Travel is a fascinating concept. Adventurers plan their lives around experiences meant to enlighten, though when things go wrong, the opposite can sometimes happen. Ironically, many travelers revel in their misadventures more than those that go well.
1. Stalked by a Puma
Imagine the scene: you just pitched your tent by a lake in Patagonia and are preparing for some food. Only then do you realize something has been watching you the whole time: a puma. This scenario found an adventurer in Argentina who knew not to try and run.
Instead, they spent a sleepless night tending to a deterrent fire while clutching a hunting knife.
2. Even the Loose Change In His Pockets
When one unsuspecting backpacker made the mistake of falling asleep on a night bus in India, he awoke to despair. Thieves had stolen all his bags, his phone, and his wallet. They even took his shoes and the loose change from his pockets.
However, we must ask a pertinent question: how can someone sleep so heavily?
3. An Irishman Sleeping In the Bathtub
The joy of sleeping in hostels visits the next commenter, who recalls a journey through Ireland, where they encountered a local in the B & B shared bathroom. He was asleep in the bathtub with his pants around his ankles and a trail of destruction around him.
It appears the poor guy was too drunk to stand up and slipped into the tub after trying to grab the roll holder for support, falling asleep after a futile attempt to escape.
4. A Creepy Tuk-Tuk Driver
On a rural Asian backpacking trip, a young lady hailed a tuk-tuk cab for the nearest town, where she would dine for the evening. However, her driver had other ideas, urging her to join him in an alternate jungle location where his friends would “enjoy” her company.
The final straw came when he grabbed her by the arm and drove in the opposite direction. The stricken backpacker then used her umbrella to beat her assailant until he stopped, leaving her with a terrifying three-hour walk to the town.
5. The Door Bar Worked
When a Georgian woman drove across the nation to visit a Californian friend, her San Diego hotel “screamed run” from the outset. However, exhausted from her last stretch of driving, she relented and took her room.
At 4 a.m., she heard someone trying to open her door, having unlocked it from the outside. Thankfully, she had put the extra bar lock across. Her hotel had double-booked her with another long-term renter.
6. A Park In Berlin
The next female traveler recalls her time in Berlin when a stranger stopped to ask her a question in Tiergarten, then grabbed her wrist, refusing to let go until she went with him. Luckily, her friend called at that moment, allowing the girl to share her plight.
Her friend told the creep she had called the police, who were waiting outside the park — this is when he let her go.
7. The Cup & Ball Game Scam
Street scammers always look for the kindest, most altruistic-looking tourists to enact their shameful behavior. In Paris, a witness noticed how one man won the first 100-euro round, cut his losses, and walked away.
The scammers then followed him for a menacing few blocks, trying to threaten him to give the money back. Only when he neared a crowded area they relented.
8. Rescued by a Train
When a young backpacker was in a Parisian train station, she couldn’t find her concourse. Two street hustler men noticed her situation, asked where she was going, and followed her.
Thinking fast, she looked at her “imaginary watch” and made for the nearest concourse, jumping on a train going elsewhere before they could catch her up.
9. A Roman Standoff
In another story involving a European city and a young female traveler, the next tourist finds a dangerous character approaching her with a knife.
When her fight-or-flight mode kicked in, she made aggressive gestures to scare him off, then threw some money on the floor before flagging down other people who helped scare him away.
10. The Taxi Driver Saved Him
When a gentleman was walking the streets of Cartagena, Colombia, it dawned on him he had made two glaring errors. Firstly, he was a Caucasian tourist; secondly, he was drunk, and it was 3 a.m., making him a prime target for mugging. His fears came true when a hooded man began following him.
Subsequently, he quickened his pace to the hotel. Just as he thought all was lost, a cab driver pulled over next to him, gesturing the tourist into the vehicle because a “bad man” was behind him. What a kind man.
11. A Shadowy Figure Was Watching
The next wanderer reflects on a solo hiking trip in the remote mountains above Lake Berryessa, California, taking a spooky turn. Resting after hiking around the lake, he sensed a presence somewhere nearby, then scanned his perimeter, expecting to see an elk or bear.
He saw something even creepier: a man dressed in all black standing by the treeline, staring down at him. Considering it strange that the figure had no hiking gear or backpack, he reached for his phone to take a photo. When he looked back, the shadowy figure had gone.
Source: reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/li9xo8/solo_travelers_what_is_your_creepiest_travel_story/
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Martha A. Lavallie
Martha is a journalist with close to a decade of experience in uncovering and reporting on the most compelling stories of our time. Passionate about staying ahead of the curve, she specializes in shedding light on trending topics and captivating global narratives. Her insightful articles have garnered acclaim, making her a trusted voice in today's dynamic media landscape.
