Results for "frontière+|+7+>+9"

Attention. La politique des visas a change en Iran. A priori (je parle de mon experience et de celles des gens que je croise sur la route) les extensions des visas de transit, c'est fini.😕 Il n'y a aucun probleme pour les visas de tourisme mais c'est devenu impossible avec les visas de transit et dans toutes les villes... Une exception (comme toujours) pour un couple qui a eu une semaine de plus a Shiraz mais avec le big boss qui voulait montrer que rien n'etait impossible pour lui. Donc prenez note... En fait on a donc 1 semaine de visa et de 1 a 3 jours de plus admis a la frontiere. Une espece d'extension mais juste au poste frontiere...

CoqCo

Bonjour,

Je voulais savoir si parmi vous certains avaient fait le trajet bolivie vers chili.

Je trouvais intéressant de voir le salar uyuni (genre un tour de 2/3 jrs) et passer la frontière vers san pedro de atacam au chili pour voir le désert, la vallée de la lune et pourquoi pas remonter au nord du chili afin de voir le salar de surire et retraverser la frontière pr aller au parc de sajama.

Est-ce réalisable seuls (2) ou bien faut il passer par une gance (le futé dit que colqies le fait).

Merci de me faire part de votre expérience!!!

La bise

Elisabeth

j'aimerais effectué un voyage en République domicaine pour sept 2004, Je recherche des tuyaux pour un hôtel de bon standing avec un service baby club pour notre petite fille celine.

Si vous avez des adresses merci de me repondre.

alexandra 😉

Salut,

Je souhaite voyager a Rangoun/Yangon, est-ce que quelqu'un a des infos, conseils?

Merci

Pamina

Je me rends au Vietnam pour la premiere fois cet année du 5/7 au 10/8 et je me pose pas mal de questions plus ou moins générales... vu qu'y en a beaucoup je vais mettre des numéros, ça sera plus simple !!!

1) Est-il légal et envisageable de camper ? 2) Le taux élevé d'humidité (enfin, il parait) est-il un problème pour le matos photo ? 3) A quel point le français et l'anglais sont-ils pratiqués ? Quelqu'un a-t-il fait l'expérience de la communication sans la langue ?? 4) Vu qu'on ne peut pas emmener de bombonne de gaz dans l'avion, où peut-on acheter un réchaud à Hanoi ? 5) Mon avion arrive assez tard à Hanoi (21h30), ça pose un problème pour trouver un hotel ? 6) Laisser ses affaires à l'hotel, bon plan ou pas ? (chambre ou réception?) 7) Et le logement chez l'habitant ? Ca parait la solution la plus riche... 8) On envisage d'acheter des vélos sur place (bonnes adresses ?), est-il possible de les transporter en train ou en bus ? 9) Aussi, est-ce qu'on peut louer des mobs sans avoir de permis ? 10) Aller dans les montagnes du nord sans avoir de moyen de déplacement autonome autre que des jambes, c'est vraiment handicapant ? 11) Comme beaucoup de gens certainement j'aimerais échapper le plus possible à tous les plans hyper fréquentés, disons que j'ai pas envie de ne voir que des choses faites pour que je les voie, quoi... (bizarre cette phrase !) J'ai particulièrement envie de rencontrer des montagnards et je me doute bien qu'ils voient défiler des tas de blancs tout le temps mais est-il encore possible de dépasser le détestable trip visite au zoo (je sais, ça dépend surtout de moi), surtout si je ne peux pas accéder aux lieux les plus isolés (pas le permis cf.9-10)... 12) Dans le même ordre d'idée, l'open ticket vaut-il vraiment le coup puisqu'il s'arrête uniquement dans des villes qui sont forcément extrêmement visitées ? 13) Question un peu plus précise... comment sont les routes pour aller vers Lao Cai, Sapa, Bac Ha en passant par les régions de Son La et/ou La Chau (N6 depuis Hanoi) ?

Euh, je crois que c'est tout........ Pour l'instant !

Merci d'avance.

xxxxx

Ok, les dates ne sont pas encore définitive, mais je serais en ASE (en solo, mais je suis open...) de mars à octobre à peu près : arrivée BKK, puis Cambodge, Vietnam (déjà été pendant 7 mois), Yunnan et Sichuan, Birmanie (avant ou après, il faudra de toutes façon revenir à BKK). 1 à 2 mois par pays, "à l'aventure". Alors voila, j'ai quelques questions : J'arrive à Bangkok sans réserver (je n'appele jamais une GH à l'avance). Le coin le plus pratique semble être Kao San Road, mais je pense que l'atmosphère cool-backpacker-pancakes à la banane va me déplaire. Existe t'il un autre quartier à logements pas cher / roots / pratique ? J'irais en Thaïlande par éclipses (transits avant et après) et j'ai envie de visiter des coins un peu moins battus que la moyenne. Je n'ai pas besoin de faire du recto-verso à la plage (bronzage naturel, je suis martiniquais), par contre si quelqu'un à des infos / témoignages sur la zone Mékong et la frontière ouest... Idem pour les autres pays, comment c'est la région de Ratanikiri (?) au Cambodge, y a t'il d'autres trucs interessant à voir en Birmanie en dehors du circuit Rangoon / Pagan / Mandalay / Inle et cie, etc...

Beaucoup de choses se décideront au feeling sur place et au dernier moment, mais c'est toujours interessant d'avoir quelques infos avant...

A plus

je me rends au laos en janvier 2004 et j'espere effecture ce vioyage a partir de bangkok.

j'aimerai savoir s'il y a des bus qui font la navette vers la frontiere du laos et quelle sont les horaires.

Bonjour,

Je dispose d'un billet d'avion Paris <-> Bangkok. La durée totale de mon voyage est de 12 semaines environ. Ce voyage est de type course et course contre la montre, peu importe...😄

Les chiffres ci-dessous ne sont donnés qu'à titre indicatif. Ne vous en préoccupez pas trop. L'important pour moi n'est pas là.

Le terme "par voie terrestre" désigne par bus, à pieds, ou en train.

Mes finances ne me permettent pas d'utiliser l'avion comme moyen de transport entre les pays.

Je souhaite me procurer les visas seulement lors du passage aux frontières, selon possibilité.

Mon voyage est le suivant (ordre chronologique; de fin février à fin mai):

1- Paris -> Bangkok. 2- Séjour 2 semaines en Thaïlande. 3- Passage Thaïlande -> Laos par voie terrestre. 4- Séjour de quelques jours au Laos. 5- Passage Laos -> Viêtnam par voie terrestre. 6- Séjour 3 semaines au Viêtnam. 7- Passage Viêtnam -> Cambodge par voie terrestre. 8- Séjour de quelques jours au Cambodge. 9- Passage Cambodge -> Thaïlande par voie terrestre. 10- Séjour 2 semaines en Thaïlande. 11- Passage Thaïlande -> Malaisie par voie terrestre. 12- Séjour de quelques jours en Malaisie. 13- Passage Malaisie -> Indonésie (Sumatra) en bateau. 14- Séjour de 3-4 semaines en Indonésie.

Ensuite, selon l'état de mes finances, 2 choix:

a)

15- Avion Indonésie (Jakarta ou Denpasar, Bali) -> Bangkok. 16- Quelques jours à Bangkok et allentours. 17- Bangkok -> Paris.

ou

b)

15- Retour sans arrêt véritable Indonésie -> Singapour (bateau) -> Malaisie (voie terrestre) -> Thaïlande (voie terrestre). 16- Quelques jours à Bangkok et allentours. 17- Bangkok -> Paris.

Ma question est simple: Quels visas me sont nécessaires et où puis-je les obtenir (je veux dire où SUR PLACE, pas en France; de préférence lors du passage des frontières) ? Problèmes/difficultés en vue ou pas ?

Notez que ce voyage nécessite 3 entrées en Thaïlande et, dans le cas b), 2 entrées en malaisie.

Notez aussi que je souhaite économiser le plus possible sur le coût des visas et sur leur délais d'obtention, quand c'est possible.

Info *utile* à savoir: Je voyagerais avec un bonne quantité de matériel photo (1 app photo argentique + 2 optiques, 1 app photo numérique réflex, 1 app photo numérique compact, accessoires pour optique, 1 disque dur externe pour décharge des cartes mémoires APN (petite taille), 1 graveur CDrom externe pour sauvegarde des photos numériques (petite taille), 20-30 CDs pour les gravures, 30-50 pellicules photo argentique, matériel pour recharger les accus des divers accessoires), et peut-être aussi avec un camescope numérique (+15-20 K7). Je ne suis pas journaliste ou autre, juste quelqu'un qui aime beaucoup la photo et la vidéo. 200 photos en moyenne par jour.

Autre question: Un billet d'avion Bangkok -> Paris constitue t'il, hors Thaïlande, un justificatif de poursuite de voyage aux frontières terrestres, fluviales et maritimes (billet retour ou justificatif de poursuite de voyage parfois demandé aux frontières) ?

Merci pour votre aide. 🙂

Michaël

Le Sénégal interdit depuis fin Juillet l'importation des voitures de plus de 5 ans (minibus 8 ans et camions 10 ans) Les voitures plus vieilles ne peuvent passer la frontière qu'avec un carnet de douane.Actuellement, celles qui en sont démunies sont refoulées à la frontière

Bonjour à tou(te)s!😎

Je prépare mon itinéraire et suis perplexe sur le trajet à suivre.😮

Bangkok/Cambodge/Vietnam/Laos (problème de frontière au nord, de Hanoi vers Dien Bien Phu)/Thailande. Combien coute l'avion Hanoi/Luang Prabang? Est-ce à conseiller? Beaucoup plus cher que le bus ou le train?

Il y a aussi une autre alternative: Bangkok/Laos/Vietnam (même problème de frontière au nord) / Cambodge/Thailande.

Est-ce à conseiller de commencer par le Cambodge (plus difficile) et finir par le Laos (dolce vita). En fait de distance, je présume que c'est la même, mais en sens inverse... sur une carte, c'est difficile à évaluer.

Vos commentaires, expériences, conseils me seront très utiles et je vous remercie à l'avance pour votre aide qui me simplifiera beaucoup mon tracé.

Amitiés,

Hello, We’re planning a trip to Patagonia for November–December 2026. After reading forums, blogs, and guidebooks, we’ve sketched out a rough itinerary and would love to hear from experts. We initially wanted to rent a camper van, but it’s hard to find options and we have no idea about prices. We’ve settled on starting in Bariloche, crossing into Chile for the Carretera Austral, then back into Argentina before crossing into Chile again for Punta Arenas, and finally ending in El Calafate to drop off the car. We don’t want to make any advance reservations so we can stay flexible based on weather and road conditions. Do you think this route is reasonably doable? And if you have any idea about the cost of renting a car for 17 days with a different drop-off location and the paperwork needed for border crossings… Thanks a million in advance for your replies! Céline

Day 1: Flight – 24 hours of travel, overnight on the plane Day 2: Arrival in Buenos Aires, overnight in BA Day 3: BA, overnight in BA Day 4: BA, overnight in BA Day 5: Flight to Bariloche, overnight in Bariloche Day 6–7: Seven Lakes route, overnight in Bariloche Day 8: Drive to La Junta, overnight stop Day 9: Drive to Puerto Tranquilo, overnight in Puerto Tranquilo Day 10: Catedral de Mármol, overnight in Puerto Tranquilo Day 11: Drive to El Chaltén, overnight stop Day 12: Arrival in El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 13: El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 14: El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 15: Drive to Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 16: Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 17: Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 18: Drive to Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 19: Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 20: Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 21: Drive to El Calafate, overnight in El Calafate Day 22: El Calafate, overnight in El Calafate Day 23: Flight to BA, overnight in BA Day 24: Flight to Paris

Hi there, I’m reaching out for some help planning a short trip to Greece at the end of April with my dad. We’ll be staying for 7 days, flying in and out of Athens, where we’ll rent a car. After quite a bit of research, we’ve decided to explore the Peloponnese, which we don’t know at all. We’ve read that basing ourselves in Nafplio for a few nights and then in Gytheio would be a good way to organize our visits. Here are the main spots we’ve noted so far: Corinth (just the canal, as the rest seems to have little interest based on what we’ve read), Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio, Monemvasia, and Mystras. Could you help us figure out the best route to take? Are there other places worth considering given the time we have? Thanks so much in advance for your help!

Hi there, We’re heading to California at the end of July for a road trip with our two kids, aged 7 and 9. Here’s our planned two-week itinerary: Los Angeles - San Diego - Palm Springs - Yosemite - Carmel and Big Sur - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles. We don’t want to go to San Francisco. Does this itinerary sound good to you? Any recommendations for accommodations, especially in Yosemite and Carmel?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hello fellow travel enthusiasts! 🌍 As a traveler and blogger, I’ve often been struck by the huge inequalities tied to freedom of movement. While some cross borders with ease, others face major obstacles due to their nationality, background, or the restrictive policies of certain countries.

On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, I wrote an article reflecting on this issue: 📖 Travelers' Rights: A Reflection on Freedom of Movement and Global Inequalities

In this article, I cover topics like:

Inequalities between passports ("strong" vs. "weak" passports). The specific challenges faced by travelers from marginalized communities. How to take action to promote more inclusive and equitable travel.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! 😊 Have you ever experienced these inequalities while traveling? How do you think we could raise more awareness about this issue? Feel free to share your experiences or ask questions in this thread. I can’t wait to discuss this with you!

Travel is also about building bridges between cultures. So let’s make sure it becomes a reality for everyone. ✈️🌎 Thanks for reading, and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you!

Hi everyone on Voyage Forum! In mid-September 2025, a group of friends and I are heading to Montenegro for a week. On my must-see list, I’ve obviously got the Bay of Kotor and Lake Skadar. Besides those two excursions, what else would you recommend seeing or visiting? Just to note, we’ll be staying in the Bijela area.

Another question: Is Tivat Airport operating during that period? I think Transavia flies there. Otherwise, we’d have to go through Dubrovnik, which I’d prefer to avoid—partly because I’ve been there before and partly to skip the border wait.

Looking forward to your replies or suggestions!

This adventure began during Covid... Yep, Covid turned a lot of things upside down, but most of all, it kept us cooped up for a few months and stopped us from traveling for a while—even longer for a die-hard fan of the American West like me.

While borders were closed, I started imagining what an ideal itinerary might look like—one that would string together all the Southwest must-sees in just two weeks, during the best time of year: September and October. When the U.S. announced in September 2021 that borders would reopen in the coming weeks, I regained hope and began scouting flight tickets for a departure in September 2022.

But here’s the thing: tackling solo hikes, each one tougher than the last, right in the heart of the Wilderness, could be a risky—even reckless—endeavor for a father of three. After a quick chat with some virtual friends who are just as passionate about the Southwest as I am, with good physical condition and nearly the same list of must-visit spots, Franck and his brother Sullivan were in! 🙂

In November, we snagged flight tickets from Nice to San Francisco for the modest sum of 400 €, and a few days later, I booked a Toyota Tacoma pickup for 840 € !

It’s not cheap for just 15 days, and a pickup isn’t exactly ideal for luggage, but the prices for full-size 4x4s have become totally outrageous! Due to border closures, rental companies had to offload a lot of these big 4x4s, which tourists love. Then, supply and demand did the rest !

Franck and I spent the winter and spring trying to cram the equivalent of three weeks of hikes into two. But even with physical limits, we had to stay reasonable! Three to four months before departure, we entered the lotteries for different must-see spots: The Subway, Coyote Buttes North (home to the famous Wave), and Coyote Buttes South (CBS).

The Wave is the holy grail for any Southwest enthusiast. Since 2015, we’ve tried our luck with the online and on-site lotteries about ten times, but the spots are unfortunately limited: just 20 per day. A glimmer of hope, though—since early 2022, that number has increased to 64 people allowed per day, with 48 spots awarded via the online lottery.

After all three of us tried our luck for The Wave, on June 1st at exactly 5 PM, I got an email that started with, "Congratulations! You were successful in the Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) September 2022 Permit Lottery at Coyote Buttes North (The Wave)...". At 5:01 PM, I called Franck, whose dream it’s been for over 20 years—ever since the first photos were published in a travel magazine! He didn’t believe me when I told him, and I had to forward the email for him to finally accept the unbelievable: we were going to The Wave and all the incredible spots scattered across the protected area of Coyote Buttes North.

I’ve already been to Coyote Buttes South twice, but there are areas I couldn’t explore in the middle of summer because they were too remote. So, I had no trouble letting my buddies convince me to go back for a third time. Plus, given how hard it is to access, we had no trouble securing a permit online as long as we logged in at exactly 8 PM on the dot!

For The Subway, all three of us struck out. No big deal—we won at CBN and CBS!

Among the sites to visit, there are two that I’m particularly attached to because I know my chances of wanting to see them again are slim. The first is Angel Arch, one of the most legendary arches in the Southwest, due to its remoteness from any trace of civilization. To get there, the recommended hike is Upper Salt Creek, and you’re looking at a 50 km round-trip in an area with no water (in September) and populated by bears.

The second site is the Hopi Salt Trail, in Navajo land, which, after a very tough hike, lets you marvel at the turquoise-blue waters of the Little Colorado before it meets the Colorado River. The Hopi Salt Trail is, like The Wave, the holy grail for any Southwest enthusiast, and the windows of opportunity to see the water in that magical color are very short each year. For this, you have to monitor the Little Colorado’s gauges downstream from Cameron: if the level stays at its lowest for 10 consecutive days—meaning no rain—you can hope for turquoise water. The ideal period rarely exceeds 30 days a year, and it’s usually in June that all the stars align.

But unfortunately, one month before departure, while the flow rate at Cameron looked promising, several storms in September dashed our hopes of doing the Hopi Salt Trail, even at the end of the road trip.

We still had two consolation prizes, though:

After a last-minute cancellation, while keeping an eye out for available spots for The Subway, it turned out that three spots opened up exactly on the day we’d planned to go—so we rushed to grab them!! Regarding the 4x4 rental, the prices for full-size models dropped by several hundred dollars, and we ended up finding a Chevrolet Tahoe for less than $1000. A steal and a serious boost in comfort, so we could store all our gear and food without worry!

Here’s the initial plan in a perfect world: D1 The White Domes - Camping D2 Sunrise at The White Domes - The Subway D3 Coyote Buttes North D4 Coyote Buttes South - White Pocket D5 Wahweap Hoodoos - Sidestep Canyon - Colourful Canyon - White Rocks - Sunset at Yellow Rock D6 Broken Bow Arch - Reflection Canyon D7 Coyote Gulch D8 The Volcano (or The Oasis - Zebra Slot Canyon if the weather’s good) - North Caineville Mesa D9 The Needles: Squaw Canyon - Lost Canyon combo - Druid Arch - Chesler Park D10 Upper Salt Creek Day 1 - Camping D11 Upper Salt Creek Day 2 D12 Hopi-Navajo Territory: Ha Ho No Geh Canyon, Coal Mine Canyon, Bends of the Little Colorado D13 Grand Canyon: South Kaibab Trail and Bright Angel Trail D14 Upper East Zion: East Temple Loop, Jughandle Arch, Center of the Universe, and Checkerboard Mesa Summit And several backup options in case of bad weather, including Spencer Trail, West Cove, and Buffington Pockets.

Enough talking—time for action!

In this time of general travel-journal scarcity, I’m stepping up to tell you about a far-too-short getaway to the Top West End, a local term for the very northern part of Western Australia, right on the border ( ;) ) with the Northern Territory.

As usual, I didn’t manage to keep it short, but this time I’ve got photos to go with it!

August 2020. Since the opportunities to explore the world are extremely limited right now, all we (R&X) can do is explore our own island! Well, just a part of it, because with the state borders still closed, we’re stuck in Western Australia (WA).

Luckily, we’re pretty fortunate because this state is huge: over 2.5 million km² (that’s more than four times the size of France or 1.5 times Quebec). What’s more, stretching over 20 degrees of latitude between the Antarctic Ocean and the Timor Sea, you’ll find climates ranging from Mediterranean to arid to tropical. That’s actually why we decided to head as far north as possible. Sick of the endless rainy winter in Perth, bring on the heat of the Kimberley... way up Nooorth!

Friday. At the airport, the main terminal was closed (not enough flights), so we ended up in the annex (where flights to the various mines usually depart from). There was no crowd at the gate, and in this huge, single departure lounge, empty seats were plentiful. Only three flights were listed on the screens for the rest of the morning: the first to Coondewanna (?), the second to Darwin, and ours to Kununurra (code KNX).

A cool breeze swept through the half-open corridors along the runways. At the top of the walkway leading to the Fokker 100 (the Airbuses and Boeings are now parked!), a flight attendant greeted us with a basket full of sanitary masks. We were actually the only masked passengers (the staff weren’t wearing them either). With zero Covid-19 cases in WA at the time, the only rule was to maintain social distancing—something pretty hard to do on a full plane!

It was also my first time wearing a mask—it felt weird, pretty uncomfortable, and after a while, painful behind the ears. I really feel for those who have to wear one all day, every day. The flight lasted three long hours, but luckily, I had a good book. From the window, I watched an endless expanse of salt lakes in all shapes and sizes—round, elongated, gray, white, sometimes blue and green—and an infinity of winding, capricious meanders, along with long straight lines that led nowhere. The last half-hour got more interesting as rocky, swollen formations and long, sloping plateaus appeared. Against the vast ochre landscape, green patches became more frequent.







Just before landing, rows of green fields briefly appeared, along with an surprisingly wide river—but we were already rolling down the tarmac. A few hangars, a myriad of small, stationary planes, and a tiny terminal topped with a sign: “Welcome to Kununurra.”







We wanted heat, and here it was—34°C the moment we stepped off the plane! We felt alive again and totally ridiculous in our jeans and sweaters. We quickly grabbed our suitcase and picked up the 4x4 we’d rented—more out of necessity, since only that type of vehicle can access the national parks we planned to visit.

Just four kilometers separated us from Kununurra, a town of 5,000 people founded in 1961 during the construction of the Lake Argyle Dam and the development of the Ord River Irrigation Area Scheme (more on that later). On the horizon, mountain ranges (a bit of an exaggeration, since we know Mt. Meharry, WA’s highest ‘mountain,’ doesn’t even reach 1,250 meters!) and closer to the road, a few irrigation canals cutting through stretches of bush, then a huge park overlooking a small lake lined with reeds.

A row of baobabs (yes, there are baobabs in Australia too!), a series of motels with immaculate lawns, a gas station, and there’s the main street leading to the town center—that is, the parking lots of the two supermarkets, the bottleshop, the pub, the Town Hall, the municipal pool, and the Tourist Office (already closed!), and at the next roundabout, another park, the Presbyterian church, and a few other shops. In short, two or three green blocks that you can explore in no time.

One road leads to the small industrial area and one of the town’s three or four campgrounds, while another heads toward the residential neighborhoods, which look just like the typical suburbs you find in any Australian city—except with tropical vegetation. We stocked up at Coles, an identical copy of the one near our place, and—surprise—the prices were practically the same.

We checked into one of the motels. The receptionist listed the town’s three or four restaurants, insisting that it’s always better to book a table. She recommended the Pump House, a bit outside town on the lake’s edge. “Best spot to watch the sunset, but hurry up.” she told us. It was only 5:00 PM!

When we got there half an hour later, the place was packed, and the sun had already disappeared behind a row of trees! Sure enough, we’d see a few days later that the sunset can be a stunning spectacle—if you wait a bit for the sky (especially if it’s cloudy) to blaze and reflect in the lake’s calm waters. A little disappointed, we headed back into town, where we easily found the other lively spot in town: the pub (nothing like an old English pub). Above the long L-shaped bar, several giant screens (thankfully muted) were broadcasting live footy, rugby league, etc. In one corner, players circled the pool table, while in another, customers were digging into plates of the day’s special. Instead of rooms, there were various patios where groups of friends and coworkers (easily recognizable by the fluoro vests they were still wearing) were gathered. We found a table under a mango tree—unfortunately, a little too close to the guitarist strumming his entire Country Music repertoire, complete with Keith Urban-style tremolos. Guaranteed culture shock!

Since it’s the custom here, we called the Country Club to book a table before the kitchen closed! The CC is the town’s—and even the region’s—fancy spot. Dark decor, modern furniture, dim lighting, and the air conditioning blasting. The twenty or so customers had taken refuge on the vast terrace, lit by torches. The view of the tall eucalyptus trees, illuminated by spotlights shifting from red to blue, was breathtaking.

The menu was minimal, but the grilled salmon was excellent, and the Pavlova (the meringue dessert Kiwis and Aussies have been arguing over since 1906) with melon and watermelon was absolutely divine.

It wasn’t even 9:00 PM, and we were already in bed. Had we already adopted the Top West End’s chicken schedule?!

To be continued... Journal dedicated to Attila

Bonjour,

En raison du Covid, j'ai dû laisser tomber mes projets voyages en Afrique et je me rabats donc (avec envie tout de même) sur le Pays Basque espagnol pour une petite semaine en novembre. Pour des raisons professionnelles le départ se ferait en voiture de Bordeaux et j'ai imaginé le circuit suivant, si les conditions sanitaires d'ici là le permettent ...

Jour 1 : Départ de Bordeaux pour San Sebastian en voiture, arrivée en début d'après-midi et visite de la ville

Jour 2 : Visite des environs de San Sebastian, avec deux options qui me font hésiter : - visiter l'est entre San Sebastian et la frontière française (Fontarrabie etc.) et revenir dormir sur San Sebastian - visiter l'ouest (Getaria, Zarautz, Orio) et dormir dans ce secteur

Jour 3 : Route vers Bilbao en passant par la côte avec un arrêt vers midi à Gernika et dans l'après midi la visite de San Gaztelugatxe par la route B2235 (a priori non accessible en novembre, y a t'il un intérêt à voir l'endroit ''de loin''?). Nuit à Bilbao avec retour par la route 3101.

Jour 4 : Visite de la biosphère d'Urdaibai dans l'après midi avec une visite de Bilbao dans la matinée.

Jour 5 : Route vers Pampelune en passant plus bas par l'Alava (un autre itinéraire serait-il plus sympa ? Des arrêts à conseiller sur la route ? ). Vaut-il mieux ''tracer'' la veille au soir vers Pampelune pour avoir une journée de plus dans ce secteur ?)

Jour 6 : Visite des Bardenas Reales par l'entrée nord avec un arrêt à Olite. Nuit à Pampelune (ou à Tudela?)

Jour 7 : Ce jour devrait nous permettre de remonter plus au nord, voire en France, pour une dernière halte avant le retour à Bordeaux. Petite hésitation entre passer par une vallée des Pyrénées genre Roncevaux (fin novembre) ou revenir sur la côte et s'arrêter vers Biarritz (peut être répétitif par rapport au reste du voyage ?)

Jour 8 : Route pour Bordeaux où nous devons arriver pour midi !

Voilà en gros ce que mes recherches ont donné avec beaucoup de ''trous''... Je suis ouverte à toutes les suggestions surtout pour les parties un peu floues de mon itinéraire... L'idée n'est pas d'avoir des vacances reposantes. Au niveau voyage, j'aime visiter par la ''route'', les villes sont plutôt pour moi à visiter en soirée autour d'un bon repas sans m'attarder dans les musées etc !

Merci pour votre aide,

Anna

Bonjour

je déterre un vieux sujet....

Je souhaite partir visiter la Patagonie des deux côtés avec une famille ayant des enfants de 7 et 9 ans pour trois semaines vers Juillet/ Août 2021.

j'aimerais voir

-les chutes d'iguazu - passez un ou deux jours dans une ferme pour voir les gauchos et manger les fameux bbq - le désert d'atacama, et l'endroit où l'on peut voir les grues - le lac avec la cave en marbre? -el Calafate, el chaiten le perito morino notamment - le parc torres del paine

Je suis amateur en photographie donc j'aimerais rester au moins 2 jours sur chaque endroit.

Pouvez-vous nous conseiller un ìtinéraire, les moyens de transport, hébergements confortables mais pas nécessairement des 4 étoiles etc

et le budget moyen

d'avance merci pour vos conseils

Salut,

Quelqu’un m’a demandé et je n’ai pas pu lui répondre.

Concrètement il demande s’il peut venir Et SURTOUT QUITTER -en tant que binational- le Maroc avec seulement son passeport marocain et sa carte d’identité française ?

Le hic c’est qu’apparemment au moment de sortir du territoire marocain, la police aux frontières demande -paraît-il- à voir un passeport européen ou un visa schengen, et par conséquent il ne pourra pas quitter le territoire marocain sans passeport français.

Je trouve cela bizarre, car depuis quand la police aux frontières (au moment de sortir) s’occupent des droits d’entrée des pays extérieur et depuis quand elle s’occupe des destinations des gens ?! C’est la compagnie aérienne et le pays de destination qui refoule ou non.

Bref : à la sortie, pour un binational, peut-il sortir du Maroc avec seulement deux documents : le passport marocain (ayant servi pour entrer) et sa carte d’identité française (pour rentrer en Europe) ?

Ps: hors COVID-19

La compagnie du célèbre Express Côtier va remettre en service quatorze de ses seize navires d'ici quelques semaines. En plus de la Norvège et de l'Arctique, seront également programmés des itinéraires dans les îles Britanniques. Lire la suite...

Bjr jaimerais qu on minforme car je tombe sur plein dinfo sur le net contradictoire ma question peu ton sur le divina acheter des cartouche de cigarette voyage aout 2020 mediterranee

Bonjour, nous avons prévus d'aller aux USA du coté des grands parcs (Yellowstone, Grand téton et Mont Rushmore) pour un départ le 3 juillet à destination de Denver (via Montréal par Air canada affrété par Brussels airlines) et un retour le 22 juillet (idem par air canada-brussels airlines). Nous avons acheté nos billets sur gotogate et nous ne savons pas si nous allons pouvoir partir ou pas, nous n'avons aucune informations quand aux fermetures des frontières qui évoluent de jours en jours ! Sur le site de gotogate nous n'avons pas beaucoup d'infos et sur brussel airlines comme nous n'avons pas acheté directement chez eux, ils nous disent qu'il faut se tourner vers le prestataire qui nous a vendu les billets à savoir Gotogate, j'ai lu que plusieurs personnes essayaient déséspérement d'avoir un avoir ou un remboursement en vain ! Que devons-nous faire ? vers qui se retourner ? Faut-il encore attendre le 15 juin, car le gouvernement ne sais pas encore s'il vont réouvrir les frontières jusqu'à cette date. Nous sommes perdus nous aimerions reporter notre voyage d'un an si possible. Nous espérons récupérer l'argent mis dans les billets (plus de 2200 euros). Merci par avance de votre aide ! poutsouch60

Bonjour à tous, Voici venu le temps du confinement et la publication de carnets de voyages d’antan.

J’entre dans la danse également et me voici venue vous conter un séjour de 17 jours dans le nord du Vietnam en décembre 2011.

Présentation rapide : nous partons en couple (nos fils de 4 et 3 ans sont confiés à leurs grands- parents). Habitués à voyager en mode autonome, sans réservations à l’avance et privilégiant la conduite d’un véhicule, nous devons changer nos habitudes en raison de l’interdiction faite aux étrangers de louer des véhicules. Nous décidons donc de faire appel aux services d’une agence locale pour nous permettre de visiter le nord du Vietnam à proximité de la frontière chinoise. Nous (enfin je 😇) ajoutons à ce programme la découverte de la région de Sapa, de Tam Coc (la baie d’Ha Long terrestre) et la baie d’Ha Long (avec une surprise pour mon mari). Peu férus des villes, nous visiterons un peu Hanoi le jour de notre arrivée et avant notre départ.

Jour 0 – dimanche 4 décembre

Après avoir fêté les 60 ans et trois jours de mon beau-père autour d’un déjeuner au restaurant, nous nous rendons en fin de journée à Roissy CDG pour un vol direct Paris – Hanoi sur Vietnam Airlines. Pas de souvenir particulier presque dix ans après ce vol 🙂

Jour 1 – lundi 5 décembre

Arrivée matinale à 6h40. J’étais passée par ACA Voyages pour obtenir une lettre d’invitation (24 $) pour nous permettre d’obtenir un visa d’entrée. Les formalités sont vite effectuées au guichet d'immigration (40 € pour nous deux). Après avoir effectué du change (500 euros contre 14 millions de dongs), nous prenons un taxi et nous rendons au Paramount Hotel & Travel, seul hôtel réservé à l’avance pour notre première nuit. Nous débutons notre journée par quelques démarches. Nous nous rendons dans les locaux de l’agence locale pour faire connaissance avec notre conseillère et régler le solde de la prestation. Direction ensuite la gare pour acheter des billets de train pour Tam Coc et Lao Cai. Aucun souci rencontré pour acheter les billets auprès d’un guichetier très aimable. L’après-midi est consacré à la visite d’Hanoi : le lac Hoan Kiem (le lac de l’Epée Restituée) et ses agréables berges.

Bonjour,

Je reviens vers vous pour vous présenter une ébauche d’itinéraire que nous souhaitons parcourir à deux à partir du 25 mai au départ de Montréal où nous serons depuis 3 jours...si bien sûr d’ici là les canadiens ne ferment pas leur frontière aux européens comme viennent de le faire les étasuniens.

Comme je l’ai déjà écrit, dans cette discussion, que j’ai ouverte sur la présence des bibittes en cette période, nous sommes conscients que le programme et dense et qu’il y aura beaucoup de route.

Le point positif c'est que les journées sont plutôt longues à cette époque de l’année. De plus, par rapport au programme initial, nous avons pu ajouter une journée, que nous avons placée dans le Charlevoix.

Ça donne donc : J1 : départ matinal de Montréal pour le parc de la Mauricie (route panoramique + rando facile si le temps le permet), soirée et nuit à Québec J2 : chute Montmorency, Isle-aux-Coudres, route 362 et nuit vers St-Siméon J3 : Saguenay : rive sud puis nord et nuit à Tadoussac J4 : Charlevoix : parc des Hautes Gorges ou celui des Grands Jardins, nuit vers St-Siméon J5 : traversier St-Siméon-Rivière-du-Loup, parc du Bic, nuit entre Matane et Cap-Chat J6 : route 132 jusqu’au Cap de Rosiers ou Gaspé et 2 nuits dans le coin J7 : parc du Forillon J8 : route jusqu’à Carleton sur mer ou Matapédia : Percé (île Bonaventure non programmée), baie des chaleurs, Miguasha J9 : route pour dormir entre Notre-Dame-du-Portage et Kamouraska : par le Lac Matapédia si on souhaite de nouveau longer la rive sud du fleuve à partir de Mont-joli, par Témiscouata sinon J10 : route vers Québec nuit sur place J11 : Québec et route vers Montréal où on restera 2 jours de plus avant de rentrer en France

Je sais que dormir 2 nuits à St-Siméon de façon non continue n’est pas ce qu’il y a de plus optimisé, mais je ne vois pas comment faire autrement. Initialement nous souhaitions, à partir de Tadoussac, prendre le traversier Les Escoumins-Trois-Pistoles mais ce dernier ne reprendra son service qu’à compter du 24 juin (j’ai eu confirmation par mail). Quant au traversier Baie-Comeau-Matane ses horaires ne conviennent pas, sans parler du trajet jusqu’à Baie-Comeau qui ne nous tente pas plus que ça. Il ne reste donc plus que le traversier St-Siméon-Rivière-du-Loup pour passer sur la rive sud.

Une fois le parcours bouclé nous commencerons à nous occuper de réserver les hébergements, ceux pour lesquels l’annulation est possible en tout cas...

Toutes vos remarques sont les bienvenues. 🙂

Bonjour à toutes et à tous.

Je compte partir avec ma compagne en octobre prochain, pour un road trip en Espagne, Portugal, Maroc et rejoindre l'Italie en traversant l'Algérie et la Tunisie. 😎

J'aurai voulu avoir quelques avis sur cette traversée, sécurité, formalités administratives, endroit pour se poser sur la route etc.

Les infos que j'ai pu récupérer pour le moment sont trop aléatoires. Dangereux - pas dangereux, visa - pas visa etc.

Merci d'avance de m'éclairer. 😉

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



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

MENU PART 1: CHINA

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

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



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

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

More photos...

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

The Chinese Far West

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



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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More photos...

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

Bonjur, Nous allons partir fin septembre pour 15 jours sac à dos (donc transports locaux) au Senegal avec départ de Dakar. Est-ce que quelqu'un peut me conseiller un itineraire avec quelque jour sur une ou deux belles plages? Merci