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I was traveling by myself late at night on I-85 and stopped at the rest stop at the Virginia line. After I pulled into a parking space a truck came up the car side instead of going to the truck parking. No way was I getting out of my car with him in the area. I drove on until I found a 24 hour fast food place. Because of that and a couple more experiences at rest stops I don't use them any more unless I see security in the open daylight or a really busy stop.
Colon, Panama, while waiting for our crossing a couple of us decided to go out for the night. After the bar in the sketchy part of town (all of Colon really) closed there was no taxi to take us to the marina. However, a covered pickup with 2 military dudes with rifles told us they'd take us. We didn't think twice and hopped right in. They passed a taxi at the edge of town and flagged him down. Since they saw a cab they couldn't take us all the way to the marina. I guess after spending time in Venezuela, a constant military presence didn't phase me obviously!
Another time I was with my girlfriend (now wife) in Medellin, Colombia. She had just recently bought a row house there but since she lived with me in the states she wasn't too familiar with where it was. We went out one night and she couldn't remember where to guide the taxi driver so we just got out at some random location at 3:00 AM and started walking around. Needless to say I was a bit uneasy but kind of trusted her.
My wife visited Paris a few years ago and stayed at a 5 star hotel. We ended up getting stuck in Paris for a few days, due to the volcanic eruption that grounded flights between Europe and USA (April, 2010). The hotel was fully booked and would not extend our stay, nor help us find another hotel. Not being familiar with Paris, we found another hotel online, but it turned out to be in a bad area of town.
We stayed there for 2 nights, but I "stood guard" and was cautious and nervous. In the end, everything was fine. We made it out without a scratch!
Jan 30, 1968.
In a wildly insane lapse of judgement, I had decided that if I didn't go to Viet Nam, we might lose. The military did not recognize my mindset as a form of insanity, and obliged me by arranging for me to meet about a million Viet Cong soldiers in what became known as The '68 Tet Offensive.
They tried to kill me. I had intended on killing them, but evidently Jane Fonda or someone told them I was coming and they were ready. Oh, Boy, were they ready.....
I have not been back to Viet Nam since. I don't think they liked me.
Here's one: I was 15 years old and traveling through Israel with a group of Jewish students, but somehow got separated from them in Old Jerusalem... must have taken a wrong turn through the twisty paths, as I ended up in the middle of what's called the "Muslim Quarter." For those who don't know, Old Jerusalem is divided into four quarters - Jewish, Muslim/Islam, Armenian, and Christian. There are some beautiful sights and shopping in each, but at least back then, it was NOT safe for a young (especially redheaded American) girl to be wandering through this quarter alone. I was followed by a number of men, saying things like "will you bear my children?" and whistling, one even tried to corner & kiss me in his shop. Needless to say, I booked it out of there as fast as possible!! And I'm usually a pretty tough city gal, so it takes a lot to frighten me.
Then there was the time I was in Las Vegas, on a VERY high floor of the MGM Grand, when a 5.5 earthquake hit. I'm from the Bay Area, and was here when the 7.1 Loma Prieta hit - so it's not like I hadn't felt a quake before. But have you ever been on a high floor of a giant building during one? I'll tell you, it is absolutely terrifying. They're retrofitted/built to sway back & forth, which I guess relieves the pressure to prevent full collapse. It felt like riding a boat in a major storm, added to the fact that I was some 30 stories above the ground. I just gripped the door frame for dear life, and probably said a prayer or two! Once it stopped I went down to the casino floor, and they were gambling away like nothing had happened. LOL
I have a rich friend in another state that would cover most of my costs to take trips I could not afford. But some places he wanted to go had me terrified. We went on Lookout Mtn near Denver. Just small guardrails that didn't look like they could support a car. It looked like maybe a 3,000' drop more-or-less straight down. How many others would be scare like I was? In my state I don't think we have maximum elevation of even 2,500 feet. Best wishes, all!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
During your travels, describe the event that you found at the time to be the scariest or most frightening?
Possibly a different question, what is the thing you did while traveling that was the most dangerous, even though you might not have been scared at the time, unaware of the possible danger?
I've had quite a few in both categories, but I have a tendency to travel with complete faith and optimism that whatever happens, I will come out of it with at worst, a great story to tell. They were things that would make most people's hair stand on end, I think.
Once I was walking in Atlanta and apparently I accidentally walked into some crime ridden housing projects just a few blocks from the MLK Memorial, where I have been asked if I wanted to buy drugs a few times (which I should have probably took as a warning sign in hindsight) and a few people were giving me dirty looks. However some local resident guided me to the nearest MARTA stop and sort of acted as a tour guide showing me various old landmarks and talked about his daughter who was attending college in Baltimore so it was an interesting experience.
I had another experience a few years ago when I was visiting Guatemala City which is known for it's crime problems and trying to find my way back to my cheap hotel at night while being partially blind since I lost my contacts a few days earlier not to mention the streets were pretty desolate. I also had a sketchy looking dude follow me during the ordeal but luckily nothing happened and I made it back in one piece.
Generally speaking though I have been all over North America, Latin America, and Europe and that was pretty much the extent of any "scary" situations I have encountered so far, and most people I encounter were pretty friendly for the most part.
Last edited by diablo234; 03-23-2014 at 11:30 PM..
Some of the scariest moments I've experienced while traveling were as a passenger in a moving car in a few countries...Egypt, Italy, Tunisia and France...psycho driving on streets that weren't even made for two cars at a time. Just nutty and occasionally terrifying.
In Egypt after a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings, our driver got lost from the balloon on his way out, and we drove through a trash dump occupied by many angry dogs that did not like our car.
This one is actually kind of funny. On the way from Cairo to visit Dendara and Abydos, a policeman declared he would escort us. This was right after it was decided convoys were no longer required, but he was determined. And the police car broke down, lol. After sitting a while, he finally let us proceed with our driver and guide without him.
Also in Egypt, while visiting the Temple of Luxor at night, three men corned my sister and me and kind of herded us into a non occupied section, pointed at a statue and declared "Hatshepsut" (later we found out that when trying to get tips, it is assumed tourists only know names like Hatshepsut, Ramses and King Tut) and demanded baksheesh. That was actually scary, as we were outnumbered and overwhelmed.
In Puerto Vallarta, my daughter and her friend were walking ahead of us a bit (they were 11 or 12) and a man approached them. I hurried up to them and he left, but my daughter said he asked her "Are you alone, princesses?"
Once in Hawaii a spider the size of a small monkey attached itself to my husband's leg (I swear, it was big enough to eat meat, like a t-bone steak).
Traveling from Mexico to the Texas Border .
We were waiting in the hot car to pass the border when I suddenly remembered
I had a bag of weed under my seat. I saw the dogs getting closer, but they were sniffing out the parked cars with the trunks already opened.
I put the Baggie in the glove compartment with lots of trash. When we got to the booth
They asked if we had anything to declare. We said no. They asked what did you do while you were in Mexico then? We said just ate and walked through the markets.
The next words sent chills up my spine. " go ahead and pull over to the side for a quick inspection"
We were about 22 at the time. My room mate was cussing me out. I was trying to think who the hell was I going to call when my ass gets thrown into the Mexican Prison.
I was thinking OMG maybe I'll have to do "a favor" to get out of this! I was thinking of that movie "Midnight Express" with the soundtrack and everything going through my head.
I was wearing sunglasses and the Mexican Officer asked me to get out of the car and open up the trunk. I saw this long stick go under all the seats, he checked the ashtrays, asked me to dump my purse out and take my glasses off.
I am thinking I must have looked guilty as hell because he left my female room mate the driver alone.
AND THEN he opened the glove compartment.......stuck the stick in there to poke around.
Talk about your life flashing before your eyes!!!
He then came back around to me and Said I am checking for DIET PILLS. (Back in the 80's this was a hot commodity.)
Told me to always take off your sunglasses when the authorities are talking to you as a sign of respect. Then said, "Ok ladies your free to go"
As soon as we hit Texas, we stopped at the first Church and dropped to our knees!!!
I was such an Idiot.
And no, after we prayed and swore to G-d, I still kept the weed instead of throwing it out.
Then a few days later while stoned, I made a joke about, "wait a damn minute, he must have thought I was fat searching the car for DIET PILLS!!!"
Oh the perils of marijuana use!!!!@/&/&:$;
Such an idiot!!
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