ApocalypseDreams Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 All of the travelers on ENA, what are your best travel stories, incidents and misadventures? Some of mine are: - Arriving in Syria, hitting the streets of Damascus and within 5 minutes people were walking up to me, shaking my hand and welcoming me to Syria, wishing me a safe stay and then walking off. Other times I was invited back to people's houses to have a meal with them or even stay with them. I've never experienced that kind of hospitality before. It really was something else. - Being offered the opportunity to fly first class on the flight back from Cuba to London for 100 pounds at check in. Apparently I was randomly selected for an upgrade but I'm pretty sure it was a bribe. - Getting a service taxi in South Lebanon driven by two young guys who were making it pretty clear that they were supporters of a particular group that most Western countries consider a terrorist organisation. - Entering Israel twice. The most intense border security I've come accross. The checkpoint between Palestine and Israel will particularly stick with me. - Being in a car accident in Syria, resulting in the complete write off of a mini van we hired and subsequently being detained in a small Syrian jail for 3 days. - Being stuck in Egypt during the protests earlier this year and not being able to withdraw any money, use the internet, call home or help, have access to reliable news or get to my embassy in Cairo. I left the place I was in with the equivalent of $10 dollars and went to the Israeli border. Thankfully, after 5 hours of waiting and questioning they let us in. Link to comment
Unwanted Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Mine are pretty tame compared to yours...one day, maybe one day, I'll get detained in a foreign country for something trivial - Japan: couldn't afford the shinkansen back to Tokyo from Kyoto, booked an overnight bus, only to spend 8 hours next to a homeless man who smelt like, well, poo - HCM Vietnam: eating a big massive meal in the markets, and finding myself hallucinating in Madame Loi's backpacker's hostel refusing to go to the toilet to relieve myself because I thought there was a small Vietnamese man hiding in my bathroom...kids, watch what they put in your noodles - Hanoi Vietnam: being staunch and pretending I could ride a scooter like the rest of the locals...only to find myself in some back alley and a scooter on top of me I want to be a nomad One day.... Link to comment
ApocalypseDreams Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 - HCM Vietnam: eating a big massive meal in the markets, and finding myself hallucinating in Madame Loi's backpacker's hostel refusing to go to the toilet to relieve myself because I thought there was a small Vietnamese man hiding in my bathroom...kids, watch what they put in your noodles I've heard pretty much any meal in SE Asia that is termed "special" has had *special* ingredients added to them. Ah, being detained in a foreign country isn't much fun. The squat toilet in the jail was diabolical. Link to comment
Bunney Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 can't think of anything atm, but I sure as heck will have some stories when I go on my lil worldtrip starting in 4 weeks Link to comment
ApocalypseDreams Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 can't think of anything atm, but I sure as heck will have some stories when I go on my lil worldtrip starting in 4 weeks Oh awesome! Where are you headed? When you do, come back and treat us to your tales! Link to comment
Bunney Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Starting in Bangkok, heading on my own along the westcoast of Thailand down to Malaysia, then taking the plane from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, staying 10 days on Australias westcoast then taking the plane to Melbourne, working my way up to Brisbane, then from Brisbane with the plane to NZ (after 1.5 months in Australia), Christchurch making my way around the islands for 1.5 months then flying from Auckland to San José, Costa Rica working my way to Panama City then taking the flight back home from there. If I come back alive, I'll share stories on here for sure Link to comment
DN Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Being in Moscow and Leningrad at the height of the Cold War and being stopped on the streets and asked if we had Beatles records and blue jeans. Buying a drink from what appeared to be a big machine on a street off Red Square in Moscow only to see a door in the side open and a little old lady get out to replenish her supplies. Crossing from West Berlin to East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie. Link to comment
ApocalypseDreams Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 Being in Moscow and Leningrad at the height of the Cold War and being stopped on the streets and asked if we had Beatles records and blue jeans. Buying a drink from what appeared to be a big machine on a street off Red Square in Moscow only to see a door in the side open and a little old lady get out to replenish her supplies. Crossing from West Berlin to East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie. Cool! Were there any issues traveling to the Soviet Union at that time as a Westerner? Did you have your hotel room bugged or anything? Link to comment
DN Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Cool! Were there any issues traveling to the Soviet Union at that time as a Westerner? Did you have your hotel room bugged or anything?Not that I was aware of. I noticed that we traveled everywhere by night. Link to comment
stevo1565 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Driving past the US Border patrol thinking they were car jackers only to find out i was then in Mexico and they were actually genuine Link to comment
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