Results for "Vianden+|+9+>+219"

bonjour a tous!

je pars en avril au vivadominicus, quelqu un peut me renseigner sur cet hotel.

De plus j'aurai aimé savoir si la plongée en apnée etait fort appréciable?

😎 Nous avons très peu de voyages à notre actif mais nous nous demandions si nous avions le droit de mettre dans notre sac d'envolée un peu de bouffe: genre chips, pretzzle ou batonnets de fromages on a vu certaines personnes manger leur choses dans l'avion (air transat) et on veut ètre certain que si on apporte des peites choses comme cela que cela ne soit pas confisqué aux douanes quand ils nous fouillent...les grands voyageurs de ce site peuvent-ils me donner l'heure juste lollllllll

Merci beaucoup de berny😉

C est juste pour dire que si vous allez au Perou goutez absolument le ceviche mixto et le seco de cabrito. C est terrible.

Salut amis trekkers !😉

Venez tous nous parler de vos 3 plus beaux treks, cela nous donnera des idées pour nos prochaines randonnées !

Bon ... Je commence ...

1 - Le tour des Annapurna : Le plus varié

Pour moi c'est le plus beau trek. Tout d'abord il accuse un dénivelé de 4700 m. L'on commence à 700 m d'altitude dans la jungle tropicale, pour finir dans le monde minéral et glaciaire du col du Thorong-La ! L'on travers toutes les climats et totes les strates végétales... rizières, forêts de rhododendrons, forêts tempérées, alpages, parterre de fleurs de haute altitude ... L'on habite et mange chez l'habitant, chez ces multiples ethnies qui jalonnent le parcours avec lesquelles on partage un peu de nos vies. Bien sûr ce parcours est aussi le plus beau pour le passage du col du Thorong, tout d'abord pour sa difficulté physique, mais surtout pour le panorama unique qu'il offre sur les massifs de l'Annapurna et du Dhaulagiri. Egalement un plus, la traversée du bas-Mustang, le royaume interdit où l'on peut déguster de la viande de Yak séchée arrosée de Tchang !

2 - Le tour du Nanga-Parbat : Le plus sauvage

Tout d'abord pour la vue imposante qu'offre le massif depuis Tarshing. Ensuite parce qu'il est sauvage. L'on traverse d'immenses glaciers, croise de petits villages coupés du monde, et des villageois farouches (surtout ceux de la tribu Yashkin). Ce n'est pas un "Apple pie trek" comme les Annapurna. Les habitants vivent en autosubsistance, dans un habitat précaire hors du temps. L'on se croit parfois projeté 1000 ou 2000 ans en arrière. Ensuite la difficulté technique du col du Mazeno-La à 5399 m et sa vue sur les innombrables glaciers géants environnants. Une expérience parfois dangereuse, mais à vivre absolument.

3 - Le tour du Mont Blanc : Très physique !

C'est un trek qui a de nombreux atouts. Tout d'abord c'est près de chez nous ( ... sauf pour nos amis Canadiens du site, c'est sûr ! 🤪) Il nous fait traverser 3 pays, la France, l'Italie et la Suisse. De plus je le trouve très physique, si on le fait en autonomie ! En effet, ça monte et ça descend tout le temps, souvent sur des sentiers de transhumance. Très beau aussi pour l'odeur des fleurs d'alpage, très présente, et le côtoiement des troupeaux de vaches. Enfin il permet de voir le Mont Blanc sous toutes ses facettes (ah non, pas du coté Suisse, dommage ! )

à vous amis trekkers, parlez nous de vos plus beaux treks et donnez nous des idées pour nos prochaines randonnées !

@ + 😉

Beub le trekker

Porc au caramel (Vietnam)

Ce plat, très commun au Vietnam, peut se servir avec du riz gluant ou du riz parfumé.

Ingrédients pour 4 pers. Temps de cuisson : 30 mn à 1 heure

500 g de maigre de poitrine de porc (ou d'échine) 1 cuil. à soupe de maïzena 1 gros oignon 3 cuil. à soupe de sucre 3 cuil. à soupe de nuoc mâm (sauce de poisson) sel, poivre 1 cuil. à café de 5 parfums (mélange d'épices tout prêt) 1 étoile de badiane (anis étoilé) Coriandre fraîche (facultatif)

Découper la viande en dés en éliminant les parties trop grasses. Les assaisoner de sel (peu) et poivre et les mélanger avec la maïzena. Dans une cocotte en fonte (ou sauteuse), faire caraméliser 2 cuil. à soupe de sucre à feu très doux sans eau. Faire un caramel bien foncé. Ajouter le porc, l'oignon haché et le nuoc mâm et remuer jusqu'à évaporation de l'eau résiduelle du porc. Ajouter les 5 parfums et l'étoile de badiane, puis recouvrir d'eau. Ajouter la dernière cuil. à soupe de sucre et laisser mijoter à feu doux en couvrant aux 2 tiers jusqu'à évaporation presque complète de l'eau. Surveiller l'eau pour que le plat n'attache pas, ne pas hésiter à en remettre. Servir en parsemant le plat de coriandre hachée avec du riz non salé. Proposer piment et nuoc mâm aux convives.

C'est le plat favori de mon dernier.

Nous partons en Malaisie le 10 janvier direction Penang pour y passer 10 jours.

Si il y en a parmis vous qui ont deja etais la bas, pourriez vous nous faire part des choses interessantes a faire ou alors a ne pas faire 😛

Par la meme occassion nous conseiller sur les tenues a priviliger.

Merci d'avance.😉

J'hesite entre ces 2 hotels situé sur la presqu'il de Samana!

Pouvez vous m'aider?

Merci

help !!! nous partons 6/7 mois en amerique du sud (argentine, chili, perou, bolivie, equateur, chili et Bresil), pourriez vous nous dire un budget approximatif sachant que nous voyageons en bus et auberges/hotels pas chers.

savez vous si il existent des chats en direct pour discuter de maniere plus interactive car on a pas l'air de trop vous interesser ?!

Ascath

Bonsoir: quelqu'un connait-il une association ou un organisme quelconque qui se charge d'organiser des randonnées de petits groupes au Brésil ou faut-il mieux improviser sur place? Je suis tentée de me pointer là-bas la bouche en coeur mais j'aimerais etre "cadrer" les premiers temps de mon séjour, le temps de m'accoutumer à l'ambiance du pays, bref j'ai la trouille... J'pars toute seule, avec mes trois mots de portugais: qu'avez-vous à me suggérer? Y a-il moyen de s'inscrire à des stages ou autres workshops? Je vous remercie, et des bonnes rencontres.

Bonjour! je vais à l'iberostar bavaro début décembre... Est ce que quelqu'un aurait quelque commentaire en ce qui concerne cet hotel et le climat à cette période??

Merci!😛

Bonjour,

Je pars en novembre (de Goa jusqu'au Sud), et je cherche des informations par rapport aux hébergements, je souhaiterai connaitre le prix moyen pour un hôtel, pension, autre de moyenne catégorie (les guides Lonely..Routards, etc... sont sympas, mais ont toujours 1-2ans de retard, donc, adresse périmée, prix n'étant plus à jour, etc.). Combien dois-je compter pour le déjeuner (et le petit aussi...) ? Est-il facile de trouver des logements, ou doit-on réserver 3 générations à l'avance ?

Dois-je prendre un sac de couchage ou un sac à viande ou rien du tout ?

J'ai plein de question de ce genre, et ce voyage m'attire beaucoup en me donnant quelques inquiétudes tout de même (la peur de l'inconnu, certainement).

Merci d'avance pour vos réponses.

A bientôt.

Je me rends avec ma famille au Népal en août et je ne sais pas trop quoi mettre dans mon sac à dos ?

Nous allons nous cantonner à une visite de la vallée de Kathmandou et un petit séjour à Pokkhara .

Ne connaissant la température qu'il fait la nuit, je me pose des questions sur l'utilité de prendre un de couchage, la même question se pose sur l'utilité d'un pull-over?

Si quelqu'un qui a déjà séjourné au Népal pendant la mousson pouvait me répondre, ça m'éviterai de transporter du matériel inutile!

Merci d'avance

🙂Bonjour à tous,

Je pars un mois et demi au Mexique, nous irons aussi sur les hauteurs, si quelqu'un est déjà parti là bas peut il me dire si quelque chose de chaud et impermeable est indispensable (et donc lourd et enconbrant)??

D'autre part si des amateurs de voyage sac à dos ont des idées sympas pour gagner de la place dans le sac à dos cela pourrait etre l'objet d'une discussion sur le forum!!! ( les filles ont en général plus de mal à partir avec un sac leger...j'en sais quelque chose...🤪)

Merci par avance pour vos réponses😏

Chap

Hi there, I'm heading to Morocco for 10 days as a backpacker, with my car and a tent canvas if needed. Does anyone have great experiences in this country around the Tétouan and Tangier areas? I'd love to spend time with locals, rent a small room, and take part in daily life. If you've got any addresses to share, that'd be awesome! Thanks a million for your replies!!!😉 Christine

Hello everyone. I'm looking for campsites around BOLZANO (South Tyrol) for early September. I'll be on my motorcycle with a small tent. I've noticed that some campsites have exorbitant prices. If you've traveled through the Dolomites by motorcycle or otherwise and camped there, I'd love any tips on places and prices where I can stay for one night or several. Thanks to all of you, and happy travels.

Hi everyone,

I’m from West Africa and I’d love to introduce a Russian friend to a traditional product from my region: soumbara.

For those who don’t know, soumbara is a condiment made from fermented néré seeds. It has a pretty distinctive smell and a very strong, salty, fermented, umami-rich flavor. In West Africa, we mainly use it to add flavor to sauces, with rice, vegetables, meat, etc.

I’m curious to know, from Russian cuisine lovers: which traditional Russian dish do you think soumbara would pair particularly well with?

I’m looking for a real Russian dish where the combination could be interesting—not just rice or an adapted African dish.

Thanks in advance for your ideas and experiences!

Come along, I'm taking you to this country where it's so nice to wander and slow down...

This trip was in 2023, but when I wanted to write my travel journal, VF was still closed to contributions... So, now that I've just finished my Japan travel journal here, I figured it was high time to honor this destination we came back from so enchanted. Disclaimer 1: This is a written travel journal. There’ll be text! Too much, for some! Disclaimer 2: This is an illustrated travel journal. There’ll be photos! Too many, for some!

I have to say, every time I try to discipline myself, to keep it shorter, to include fewer photos... I end up adding more. It feels like my dear Aunt Nicole, who exhausted us with her slide-show evenings in the 70s/80s, decided to take her revenge. The upside for you, readers, is that you can slip away anytime without offending Aunt Nicole. I won’t even notice!

Anyway, since I love maps, here’s one to give you an idea of where I’m taking you. As you can see, we only saw a tiny part of Laos (the areas circled in red); we only had 3 weeks for ourselves (my husband’s newly retired, I still work), and we prefer taking our time over rushing around like crazy.



In broad strokes, it was very classic:

First, we “settled in” at Luang Prabang (8 days), because we wanted and needed to. From there, we took three days to venture a little further north—not far in kilometers, but as we know, distances aren’t just about km! Then we flew south to Paksé, letting ourselves drift down to the 4,000 Islands while stopping by the pre-Angkorian archaeological sites. We wrapped up with the Bolaven Plateau.

A few practical notes: We arrived via Bangkok, then took a Bangkok-Luang Prabang flight, having picked up our luggage in Bangkok to check it in for Luang Prabang. No issues—the Bangkok airport, which many of you know, is very well organized. We got our visas on arrival in Luang Prabang. Quick, but to be fair, we were on a “small” plane, and the big flights had arrived earlier, so we weren’t too crowded in line! At the end of our trip, we didn’t fly out of Paksé but from the nearby airport in Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani (a 2.5-hour drive from Paksé), then Bangkok and Paris. You’ll notice we skipped Vientiane to stay longer in Luang Prabang. That said, there’s now a high-speed train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang—good to know—and soon the (Chinese) train will go all the way to Bangkok and even Kuala Lumpur!

With that intro out of the way, let’s dive into the heart of the matter. To be continued: Slowing down the pace... in Luang Prabang

I’ve got some new questions about Albania!

My boyfriend and I are going there for just 9 days, including the two travel days… It’s not much, but oh well!

Looking at prices online, I get the impression everything’s more expensive than I thought 😅 So, I wanted to get your feedback on a few things:

* Is hitchhiking common, easy, and generally safe in Albania? * Is it possible to find day-to-day accommodations without booking ahead? If so, are they usually cheaper than the ones you find online? * Is wild camping allowed or at least tolerated?

If any of you have traveled there recently, I’d love all the tips and great deals you’ve got!

Thanks ☺️

hi there

I’m planning to spend about twenty days in Réunion in November. I’d like to get around using the *car jaune* (2 € per ticket), but from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t cover the whole island. I’m not looking to head toward the ocean and the beautiful beaches—more toward the mountainous landscapes, even if I’ll just be admiring them from below. 😉 Maybe other buses go where I want to go. By the way, are there any relatively easy mountain hikes, and where?

But here’s the most important part: I don’t want to book anything in advance because I don’t know what my itinerary will look like—it’ll change depending on my mood. 3 days here, 5 days there, etc. On top of that, I’d like to arrange half-board stays with locals—not professionals—by approaching them and asking if they’d be willing to host me (overnight stay, breakfast, and dinner) for 30 € to 40 € per day.

What do you think? Does the price seem reasonable? And is it okay to take the initiative and ask Réunionnais directly?

The tourist office in Réunion told me that since November is peak tourist season, I should book without delay. 🤪

For four years in a row, I traveled across Canada for a month and a half each time, relying only on hitchhiking and half-board stays with Canadians who welcomed me (and refused to let me pay them).

If I’d listened to my family and friends, I never would’ve taken the leap—and that adventure remains one of the best experiences of my life.

Thanks for your input!

Foreword This text has been proofread many times. Sorry if some points in this A to Z have already been covered on this forum. Text and drawings by the author.

Peru is still a very vast country, with so much to see, and obviously this text can't list all the attractions of the country.

*Abiseo (River) A national park that's very hard to access and doesn’t seem open to visitors. Includes the Gran Pajaten site (see below). Personally, it really sparks my imagination (not visited personally)

*Aguas Calientes the town next to Machu Picchu, more precisely below the archaeological site. As far as I know, you can only get there by train. Reminds me of the market where stalls line both sides of the tracks near Bangkok. I love it

*Altiplano: somewhere the "heart" of the Andes. I was able to trek across it on foot, starting from Caracollo in Bolivia, and of course, it’s vast plains to explore. This is where people live in a very rural way. Andean populations are quite austere compared to those in the lowlands or on the coast. You really have to appreciate the harshness of life to live there. Life is anything but superficial. I set a compass heading and found myself walking west toward the expanse of water near a place called La Joya. For pitching the tent, the nights were still chilly

*Canyon del Colca One of the deepest canyons in the world. Personally, I hiked down and back up on foot. The toughest stretch I’ve ever covered in my life.

*Ceviche More or less the national dish. A marinade of fish, shellfish, and lime. But you can find it in some restaurants in Europe, France, and certainly in Belgium or Switzerland. In the small restaurants of Pisco, you can eat excellent ceviche

*Cerro Sechín: Mostly bas-reliefs. A site little known to travelers in the Casma province. The first vestiges of a pre-Inca civilization with iconography similar to that of Chavín (not visited personally)

*Chan Chan A large city of the Chimú civilization and relatively vast to visit. You can see adobe walls with bas-reliefs. Visit from Trujillo, take a colectivo. Plan for the whole day

*Charango: a small guitar widely used in Andean music

*Chauchilla A necropolis near Nazca where you can see mummies exposed on the ground. YouTubers can do paranormal experiments there. And for anyone wondering about the fate of the soul and body after death, here’s the answer: the body remains after death. You can imagine your own flesh and body exposed to the winds of the Pampa and before eternity... (not visited personally)



*Chavín de Huántar (Lanzón) The site’s appeal lies in its mountainous surroundings, the Lanzón stela, and the sculpted heads on the façades. What few people know is that the Chavín civilization began its expansion centuries before the Incas. Unfortunately, you can’t get too close to see the Lanzón—the day I was there, it was protected by grilles. To get there: minibus from Huaraz or trek from Olleros. Then cross a high pass (over 5,000m). If you do it solo on foot, be careful—the path isn’t obvious from Olleros

*Chullpa: funerary tower, notably at Sillustani in the Lake Titicaca region

*Chimú: pre-Inca civilization whose center was Chan Chan.

*Chola/Cholitas (Bolivia): typical clothing style of women from the Andean plateaus



*Chompa: pronounce it *Chompaaa!* A common term for a wool sweater with vicuña patterns, often knitted from alpaca wool. If you dress like this, it’s a bit kitschy around the edges

*Cuy That one isn’t a guinea pig like in Guyana but an actual guinea pig. During a trip to Peru, I was hiking near a village north of Quillabamba (the terminus of the train line that passes through Aguas Calientes), and I was invited to stay in a house. The family raised a few of these pets. Apparently, the locals eat them. Since I’m not much of a meat-eater, it doesn’t really tempt me. How about you?

*Pacific Coast or how to talk about a place you haven’t visited? Except for the coast near Pisco and San Andrés, I haven’t visited any coastal cities. But that doesn’t mean these places lack interest or poetry. For fans of clichéd images, pelicans, seabirds, and fishing boats appear by the sea.

*Gran Pajaten: also closed to the public. Features anthropomorphic bas-reliefs. (not visited personally)

*Huaca. Visit the Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna, especially near Trujillo. However, you can skip them—Chan Chan is still more interesting. Don’t forget to spend time visiting Chan Chan

*Huacachina A small oasis in the desert near Ica. Yes, we’re talking about an oasis because for those who’ve never traveled to Peru, the coastal strip along the Pacific is almost entirely desert, from north to south. Peru is territorially made up of three different regions: the desert coast, the Altiplano stretching north to south with mountain ranges (the Cordilleras), and the Amazon basin to the east. (not visited personally)

*Inca Kola It’s neither Coca-Cola nor Pepsi but a unique cola with a slightly orange color. Tastes like bubble gum

*Intiwatana: a carved rock shaped like a parallelepiped. Is it a sundial?

*Ballestas Islands: a highlight in Peru, though very touristy. You can only get there by boat from the port of San Andrés, a few kilometers from Pisco. It’s a surreal place to me—actually islets with cavities where sea lions and fur seals live. Since it’s a protected area, you’re not allowed to disembark. Guano is harvested there, which can be used as fertilizer.

*Kuelap: a fortress built by the Chachapoyas people. Rarely visited by travelers. (not visited personally)

*Larco Museum: an iconic museum in Lima with a large collection of pieces from archaeological and pre-Columbian sites. From what I remember, it has many pieces from the Moche civilization. As for the Moche statuettes, the prudish might look away. Probably a veneration of the god Priapus without knowing it.

*Nazca Lines Discovered by German archaeologist Maria Reiche, they stretch for kilometers. The designs in the desert around Nazca depict animals and cabalistic signs. The question I ask myself is why the creators of these lines represented a monkey and a hummingbird—species endemic to the tropical forest, not the desert plains around Nazca.

*Machu Picchu: means "old mountain" in Quechua. There’s also Wayna Picchu. The ruins of the site emerge from a sort of small plateau above Aguas Calientes. When the mist rises above the site and the bend of the Urubamba River, it’s truly magical... Also the starting point of the Inca Trail.



*Coca tea A decoction/infusion of the coca plant, meant to ease altitude sickness or *soroche*

*Chullo A rough translation would be a Peruvian wool hat.

*Moche: a civilization established in the Moche Valley, hence the term *Mochica*. What characterizes this civilization are the distinctive clay pieces representing faces and erotic statuettes

*Papa a la Huancaína A local potato dish

*Pisac: a typical market near Cusco

*Pisco Sour: perhaps the Peruvian equivalent of the *caipirinha* you drink in Brazil.

*Puya Raimondii A Bromeliaceae that still looks like a cactus, endemic to the Altiplano

*Quechua The language spoken by the indigenous people of the high plateaus (as well as Aymara in Bolivia)

*Quipu A knotted string used for counting. Widely used by the Inca administration.

*Sacsayhuamán (Q’enqo, Inca Bath) From Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, take the streets that climb above the city. Sacsayhuamán is called a fortress and is made up of large stone blocks. You wonder how the Incas could cut such huge blocks to assemble them—just like some streets in Cusco. The Q’enqo block is enigmatic; no one really knows what it represents.

*Savia Andina An Andean folk group.

*Tambo (=> Ollantaytambo) The Inca emperor (Atahualpa, Manco Capac) had the mission of controlling a vast empire. An empire that was still very extensive. Hence the importance of these *tambos* or relay stations. Napoleon created the civil code; the Incas invented the *tambos* and *quipus*.

*Tawantinsuyu: the Inca Empire

*Tinku: a warrior dance practiced mainly in Bolivia

*Golden Tumi: a sacrificial weapon. Often featured in Peru travel guides. See illustration



*Terra X: a documentary series from the German TV channel that aired on Arte. Some episodes focused on pre-Inca and Inca Peru. I must have some old recording tapes. In memory of Gottfried Kirchner as a source of inspiration.

*Uros: I checked—it actually refers to the people who live on these floating islands. Even if it’s touristy, it’s a must-visit because it’s incredible how people can live on islets made from nothing. Take the boat from Puno

*Vicuña, llama, guanaco: camelids characteristic of the Altiplano



*Wayna Picchu The young Picchu mountain. In the first minutes of *Aguirre, the Wrath of God*, you see Klaus Kinski—well, Aguirre—making his way along the Inca Trail. Werner Herzog must have broken his back filming those sequences.

*Zampoña: pan flute

Introduction: For years, I’ve heard about Costa Rica, which seems like a country "made for me"—nature, not cities. I almost went in 2019, but a family issue made me cancel. Initially, I wanted to spend at least three weeks there, planning to go in our summer despite it being the rainy season. Then I realized what I wanted to do could fit into two weeks, so I ended up going in February. Plus, January’s weather was so awful that some sunshine should do me good. I found a flight at a decent price, but with two downsides. The first is that it leaves from Paris CDG, and the second is that it’s with Air France—a airline I’d sworn off after my misadventures with them back in 2008. We’ll see how it goes!

I would wish never to go to bed where I had woken up, to wander my tent from the shores of Egypt to those of the Persian Gulf; to have no goal for the evening other than the evening itself; to traverse on foot, with my eyes and my heart, all these unknown lands, all these races of people so different from my own; to contemplate humanity, God’s finest creation, in all its forms. Lamartine in Fatalla Sayeghir’s Account (1861)

As soon as it’s about flying, I lose all willpower. Being reasonable and thoughtful, I still lose all my composure at the mere possibility of a flight—especially if it’s piloted by F.—and even more so if that flight can take me to unexplored lands. I’ve long wanted to unravel the mystery of animal tourism, and why not in Tanzania, following up on my trip from four years ago, when I was already questioning the glaring inequalities in Zanzibar: the coastal strip sacrificed to capitalism, and the inland areas, just a hundred meters from the waves, where you find—though a bit more peaceful than elsewhere on the continent—the chaos of Africa.

I’m an adventurer at heart. When it comes to the terrain, though, it’s a whole different story. I see people setting off for months at a time; I know my endurance doesn’t last beyond three days. It’s not that I’m afraid of this unfamiliar environment when it comes to embracing different realities. I’m mostly afraid of myself—of this heightened sensitivity that makes me see things I’d rather not see and understand others that sometimes overwhelm me.

After an absolutely fantastic daytime flight, I land in Zanzibar and have to resign myself—this is the whole point of the trip—to what feels like a real spacewalk. I’m alone. My lucky star, backed up by my phone, will serve as my lifeline. I step out of the airport and breathe in the scent of Africa full-on: a mix of exotic perfumes, baked earth, and poorly refined fuel, inevitably mingled with the smell of wood smoke. So many images come flooding back. So many stories. Another world.

I head to Arusha the very next day. The gateway to the country’s northern national parks, this city of half a million offers one of those rare breath-holding dives that Africa keeps secret. As the only white person walking the streets, I know I’m visible and vulnerable, yet I move forward confidently, barely bothered. But where are all my fellow Westerners? While this city draws countless tourists, I only cross paths with one white couple in nearly three hours of walking. Because you have to hold on tight to wander here. You have to stay alert. The traffic is dense and erratic—don’t even trust the fact that in Tanzania, people drive on the left. That can change from one minute to the next, especially with motorbikes. With barely centimeters between vehicles, I weave my way through the urban jungle, trying not to stumble into the huge ditch on my left or get sideswiped by cars brushing past me on the right. Speakers blare music, ads, or political speeches at will—the explosion of yellow and green tells us we’re on the eve of the presidential election—but they barely compete with the calls to prayer, nearly nonstop on this holy Friday. The vital space is as saturated as the sound. Imagine an unbroken line of shops and stalls of every kind—supermarkets haven’t made it here yet—where you can find just about anything: phones, copper pipes, Chinese-made hardware, shoes, clothes, basins, and professional tools… The luckiest own a big store; others spend their lives trying to survive on the profits from selling toothbrushes one at a time on the streets. But maybe it’s more lucrative than spending the day slumped on the sidewalk, preferably missing a limb, trusting your survival to the mercy of passersby.

I think I’ll escape the street by slipping into the narrow alleys of the central market. Here, I know I won’t run into anyone like me! The vendors’ stalls start at waist height; the sellers, perched higher up, haggle or not while discussing prices. Here, colorful fruits and vegetables; there, huge piles of dried fish. Spices, seeds, roots. Smells. Noises. Africa. Life. Further on, the fresh fish aisle makes a right angle with the butchers’. Everywhere, flies—everywhere, the same gesture from vendors swatting blindly at these relentless pests. Aware that I’ll be eating this same meat within the hour, displayed with total disregard for basic hygiene, I reassure myself that Arusha sits at 1400m altitude. Yes, we can probably do without a fridge.

*

It’s time to leave the city and go wildlife spotting in the surrounding parks. To that end, I’ve negotiated a package deal with a local agency that prides itself on grouping solo travelers into a vehicle meant for seven. We leave behind the imposing masses of Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro, peaking at 4565m and 5895m respectively, and head west to conquer Tarangire and Ngorongoro parks. I’ve been promised a spectacle; I remain cautious. I’ve read rave reviews; I know how to temper my expectations. Above all, I know what I came for—and paradoxically, my hopes are less about animals than strictly anthropological. So I’m sure I won’t go home disappointed.

I’m in the thick of it. Since 2021, tourism has been booming: I’m one of the two million tourists who come here every year seeking thrills. I also contribute, in a small way, to the 20% of the country’s GDP generated by tourism revenue. Around 3 billion € annually… Tanzania has 16 national parks, twice as many reserves; it charges meticulously for every entry, every night, every activity, to the tune of several dozen euros. I calculated that Tarangire Park alone rakes in around 15 million € a year. Mind-boggling. Yet to get there, a dusty, rickety old track is used daily by hundreds of vehicles that literally saturate the surrounding area with white dust and exhaust fumes. At the park entrance, we wait a good hour while the driver pays the entry fees. Then it’s a free-for-all: dozens of 4x4s try to enter at the same time through the single access point, to the left of the building, while the three barriers are stuck due to a computer glitch. It’s pure chaos: no way to buy your ticket in advance—the QR code revolution hasn’t arrived; no smart layout before the barriers; nothing smooth, nothing practical, everything improvised.

So, the animals? Given the time and money involved, I’d be tempted to say it’s not worth the hassle and there’s really no need to break five legs off one of the too-many zebras we pass. Hours and hours of travel to get to Tanzania, specifically Arusha; hours and hours on the road—up to 12 hours a day—to spend barely three in the parks; at least 200 € per day for the most basic option, so 400 € in my case, and up to several thousand for those wealthy couples opting for the luxury package with a private vehicle. Sure, I saw zebras and elephants in their natural habitat, wildebeest, buffalo, and a few hippos, but I didn’t feel the thrill touted in the articles or even by my two-day trip organizer. Would I have been more satisfied if I’d seen the lion, the leopard, and the rhino? Maybe. But the story won’t be rewritten in light of those assumptions.

Yet I’m not disappointed. As I said earlier: I know what I came for. I wanted to see the world as it is with my own eyes. And the safari world fascinates me more for its anthropological aspect than for what it offers. Yes, the fact that people from all over the world come here, juggling hotels and big 4x4s—while notably avoiding the streets of cities and villages—truly fascinates me. Two worlds coexist on either side of a barely porous border. As soon as the tourist sets foot in the airport, they’re whisked away, sight unseen, into a tourist vehicle. Dropped off at the hotel, they rest there, shielded from view, until the 4x4 departs. Then they speed through those same cities and villages they scorn out of fear or disdain, leaving on the roadside the Maasai herding their flocks and all those poignant or mundane scenes that make up daily African life. In the evening, in their lodge, far from the city’s pulse, they fall asleep thinking about the images they’ve collected, those long hours on the road, the wait for the animals. And the days go by… Maybe the term *luxury*, whether for food or accommodation, refers to what we experience as utterly ordinary in the West? Forgetting that you’re there, in Africa, just steps away from poverty and a certain arbitrariness. And at the end of the journey: back to the airport, back to normal life.

Maybe we need to take a broader view. All that money seems invisible, yet it must serve the population at some point, right? The main roads are passable, the power grid seems well-maintained—I can tell by the excellent condition of the high-voltage transmission towers. Is it really too expensive to significantly improve all the infrastructure? I hoped this windfall would truly serve the people’s interests. The driver taking me back to the airport on the last evening dashes my sweet illusions: « All this is bad. Africa is bad. But you have no choice. The hospitals don’t work, the schools don’t work, the roads don’t work (just as he says this, roadworks force us onto a terrible detour for several kilometers—a rutted track, in fact), and if you say anything, if you speak up too much, they come for you and then you disappear. » That’s just one opinion. Nothing empirical. But I don’t need to be a West Point graduate to realize how rampant corruption is in these regions: while the muezzin bellows the greatness of Allah, I consider the dilapidated equipment and the energy expended by the masses just to survive here. But maybe all that money keeps the country afloat by paying civil servants’ salaries? Meanwhile, one thing is certain: regardless of where the profits go, tourism supports millions of people, and I’m in no position to judge this system too harshly. Maybe I’m too much of an aesthete to appreciate the almost exclusive use of corrugated iron at its true value…

*

I’ll give this system credit for one thing: the chance to set foot in spaces impossible to visit otherwise. At one point, in the heart of the Ngorongoro Crater—a vast 20km-wide plain topped by a 600m-high caldera—I was simply happy to be there. Barely bothered by the constant ballet of 4x4s—the space is vast—I contemplate the simple life of the local animals. Buffalo, wildebeest, zebras as numerous as the flamingos patiently standing on one leg, waiting for the day to pass. Over there, you can make out a few hyenas with vultures circling above. Finally, in a large body of water, hippos surface at regular intervals. I’m aware of my luck. I’m especially aware that, unlike all the people I’ve met there, a lot of money and a little resourcefulness greatly favor the luck factor.

I’m heading home. I soak up the last images of this improbable Africa as night falls quickly over the countryside. I’m fascinated by the number of Maasai herding their livestock along the main road. Some pass the time, globalization obliges, on an old phone; others, sometimes as young as my eldest—barely 10 years old—watch us pass, indifferent. We overtake or are overtaken; the two-lane road is the stage for a majestic ballet of semi-trailers, *dalas-dalas*, and other 4x4s, as numerous as the names of their companies: Leopard Tours, Climbing Kilimanjaro, Smiling Zebra, Nomad Life Enhanced, Elephant Roaming, Mountain Warrior, Master of the Ambush… They drop me off at the hotel, where I have an hour to shower and change into clean clothes before my return flight. Already, I’m slipping back into my own world without really seeing it, leaving behind the hotel’s glass window that African life to which nothing truly binds me. Then that chaotic, suffocating nighttime drive to the airport. Check-in; the stupid questions (« Where are you going? »); the slow police officer who, in the end, stamps my passport anywhere; the idiocy of the security agent (my empty 33cl bottle is forbidden); the rather shabby lounge at Kilimanjaro Airport. Then the return to the vessel—to the Air France plane that left Zanzibar an hour earlier—after this 72-hour spacewalk without a real lifeline. I’ve never been so happy to see F. again.

Hi there! 🙂

I’m not planning to bring all my meals for the 3 weeks of travel, but I’d like to spice up my picnic lunches and a few dinners in this country that’s not exactly known for its cuisine...

I’ve seen that fruits and vegetables are easy to find. Bread is also no problem.

I’m a bit unsure about the local cheese, but I’ll manage.

Actually, it’s what I’d put in my sandwiches that I’d like to pack: cured sausage, pâtés.

Are these foods allowed through customs?

Also, I’m thinking that bringing 3-4 freeze-dried meals could be a good option. I’ve never bought any before. Which brands are the most flavorful?

I’ve also noticed that real coffee is rare. (Meaning Kyrgyz people drink Nescafé. Sacrilege!) Can I easily find coffee there to make my own?

Finally, which supermarket chain is the best? (Meaning the one with the most variety and, above all, quality!)

Last question: where can I buy a gas stove in Bishkek? (I’ve heard that local gas canisters aren’t compatible with the stove I already own)

Thanks!

We arrive in the evening in Marrakesh, and a taxi arranged by our friendly Riad is waiting for us. The driver takes us to the door, where we’re briefly greeted by our hosts. The room is heated—phew—because it’s really cold on this January 17th for our arrival. Riad Alisma, where we’re staying for 2 nights. The next morning, it’s pouring rain when we wake up, but after a good breakfast, the rain has calmed down. Off we go to the medersa, which allows for a relatively sheltered visit. We’d visited this palace 15 years ago—it’s been renovated since then.





From there, without the rain, we wander aimlessly and eventually end up near the tanneries, but it’s Sunday, and there’s very little activity. Of course, we get hassled by a tout.



Here, the hides after being treated with lime—I love the colors.

We part ways a bit annoyed. He gets a little revenge by giving us bad directions, and we end up outside the city walls. We decide to take a taxi to the new modern art museum—60 dirhams for the 5 km, which is nothing when you think about it. That tout, who we didn’t ask for anything and made it clear we weren’t buying anything, dragged us into a shop supposedly only open that day and demanded 50 dirhams for his "services"! Let’s forget that bad moment and enjoy the exhibition at the MACAL.



The taxi on the way back drops us off at Place des Ferblantiers, not far from our Riad. We’re a little peckish—it’s worth mentioning that at lunchtime, we only ate a plate of beans from a street vendor. So, we buy a bunch of little sweets, each more delicious than the last, at Ajar. We snack while sipping mint tea and watching life go by around us. A final visit to the Museum of Moroccan Cuisine on our way back helps us dodge a few more showers. Then it’s back to the Riad. The atmosphere in the city is heating up—it’s the AFCON final tonight. The temperatures, though? Not so much. We ordered a meal at the Riad, and it was a good call—not only was it really tasty, but the rain also picked up again. Our day in Marrakesh ends under the covers with a good book and some photo sorting. Still, we managed 10,750 steps. View of our Riad



Tomorrow, we’ll pick up our rental car from Medloc and head to Essaouira.

Alright, I’m scaling back the kilometers thanks to the relevance and patience of our Cambodia experts! Here’s yet another hesitation /\ When I arrive early on 01/12 in PP, I have the choice between spending a day in PP (booking a convenience room for half a day and leaving by night bus), sleeping in PP and taking the bus to SR the next morning, or hiring a driver to head back up to PP with a nice little stop and maybe sleeping in Kampong Thom or Kampong Chhnang, then heading to SP on the 13th. Then from the 13th to the 17th or 18th, exploring Angkor. I continue to Kampong Thom and stay for 2 nights (if I didn’t do it on the way there), but I might be templed-out by then. I head to Kampong Cham, where I’ll spend 2 nights—one on the island and one on the mainland. Next, I go to Kampot and Kep: probably 2 nights in Kampot, 2 in Kep, and 1 night on Tonsay Island. On 01/28, I return to PP until 01/29. One detail: how long does it take to get from downtown PP to the new airport? Because I leave on 01/29 around 7:50 PM... Anyway, I’m ready to read your unfiltered reactions 🤓 and thank you in advance for your help!

Is wild camping possible? Are there campsites and places to restock along the way, and is water available? Thanks for your answers! Pierrick

Hi everyone!

That was about all the Spanish I could speak before we left... Luckily, Tom, 15 and in high school, gets by just fine! And Caroline did a year of Duolingo before we took off... Anyway, after 55 days in the American West three years ago, it’s Mexico’s turn for this second long adventure.

A quick intro to the crew:





- Oscar, 10, a sporty and lively little boy who loves swimming and basketball, - Tom, 15, a high schooler, sporty and tall, who loves swimming and American football, - Caroline, 47, a PE teacher, sporty , loves hiking and snorkeling, - and me, Sylvain, 50, a science teacher, sporty, loves traveling and always has a possible next trip in mind

We mostly travel by swapping our house to discover beautiful France and the world: 135 swaps over the last 13 years.....

Our itinerary is pretty classic since it’s our first time in the Yucatán, and we’ll make a little 10-day detour to Belize...

See you soon...

My husband and I are planning a 10-day trip to Northern Vietnam in November, traveling independently (no agency organizing everything) and using local buses. We’d like to spend at least 3 days in each place (including Meo Vac). We’re wondering if it’s possible to find local guides for day hikes, and if so, in which towns/villages (Meo Vac plus one or two other spots to explore the surrounding area). Thanks!