Bad Travel Experiences: How to Make the Most of a Tough Situation
Vestiges of the days of empire evident in dilapidated buildings in Kolkata.
Travel isn’t always easy. My adventures include good and bad travel experiences, adding to the richness of my life and giving me wonderful stories to tell.
Bad travel experiences can be just as much a part of your adventure as pleasant beaches, wonderful food and positive cultural exchanges. Sickness, misunderstanding local customs and dealing with devious taxi drivers and touts are part of life on the road for many intrepid travelers.
Sickness Can Ruin Any Overseas Travel
I’m sorry to say that I’ve had my share of sickness while traveling. Severe stomach problems, in particular, have plagued me over the years.
I undertook my first overseas trip back in 1988. While crossing the border from Tibet into Nepal I caught a severe case of giardia.
Huge rains had fallen and significant parts of the Chinese constructed Friendship Highway between Lhasa and Kathmandu had been washed away on the Nepalese side of the border.
With cars and private buses no longer an option my travel companions and I had no choice but to huff it overland, often up and down muddy hillsides and across fields, towards Kathmandu.
The first night of this unwanted extension to my travel plans was spent in a tiny guesthouse at the bottom of a massive waterfall.
It was very basic accomodation in a local’s house. You might call it rustic, even romantic. But, despite my exhaustion, the roaring waterfall kept me awake most of the night.
The next morning we were up and off with no idea of how much farther we’d have to walk before we’d be able to pick up transport to the capital, Kathmandu.
We continued to slog on. It was a hard but interesting hike as we passed local farmland with marijuanna growing wild by the side of the road.
I remember stopping in a village with a guy from Kathmandu for lunch. The food was little more than watery slop and I wish I’d never taken his advice and eaten there.
Later that day the condition of the road began to improve and, eventually, we were able to grab a few seats on a local bus and make our way onto Kathmandu.
I really enjoyed the capital. Having catered to hippies and backpackers for decades Kathmandu was well set up for bottom end travels like me.
I remember a brilliant German bakery, a wonderful English language bookshop and one really excellent restaurant with a sign in the window that proudly proclaimed the following:
“Salads and vegetables are washed in a solution of iodine, for your protection.”
I’d brought a lot of medication with me from Australia. Unfortunately I wasn’t aware of giardia and none of the medications I tried worked.
I tried antibiotics, which temporarily stopped the diarrhea but, as a consequence, caused constipation for the duration of the course.
After about five days the medication would run out and the diarrhea would return. After another five days I’d start another course of antibiotics with the same side effects.
This cycle continued on for around six weeks until I arrived in Srinagar in Kashmir.
I ran into a Swedish army doctor who was stationed there as part of a United Nations observation force. He correctly diagnosed the disease and gave me what I needed: Flagyl.
Fortunately the medication worked a treat, killing the bug and I began to recover.
Mother and baby boy welcome me to the spectacular Hongcun village, China.
Getting Stoned In Chengdu, China
No, I’m not talking about a drug-induced night on the town. That’s not my idea of a good time.
I’m talking about being stoned, biblical style, by an angry mob. And it happened to me in the ancient city of Chengdu in southwest China back in 1988.
The crowd turned on me after I committed the unforgivable crime of walking along a busy city promenade, hand in hand with a Chinese girl.
We were about the same age and had become close during my stay. Mind you the relationship was completely innocent. I was the perfect gentleman only kissing her once, and that was on the forehead.
But, back in 1988, westerners were not a common sight in China. Investment from western countries was eagerly sought after and tourists participating in heavily controlled group tours funneled cash into the local economy.
But intrepid backpackers, eager to explore the countryside and interact with local folk, were not to be trusted.
That’s not to say I didn’t make great friends on my first trip to China. I did and I’ve been shown incredible kindness which is one of the reasons I’ve chosen to return to China, again and again, over the years.
But you know how it is with foreigners from a different culture and ethnicity becoming friendly with local girls.
Anyway, we were chased down a backstreet until we ran into a dead end. The crowd caught up, stones were picked up and pelted at us.
Apparently some pretty choice insults and curses were also flung in our direction, not that I could understand most of them.
However being referred to as a wide eyed foreign devil was, by that stage of the trip, a term with which I’d become familiar.
Fortunately a distant voice was heard calling out a warning and the crowd dissipated, probably thinking the police were on their way.
Sculpture, carved from snow, at SnowWorld on Sun Island in Harbin, China.
Beware Of Harbin's Taxi Drivers
The above photo was made at around -20C while on a walk outside Harbin in far northeast China.
My wonderful visit to this large, cosmopolitan Chinese city could easily have gone off the rails. It's one of the worst cities I've yet visited for downright fraud. And I'm referring to the town's infamous taxi drivers.
However, that was not my experience when visiting several of Harbin's major tourist attractions like SnowWorld or the Harbin Ice Festival.
I couldn't have been treated better, particularly by the young and friendly staff at SnowWorld. They were wonderful: kind, patient and super positive.
But back to the taxi drivers.
Getting from the airport to my hotel took around two hours longer than it should have and involved a tag team of four separate cabs and two hotels, other than the one in which I was booked to stay.
Let's just say the tripod came out and was aired in a rather freewheeling manner before I was taken to the right hotel.
This is not who I am but, as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.
“You can’t buy goodwill. You have to earn it.”
Needless to say your own experience with the taxi drivers of Harbin may have been totally different to my own. I hope it was and perhaps things have changed since my visit.
All I know is that you can't buy goodwill, you have to earn it and a city’s reputation can be damaged by a single negative interaction.
Needless to say, in this era of online content creation and social media, that negativity can be broadcast far and wide.
I sincerely hope that local leaders have joined with law enforcement and cracked down on the forms of abuse folks like me have suffered from the Taxi drivers of Harbin.
Frozen water forming channels in the snow at Snow World in Harbin.
On another day I had enormous trouble getting back to my hotel from SnowWorld, one of Harbin’s premier attractions, on the edge of town.
I walked some distance to reach a large bunch of taxis, all parked together. It's the kind of place where you have to barter to set a price, prior to embarking on your trip.
None of the drivers seemed all that interested in me until one of them, a woman, approached me with considerable swagger.
Without a common language she used gestures to assure me that she knew where I was going and was more than capable of getting me there.
She proceeded to lead me over to her car from where she immediately made a call. After that we sat, without moving, for around ten minutes.
Needless to say I was getting suspicious and, with the ambient temperature decidedly frigid, I gestured to her to get a wriggle on.
After making another call she proceeded to turn the ignition on, release the handbrake and drive me around the car park, without getting out of first gear.
Clearly she couldn't drive and it was apparent that she was minding the car for the actual driver. Perhaps she was a tout. I knew not, but what I did know was that I was getting nowhere fast.
I was becoming frustrated. It was -20 degrees Celsius and I had to get back to my hotel as there were onward travel arrangements I needed to organize.
What’s more I needed a break and the opportunity to recharge my camera’s batteries before heading out for a night photography session at temperatures around -30 degrees Celsius.
After considerable agitation on my behalf we took off once again.
I was relieved when we left the carpark, but not for long as, still in first gear, my driver took me on a tour of nearby side streets so as to avoid the highway into town.
After about another five minutes of this nonsense I opened both back doors of the taxi causing her to stop.
I then got out of the cab and walked off to find my own way back into town. It was a considerable distance but I was prepared to try my luck.
I also hoped that I might be able to bluff this pretend taxi driver into taking action that would result in getting me where I actually needed to go.
Composition explored in a stand of trees in the snow near Harbin.
Bad Travel Experiences Happen, But Photography Calms My Mind
While on this little walk I felt the need to keep calm. I took action the best way I know how.
Out came the camera and a few quick pics were made, without the driver noticing, that contrasted the smooth and textured areas of snow with the lines evident in the stand of trees you see above.
Not a great photo, but a good way to calm my mind, remind myself why I'd come to this remote (yet highly populated) part of the world and clear my head so as to be better able to resolve the situation.
Getting out of the cab and going for a walk did enough to unsettle and embarrass my driver to finally act.
Remember this is Asia and a loss of face can be deeply unsettling for the person involved.
I heard her make another call and it was obvious she was pushing hard to get the matter resolved.
A few minutes later another taxi arrived and I was taken directly back to my hotel, albeit considerably later than I should have been.
What a relief!
Neon lit ice sculptures at night at Ice World in Harbin, China.
Despite The Dramas, Winter In Harbin Is Most Beautiful At Night
When I went out later that evening I organized a driver and car with my hotel. And I paid extra to ensure that he stayed there as long as I did.
I had a blast, no pun intended, wandering around in -30 Degree Celsius conditions making photos such as the one directly above.
I wore a balaclava to protect my face from the biting cold and wrapped my camera in a fleece beanie which I also used, quite frequently, to wipe newly formed ice off the camera.
The beanie kept my camera warm and, after a three hour photography session, there was still plenty of juice in the battery.
At closing time I headed back out into the carpark to see my driver, huddled with other drivers around a 44 gallon drum in which a fire had been made.
He got me back to my hotel directly and without incident, so I tipped him generously. Boy did I love that guy.
It had been a big day and I decided I wanted a treat. I walked across the road to a local convenience store and asked for an ice cream.
The shopkeeper pointed to the door.
I thought he'd misunderstood me, but then I realized that, in this climate, there's no need for a freezer.
Boxes of ice cream were laid out on the footpath in front of the shop’s front window. I grabbed a couple, paid the shopkeeper and headed back to my hotel.
It was a fun, sweet and somewhat bizarre way to finish an eventful day.
Exterior view of St. Sophia Cathedral during winter in Harbin, China.
A Better Way to See Harbin
I now have a good working knowledge of Harbin and it's amazing winter attractions. It’s a beautiful city that offers fantastic opportunities for great photography.
However, like probably any other city, there are people and circumstances that, where ever possible, are best avoided.
If I do return to Harbin I’II spend the money and organize a driver/guide for my entire stay. The time and stress saved would make this money well spent.
I told my story about the difficulties I’d had to a kindly waitress at a local restaurant. I was blown away when she offered to act as my guide, free of charge, for the last day of my stay.
It was a fun and mutually beneficial relationship. She got to practice her English while I received assistance getting around town from a local.
I was determined to pay her, but she was even more determined to refuse. I did the next best thing which was to ensure we went to a nice restaurant for lunch.
I also made some photos of her motivated by the idea that they’d become a nice keepsake which, I hoped, she’d share with her family and her boyfriend.
Despite It’s Problems Harbin Is Still Worth the trip
I hope one day you’ll find you own way to Harbin for the fabulous Ice and Snow Festival. If you’re on a tour everything should be looked after for you.
If you’re visiting Harbin as an independent traveler I’d advise pre-booking your accommodation and making arrangements for a car or hotel minibus to take you to and from the airport.
Likewise, consider hiring a car through your hotel to get you to various locations around the city without too much trouble.
Harbin is a beautiful city. It’s actually quite European looking, being once a part of Russia. Its winter attractions, particularly SnowWorld and IceWorld, provide the enthusiastic photographer with many great opportunities for photos.
Other than the taxi drivers, I had very agreeable interactions with local folk. That’s why I’d very much like to return.
So long as local travel arrangements are well organized I can’t see why your own trip to Harbin wouldn’t end up just as much fun as my own.
Tourists outside the spectacular Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
Beware Of Con Artists In Paris
I remember my first day in Paris and how much I enjoyed the walk down to the Arc de Triomphe. It was a warm, sunny day and a pleasant change from the Melbourne winter I’d left behind.
Fortunately I'd done some reading and was well prepared for the range of tricks pulled by con artists, whom I'd been told were gypsies, along my route to the Arc de Triomphe trying to elicit money from unsuspecting tourists.
There was the donate to the Albanian Orphaned Children's Fund, which I otherwise would have gladly donated to, and the "is this your watch I've just found on the street" scam.
Before you known it the watch is handed to you for inspection and, almost immediately after it’s placed into your hands, another person comes forward and claims you must have stolen their watch.
You are then hassled for money to prevent the matter from escalating into violence.
Keeping my camera gear safely packed away I just kept moving while laughing them off.
They knew I was on to them and was not going to be drawn into the scam and so, somewhat sheepishly, these particular lads let me pass.
I had four such interactions over about a 1 km (0.62 mile) walk with the final one only around 100 meters away from the Arc de Triomphe.
My Computer Broke: Almost The Worst Experience For a Travel Photographer
My visit to Paris was the beginning of a huge adventure that included Iceland, Greenland, Austria, Russia and Belgium.
The trip promised and delivered some pretty amazing experiences, but I'd had a very hectic year and, frankly, I was exhausted before even leaving Australia.
My traveling companion had encouraged me to purchase a Premium Economy seat on the first and longer leg of our journey to Paris.
The idea of a relaxed flight between Sydney and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was attractive and, as the price was particularly affordable, I shelled out the bucks.
I really was looking forward to kicking back on the flight and sleeping. It would have been great, particularly as the second leg of the journey involved a cramped and crowded economy class onward flight, during the middle of the night, to Paris.
But that’s not the way it worked out because my laptop failed on the morning I was leaving Australia. I took it into the Apple store in Sydney but, given the tight timeline, they said they couldn’t help.
Back in the day I owned a large range of film based cameras and had to carry and manage dozens of rolls of medium format and 35 mm film on my travels. On one trip I even took a 4“x5” flat field folding camera with dark slides and individually sheets of film.
Keeping film cool, in often hot and humid environments, was a constant challenge.
I’d also whip out my Kodak business card to help ensure that my precious films weren’t subjected to multiple doses of radiation from x-ray machines while passing through security checks as I traveled from country to country.
When all’s going well digital is just so much easier.
You’re given immediate feedback on your images to help ensure great results.
Images are recorded and stored onto tiny, large capacity memory cards.
It’s relatively simple to create and update multiple copies of your files while on the road.
However, the god of technology can be fickle. When you’re traveling to remote parts of the planet and your laptop breaks down you’re in strife. And that was certainly my experience.
Fortunately, while I usually travel alone, on this particular trip I had a travel companion for the first part of my journey. I’m happy to report that, after a lot of work, he fixed my broken computer during our flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.
Incredible! And I’II never forgot it.
After that scare my laptop continued to function well for a number of years until, after upgrading, I gave to one of my nephews.
Conclusion: Travel Is What You Make Of It
The key to a great travel adventure is what you make of your experiences. And I think that’s particularly important for the bad ones.
Travel, like life, is all about the reframing of how we experience the people, places and events in which we find ourselves immersed.
Of course we want these experiences to be positive. But, when they’re not, I do what I can to turn them around.
Sometimes all it takes is a smile or a friendly gesture. Other times a more positive and compassionate mindset is required.
Over the years I’ve learned that we have tremendous power to influence the way we perceive the world around us and, as a result, change our reality from one moment to the next.
Lots of travel has taught me to adapt to local environments and cultures and to remain as open minded as possible. This approach allows me to make the most of the experiences that come my way.
Of course I’m not always successful and, as is sometimes the case when I’m pestered by a tout or someone’s trying to rip me off, I’ve learned it’s best to remove myself from that experience.
I’II then proceed to do what needs to be done to put that experience behind me and continue to go about my day in a positive and creative frame of mind.
I don’t always forget bad travel experiences, but there’s rarely any negative emotions associated with how I remember them longer term.
At the end of the day my primary reason for traveling is to create and share beautiful, life affirming photos of the people and places beyond my normal everyday experience.
To do that I need to take responsibility for my own mindset and make the best of each and every situation I find myself in.
