Epic travel pictures and awesome adventurous videos are all over the Facebook walls and Instagram accounts of most Globetrotters. Add a hashtag (or a hundred of them) and BAMMMM... time to count all our likes and feel like a heroic celebrity (for 1 minute).
But what about our not so heroic travel moments? You know just as well as I do that at some point in our trips, we all go through some embarrassing stories that make us think: YEP! That just happened… We usually don't share these awkward moments, because they're not something to be proud of.
Today, is not a usual day. So here I am, going all in and sharing 5 of my not-so-great travel moments. #honestyrules #epicfail
#1 NIGHT TRAIN TOILETS
When I was a little girl, my mom always told me that you shouldn’t use train toilets when the train is at a station. That all made sense to me in the Western world, but when I was in India it all of the sudden did not make that much sense to me anymore.
First of all, how was I supposed to know when we were at a station? Some night trains drive with open doors and go at a very slow speed. People are hopping on and off while the train is still driving. Therefore, my apologies to the people at a station located god-knows-where in India between Kochi and Goa. I just really needed to go and when I flushed the toilet I was just as appalled to see all the contents of the toilet on the rails... right next to dozens of passengers waiting to hop on the train. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN...
#2 FORGETTING TO COVER UP
What is rule number 1 when visiting a temple in Asia? Indeed, cover your arms and legs! No rocket science, but on a hot and humid day, I managed to forget to dress appropriately. Luckily, me and my travel mates managed to be creative with what we had. We turned a scarf into a long skirt and used a mini towel to cover our shoulders. So what is so embarrassing about that? Have a look at the picture below. FASHION FAIL!
#3 AN UNWANTED SOUVENIR
I love Asian food, so I really pay attention to what I eat. I don't want to end up spending most of my trip on the toilet. But no matter how careful you are, sometimes you end up getting sick anyway. After three weeks of travelling in Thailand and Cambodia, I somehow took a new friend with me on my trip home: a nice little parasyte who was having a house party in my bowels. A couple of interesting visits to the toilet convinced me to go to the doctor. Who found out about my new friend. All I had to do was take four pills and the bastard disappeared from my life. But still... not the best souvenir to bring home. I will spare you the toilet details!
#4 TALL PEOPLE IN SMALL SPACES
I happen to be a very tall girl (6 ft 2/ 1.86 m.). So tall that I tend to hit my head regularly. I was lucky enough to find a bar in Mumbai where I had to tilt my head slightly in order not to hit the ceiling. Very comfortable indeed! While I was waiting in the line to go to the bathroom, I found out that a local Indian guy had the same ceiling-touching-head problem. We ended up having a short chat and exchanging other embarrassing stories caused by our tallness. My friends thought it would be funny to capture that moment in a lovely picture so I would never ever forget. Thanks, girls!
#5 TUKTUK VS ME: 1-0
Did you know that entering a tuk tuk with your backpack still on your back is not a very bright idea? I learned that the hard way. I was in a bit of a hurry, because I needed to get to the train station on time, so I just forgot about my loyal friend called backpack. I got stuck, fell on my back and could not get up anymore. So I stayed there lying on the floor like a helpless turtle for a minute or two. On the bright side, I entertained several random passers-by who seemed to enjoy my little slapstick scene. You're welcome, random passers-by!
