Traveling can be a rewarding experience, a chance to immerse yourself in the unknowns of a foreign land. But along with the excitement and thrill, there often rests the unknown. That’s why it’s always wise to step with caution and preparedness, especially when you’re in a completely new and strange environment. Sometimes, unexpected things can happen and it’s either fascinating or frightening. People in an online travel forum revealed the weirdest and craziest experiences they have had abroad, and here are some of them.
1. An Air Force Base Visit
Due to a CEO’s suggestion, one traveler rides an Uber in Saudi Arabia, expecting a straightforward journey to the airport. Instead, they make a scary detour through a Saudi Air Force Base, raising alarm among armed guards. But the ride doesn’t stop there, the driver breezes past the airport not once, but twice. “I’m in the back wondering how hard I can punch the CEO in the face without getting fired.” our traveler adds. The final act of this eerie ride? Being dropped at the wrong side of the airport and paying a hefty sum for the correct cab ride.
2. Lost
Once while exploring an underground city in Turkey, a child got separated from their parents and the group. They couldn’t find anyone who spoke English until a man who spoke a little English helped them find their way back to the surface.
This experience was scary enough, but being unable to communicate made it even more terrifying. She was finally reunited with her parents. Imagine being lost as a child in a place where no one speaks your language or understands you. Chills.
3. El Acosador
Imagine being in Mexico with a friend and having a creepy guy follow you. No Bueno! It happened to an adventurer and their friend. They initially shrugged it off, but things turned darker as they returned to their room.
The stranger began following them closely, and things felt incredibly dangerous with no light to avert the situation. To escape, they pretended they were waiting for the rest of their group and slowed their pace to stay within a well-lit area. When a family with young kids appeared, they joined up with them, and the stalker vanished.
4. Border Patrol
Traveling alone from Hungary to Romania, one woman felt a big chill run down her spine. Despite being assured that many tourists took this train, it was virtually empty. Things worsened when Romanian officials took her passport off the train around 3:00 am, leaving her onboard with no ID or way to contact anyone.
Fearing the worst, she was on the verge of a breakdown when another woman on the train noticed her distress and reassured her that this was normal. Normal for Hungary.
5. Whistle Blower
A new teacher in Japan talks about one night while walking home from work. The teacher encountered a young boy whistling at them. In Japan, whistling at night is said to attract demons, so it understandably crept the teacher out.
The boy just kept whistling until the teacher hurried away. But that’s not all. The teacher also found long, thick black hair in their apartment, even in places they had just cleaned. The teacher had red hair and no visitors.
6. Last Supper?
On a Caribbean island, anti-American demonstrations were brewing, making some travelers uneasy all week. But things got interesting at the airport when a uniformed officer ran through yelling and ordering them to follow him to a different room.
It freaked them out, but there was no trouble. Instead, the officer greeted them with delicious coffee and fresh rolls for breakfast. I’d eat with a knot in my stomach.
7. Friendly Surprise
One excursionist joined a friend on a trip to South Africa and ended up in the middle of nowhere at a colonial house with a fence around the entire property. When they arrived one night, he heard something running towards him in the dark and quickly closed the gate. He heard it again, but it was much closer and gaining on him this time.
He started running back to the vehicle in fear, but it turned out to be the friendly dog of the house owner. The only thing you should fear in South Africa is the vuvuzelas.
8. The Banshee’s Scream
On a trip to Costa Rica, a volunteer had gone over to do some work cleaning up plastic from the beach. Finally, after a long day of work, they retired to their sleeping areas. Everything was peaceful until 2:00 am when an ear-piercing scream reached his ears.
It was a pained, sorrowful sound that haunted him. But the locals told him it was just the howler monkeys in the area. So yeah, nature does that sometimes.
9. A Stranger Place
A few years back, a traveler was in Russia, in a smaller town whose name they couldn’t recall. The city looked like a ghost town with only a few people and abandoned buildings. The person noticed almost no cars on the roads.
However, the scariest thing was at the outer edges of the town, where there was a small forest and a small wall in front of it. Nothing else was around, just a small forest with a clean, untouched concrete wall. The person saw hats hanging from the trees in the small forest.
10. No Winning the Law
In Afghanistan, a civilian contractor ran off with a local girl. When he fled to Pakistan, they started looking for the girl. Instead, they found her beaten and lifeless after her family killed her.
They had to allow the Afghan police to handle it, but the judge couldn’t press charges because the family claimed the girl dishonored them, and thus they had to eliminate her. Unfortunately, the law allowed it, so there was no winning in this situation.
11. Coup D’état
If you think a snake on a plane was scary, check this out. During a layover in Turkey in 2016, a military coup broke out. The airport staff left, and visible security disappeared. People were left wandering around, trying to figure out what to do.
As night fell, anxiety rose as rumors of army blockades and riots outside spread. Panic set in with loud noises, and people ran in random directions. A fighter jet’s sonic boom caused the most severe panic run. Luckily, the coup failed, and the airport gradually got workers back.
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