" Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's life time"
Mark Twain
Dear "traveling" friends,
First of all, I hope you will forgive me for generalizing and making my own life easier by writing to everybody in English.
Second, this is more than just a quick hello.
This, my friends, is the closing chapter of our traveling book. We might write another one when we start traveling again but, for now, we're putting the backpacks away and we're getting ready to "settle down", as they say. Of course, this has to be taken with a pinch of salt since people like us, and I do mean ALL of us, are rarely able to stay put for long...
So, as in any book ending, the authors have to give thanks to those who have contributed to the process...
Here goes:
Mark Twain
Dear "traveling" friends,
First of all, I hope you will forgive me for generalizing and making my own life easier by writing to everybody in English.
Second, this is more than just a quick hello.
This, my friends, is the closing chapter of our traveling book. We might write another one when we start traveling again but, for now, we're putting the backpacks away and we're getting ready to "settle down", as they say. Of course, this has to be taken with a pinch of salt since people like us, and I do mean ALL of us, are rarely able to stay put for long...
So, as in any book ending, the authors have to give thanks to those who have contributed to the process...
Here goes:
We thank you for being there when you were, where you were.
Claude and Caroline, what a fun night we had in that Vietnamese sleeper-bus. I really enjoyed exchanging e-mails with you afterwards and I only wish we had had more time to spend with you two.
Ana and Max; we'll always remember seeing you, so upset, in front of our hostel in Hanoi. What a fun and charismatic couple you guys are! Spending time with you and your other traveling friends of all ages was a real treat. We truly hope to see you again somewhere...
Francine, the Elephant Camp experience would just not have been the same without you. So many fantastic evenings followed in Vientiane that we cannot remember them all...one thing for sure, you are the cause of our unreasonable addiction to "Prison Break"...our only regret is letting you down in Australia for our Fraser Island tour. We hope you'll forgive us and next time we meet we'll truly go on an expedition. That's a promise!
Lara; what can we say? It was way too short, very inspiring and we could never forget our 1st chai and our padlock hunt in the Calcutta market. If only for that, we will never forget you. See you in Seattle or Vancouver Island some time?
The Ganguly Family...we do not have kind enough words for you. You were the first people on our adventure who showed such an amazing generosity, warmth and welcome towards us, without even knowing us. You really taught us a valuable lesson about the kindness of strangers. Thanks to you, we learned to accept it and be grateful for it. Thank you, dear friends!
Arsh, Benoit, Vero; you guys are a package! 
With you we also found great generosity and so much laughter. We fear returning to Varkala, 'cause that cliff would surely not be the same without you there!
With you we also found great generosity and so much laughter. We fear returning to Varkala, 'cause that cliff would surely not be the same without you there!Sarah, we were so glad to have met you. Not everybody could have endured Jean-Roch's frank words and ways. Kudos to you. We carry your lovely smile in our hearts.
Jean-Roch, there are simply not enough words. We love you dearly, always!
Jean-Roch, there are simply not enough words. We love you dearly, always!
Araya, you know you are like my "spiritual mother". I don't think I would have made it through Vipassana if it hadn't been for your comforting presence at night, in dead deep silence, close by! I am sure we have a long friendship ahead of us, and I am ever so thankful for it! Love you!
Pablo, Matt: It was so great meeting you, we really enjoyed getting to know you and seeing the Australian way of life through your eyes. We can't really understand liking you so much in such a short time but hey, who cares why? You guys are great!
Arancha...I arrived in Brisbane to spend a couple of days with one of Veri's oldest friends. I ended up spending more than a week with a GREAT woman. I left a dearly loved friend. We love you and miss you.
Our friends from the Polynesian Heaven...Mag', Loloe & Morgan, Bruno and Françoise & Ariel: All of you also have become one of my favorite living examples to illustrate the "kindness of strangers". It is said that there's no warmer welcome than the one you find in French Polynesia...I have no problem believing that. I truly hope to get to see you all again sooner rather than later. Thanks for everything!
Vero & Jachen, you are such an inspiring and interesting couple. It was great to get to know you and get a glimpse of your artsy, cool life. See you soon, amigos, it would be "chido" !
The Seshadri family; after all these years, it was wonderful seeing you again and to get to know you more. As you know, we will definitely be back in your Incredible India. I know for sure we will see you again soon....Thank you again a million for being so nice, generous and welcoming.
The Gokarna-Gang: Anjananda & Shaibaba, Connie, Pilar, Sara...You guys, it was so much fun recreating an international version of "Friends" set in India! I will always remember "fearing" getting new neighbors, in case they were not as fun as us And, of course, you were my favorite people to share a Nutella Ice with!
Karlota and Lipo...this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...and you know how the song goes. Meeting you has been life changing. We're grateful to have crossed your path and to have opened our hearts to you. Wherever we are, you're always welcome!
Guillermo, it was so much fun meeting you. We laughed and learned and hope to see you next time in Kasar Devi. Also, we promise never to chant and/or pray before bathing in the Ganges...at least not when you're there!
Irina, thank you so much for the privilege of getting cleansed. It was a wonderfully deep and meaningful experience, and would simply not have been the same if it weren't for your gentleness and kindness...
The Annapurna trekkers, you were the last we crossed paths with but definitely not the least. It was great sharing that wonderfully beautiful adventure with you! Hope to trek with you again sometime!
And so, this is it!
We hope it was not too long or too boring to read all this...
Each one of you remains in our hearts and memories, and we thank you dearly because each one of you has taught us something valuable, worth knowing, keeping and cherishing. Something worth sharing with others. Something worth teaching.
Some of you know this already. But others don't yet.
In late February we will start a new adventure, as we will become parents.
We will teach our baby all about the power of the kindness of strangers; we will teach her/him about what you taught us.
Thank you, it was a privilege to meet you all.
Take care, all our love,
Our friends from the Polynesian Heaven...Mag', Loloe & Morgan, Bruno and Françoise & Ariel: All of you also have become one of my favorite living examples to illustrate the "kindness of strangers". It is said that there's no warmer welcome than the one you find in French Polynesia...I have no problem believing that. I truly hope to get to see you all again sooner rather than later. Thanks for everything!
Vero & Jachen, you are such an inspiring and interesting couple. It was great to get to know you and get a glimpse of your artsy, cool life. See you soon, amigos, it would be "chido" !
The Seshadri family; after all these years, it was wonderful seeing you again and to get to know you more. As you know, we will definitely be back in your Incredible India. I know for sure we will see you again soon....Thank you again a million for being so nice, generous and welcoming.
The Gokarna-Gang: Anjananda & Shaibaba, Connie, Pilar, Sara...You guys, it was so much fun recreating an international version of "Friends" set in India! I will always remember "fearing" getting new neighbors, in case they were not as fun as us
And, of course, you were my favorite people to share a Nutella Ice with! Karlota and Lipo...this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...and you know how the song goes. Meeting you has been life changing. We're grateful to have crossed your path and to have opened our hearts to you. Wherever we are, you're always welcome!
Guillermo, it was so much fun meeting you. We laughed and learned and hope to see you next time in Kasar Devi. Also, we promise never to chant and/or pray before bathing in the Ganges...at least not when you're there!
Irina, thank you so much for the privilege of getting cleansed. It was a wonderfully deep and meaningful experience, and would simply not have been the same if it weren't for your gentleness and kindness...
The Annapurna trekkers, you were the last we crossed paths with but definitely not the least. It was great sharing that wonderfully beautiful adventure with you! Hope to trek with you again sometime!
And so, this is it!
We hope it was not too long or too boring to read all this...
Each one of you remains in our hearts and memories, and we thank you dearly because each one of you has taught us something valuable, worth knowing, keeping and cherishing. Something worth sharing with others. Something worth teaching.
Some of you know this already. But others don't yet.
In late February we will start a new adventure, as we will become parents.
We will teach our baby all about the power of the kindness of strangers; we will teach her/him about what you taught us.
Thank you, it was a privilege to meet you all.
Take care, all our love,
Mathilde and Veridiano