My Travel Journal

Leaving on August 1st, this is more or less the trip we will make. If I simplify it: 12 months, 12 countries. To discover other cultures, landscapes, ways of living and working. To live something extra-ordinary with our kids. To watch them grow, think, act. To get inspired. To enjoy life. To set free?! That is yet to be answered;) To follow the exact trip, do not hesitate to connect on Polarsteps.

🧳 Time to start packing!!! I often get the question: how many kilos? What will you bring with you? How will you chose what you put in your luggage? Well, the target of kilos are 10 for the kids, 15 for me (even though Vincent is requiring 12 😬) and probably 18 for him (with all the family stuff). Let’s check on Friday! What I know is that the kids have a 40L luggage, I have a 60L and Vincent a 80L. We chose a backpack with wheels for us from @ospreypacks and a suitcase with straps from @tropicfeel for the kids. And it took us hours to benchmark and chose our new companions 🤓. Now let’s pack!

1er suitcase done ✅. Ferdi started the game. We managed to pack everything in this 40L suitcase, using bags with compressed air… and yes, a pair of shoes in is daily backpack. Now that is done, I’m off to Madrid for a last gal’s night.

📍 Madrid

Here we are! This is THE moment ! After starting to talk about this project 4 years ago with Vincent, we are leaving ✈️!!! And everthing was going about fine until … about 1 hour and an half after departing when the pilote told us we were going back to Madrid. The shortest world tour ever 🤣. A health issue with a crew member implied to go back! And that was only the beginning. About 20 mins before landing we had huge turbulences, allowing us to experience a free ride in the best rollercoaster we ever tried 🎢 🤪. What an adventure without even changing of continent yet! I know this year gonna be full of surprises. And it gonna be amazing 🤩.

📍 Madrid

Colombia: 1st stop! We chose this country for many reasons: the 1st one is the language, Spanish, as for all the countries from Latin America that we will visit. This was to show the kids that those years spent in Spain, learning Spanish and all the history related to this country, was not unusefull. Then it seemed to be a country with a lot of variety of landscapes and activities. It is also right now a country more stable than his neighbors such as Venezuela or Ecuador (we actually met this morning a lady from London who planned to go to Ecuador and after 2 days there, locked in her hotel because of riots decided to come to Colombia). And it seemed to offer great food and amazing music ;) Let’s see if we made the right choice ;)

📍 Colombia

Cartagena, such a vibrant city 🤩! We spent 2 days there, which is kind of short, but we made the most of it. We were staying at a nice hostal named @lospatioshotel in the barrio de Getsemani. It’s a great barrio, very closed to el Centro, very animated and cheap for a drink (even though it’s getting gentrified a lot, becoming too much of a touristic place and obviously it brings many issues to the local population as they can’t afford anymore to pay for the rent - same idea as La Latina in Madrid). Thanks to the jetlag, I was out in the street the 1st day at 6:30 in the morning, allowing me to enjoy the streets of el Centro without anybody 🤩. We then did a free tour of the historical part (which I won’t recommend as it was not that interesting). We learnt much more visiting the @museonaval, about the history of Cartagena, from it’s very beginning as a pueblo de pescadores named Kalamari to the colonial part (and the pirates histories) to the independence to the downs and ups of the most recent years. And we also did a great “street food tour” with Green Tour @ctgtours (on civitatis), which I’ll comment later.

📍 Cartagena

🥑 What do we eat in Colombia? That’s probably the question the kids have been asking the most 😋! First of all: we eat very well! It’s been only 4 days so we haven’t try everything yet but everything is delicious. We tried the typical Arepa, which is a kind of fried pancake made out of corn, often filled with eggs or eggs and meat. We also had many kind of fruits: lulo, pitaya, pomelo, platano, some of which we can get in Spain but with a very different, not as good, taste. We tried patacones, mashed plantain platanos, delicious. As well as cheesy buñuelos filled with chocolate or arequipe (a kind of dulce de leche). We discover most of it for the first time through a streetfood tour in Cartagena with @ctgtours_ and our very nice guide Angie. Then there’s a few things interesting in the agro industry here: * no nutriscore, but very specific, clear stickers say ain’t “too much sodium” or “heavy in sugar”. * no gluten free food waning no beers for Vincent 😬). Next: fresh fish from here, just bought out of the boat directly to the pescador ☺️.

📍 Colombia

Barranquilla was quite a challenge! I have to admit that driving there on a busy Saturday was probably not the best idea 😅. We got stuck in the traffic of the city, and it’s quite an experience (I’ll have to post about driving in Colombia). You need to have your eyes everywhere and the surprise is not necessarily coming from the others cars that don’t respect the circulation signs, but from the many many motocycles, tuk-tuks, horse carts, pedestrians that are using the same space. A bit stressful for the family driver! Then we walked through the bustling Centro. I’m note sure it’s like this every weekday but it was intense and … fun! The density, the smell, the sounds (a mix of Colombian music and people shouting). Not sure the kids would say the same thing though! We blended into in the background and bought fruits and veggies to all sort of street vendors. Aguacate, aguacate, aguacate. Those who know… know ;) We then made a stop to get shot with Shakira, who’s proudly from Barranquilla 💃🏼. And finally made a final great stop to the Cienega Mallorquína, a natural parc where the city build a beautiful pontoon above water, at the precise place where the Rio Magdalena meets the Caribbean see! Really beautiful and quiet. In a word, I found this city and this day again full of contrast. It seems this word define well Colombia 🤩.

📍 Barranquilla

Flashback sur le moment tant redouté du “packing de mes affaires” 🤪. Je ne vous cache pas que c’était mon petit stress avant le départ: j’y ai pensé des heures 😅. Que vais-je mettre dedans pour respecter la limite des 15kgs fixée par Vincent, tout en ayant le nécessaire, sans superflu mais pour être à l’aise par toute saison et bien dans mes baskets pendant 1 an? Un bon casse-tête 🤣. Ceux qui me connaissent le savent: je ne suis pas du tout fashion addict mais j’aime faire attention à la manière dont je m’habille. Et barouder pendant 1 an n’était à mes yeux pas une raison pour y déroger 🤩. Conclusion: les 15 kgs ont été respectés (enfin presque puisque Vincent me porte en plus mon tapis de yoga de voyage @chinmudrayoga - moins de 1kg). Plus un sac à dos daily de 3kgs @ospreyeurope trop pratique et léger. Et j’ai mis: * 5 shorts * 1 legging * 1 pantalon large et 1 jean (fatal mais tellement cool) * 1 pantalon de rando * 1 legging thermique * 1 jupe longue * 2 robes courtes * 7 t-shirts manches courtes dont 2 en mérinos * 4 débardeurs * 2 t-shirts manches longues dont 1 thermique * 1 pull (malheureusement pas un pull @lenvers_fashion mais j’aurai trop aimé) * 1 polaire * 1 coupe-vent * 1 doudoune @arcteryx, merciii les copains * 1 paire de baskets de trail (asics, pour les randos et la course) * 1 paire de basket de “ville” (@ecoalf, si légères) * 1 paire de tong * 1 paire de sandales * 1 chèche à tout faire, merci les collègues * 1 paire de gants, 1 buff, 1 bonnet, 1 casquette * 3 maillots 😜 * Des sous-vêtements dont 2 paires de chaussettes en mérinos et une serviette Decat * 1 trousse de toilette (avec qqs produits @rowsebeauty et un mini parfum @lelabofragrances, merci ma belle @sdmbrooklyn). Again, barouder n’est pas une raison pour ne pas prendre soin de soi. * 1 mini trousse de maquillage: une bb crème, un mascara et un rouge à lèvres rouge 💋 * 1 tapis de yoga donc => no regret, au contraire! * Mon sac / valise Osprey de 3,7 kgs * 1 air tag, so utiiiile pour savoir où se trouve ton baggage en permanence (et surtout ceux des enfants). Et après le latam, on renvoie toutes nos affaires chaudes. Et vous qu’auriez-vous pris ou enlevé 🤔?

It was a blast 🤩! Those 11 days we spent in Santa Veronica were just perfect for us. Locals often asked us during our stay, “Pero por qué Santa Veronica ahora?” That’s a good question: it was low season, with no wind and rain almost every day. We came here simply because I found a beautiful house on HomeExchange, @lasdunas.beach —without knowing the town, without knowing it was a kitesurf spot, without knowing we would discover a quiet place with a lovely beach and charming people to have meaningful conversations with. And that’s the beauty of traveling when you have time: you can let yourself be surprised. I also think Santa Veronica grew on us. Because we stayed in the same spot for 11 days, we took the time to meet people, engage in conversations, walk along small trails, join local dance classes, wander slowly under the pouring rain—and that’s why we ended up loving it. So what can you expect in Santa Veronica? 🏝️The beach and waves, perfect to keep kids entertained for hours 🪂💨 A great kitesurf spot to get started (or not) at the brand new @nauticasalinasdelrey, especially with @veronikiteschool and @el_flying_mono which I warmly recommend 🍹A few but nice and welcoming places to stay and eat @ecoxata @kiteecohouse & Las Dunas Beach House for sure 🥰 Kind, easygoing people to chat with, both Colombians and foreigners 🏙️ Various day trips to nearby cities such as Cartagena or Barranquilla 😎 Way less tourism than around Santa Marta (meaning if you’re looking for lots of activity, come only in high season, Dec–March… or skip it) But also know that: • It’s not a typical Caribbean beach with white sand and turquoise water • There’s quite a lot of garbage around, as in many other places we’ve seen—probably due to a lack of structured waste management • Most streets are unpaved and can get muddy during the rainy season And you—what was the last place you discovered that exceeded your expectations, and why? Let me know, it might give us ideas for the rest of our trip 💡. #worldtour #worldadventure #tdm #tourdumonde #voyageenfamille #travelinginfamily #travelingwithkids #slowtravel #colombie #colombia #kitesurf #kite #santaveronica #palomino

📍 Santa Veronica

Adventure ⚡️! That’s probably the word that best sums up our 3 days in La Guajira. Why? For many reasons: 🌵 It’s a desert — a completely different environment from what we’re used to, and one that can be extreme. 🌧️It’s the rainy season, which means you know it’s going to rain, but you never know when, for how long, or how hard. It also means you can’t be sure whether the roads will be passable, so you have to adjust the route as you go. 🧭 It’s reaching the northernmost point of South America — still very preserved, with few and very basic tourist infrastructures — giving us the sensation of being true explorers. 💡It’s meeting the Wayuu, the largest Indigenous community in Colombia, getting to know their culture, and sharing moments with them. But it’s also about crossing their territories and paying the « pasajes » with coffee, water, rice, or biscuits — and sometimes even negotiating the right to pass through their lands. It was definitely a great adventure, with breathtaking landscapes that no picture can truly capture — mostly because it’s not only about what you see, but about what you feel inside. Calm. Connection to nature. Peace. Serenity. That being said, it was a challenge to reach our ultimate destination. At some point, I thought we wouldn’t make it because of the heavy rain. But we had the best driver ever: Eder, from @expotur_eco, who was amazing at finding his way across the desert. It was also challenging for the kids, as we really pushed them out of their comfort zone. They slept in hammocks, showered with limited salty water, managed with restricted electricity, and of course, had no connectivity ;) But I think they started to realize that happiness doesn’t always come from material comfort — that nature can offer more than you imagine, that education is a gift, and that speaking Spanish is a real privilege, allowing them to connect with everyone here. More details about the Wayuu in comments ;) #worldtour #worldadventure #tdm #tourdumonde #voyageenfamille #travelinginfamily #travelingwithkids #slowtravel #colombie #colombia #guajira #desert #wayuu #adventure

📍 La Guajira

Our 3 days on the Pacific coast were simply amazing. I honestly didn’t expect much more than whale watching. And naturally, as often happens when you don’t expect too much, the experience went far beyond expectations! There, everything feels tranquil. You slow down naturally. You can only move around on foot (always watching the tides, so you don’t get stuck on the other side of the bay without a way back) or by lancha. And the only way to reach this region is by plane. That part of Colombia, El Chocó, is truly remote, preserved, and somehow a bit mysterious. We stayed at @popochos.ecohotelnuqui, a beautiful place facing the ocean, a little outside the village. It really gave us the feeling of being alone with nature — a deep sense of serenity. The kids spent hours in the ocean, enjoying their first contact with the Pacific, playing in the waves. The landscapes are incredible. The vegetation is lush and dense. There is no space where nature hasn’t taken its rights, undisturbed by human activity. In fact, I felt that people there were much more concerned with protecting the environment than anywhere else we’ve been. But the highlight of being there was, of course, the whales. It’s so breathtaking that it’s hard to describe the experience because. You are out on the ocean, waiting quietly, sometime for long hours, until you finally spot a spray on the horizon. At first, we saw several mothers with their babies — which makes sense, as these humpback whales (ballenas jorobadas) migrate up from the Antarctic, traveling more than 8,000 kms to give birth in this protected area (sheltered thanks to the shape of the giant gulf stretching between the Colombian and Panamanian coasts). I admit I wasn’t satisfied enough after the first day, so I went again the next one (whale watching was on my bucket list). And it was even stronger: we followed a group of three for nearly an hour. Simply beautiful. Powerful. Emotional. 🐳 #worldtour #worldadventure #tdm #tourdumonde #voyageenfamille #travelinginfamily #travelingwithkids #slowtravel #colombie #colombia #adventure #nuqui #elchoco #whales #baleines #ballenas

📍 Pacific coast

Our stop in Medellín was (too) short but very interesting! From Europe — and France in particular — we often tend to reduce Colombia to drug trafficking and/or armed conflicts with the guerrillas, which is obviously a mistake. Still, understanding that part of Colombia’s history is important. It not only helps you grasp some defining moments of the country but also gives you a more accurate sense of what’s happening today. We spent a full day with two local guides (Francy and Carlos — who actually speak French, for those interested) from @kaanastravel, a small community-based tourism agency. It helped us understand: * how the slums developed around Medellín in the 1970s (mainly with people forced to flee the countryside, driven away by the guerrillas), * why Comuna 13 was strategic for drug trafficking in the 1980s and 90s (see story), * why things actually got worse during the decade following Escobar’s death (with several guerrilla groups fighting to control the opportunities left after his disappearance), * how the city began to slowly change from 2002/03 (after Operation Orion, launched by President Uribe to put an end to the recurring violence in the comuna) — even though at that time new paramilitary groups emerged, * how it became more inclusive (with the construction of the cable cars in 2004 inspired by those of the French Alps 😉 and then the outdoor escalator in 2015 — the first ever designed for a slum), * and finally, how the city truly started to pacify from 2016, with the Peace Treaty signed with the FARC. Even today, with occasional events such as the assassination of a presidential candidate or bomb attacks — possibly from other guerrillas who did not sign the Peace Treaty back in 2016 — no one here is willing to accept a return to the dark years of Colombia.
👉 Side note: the next presidential elections are scheduled for 2026. We also spent some time downtown, at Plaza Botero, admiring the 23 sculptures of the famous Colombian artist, and in El Poblado, one of Medellín’s trendiest barrios, where we came across some beautiful architecture. #worldtour #worldadventure #tdm #tourdumonde #voyageenfamille #travelwithkids #colombie #medellin

📍 Europe

Our last major stop in Colombia was in Salento 🌴 We decided to take the less-traveled paths of Valle de la Carbonera, to see the Wax Palm Sanctuary. It’s a protected area dedicated to preserving the world’s tallest palm trees. These giants produce a natural layer of wax on their trunks, which used to be collected to make candles or even mixed with clay (barro) to produce a kind of cement. They can live 80 to 100 years and grow up to 70 meters tall. The landscapes were, once again, breathtaking. We followed a little-known trail with our guide Nelson, who led us through these giants. Nelson was very knowledgeable about the fauna and flora of the region, all passed down from his father and grandfather when he was a child. It took us 2 hours on bumpy 4x4 tracks to get there — which the kids loved! On the way back, we stopped by a refreshing waterfall. Jumping in was quite a challenge, as the water was only 6°C 😝. But with a bit of courage and controlled breathing, we all went in… except Juliette! It was so rewarding though, as we felt the energy rushing through our entire body. I imagine the feeling must be close to plunging into an ice bath (which I’ve never dared to try). ☕ As the name of the area suggests, this is THE coffee region. We hesitated about visiting a finca cafetera — partly for budget reasons, and partly because it would add yet another activity to our schedule. The kids clearly warned us the day before: they wanted to slow down 🤪. We finally went for @finca_buenosaires and had no regrets: a small, authentic, family-run coffee farm where we learned everything about coffee cultivation and harvest. We realized how complex coffee aromas can be — just like wine — and that they mainly depend on: 1. the moment of harvest, 2. the drying process, 3. and the roasting method. Interesting to note: coffee beans are exported unroasted, since roasting is done in the country or region of consumption. To wrap up the day, we visited Filandia, a pueblo that inspired Disney’s movie Encanto. Personally, I found Salento much nicer and offering more options for local handicrafts. #tdm #travelwithkids #slowtravel #colombia #cocora

📍 Colombia

🇬🇧 & 🇪🇸 in comments Nous avons passé plus d’un mois en Colombie pour ce 1er pays de tour du monde et ce fut un gros coup de coeur. On ne s’attendait pas à tout ça: que ça soit aussi beau, aussi chill, aussi riche tant culturellement que musicalement que les paysages. On a parcouru le pays du nord au sud, pas complètement d’est en ouest mais presque, on a vu beaucoup de choses différentes, on a vécu plein d’expériences diverses et variées, discuté avec pas mal de colombiens tous plus sympas les uns que les autres, et on a tout kiffé! 100%. Merci encore @lasdunas.beach @jessicaguijarro @sol_del_mar7 @veronikiteschool @el_flying_mono @lospatios @expotur_eco @popochos.ecohotelnuqui @josevasquez_20 @skyline_ecoliving @laplayitaislafuerte @kaanastravel @paramotrek pour nous avoir partagé un bout de votre magnifique pays À tous: je ne peux que vous conseiller de vous laisser séduire par ce pays à l’histoire si intense et à la diversité si grande. (N’hésitez pas si vous avez des questions :))

📍 Colombie

How to truly engage with the country you are visiting? From the very beginning, it was important for me to be able to connect with the countries / people we would visit. I planned the whole trip with that in mind, which influenced some of our choices of activities and places to stay. Let’s be clear: in such short stays in a country, we will always be foreigners and never fully grasp it. But the general idea is to be more of a voyageur than a tourist — to try to understand our environment more deeply, to connect just a little more, and to try to live — whenever possible — like a local. So here are a few things we’ve done and will keep doing (some of which inspired by other families traveling around the world): 📺 Watch movies about or from the country we’re visiting, to get an authentic “snapshot” of it (instead of only seeing the glossy pictures / videos on IG 😬). 📚 Read literature from local writers: I finished El ruido de las cosas al caer by Juan Gabriel Vásquez (fantastic), started Cien años de soledad by Gabriel García Márquez (awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982), and already bought El olvido que seremos by Héctor Abad for Colombia (I now need to move on to Peruvian writers). I read them in French though — not feeling brave enough yet to read them in Spanish 😉. 🗣️ Spend as much time as possible with locals: staying in their homes, visiting Indigenous communities when possible, chatting with anyone, hiring local guides, and asking as many questions as possible (being in South America is definitely easier for us since we speak Spanish fluently). 👣 Go to remote places — or at least not only to the “must-see” spots. Accept getting a little lost. For that, @homeexchangecom has offered us great opportunities. 📰 Follow some “official” accounts on social media, such as news channels or political/local figures 🤖 ChatGPT for a macro/economic analysis of the country. 🎺 And my personal touch: listening to local musicians. Speaking of which: my Colombian playlist is now available in comment for all those who asked for it💃🏼! And you, what are your tips or recommendations to truly connect with the country you visit?

📍 Colombia

⛰️ Doing the Salkantay Trek was, as a family, our biggest challenge ever! 
Many things made it challenging: * The number of days → 5 * The distance → 72 km * The elevation gain → +3,800 m * The altitude and its effects (shortness of breath, headaches, stomach pain) → with a peak at 4,600 m * The weather → it was cold up there, with some rain (but it could have been much worse) * The basic comfort → very simple accommodation, no showers for half the trip, no hot water * The unexpected sickness → 4 out of 5 of us had stomach pain and diarrhea, probably due to water contamination 💪🏻 But we made it — individually, as a family, and as part of a group. During this trek, I noticed behaviors in the kids I hadn’t seen for a while: kindness and mutual support 🥰. Overall, they showed an incredible amount of resilience. Our guide even told us that in 10 years and 500 Salkantay Treks, he had never seen kids this young on the trail.
They were so proud of themselves 🤩. And they admitted (without us having to torture them 😁) that it was a good memory, despite the difficulties — and that they’d even be open to doing another trek (though maybe not a 5-day one, ahah). 🏔️ We crossed incredibly diverse and beautiful landscapes: from the arid Sacred Valley to the glaciers, and then down to the edge of the Amazon rainforest. From the foggy mornings to the pristine night sky. Every step gave us a new angle, a new perspective. ✨ Another highlight: we were part of a great group of people from Colombia, the US, Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, and Spain. Thanks to them, we learned new things, had very interesting conversations, and made new friends — some of whom we might meet again later. For us as parents, it was especially satisfying to see the kids chatting for hours (and even more hours for Juliette 🙊) in English - thanks @vals_adventures @sim.dhaliwal3 @emilydahn . Honestly, it was the best “school week” ever for them. I’m not sure I would recommend the agency we booked with, but I would definitely recommend the trek itself. And don’t worry: if you face difficulties, there are options to take a horse or a bus — at a reasonable extra cost. So go for it!!!

📍 Salkantay

🍫 Discovering your 1st wonder of the world after 4 days of intense hiking is like eating your first chocolate in December: you’ve been waiting for it, you really enjoy it, and you’re already looking forward to the next one 🤣. (Actually, it was the first one for the kids, but the 4th for Vincent and me — can you guess which others we’ve seen?) 🧱 The city of Machu Picchu (“old mountain”) was built under the reign of Pachacútec, the first Inca to govern what had become an empire, around 1440. It seems to have been designed as a spiritual and astronomical center for the Inca nobility. At that time, Machu Picchu was well connected, with several roads leading there and crossing fertile agricultural lands. But with the Spanish conquest and the fall of the Vilcabamba dynasty, the city was abandoned… for centuries. 🔎 The discovery of Machu Picchu is not very clear, but it is said that a local man, Agustín Lizárraga, first found it in 1902 after a fire devastated the area and burned away the vegetation, revealing the ancient city. Then, Hiram Bingham, an American professor, re-discovered it. He was the one who began the archaeological work that restored Machu Picchu to its rightful importance, starting in 1912. 🔭 Machu Picchu, like many Inca constructions, is well-known for its impressive building techniques (dry stone walls without mortar), its hydraulic system, and its astronomical alignments. It is one of the 7 modern wonders of the world. But fame has its price: over-tourism has damaged the site. Last week also, major strikes took place (preventing many tourists from visiting — we were lucky to have chosen the big hike instead of the train!). The strikes were mainly due to the renewal of the bus transport contract to access the site. As you can imagine, it sparked many conversations with locals about corruption and state inefficiency. 🤩 Last but not least: we climbed Huayna Picchu (“new mountain”), with its dizzying stairways, to enjoy the incredible view from above — where the condor shape of the city is revealed. A true reward. It really is worth it! Rq: we did the Circuit 2, 6am Rq2: tried to show various views #tourdumonde #slowtravel #travelwithkids

📍 Machu Picchu

Moment of Truth ✨ After 2 months on the road, I felt it was the right time to talk about what the pictures don’t always show. With no filter. 😃 Are the kids happy? Overall, yes!!! They’re building memories, discovering new things, growing. But of course, there are moments of doubt, frustration, sadness. They miss their friends, their routines, their rooms: they miss their life back there in Spain. Not always, but still, in those moments they like “doing their kids and blaming us” by reminding that they didn’t chose to go for a full-year trip. Sometimes also the teens just get tired of being with their parents. Rarely all at the same time, though. But since they’re three, it feels like it’s all the time for us 😅. So we listen, we talk, we adjust, we make plans for the next countries… or even for when we’ll be back home. And we stay strong 😂. 🕰️ Do we get along 24/7? Not always 😆. The boys share nice bonding moments, their relationship is getting stronger. On the other hand, there’s a recurring tension between Juliette and Augustin that puts stress on the whole family. And Vincent sometimes lacks patience. Still, I’m confident it will evolve positively over the next 10 months 🤪. To make things easier, I book 2 rooms instead of 1 whenever possible, I look for houses with a room for each kid and a garden, and I try my best to stay calm and lead by example. 📚Do they keep up with schoolwork? Yes, more or less. When we’re not on the move, they’re actually quite happy to study. We put a clear emphasis on math, then science. They read, speak (and sometimes write) in Spanish, English, and French. They also learn so much in geography, biology, history, and social sciences. And most importantly, they’re developing strong soft skills every single day. 🧑‍🧒🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Do we have quality family time? YESSSS. That was a key objective and it’s a full success. And it’s not only about the activities we do together, but also the countless conversations we share. Do I see my kids growing (which was one of my main goals)? Yes! And it’s pure joy 🥰. The rest is on the pics, I had too much to say 😉. Comments welcome!

📍 Spain

We spent 18 days in this region of Peru to enjoy the amazing landscapes, dive deeper into the history of pre-Columbian civilizations, admire the Inca constructions, and… chill! When we started planning our trip, we already knew we’d need to include some breaks — not to be on the road all the time. For the kids, and for us. So, in Peru, we decided to settle down in the Sacred Valley. We split the 18 days into three main parts: * 6 days in Urubamba (visiting Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero) * 6 days trekking Salkantay & visiting Machu Picchu * 6 days in Huaran + Cusco (visiting the excellent Inkariy Museum in Calca, the Pisac Artisanal Market, and exploring Cusco) We loved the landscapes but were disappointed by the « non » relationship with the locals and the very few info you get visiting the Inca sites. The region (and Peru in general) was inhabited long before the Incas. We tend to remember only that civilization because it was the largest, most advanced, and the one in place when the conquistadors — especially Francisco Pizarro — arrived in 1532. Yet civilizations such as the Caral, Chavín, Paracas, Nazca, Wari, and Chimú existed here from around 3500 B.C. onward.
Each civilization added something new to the previous one: mastery of agriculture, theological systems, trade rules, textile and ceramic production, the use of psychoactive plants to connect with Mother Earth (Pachamama), and the development of shamans and mummies. The Incas inherited much of this knowledge, making theirs a rich and complex civilization characterized by: * exceptional building and stone-cutting skills (walls built without mortar), * clever diplomacy (they rarely used violence or war to expand their empire — instead relying on negotiation and marriage), * and an impressive social organization based on community work and equity. This system formed the foundation of the Inca Empire and worked remarkably well. The Incas were the nobility of the empire, whereas the Quechuas were its inhabitants. Today, Quechua families still live in the Sacred Valley, keeping many traditions alive. #tdm #tourdumondeenfamille #worldtour #travelwithkids #slowtravel #cusco

📍 Peru

We hadn’t planned to visit this region of Peru at first, but we added it when we heard about the canyons — we still had vivid memories of our trip to the Grand Canyon. And we were absolutely not disappointed; on the contrary, it surpassed all our expectations 🤩. When we arrived at Arequipa, I was amazed to see all the volcanoes surrounding the area (El Misti and Chachani being the most famous — for adventurers, Chachani is actually one of the easiest snow-capped 6,000m peaks to climb). I hadn’t reviewed my geology beforehand and didn’t realize we were right on the subduction zone of the Nazca Plate under the South American Plate, a very active zone 🫣. We loved everything during our 6 days there: * The old city center of Arequipa, the pedestrian streets, the restaurants (@crepisimocreperie or @yamawok), and the Monasterio Santa Catalina. Arequipa is a relatively “recent” town, built by the conquistadors, hence the colonial-style architecture, nicely contrasting with the white volcanic stone (el sillar). * The surroundings — we went rafting with the kids, and Vincent climbed Mount Misti in autonomy 🙃. * Cabanaconde (the village where most canyon treks start) and our lovely little hostel, Las Palmeras. * The canyon itself and its breathtaking views. We spent the night at @llahuar_lodge, where we could enjoy hot springs after our first day of hiking. The next day, we stopped for lunch (and a refreshing swim!) at @oasis_paraiso_ecolodge in Sangalle — a perfect break in the middle of that intense day of hiking. We were lucky to spot a few Andean condors (el cóndor andino) at the end of the trek, though from afar. The Andean condor is Peru’s national animal and had great importance for the Incas. It was considered a sacred bird, often represented in Inca sites. It symbolized the sky in the Inca sacred trinity — el mundo de arriba — along with the puma, which represented the earth, and the snake, symbolizing the underworld (el mundo de abajo). For anyone who loves nature and hiking, I highly recommend adding this stop to your trip (and maybe doing the trek over three days if you’d prefer a slower pace). #tdm #tourdumonde #travelwithkids #slowtravel #familytrip

📍 Peru

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, which means… you’ll probably be short of breath getting there 🌬️. Having spent more than two weeks at altitude, we didn’t suffer from altitude sickness, but every single movement felt like a challenge 😅. So we took it S.L.O.W. We spent 3 days in Luquina, a village on the coast, south of Puno, a bit off the beaten path. We didn’t want to go to the more touristic islands, but we still wanted to spend time with the local inhabitants (typical of the lake’s islands). @titicacalodge was the perfect match. Guido and his family welcomed us into their home, invited us to join their daily routines, but without being intrusive. We also met two young Dutch brothers there, traveling the world together while working remotely as teachers and trading crypto. It was really inspiring for us and the kids to learn about their lifestyle. Next, we stopped in Copacabana, on the Bolivian side of the lake. We traveled with Transzela which I recommend (by day this time, with a bus going out early morning) . Copacabana, with its beautiful bay, boats glinting under the sun, and good, cheap restaurants facing the lake, is a charming lakeside village. We stayed at the incredible @hostallasolascop : a superb place started 22 years ago by Martin, a German sculptor. It reminded us of Gaudí’s buildings in Barcelona (I’m not joking!). Everything was beautiful, full of design details, and the level of service was five-star, all for a very reasonable price. To finish the day, what could be better than climbing a few meters (again 😁) to admire the sunset from the mirador? According to Inca mythology, Lake Titicaca is the cradle of their civilization. Legend says that the god Viracocha rose from the lake, creating the Sun God and the first Incas, Manco Cápac & Mama Ocllo, who went on to found the empire’s capital, Cusco ☀️. And for us, it was a genuine moment to recharge and reconnect before moving on again. #tdm #worldtour #travelwithkids #travelinfamily #tourdumonde #slowtravel #titicacalake #luquina #lagotiticaca

📍 Lake Titicaca

Voici enfin le bilan de Pérou. Je ne suis pas très en avance mais on s’en fiche 🤣. Quelle liberté de ne pas avoir de deadlines à respecter ahah! Au Pérou on a kiffé les paysages, le challenge de l’immersion amazonienne, les treks et les autres voyageurs internationaux rencontrés. Parcours: * 5j Amazonie * 1j Iquitos * 6j Vallée Sacrée - Urubamba * 2j Cusco * 5j Salkantay Trek * 4j Vallée sacrée- Huaran * 6j Arequipa & Colca Canyon * 3j Luquina, Lac Titicaca * 1j Puno Bonne lecture et pour les voyageurs enregistrez le post pour votre futur trip et n’hésitez pas si vous avez des questions 😉. Petite précision: les fruits et légumes sont peu chers mais tout le reste l’est plus que prévu (restos / visites / logements. Beaucoup de paiements en CN sont majorés de 5%). 🇪🇸Version espagnole également dispo en 2e partie.

📍 Pérou

Highest capital in the world Well, in Bolivia everything started with a bit of confusion: La Paz is not actually the capital of Bolivia 😅. Sucre is. Sucre is the constitutional capital and the judicial center, whereas La Paz is the economic and executive center. That being said, La Paz sits at 3,600 m, and El Alto — which isn’t a district of La Paz but a city of its own — is actually the largest city in the world at such altitude, at 4,100 m. These two cities are connected by an impressive network of cable cars, allowing you to move easily from one side to another and discover the area from above. Since our hotel was in the newer district of Calacoto, further south, the cable car was definitely the best way to reach the historic center. We spent two days in La Paz — probably a bit short — but still managed to visit the historic center and the Museo Etnográfico, which was fascinating for understanding local culture and traditions. We also enjoyed a “Lucha Libre de Cholitas”, a very typical show in La Paz with an amazing atmosphere. We all loved it, despite the cold once the sun went down. One of our favorite activities in La Paz, though, was eating out 😋😝. For once, we found gluten-free options, and that was a pure moment of joy for Vincent 😉. On our second day, we decided to leave the city — even though we were already missing the buzz of big cities — but I guess we just didn’t connect that much with La Paz at that particular point in our journey. It felt as if nature was calling us again, and we were not disappointed! The Valle de las Ánimas was absolutely stunning. The power of the natural elements that shaped this landscape, century after century, is truly impressive and made us vibrate in a completely different way. #tdm #tourdumonde #worldtour #travelwithkids #familytravel #slowtravel #lapaz #cholita #luchalibre #valledelasanimas

📍 Bolivia

Sucre, the White City, was an absolute coup de cœur 😍. We stayed there for 4 days and loved everything about it — the architecture, the atmosphere, the people, the food (for those interested, I’ve shared our favorite spots in the stories), and the music (a bit like in Colombia, you can hear it flowing through the streets). The historic center is quite small, and everything is within walking distance, giving all of us — including the kids — a great sense of freedom. The city is deeply marked by its colonial style, visible in the architecture of its buildings and the abundance of churches. Among them, we visited El Templo de San Felipe Neri, the Cathedral, La Iglesia de San Miguel, and Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Each one is more splendid than the next, and they reveal their secrets once you climb up to their roofs or towers. You can even have coffee at San Miguel, which has been transformed into a café — it’s actually the church that appears on the 100,000 bolivianos bill! The best spot is on the top floor, where you can enjoy the beautiful view over the city. Sucre was also a city of wonderful encounters — we reunited with @hilde and her father, with whom we had spent 5 days on the Salkantay Trek, and we met Sophie and her family, French travelers from Montreal exploring the world for a year. On another note, we also bumped into the Brazilian and Argentinian national basketball teams, who were staying in our hotel for the semi-final of the Americas Cup. Let’s just say it was better to get to breakfast before them if we wanted any eggs 😆. Once a lake a very long time ago, Sucre and its surroundings also gave us the chance to see real dinosaur footprints dating back 65 million years. 
And last but not least, we played some tennis! It might sound random, but Ferdi really missed his weekly lessons — and it was a nice reminder that it’s okay to miss home and our routines, and that we can always find ways to make up for it, as long as we express our feelings ☺️.

📍 Sucre

We’d seen tons of pictures and videos before, yet nothing compares to actually living it. We spent 4 days at around 3,000 meters, in areas where very few people live. It was simply beautiful — everything. From the lagunas to the deserts, from the hot springs to the windy plateaus. From the turquoise of the lakes to the reds of the mountains and the white of the salar. Every morning, we wondered if the next day could possibly be more beautiful than the last — and it always was.
I still can’t wrap my head around how such a small piece of the Earth can hold so much diversity. Rationally, I get it (ndlr: it all comes from the tectonic activity in this region, with the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American one), but it still blows my mind. Millions of years at work. For those planning to go there: we chose a 4-day / 3-night tour from Uyuni to Uyuni with @tupizatours , one of the oldest agencies in Tupiza, and very respectful of the environment — and we have zero regrets. There are many ways to explore the South Lipez, and the one we picked turned out perfect for us. Still, it’s worth taking time to think it through. (For us: the Uyuni–Villa Mar section on the first day was more appealing than the route starting from Tupiza; ending with the salar really does keep the best for last; and since we returned to Uyuni, we saw more sites overall — even if it meant enduring a painful 10-hour bus ride afterwards.) The highlight was watching the sunrise over the salar from Incahuasi Island 🌅. Priceless — even though we weren’t alone, and we usually try to avoid very touristy spots. Everyone (well, almost everyone) stood there in silence, almost religiously holding their breath, watching the sun rise second by second. It was perfect — until that noise 😅.
And I have to talk about this (in comment!) #worldtour #worldadventure #tdm #tourdumonde #voyageenfamille #travelinginfamily #travelingwithkids #slowtravel #adventure #sudlipez #salaruyuni

📍 Uyuni

100 jours depuis que nous partis sur les routes du monde. Ca mérite bien de faire un petit check-up de l’état des troupes 😝. Disclaimer: je fais les questions ET les réponses. Mais les questions sont inspirées de nos conversations 1to1 ici ou ailleurs. Et les réponses sont sans tabous.

🤩 NEW DATES! For various reasons such as seeing one of our best friend in Brazil, enjoying the beautiful landscapes of Perú, running a trail in China, seeing other best friends in Singapore or Tokyo, we adjusted a bit our dates of travel. Everything can still change, but it will be marginal. Talking a lot with other families traveling around the world, there are 2 teams: those who really don’t like / don’t want to plan anything ahead of time (I admire them somehow), or those like us who plan a lot in advance ✌🏻. There’s no “good way”. The most important is to travel in the way that suits you best, to avoid stress and enjoy it as much as possible!

📍 Brazil

Mieux vaut tard que jamais… Bizarrement, même en tour du monde, ce dicton ne cesse de me suivre 🤣. Il paraît que c’est le mal des éternels optimistes! Quoi qu’il en soit, voici enfin le bilan de la Bolivie. Pays parcouru brièvement mais intensément, dans lequel on a rencontré énormément de français ou revus des amis du Sallantay Trek. Pays assurément le moins développé de ceux que nous ayons traversé pour le moment. Mais pays aux paysages époustouflants. On aurait pu y rester un peu plus longtemps mais il faut faire des choix, et ce qui nous attend sera tout aussi canon! 🇪🇸 versión española en 2nda parte del carrusel #tdm #tourdumonde #worldtour #slowtravel #travelwithkids #voyageenfamille #bolivie #bolivia #salardeuyuni

📍 Bolivie

The 2nd high plateau most populated after the Tibetan plateau, with an average of 3800m of altitude and yet the desert the most arid on the world. After the amazing days in South of Bolivia, we were wondering if it was worth spending 4 days in San Pedro de Atacama, fearing of seeing the same kind of landscapes. Not that it wouldn’t be nice again, but chilling was a firm request from the kids 😅. And as we are travelling during a year, our idea is to try to do as many different things as possible, even though it can be meaning not doing the « must have » places. Soooo, we thoroughly listed the activities in the area and only chose those which were really different from what we’ve seen a few days before (to maximise our chances to motivate the kids to leave the swimming pool of the camping). We chose the following options: * Lagunas Escondido’s, because you could swim in highly concentrated salty water. We chose this one over Laguna Cesar because it was cheaper and less frequented. It was also further but we had booked a car so it was ok. And it was great. No one was there while we were bathing and trying to do any kind of weird pose in the water. * Sunset at Likan-Antay, probably the only free place to watch the sun set. And also probably one of the most spectacular (no need to go and pay El Valle de la Luna, is not worth it) * Bike ride to La Garganta del Diablo, a great way to discover amazing landscapes without having to hike * Hike to el Cerro Tore, up to the top culminating at 5600m. Accessible without specific alpinism gears. Doable with kids as long as they are used to hike and you are in altitude for a week or more. It was a great challenge they will remember for a long time (but the pic says something else 😝). * Star night watching as the Atacama desert is probably the best place on earth to watch the sky (altitude, no pollution and almost 50% of the telescopes in the world are concentrated there). If you can, try to chose a night with almost no moon. We’ve done it with @space.obs.spa and it was perfect. * Enjoying ones of the many laid back restaurants of the village, in great French company 😉

📍 Tibetan plateau

After 6 weeks in altitude and 10 days in the dust, spending a week by the ocean was like a reward! Originally, we were looking forward to spend time in Valparaiso, a harbor city at 1h30 from Santiago and to enjoy the nice, colourful streets of the city until several persons told us that Valparaiso was not a very safe place. So we changed our minds, yet decided to still go for a day. Street art. A great lunch at a restaurant with a view on the ocean with another family doing a world tour met… on Instagram, @capauhasard ;) And then… We were about to leave, going back to our car, when, in half a second, I understood what was about to happen next: I would have my phone robbed 😨. I saw it in the eyes of the young guy that was passing by me. Stupidly or not, I ran after him in that street climbing up and I yelled at him on all possible languages, hoping for someone to hear me and to help me out. Which happened! A guy driving a car going down the street turned around and pursued him while another one got out of his house, barefoot, running after him. It was surreal. But they got him, gave me my phone back and literally pulled his ears. Would anyone would have helped me in another city? I don’t know but I was so grateful it happened. After this little adventure, spending a week by the ocean was exactly what we needed. We discovered Tunquen, a small village sheltering a natural reserve. This place made us think of Brittany (with its cliffs and rocks going down to the ocean), the Hamptons (with its high-end wooden houses) and Cassis (for the color of the water and the sunny afternoons). In other words, it was paradise and no one wanted to leave. (I even looked at the parcels and houses for sale 🤪.) We didn’t do much: sleeping, biking, walking by the coast, calling family & friends, preparing the following months, working on the school program, reading, cooking & baking, karting and playing Padel (very typical of Chile ahah). Those moments of break are absolutely necessary in our journey. For everyone. Disclaimer: I’m soooo late. This was end of October 🤪. #worldtour #tdm #tourdumonde #familytrip #slowtravel

📍 Valparaiso

A dream that came true. I had been dreaming of this island and its Moaïs for years. When we left home in August, we didn’t yet know if we would go there (mainly for budget reasons). There are very few flights (only one per day) and they are expensive. After a few weeks of travelling, determined to enjoy what this planet has to offer (and with a good VPN 🛜), we finally decided to go — and to have no regrets. We loved Rapa Nui from the very first minute our feet touched its soil until the very last one. Everything. The beauty of its landscapes (which actually surprised us, as we didn’t expect to find such nice beaches there). The spell of the Moaïs. The mystery surrounding their transportation. The power of the island’s ancient rituals. The feeling of freedom given by the many (many) horses roaming freely. The good vibes of slow living. The discovery of Polynesian roots and culture. Bref, we were living our best life every second. About the Moaïs: we now know much more about the giant statues of the island. They were sculpted from volcanic stone in a large quarry located in the east of the island. What remains a mystery is how they were transported. Were they moved upright, with ropes pulling them from side to side to make them “walk”? Were they laid down on wooden logs and rolled? Were they sometimes even transported by boat to reach the other side of the island? No one is certain — these are only hypotheses, as the Rapa Nui had no written system. Another thing that struck us was the tools used to carve the statues: only stones! Of course, different kinds of stones available on the island were used for different tasks depending on their properties. But still, we are talking about something that happened between the 13th and 16th centuries. This truly shows how isolated the island was from the rest of the world — in terms of both resources and knowledge. Another interesting fact: a war broke out in the middle of the 16th century because the island had become overpopulated and no longer offered enough resources for everyone. The carving of the Moaïs stopped at that time, and they were all knocked down. They’ve been restored in the XX century.

📍 Rapa Nui

Saisissant! Depuis Puerto Natales, la route Y-290 est la seule route, enfin plutôt piste, permettant l’accès à l’entrée sud du parc de Torres del Paine. Et elle est dingo. Après plusieurs dizaines de kilomètres de pistes, on longe le lac …, puis au détour d’un virage apparaissent les fameuses « Cuernas », ces formations rocheuses aux variations de gris en forme de cornes. Et là, c’est la claque. Parce qu’on a vu mille fois les photos de ces paysages. Mais là on y est, on les voit, on ne les lâche plus. Et elles sont magnifiques. Le parc de manière générale est incroyable. Le plus beau parc de Patagonie selon moi. On n’avait pas prévu faire les 2 treks mythiques cette fois-ci dans la configuration de ce voyage en famille élargie, le W ou le O, qui nécessitent entre 3 et 5 jours mais on a fait d’autres chouettes balades. Et surtout on s’est dit qu’on reviendrait tous les 2, dans 10 ans peut-être, faire ces treks mythiques. 💨 Outre les paysages, LA surprise de ces premiers moments fut le vent à décorner les boeufs. Je n’avais pas identifié cette info dans la préparation: l’été, les températures sont plus clémentes mais il y a beaucoup (beaucoup) ((beaucoup)) de vent. Après la petite déception du départ en voyant la liste de tous les chemins fermés à l’entrée du parc, on a quand même décidé d’entrer et d’aller voir par nous-même. De toute façon, une fois arrivé jusqu’ici, on n’allait rester enfermé dans nos mini campers. Bien nous en prit car finalement on a pu faire le Mirador de Salto Grande, le Mirador de las Cuernas et le Mirador du Condor. Bon, certes on a parfois dû s’agripper à 3 ou 4 pour ne pas s’envoler ou s’accroupir pour s’accrocher à un rocher mais c’est aussi ça qui forge les souvenirs 💨.

📍 Puerto Natales

Il y a des routes mythiques. La Carretera Austral est de celles-là. Cette route, la Ruta 7 de son nom officiel, en grande partie de la piste, traverse une bonne partie du sud du chili. Elle commence à Villa O´Higgings et va jusqu’à Puerto Montt. Nous l’avons récupérée un peu au nord de son point de départ, après avoir passé la frontière à Chile Chico le long du Lago General Carrera. Nous en avons parcouru environ 1000 kms, dont certains tronçons en ferry, car oui cette route a 2 tronçons sur mer qui sont « la route officielle » (= il n’y a pas d’autre option que de voyager sur l’eau pour avancer). Ça en dit beaucoup sur l’enclavement de ces zones sud du Chili, mais aussi sur la préservation de ces lieux. On a croisé du monde (en van, en moto ou à vélo, route mythique oblige) mais ces zones sont peu habitées et regorgent d’endroits absolument magnifiques. Montagnes aux sommets enneigés, jungle, lacs aux couleurs incroyables, vallées verdoyantes, glaciers, fjords, you name it and you’ll have it! Nos 3 stops préférés: 3. Puerto Guadal: proche du lago General Carrera, on s’y est arrêté avant tout pour couper la route entre El Chalten et Puerto Rio Tranquilo. C’est petit, les vues sont charmantes et le camping que nous avions choisi a apporté un vrai plus au voyage avec sa spécialité « permaculture ». @almaverde.permacultura 2. Puerto Rio Tranquilo et les Cathédrales de marbre, ces formations rocheuses aux couleurs irréelles. Elles peuvent se découvrir en bateau ou en kayak. 1. Puyuhuapi: magnifique fjord et porte d’accès au Parc du Queulat et son glacier suspendu (que nous n’aurons pas pu voir de près à cause du temps très nuageux). Et niché au coeur du fjord, le magnifique hotel @puyuhuapilodge et les eaux thermales où nous avons passés 24h hors du temps. #tdm #worldtour #travelwithkids #chile #carreteraaustral

📍 Carretera Austral