Results for "Fort+Latte+|+127"

Hello hello, After several trips to the American West, we’ve booked our next tickets to Texas!!! We’ll be leaving in mid-October and arriving in Dallas. After reading several forums/blogs about Texas, I sketched out what our road trip might look like. But here’s the thing—big snag on Day 13!!! Could you please help me with this plan? Let me know if my draft seems doable or if, on the contrary, the timing is too tight, if I’ve missed any important spots, etc. We’re traveling as a family with our little ones (3 and 9 years old). We’re not big fans of big cities—we prefer hitting the road, doing hikes, driving on backroads, and we’d love to spend Halloween in a small, friendly town to really experience it. Here’s my itinerary: Dallas (overnight since we arrive at 8:30 PM) Dallas/Fort Worth (overnight in FW or nearby) FW/Amarillo (overnight in Amarillo) Amarillo (another night in Amarillo) Amarillo/Palo Duro Canyon SP/Roswell (overnight nearby or in Roswell) Roswell (another night?) Roswell/White Sands (overnight nearby) White Sands/Carlsbad (overnight nearby) Carlsbad/Guadalupe Mountains (overnight nearby) Guadalupe Mountains/Marfa/Alpine (overnight in Alpine) Alpine/Terlingua (3 nights) Big Bend NP Big Bend NP Big Bend NP/??? And that’s where things get tricky… What should we do next? I was thinking of Lost Maple State Park—probably gorgeous with fall colors. Then head back up to San Antonio, explore the Hill Country, stop in Waco, and make our way back to Dallas? My husband, though, would love to take a detour to Lafayette, stopping in Houston to visit the Space Center. Thanks so much for your help! :) Have a great weekend, Marie

Hi there,

Okay, I’m starting to get really nervous about this airport and the transfer... Could you please reassure me about the route I need to take?

PLEASE MESSAGE ME ON FACEBOOK AT LOUISE ANDREE DELORME—it’ll be quicker for me. Seriously, I’m even willing to give a little something financially for your help!! We’re leaving this Monday, March 3...

Flight with Delta Air Lines Flight 2625 Departure from Montreal (Quebec) at 6:00 PM Arrival at Atlanta at 9:00 PM Terminal 1 (Layover 1 hour)

Flight with Delta Air Lines Flight 1229 Departure at 10:00 PM Atlanta Terminal S Arrival at Fort Lauderdale at midnight Terminal 2

I don’t have any gate numbers yet... I guess we’ll get those when we present the e-ticket?

From what I understand, I stay in Terminal 1 and head south to find the gate—is that right? Is it walkable or do I need to take the train? Is it well signposted or is it a nightmare?

--

Return trip (this seems more complicated) Delta Air Lines Flight 1168

Departure from Fort Lauderdale at 5:00 AM Terminal 2 Arrival at Atlanta at 12:00 PM Terminal S (Layover 1 hour 15 minutes)

Delta Air Lines Flight 2597 Departure from Atlanta at 9:00 AM TERMINAL 1 Arrival at Montreal at 11:00 AM

What I understand is... Terminal 2 means international flights. So I need to head south to Terminal 1 (domestic flight?)

Is that where I take the Plane Train or a bus?

Thanks to whoever takes the time to help!

PS: We don’t have any luggage... just a bag that fits under the seat. Thank goodness! !

LOOKING for a 2nd traveler for a 10-day cruise on a very comfortable catamaran. Route from Martinique (Le Marin) to Guadeloupe (west coast + Les Saintes and Marie-Galante). + 4-night hotel extension in Les Trois-Îlets, Martinique. FROM APRIL 26 TO MAY 10, 2025. Contact me via email for more details. I’ve already done this trip—it’s amazing!

Hello everyone! I REALLY need some advice because I’m feeling lost with my choices for my next solo trip—I’d like to book within the month . Just so you know, my trip will be in September 2025 for about 17 days. My top pick is Vietnam; I’ve never been to Asia. I know the rainy season will be in full swing in September, but several reviews seemed to say it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, even though it might affect a few hours each day. PS: I was considering Cambodia, but apparently, the situation isn’t safe for a woman or a tourist right now. I’ve also heard a lot about New Zealand, but I don’t know anyone who’s been there—especially solo. The nature looks amazing, but does 100% nature get boring quickly when you’re alone? Are there meet-up spots or restaurants/cafés in all the must-see places? To give you some background, I’ve traveled solo before: Seville, Sweden (Stockholm and Lapland), and I spent 6 months exploring Marseille on my own. I love discovering places and cultures by myself. Fun fact: my favorite trip was South Africa—for the change of scenery, the people I met, the landscapes, and the nature—but I wasn’t solo there. Do you have any firsthand experience with these two destinations for a solo trip as a woman? Or do you have other ideas that fit a similar budget and are interesting for 15–17 days, with a real sense of adventure? And, of course, safe and not too stressful for a woman! (I’d also love to hear about any custom travel agencies you’ve had good experiences with—I really want to plan this trip as best as I can, but all the agencies I’ve found have mixed reviews.) Thank you so much for your help!! I’ll keep you posted on my choice and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have!

Hi there. We’re spending a month in Sri Lanka in March, and we’ll have one week left after leaving Polonnaruwa. We’re torn between spending it in the Jaffna region or on the east coast between Batticaloa and Trincomalee. We’re divers, so the east coast appeals to us for snorkeling, beaches, and lagoons—but it seems like late March might not be the best time for that coast. What do you think? As for Jaffna, the culture of the region, its more authentic feel since it’s less touristy, and the offshore islands all appeal to us too—but it seems far from the rest of the country and harder to access. We have to choose because we won’t be able to visit both sides, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks, Marie

Hi, I’ve got a long morning in Tozeur in mid-April (I need to be at the airport by 2 p.m.). I’d like to visit the palmeraie and the main sights in Tozeur and the immediate surrounding area within a few kilometers. Looking for ideas and tips—what to see and how to do it? If needed, I can keep my rental car (or take a taxi). Thanks so much!

Planning a trip to Italy in October. I’d love to hear about your experiences. Thanks!

Hi there,

I’m heading to Bali at the end of August and I’d love to know if there are any transport options like buses. I’m planning to visit Tirta Empul temple and then make my way to Penelokan. Are there any local transport solutions, or is it necessary to hire a driver?

Hi everyone, I’d love to hear about your experiences traveling by plane with a 7.5-month-old baby to Martinique from Paris. Also, if anyone has direct contacts for reasonable and baby-friendly accommodation—whether in the north or south of the island—I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance to those who reply!😊

Hello! What a pleasure to be back on Voyage Forum! We’ll be in Venice from March 20th to 24th, and I’m looking (for two couples) for a hotel close to St. Mark’s Square—my husband can’t walk long distances. For four nights with breakfast, our budget is around 1,400 € per couple. To avoid too much walking for him, I’d also prefer a hotel where we could potentially eat dinner in the evenings. If anyone has any recommendations, thank you in advance to those who reply!

Hi everyone, After already exploring the West, which was amazing, I’ve got a new plan—I’d like to visit Texas and Tennessee. I want to start in Las Vegas, revisit Monument Valley, and head toward Dallas, stopping in Albuquerque and other cool spots along the way. Then, I’ll leave Dallas for Nashville, with several stops in between—any suggestions on where to go? Do you think 20 days is enough for this trip? Thanks for your input!

Hi there, we're leaving on January 30th for a Caribbean cruise—there are four couples in our group—and we'd like to organize our own stopovers.

Do you have any great tips for visiting each island, with a preference for landscapes over beaches? Which island has buses to get around, or options for 4x4s/taxis? We're open to all your ideas!

After days of reading, I've put together the following route... the issue is that we can't find many travelers who've done this exact itinerary. We've already done a road trip on the West Coast.

My round-trip ticket to New Orleans is booked—it's my home base.

What do you think? Too much time spent in some stops, not enough in others? Could I get your thoughts?

Hi there,

We’re planning a family road trip (kids aged 10 and 15) over 23 days between San Francisco and Portland (Northern California and Oregon). It’ll be a loop. We want to take our time with hikes but also enjoy the cities to relax a bit (Portland / SF).

Here’s our itinerary—I’d love your thoughts on the places we’ve picked, suggestions for stops along the way, and whether this route is doable given the distances (especially Tahoe Lake to Crater Lake and Crater Lake to Portland):

Day 1: Arrive in San Francisco midday, head to Yosemite (3 nights). Day 1/2: Yosemite Valley / Glacier Point, etc. Day 3: Tioga Road with a stop at Mono Lake (1 night in Bridgeport). Day 4: Bodie in the morning, then drive to North Lake Tahoe (2 nights in North Lake Tahoe). Day 5: Lake Tahoe. Day 6: Long drive to Crater Lake via Burney Falls? (2 nights in Fort Klamath). Day 7: Crater Lake. Day 8: Drive to Portland via Bend (4 nights in Portland). Days 9–11: Portland + Columbia Gorge. Day 12: Portland to Newport via Highway 101: Cannon Beach/Tillamook (1 night in Newport). Day 13: Newport to Golden Beach via Florence/Oregon Dunes (1 night in Golden Beach). Day 14: Drive to Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park (3 nights near Crescent City). Days 15–16: Redwood National Park (Fern Canyon / Avenue of the Giants, etc.). Day 17: Drive along the coast via Eureka / Fort Bragg (1 night in Willits). Day 18: Drive to San Francisco via Napa Valley (5 nights in SF). Days 19–22: San Francisco. Day 23: Departure.

Everything’s booked but still flexible, so I can adjust if needed.

Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

This topic has come up before, but I wanted to share a fresh experience from early 2025.

For those of you looking to take the bus to Santiago Airport, I recommend taking the Centropuerto bus from their departure point, which is located in the middle of Alameda, Santiago’s main avenue, just outside Line 1 of the Los Héroes metro station. If you board the bus anywhere else, it’ll most likely be full, and if you have luggage, that can be a hassle.

During daytime hours on weekdays, these buses run every 10 to 15 minutes. Plan for anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour to reach the airport from this spot, depending on the time and traffic.

The ticket costs 2000 CLP pesos, payable in cash in the local currency—about 2 € or $2 USD per person.

Hi everyone, We’ve made up our minds—this summer, we’re heading back to the USA. Our last trip to the American West was in 2017. Back then, I planned my itinerary with help from this forum, and it was perfect. I’ve drawn inspiration from a few travel journals and some really interesting websites to sketch out a rough route. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this itinerary. Let me know if I’ve missed any cool stops along the way or if some things seem unnecessary. My husband and I love hiking, nature, and photography, but we’re not into museums and aren’t big fans of cities. We’ve sorted our ESTA, checked out hotels, and already booked some with cancellation options. All that’s left is the flight tickets and renting a vehicle.

If you’ve got any tips or great deals, we’d love to hear them. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to share their thoughts!

USA ITINERARY, DENVER/DENVER LOOP, YELLOWSTONE 2025

DAY 1: FLIGHT FROM MARSEILLE, ARRIVAL IN DENVER Arrival in Denver / pick up rental vehicle /

Estes Park, Rocky Mountain (note: a permit is required)

DAY 2: ESTES PARK / ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Rocky Mountain

DAY 3: ROCKY MOUNTAIN / CHEYENNE / FORT LARAMIE / CUSTER

Cheyenne (giant boots, The Wranglers store) Fort Laramie Custer and its Bison statues, Wyoming State Museum (free) Custer State Park

DAY 4: CUSTER, BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Crazy Horse Memorial Mount Rushmore Rapid City (Chapel in the Hills, Presidents’ statues) – hometown of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Badlands National Park

DAY 5: BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Badlands National Park Wall Drugstore (Wall Drug)

DAY 6: WALL / SHERIDAN

Devil’s Tower (1 hour) Buffalo, quick stop Deadwood, an old gold rush town with a well-restored downtown

DAY 7: SHERIDAN / COOKE CITY

Bighorn National Forest Bighorn National Recreation Area (secret arch to find) Chief Joseph Highway, stop at Indian Summit Cody, hometown of Buffalo Bill

DAY 8: COOKE CITY / YELLOWSTONE

Roosevelt Mammoth Hot Springs Norris Basin Lake Village

DAY 9: YELLOWSTONE

Canyon Village South and North Rim Mud Volcano Lake Village

DAY 10: YELLOWSTONE

Lake Village Madison via Norris Basin, Porcelain Basin Old Faithful, Firehole, Midway Basin

DAY 11: YELLOWSTONE

Old Faithful

DAY 12: YELLOWSTONE

Old Faithful West Basin

DAY 13: YELLOWSTONE / GRAND TETON

Grand Teton via the West on Teton Park Road

DAY 14: MORAN / MANILA

Grand Teton via the East route Pilot Butte (wild horses, pronghorns) Rock Springs Red Canyon (visitor center, well-maintained loop)

DAY 15: MANILA / VERNAL

Rock Springs Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area Dinosaur National Monument

DAY 16: VERNAL

Dinosaur National Monument

DAY 17: VERNAL / GRAND JUNCTION

Fantasy Canyon (2 hours) Colorado National Monument West entrance

DAY 18: GRAND JUNCTION / MONTROSE

Colorado National Monument East entrance Black Canyon of the Gunnison Crested Butte (lovely spot)

DAY 19: MONTROSE / ALAMOSA

Black Canyon of the Gunnison (3 hours) Great Sand Dunes National Park

DAY 20: ALAMOSA / COLORADO SPRINGS

Great Sand Dunes National Park Paint Mines Interpretive Park (2 hours) Garden of the Gods in downtown Colorado Springs

DAY 21: COLORADO SPRINGS / SILVERTHORNE OR DENVER

Bass Pro Shop (outdoor gear store) Outlets in Silverthorne or visit Denver

DAY 22: SILVERTHORNE OR DENVER

Wash the vehicle / fill up with gas

Flight departure at 4:30 PM (tentative)

DAY 23: ARRIVAL HOME Arrival in Marseille at 11:15 AM (tentative), then back home

DAY 24: BACK TO WORK!!!

After five trips to the American West, we had planned to switch countries and continents to visit Turkey. However, by the time we made up our minds, flight ticket prices had nearly doubled, reaching 400 € for a round-trip ticket. A bit disappointed, I started looking at transatlantic flight prices and stumbled upon discounted tickets from Basel-Mulhouse to Dallas—at the same price as our tickets to Turkey!

No hesitation needed; we bought the five tickets for a total of 1,860 € excluding baggage!

From Fort Worth Airport, we had two options: - Head west on a loop through Texas, New Mexico, and southern Colorado - Head east to change the scenery and explore East Texas, Louisiana, with a possible detour into Florida.

The latter option won unanimously, so here we are, off to discover new states, mainly Louisiana and Texas.

One of the main post-COVID challenges is finding a reasonably priced car rental. After an initial booking around 1,300 €, we kept an eye on prices a few weeks before departure and managed to snag a better deal at around 900 € for a comfortable sedan.

Yes, this summer will also be a first: no 4x4, no camping, and plenty of restaurants!

As always, I’ve planned a packed itinerary, ready to adjust on the go. A few weeks before departure, we learned we’d be at full capacity—our eldest son, Maxime, got his first-year med school results. By finishing as a top admit, he avoided the mandatory July-August internship that would’ve kept him from joining us. Instead, he wrapped up his internship at the last minute the night before our big departure.

We’ll get to savor these special moments together.

The itinerary: Day 1 - 07/15: Fort Worth Day 2: Dallas Day 3: Jefferson - Caddo Lake Day 4: Black Bayou Lake - Natchez - Stanton Hall and Rosalie Mansion Day 5: St. Francisville - Rosedown Plantation - Cat Island Wildlife Refuge Day 6: Mobile - USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park Day 7 - 8: Pensacola Beach Day 9: Bellingrath Gardens - New Orleans Day 10 - 11: New Orleans Day 12: Plantation Route Day 13: Jungle Gardens - Tabasco Factory - Vermilionville - Lake Martin Day 14: Baton Rouge - USS Kidd Day 15: Houma - Cajun Man's Swamp Tour Day 16: Galveston, Texas Day 17: Space Center Houston - Painted Churches Day 18: San Antonio Day 19: Texas Hill Country Day 20: Texas Hill Country and evening in San Antonio Day 21: Austin and Waco

Day 0 - 07/14: The departure timing isn’t exactly relaxing. On Thursday late afternoon, we hit the road to Alsace, aiming to drop off our two cockers with family before reaching the airport at 2 AM for a 3-hour power nap. Not exactly fresh, we arrive at the terminal looking for a British Airways counter. None in sight, so we try our luck at a United Airlines counter—who knows, maybe it’ll work out. And bingo! The agent checks us in. We didn’t quite understand why, but maybe there’s some agreement between airlines. For the first time, we’re traveling without checked baggage, so no extra fees. Not a huge feat, given the scorching temperatures awaiting us!

The connecting flight to London goes smoothly.

During the layover, liquid checks get stricter—now requiring small bottles to be in a pre-approved clear bag, with only one bag allowed per passenger. Normally, no big deal, but between deodorant, sunscreen, after-sun lotion, hand sanitizer, contact lens solution, etc., we spend 20 minutes optimizing the arrangement! When we finally succeed, one of the security staff bursts out laughing and congratulates us!

With our stomachs growling, we grab an American breakfast before browsing the airport shops.

We then discover our plane for the long-haul flight and are thrilled to see it’s an A380—a first for Laetitia, though the rest of the family experienced it during our winter getaway. Still just as impressive!

With a hint of uncertainty, we take off for the States—my third trip in barely 12 months. This time, no endless badlands, canyons, slot canyons, hoodoos, or brain rocks, but a journey through five states (Texas, Louisiana, a quick stop in Mississippi, Alabama, and the northwest tip of Florida), where we hope to soak up a unique vibe... with a packed schedule of diverse visits.

Arrival at Fort Worth Airport and customs go smoothly. Since we have no checked baggage, we’re first in line at the Dollar counter. In just 3 minutes, the formalities are done. We decline the Toll Pass, which I don’t think we’ll need based on my "calculations," and head to the Dollar parking lot, where an employee tells us we can pick any car we want!

There are about thirty cars waiting. Too many choices!

After last year’s mishap in Oakland, where our 4x4’s trunk was broken into, we’re looking for a sedan to hide our luggage this time. Unfortunately, there are none—only SUVs. We finally settle on a comfortable 7-seater Ford SUV with a massive trunk when set up for five.

On the road from Fort Worth to Dallas, we accidentally take a toll highway without realizing until it’s too late to exit. Let’s hope Dollar doesn’t charge us a week’s worth of their pricey Toll Pass for a $2 toll. We’ll see... In the meantime, Maxime sets up Google Maps to avoid toll roads.

Since it’s not too late, we stop by the nearest Walmart for groceries before checking into our hotel room for three nights in East Dallas suburb.

Croatia

October 2024

Hi everyone, I wanted to share our family week in Croatia. Alex and I, with Apolline (6), Olympe (4), and Artémis (18 months).

Itinerary

Planning the itinerary was complicated, but in the end, I wouldn’t change a thing. Since we had a round-trip flight from Dubrovnik, I preferred to prioritize proximity, so we skipped Plitvice, which I’d really love to visit—but that’ll be for next time. We had time to... take our time, and it was really nice.

Day 1: Marseille-Dubrovnik flight. Night in Ston.

Day 2: Visit to Ston and Mali Ston. Ferry to Mljet. Night in Pomena (3 nights total).

Days 3 & 4: Walks in Mljet National Park and swimming.

Day 5: Return ferry. Visit to the Trsteno Arboretum. Night in Dubrovnik (3 nights total).

Day 6: Visit to Dubrovnik’s city walls and Old Town.

Day 7: Lokrum.

Day 8: Morning in Dubrovnik, then Cavtat and overnight flight back to Marseille.

Our visits

Ston area:

Ston village, small but charming. We walked the walls from Ston to Mali Ston. It’s a steep climb, but the views over Ston and then Mali Ston are stunning. Easy return by road, and we visited the fort. Stroller impossible on the walls.

Pratpano Beach before taking the ferry. A beautiful beach and our first swim!

Mljet

Everything is beautiful on Mljet—the villages, landscapes, beaches... There are plenty of hiking and biking trails of varying difficulty. We saw lots of bike rental shops (Pomena, Polače, at the dock for St. Mary’s...), with some bikes equipped with child seats (though no baby trailers). In Pomena, there’s a small national park office that provides maps, sells entry tickets, and gives info on possible routes. The trails are well-marked. The boat to St. Mary’s Island is included in the park entry fee.

On the first day, from Pomena, we were 20 minutes’ walk from the small saltwater lake and the dock for St. Mary’s Monastery. We visited the little island, but the monastery interior was closed. We swam in Malo Jezero Lake (but there are plenty of spots to swim in both lakes).

The next day, we did a big loop starting from Pomena, walking through the forest (with beautiful sea views) to Janik (across from the monastery), then returning along the shore paths for a swim. An easy hike with little elevation—Olympe did it without any problems. The route is clearly marked on the bike trail map from the park office.

On our last day before the 3 PM ferry, we swam and had a picnic on one of Saplunara’s gorgeous sandy beaches—we had the whole place to ourselves!

Trsteno Arboretum (30 minutes from Dubrovnik). A stunning botanical garden overlooking the sea, which we visited in the late afternoon. Stroller accessible.

Dubrovnik:

City walls. Very expensive, but worth it! Lets you see the whole Old Town and the port from above. Stroller impossible.

Old Town: lots of beautiful, narrow alleys where laundry dries between buildings. Stroller possible but not practical. We visited the two monasteries and the cathedral inside but skipped the Rector’s Palace and St. Lawrence Fort.

Lokrum: deserves a full day. A beautiful walk circles the island, alternating between coves, historic buildings, and botanical gardens. We were short on time before the last boat left, but there are plenty of great spots to swim. You can’t do the full loop with a stroller, but I think the main sights near the dock are accessible.

Cavtat: a great surprise—I’d recommend it if, like us, you have a late flight. Just 15 minutes from the airport, it’s a charming seaside village with a lovely waterfront promenade (stroller-friendly), several swimming coves, and a cute center with things to see if you have extra time (museum, mausoleum, church...), plus restaurants, gelato shops, and boutiques...

Even though the girls walked a lot and enjoyed the walks, they *loved* swimming almost every day.

Transportation

Flight with Volotea. 1-hour delay on the way back.

Rental car with Goldcar. Office 100m outside the airport (it’s small, so about a 10-minute walk from arrivals). We were first in line, and luckily so—the employee was alone, and the queue behind us got really long, so budget extra time.

Don’t plan on driving in central Dubrovnik—the parking is outrageously expensive (over 5 €/hour near the walls), so book accommodation with parking and be ready for some walking.

Ferry: punctual. This time of year, we didn’t need to be at the dock more than 30 minutes before departure. Booked online.

Accommodation

I won’t talk about our place in Ston—it wasn’t very comfortable—or the one in Pomena, where we were really poorly received. But both locations were great for sightseeing. In Dubrovnik, we spent 3 nights at Natasa’s Airbnb (Apt Kalea), which was well-equipped, comfortable, and well-located—20 minutes’ walk from the center, with parking, a garden, and... a washing machine. All right across from a supermarket and a great bakery. For those with bigger budgets, the Art Deco Hilton in the center had me dreaming for 3 days!

Food

We didn’t eat out much because of the prices, but when we did, the food was great. The cuisine blends Italian and Slavic influences, so expect amazing seafood dishes, cuttlefish ink risotto, and big mixed grilled meats, not to mention pepper sauce. Despite the price, I’d recommend the restaurant in Mali Ston, *Kapetanova Kuća*. The food was great, and the service was friendly. If you have a late flight like we did, don’t hesitate to eat at the bistro almost across from the airport, *Pod Dubom*—good, affordable menu and a smiling waiter!

A great local picnic specialty: *burek*, a delicious savory pie (meat or cheese) you’ll find in bakeries or supermarkets. Also, good dry sheep’s cheese.

For picnics in Dubrovnik, I’d recommend the pine grove at St. Lawrence Fort or the benches above the port (at the end of Dominika Street). Both have amazing views.

Weather

We had beautiful weather—perfect for swimming *and* hiking. A light sweater for mornings and late afternoons, T-shirt and swimsuit during the day. In this part of Croatia, I’d say it’s comparable to southeastern France, so ideal for a fall break.

Gear

We like taking our stroller (Yoyo) for airport trips, but it wasn’t much use otherwise. If you have to choose, a baby carrier is better—between the cobblestones and hiking trails, it’s often the only way to carry a little one. We have the Deuter Pro hiking carrier, and Artémis loves it. We had high chairs in the few restaurants we went to, but not in our accommodations, so I brought a foldable fabric seat that fits on any chair. We had a crib in Ston and Pomena but not in Dubrovnik—Artémis slept on the floor on a folded duvet.

I invested in a Minimax *cabin-sized* suitcase for Apolline for this trip—she was so proud to have her first rolling suitcase! It turned out to be practical and seems sturdy. It let us take just one checked bag for all five of us for the first time.

Good and bad impressions

The swims in Mljet’s stunning, nearly empty nature.

Unfortunately, we felt unwelcome. The guidebook mentioned that Croatians can be standoffish at first, but we never got past that first impression. The constant feeling of being in the way—even though we weren’t there in peak season—was a bit unsettling. On the way back, I found out everyone I talked to (with or without kids) felt the same. Of course, it’s not universal—some people were polite, even warm (yes, really!).

No major issues, but a few things to note:

The car rental company only accepted debit cards, not credit cards. It was clearly stated in the contract, but I didn’t take it seriously. Luckily, Alexandre had a professional debit card, but *double-check yours before you go*.

For the car, despite the super-low rental price, you’ll have to add fees if you plan to take a ferry (50 to 80 € depending on the agency).

On Mljet, the only supermarket in Pomena was closed. We had to drive 10 minutes to Polače for basics. For diapers, we had to go even farther. I only saw formula for newborns in small supermarkets—maybe you can find more in Dubrovnik or at a pharmacy. I ended up using regular milk for Artémis.

Health

No issues, and no one got sick. We swam in very accessible spots given the girls’ ages, but if you’re eyeing a gorgeous little cove, watch out for sea urchins—we saw a lot!

Portable DVD players for the plane and car, but we barely used them. The girls watched cartoons in English on TV.

Kidizoom cameras.

A few toys for Artémis.

Budget

We found Croatia expensive, and I imagine it’s even worse in summer. For restaurants, sightseeing, and groceries, expect to pay the same as—or more than—in France. On the other hand, flights were low-cost, and accommodations were reasonable. The rental car was almost a steal, even with the extra ferry fees.

Round-trip flight from Marseille: 583 €

Car for 8 days: 56 € (+50 € for ferry fees)

Accommodations (7 nights): 509 €

Sightseeing:

Mljet National Park entry: 15 €/adult for 2 days (boat to St. Mary’s included)

Arboretum: 10 €/adult

Dubrovnik walls: 35 €/adult

Ferry Pratpano-Mljet: 60 € round-trip

Hi, When I hear our French friends talk about them, they’re the most beautiful islands in the world. For those of you who’ve traveled extensively, is that really the case? Are the prices for accommodation, even basic ones, justified? Isn’t a room in a family-run guesthouse at 150/200 € a bit much? Are there other islands in Polynesia (non-French) that are just as "paradise-like" but more affordable? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Hi there, Need to hear your thoughts on the trip offered by Salaun, "Vietnamese Escape"—flights, accommodations, activities, weather, and the overall trip structure. Thanks everyone! EP

Hi there, I’m heading to Rajasthan in January and planning to go from Jodhpur to Udaipur, hiring a driver for this leg. Is it possible to do this route in one day, including a (quick?!) visit to Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh? Do you think it’s doable? Thanks in advance for your feedback! 😉

Hi, I’m arriving in BKK in early January 2025 for 2 months. What should I do with my warm clothes? A locker? Sell them? Thanks!

Hello, My wife and I are planning a 15-day trip to Cambodia. Could you share some itinerary ideas with us? Thanks

Hi everyone,

We’re heading to Florida as a family from April 6 to 19, 2025, with our two daughters, aged 5 and almost 8. I’ve been working on our itinerary for a while now and would love to get your thoughts and/or recommendations on this road trip. Just to let you know, we’re traveling with our kids and have tried to adapt the activities so everyone can enjoy themselves. Thanks so much for your help!

Day 1 - Sunday, April 6: Miami - Arrival in Miami at 8:55 PM local time - Pick up the rental car and night in Miami Beach

Day 2 - Monday, April 7: Miami Beach - Rent bikes and ride around Miami Beach in the morning - Beach at South Beach in the afternoon - Night in Miami Beach

Day 3 - Tuesday, April 8: Miami - Marathon (2.5-hour drive) - Stroll through the Wynwood neighborhood in the morning - Walk around Little Havana or downtown, or hit the beach in the afternoon, depending on the kids - Drive to Marathon for the night

Day 4 - Wednesday, April 9: Day trip to Key West (2-hour round trip from Marathon) - Fort Zachary Taylor State Park - Stroll through Old Town in the late afternoon and sunset at Mallory Square - Night in Marathon

Day 5 - Thursday, April 10: Marathon - Florida City (1.75-hour drive) - Bahia Honda State Park - If we’re up for it: Turtle Hospital or kayaking - Night in Florida City

Day 6 - Friday, April 11: Everglades - Fort Myers Beach - Start with the Anhinga Trail, then an airboat tour in the area—but where? Any recommendations? - Morning: Shark Valley? Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve? I’d love your input here. My youngest is too small to handle biking in Shark Valley on her own (unless there are cargo bikes available?). On foot, it seems tricky, and the shuttles don’t really appeal to us. Is it better to skip Shark Valley and focus on Loop Road? Is the day too ambitious with the drive back to Fort Myers Beach? I wanted to avoid Naples because I’d prefer to stay two nights in each place to avoid changing hotels every day. But if it’s too tight, we’ll do one night in Naples and one in Fort Myers Beach. - Night in Fort Myers Beach

Day 7 - Saturday, April 12: Sanibel Island - Day on the island with bike rentals to reach J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, then beach time (Bowman’s Beach?) - Night in Fort Myers Beach

Day 8 - Sunday, April 13: Fort Myers Beach - Crystal River (3.5-hour drive) - Beach at Siesta Key, then drive to Crystal River - If time and energy allow, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park upon arrival - Night in Crystal River

Day 9 - Monday, April 14: Crystal River - Weeki Wachee Springs for kayaking to see manatees if we’re lucky, plus the mermaid show (mostly for the kids ) Any other spots for manatees or kayaking? I know it’s not the best month to see them, but you never know! Anything else to do or see in this area? - Night in Crystal River

Day 10 - Tuesday, April 15: Crystal River - Orlando (1.75-hour drive) - A bit of a transition day—maybe Disney Springs and/or an outlet mall - Night in Orlando

Day 11 - Wednesday, April 16: Disney World - Day at Animal Kingdom - Night in Orlando

Day 12 - Thursday, April 17: Disney World - Day at Magic Kingdom - Night in Orlando

Day 13 - Friday, April 18: Cape Canaveral - Visit to the Kennedy Space Center - Night in Orlando

Day 14 - Saturday, April 19: Return - Flight departs Orlando at 1:05 PM

It was tough making choices for the Orlando parks. As a huge Harry Potter fan, I was leaning toward Universal, but the girls have never been to Disney in Paris and are huge Disney fans, so skipping Magic Kingdom seemed tricky.

And that’s my long post! Thanks so much for reading and for your invaluable help.

Carole

Hi there, We’re heading to the Dominican Republic for two weeks in January. We’d like to get from Bayahibe to Las Terrenas using public transport. Is it doable in a day? Thanks for your help!

Booking for October 28th to Varadero, on October 22nd I was notified that it was canceled. I called and changed it to November 7th, departure at 7 AM. On November 6th, an email informed me that it was delayed until 12:30 PM. My return from Varadero on April 14th, 2025—on November 17th, another email notified me that my return flight on April 14th would no longer be direct but would make a stopover in Toronto. So, a heads-up to those thinking of booking with Air Canada...

Hi there, I’m looking for 1 or 2 travel companions for the Pamir Highway in summer 2025 (dates to be confirmed). I’m 65 and have quite a bit of bike-travel experience. The route is flexible depending on preferences (Wakhan Corridor, Bartang Valley, etc.). Feel free to get in touch! !

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here we go...

Day 1

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

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

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

A few photos from these first few hours.