Some people think that living a life full of travel is all about running barefoot in green fields with blossoming daisies, while unicorns are running carefree in the background and the sun is shining down upon you softly. Well, I can’t complaint as such, but let’s keep it real: not everyday is a wonder.
There are little things that get to you when you do not have a permanent home, there are places that suck, there are people you meet that you’d rather just read about in books… horror books. There’s food poisoning situations, flea infections, tick fever… it’s all “been there, done that”.
Halloween seemed like a good time to look into some of the worst travel moments we have lived. The good thing is that now, in retrospect, I can laugh about all of them (or almost). But when they happened, they sure seemed like we were trapped in a horror movie…
From bad to worst,
these are some our travel horror stories:
3. Posada del Quijote in Comitan: Poo Aromatherapy
Poo aromatherapy in Comitan
Once upon a time, when we started traveling full-time, we hit the land of tacos, jalapeños and tequila. Cliches aside, Mexico is, still to date, one of the most enjoyable countries we have traveled around. But it’s also true that it is home to 2 of our top horror stories.
The first one happened in Comitan, a town in the estate of Chiapas, where we spent a night en route to Lagos de Montebello. As we hand’t plan to stay there, we hadn’t booked any accommodation in advance. And as it was Christmas season, there was NOTHING available. We convinced a small guesthouse to rent us a room, that looked like a dungeon – this was probably where reception staff would take naps between shifts. Or go to the toilet. Or maybe not even they had the guts to go inside… this was a forgotten corner room where spirits of rotting creatures could be felt.
Our prison like cubicle had a rickety bed and a toilet… all in the same room! The toilet was leaking and a stench of poo was lingering in the air…
2. Airbnb Gone Wrong: 2 nights at the Adams Family House
Airbnb gone wrong: horror movie shower in Mexico City
A few weeks after our poo aromatherapy night, we arrived to Mexico City, where we had booked a room in a local’s house, via Airbnb. “YAY, we’re staying with some local people”, we thought. But little we knew that a story of rotten showers, food with fungus, kidnapping, creepy people and rats under the bed awaited us.
1. Salvador da Bahia: a Carnival tale with a not so happy ending
Ashray dancing with evil
Our previous horror stories look like cute babies smiling innocently as compared to this last one. This is the only instance in my life when, at least thinking in retrospect, I acknowledge that we could have been seriously hurt or, worst case scenario, died.
This was Carnival in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, where we partied with the locals, roamed the streets all day dancing along with thousands of people, and then when the night came down, got robbed, punched and ended up in hospital.
This horror story definitely takes the cake. Read everything that happened the day we decided to join “the biggest party on Earth”!
Do you have any travel horror stories?
Share them with us in the comments and…
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
I have been in very odd accommodations so far since we started traveling, but I didn’t experience rats behind the bed yet and I don’t think I’d love to. Creepy!!!!
I hope it stays that way and you don’t have to ever share a room with rats.. it’s not pleasant!.. :S