9 Inspiring Travel Stories that Happened Along the Journey

Traveling is full of surprises — some good, some bad, and some that become unforgettable stories you’ll laugh about years later. From being ripped off in the Philippines to watching a tornado form right in front of us in Cuba, we’ve had our fair share of both crazy and beautiful moments.

Some of these stories were scary at the time, others hilarious, and a few simply taught us valuable lessons about patience, trust, and adaptability.

Here are 9 of our most memorable travel stories — the ones that truly shaped the way we see the world.

Our Travel Stories

Manila, The Philippines — Getting Ripped Off (2015)

When we first arrived in the Philippines, we planned to stay just one night in Manila before catching an early flight to Puerto Princesa. The city didn’t have the best reputation, so we thought — let’s just transit through and play it safe.

We booked a small guesthouse near the airport, slept a few hours, and then hopped on a Jeepney, the famous local bus where you can hop on and off anytime. It was packed with locals, and we asked to get off near the airport.

But instead of stopping, the driver kept going. Then, he started demanding more money. We quickly realized that everyone on the bus — the driver and passengers — seemed to be in on it. The atmosphere was tense. We thought about jumping off, but where would we even go?

In the end, we gave in and paid way more than we should have. Something like a thousand times the normal fare. Only then did the driver finally let us off.

We grabbed a regular taxi and got to the airport safely, but let’s just say… that was not the warmest welcome to the Philippines.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: Never use a Jeepney ever again and consider not going back to the Philippines.

El Nido, The Philippines — Almost Dying for Greed (2015)

Our two weeks in the Philippines were supposed to be all about island life — turquoise water, snorkeling, and good food with friends. And for the first ten days, it really was. Until, one by one, we all got sick.

At first, it didn’t seem too bad — just a bit of food poisoning, we thought. A few of us puked once or twice and were fine after a day. I was hit harder, spending almost two days in bed. But for Tina, it got serious — fast.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t eat, and was barely conscious. We had to take her to the hospital, except… there wasn’t one. El Nido didn’t have a hospital, only a small local clinic. The nearest real hospital was hours away in Puerto Princesa, and she couldn’t make the journey in that state.

We carried her to the clinic, hoping for help. The doctor looked at us and said calmly, “First you pay, then I treat.” No empathy, no rush — just business. We were desperate. We gave him all the cash we had and begged to pay the rest the next day. After some arguing, he finally agreed.

Tina was hooked up to an IV, and one of our friends stayed with her overnight. The next morning, they realized the doctor had slowed down the IV drip — apparently to save money on supplies.

When we returned with the rest of the payment (around €700), we found Tina pale but recovering. We got her out of there as fast as possible.

It took her a few more days to regain her strength, but she made a full recovery.

And just when we thought the nightmare was over, I spotted one of the biggest cockroaches I’ve ever seen crawling on the clinic wall. That image still gives me chills.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: in remote places, always travel with a small emergency fund and a basic first-aid kit. You never know when you’ll need them.

Bangkok, Thailand — The Toilet’s Night (2016)

Everyone says you have to try Thai curry when you visit Bangkok — and they’re right. It’s rich, flavorful, and absolutely delicious… until it’s not.

On our first night in the city, we went to a cozy little restaurant inside a shopping mall. I ordered a curry, and it was everything I hoped for — spicy, creamy, and bursting with flavor. But just as I finished the last bite, something started happening in my stomach.

Within seconds, I went from smiling to sprinting. I ran to the toilet like an Olympic sprinter chasing gold — no hesitation, no time to think, just pure survival instinct. Let’s just say cleanliness didn’t matter much at that point.

When I came back, sweating but relieved, Tina was laughing and ready to keep exploring. We wandered the mall a bit more — but a few minutes later, I disappeared again. Back to the toilet.

Two hours later, Tina had seen half the mall, and I had seen every tile of the restroom.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: when it comes to Thai curry, respect the spice levels. Even if you think you can handle it — Bangkok will humble you.

Ubud, Bali — The Unfortunate Shrine (2017)

Ah, Bali — temples, rice terraces, yoga, and incredible food. We loved every minute of it… until one evening when things went from peaceful to panicked in a matter of seconds.

We’d just finished a great dinner in Ubud and were riding our scooter back to our guesthouse. The night was warm, the road quiet, and everything felt perfect — except for one small detail: my stomach.

At first, it was just a cramp. Then another. Then a full-blown emergency. I told Tina, “I really need to stop. Now.” We were on a narrow dirt road, no bathrooms in sight, and I couldn’t hold it any longer.

I slammed the brakes, jumped off the scooter, and sprinted into the bushes. Tina nearly fell off the scooter, laughing and horrified at the same time.

When the chaos was over and I finally looked around… I realized there was a Balinese shrine right behind me. Yep — I had just desecrated a holy place.

To make things even more ironic, our guesthouse was less than 100 meters away. I could’ve made it if I’d held on just a little longer.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: respect the local gods… and maybe skip that extra helping of spicy tempeh next time.

Rishikesh, India — The Little Thief (2018)

Rishikesh is one of those places that instantly feels magical — yoga studios everywhere, peaceful river views, and monkeys casually hanging out on rooftops. We loved it… until we met the wrong kind of monkey.

There are two main types in Rishikesh: the calm ones that mostly mind their business, and the cheeky, aggressive ones that run the show. Unfortunately, we ran into the latter.

One afternoon, we were walking back from the market with a friend who had just bought a bag full of souvenirs. To get home, we had to cross the famous Laxman Jhula Bridge — a scenic suspension bridge over the Ganges River.

Halfway across, a monkey leaped out of nowhere, snatched our friend’s plastic bag, and climbed up one of the bridge cables like a professional thief.

We froze. Locals started laughing and told us not to try to get it back — apparently, these monkeys can get violent. Another tourist who tried to take a picture even got chased off!

So we waited. The monkey sat proudly with the bag, inspecting it like a customs officer. One by one, it pulled out every single souvenir, unwrapped it, realized it wasn’t food, and tossed it aside.

Luckily, everything landed on the bridge and not in the river below. After a good twenty minutes, our friend had all her souvenirs back — slightly scratched but safe.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: when crossing a bridge in India, hide your food — and your shopping bags. The monkeys are smarter than they look.

Cayo Santa María, Cuba — The Day We Saw a Tornado Form (2019)

Cayo Santa María was supposed to be our lazy beach escape — turquoise water, white sand, and not a worry in the world. The weather wasn’t perfect that day, a bit cloudy, but still warm enough to swim, so we went for it.

As we were relaxing on the beach, we noticed dark clouds forming over the sea. It looked like a typical tropical shower — until the clouds started twisting. Slowly, a funnel began stretching down from the sky, spiraling toward the ocean.

We just stood there, half amazed, half panicked. Were we really watching a tornado forming right in front of us? The sea below it started to swirl, and the air grew strangely still — the kind of silence that makes you question every life decision that led you to that beach.

We debated whether to run or stay. My brain said run, my camera said stay. We stayed.

The funnel stretched lower and lower, nearly touching the ocean, until — suddenly — it began to fade. Within minutes, the storm drifted away, leaving behind calm skies and a few stunned beachgoers.

We couldn’t believe it. We had just witnessed a waterspout — a tornado over water — forming and disappearing right before our eyes.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: sometimes nature gives you a show you didn’t buy a ticket for… and you’ll never forget it.

Machu Picchu, Peru — The Unlucky Camera (2019)

Our long-awaited day at Machu Picchu — one of the world’s most iconic sites — didn’t exactly go as planned. We’d dreamed about this moment for years, and when we finally got there… it poured. Not just a little drizzle — we’re talking nonstop, soul-soaking, camera-destroying rain.

At first, we tried to make the best of it, snapping a few photos through the fog. But soon, the rain got so heavy that even our camera gave up. By the end of the day, it wouldn’t turn on at all. That was the end of our “fancy travel camera” phase — from then on, we switched to using our phones for photos (and never looked back).

But the camera drama wasn’t over yet. After leaving Machu Picchu, we sat on a restaurant terrace to dry some of our stuff under the sun. Tina was carefully laying things out when — plop! — she dropped our camera battery straight off the third-floor balcony and onto the roof below.

She froze. Then laughed. Then sprinted downstairs to find it. Against all odds, it had landed in a small garden, completely unharmed.

So, one dead camera, one surviving battery, and a priceless memory of visiting Machu Picchu in what felt like a monsoon.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: bring a rain cover, double-check what’s in your hands, and maybe… keep the batteries on the table.

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile — The Egg Incident (2019)

By the time we reached San Pedro de Atacama, we were halfway through our South American trip — dusty, sunburned, but absolutely in love with the desert landscape. Every morning, our guesthouse served breakfast with freshly cooked eggs. Simple, delicious… or so we thought.

That morning started like any other: blue skies, coffee, eggs. I ate mine and felt fine. Tina did too — until about an hour later.

We were supposed to rent bikes and explore the desert that day, but instead, we ended up walking around town because Tina wasn’t feeling well. And by “not feeling well,” I mean she was having what we later called The Egg Explosion. Let’s just say her stomach had declared war — and both ends were under attack.

She wasn’t throwing up or running to the bathroom constantly, but the gas situation was out of control. And the smell… let’s not talk about the smell.

Trying to help, I handed her a fizzy digestive tablet — big mistake. It only made things worse, creating a sparkling storm in her stomach.

We spent the day laughing and crying (mostly her) in equal measure. Luckily, by the next morning, she was completely fine again — and we never looked at breakfast eggs the same way.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: in the desert, stick to toast.

Tour du Mont Blanc, France — The Unluckiest Hike (2020)

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is one of the most famous long-distance hikes in the world — and for us, one of the most cursed.

We first attempted the 11-day trek in June 2020. The weather was perfect, the mountains were glowing, the energy was high… until day four. Out of nowhere, my knee gave out. The pain was brutal — every step felt like my leg was on fire. After limping through a few more kilometers, we had to face the truth: our dream hike was over. We reluctantly took a bus back, defeated.

But we don’t give up that easily. A couple of months later, at the end of August, we came back ready for redemption. My knee was fine, the packs were lighter, the spirits were high — nothing could go wrong this time, right?

Well, Mother Nature had other plans. On day three, it started raining. Not a light drizzle — a full-on, 24-hour non-stop downpour. Our tent was soaked, our clothes were drenched, and the trails turned into rivers. When we checked the forecast and saw rain for the next two days straight, we called it. Once again, we packed up and headed home early.

Two tries, two fails. The TMB remains unfinished for us — the only hike that keeps slipping through our fingers.

Lessons learned from our travel stories: some trails teach you patience before they let you finish them.