Top 5 Tuesdays: My Top 5 Funniest(ish) Travel Stories

I haven’t done a Top 5 Tuesdays in awhile, so I thought I would show a lighter side of me. For those of you who don’t know me, while I am considered quite smart, I tend to be a bit…scatterbrained. Despite having traveled quite extensively these past few years, you think I would travel with ease by now, but that certainly isn’t the case. Here are five of my funniest travel stories that have happened to me – most of them literally while traveling!

5. That One Time I Traveled to South Korea and Forgot Pants

You know when you are rushing around last minute and packing for a trip and you tend to forget something, like a toothbrush or a charger? Well, I forgot pants. Yep, PANTS. Shampoo? Easy to get. Pajamas? Meh, there are ways around that. But PANTS?! Not easily something I can disguise not wearing while perusing the streets of Seoul. I traveled to South Korea in a dress and the rest of my outfits needed jeans or leggings and when I pulled out what I thought were leggings, were actually two tank tops. Don’t ask how I confused that. My first night in Seoul was me running around trying to find leggings, as there was no way I was going to find jeans that would fit my giraffe long legs. Luckily, I found a quaint little obviously Korean boutique called H&M that saved the day!

 

4. That One Time I Packed a Five Pound Bag of Coins and Brought them With Me….to Korea

Yeah….Korea truly wasn’t one of my high points when it comes to being prepared and packing. To be fair, it was my second solo trip so I was still quite nervous…? As I was coming from Hong Kong, I was taking a cheaper airline to get to Korea that of course had a weight limit for my bag…of 7 pounds. Ah crud. As I was carrying my bag, I was wondering why on Earth it felt so heavy since I had made sure to pack light for this (as in so light I didn’t even pack pants!). As I rolled up to the check-in counter, I had barely put the bag on and the worker was like, “Yeah no.” So what was I to do? Transfer things to my purse to distribute the weight. Please tell me how this makes sense?! As I opened my bag, I saw the bag of coin, that was a mixture of Hong Kong, US, Euros, and other currencies and couldn’t believe it. I quickly stashed it into my purse and put my luggage back on and the lady actually gasped! “All you moved was one thing.” Yes…I know….

 

3. That One Time I Got My Friend and I Yelled at by US Customs Officers

On a trip home from France, I was traveling back to Chicago with my good friend Beth. Now, as you know airplane trays can be a little shoddy (see next story) and sometimes you hit them because of where they are located (no? Just me?). Well, I am a sucker for juice and I always get apple juice or cranberry juice, and on this flight it was my lucky day because they had CRAN–APPLE! Just as the flight attendant set it down on my tray, I quickly moved and knocked over my juice…all over Beth and her bag. She luckily was a much better sport than I would have been (at least I hope she still doesn’t hold a grudge!). Well, we tried to clean it up and I promised to not get any more juice and 6 hours later we landed at O’Hare. As she reached for her passport, she let out a sound of disgust, “Ugh, it is sticky.” Uh oh…we tried to clean it off with the remaining water we had and begrudgingly walked and waited in the hour customs queue. As it finally got to her, the guy grabbed it and quickly and shouted said “Why is this sticky? What happened?” Oh. No. Beth quickly fumbled explaining the situation and I shot up my hand and yelped through the throngs of people that I had spilled juice all over it during the plane ride. He was not a happy camper and went on this tirade how he technically shouldn’t accept her passport because it is damaged and to never do that that again. Yes, because I make a habit of spilling my drinks all over my friends and their possessions, Sir. Luckily, he let her through (welcome home!) and I don’t believe she had any issues after that. Still very sorry about that Beth!

 

2. That One Time My Tray Broke, Flipping My Entire Meal EVERYWHERE

So, remember that one time I told you about shoddy airplane trays? My first ever trip to France was with my high school. I WAS SO EXCITED. I could barely contain my excitement, especially because we were riding Air France and they gave us a baguette and cheese to go with our meals! It is the little things in life, honestly. We were sitting in the very last row, but I kept eyeing the baguettes knowing there would be at least one for me. Well, as our flight attendant set down my meal on the tray and *CRACK*. Where once was a delicious baguette meal and tray, was now my feet covered in said meal, my poor little baguette lying on the floor. The tray was hanging on by a hinge, squeaking a sad lament for my lost meal. Luckily, this time it was only on me and most of it was in the aluminum carton, however this was the last baguette. Merde.

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1. That One Time My Luggage Wasn’t Zipped and Everything Fell Out…onto a Passenger…and then I Had Food Poisoning

Clearly me and traveling are not a good pair, which is why I love it! This story is quite a doozy and while absolutely mortifying at the time, I can now look back and laugh at myself. I was on my way to France, yet again, this time to live in Paris for a study abroad program. We bought tickets as a group through the program and as we all checked in, I noticed I wasn’t setting next to anyone I knew (probably for the better seeing how this turned out!). Everyone else was together and here I was by myself in a whole other section of the plane! I planned on sitting uncomfortably pretending to be sleeping the entire time, so I wasn’t too phased. Well, in my excitement, apparently I hadn’t zipped my carry-on luggage all the way because as we boarded and I put my things in the overhead bin, something falls out. Next, a thing of tissues, then some Dramamine…right onto the head of the man sitting in front of me! I quickly said sorry a hundred times while scrambling to pick them up, causing more things to fall on him. Today, was not my day. I quickly store everything back into the pocket, but not before one more thing falls out, but this time it doesn’t hit the man. No, this time it rolls down the entire path towards the front of the plane. Seriously?! I lunge after it but trip myself thanks to my ever so chic passport holder, basically clotheslining myself and *SNAP* by brand new wearable passport holder breaks. I would worry about that later as I chased after my medicine that rolled down the aisle. I tried to look inconspicuous, but all eyes were on me at that point. Oops.

Finally get settled in, we take off and things go smoothly. Now, right before my flight, my uncle had warned me that “Whatever you do, don’t eat the fish.” As dinner rolled around, there were three options: 1. Gross one. 2. One vegetarian 3. One with seafood. I ordered the vegetarian one, but they were out…my next option? I chose seafood. You know that joke when you are a kid where while you are eating, you ask them, “Do you like seafood?” and when they say yes, you spit out your tongue to show them your mutilated, chewed up food, “SEE FOOD!?” Basically myself and four other on that SAW that food as a result of the seafood. It was a verrrrrry rough flight that ended in five of the best months of my life, so I guess in the grand scheme of things at least I have a memorable story!

 

So these are some of my funniest(ish) travel stories. Have on to share? Let me know in thew comments below!