Have you ever made a massive mistake while traveling? I have. I went to Israel and Palestine on a Holyland Tour for college. I didn’t even think scissors were a weapon, and I packed them to assist with a school project.
My face was red when the Israeli airport lady explained why these were a no-no. America didn’t catch them because, unlike Israel, you don’t have every single suitcase picked through before leaving the airport. Here are some other traveler confessions.
1. Never Paid for the Ticket
What would you do if you got to Machu Picchu and discovered you never paid for the ticket? That happened to this traveler who found his reservation canceled five hours after making it to Peru.
Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains and booked for weeks. So this traveler was on the train to Machu Picchu before realizing his error. They made the most of it by enjoying the train ride and lunch at a restaurant in Agua Calientes with a beautiful view.
Related: Travel Hacking: It’s How You Save Money Traveling
2. The Kindness of Strangers
Another traveler arrived in Mozambique, East Africa, with only South African Rand. They believed they could withdraw cash or pay for the visa on arrival with a credit card. However, the card wasn’t working!
Because they needed the correct currency to pay for their visa, they were stuck and unable to get into the country. Fortunately, a “kind person” behind them paid for the visa. Then, they could contact their family to help activate their cards.
“It was one of the most touching moments of kindness I’d experienced, and also a lesson to always always always carry enough cash on you while traveling.”
3. Party Like a Miss Your Flight Star
A partygoer confessed to partying all night in Lan Kwai Fong (LKF), Hong Kong, before their 9:30 am flight home. Finally, they arrived at their hostel at 6: am and decided to take a “quick nap.” Their backpack was packed, they had already checked in, and they closed their eyes. Unfortunately, they woke up at 9:45 am.
4. Bags All Aboard
Oof. Another reason not to smoke! This traveler ran to his train from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, Germany. After loading his suitcases, he stepped off the train for a smoke. Immediately, the doors closed, and all of his possessions headed to Frankfurt without him.
Fortunately, his wallet, passport, and phone were in his pocket. So he took a couple of trains and a flight to Frankfurt, but his suitcases weren’t on the train! After calling around for a few days, he located them in Utrecht, Netherlands.
So he had to rent a car and drive the 12 hours round trip from Frankfurt to Utrecht and back to Frankfurt. He confesses to not telling the story too often.
5. Forgotten Passport
Imagine driving from Kentucky to Canada only to forget your passport! I checked, and it’s 1,621 miles of drive time one way. This user admitted a feeling of sinking in the pit of their stomach as Canada turned them away.
6. Daylight Savings
One traveler drank way too much before their train from Rome to Venice. So they booked it to the train station with ten minutes to spare. Only to discover they were 50 minutes late due to daylight savings time.
7. Passport in the Hotel Safe
Imagine leaving your passport in the hotel safe and only realizing it once arriving at the airport. That’s what happened to this traveler flying out of Prague. Unfortunately, the hotel was 90 minutes away, and there was no way to retrieve it and make the flight.
So the traveler spoke with the hotel and arranged a cab to deliver the passport. Nonetheless, the airport refused to allow them to process and board because it was less than an hour to depart on an international flight. So they spent another night in Prague.
8. Right Day, Wrong Month.
Another traveler booked a flight from San Cristobal de las Casas to Cancun on the correct date but for the following month. It was “the exact same flight.”
They only realized once arriving at the airport, two hours from town. There was nothing the airlines would do about it. Furthermore, they had a broken foot, in a boot, with crutches, and a wheelchair, making the entire thing all the more complex and upsetting. “I now always triple-check the dates and times.”
9. Flushed Passport
One woman explained that she traveled internationally for the first time when she was sixteen. As she got up to use the bathroom, the woman next to her told her to take her passport.
“I promptly dropped my passport into the toilet where it slipped through the toilet crack and into the… well…A flight attendant tried to retrieve it (god bless her) but with no luck.”
Related: Don’t Stress! Make a Travel Checklist
10. India Without a Visa
Finally, one traveler flew to India without a visa. Some airports are visa-on-arrival, but they weren’t at one of them. So instead, they spent the night in airport jail and had an arm escort out before getting on a plane to Malaysia.
This thread inspired this post.
