TDM
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Review of LoungeKey for airport lounge access
After several years of traveling, we’ve gotten a bit fancy and treated ourselves to access to the airport lounges. For those who need a refresher, airport lounges are “VIP” areas where you can wait for your flight comfortably, away from the noise of the boarding gates, while enjoying a complimentary buffet and drinks. I’ve written a post on the topic. Since we often arrive at the airport well in advance to avoid rushing, and we often fly with low-cost airlines that offer questionable comfort, this is a luxury we really appreciate. To access airport lounges, we’ve been using our card until now Priority Pass. Priority Pass is a paid card,…
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Accor Gold Status: What Are the Benefits? How to Get It?
With 40 brands and 5,200 hotels across 110 countries, Accor is a major player in the hospitality world. It’s the largest hotel group in Europe and the sixth-largest worldwide. While we often stay in Airbnb accommodations, we do treat ourselves to a night or two in upscale hotels. Especially now that we convert our American Express miles into Accor points, which allows us to get free nights. We particularly love MGallery hotels, which all have a unique charm—the one in Sapa, Vietnam, really impressed us! If you’re staying in Accor hotels, you might as well aim for the highest possible status to enjoy some perks. While Platinum and Diamond statuses…
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Continuation ticket: the trick to get one for free with Air France
Do you know what a “continuation ticket” or “onward ticket” is? Most travelers who buy round-trip flights have never heard of it. However, long-term travelers who only book one-way tickets have definitely run into this issue at some point. The explanation: some countries require visitors to prove they already have a trip booked to leave the country after their stay. This proof of onward travel can be requested at the departure airport (airlines are supposed to check) or by the immigration officer upon arrival. We almost got left behind in Hong Kong when flying to the Philippines. The only way to leave was to buy an onward flight ticket on…
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[story time] The day I dismasted on a Route du Rhum boat
October 4, 2014, 7:30 AM, I’m at Orly airport and about to experience an exceptional day! The employee I was at the time had been invited by a partner who sponsors a skipper who would be taking part in the famous Route du Rhum a month later. The plan: flight to Lorient, a day at sea, and a train ride back in the evening. There were seven of us in total: one of my colleagues came along, two people from the partner company inviting us, two people from one of their major clients, and the skipper! After breakfast upon arriving in Lorient, we met the skipper, who showed us his…
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How to find accommodation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Planning your trip to Qatar? Discover activities (visit Doha, desert safari, etc.) offered by our partner Civitatis. As a football fan who has taken advantage of my travels to attend matches in different countries (see my accounts in Argentina, in Colombia, in Italy, in Portugal, in Turkey, in Mexico, in Canada), I haven’t had the chance to attend a World Cup yet. With the idea of attending the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, I signed up for the FIFA lottery that gives the right to buy tickets. I got the right to buy two tickets for two matches of the French team in the first round. That’s four tickets for…
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[story time] How I ended up naked in a Jacuzzi surrounded by Yakuza
In March 2018, we land in Osaka Japan. We’re thrilled to discover the land of the rising sun, especially since cherry blossom season is just around the corner. But the contrast is a bit harsh. To give you some context, we’d just spent a full month in a 3-star hotel in Hoi An for… 600 €. In Osaka, we pay three times as much for a tiny place. The shower/bathroom looks like a closet, the apartment is poorly insulated, and we’re cold. So much so that we went and bought ourselves some warm pajamas at Uniqlo on the very first night. I tried taking a shower once, not twice. Too…
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[Guest Post] Bruxism: My Battle
I’ve talked about my bruxism and the solutions I’m testing on Instagram. I promised you a full article on the topic, but the more I dig, the more I find thatthere’s no such thing as THE article on bruxism, because it simply doesn’t exist. The books on the subject are incomplete. There are many solutions, but none of them seem to address this issue sustainably. Because no one has really found its root cause. If we can’t figure out why we grind our teeth, it’ll be much harder to find a solution, right? This article is my first attempt to list all the methods I’ve tried. Note: I’m not sharing…
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3 Days 2 Nights in Sapa (Vietnam): flooded rice paddies in late April
Our friend A. was supposed to join us in Vietnam in 2020, but it was only after 2 years of covid that this project became a reality. We’ve traveled together several times before, but this is the first time he’s meeting my parents and traveling with them, in my country. Since I’ve often planned and organized our shared road trips all by myself, A. jokingly calls me “Anh Agency“. My parents are amused to see me acting like a tour guide, that is, paying for everything, booking everything, and setting the itinerary every day. It also lets my parents rest a bit and explore off the beaten path, as they…
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[Review] Avana Retreat Mai Chau, the best 5-star retreat hotel in Asia (Vietnam)
After a few days in Ha Giang, we got back in the car to head to Mai Chau for a relaxing long weekend. First stop: Avana Retreat. Note: this post is NOT sponsored. We paid for everything out of pocket. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Mai Chau is a beautiful valley. It’s about a 5-6 hour drive from Hanoi. It’s a popular weekend destination. Avana Retreat “Retreat” hotels are a category of hotels whose main purpose is to rest, retreat into nature, and fully enjoy it. Avana Retreat (5 stars) was voted the best retreat in Asia. It’s “the place to be” right now.…
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4 Days in Ha Giang (Vietnam)
After an 11.5-hour flight from Paris to Hanoi and three days of quarantine at my parents’ place (this was early March 2022, there’s no quarantine anymore), we’re in great shape to go on vacation with my parents. First stop: the mountainous region of Ha Giang, in the far north of the country, near China. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal I’ve traveled the world, but I don’t know my own country that well, especially the northern region. Before, it took a lot of patience to get there because of the winding, dangerous roads in poor condition. Now, with many signposts and two-lane roads that let…
