Results for "Châteaux+désert+|+5+>+162"

After a pretty disastrous weather-wise trip to Gran Canaria, we’re hoping this time the sun will shine in Puglia. It’s not a sure thing, though—the weather’s been awful all over Europe in early May.

For those who’d like to (re)read the story without the digressions, it’s here.

Saturday, May 16: This time we’re flying out of Charleroi (Brussels South): the ticket prices, flight times, and proximity all worked for us. The airport (Ryanair) was recently renovated... but it’s still not very well organized. There are hardly any seats in the boarding areas, and... the restrooms cost money!!! The flight goes smoothly, though, and we land in Bari a little late.

We quickly pick up our rental car, a very local-looking Pandina (even more so than the Fiat 500 in this region), and hit the Italian roads... and their unique driving quirks (like the fact that the countless road signs along the streets and in towns are purely decorative 😏, and that Italian cars don’t have turn signals 😮... except for rental cars).

About an hour later, we arrive at our first accommodation, right in the middle of the countryside near Monopoli. The owner isn’t there, but they’ve left us a ton of info via messages and even turned on the space heater, which is a nice touch. We explore the property:



And the next morning before breakfast, its immediate surroundings:





Sunday, May 17: After our "seaside" experience in Gran Canaria last weekend (packed with people and locals), we decide to start inland. After a hearty breakfast,



we head toward Alberobello, a super touristy village famous for its trulli—those stone houses with conical roofs. We easily find a free parking spot on a street near the Aia Piccola district, where some trulli are still lived in year-round.





We almost immediately come across the Trullo Sovrano (the only two-story one), which you can visit (but we skip it—it’s opening time, and there’s already a line).



From there, we head down toward the Basilica of Cosma e Damiano... but we don’t go in because there’s a mass.



Now we’re on the main Piazza del Popolo, which connects the two districts of Alberobello: Rione Aia Piccola and Rione Monti, the more touristy one.

This one-month trip, from January 18 to February 17, 2026, allowed us to visit Mexico City and travel through the states of Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. We mainly used buses (ADO company) for medium and long distances and colectivos or taxis (or Uber) for shorter trips. Before leaving, I had contacted several people on the ground: Harry, a Vendéan settled in Oaxaca offering, among other things, discoveries of artisan villages or the Monte Albán site, and Oscar in Comitán de Domínguez. I’ll come back to our meeting with Oscar, who runs a local agency (CVL Travel Turismo Alternativo & Corre la voz) and owns a very pleasant hostel, a real highlight of our trip. Our journey took place in 8 stages on a loop starting from Mexico City. The connections between each were made by day or night buses depending on the trip duration. I had booked our seats in advance, either directly on the ADO company’s website or through booking platforms depending on the rates offered. Note that by planning ahead, I was able to benefit from very interesting "Early Booking" rates. There are several comfort classes. For all our trips, I had booked seats in Primera class buses, except for two in GL (Grand Luxe) class. The rates are very reasonable, and the buses turned out to be comfortable or even very comfortable (only the basic seat recline might surprise you).

Our itinerary and number of days per stage: Stage 1 – Mexico City: 4 days Stage 2 – Puebla: 2 days Stage 3 – Oaxaca: 4 days Stage 4 – San Agustinillo: 4 days Stage 5 – San Cristóbal de las Casas: 3 days Stage 6 – Comitán de Domínguez: 6 days Stage 7 – Palenque: 4 days Stage 8 – Mexico City: 2 days If I were to do it again, I’d remove one day from Palenque and add it either to Puebla or San Cristóbal to visit nearby sites or villages, or to San Agustinillo to enjoy one more day by the Pacific Ocean.

Stage 1: Mexico City (2,200 m / 9.2 million inhabitants) We arrived in the Mexican capital around 10:00 PM. The simplified customs process was very quick. After exchanging some money at the airport, we took a taxi to our youth hostel. We got around the capital on foot, of course, but also by metro. Signs are very rare, and we took the train in the wrong direction several times. After a few mistakes, we systematically asked on the platform if we were going the right way. The metro is very affordable. You need to get a rechargeable card (the Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada) and top it up as needed. This card (less than 1 €) isn’t personal, so there’s no need to get one per person.

Mexico City: Day 1.



Visits and walks of the day (note: many museums are closed on Mondays): The Zócalo or Constitution Square: it’s one of the most beautiful, largest (195m x 240m), and oldest squares in the world. This is where Cortés decided to build the center of the new Spanish city on the site of the former Tenochtitlan market. Stones from the pyramids were used to pave the esplanade and build the surrounding colonial churches and buildings. During our visit, the huge square was covered with (resin) cacti, the theme of the temporary exhibition at the time. Indeed, temporary events or exhibitions take place here throughout the year. It’s also the endpoint for many protest marches.











The cathedral: it’s sinking by one centimeter per year despite massive stabilization work (the collapse of many Mexican buildings—30 cm/year—is due to groundwater pumping). It was built starting in 1571 and completed in... 1813. The modest remains of the Templo Mayor (exterior view): they have high symbolic value, as this monument was the most important in the Mexica Empire.

We then walked through the streets of the historic center to the Santísima Church, unfortunately closed for renovation work. Next, we took the metro to visit one of Mexico’s most important pilgrimage sites: the Insigne y Nacional Basílicas de Santa María de Guadalupe, as well as the Capilla del Cerrito on the hill. The first, dating from the colonial era, is really leaning a lot.



The second, shaped like a rotunda, is very impressive from the inside.



In the basement, there’s a sacred tunic where, in 1531, an image of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared. A real mystery for scientists, the garment has never deteriorated since that date. Slow-moving conveyor belts allow pilgrims to admire it, preventing crowds from gathering in front of the image for hours. Well thought out!

From the top of the Capilla del Cerrito, you get beautiful views of huge Mexico City.

The 139th edition of this contest is now open, and this month’s theme is: « Metal, Metallic».

From ore to rockets, wire to the Eiffel Tower—or in a pinch, even a self-portrait at the bottom of a spoon—the theme is broad enough that you should be able to come up with at least three ideas pretty easily! Sure, things might get tricky when it’s time to vote, but that could just be a sign of a successful contest, right?! But we’re not there yet.

Contest rules: You can post up to three photos, each in a separate message, clearly indicating their number (1, 2, or 3) along with the location where the photo was taken. Any explanations about your photos are welcome.

You’ll vote for three photos, clearly stating the name of the participant you’ve chosen, followed by the photo number. The first photo in your vote will receive three points, the second two points, and the third one point.

The winner will be the person whose photo earns the most points. In case of a tie, the winner will be the one with the most first-place votes—or, if still tied, the most second-place votes. Finally, if it’s a perfect tie, the winner will be the one who reached their score first. The winner will then have the pleasure of choosing the theme for the April 2026 contest and organizing it. Ties for any position other than first won’t be broken. Lastly, you don’t need to participate in the contest to vote. However, participants (and I hope there’ll be lots of you!) are strongly encouraged to vote!

Please only post contest photos in this thread, and starting Thursday, March 26 (00:01 Paris time), only votes.

Key dates: You can submit your photos starting today, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, until Wednesday, March 25, 2026 (23:59 Paris time). Voting will begin the minute after and end on Monday, March 30 (23:59 Paris time). Results will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 ... if all goes well!

A discussion thread for this contest is open HERE: The photorama can be found HERE

Some trips are born twice.

Ours was supposed to happen in 2020. Everything was ready: the itinerary, the flight tickets, hotel reservations and Machu Picchu, the rental car, dreams of high altitudes and wide-open spaces. And then the world stopped.

Like so many other plans, our trip to Peru was put on hold. Disappointment was followed by a more concrete reality: paperwork, endless back-and-forth, and battles to recover some of the costs we’d already paid.

The years went by. Life moved on, with its shifting priorities and unexpected twists. Rescheduling this trip wasn’t possible until 2025.

The itinerary stayed mostly true to what we’d imagined five years earlier. One major difference, though—in 2020, we’d planned to rent a car and explore the roads completely independently. Most importantly, we hadn’t included the three-day Ausangate trek, due to lack of time.

For 2025, our plans evolved. 4x4 rental prices had skyrocketed, and when we looked at our schedule more closely, we realized quite a few days didn’t actually need a vehicle. So we made a different choice and opted for private drivers instead. A decision we never regretted. Always punctual, thoughtful, and available... they were so much more than just drivers.

All our reservations were made in January, except for the trek, which we booked in February.

Finding reliable drivers on our own was tough, so we asked Laurent from Tout Pérou to handle it for us. Going through Tout Pérou also gave us a discount on the train ride to Aguas Calientes, so Laurent booked those tickets too. He also bought our Machu Picchu entrance tickets at the same price we would’ve paid on the official website. When comparing domestic flight prices, we found it was cheaper to book from Peru, so Laurent took care of those as well.

This time, nothing was going to stop us. Peru was waiting. And we were ready. 🙂

Hi there,

I arrived in Tunisia this afternoon for a full 14-day stay.

I took a direct Tunisair flight from Nice, which departed about thirty minutes late (that’s nothing compared to the "nightmares" I’ve had on some of my recent trips).

The flight lasts around 1 hour and 20 minutes, and a small snack was served on board (a sort of quiche with chickpea purée, a small bread roll, a portion of cheese like La Vache qui rit, and a small chocolate cake). It’s worth mentioning because it’s becoming increasingly rare on short flights. I was seated between two Tunisian gentlemen who gave me some great tips for my trip, especially about negotiating prices. One of them is a former cameraman for France Télévisions, very cultured and well-traveled—his daughter is a journalist at France Télévisions (I found some of her articles online). In short, the flight was very pleasant and quick.



I’m staying at the Hôtel Royal Victoria. I booked it yesterday afternoon by email without providing my credit card number. The room costs 241 TND (71 €) with breakfast included. It has heating, a small fridge, a safe, a hairdryer, Wi-Fi, and a TV with international channels. There’s a police van permanently parked in the square where the hotel is located.

This hotel is housed in the former British consulate and later embassy. It has a lot of charm with its painted wood ceilings and doors, and its bathroom covered in ceramic tiles. The tiny elevator is from another era. The main advantage of the hotel is its location between the medina and Avenue Bourguiba. Nearby, there’s the Magasin Général, where you can find groceries and some typical products like rose water, geranium water, and tons of halwa (a customer kindly explained how to eat it and which is the best).

After nightfall, I took a short stroll down Avenue Bourguiba. There weren’t many people around—it’s windy and cold.

I’ve already noticed the warm welcome from Tunisians. The supermarket cashier welcomed me to Tunisia, and a gentleman I asked for directions to the Magasin Général (I was about to climb stairs leading to a mosque!) insisted on inviting me for coffee, but I declined.

The rest of my itinerary will depend on the weather. If it doesn’t rain tomorrow, I might visit Carthage since the Bardo Museum is closed on Mondays, as are the museums in Sidi Bou Said.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Hello! 🙂

January 2026 Here we go again for new adventures and the pleasure of sharing them with you here! First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me with the preparations, even with some last-minute improvisations just days before departure. Thanks to Montagnard74, Jojoone1, Songsam, Attila, Dennis2, NadegerFERM, and the authors whose travel journals about Laos inspired me (Montagnard74, Muriel18, Mavietongs...).

In this story, written by Richard and illustrated by me, we’ll tell you about the journey of four friends: Catherine, Richard, Nathalie, and Bruno. A reinvented but overall successful trip, filled with discoveries and surprises, the scents of spices and frangipani flowers, (too) spicy food, sunsets, and... one big mess.

I’m sharing our three-week trip to Japan from late October to mid-November 2025. There were four of us—my partner and a couple of friends. I’ve traveled often with my friend Christian (Bolivia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Namibia, Laos), but this time our partners joined us. The rough itinerary: Arrival in Tokyo. Visiting Shinjuku/Shibuya districts + day trip to Kamakura 5 days in the Japanese Alps, from Matsumoto to Kanazawa (via Kamikochi, Hirayu Onsen, and Takayama) 5 days in Kyoto Nara, Osaka, Koyasan Return to Tokyo (Asakusa district), with a day trip to Nikko We booked our flights well in advance (9 months ahead): the flight cost 1086 € per person. Compared to over 2000 € if we’d booked for the same dates just 3 months prior. For accommodations, we mostly used Booking.com. The onsen was booked via Japanican, and in Kyoto, we stayed in an Airbnb. We also made 5 train reservations a month in advance on Klook or directly on the train’s website.

Day 1: Departure from Brussels (October 24, 2025) Early morning takeoff at 6 AM to Munich (1.5-hour layover) with Lufthansa, then a 12-hour flight with ANA, arriving the next morning at 7 AM at Tokyo Haneda.

Day 2: Arrival in Tokyo Airport formalities were quick. The eSIM we bought before leaving activated as soon as we landed (10 GB plan with Saily—more than enough for our mobile internet needs, mainly Google Maps and Google Translate). We’d received 4 ICOCA cards from our neighbors, which we loaded with 15000 ¥ each. We took the Keihin train, then the Yamanote Line. It’s easy to navigate since everything is in English, and each station is announced on scrolling displays in English too.

We got off the Yamanote Line at the station just after Shinjuku because it’s easier to exit that massive station with our luggage. So we ended up in Shin-Okubo, right in the Korean district. A 10-minute walk took us to Villa Fontaine Hotel. A great hotel, well-located north of the Kabukichō district. The room even seemed bigger than we’d expected.

It was 15°C, but it rained—and kept raining on and off all day. Belgian weather, basically. We went for a walk in Shinjuku Gyoen Park. Not as pretty in the rain, but the big greenhouse was interesting.

Then our first ramen (hearty and for 1000 ¥—pretty much the price of all our ramen during the trip). We headed back to the hotel since check-in was after 3 PM. Shower and relax before going out for dinner. Dinner was barbecue at Shichirin Yakiniku Anan (1700 ¥ each—good and cheap). Ordering via tablet wasn’t easy, but luckily it was in English.

We ended the evening with a stroll through Kabukichō before a well-deserved sleep.

Good evening everyone,

This is where we chat and post non-competition photos. Happy wandering (jogging is also welcome).

See you soon.

Cat

HIGHWAY 1

Highway 1 runs along the Pacific coast of California from Leggett in the north to Dana Point in the south. It's the longest state route in California, stretching 1,050 km.

It's famous for its breathtaking ocean views. That’s actually why it’s become such a popular route for road trips, with tons of attractions and points of interest all along the way.

After crossing the U.S. interior on our way out (see Road Trip USA 2023 - Part 1), we’re starting our return trip along this route from Leggett.

Videos are embedded throughout the summary. Please click on the image to start the video. To jump to a specific post, here are the appropriate links:

CALIFORNIA:

Scenic Overlooks on Route 1 Between Leggett and Fort Bragg The Pudding Creek Trestle Bridge in Fort Bragg Glass Beach - Fort Bragg Jenner Lookout Point - Highway 1 Goat Rock Beach - Sonoma Coast State Park - Jenner Point Reyes National Seashore - White House Pool Trail Point Reyes National Seashore - Limantour Beach Point Reyes National Seashore - Point Reyes Shipwreck Point Reyes National Seashore - Kehoe Beach Trail Point Reyes National Seashore - McClures Beach Trail Point Reyes National Seashore - Cypress Tree Tunnel Point Reyes National Seashore - Point Reyes Beach North Point Reyes National Seashore - Elephant Seals on Drakes Beach Point Reyes National Seashore - Point Reyes Beach South Point Reyes National Seashore – Elephant Seals Overlooks Point Reyes National Seashore - Chimney Rock Trail Point Reyes National Seashore - Point Reyes Lighthouse Trail Point Reyes National Seashore – Tule Elk Observation Point Bonita Lighthouse Trail - Sausalito Hawk Hill - Sausalito Battery Spencer Trail - Sausalito Rodeo Beach - Sausalito Point Cavallo - Golden Gate View - Sausalito Exploring Downtown Sausalito Visiting Sausalito’s Houseboats Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge Viewpoints - San Francisco Cruise to Alcatraz Island - San Francisco Visiting Alcatraz Island - San Francisco Civic Center - Downtown San Francisco Market Street & Yerba Buena Gardens - Downtown San Francisco Union Square & Financial District - Downtown San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 & Embarcadero - San Francisco Sea Lion Observation - Pier 39 - San Francisco Lombard Street & Cable Car - Russian Hill - San Francisco Macondray Lane Historic District - Russian Hill - San Francisco Grace Cathedral & Huntington Park - Nob Hill - San Francisco Telegraph Hill - San Francisco Chinatown - San Francisco Alamo Square & Painted Ladies - Western Addition - San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts - Marina District - San Francisco Presidio of San Francisco California Coastal Trail - Lincoln Park - San Francisco California Palace of the Legion of Honor - Lincoln Park - San Francisco Sutro Baths - Lincoln Park - San Francisco Queen Wilhelmina Garden - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco Bison Paddock - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco Portals of the Past - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco Strawberry Hill - Golden Gate Park – San Francisco Prayerbook Cross & Robin Williams Meadow - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco Hidden Garden Steps & 16th Avenue Tiled Steps - San Francisco Grandview Park - San Francisco Hike - Twin Peaks Three Summits - San Francisco Longboarding Down Twin Peaks Blvd in San Francisco Haight-Ashbury - San Francisco Corona Heights Park - San Francisco Mission Dolores - San Francisco Mural Frescoes (Part 1) - Mission District - San Francisco Mural Frescoes (Part 2) - Mission District - San Francisco Devil's Slide Bunker - Pacifica Mavericks Beach - Half Moon Bay Martins Beach - Half Moon Bay Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Historic Park - Pescadero What to See in Santa Cruz Visiting Capitola What to See in Monterey Carmel-by-the-Sea Lovers Point Park - Pacific Grove Castle Rock, Hurricane Point & Little Sur River Viewpoints Pfeiffer Falls Trail Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Vista Point & McWay Falls Highway 1 - Big Sur Viewpoints Salmon Creek Falls San Carpoforo Creek Trail Elephant Seal Vista Point - San Simeon San Simeon Pier Moonstone Beach Boardwalk Shipwreck - Estero Bluffs State Park Surfing Competition in Morro Bay Port San Luis Pier - San Luis Obispo Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove - Pismo State Beach Nojoqui Falls Park - Solvang Arroyo Hondo Vista Point Solvang, a Charming Danish Town in California Chumash Painted Cave - Santa Barbara Goleta San Marcos Rd & Cachuma Lake Vista Points - Santa Barbara Old Santa Barbara Mission Walking Tour of Santa Barbara’s Historic Downtown West Beach - Santa Barbara What to See in Ventura Paradise Falls - Wildwood Regional Park - Thousand Oaks Sandy Dune & El Matador State Beach - Malibu Point Dume Nature Reserve - Malibu Malibu Pier Road Trip in the Malibu Mountains Los Liones Trail - Santa Monica Santa Monica Pier Rodeo Drive - Beverly Hills Greystone Mansion - Beverly Hills Hollywood Walk of Fame - Los Angeles Griffith Observatory - Los Angeles Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Los Angeles What to See in Venice Beach Venice Beach Skatepark ShoreLine Aquatic Park - Long Beach Alamitos Beach - Long Beach Naples Island - Long Beach Crescent Bay Point Park & Helser Park Kiosk - Laguna Beach Shell Beach at Twin Points - Laguna Beach Prairie Dogs at Agra Vista Point Top Gun House & Oceanside Pier Annie's Canyon Trail - Solana Beach (Via North Rios Trailhead Loop) Old Town San Diego La Jolla Coastal Trail - San Diego Balboa Park - San Diego Pacific Beach - San Diego Mission Beach - San Diego Ocean Beach Tide Pools - San Diego Sunset Cliffs Natural Park - San Diego Tuna Harbor Park - San Diego Seaport Village & Embarcadero Marina Park - San Diego Gaslamp Quarter - Downtown San Diego Coronado Island - San Diego Dead Dolly Lane - Alpine Galleta Meadows Metal Sculptures - Borrego Springs What to See in Palm Springs Robolights - Palm Springs Andreas Canyon Trail - Indian Canyons - Palm Springs Palm Canyon Trail - Indian Canyons - Palm Springs West Fork Falls Trail - Indian Canyons - Palm Springs Tahquitz Canyon Loop Trail - Indian Canyons - Palm Springs Desert Christ Park - Yucca Valley Pioneertown Salvation Mountain - Niland Slab City - Niland

The recipe for the cocktail: endless beaches, a dazzling palette of colors, some breathtaking hikes, and excellent cuisine...

For the tasting, follow along in the pages of this travel journal! 😉

Don’t forget your hiking shoes, a swimsuit, sunscreen, but also a sweater, your driver’s license, and your credit card...

Just over 11 hours of flight, and we’ll be setting foot on Mauritian soil!

For once, given the destination, the author can’t set aside their religious beliefs, which inevitably shape this kind of journey.

The Trip

Early in the morning at Orly Airport, in the departure lounge for Tel Aviv, a group of about forty young men arrives, all looking identical! The same neatly trimmed beards, the same identical haircuts, the same outfits with a touch of whimsy… The effect of seeing these forty “clones” is striking and raises questions! Why such perfect uniformity among this group of guys? Do they belong to the same family, sports club, cultural association, or religious group? A mystery! At the same time, the waiting area fills up with men who are more expected, given our destination: they wear large felt hats and dress in black suits with white shirts—Hassidim? The ones I’ve glimpsed fleetingly in Paris or New York, who have always been a mystery to me. More discreet-looking women accompany them.

I’m already in Israel without even setting foot there! Plus, I witness the preparations for an improvised show.

The “clones” start a flash mob at seven in the morning in a Paris airport departure lounge! Some pull out musical instruments, others begin singing and dancing. A music with strange, unfamiliar sounds enchants the waiting passengers.

The flight crew finally arrives, cutting through the flash mob, bringing us back to the reality of the moment: waiting to take off soon for this so troubling and mysterious Middle East. We go through passport control, presenting our faces to the scanners that operate the exit gate. The group of “identical” young men gets held up by the system: logically, a scanner let the first one through but blocked the second because of his perfect resemblance to the first. To the machine, the same person shouldn’t be able to cross the border twice? But eventually, the whole group makes it through the glass doors, leaving the Republic behind. My simplistic explanation is left looking ridiculous.

At every new destination, I ask myself countless questions, revealing a certain anxiety tied to the unknown: fear of attacks (one just happened at a bus station in Jerusalem), possible police pressure, unexpected events. Israel isn’t known for being a relaxing destination. In reality, if I did face a serious difficulty in this country, it wasn’t one I had anticipated—and it wasn’t particularly tied to Israel!

I take my seat by the window, which is already occupied by a little girl. Her father, a Hassidic man, politely asks if I’d be willing to give up my seat for his daughter. I tell him I’d be happy to make her happy. Seeing me masked, he asks if I’d like him and his daughter to wear masks too. In response, I take off my mask so as not to impose any constraints on them and wish them a good flight.

It was the first time I’d approached and spoken to a Hassidic man. He didn’t speak the way I might have expected after watching *Rabbi Jacob* with Louis de Funès; he spoke perfectly without an accent, just like you and me! Beware of stereotypes! Throughout the flight, I sneak glances at my strange neighbor: he prayed silently without stopping for a minute. His daughter, as good as gold, never interrupted him. He used several religious accessories during his three-hour continuous prayer: a kippa, a prayer shawl, and a rosary?… I left that plane deeply impressed, me, who has a very distant relationship with my Creator and only prays now and then.

Prologue

This journal recounts a trip to Rajasthan that’s already over a year old and that I’ve only now found the chance to write about. The summer of 2024 marked my return to India—my tenth trip—after six long years away since my last solo wanderings in Tamil Nadu in 2018 (the journal of which is published on this site). That absence was partly (but not only) due to the long COVID and post-COVID period, which saw a complete halt and then a major slowdown in global tourism. To top it off, Voyage Forum announced its closure in an end-of-the-world atmosphere. A sad time for our favorite social activity…

A few weeks after returning from Rajasthan, I tried to motivate myself to start writing a journal to publish on a forum claiming to be VF’s successor, which I’d eventually signed up for out of desperation. But I kept hesitating and putting the project off because, for one, I no longer have the time I used to. For another, the vibe wasn’t really taking off on that forum—it was overrun with ads and not very active, contrary to what its host’s name suggested. Despite its good intentions and commendable role as a stopgap, it also turned out to be very impractical to use, especially when you don’t have much time like me. I’ll admit I’d occasionally check back on VF to see if anything was happening. But all the discussions remained frozen in time, stuck in that fateful year, 2020. Then, rumors swirled online about shady reasons behind its closure, leaving little room for hope.

And then, one fine morning, I got a message at work from Marien informing me that VF had reopened. What a huge surprise! Even though the forum’s “end” had played out in a somewhat apocalyptic atmosphere, the memories of passionate and heated discussions, the frank debates, and the useful exchanges that made this site a traveler’s goldmine and a unique hub of conviviality all came rushing back to me like a breath of fresh air. I finally saw a sign and tried to motivate myself to find the time to publish the journal of this tenth trip to India and fifth to Rajasthan. But in the end, I got bogged down in professional and family obligations and never managed to find the time to get started. That’s now fixed, though, because I had two reasons for wanting to do it: I find that looking back on a trip to tell others about it is a highly beneficial introspective exercise. Also, I thought this journal could be useful to other travelers on a few points.

Because, “do we really need yet another journal about Rajasthan?” you might rightly ask! Especially in a time when so many journals about the “Land of Kings” have been published since VF’s return, not to mention the countless stories you can already find online about this region, one of India’s most touristy. And I’d add, why go back to Rajasthan for a fifth time, where I’ve already dragged my feet more than enough—through its forts, deserts, temples, cities, villages, bumpy roads, train stations, tasty street food stalls, cheap guesthouses, and more? Where some might see just another overhyped tourist destination full of the same old *Arabian Nights* clichés, worn to a thread, that I mentioned earlier, when there’s so much else to see in India? Well, first because it’s a magnificent country I never tire of, where I started an academic study and made so many connections. It’s also packed with places where you won’t find a single tourist (right, Marie-Jo?), even in the heart of well-trodden paths and classic itineraries. And most importantly, as I said earlier, things have changed in recent years. First, after six years without traveling far, the urge to go back to India was getting stronger. But this time, no more solo trips (often) or duo adventures (sometimes)—now it’s a team of four that has to come along! And even if you can argue with that, what better place than Rajasthan to introduce India to people who’ve never seen it? To kids you want to amaze? Plus, traveling with your new little family to your favorite country isn’t the same as going solo in often spartan conditions that only affect you. It’s a different challenge, but ultimately probably much harder. So, is it really reasonable to take two kids to India, including a two-year-old baby? That’s one of the main goals of this journal (but not the only one)—to try to answer that question.

As you can tell, it’s not so much the destination but the slightly unusual setup of this trip that, in my opinion, will make this journal interesting. Despite my experience and expertise (yes, I dare say it) in India, there were plenty of questions before we finalized the plan and said, “Alright, let’s go!” The questions were flying for us parents. Is it wise to travel to India with a two-year-old? What would we do (it happened) if the kids got very sick? Would they be able to handle a road trip on Rajasthan’s bumpy, dusty roads using public transport? Could they handle the shock of such a different world—the dirt, poverty, pollution, noise (…and the smell, as they say), the spicy food, monkeys, mosquitoes, snakes, tigers, leopards, and so on? In short, all the clichés that I usually joke about suddenly became potential realities. Another concern: as a mixed Franco-African family (not me, but my partner and her oldest), wouldn’t we risk not always being well received, given what you sometimes hear about that in India? How would Indians react to seeing a mixed-race family, the ultimate taboo in a country of purity and social segregation, which would undoubtedly raise many questions for them? Of course, not everything went as expected… Because, as you know, with India—and what makes it charming for some—there are always complications: sometimes where you don’t expect them… and sometimes where you do. I’ll go into detail about that in the journal to come (not right away) and in the final review (even later). These experiences could be useful to travelers who find themselves in similar situations and have the same questions we did before embarking on such a journey. And maybe it’ll spark the curiosity of those who aren’t concerned and will read yet another Rajasthan journal, but with its own unique twists.

Despite my unchanged constraints, which mean I have little time to write this, I don’t want to rush the story, so I’ll take my time. There will probably be lulls. I hope that won’t stop people from coming to react, debate, share their impressions, or ask for information.

Hello everyone,

I’ve wanted to take this Norway cruise for a very long time. The first time I booked it was in July 2020 with Azamara. Unfortunately, it was canceled, as everyone remembers. When I tried to book it again, the prices (already a bit high with Azamara) had simply doubled. So, since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out every year for any opportunities...

The last time we sailed with Princess was eleven years ago, and things didn’t go very well. I came back pretty unhappy with their service and quite disappointed. Despite the $600 they gave me as credit for a future cruise, I’d never set foot on one of their ships again.

But this time, the opportunity arose—a fantastic itinerary with lots of stops, a reasonable price for 16 nights (I’ll share the details in the conclusion), and a ship that’s not too big, so to speak, with only 3,000 passengers. I’m not expecting much from the cruise line this time and am boarding the ship with low expectations beyond the itinerary.

Princess has introduced an app to download before the cruise. It’s essential because online check-in is no longer available, and the agency doesn’t send a travel journal. Everything is done through the app. After completing the check-in on the app, we only know that we’ll need to pick up our key, the Medallion, at embarkation by following the blue line in the terminal and presenting our passport.



Up until our departure, the weather forecast for the coming week in Norway is disastrous—rain, rain, and more rain. It was pretty much the same two years ago before our Iceland cruise, and in the end, the weather turned out fine.

If you’re ready to embark on the Emerald Princess to discover this beautiful cruise and the stunning landscapes of Norway, let’s go!

Southampton - Sea day - Bergen - Olden - Åndalsnes - Sea day - Tromsø - Honningsvåg (North Cape) - Alta - Sea day - Molde - Trondheim - Two sea days - Edinburgh - Sea day - Southampton

Mid-June, two Auvergnats on the starting blocks—off we go to the former Yugoslavia! We’d already explored some nooks and crannies of northern Croatia back in 2019, so we’re keeping the momentum going by planning a trip to the south of the country and then Montenegro.

On the way back, we’ll drift into Bosnia-Herzegovina just to mix things up a bit!

We’re a little unsure about what to expect in terms of tourist crowds.

Dubrovnik has a reputation for being the hardest-hit city by overtourism, and Kotor and the whole Dalmatian coast aren’t exactly empty...

Luckily, most European countries haven’t started school holidays yet, and some measures seem to have been put in place to limit the flow (like restrictions on the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at the same time).

Maybe we’ll manage to escape the promised hell?

For now, we’re slamming the doors of the Scirocco and heading off to our first stop: northern Italy!

Kattegat isn’t just the name of the village in the TV series *Vikings*—it’s also the stretch of water separating Denmark from Sweden... the sea, basically! And further north, you’ve got Norway and its fjords! Originally, I’d planned to just do a loop around Kattegat, with the *Under* restaurant in Lindesnes as our anniversary treat... but along the way, we thought, why not "push" a little further north, keeping an eye on the budget since we’d chosen to travel by car in June 2025 through Scandinavia.

Why by car when most travelers opt for a camper van, while others prefer the comfort of cruises? Well, because we don’t own a camper van, renting one is pricey, and then you’ve got to add fuel costs (those things guzzle gas!), ferry fees, and other "tolls." All things considered, we went for mostly rentals—especially since there were four of us at the start of the trip. We spent the first week in Denmark with our daughter and son-in-law. Then they flew back to Belgium, and we continued our adventure as a couple. For accommodation, we mainly booked Airbnb apartments, which helped keep costs down and, most importantly, let us prepare our own meals (diet, diet!). In this travel journal, you’ll discover (or rediscover, for those who followed my older ones) our unbridled love for theme parks, museums, unique experiences, and—especially in Denmark—Legos! Unfortunately, we didn’t do any hikes this year because the unpredictable weather had made the trails slippery, and since I’d already taken three tumbles during the trip, I didn’t want to risk another! In the end, we traveled for 32 days, covered 6,200 km, and most importantly, discovered the charming country of Denmark, marveled at Norway’s breathtaking fjords—all without suffering the heatwave that hit France and Belgium that June! If you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Hey fellow travelers,

I'm back in the "travel journal" section to share our 15-day adventure in Kenya in November 2024. It was pretty much our first time in East Africa (since Zanzibar doesn’t really count 😜).

As usual, I’m sharing the journal I made for our loved ones—still as casual and cheerful as ever, just to give them a little break from their tough workdays 😄.

We organized the whole trip ourselves, and to be original here LOL, we took some *very* well-trodden paths: Naivasha, Tsavo, and Diani. But what I loved about this country is that it’s so easy to go off the beaten track—even on the "tourist highways" 😉.

So, if you're a safari fanatic or after stunning wildlife photos, you might be disappointed. But if you want to discover other sides of Kenya, you might just find what you're looking for 😉.

Looking forward to sharing this fun journey with you all 😊.

This first trip of 2025 will have the taste of Asia.

More precisely, Thailand!

It’s not my first time—I’ve often traveled across Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2015. (This travel journal, for example...)

But it’ll be my partner’s first steps in this part of the world.

The itinerary we’ve chosen will alternate between familiar sights for me and new discoveries for both of us.

I’ll get to see how the country has changed in 20 years—and what’s stayed the same!

We were torn between the north and the south of the kingdom. Fears of smoke from slash-and-burn farming and a desire to relax on the sand tipped the scales toward the south...

What if we rented a car?

I think driving in sprawling Bangkok would be a bit ambitious, so we’ll only book our vehicle from Hua Hin to return it in Surat Thani.

Other transportation will range from tuk-tuks to overnight trains and ride-hailing services.

And of course, the plane!

I’d love to travel from Auvergne to Bangkok by road, but 15 days wouldn’t be enough...

Plus, the current geopolitical situation isn’t exactly favorable...

So, once again, we’ll be stuck for hours in the less-than-comfortable economy class of Qatar Airways.

The arrival time was on schedule, entry formalities were quick, and all our luggage made it.

We left Lyon in wind and cold—now we’re breathing in the warm, humid air of กรุงเทพมหานคร.

To reach our hotel, we first took the metro, which dropped us off in the city center in about 30 minutes for the incredible price of 1.18 €.

A few taps on the GRAB app, and we booked a ride-hailing service for the last few kilometers.

We waited a while for our driver due to insane traffic in the area, but once in the 4x4, we were at our lodging in no time.

We chose this small hotel for its riverside location, tranquility, and price.

It’ll do the job perfectly—the only downside is the weak breakfast.

The room is inviting, and we collapse onto the bed for a well-deserved short nap.

Wake-up call in an hour for our first visits!

See you soon...

The Afrosiyob races through a premature twilight, lashed by a blizzard of thick snow. In the endless gray, a monumental industrial complex occasionally emerges, ghostly. Here and there, in the middle of nowhere, a human silhouette appears (a soldier?), standing motionless by the tracks. On the screen mounted in the middle of the ceiling, a dashing Bollywood cat in vibrant colors writhes in all directions, throwing smoldering glances at a dancer on the verge of fainting. A server moves down the central aisle, offering crepes for sale—ones I suspect are stuffed with ground beef. I’m in Central Asia, in Uzbekistan, somewhere between Bukhara and Samarkand.

I chose the title "notes"—scattered thoughts, rough drafts. I’m not sure what I’ll write, but one thing’s certain: this won’t be a linear travel journal.

And a photo... there must be a photo, so here:



Local tourists between a Bactrian camel and an electric car, in front of ancient walls—it’ll do.

A new work assignment means our vacation dates can't stay the same.

We had planned to go to the Canary Islands, but flight prices are skyrocketing with this new holiday schedule.

So, I’m looking for an alternative to Gran Canaria and El Hierro and found two round-trip flights with Wizz Air to Tirana.

398 €, including baggage and seats—perfect!

Plus, the departure and return times are great, which is pretty rare for a low-cost flight!

All that’s left is to rent a car, plan the route, and book accommodations.

With two weeks, we’ll have to make some choices!

Here’s the final itinerary: Shkodra (2 nights), Valbonë (3 nights), Tirana (1 night), Lake Ohrid (1 night), Korçë (1 night), Përmet (1 night), Gjirokastër (1 night), Himarë (2 nights), Berat (2 nights), and Krujë (1 night).

A mix of countryside and small towns, a bit of the Mediterranean, and some mountains!

Late October isn’t the best season, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for the rest...

Hey there, forum friends 😉

Some of you have mentioned missing the activity on this Indian "page," so let’s try to liven things up a bit—with joy and good vibes (mandatory with me 😜). Plus, it’ll make Jojoone happy 😊.

As big lovers of India—we’ve been six times—my co-traveler husband and I decided to explore Rajasthan this time around. The reason we waited so long to come here? We were dreading the tourist crowds in this state. But thanks to the timing (late March to early April 2024, which is starting to get pretty hot) and Aleph’s great tips, we were *very* far from mass tourism.

We spent three weeks getting around on our own for transport: mostly taxis and trains.

And I’ll admit, we had a rather "Arabian Nights" experience, far from the "real" India (Marien, if you’re reading this 😉). So this travel journal makes no claims other than to share what we saw, experienced, and felt—with all our ignorance about this country (which I’m fully aware of).

But fair warning: I go overboard with emojis, and this journal is super casual because it’s the one I share, almost in "live" mode, with our loved ones.

So, if you’re here, consider yourself almost part of the family 😄.

See you soon and....

Hello everyone,

I’ve been to Morocco about fifteen times, but I’ve never posted a travel journal here on Voyage Forum. Why? I have no idea… Maybe because this section was so active, with lots of stories and photos. I thought sharing my adventures in *al Maghrib* wouldn’t be very original. Today, this space feels quieter, so what if I tried to give it a little life back, modestly? With some help…

This trip will be different. From the start of my relationship with Richard, I was determined to introduce him to *my* Morocco. But he was a bit reluctant… He’ll tell you about our 2022 meeting, and I’ll illustrate it with my photos, just like we did with our India travel journal.

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!

October 7, 2023, is a sunny day in Milan. Since morning, in this light, I’m WhatsApping with Afrooz in Tehran, and I decide to call her. A lively, joyful conversation—French with that Farsi accent becomes a wonderful language. Suddenly, everything feels possible. Isfahan, Shiraz, Damavand, Yazd, Yazd, Yazd—a delicious word savored endlessly—become within reach. Iran, so longed for, is finally here. Pure joy, absolute enthusiasm. Six months to plan and relish a trip before living it.

Then I open *Le Monde*.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Frozen. Empty. No. We decide to wait, not to give up right away, pretending to believe—just a little, just to keep from collapsing—that with this wretched human race, the worst isn’t necessarily certain. It is.

So... meh, Madeira? The Azores? Uzbekistan (a pale substitute)? New Zealand? Greece. Again, always. Nestling into the only European promise we’ve been given. Indulging in illusions, for the pleasure of it.

So, train from Milan to Ancona (9 AM–12 PM), a typically Marchigiano lunch (Italy is paradise for food lovers), a stroll through the city, then at 4 PM boarding the *Olympic Champion*. Arrival in Patras the next afternoon, car rental, and off to Lepanto—Nafpaktos today—to reminisce about glorious victories and pay tribute to Cervantes, who lost a hand there before writing.

That’s the plan, anyway. The train is unusually on time. The ferry, replaced in the meantime by the *Hellenic Spirit* (why not? Even if it’s less suited to the season), is 3 hours late, then 4, no 5, then finally 6—oh wait, 7. And on top of that, it’s pouring rain in Ancona, and the port waiting room closes at 6 PM. Great...

At 11 PM, the ferry’s lights emerge in the pitch-black night. We jostle through the downpour, board, and sleep well in a cozy cabin with the white noise of the engines. Then:

23 hours of rest. Of forgetting.

I’m not going back, the trip is in the past. I’m posting it anyway because the country probably hasn’t changed enough to make the story outdated, and the astonishing beauty of the place deserves to be shared here.

Saturday, May 31, 2014 Mulhouse - Marrakech

A flight that drags on for three and a half hours. Everything goes smoothly until immigration. Like almost everywhere, you have to fill out a little form with your details and arrival address. The problem comes when you hand it to the customs officer with your passport. Right away, you see the lines are way too long for the number of officers working. I steer Dom toward a line further to the left that’s clearly moving faster than the middle ones. Then I firmly pull him to the far left where I think I spotted a new counter opening. Big mistake. Huge. Because that line is notorious for how slowly the security agent checks each person. At 10 minutes per person, with about fifteen ahead of us, we’re looking at two and a half hours. The wait becomes torture. Everyone gets edgy. We watch enviously as people who were way behind us initially zip through the other lines. You feel like complaining. My advice? Don’t. You have no idea how much a pissed-off customs officer can ruin your day! The rule: stay calm and suck it up. Once that hurdle’s over, a taxi and boom, we’re at the Gallia, a no-frills but charming hotel just steps from Jemaa El Fna square. This place is insane! It’s teeming with people. You stick out like a sore thumb with your camera—suddenly, a ton of people want to be your best friend! You’re basically a walking wallet!



We’ve got a meet-up with friends who are here on a work trip with their company’s social committee.



We fully embrace our tourist roles—eating at restaurants made for us, with belly dancers who insist we join in. We go with the flow, we’re not prudes, we have a great evening, no way we’re missing out on the fun...



Sunday, June 1, 2014 Marrakech

Super nice breakfast in the hotel’s patio, a real riad, beautifully decorated.



Originally, we’d planned a trip to the Atlas Mountains, but we ended up wandering around the city instead. Before we knew it, we were in the middle of the central souk’s labyrinth. It’s a feast for the eyes, ears, and especially the nose!

GENESE

Comme tous, le COVID a chamboulé nos plans. Normalement nous devions aller à Madagascar pendant un mois, projet reporté à l’année prochaine. Seulement, n’ayant jamais arrêté de travailler, malgré le confinement et le Covid j’avais réellement besoin de faire une « pause ».

Souhaitant limiter les risques de restrictions de déplacements nous ne quitterons pas l’Europe en nous centrant sur des endroits que nous avons toujours voulu visiter, mais habituellement trop fréquentés pour nous. Il y avait la Suisse avec ses montagnes et ses trains de légende, l’Islande et les îles Grecques.

Au final c’est l’attrait du soleil qui l’a emporté … enfin surtout auprès de madame ! Nous avions « entrevu » Santorin et Myconos lors d’une croisière en méditerranée en 2007 avec les enfants. Nous avions adoré … sauf la fréquentation !

Le premier élément à choisir est le point d’entrée, accessible en avion. Il y a Santorin et Myconos dans les Cyclades. Comme je rêvais de revoir la caldera de Santorin, le choix fut rapide. Ensuite je voulais des îles peu fréquentées ne nécessitant pas de trop long trajet en ferry. Sur 2 semaines 3 îles m’a paru être le bon choix. Avec le recul je confirme que c’est un bon dosage. Je me suis beaucoup servi du site Hellenica et Cycladen.be, qui sont très bien, pour faire mes choix.

La première sera Anafi, dans la catégorie « peu fréquentée » elle est très bien placée, en plus elle est petite, montagneuse et avec de belles plages. Une des raisons de sa faible fréquentation est le peu de liaison maritimes, ce sera donc à partir de cette contrainte que s’articulera le voyage.

Le second choix sera Astypalea car il y a un aéroport pour repartir, en plus c’est aussi une île peu fréquentée par les étrangers. Elle fait partie des Dodécanèse mais géographique se trouve proche des Cyclades.

Amorgos se glissera très naturellement entre les deux.

Une fois le planning établi j’ai réservé les vols chez Volotea qui a le bon goût de partir de Strasbourg … mauvais choix car les vols seront annulés 2 semaines plus tard.🏴‍☠️ Je me suis retourné vers Easy Jet qui part de Bâle Mulhouse, finalement tout aussi proche de chez nous que Strasbourg. Il faut dire qu’en Alsace nous avons la chance d’avoir pas mal d’aéroports dans un rayon de 3 heures autour de chez nous (en plus des deux précités il y a surtout Zurich et Frankfurt). Nous ferons donc BSL – Athènes – Santorin puis Astypalea – Athènes – BSL.

J’ai réservé par internet en direct les pensions : Villa Kalamiotissa pour Anafi Emprostiada Traditional Guest House et Pano Gitonia pour Amorgos Studio Killindra pour Astypalea Je réserve aussi une voiture à Amorgos puisque l’île est assez grande … et au final, suite à un échange avec mon logeur, également à Anafi.

Le roadbook sera assez rapide à établir … tant mieux car je n’ai que très peu de temps disponible, relancer mon entreprise suite au Covid-19 a accaparé tout mon temps.

En voiture ... pour ceux qui veulent 🙂

Bonjour à tous

Le Vietnam pays magique multiculturel aux paysages diversifiés et époustouflants. Voilà ce que je vous invite à partager sans aborder s'il vous plaît ce qui aujourd'hui empêche la planète de vivre... Essayons d'être constructifs et positivons! Il est grand temps de rallumer les étoiles!

Pour commencer avec légèreté: La médecine des Dao, le bain aux herbes. C'est un moment délicieux après une journée de marche et de visites rien de tel pour vous requinquer! Ce bain est très souvent proposé aux touristes dans le nord, spécialité de l'ethnie Dao il est "accommodé" dans plusieurs maisons d'hôtes et hôtels aux besoins des touristes.

Traditionnellement les recettes sont destinées à chaque cas et en fonction de la pathologie: femmes enceintes ou qui viennent d'accoucher, nouveau-nés, malades, vieillards…les herbes seront donc choisies en fonction des besoins et du type de médication (orale, en bain, en emplâtre...). C'est dès l'aube que les femmes, les hommes, les chamanes iront cueillir ces plantes, racines et écorces dans la forêt, le tout sera combiné à un régime adapté (on ne mange pas de tout..) et souvent suivi d'un massage spécifique.

Nous en avons testé plusieurs à plusieurs endroits mais celui de la chamane Dao d'un petit village au nord de Muong Lay restera sans doute le plus authentique et le plus insolite.. On nous prend en main dès notre arrivée dans la maison de la chamane. Elle y vit avec sa fille et son gendre... Maison, je devrai plus dire assemblage de planches et de tôles et quand on connaît les rigueurs de l'hivers on peut rêver mieux. La pièce principale est bourrée de pots en tout genre remplis de décoctions plus ou moins troubles...ces sont les médications à avaler, beurk.. Il y a aussi de gros sacs (plastique) d'herbes, de racines, d'écorces, un vrai magasin d'herboriste (l'ordre et la propreté en moins) sans oublier bien sur l'hôtel des ancêtres. Derrière des rideaux, les couches des habitants, nous ne dormirons pas là, ouf.. Puis attenantes, les deux salles des bains avec 2 baquets chacune et entre les deux sous une pergola un énorme foyer construit en ciment surmonté d'une aussi énorme bassine où l'eau et les herbes "cuisent" jusqu'à parfois 12 heures...c'est là que l'on fait aussi cuire la soupe des cochons... Le feu est alimenté de poupée de maïs et de bois. C'est dans ces baquets que nous tromperont plus ou moins longtemps...le temps de "cuisson" est décidé par la chamane en fonction de chacun, jamais plus de 30 mm...et les herbes qui seront rajoutée dans les baquets seront aussi choisies en fonction de chaque "malade". C'est très très chaud, il faut vraiment se faire violence pour entrer là dedans et c'est sans compter qu'une fois immergés la dame ajoute de l'eau chaude bien sur...ouille. Une fois "les touristes bien cuits" on nous sort de là, inutile de préciser que nous ressemblons plus à des homards qu'à des visages pâles... Après cuisson, nous serons conduits ensuite vers le silo à grains, où une pièce spéciale massage à été aménagée à son top, on l'atteint via une échelle de bois...au sol deux couches. Ici commence le moment le plus douloureux de tous les massages faits au Vietnam par le gendre et la fille de la maison.. Pas de douces caresses, non, non, mais un pétrissage et un battage en bonne et due forme suivis de torsion, j'ai cru ma dernière heure arrivée... Pour clore la séance nous dînerons chez la chamane d'un souper spécial, la couleur des mets est importante, nous ne mangerons que du blanc et du vert....des légumes et des herbes inconnues de nous et un peu de poulet bouilli, élastique à souhait, sans doute celui que nous avons croisé sur le chemin en arrivant et des petits poissons frits (très bons). C'est sans conteste le meilleur soin reçu au Vietnam si l'on fait abstraction de la propreté des lieux, des serviettes (surtout apporter les siennes) et des moments douloureux.

Je vous donne rendez-vous ici pour vos photos hors concours, pour discuter, échanger, conseiller, apprendre et s'amuser 😛

Le concours se passe par-là: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10330487;a=10330487