Any good travel stories out there?

[Ron in BC]

I took a gap year long before the term was popular. I got on a freighter going between Vancouver and Shanghai. This was in the days of Chairman Mao.

Had a little bit of hassle from the interviewing folks on the boat before being allowed to go ashore. They wanted to know why my passport said I was a student when I was working on a boat. Any way they allowed me to go ashore complete with a little red book.

Unlike all the other sailors who got off the boat and headed for the bars I wandered the back streets of Shanghai. I had on jeans and was wearing a cowboy belt with a big buckle. Short version; some "kids" started whispering and the rocks started raining down. I think they mistook me for an American. Certainly if they'd known I was Canadian that wouldn't have happened. Years later I still found, even in rural China, that the goodwill from Dr. Bethune still went a long way.

It was a valuable lesson in travelling. Now, in a place like Havana, you might see throngs of tourists, clearly identified as such by their actions and clothing. Then you might see some old guys, non-descript clothing, sitting on a park bench observing tourist goings on. One of them might be me.

Ron

[pkgman51]

Our first trip out to the Grand Canyon with our Escape 19 we stopped at a north Texas National Grasslands park for a sleep-over on our way home. I communicated to my wife on the way there some dismay at staying at this park because it could be a place for local "rowdies"? Hope not.
We get to the park and find it's a haven for noisy ATV's. Too late to go someplace else so we set-up and start a fire. About 8PM, a weather front comes through. Instantly, we're having 40 mph winds. That's it for the campfire so we go to bed.
I never sleep well. I wake up a couple times during the night. I did remember the next morning hearing what sounded like a vehicle spinning it's wheels on stones. I'm awakened again very early in the morning by what sounds like a garbage truck picking up garbage. But wait. It's Sunday morning, so, I look out the window to see what's going on. I see a tow truck picking up a car. That's the noise.
Later that morning, I'm walking back from the rest room when one of the tent camping women next to us ask me if I enjoyed the "excitement" last night? What excitement? She went on to tell me some women camped up the hill came back to the park drunk, about 2AM. They decided to blast their music. One of the women next to us went up to their campsite to ask them to turn it down. The drunk hollered some cuss words at her, so the woman headed to the "camp host" site to seek assistance. On the way to the camp host the drunk woman tried to run her over with her car. The drunk lady impaled her car on a concrete parking curb. She spun the tires trying to get off. That's the sound I heard. The woman got to the camp host who then called the Sheriff. The two drunks were arrested and locked up. I saw the tow truck picking up the drunks car off the concrete parking curb.
So much for camping at parks off the beaten path.

[MyronL]

We were going at night on a long flight and I was concerned about being comfortable in the plane so I packed some THC Cannabis Crush (green lemonade) hard candy for the trip. At the baggage check I got a little panicky when I saw the police dogs. So before running my bags through I pulled out that hard candy and ate it all.

The plane was late, none of the food stalls were open, and we waited a couple hours before boarding. Finally, around midnight, time to board the plane. I was stoned, couldn’t get out of my chair, they had to find me a wheelchair so I could board. Once in the plane I did a dry heave and the captain wondered if they had to remove me before taking off. Fortunately, it all passed.

[Ron in BC]

Sounds like a bad trip.

Ron

[tractors1]

Sister had a Ford Mustang, rear ended and totaled by the insurance company. I needed a 9 inch differential, a US Navy shipmate needed a 289 engine, and another needed a transmission. Had my sister buy the wreck back for $100 - she said it was drive-able but the frame was cracked over the rear axle.


Took a weeks leave, flew to Chicago (my buds split my ticket), and decided to risk driving it back to San Diego. Front end also had damage but not too bad. Removed the front bumper as one end almost touched the pavement. Radio worked, but the dash speaker rattled so bad I killed it with a screwdriver and then headed West.



Before I made it out of Illinois the cracked exhaust manifold cracked even more and it got really noisy.



Almost made it through Iowa fine, but the regulator was hosed and the alternator kept boiling the battery so I had to fill it at each gas stop.


Tread on the left front tire came apart and knocked the body molding off in Nebraska. Got tired, picked up a hitch hiker and let him drive for a few hours; dropped him off somewhere in Colorado.



Got cooler going up the mountains - then I found the air conditioner would not turn off. Into the desert at night in Utah where I found I only had 1 headlight.


Glad to see the glow of Las Vegas where I restocked my snacks and ate at McDonalds. While there a guy backed into the passenger door, knocking the molding off that side too. He was surprised that I didn't care.


Grabbed a short nap and headed for LA at sunrise in the noisy beast, using the cotton balls in my ears I had picked up in Vegas.


No issues going through LA (this was mid 1970s) and rolled into San Diego at twilight where I eased up on the gas for noise when seeing an oncoming police car - looked in the rear view mirror to see him flip on his lights an do a U-turn. I turned onto a side street as did he to stop behind me. I did have a dated Bill of Sale from my sister and the Title - all he did was give me an "equipment ticket" for having a burned out headlight..........


Made it to my buddies house, where we gutted the car. The empty shell was eventually turned into a chicken coop in his back yard. I put the 3rd member (differential guts) in my van and drove over the border to Mexico where it was installed for $20.


I explained on the back side of my equipment ticket that I couldn't afford to repair the headlight/electrical and had junked the car, then mailed it to the court.



Frame was cracked even more (probably from potholes) but it never did let go.


Ah, to be a young and crazy sailor again...................

[cpaharley2008]

Great story.....I know we all have more sense now??

[Oldtimer]

Not a travel story. Just want to wish everyone a very happy n wonderful ThanksGiving. And PLEASE PLEASE be careful if you are traveling for your family gathering.

[Nindy]

These are some great stories! Fun thread.

[Rossue]

1977- was given a 1968 Chevy Impala four door by my parents in Orlando. Flew in from Los Angeles, picked up my 2 sets of keys- then headed to South Hampton, NY, home of the Other Half. Picked up my bro who was teaching tennis and headed up the Hudson River to Montreal- where Canadian Customs was curious about that huge trunk. Toured the World's Fair Exhibits before being torn down after 10 years then started back home to Leucadia, CA.

Drove along the St. Lawrence into Detroit then headed to Aspen where bro was due to play a local SwissyFrench pro in Ze Bubble. Unfortunately bro got food poisoning eating bad chicken at a restaurant and couldn't make it. CH/FRA dude wanted nothing to do with me, even though back then I was the better player vs. bro(ask him!). So we headed West then south through AZ where it started getting hot in early June. At one point the starter wouldn't work without jumping the solenoid. After that we never shut the engine off.

So we finally arrive home and the next morning I turned the ignition and it started. However at the bottom of the downhill drive when turning left the right front wheel fell off. Couldn't have asked for a better place!

[currinh]

Travel story hu? We have many but here is the latest.

In 2018 we decided to move to a single story house, yes we're getting old enough to have these thoughts. We looked around Klamath Falls, where we'd been for many years, and didn't find anything we really liked. Also more snow that we desire to shovel. Started looking further and further and settled on Prescott, AZ. That's some 1000 miles. Road Trip!

More than that though. If we're packing up and moving 1000 miles we'd sell a lot and pack the rest. Wow, why not pack it all up and store it, then travel full time for a few years. So we are!

The real Travel Story is ongoing. Enjoy.

Thanks.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by currinh

Travel story hu? We have many but here is the latest.

In 2018 we decided to move to a single story house, yes we're getting old enough to have these thoughts. We looked around Klamath Falls, where we'd been for many years, and didn't find anything we really liked. Also more snow that we desire to shovel. Started looking further and further and settled on Prescott, AZ. That's some 1000 miles. Road Trip!

More than that though. If we're packing up and moving 1000 miles we'd sell a lot and pack the rest. Wow, why not pack it all up and store it, then travel full time for a few years. So we are!

The real Travel Story is ongoing. Enjoy.

Thanks.

Hugh just finished reading your adventures ! Got to see your new home . Very nice ! Hope to see you at Quartzite! Pat and Linda