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around_the_world - Laetitia Lair

Map Legend: 14%, 39 of 263 Territories

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Where I am from

Where I live

Where I have been

About to start a new chapter and as usual ready for the next adventures! Bye Bye China (6 years) and the world of Communication and welcome to the humanitarian sector! Where? Well...a few more weeks before the first mission so stay tuned!

Lots of traveling to come and will as always grab every opportunity I got during holidays to go scuba diving, white water rafting & trekking...destinations might just be slightly atypical!

Destinations covered so far:
Asia: China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Bali, Malaysia, Macao
Pacific: Australia, NZ, Bora Bora (Tahiti), Micronesia (Palau & Guam)
South, Central & North America: Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, US
Europe: France, England, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium
Other..: Dubai, South Africa, Morocco

Comments are welcomed (and the best way to keep improving this blog) so please feel free to post them on this blog! Cheers!!!

More to come soon :-)

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Joined on: June 26th 2006
Last Login: October 24th 2009

Blog Entries: 37
Photos: 1332
Recommended by 16, Recommends 27

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by around_the_world, order by Date newest first.

By around_the_world
September 6th 2009

Annecy between lake and mountain with a medieval feel! Europe » France

Annecy - The lake...a sea of blue!
The nature and sport lover paradise

Visiting lots of new places lately but felt like Annecy truly deserve a blog so here it is! Annecy, famous for its stunning lake set on a mountain background and charming village, has somehow managed to get the best out of its Geneva heritage and French location. Located only 35 km south of Geneva, it is the perfect week end destination for nature & sport lover! This week end was full of laugh and emotions as it was the occasion to catch up with my cousin Marlene who lives in Albertville and meet with her lovely family. Another traveler in the [View Full Entry]

By around_the_world
July 7th 2009

French Riviera: a swirl of Provence and lots of Fun! Europe » France » Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Windows to the Provence lifestyle - Grasse

French Riviera…also referred to as the Cote d’Azur in French, has everything one can dream of when it comes to sea, sun, culture & art. From the mythical village of St Tropez to Menton, the lemon capital located at the Franco Italian border, this trip with my two great friends from Shanghai, Jessica & Elena, simply could not have been better! Great memories and precious friendship! St Tropez: jet set destination, cultural heritage and shopping… First day on the coast, Amandine, Jessica friend comes pick us up with her convertible, hats [View Full Entry]

Magical sunset - peace and harmony in St Raphael

By around_the_world
June 6th 2009

Rafting the Gave d'Ossau river & trekking by the Pic du Midi: sensations & family time! Europe » France » Aquitaine » Pau

Lac de Miey & reflection of the Pic du Midi d'Ossau
Simply stunning

Back in France just on time to cross two adventures from my wish list! Although my family lives only a few hours from the Pyrenees mountain range, I never got the chance to be in France in June since they moved there...which is precisely the best time of the year to go rafting and trekking in the area! Actually, as far as the rafting on the Gave d'Ossau (class III & IV) is concerned, it is only feasible between late April and June, right after springtime when plenty of water is coming down the snake like river, so yes I [View Full Entry]

Rafting on Gave d'Ossau - group picture!

By around_the_world
May 29th 2009

China Yunnan province, insider trek by the Vietnamese border...incredible rice terraces & Chinese minorities! Asia » China » Yunnan » Yuanyang

Waouh....
From Malizhai village to Shencun village

What about we go on another trip together in the next few days? It took me about 2 seconds to say yes and slightly less to start chatting about the “where to”. We settled on Yuanyuang, on the south part of the Yunnan province next to the Vietnamese border. It is said to be THE paradise for photographers from all around the world, while somehow not being yet on the main tourist route. Three days and half to discover absolutely breathtaking views over immense rice paddy terraces, sounds good! What else? Well, it had to be some type of insider trek [View Full Entry]

Local kid riding bufalo back to the village

Our host for lunch, had an amazing time !

By around_the_world
May 21st 2009

Missile launch base?? Welcome to the Tulou clusters, a work of Art in the Fujian province, China! Asia » China » Fujian » Yongding

Local Hakka by one of the Tulou

Here we go...back on travelblog and way too many blogs to key in! (which I guess is somehow a good thing…) More UNESCO world heritage sites with the discovery of the Fujian and its famous Tulou (Chinese rammed earth buildings)! Those unique work of art had initially been misinterpreted as being “missile launch base” by the American in the 60’s and although it is today a good joke, one can only be impressed by those round and square tulou buildings where dozen families live in perfect equality while being protected from the outside world by the structure of the bu [View Full Entry]

Pal having fun while Minny is taking a great pic of the sun reflecting inside the well..deep enough??

By around_the_world
May 7th 2009

Across the Taklamakan desert... Asia » China » Xinjiang

Keziliya Canyon
Kuche

Heading East again across the Taklamakan desert which in the Uyghur language (Takla Makan) means "go in and you'll never come out"…mmm…sounds like fun but decided to opt for the “safest” way to cross the desert! No motor hand gliding this time, but a 29 hours train ride along the Tian Shan mountain range and a stopover in Kuche a lively oasis located half way between Kashgar and Urumqi. Early morning departure, the train station waiting hall is quickly filled with locals carrying about everything they can possibly carry from the silk bought in Kashgar to hu [View Full Entry]

By around_the_world
May 4th 2009

Karakoram hw, simply unreal...driving on the highest paved road in the world... Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar

Along the Karakoram Highway
simply magic...

Hitting the road again...but not any road, THE Karakoram highway, also known as the highest paved international road in the world, an adventure in itself! This road built by Pakistan and China connects Kashgar to Islamabad, reaching the altitude of 4600 meters, and goes through the border area where Pakistan, Tajikistan, China, Afghanistan are all within 250 km from each others. Sceneries...well, the word in itself sounds weak to describe the unbelievable diversity of landscapes, lights, colors, climates & the speed to which all those could change for better (and sometime w [View Full Entry]

By around_the_world
May 4th 2009

Kashgar, the gate to Central Asia! Vibrant & colourful! Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar

Id Kah Mosque
Kashgar

10am, Kashgar wakes up…Vibrant, colorful, multicultural, Kashgar well deserved its reputation of “gate to Central Asia”. The name of the city had somehow always brought up a sense of adventure, mysterious journey where nomads & traders stop in this oasis before heading to the Taklamakan desert in the east or down west toward Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nowadays, Kashgar still plays its role as an oasis along the Silk Road and is a live testimony of past and present glory. Grabbing the now usual freshly baked nan on the way to the old town, I was quickly to l [View Full Entry]

By around_the_world
May 1st 2009

Hundreds years of dust...welcome to the Gobi Desert! Asia » China » Xinjiang » Turpan

Motor Hang Gliding (smile! might be the last one...)
Huo Yan Shan (Flaming Mountains)

“Turpan, a fertile oasis along the northern route of the Silk Road…”sounds like a good start and after all Xinjiang is about contrasts so after the snow capped mountains of the Urumuqi Southern Pastures, lots of sun, desert as far as you can see and ancients cities ruins were exactly what we needed! About 3 hours drive from Urumuqi Santunbei bus station (150KM SE), Turpan is a medium size city, full of energy, where donkey karts, motorbikes, minivans and cars are sharing the busy streets, locals sell all sorts of nan (local bread) & skewers of lamb/ mutton marinated in [View Full Entry]

By around_the_world
April 30th 2009

Xinjiang Southern Pastures: Kazakh, horses, snow & yurts! Asia » China » Xinjiang » Urumqi

Local Kazakh & horses!
Northern foot of Kazawuquntag mountain

Welcome to Xinjiang! Although officially part of Mainland China, located on the far North West part (border with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan & Pakistan), it is one of the most diverse & "exotic" province I got to visit in China so far, LOVE IT! All the ingredients were there to make this trip unforgettable from the snow covered mountain to the desert and breathtaking red mountain/ sand dunes/canyon, to the ethnic diversity encountered along the way (Kazak, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uighur & Chinese Han to mention only a few) and well...the fact that I finally got to follow the steps of many b [View Full Entry]

by the road, motobikes and snow covered mountain on the background...

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