18.06 - AFRICAN PICTURES FINALLY ONLINE

After many computer problems (now solved), I've been able to complete the update and add the pictures from my last trip in Senegal and Mali. Texts and itinerary were already update since last September. So you can now have a look to the section Trip 2006: Senegal and Mali.

15.05 - SECOND SERIES OF CONFERENCE IS NOW OVER

Portrait of Michel Ménard

At first a traveller for pleasure and "being elsewhere", but also because of a strong taste for knowledge, Michel quickly get his own way of travelling, his own travel philosophy, his own travel habits. A trip is now more: It is a contact, a discovery of culture and people.

History lover, he took the habit to always know the history of a country or a region before visiting it. The past allows a better understanding of the present and the futur. But, food and drink are also a signature of a place and Michel don't have to be pushed to try and discover this other aspect of travelling.

Today, Michel Ménard wants other people to take benefit of his trips, experiences, anecdotes, pictures and thoughts.

Until now, Michel had already give 25 conferences about his trip of 2004 and 2006: "From Moscow to Beijing with the transsiberian", "Adventure in Mongolia aboard a toaster" and "Senegal and Mali into the West African Rythm". Travel tales, anecdotes, culture, are all different sides he could talk about in his conferences. Depending of the audience and the request from the people who ordered the conference.

Also, a "Practical conference on Russia and the Transsiberian" is available. How to get the visa, border and paper procedures, life in the train, how to prepare before, etc... Everything to make the experience more enjoyable.  More information on the conferences

He made his first step with photography by doing astronomical and night pictures more than 10 years ago. So right from the beginning, he had to learn how to play with light and exposure. However, his first pictures on a trip with an appropriate camera were taken on his trip in Central Europe during summer 2000.

Always gaining experience, he started using slides around the end of 2002. Prices went down, cameras get better, slides projector are harder to find... The switch to digital camera has been done before his last trip in Africa in 2006.  Photographies section

Having a quite facility to write (in French), Michel started writing during an internship in France in 1997. Those texts will become, depending of the day and the mood, sometimes thoughts, sometimes useful information for other travellers, sometimes travel tales and anecdotes. He keeps with his relatives a pretty good contact with an impressive amount of writing. He also published so far, two texts in the Müv Magazine, the nomad's magazine.

A lively mind, sharp eyes and a very good capacity to look at something with a neutral and objective point of view are making his look on other cultures something reliable and fair. His observations will then often be tainted to offer both sides of a story!  Travel Tales and texts