Emma @ theweekendabroad.com on 8 Travel Bloggers Share Their Craziest Travel Stories (Part 2)
Here is part 2 of my Craziest Travel Stories series, in which fellow female travel bloggers share their wildest situations and experiences while adventuring abroad. These four stories involve a series of unfortunate events from Asia to Europe and follow our bloggers as they get stuck in sticky situations in more ways than one! Enjoy!
If you haven’t read part 1 of 8 travel bloggers sharing their craziest travel stories, check it out here.
Travel Bloggers Share Their Craziest Travel Stories:
Uncertain Entry to Thailand by Chandre of Both Paths
Location: Malaysia and Thailand
When: 2017
Our craziest moment of travelling was when we were traveling from Malaysia back to Thailand. We traveled by an overnight bus thinking that it would be convenient and easy, however it would turn out not to be. We got woken up by our bus driver and he asked us to get all our luggage and head for the border control.
When we finally managed to get off the bus and get all our luggage onto our backs, we proceeded to search for where to show our passports. There were loads of people and a lot of voices. We had no idea where to go and no one understood English. I guess that is an understatement traveling abroad, but at that moment we had no idea what was going on as I was still trying to open my eyes. We ended up standing in the wrong line not only once, not only twice, but thrice.
Finally in the right line, we thought our problems were over. However, we now had to step out of line to fill out more information. The people became less and we became more nervous for fear that the bus would leave us behind. We kept looking out for the bus and saw the bus driver waiting for us. When the lady finally helped us. She stopped me and said that because I was South-African I had to go to the office. Maria still had to get her stamp while I made my way to the office. I never thought that my legs could go jelly like it did and I had no idea what was going on.
After what felt like forever, Maria finally came into the office. The lady was extremely rude and not helpful. The first thing she asked me to do was print out documents, and excuse me, but I do not carry a pocket printer. I then needed to show 10,000 baht. Maria had to run to Thailand to withdraw money. When she returned, she was carrying our blanket and charger, which really confused me. “Ehhh the bus just left us.” So there we were stranded in Malaysia. Luckily Maria was able to salvage those items from the bus before it left.
Luckily when we were standing outside I saw an officer. I explained ourself situation to him and asked for help. He was so kind and helpful. He told us to go inside so he could help us out. After a few minutes of adrenaline rushing through our bodies, we were standing on the other side of the border successfully in Thailand. We were lucky they forgot that they asked us for proof of accommodation.
It was a long day of high stress levels, barely getting across the border, and our bus leaving us behind. There we were, standing negotiating our lives away for some transport.
Literally Stuck in Slovenia by Sara of The Life of a Solivagant
Location: Koper, Slovenia
When: 2017
This past summer, I rented a car to drive throughout Slovenia with my boyfriend in July. The drop off location at the end of our trip was at a different location than we picked it up at. Google maps took us on some roundabout way to get to the car rental office. As we were driving, the road was getting smaller and smaller; the buildings closer and closer to the car until finally I had to make a turn and couldn’t get the car through and couldn’t back it up. Stuck in the small streets of Slovenia, with nothing left to do but leave the car and go by foot to the rental car company to get them to move it for us. But not before I tried to move it and scratched it up myself of course.
A Series of Unfortunate Hotel Events in Italy by Hanna of Rated by Hanna
Location: Rome, Italy
When: 2017
My craziest and most unexpected experience was at our last hotel in Rome on a 14 Day Trip throughout Italy. Day 1, we received the WRONG room placement and key, so when my husband walked in he saw a woman sleeping on the bed. They reassigned us to a backup room. Day 2, the new room’s shower and rod curtain fell on my head while showering! Day 3, our room key was deactivated and they made a dinner reservation for us at the Hard Rock Cafe instead of the Ad Hoc, which they had written on a list of recommendations!
Double Drug Offers in Portugal by Sudanny of Your Girl Sudanny
Location: Lisbon & Olhao, Portugal
When: 2015 & 2017
The craziest situation that I’ve encountered whilst traveling was being offered drugs in Portugal. This did not happen once – but TWICE! The first time this happened was when my partner and I went to Lisbon in 2015. We were walking through Praca Do Comercio when 2 young men approached us with something in their hands. They didn’t speak much; they just tried to discreetly show us that they had drugs on them and wondered if we wanted to buy it. Quite taken aback, my partner and I quickly refused and we went our separate ways.
Fast forward to August 2017, we went back to Portugal, but this time, we stayed in Olhao. My partner, his family, and I were doing our daily shop at the local supermarket when a young couple approached us in one of the aisles in a similar manner to the guys in the first encounter. Again, we were very surprised that even in a place like a supermarket where families are doing their shopping that they’d approach people asking if they wanted to buy drugs. I’m not entirely sure why we were approached on those two occasions, but it was definitely a crazy situation and one that makes my partner and I chuckle when we think back to it, as it’s not something we experience on a day to day basis.
I hope you enjoyed reading these crazy travel stories!
Have you had anything crazy or completely unusual happen to you on your travels? Let us know in the comments!
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