My Most Embarrassing Moments in Travel

Embarrassing things happen every time we go on a trip. It’s to the point of us expecting at least one hiccup when we travel.

I don’t know why, but I’m a magnet for crazy things.

 Toilet Disasters in Italy

Let’s start with toilets, particularly in Italy! Two situations that stand out happened on a train to Milan and the other happened in Orvieto.

Unknown at the time, I had a small case of TD (travelers’ diarrhea) and for some reason it always happened when we were on a train.

I don’t know if it was the yogurt I was eating at breakfast, but I really lit the bathroom up on the train. Literally.

I’ll spare you the details and just tell you that I made the bathroom go out of service for a quarter of the ride and everyone knew it was me.

After I walked out, the bathroom light turned red. I honestly didn’t know why.

The toilet flushed fine. Apparently it got backed up in the plumbing and the disgusting look on the attendant’s face when he walked out was unforgettable.

It was an awkward train ride the rest of the way.

Skipping the Line at St. Peter’s Basilica

Meshach and I fell for an embarrassing scam while waiting to go inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. A man walked up to us and said he was a tour guide looking for more people to join his group to tour the Basilica.

He asked where we were from and we told him North Carolina. He said he was actually from Colorado but now living in Rome working as a guide.

He told us he could get us to the door quickly if we joined his group who were waiting up ahead. As tired as we were from other sightseeing that day, we agreed.

Little did we know, he took us through the line of very angry tourists – basically walking through and cutting the line when suddenly he jumped out and left us behind!

We apologized to those around us and said he scammed us. We very embarrassingly and ashamed went all the way back to the end of the line for an even longer wait than we originally had before we were scammed.

So if someone comes up to you and asks if you want to join a tour of the basilica, just decline and wait in line like everyone else!

Getting Flashy in Montreal

It was a windy day on our way up to Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. I wore a dress that day and it didn’t occur to me that the wind would be a lot stronger at the top of the basilica.

Before I knew it, the bottom of my dress flew straight up into my face!

Everyone in front and behind me could see what I was wearing underneath. I was shocked!

Meshach quickly tried to help fix my dress. After I put my dress down I refused to climb the stairs the rest of the way up and told Meshach to go ahead inside without me.

As I sat down, a bystander walked up to me and said “if you hold on tight to each side of the bottom of your dress, it will help pin it down so you can walk up the stairs.”

I took his advice and like a penguin, walked up to the basilica door.

Me vs Doors

Doors do not like me. There are times when I’ll push a door just to find out it needed to be pulled or vice versa.

There is also the time when I got on a funicular and was sandwiched between the automatic doors and laughed at by Italians.

Or how about the time when I couldn’t figure my way out of a revolving door?

Pushing Red Buttons

If you see a red button in a bathroom in Italy (or probably anywhere) just don’t push it.

Before going up to the city center in Orvieto I had to use the bathroom. It was one of those outdoor bathrooms you have to pay to use.

When I was finished, I couldn’t figure out for the life of me how to flush the toilet.

I think there was a string to pull on and then a big red button. Aha! I found a way to flush (so I thought!)

After I pushed the button the toilet did not flush. Instead, soap and water shot out from the bottom of the walls and cleaned the bathroom floors.

I was soaked from my feet up to my shins!

Screaming, I could hear Meshach banging on the bathroom door asking what’s going on in there. I told him I pushed the wrong button and I was locked inside.

After the bathroom floor did its “self-cleaning”, the door unlocked and swung open. There I was with my pants still down, soaked and staring at 4 pairs of eyes.

Meshach and 3 other people who were in line were staring at me with the most stunned look on their faces!

I Stole Someone’s Soul

Now this was creepier than embarrassing.

When I was 16, I was headed on a long Greyhound trip up to Washington with my dad, sister and brother.

I just walked out of the bathroom at the station when a woman with a concerned look on her face walked up to me and said “You have something that belongs to me.”

I checked my sides to see if maybe I grabbed the wrong purse or something. I said “I don’t know what you mean.”

She then pointed her finger at me and firmly said, “you stole my soul and I want it back!”

My dad saw what was happening and he walked up to us and told the woman to get out of here.

I don’t know what that was all about, but apparently I have an extra soul hanging around if you’d like to borrow one!

I can go on about embarrassing (and creepy) moments on our travels. Like the disappearing nun! But we’ll save that for another post.

What you just read is only a fraction of the crazy situations I get into while traveling. Why me?

Has anything embarrassing or creepy ever happened to you on your travels? Comment with your story below and share this post with your friends!