Discussions Mazzzz took part in

Hi there, I’m planning to cycle the EuroVelo 8 route from Nice to Izmir in Turkey (about 2,500 km), but I’m not finding much info or tips for this itinerary.

I’d like to leave at the end of September and complete the route in a max of 2 months, as self-sufficiently as possible (I have a tent, sleeping bag, and camping cookware).

Is this a good idea (will it be too cold starting in October)?

Are there any precautions I should take? Any areas to avoid? Since multiple countries are involved.

And are there any places worth visiting that aren’t on the main route?

I’m used to cycle touring in France but not abroad, so I’d appreciate any tips!

Thanks in advance.

What’s the maximum weight of gear I can carry in my panniers: - For a woman on an e-bike - And for a man on a muscle-powered bike Thanks

I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike. It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it. But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes... What alternatives do you know about? Thanks.

Hi there, New to bike touring, I’d love to start with a section of the Via Rhona to explore and share (route to be decided). Looking forward to exchanging tips!

Hi fellow travelers,

I’m an old-school cycle tourist, traveling by bike... and I’ll be heading to England, Scotland, and Ireland in September. I was wondering if cash is still used in supermarkets, grocery stores, and generally—do people still use cash in the UK?

Thanks for your replies, happy travels!

Hi there,

I’d like to buy a camera to take with me everywhere while traveling and hiking. My use case: automatic mode only, for travel photos and family moments (meals, etc.). I currently have a Lumix FZ300, which has really let me down—especially in low light. I got some pretty mediocre shots from my last trip, and I definitely won’t be going back there... So, I’d like to replace it. Here’s what I’m ideally looking for: A compact camera, large sensor, decent zoom, and weather-sealed if possible. Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

I traveled for a long time with a DSLR equipped with an 18-250mm zoom, but I gave it up two years ago and replaced it with my smartphone, which is lighter and less "intimidating" for street photography. The photo quality is good enough for nice enlargements (up to 80 cm).

hi everyone

It's still just a plan, but I'm considering traveling to Antalya in Turkey in autumn 2025 using the following route: - From France to the Croatian coast (route not yet defined) - "Down" the Croatian coast, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece. - Crossing the Peloponnese to Kalamata - Ferry to Kissamos (Crete) - Crossing Crete and ferry from Sitia to Rhodes - Tour of Rhodes and crossing to Fethiye (Turkey) - Connection to Antalya

If anyone has already taken this route, I’d love to hear any tips or advice. For now, I don’t have info on ferries for September and October—have you taken them? Do they allow bikes? Top

hi there After covering thousands of kilometers over the years with front and rear panniers, I’m now facing a problem: broken spokes on the rear wheel. Once, twice—imagine the hassle of fixing it when you're in the middle of nowhere in the Cévennes! So, drastic times call for drastic measures! I switched to a reinforced wheel and, following my bike mechanic’s advice, fitted a tire that’s a "tad" wider than the front one.

We set off on our summer adventure feeling confident, and guess what—"BAM"—a broken spoke after just 200 km. Seriously?! Not even that heavily loaded—just around 30 kg, plus my 80 kg. Even with the sturdier wheel, I still ended up with a broken spoke after 300 km! Back to the bike mechanic, and the only explanation: "It’s your pedaling style..." Not convinced at all! So here’s the idea: a Bob trailer! I’m done with this sword of Damocles hanging over my head—it’s a real buzzkill. Has anyone here tried a Bob trailer? Could you share your experiences—pros, cons, etc.? Thanks!!!

Hello 😏

Four trips to Russia in our little camper van have allowed us to meet ordinary Russians, those who live far from the Westernized elites of the country's major western cities.

Even with our few words of Russian, we clearly understood what we were so often told: Russia is not just Moscow or St. Petersburg.

This post doesn’t claim to address the sociological realities of this magnificent country. More modestly, it aims to take you on a visual journey to discover the three fundamentals that shape Russian identity: rural life, religion, and patriotism.

VoyageForum allows 20 photos per post, so we’ll stick to this selection. They were taken during our fourth road trip, in April and May 2019.

RURAL LIFE

For this dive into rural Russia, we deliberately left the paved roads to take small dirt tracks and country lanes.

We traveled through the oblasts of Ulyanovsk (Ульяновск), Nizhny Novgorod (Нижний Новгород), and the Republic of Mordovia (Республика Мордовия).

1. We leave the main road to enter the first villages. Very quickly, we find these splendid homes that make up the historical heritage of rural Russia.



2. A little further on, we enter a village where time seems to have stood still. A single street, izbas on either side, small plots of land behind, a few wells for water...



3. Shopping in rural Russia isn’t like GUM! Here, no luxury boutiques—vendors set up right by the roadside!



4. In another village, with a few words of Russian, I ask the owner of this house why he’s bringing in firewood in spring. From what I understood, you shouldn’t wait for autumn when everyone needs it and prices go up.



5. In the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, we stop near a small church that the parishioners show us around. To thank them, Sylvie buys them fruit juice and delicious honey cakes. Generously, the priest gives us permission to sleep in the parking lot!



6. The next day, wandering rural roads, we admire this house for a long time, with its traditional wooden figurines behind the windows.



7. We hit the road again toward a small town where, of course, they sell local fish. We know Russians are the biggest consumers of freshwater fish in the world. And here, we’re in the central Volga basin with its dozens of tributaries!



RELIGION

A few years ago, we visited the Makaryevo Monastery. That’s where we learned about the Saint Seraphimo convent for nuns. It was hard to find, on the border of the Republic of Mordovia and the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.

We discovered a place of pilgrimage, a space for religious expression, authentic, popular, and very Russian—where nuns, believers, and (most importantly) no tourists mix! Just 500 km from Moscow and the Golden Ring, the monastery mainly welcomes groups and families staying in the huge pilgrim house.

We’d only planned a quick visit but ended up staying two full days! Thanks to the staff for letting us park and sleep in the pilgrims’ parking lot.

8. The site is much larger than we imagined. Over several hectares, religious buildings, the nuns’ living quarters, visitor accommodations, and schools all coexist...



9. For two days, we mixed with kind religious figures and pilgrims—welcoming even to non-Orthodox folks like us!



10. But what really stood out was the presence of groups of young people. We were also struck by how young the religious figures we met were.



11. The next morning, having slept in the pilgrims’ parking lot, we were the first visitors. It was a special moment to walk the grounds alone.



12. That morning was marked by an unlikely event. Sylvie chats with a nun who speaks English. Perhaps touched that we’d driven from France, she offers Sylvie a private tour. She asks two parishioners to dress her and grants her the privilege of seeing the sacred places closed to the public. Me? I got nothing—I was left outside!



13. I take the chance to observe pilgrims in prayer. I meet a small group of believers gathered around a portrait of Nicholas II, praying for him.



14. In the evening, after dinner, we attend the last service of the day. Until the site closes, we mingle with the *babushkas* buying icons, sacred images, and religious objects blessed by the priest—for just a few rubles.



PATRIOTISM

May 9, 1945, is the day Germany signed its surrender in Berlin. In Russia, it’s celebrated as День Победы—Victory Day. As we know, the Soviet Union paid the heaviest price: nearly 22 million dead. Not a single Russian family was spared.

We wanted to share this special moment, but far from the official ceremonies of the military parade on Red Square. We chose a provincial city, 180 km east of Moscow.

15. By 10 a.m., the crowd starts gathering downtown. Right away, what stands out is the family makeup of the procession.



16. We walk among the families, like this mom adjusting her daughter’s cap. The atmosphere is a mix of solemnity and reflection, punctuated by the joyful laughter of children.



17. This mother and daughter pose behind a portrait of their grandfather.



18. I spend a long time watching how patient and helpful the soldiers are. They lift kids onto the vehicles, make sure they don’t slip, then hand them back to their parents.



19. Around noon, we’re introduced to a tradition we didn’t know about. On May 9, in some cities, neighborhood committees made up of volunteers offer meals and drinks to participants. So we have lunch with families—parents, kids, and grandparents—all surprised we came from France.



20. By afternoon, the crowd has grown dense, with a procession stretching over 2 km! We stay until the end of the day, impressed by this authentic, popular demonstration of Russians’ attachment to the Motherland.



That’s all 😏

The full story is online here: ETERNAL RUSSIA.

Those who want to discover the world through the eyes of a plumber’s little van can check out Trafic Life.

Best regards,

Sylvie & Bernard

Hi there,

We're planning to ride the EuroVelo 6 by tandem this summer for two weeks (16 days).

We're torn between two routes: Passau-Budapest or Vienna-Belgrade. A third option could also be to go from Prague to Vienna and then continue to Budapest.

Which route would you recommend? Is the EuroVelo really crowded in the summer?

Thanks so much,

Camille

Bonjour, j’ai une question par rapport au forfait all inclusive de la croisière costa diadema, j’ai 17ans et je le demandais comment faire pour la conso d’alcoo...Est ce qu’une autorisation du responsable légale suffit ? Si vous avez infos n’hésitez pas :) merci

Bonjour à tous !

Je pars la semaine prochaine pour un petit périple à vélo. Je pensais longer la cote depuis Hendaye, et bifurquer ensuite pour prendre la route AS 114 qui longe les gorges entre Panes et Cangas de Onis. Sachant que je suis novice à vélo et que je n'ai qu'un mois ou deux (le retour ce fera en train), que conseilleriez vous pour la suite de mon itinéraire? Tous vos conseils et expériences me seront précieux: routes à éviter ou à prendre absolument, spots à ne pas manquer, coins sympa pour dormir, tout ce que vous jugerez utile de partager pour m'aider à faire de cette expédition une épopée fantastique!

Merci !

Sandra

Bonjour à tous Nous rentrons de 2 semaines de croisière sur le MSC Seaside Escales: Miami, Ochos Rios, George Town, Cozumel, Nassau, Philipsburg, San Juan

Il a fait beau et nous gardons un excellent souvenir de cette croisière Si vous avez des questions , n'hésitez pas.

L'attaque qui a eu lieu dimanche dans la région de Danghara, à 150 kilomètres au sud de la capitale du Tadjikistan et qui a fait quatre mort, a été revendiquée par Daesh lundi. Un groupe de sept cyclotouristes étrangers, dont un Français, a été renversé par une automobile dont le conducteur a ensuite pris la fuite.

Mon voyage se précise et devant la multitude de cartes nécessaires pour le parcours je me pose la question de l'achat d'un GPS. je ne suis vraiment pas fan de ce genre de truc et je n'y connais strictement rien . Mais bon , faut pas rester bloqué 😏

j'en appelle aux pros , est il possible d'enregistrer l'ensemble du parcours sur cet appareil ? Lequel me conseillez vous ? (simple ci possible) Combien ça coute ? Quel est l'autonomie ? comment ça marche ?

Merci d'avance.

y a t'il moyen de prendre un train ou un bus en prenant dans le même transport son vélo chargé du matériel de camping pour aller de Osijek à Budapest; merci. Xdrareb