Traveling can be an exciting and educational experience, but it can also be a disaster. From falling ill to becoming the victim of crime, travelers face unexpected dangers and scams.
After someone asked for examples, the internet shared ten terrifying stories about traveling in developed countries, including tales from France, Japan, and England.
1. Paris, France
A family recounted their experience of being mugged in the middle of the day in a crowded area of Paris. Despite being aware of the pickpocketing problem in the city, they were still caught off guard by the incident.
Though, one of the family members had an idea of wearing a fake gold watch to avoid being robbed. However, when they reported the incident to the police, the officers seemed unresponsive and unhelpful. Others noted this being a massive problem in Paris.
2. Rome, Italy
An American traveler shared their experience of having a pleasant visit to Rome, despite encountering locals attempting to scam and harass them. They pointed out that it was during peak tourism season. Although they were well-traveled, they had never experienced such behavior before. It was non-stop scammers.
3. Paris, France
One traveler explained that their hotel in Paris had a carbon monoxide leak. They had to get rushed to the hospital, and the hotel didn't even want to pay for the fees until they threatened to sue them. It worked out, but it was not the best vacation.
4. Tokyo, Japan
A group of visitors shared their experience of being stopped by the Tokyo police while walking down the sidewalk with their friends. The police were friendly and asked for their passport, which they didn’t have as they were military personnel.
They were initially in Okinawa and were in Tokyo for a weekend trip. Fortunately, they accepted their state IDs and were allowed to proceed. However, later that day, they had a negative experience with a taxi driver in Akihabara, who aggressively told them to leave.
5. Germany
Another traveler with Northern European ancestors had an unpleasant experience in Germany with an older man who yelled at them for being an American in his country without speaking German. So closely that he spat in their face. Despite this, they still enjoyed their trip overall but said the experience felt threatening, and he was scared.