Travelogues Around the World

I like to get away every year from Montreal's long, cold winter to discover new places. I fly when necessary but I prefer to go by bus, train and boat for I like to mingle with the local people and see the countryside. I carry as little as possible in a small backpack never weighing more than 10 kilos. I stay in cheap hotels where casual meetings are easy and I travel alone to remain readily available for whatever adventure might arise. I have had such a good time discovering the world that I want to share my experience with others who cannot travel so they might at least dream.

I encourage everyone who can travel, and more particularly retired people who have time, to take off with a small backpack to discover our small planet cheaply. Backpacking is now very easy with Lonely Planet guide books that provide all the information one could possibly need: visa requirements, historical and cultural background, sights not to miss, maps and lists of youth hostels, cheap hotels, and affordable restaurants. Backpacking is exciting and it will get your adrenaline flowing. It is also instructive for there is so much to learn and it can be surprisingly cheap. I have had only positive reports from those who have started backpacking because of my prodding them into adventure. My friend Jocelyne did her first four month solo adventure in the winter 2004. She liked it so much that she extended it three weeks. She has even started a web site to show other retired ladies how easy, pleasant and cheap it is to backpack.

I also suggest that you have a look at the Seven New Wonders of World web site that will not fail to interest accomplished travellers.

I hope that the following photo albums will show you how easy it is to roam this small planet of ours. You may also link to specific countries by choosing them from the list of the 214 countries I have visited Feel free to download any photos that might be useful to you if you agree to give me credit for each one with a "Photo by Bernard Cloutier" and a link to my site on yours if you have one

• 2008 Thailand (170 photos)

• 2007 Agentina (182 photos)

• 2006 Africa & Middle East (329 photos)   Cuba (32 photos)

• 2005 Québec: Montréal & Rimouski (208; photos)

• 2004 Antarctica & South America (646 photos)  Arctic Greenland (223 photos)

• 2003 Balkans & Middle East (739 photos)

• 2002 Oceania & Australia (502 photos)

• 2001 Cuba, the Caribbean Islands and Central America (629 photos)

• 2000 Around the world via Asia and Madagascar (876 photos)

• 1999 West Africa and the Balkans (523 photos)

• 1998 Going down the Amazon River (116 photos)

• 1997 South America (105 photos), Around the world via China and Ex-USSR (769 photos)

• 1996 Around the world via Australia and Tibet (282 photos)

• 1995 Africa, from Cairo to Capetown by bus (393 photos)

• 1994 South America (373 photos),  Russia (72 photos), and  South East Asia (295 photos)

• 1993 Central America in '93 (68 photos)

• 1990 Business travel in '90 (58 photos)

• 1979 Business travel in '79 (75 photos)

• 1975 Business travel in '75 (80 photos)

• 1973 Petroleum Mission to China in '73 (68 photos)

• 1971 Soviet Union in '71 (38 photos)

• 1965 Business travel in '65 (124 photos)

• 1962 Discovery of Europe (41 photos)

• 1956 Hitchhiking to Mexico (61 photos)

• 1955 Climbing Canadian Rockies (47 photos)

• OTHER Other trips (69 photos)

I continue developing this site for the pleasure of sharing the joys of discovery with you. Meeting wonderful people of all skin colours, ethnic origins and beliefs has inspired me to set up the Humanist Foundation of Quebec to promote critical thinking and intercultural tolerance.

You may download and use the globetrotter's photos provided you mention "Photo by Bernard Cloutier" with a link to this site below each photo. High resolution versions can be acquired from our agent Travel-Images.com.

If you feel like it, you may exchange comments and impressions with other readers in the questbook or express them to me privately by the e-mail link. Putting a link on your web site, if you have one, would invite your viewers to enjoy free virtual travel as I hope you did.