors of a huge residential building. The view’s pretty nice from here. We settled in quickly—back to those wooden beds, or rather, mattresses as hard as wood, which we *hadn’t* missed... Then we went out for our first bowl of noodles of the trip and wandered through the shopping streets of the old town.



It was crowded, and the weather was cool—around 19–20°C. We tried a local specialty: milk skin, thick, dried, then grilled with rose jam. Yeah... we won’t be having that again. The taste and texture of the milk skin... no thanks.



We saw a lot of wild mushroom hotpot too. It’s on our list for later. We also passed through the Jinma and Biji gates, where I played with reflections in puddles. I *love* doing that 🙂



At the end of the day, we headed to a temple advertised as open 24/7 on Amap. Of course, when we got there, it was closed. We’ll go back tomorrow. That was the first of many disappointments with Amap this trip—I hadn’t had that issue on previous visits.

We were exhausted after that sleepless flight. Night was falling, and we decided to grab a quick bite without much appetite. We shared a delicious vegetable fried rice for 12 yuan—we even left half of it. The portions are *huge*.

After a couple of small purchases, we headed back at 9 PM, wiped out, after walking 17 km between the airports and these first steps in Kunming. I expected to see quite a few Western travelers here, but we didn’t spot a single one. Instead, we met lots of curious Chinese people, many of them super friendly and helpful—almost *too* eager, like when they’d run to serve us as fast as possible. It’s a bit much, but it’s great to be back!

Hello François, and the new team!

Like many others, I’m overjoyed to hear that VoyageForum is reopening! I’ve been waiting hopefully for this, and it’s wonderful that it’s finally happening!

I just couldn’t bring myself to actively participate in other French-language travel forums—their format and way of doing things never appealed to me as much. I really hope that VF’s structure, categories, and interface won’t change too much despite the handover, because I’m very attached to them. Through thick and thin, the site has held strong—it’s amazing!

In a previous message, François mentioned that there were positions to fill ahead of the reopening, including moderators...

I’ve been eagerly waiting for this and hoping to send in my CV.

Now, after reading the latest message, it seems like the team is already fully formed. But are there still a few spots left to fill?

I’ve been a VF member for 20 years (since 2004). I’d love to contribute to this wonderful adventure as a moderator if VF would trust me with the role. If the team is open to reviewing it, I’m ready to send my CV. Could you let me know the next steps?

Best regards, Marine/eversmile

hi everyone, I’m French and live in France, and my Thai girlfriend just told me she’s pregnant—she lives in Thailand. First step, a paternity test to set my mind at ease. What steps do I need to take to recognize the child? Can I do it before the birth or only after? Where do I need to go, and what paperwork is required?

Just to clarify, I want him to stay in Thailand but be able to come to France anytime without any issues! Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

We’re planning a trip to the Philippines from April 22 to May 8, 2026. Flight from Geneva with a layover in Turkey and Manila. Our itinerary: Angeles – Busuanga – Palawan…

The Philippines are a dream destination, but is it possible to travel there safely? I’ve heard that checked luggage often gets lost, tap water isn’t safe to drink, and mosquitoes are everywhere.

For water, what’s the best solution to carry in a backpack? Is a filtering water bottle 100% reliable?

For mosquitoes, should we treat our clothes with repellent? Are you vaccinated against hepatitis A, malaria, or dengue? Or is there an oral treatment to take?

Thanks for your feedback!

The deep worries from the day before quickly faded after the first few kilometers, starting from Vézelay. With, as always at the beginning of a long-distance hike, that strange feeling of being like a child learning to walk.

Hi. Is it possible to take the train from Malacca to Ipoh? Thanks for your feedback.

Hello, I’m Buddhist by conviction. Even though I don’t practice anymore, I have a Buddhist altar at home that’s becoming increasingly ecumenical—just like in India, it includes Ganesha, the Holy Family, a Virgin of Lourdes, several Shivas, Tara, Avalokiteshvara, and more... I was hoping to buy a beautiful wooden, stone, or metal Buddha statue in Thailand. On top of that, I wanted to have my statue "blessed." But then I heard it’s forbidden to take any statue or representation of Buddha out of the country... What’s the reality in practice? Have any of you brought back a Buddha statue or other representation in your luggage? Did you make the mandatory declaration? Thanks

Too often, people only spend a day or two in Cairo. I stayed for five days and wasn’t bored at all. I’m sharing my trip on my personal blog, hoping it might inspire you!

https://travels-of-a-life.com/explorer-le-caire-cinq-jours/

Supposedly modification insurance = big scam, let me explain:Hello,

I’ve been an Edreams customer for decades, spending tens of thousands of euros with them. For this latest trip, we knew our departure date but weren’t sure about the exact return date. So, we booked tickets supposedly "Modifiable sans frais" (fee-free modifiable).

We left on September 3rd, and a week before the initially booked return date, we finalized our schedule. I went to my booking to make the change. And then... I found out that if you’ve already taken your outbound flight, you can no longer modify the return flight!!!!!!!

Like most people, I didn’t read the long, complicated, and tedious fine print in the terms and conditions—which I later took the time to go through. Here’s an excerpt: "Flexible Name Guarantee Our Superflex fare includes a Flexible Name Guarantee that allows customers to change the full name of one of the passengers on their flight tickets. This contractual guarantee takes effect at the time of booking and expires 24 hours before the start of the trip, determined by the date and time of departure of the first flight included in the booking."

In short, I paid an extra 500 € for this insurance (for 4 tickets) that’s absolutely useless.

In my opinion, when I book a modifiable ticket, it’s PRECISELY BECAUSE I KNEW I’D NEED TO CHANGE MY DATE ONCE I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION.

But I learned that this insurance stops 24 hours before departure.

So, if you’re thinking of changing your return dates after you’ve already taken your outbound flight, well, this insurance won’t work—and they make sure not to clearly explain that to you.

So, dear EDREAMS, thank you for being my booking portal for 15 years. I’ve traveled all over the world (74 countries visited—who can top that?), spent a fortune on your site, and I’m saying "Adios". On top of that, I’ll take care of your online reputation since it’s my job (digital marketing).

Hasta la vista

Hi there,

I recently launched a travel blog where I write articles about each of my trips. Plus, I try to make a video about each one on my YouTube channel.

The goal of this travel blog is to help others, share my great tips, and simply let my readers travel vicariously through my posts.

I’m new to this and learning day by day. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

That’s all from TardtineVoyage—here to serve—and I’ll see you soon on YouTube and the blog 😉

Hey everyone, I went to Budapest in 2019 and I’m here to help with what you need to know if you're young, on a tight budget, and want to party while sightseeing.

Preparing your trip 1/ Accommodation

There were four of us, and we booked a pretty comfortable place in the center of Buda (on a well-known online booking site). We stayed in the Jewish Quarter, which is pretty lively (ruin bars, fast food, etc.).

I recommend booking in advance—we did it 6 months ahead.

So, we paid 300 € for 4 nights.

My tip: don’t stay in hotels—try to live in the city to experience life to the fullest.

2/ Currency exchange

I don’t need to tell you not to exchange money at the airport... My friend exchanged 300 € into forints (1 € = 365 forints) and only got the equivalent of 250 € in forints—so 50 € in fees! My advice: exchange just 20-30 € at the airport for the taxi to the center. After that, I recommend exchange bureaus or the small machines on the street—they scam you less than the airport.

3/ Phone plan

Check with your carrier to see if your plan works outside France and what the terms are.

4/ Banking

Call your bank to let them know you’re traveling and might use your card. Otherwise, they might think it’s fraud and block your account (it’s silly, but it can happen).

5/ Flight ticket

Same as accommodation—book in advance to pay less. I got mine for 80 € round-trip.

Once you're there If you’re staying less than a week, all of this should be more than enough.

1/ What to visit

The historic sites, of course—the Parliament, the palace, the synagogue (20 € entry), and a little walk along the Danube. The must-do for me was the Budapest Thermal Baths (20 € for the day). !!! Important !!! It’s better to go in the morning to make the most of the day. Don’t fall for overpriced private bath or massage offers.

2/ What to eat

Honestly, finding a traditional restaurant in the center is pretty tough—there are some, but I didn’t try them. Generally, it’s cheaper, but fast food is about the same price as in France. Except maybe kebabs (4 €).

3/ Nightlife

If you have a French ID, you can get into most places—sometimes they don’t even check your age. I really felt like it was a free pass to everything! But I wouldn’t be honest if I said we didn’t get turned away from one club (too fancy for us). We skipped the dress shoes and suits, haha.

The must-do for me is the RUIN BARS (probably my biggest highlight of the trip). I loved the affordable beer and food, lots of young people, lots of energy, and, well, lots of hangovers.

For clubs, I’ve got two to recommend—one is a must (I don’t remember the name, but it’s an open-air club in Budapest). Great vibe, Prague-style, and alcohol.

Alcohol is expensive! !!! Important !!! Service fees on bottles—the menu doesn’t show it, but add 30% to every bottle you order. Also, service fees in restaurants.

The second club is Peach and Cream. If you like electro and R&B, this is for you. Pretty mixed crowd, nice waitresses. I recommend it!

A week is enough.

What you need to know

Prices

Cigarettes: 4-5 € a pack (you’ve got to like the taste) Beer: 3 € (a pint) Groceries (supermarket): same as France Club entry: 8-10 € (try to get in with a bottle directly from the bouncers if you speak a little English) Fast food: 5-6 € Taxi: 15-20 € total for airport-to-center transport (about 30 minutes)

Mistakes to avoid

-Toilets are almost always pay-to-use (200-300 ft). You can tip extra if you want.

-French people don’t have the best reputation.

-Tipping is different from France, but it’s better to do it—1-2 € is enough. -Don’t throw trash on the ground, especially cigarette butts (it’s really frowned upon)—the city is super clean.

-Hungarians aren’t very welcoming—I’d even say tourists bother them, even though it’s us who bring them money. I had a problem in a fast-food place with a Hungarian who supposedly thought I wanted an 8,000-forint burger! I obviously refused and stood my ground. Make sure you’re understood, even if you have to repeat yourself and look like an idiot.

Our neighbors knocked on our door 3 times in 5 days (okay, we asked for it), but they like their peace and quiet.

We got insulted ("fucking tourist") a few times—again, we asked for it, coming back from a club at 6 AM, and I’ll spare you the details.

For the rest, just follow basic manners, and you’ll fit right in. The city is pretty safe (police presence).

Other things about the trip

The city is absolutely stunning!

The nightlife is really great there (I’m sad to hear that French music there is limited to Aya Nakamura and Maître Gims).

You’ll meet lots of nationalities if you’re sociable (for me: Americans, Brits, Germans, Saudis, Poles, and, of course, Hungarians).

As for French "hunters," in Hungary, if you’ve got a decent look, you won’t have trouble, but I challenge anyone to bring girls back to their place, haha. By the way, I’ve never seen so many beautiful girls in one city—this Eastern European stereotype holds 100% true. French girls better watch out, haha.

Budget-wise, without depriving myself of anything (bottles in clubs, cigarettes, food), I spent a total of 600 €.

Hope this helps for your trip—I’ve condensed it a bit (since a week is short), but the budget is reasonable. Sorry for the spelling mistakes—I’m really bad at that, haha.

See you soon—I’m off to Prague this summer.

Hi,

We're leaving in 5 months for a 10-month family trip, and I'd love to hear from families who've lived this experience—what tips and lessons you took away. How did the adaptation go? It must feel really strange not having a... structured day, I can't find the right words. Thanks for your feedback! celine

Hi everyone on the forum, happy to be back! I’m planning a 15-day trip to Flores in October. I’m coming from Bali, which I know well, as well as Lombok and Sulawesi, but it’s my first time in Flores. I’d love to hear about your experiences—what should I see? How long should I stay at each stop? I travel at a relaxed pace and won’t be renting a scooter. I enjoy walking, exploring, and taking it easy—not just lounging on beaches. For some trips, I can hire a driver and car if public transport is complicated. Thanks for your tips! 🙂

Hi everyone,

I couldn’t find any recent posts on this topic, so I thought I’d create a new one. We’ve just started planning our family trip to Vietnam this coming August. We’d like to travel from North to South, starting in Hanoi and ending in Ho Chi Minh.

Usually, we rent a car when we arrive and manage on our own. But I get the feeling that in Vietnam, it’s more complicated... It seems like the only option we have is to rent a car with a driver? Is that really the case?

I’m thinking of starting with a cruise in Halong Bay since we arrive on my partner’s birthday, and I wanted a beautiful setting to celebrate it. So, is the option of having a driver wait for 2 days while we’re on the cruise really feasible?

The rest of the itinerary isn’t planned at all yet. I’d love to hear your tips. We’re traveling from August 8th (morning) to the 26th (afternoon).

Thanks for your advice.

Hello,

After several years, I’ve finally decided to repost a travel journal on the forum. We returned a few weeks ago from an incredible trip to Kenya, and it’s reignited my desire to share our emotions in the face of these animals.

Kenya wasn’t originally a priority for us in terms of safari—we had the impression it was too touristy. So, we started with other destinations: Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa. But as I did more research, especially on the forum (thanks in part to Sylvie’s many trips), I eventually convinced myself that Kenya could be magnificent, as long as we chose our itinerary carefully and avoided peak seasons.

We ended up going in January, from the 17th to the 31st. We worked with a travel agency (TP) that crafted a custom itinerary for us: Samburu-Ol Pejeta-Naivasha-Maji Moto-Maasai Mara-Diani. They partnered with a local French-speaking agency, and everything was perfectly organized. Our trip exceeded all our expectations, and none of it would’ve been as amazing without our guide, Alfred. He accompanied us for 10 days and was a fantastic travel companion—professional, respectful of the animals, and always in good spirits. We formed a great bond with him in such a short time.

- **January 17th** After meeting up with Juliette and Charlotte in Rennes the night before, we left at 4 AM for Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. The thick fog made the drive pretty rough, but we arrived safely around 7:45 AM. A Blue Valet driver was waiting to take our car. Check-in went smoothly, and we waited patiently for our 10:40 AM flight. Unfortunately, despite boarding on time, a passenger was missing, and we had to find a replacement last minute. Then, another passenger who had checked in and dropped off their luggage wasn’t on the plane, so they had to unload their bags. After a long period of uncertainty and spotty communication from the crew, we finally took off over an hour late.

We arrived in Nairobi in the late afternoon, 45 minutes behind schedule. The administrative formalities were endless—it took nearly 1.5 hours from landing to leaving the airport with our luggage. When we stepped out, Alfred, our guide, was waiting with a big smile and drove us to the Eka Hotel, not far from the airport. Exhausted from the long journey, we fell asleep quickly.

- **January 18th** Alfred met us at 7 AM for a long drive to Samburu Reserve. We had a peaceful night, unlike the girls, who barely slept because their neighbors were talking loudly all night. Things even escalated when Charlotte started shouting insults to get them to quiet down, but it didn’t work.

It was Sunday, so traffic around Nairobi and along the route was light. Aside from a quick "technical stop," we drove straight through and arrived in Samburu after just under 6 hours. Because of the lower altitude (around 1,000m on average), it was hot—over 30°C in mid-January.

As soon as we entered the reserve, we spotted some impalas and quickly came across one of the region’s endemic species: the reticulated giraffe, which is absolutely stunning.



While heading to our camp for lunch, Alfred crossed paths with another vehicle and learned that a leopard was nearby. We started searching, and a few minutes later, Anny spotted a shape in a tree—it was our leopard!





There were actually two of them—a mother and her adolescent. The young one was perched high in the tree, in the shade. We got to observe them for a good half-hour in excellent conditions, with just one other vehicle nearby.





Alfred also noticed that the mother had hidden prey (a gerenuk gazelle) in the vegetation, away from prying eyes.

It was time to head to our camp, the Ashnil Samburu Camp, located in the Buffalo Springs area, by the river, in an idyllic setting surrounded by the region’s typical vegetation.





The welcome was fantastic—we immediately felt at home, and that feeling lasted throughout our 3-day stay in the reserve. It was 2 PM, but no one rushed us to the table. Our waitress, Sheila, who took care of us the whole time, was as lovely as the rest of the team. Barely seated, we were invited to watch an elephant passing right by the camp, in front of the restaurant. This trip was off to a great start!

After lunch, we relaxed by the pool. Monkeys, especially vervets, were everywhere, and a camp employee was assigned to keep an eye on them and shoo them away if needed (especially the baboons).

A little before 4 PM, we met up with Alfred for our first game drive. Just outside the camp, a few elephants were in the valley near the river.





We’d see them in the same area almost every day. We also spotted some gazelles.

Hi, I’m planning my trip to La Spezia and I’m struggling to find nice places to visit besides the Cinque Terre and Portovenere. Budget: Mid-range NO hiking

Can you help me out?

Thanks!