Worst Travel Experiences

asherbassad · 02-11-2015 5:40pm

I suppose I haven't had too bad an experience travelling apart from the usual crap, missed flight, delayed luggage, sat next to a wanker, etc. But I did have a return from travel nightmare. I was going on a weeks training course to the US and another few days seeing friends after so 12 days. This was in august and I was living in Amsterdam at the time.
Woke up late, but I had packed so ran out with bags ticket, wallet passport, locked the apartment and fled to the taxi rank. Got to Schipol, checked in, sucked down quick triple vodka and tonic and boarded.
Only then did the horror hit me. I'd poured half a cauldron of stew into the bin, along with various other items from the fridge the night before with the intention of putting the bag on the street in the morning when I left. Milk, couple of eggs, half a block of pate, a banana.....and the stew all to sit there in a stifling apartment for 12 days.

I had nobody to contact to go in and take out the bin.

Can you imagine the wall of stench that I returned to, along with the accompanying blue-bottle, fly, and maggot apocalypse.

RoyalMarine · 02-11-2015 6:06pm

Horrible story, but it fits the thread.

Coming home from Thailand one year, stopped in Dubai. Travelling with a mate from the UK, he was bound for London, I had a connecting flight to Dublin.

In Dubai, we got pulled aside to be searched, along with 20 or so others.
One by one they brought us in to a private room, and went through everything. Took around 15 minutes per person.

Anyway, my turn came, and I went in. Bags on the desk, poured on the table, and they checked the lining, a quick swab test, everything through the xray etc.
Then asked to take off all clothes. Down to my boxers. they let me leave them on. Told to bend over a desk, and the glove came out.
Straight up the arse, and a quick wiggle about. On exit, a river of shít followed his finger and it went all over his sleeve and the floor. even got his shoe.

Did I mention I had food poisoning from eating fried frogs from a street vendor in Bangkok 2 days earlier? No. I guess I should have.

They screamed at me, sent me to a shower room and disposed of my boxers for me.

bodhrandude · 02-11-2015 6:30pm

Duggy747 wrote: »

Needed to get to Galway so Bus Eireann pulls up, I ask the driver and he says: "Sure there's ones that leave from Knock airport, I'll sort ya out!"

Hop on the bus to Knock so.

We get to Knock airport, bus driver and I hop off and go over to a timetable.

Galway bus not due for another 6 hours.

Bus driver shrugs his shoulders, hops on his bus and promptly fúcks off leaving me in the car park.

Bastard.

Where were you coming from, you should have hitched out to the main road and got the Feda O'Donnell bus, you'll know the next time anyway.

mzungu · 02-11-2015 6:40pm

RoyalMarine wrote: »

Horrible story, but it fits the thread.

Coming home from Thailand one year, stopped in Dubai. Travelling with a mate from the UK, he was bound for London, I had a connecting flight to Dublin.

In Dubai, we got pulled aside to be searched, along with 20 or so others.
One by one they brought us in to a private room, and went through everything. Took around 15 minutes per person.

Anyway, my turn came, and I went in. Bags on the desk, poured on the table, and they checked the lining, a quick swab test, everything through the xray etc.
Then asked to take off all clothes. Down to my boxers. they let me leave them on. Told to bend over a desk, and the glove came out.
Straight up the arse, and a quick wiggle about. On exit, a river of shít followed his finger and it went all over his sleeve and the floor. even got his shoe.

Did I mention I had food poisoning from eating fried frogs from a street vendor in Bangkok 2 days earlier? No. I guess I should have.

They screamed at me, sent me to a shower room and disposed of my boxers for me.

Christ, I didn't think random searches got that invasive...even in Dubai. Thats a bit nuts.

02-11-2015 7:18pm

Not long ago I spent a few months in an Middle Eastern country currently going through some civil unrest, although not as bad as in some in the area. I was escorted to and from work every day, and was quite isolated and not really having much of a good time, but getting on with it.

One night I got desperately sick with food poisoning and wound up in hospital with dehydration. While I was dying a thousand deaths in hospital, bombs started going off outside and there was gunfire in the streets. We'd played dodge the mob a few times previous to this and I really thought this was the end game. My family didn't know I was sick and I was lying there helpless, wondering if I should let them know or if I should leave it to fate. Anyway, I recovered and went back to work in a few days.

From that point on it got more and more threatening, the car was surrounded a few times and shaken with the intention of turning it over, one of the security guys got out and was shooting into the sky to disperse the mob. Every day was scary just getting to work.

About a month before I was due to leave the security guys came and hammered down my door at 2 am and started stuffing my things into bags. Specific threats had been made towards foreigners working in my area and they had me packed and at the airport within an hour. Sitting in the plane seat and getting out of there was some surreal feeling at the time. Took me days to assimilate what had gone on the previous few weeks, you just don't realise the stress you're under until it's gone.

I've had a couple of goats slaughtered in my honour, not that I wanted this to happen. I had to drink the blood on one occasion as refusal would have been a dreadful insult to my hosts, and I was in dysentery hell for ten days afterwards. Another time I was told by a government official to get out of another country because I insulted him, that was pretty hairy too at the time.

Nothing too exciting compared to some of the travel stories here.

eisenberg1 · 02-11-2015 7:19pm

RoyalMarine wrote: »

Horrible story, but it fits the thread.

Coming home from Thailand one year, stopped in Dubai. Travelling with a mate from the UK, he was bound for London, I had a connecting flight to Dublin.

In Dubai, we got pulled aside to be searched, along with 20 or so others.
One by one they brought us in to a private room, and went through everything. Took around 15 minutes per person.

Anyway, my turn came, and I went in. Bags on the desk, poured on the table, and they checked the lining, a quick swab test, everything through the xray etc.
Then asked to take off all clothes. Down to my boxers. they let me leave them on. Told to bend over a desk, and the glove came out.
Straight up the arse, and a quick wiggle about. On exit, a river of shít followed his finger and it went all over his sleeve and the floor. even got his shoe.

Did I mention I had food poisoning from eating fried frogs from a street vendor in Bangkok 2 days earlier? No. I guess I should have.

They screamed at me, sent me to a shower room and disposed of my boxers for me.

Jeez, a bit rough. Were they customs officers or cops? I would have thought you would need to caught with something on you or in your bag before they go ramming a finger up yer Jacksie?

ArnoldJRimmer · 02-11-2015 8:40pm

Regarding Dubai airport, I flew through Abu Dhabi during the SARs scare. We were marched out of the plane on the runway, weren't even allowed near the terminal building. We were then taken into a separate prefab building where we filled out forms and doctor's examined everyone. Didn't get a finger up the hole though. So basically, they can be a bit nuts in UAE

Subcomandante Marcos · 02-11-2015 8:43pm

Turtyturd wrote: »

Atlanta...no more needs to be said.

What's wrong with Atlanta? It's a pretty nice city tbh.

questionmark? · 02-11-2015 9:50pm

Candie wrote: »

Not long ago I spent a few months in an Middle Eastern country currently going through some civil unrest, although not as bad as in some in the area. I was escorted to and from work every day, and was quite isolated and not really having much of a good time, but getting on with it.

One night I got desperately sick with food poisoning and wound up in hospital with dehydration. While I was dying a thousand deaths in hospital, bombs started going off outside and there was gunfire in the streets. We'd played dodge the mob a few times previous to this and I really thought this was the end game. My family didn't know I was sick and I was lying there helpless, wondering if I should let them know or if I should leave it to fate. Anyway, I recovered and went back to work in a few days.

From that point on it got more and more threatening, the car was surrounded a few times and shaken with the intention of turning it over, one of the security guys got out and was shooting into the sky to disperse the mob. Every day was scary just getting to work.

About a month before I was due to leave the security guys came and hammered down my door at 2 am and started stuffing my things into bags. Specific threats had been made towards foreigners working in my area and they had me packed and at the airport within an hour. Sitting in the plane seat and getting out of there was some surreal feeling at the time. Took me days to assimilate what had gone on the previous few weeks, you just don't realise the stress you're under until it's gone.

I've had a couple of goats slaughtered in my honour, not that I wanted this to happen. I had to drink the blood on one occasion as refusal would have been a dreadful insult to my hosts, and I was in dysentery hell for ten days afterwards. Another time I was told by a government official to get out of another country because I insulted him, that was pretty hairy too at the time.

Nothing too exciting compared to some of the travel stories here.

That's sounds mad. What country was that?

Kiwi in IE · 02-11-2015 10:04pm

Took off from Bangkok airport just as a huge thunder storm started. Extreme turbulence during takeoff, including the plane dropping suddenly without warning numerous times, water started pouring out of the ceiling in several places in cabin. Everyone on plane thought we had been struck by lightening and were going down, people screaming, flight crew looking shocked and panicked. It took several minutes of mayhem while the water and turbulence continued, before the Captain came on to say that the plane was sound, the air conditioning unit had malfunctioned and was causing the water leakages and that the level turbulence we were experiencing was to be expected due to the weather. I really thought that was it for a few minutes.

FTA69 · 03-11-2015 12:30pm

Forgot this absolute beauty from two years ago:

I was visiting friends in the Basque Country (Vitoria-Gasteiz) and spent 3 days on the absolute and utter p*ss, getting bang on it from 2pm every day and sleeping around 3 hours a night. On the Sunday morning my mate woke me up at 8am and somehow I managed to get from his apartment into the centre of Gasteiz, from there a bus from Gasteiz to Bilbao, from Bilbao to the airport and then to my departure gate... where I promptly fell asleep due to the absolute debauchery of the nights before.

I woke up in a panic only to see my plane taxiing down the runway and then taking off leaving me stranded in Bilbao. In other words, 150 odd c*nts had sat next to me, queued up for 30 minutes and boarded the plane and not one of them decided to wake me up. Shower of bastards.

I had to book a new flight which cost me £199 and had to wait in that sh*theap of an airport for 10 hours. The Guardia Civil lads at security were laughing so much they nearly fell over and one fella brought me into the staff room to tell the rest of them this hilarious story.

03-11-2015 1:32pm

Lived rough in a tent around France for a summer. Headed home got to Rosslare Euro-port as a walk on passenger. I was rough as fook! I mean homeless rough. Anyway they decided to search me for drugs. Of which I had none on me.
I warned them as they went through my bags. I told them I have been homeless living on the streets of France for the last three months.
They went through everything, sock after sock, the smell of my gear was repugnant. They were actually dry heaving. Then they did the strip search. All the way to the jocks. I was going if ye want to lads. They gave up ! just left everything on the table and walked out of the room

ohnonotgmail · 03-11-2015 2:33pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Forgot this absolute beauty from two years ago:

I was visiting friends in the Basque Country (Vitoria-Gasteiz) and spent 3 days on the absolute and utter p*ss, getting bang on it from 2pm every day and sleeping around 3 hours a night. On the Sunday morning my mate woke me up at 8am and somehow I managed to get from his apartment into the centre of Gasteiz, from there a bus from Gasteiz to Bilbao, from Bilbao to the airport and then to my departure gate... where I promptly fell asleep due to the absolute debauchery of the nights before.

I woke up in a panic only to see my plane taxiing down the runway and then taking off leaving me stranded in Bilbao. In other words, 150 odd c*nts had sat next to me, queued up for 30 minutes and boarded the plane and not one of them decided to wake me up. Shower of bastards.

I had to book a new flight which cost me £199 and had to wait in that sh*theap of an airport for 10 hours. The Guardia Civil lads at security were laughing so much they nearly fell over and one fella brought me into the staff room to tell the rest of them this hilarious story.

In fairness Vitoria is a fantastic town so at least you had a good time first. My brother married a girl from Vitoria and the wedding was savage. Those basques can certainly put it away and know how to have a good time.

Liam28 · 03-11-2015 2:39pm

Last year was in Germany for work and went to the Ireland Germany soccer match, the one where John O'Shea got the late equalizer. The night after the game I had a flight back from Dusseldorf to Dublin. That day all roads, trains, flights in and out of the airport were cancelled as they had found a WWII bomb in the airport. Eventually got in and through security to wait for the flight to be rescheduled. Finally they decided no flights that night and the Dublin flight was rerouted from Cologne. Buses were provided to bring the few hundred people about 45 mins down the autobahn to Cologne. Bear in mind: 1. Several hours delay in an airport for hundreds of Irish soccer fans = several hours more drinking. 2. Everyone had stocked up on duty free in Dusseldorf.
The trouble started when we had to go through security again in Cologne airport and security wanted to confiscate all liquids including duty free booze. A mini-riot ensued as typically efficient German security men tried to separate typically inebriated Irish soccer fans from their newly purchased alcohol. I handed over my bottle of wine bought for the wife and went through. But one man who had 2 bottles of Scotch for €40 each was not so co-operative. He decided he would rather drink them there and then than give them up. Many others had the same idea and an impromptu session started at security gates. Much finger-pointing, name calling, chanting etc ensued.
I don't know what happened those hard core fans and if they got on the plane, so not really a bad travel experience for me as I was mostly an observer. When security reinforcements were called in I decided that Germany was not the place to argue the intricacies of aviation security law for the sake of about €20.

storker · 03-11-2015 2:50pm

I don't think I've ever had a bad experience travelling abroad. The worst experience I can remember was a bus from Connolly Station to Bray because the train had been canceled. The bus was crowded and too hot and the driver had country music playing on the radio, the real awful stuff. And there was ages of it before we even got going.

I sat and sweated and endured that bloody noise until the announcer said something like "News and current affairs will be at 7" Yay! Five minutes to go. Sure enough, the program came to a merciful end...and the driver punched in another station...where a country music programme was starting. He obviously had the programming schedules in his head so he could hop from the end of one country programme to the beginning of another. It was a looong journey.

Some scars never heal...

RoyalMarine · 03-11-2015 3:45pm

eisenberg1 wrote: »

Jeez, a bit rough. Were they customs officers or cops? I would have thought you would need to caught with something on you or in your bag before they go ramming a finger up yer Jacksie?

coming from Thailand 8 years ago, it was more common back then to do invasive searches. Had it done twice in Dubai and once in Bahrain.

Capt'n Midnight · 04-11-2015 1:17am

Duggy747 wrote: »

Galway bus not due for another 6 hours.

Never mind timetables in Africa a lot of buses don't move until they are full.

Guy I knew paid his ticket and got onto a parked bus. Then everyone else got up and left. They were only decoys. So yer man was on the bus all alone and had to stay until it was full. And if you can see through the bus it isn't full yet.

RayM · 04-11-2015 1:22am

On a Citylink coach from Galway to Dublin - the driver was playing an Enya album on repeat for the whole 5-hour journey (an hour of which was spent stuck in Moate). Closest I've ever come to just ending it all.

mzungu · 04-11-2015 1:23am

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Never mind timetables in Africa a lot of buses don't move until they are full.

Guy I knew paid his ticket and got onto a parked bus. Then everyone else got up and left. They were only decoys. So yer man was on the bus all alone and had to stay until it was full. And if you can see through the bus it isn't full yet.

Only way to avoid that conundrum is to get up at the crack of dawn to get the very first buses....usually 4, 5 or the very latest 6am. Anytime after that and ye have a long wait on your hands for the bus to eventually get going.

Belox · 10-11-2015 5:12pm

3 years back in Thailand had to stay on my feet for 4 hours during the buss trip and it looks like ordinary thing there. Thanks God I had no backpack with me.

Worst Travel Experiences

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