Discussions Ivert took part in

Hello everyone, We’ve planned a trip (retired couple) for late August to the first half of September in Western Canada. Classic itinerary: arrival in Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Clearwater, Whistler, Vancouver Island, departure from Vancouver. I know you can’t see into the future any better than I can, so I’m obviously not asking what the wildfire situation will be like in a month... But if any of you could let me know if, CURRENTLY, there are major difficulties—not just for locals, of course, but for tourists as well? We’re hesitating between taking the chance or canceling what we still can. We’re not young anymore and don’t have the flexibility we once did... A thousand thanks to those of you on the ground or with contacts there who can help us make this decision!

Hi everyone, We're planning a trip to Chile to visit the Atacama Desert and then head toward Putre, Lauca, Salar de Surire, etc. Which would be the better time to go, April or November? Is an SUV enough? Looking forward to your tips!

I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...

I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!

The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!

In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.

So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?

How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?

Hi everyone! I’m planning a week-long family trip to NYC in October 2026. The focus is on museums and soaking up the New York vibe. I’ve been checking Airbnb, but the prices in Manhattan are through the roof. Since I don’t know NYC well, is it "wise" to look outside Manhattan? Any neighborhoods you’d recommend?

Hi there, since there isn’t much recent info on how to get to MP, I’d love to know if there have been any improvements to the "route" to Hydroelectrica. Is it feasible to drive there in February? And is it still possible to walk all the way to Aguas Calientes? I think I read somewhere that it’s no longer allowed?? Do you think I can buy Machu Picchu entrance tickets last-minute at that time of year, given the weather?

Hello fellow travelers,

I’m considering a road trip (rental car) to explore the Canadian Rockies in September 2026, starting in Calgary and ending with about 10 days in Vancouver and the surrounding area. (Two weeks in the Rockies and a little under two weeks in Vancouver and nearby.)

I’d like to say that being a woman traveling alone doesn’t really bother me. That’s not the issue. Being a woman is just how it is, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, but traveling solo is something I could fix by finding travel companions. However, I had a not-so-great experience in India with two girls who were total strangers at first and turned out to be quite annoying, so I’m a bit put off by the idea now.

My question is simple, assuming I do this trip alone: is it worth sticking *only* to driving? I have **zero** sense of direction—with a map, I’m hopeless. So, is it realistic to think, "With my GPS, I’ll just drive from Calgary to Vancouver and see what I see," since I don’t see myself hiking alone? I’m not easily scared, but I wouldn’t feel confident doing that solo. Unless all the sightseeing is done with a guide (but then, hello, the cost—my budget isn’t exactly overflowing).

What do you all think? Thanks for taking the time to read this. Take care and happy travels. Cheers, Régine

Hi everyone, After a lot of hesitation due to the season, I finally booked my tickets to Lima from June 30 to March 11—I’ll be crossing my fingers for the weather! We’re planning the classic southern loop with a rental car, either the whole thing or part of it. I’ve got a ton of questions: Is it possible to drive to the Salinas y Aguada Blanca Reserve with our own vehicle? Is the road to Cusco (the 34 E) in good condition? Is it better to return via Andahuaylas, Pampachiri, Nazca? Or through Ayacucho toward Paracas? I’m also hesitating about heading to the Cordillera Blanca and pushing on to Trujillo and Chan Chan because of the weather. The other option would be to spend a week or 10 days in northern Chile, which I think is amazing...

So, if you’ve got any tips or suggestions?

We’re a group of 6 friends with an average age of 70, all mobile, and we’re planning a trip to Peru in September/October 2026. Below is an idea of what we’re looking for: a French-speaking guide, accommodation in 3-star hotels or homestays with comfort. Duration: 16 to 20 days on-site. Visit the main sites with immersion in the culture and way of life. Which francophone agency in Peru would you recommend? Thanks

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Colombia this summer. I’ve been reading a lot about safety in Colombia—everything and its opposite. For those of you who know Colombia, currently, would you say it’s a country where you can travel safely? I don’t plan on going to narco or paramilitary zones. What about the political situation? I’m traveling as a couple, without any tour organization. I just signed up and I’m still figuring out how this forum works—I didn’t know where to look for answers. Thanks.

Hi, I started a thread about Afghanistan.

Out of 4 pages, more than half had nothing to do with the country/topic. The mods closed the thread—why not ban off-topic members and clean it up instead? Instead of closing a thread that had 2 REALLY interesting videos! Because in my thread, there will be more videos to come...

If you close it as soon as a few members go off-topic, letting some former prostitute who’s never set foot in the country tell a guy who spent 10 days there what’s true or not about Afghanistan...

If all the anti-Taliban folks tell you *Le Figaro* or others do a better job than this YouTuber... LOL Journalists often haven’t even been there—they just copy each other or write articles via ChatGPT... *Le Figaro*, for example, gets millions in subsidies to churn out garbage... And now this young guy deserves to be silenced?

Reopen the thread and clean it up! Thanks

Hi everyone, does anyone know how to get from Victoria to Tofino without a car? (ferry? Bus?) And once in Tofino, is it easy to get to Pacific Rim Park still without a car? Also, how do you get to Vancouver from Tofino afterward? Finally, do you know of any budget-friendly accommodation in Tofino? Thanks so much for your help!

Hi, What would be the best villages and beaches to visit between Nice and Marseille in 4 days?

Hi! I arrive in Vancouver on August 24, 2025, and I’m staying until Friday, August 29, 2025—the day I take *The Canadian* train to Toronto.

I’m exploring several things in Vancouver, including whale watching—if you’ve got any great tips, don’t hesitate! Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m planning to spend about a week in Vancouver in September. I’d love all your tips for exploring the city to the fullest, plus recommendations for well-located hotels that are safe and not too expensive—since I’m traveling solo, it’s frustrating that rooms often cost the same whether it’s for one or two people...

Also, what are some great things to do outside Vancouver once I’m there?

Thanks for your suggestions!

Hi there, I just got back from two weeks in Fiji, and I noticed the forum discussions here are a bit outdated (the most recent ones are from 2017). So feel free to ask if you'd like an update!

Hi everyone!

Let me introduce us quickly—I’m Matteo (21, originally from Paris, but I’ve been living near the Pyrenees and the Alps for the past 3 years), and my girlfriend Justine (21, grew up in the Alps). We’re starting to get really fed up with being cooped up and sitting in chairs (yep, we’re studying physics and geography at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon). So, we’re taking a gap year to make a slightly crazy project happen: hitting the road, meeting people, and most importantly—climbing, skiing, and exploring the mountains!

We’ve always been into the mountains: •🧗‍♂️ 6c-7a/b sport climbing, 6b trad •❄️ Skiing and ice climbing (grade 4/5) •🏔️ Alpine climbing in the Alps (Chamonix, Écrins…) and the Pyrenees—I’m training to become a High Mountain Guide

Our project in a nutshell: •Buying a van (or 4x4) converted in British Columbia around September/October 2025. Ideally, we’d go straight to the US to buy the vehicle there (but reselling might be easier if we buy in Canada). •Heading down to the US to climb at legendary spots like Yosemite, Tuolumne (if it’s too hot), Indian Creek, Moab, and Joshua Tree. •Heading back up to the Canadian Rockies around December for skiing, ice climbing, and winter alpine climbing (might be easier to buy skis there). •Selling the vehicle in Canada at the end of the trip (we need to be back in France by early March 2026 because Justine is preparing for the AMM). I’ve already been to the Rockies, but I want to go back in winter for ice climbing. It’ll probably be too cold to sleep in the van, so we’re hoping to find a small cabin, lodge, or chalet (ideally alone or shared to cut costs). Otherwise, we could work for a month or two at a hostel or something to get free accommodation and earn money to rent a place another month just for climbing. •Visa-wise: we’re hoping to get our Working Holiday Visa (WHV) (still waiting for a response) so we can work there during the trip. For the US, we’ll stay as tourists (no work visa—too complicated and expensive). Any feedback on the WHV or differences from a regular work visa would be great. •With our savings (we’re working in mountain huts this summer), we should be able to buy the van. For daily expenses, I’m hoping to tutor online (math and physics). We live pretty simply and resourcefully: we plan to sleep mostly in the van, cook for ourselves, wash in rivers, and make the most of free nature spots. We’re super motivated, pretty well-rounded when it comes to mountain sports, and we’re not afraid to live simply for a year (we’ve got other projects too: biking to Greece with our climbing gear, a trip to Patagonia for alpine climbing).

Questions and advice: Of course, a road trip like this raises a lot of practical questions. This is our first time embarking on an adventure of this scale, so we’d love to hear your experiences and tips. If any of you have done a long van trip in North America or a WHV in Canada, your insights would be incredibly helpful! Here are some of the questions we’ve got: How do we buy (and later sell) a converted van in British Columbia? We’ll probably land in Vancouver. Is it better to look for a vehicle on online classifieds, Facebook groups, or used car dealerships? Are there any pitfalls to avoid when buying? And for selling it a year later, any tips to make it go smoothly (best time to sell, paperwork, etc.)? What budget should we plan for van life in North America and Canada? If you’ve got any info or feedback on the cost of living in a van in Canada/the US, we’d love to hear it. We’re thinking about expenses like gas (a big one, I imagine!), van maintenance, car insurance, possible tolls, campgrounds or paid spots, etc. We’d like to get an idea of a daily or monthly budget so we’re not too tight. In France, we never stay at campgrounds—we prefer being alone or going where we want. Is that possible in the US and Canada? Any tips for saving money (free camping spots, useful apps…) would be great! Visas, borders, and paperwork: We’re hoping to get a WHV for Canada, but in the US, we’ll be on a tourist visa (90 days max with ESTA, I think). Has anyone combined a WHV in Canada with a trip to the US on the same trip? Anything we should know about crossing the border in a van (insurance, customs, how long we’re allowed in the US, etc.)? We want to avoid any administrative hassles, so any advice on this would be super helpful. Route and seasonality for climbing and skiing: We’re thinking of starting climbing in the US around fall 2025 (probably September/October). Is that the right season for Yosemite, Indian Creek, and Moab? Any must-see spots along the way? For winter, we’re aiming for December to March in the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Jasper, Golden…) for skiing and ice climbing. Any tips on ice climbs or major backcountry skiing spots? We’ve got all our climbing, skiing, and alpine gear—should we bring it all or buy some stuff there? Is the “Wilderness Season Pass” for winter in the Rockies worth it? We came across this pass that offers 7 months of unlimited nights in HI mountain hostels in the Rockies. Has anyone here tried it? Are the dorms usually crowded? Working on the road: To fund the trip, we’re planning to work a bit along the way. Any tips for finding work in Canada while traveling (peak seasons at ski resorts, WWOOFing, odd jobs…)? That’s it for our (many) questions 😅! If you’ve done a similar trip—or even just parts of it (van life, climbing tour, winter in Canada…)—we’d love to hear your experiences, or even if you’re in the area and want to share a few days of climbing. All your contacts, advice, and tips will be a huge help.

Thanks in advance! We can’t wait to read your replies and refine our project with your help.

Matteo & Justine

PS: I’m looking for a summer job from August to September, preferably in a mountain hut (extra help, replacements, etc.). If you’ve got any contacts, don’t hesitate! I’ve also posted on another forum about this with my CV and cover letter (DEMANDE dxsdxsdsxdsx - Forum de www.refuges.info).

Hi everyone,

I’d like to rent a car in Montreal on July 21st but return it in New York on the 28th.

I’ve checked all the rental companies and used comparison sites, but it doesn’t seem possible.

Does anyone know how I can make this work? It seems really weird that you can’t rent a car in Canada and return it in the US... 😐

Thanks so much in advance for your help! 🙂

Hi, I’m planning a trip to Argentina and Chile in March 2026. Is there a non-stop flight from El Calafate to Calama? Thanks for your help

Hi, I’m heading to Viti Levu, the main island, for a few days’ vacation. I usually rent a two-wheeler to keep some independence. On several forums, people advised against it—first because it’s not really the local culture, and also because of the road conditions and local driving habits. But I’m a bit wary of English-language forums where the typical vacation is just airport-resort-airport with a taxi in between. Can you confirm if it’s really that risky compared to, say, Southeast Asia? What are the alternatives? Buses, taxis? Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m a total USA addict. I’ve already done several road trips, including the East Coast and West Coast. I’m here today because I’m planning to go back for another road trip on the West Coast. Possibly with one of my sisters and a couple of friends. It’s still just a plan for now, but I’m working on an itinerary in the meantime. Ideally, I’d leave in 2026, but I don’t have the exact dates yet—maybe April-May or September-October. My last trip to the West Coast was in September 2014. We went for 2 weeks, but this time it’d be 3 weeks. What made me want to go back was simply a colleague who just left today. As I’m writing this, he’s on the plane. I’m so happy for him, but now all I can think about is going back.

Since I recently went to NY, I noticed that prices have really gone up. I assume the same is true for the West Coast? For 2 people over 3 weeks, what budget should I expect? We’re the type to watch our spending and find great tips. I think we’ll arrive in San Francisco like the first time and leave from either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and help.