When people ask if it's not dangerous to travel there, I usually answer that it's dangerous to live. There are risks everywhere, but if you are not reckless, travelling is usually not overly dangerous. However, some destinations can be more dangerous than others.
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The world's 10 most dangerous journeys
The world's most dangerous journeys include steep mountains, sharks and the risk of terrorist attacks. We haven't travelled to such dangerous destinations, but there are of course times when (rightly or wrongly) you feel a little uncomfortable ...
So, in no particular order, I'm listing 10 destinations where it started to feel a little bit dangerous - sometimes in an exciting way, and sometimes in a definitely more unpleasant way... And of course I'm wondering: Have you experienced any dangers on your travels?
1. Vietnamese gator
The mopeds are loaded with family members, pigs and furniture and run in a never-ending stream. If you have to cross a street, just take a deep breath, walk at a steady pace and hope for the best...
2. Kenya in times of turmoil
Kenya is a very nice country, but going there just as elections were about to take place was perhaps not a great decision. Election fraud led to bloody riots and around 1000 people lost their lives and a million were displaced. Simply put, not good at all.
3. White Island in New Zealand
The risk was probably not so imminent, but the guides told us where we would be evacuated if there was a crisis, so it gave us a certain feeling... The volcano is active and will erupt at some point.
4. Nairobi car traffic
The most imminent risk is getting stuck in queues and simply not getting anywhere. But there are worse risks too. Here, traffic rules and seatbelts are not so strict, and drinking and driving does not seem to be a problem. In some areas, there's also the risk of someone ripping open the door and robbing you...
5. Iceland in storms
Nature is powerful, especially in Iceland! We rode up steep mountains in a storm. The horses had only a narrow path to walk on, and below the cliffs lurked springs of boiling water. Good thing the horses are stable and strong!
6. Morocco's traffic
In 2011, 4000 people died in Morocco's traffic and 12,500 were seriously injured. When you get into a car, you start to understand why... By the way, this is the first time I've seen a seat belt designed for the purpose of two people. Like, what was the thinking back then?
7. River Vindelälven
No, it's probably not very dangerous to raft, because then you wouldn't let tourists do it. But I won't do it again. I thought I was going to die, for real. And I definitely didn't look that happy in the boat, haha.
8. Ukrainian neighbourhood at night
We usually always feel safe in Ukraine, but if you land in the middle of the night, take a black taxi and don't know where you are, it's not so good....
9. Tenting in Tanzania
It was super cosy to live in a tent right on the beach, but when night came and you had to pee, you started to wonder what kind of animals could be out there...?
10. Nature of Vietnam
It was great hiking in nature, until I remembered something I read in the Lonely Planet guide: if you are bitten by a snake, try to kill it and take it to the hospital so they know what antidote to give. Yeah, right...
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Role o Carina says:
Dangers are everywhere in society, we avoid the worst ones.
on our trips and so far we have survived.
If you use common sense, you can do a lot of things.
in this society and when travelling.
Take care......
15 November 2012 - 12:43
Seniors Speculate says:
Although we have travelled almost all over the world (unfortunately missed Australia and New Zealand), we have almost never been afraid. Only once and that was in Atlanta, before they had the Olympics there (a long time ago), then it was a bit scary with uncomfortable people sitting and doing drugs in broad daylight in what later became Mellenium Park, we thought that was uncomfortable. They had built special pedestrian streets between the hotels and shopping centres and recommended not to go outside them. Incredibly high levels of crime that they cleaned up for the Olympics. It's probably the only place we felt uncomfortable when we were out and about. Nowhere else. But of course you avoid places that are troubled and maybe war and misery. But we have probably been lucky too. Travelling is exciting and we have fun memories and experiences. So it's worth it, we think. Have a good time. 3 M
15 November 2012 - 12:46
Marina says:
That was pretty much how I felt when our daughter and her travelling companions bought motorbikes in Ho Chi Min to go up to Hanoi...traffic? Well a little bit!!!( Where in Malaysia are you going?)
15 November 2012 - 15:30
Anonymous says:
We do not travel to places where there is unrest in the country and not to places where we feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, we have no desire to go to countries where there is misery and deprivation. Instead, I'm looking for places that offer relaxation and positive experiences. I think there are many places even in Europe where one should be particularly careful and if possible completely avoid.
15 November 2012 - 16:12
Ama de casa says:
Traffic is often dangerous. Otherwise, we have experienced gunfire outside our hotel in Sao Paolo (I didn't even wake up, I'm a heavy sleeper) and an earthquake (6.1 on the Richter scale) in Costa Rica.
15 November 2012 - 17:20
FANTASY DINING-A blog about themed restaurants and travel says:
I got real stomach poisoning when I was a single girl in Bali. It was really scary because I lived in the middle of the bush. I have never been so bad before!
15 November 2012 - 20:01
admin says:
Rolle and Carina, yes, but that's how it is! Of course you have to be a little careful, but if you are too worried, it will be difficult to live ...
😉
Seniors Speculate, such areas can be quite unpleasant! Getting into the "wrong" areas can actually happen abroad, because you don't always know the areas the way you do at home. I "pushed" a lot of situations that were perhaps more exciting and fun, than really unpleasant. The only time we were really scared was during the unrest in Kenya. Then I always think that traffic can be a bit unpleasant, but you don't go and be afraid all the time because of that....
Marina, yes, in the traffic in these countries you have to be a bit careful... We are going to Langkawi, and then there will be a few days in Kuala Lumpur as well.
Anonymous, mostly agree! I would never travel to a place to experience misery. In Kenya the first time, however, we misjudged the risks of choice. Otherwise, it's mostly about traffic situations and the like, which is usually a very small part of the trip.
Ama de casa, gunfire and an earthquake definitely sound like things that, depending on how close you are, can be quite unpleasant...! Not fun either if you notice that people around you are affected...
Fantasy Dining, getting really sick abroad doesn't sound fun at all! Especially if you are far from cities and hospitals! So far we have been lucky, and have not experienced anything worse ...
15 November 2012 - 20:22
Anna in Qatar says:
The traffic in Vietnam was definitely interesting. Close your eyes and hold your breath kind of thing... but I still thought they were considerate. That is, unlike here in Qatar.
I ended up in the wrong neighbourhood in Brooklyn. I definitely felt white in the place and not welcome. Then I was shaky.
Happened to me in London too, of all places. Wrong area, myself, lots of English hooligans who were really annoyed because England had just lost to Germany and they thought I was German.
But you learn from everything. There are wrong areas at home in Helsingborg too 😉
16 November 2012 - 9:11
admin says:
Anna in Qatar, wow, I guess it's a challenge to navigate the traffic in Qatar! Yes, getting into the wrong areas can definitely be unpleasant. But I agree, it's not necessarily more dangerous abroad... the danger can be in knowing the areas poorly and therefore ending up in the wrong places!
16 November 2012 - 10:15
Pumita says:
I have exactly the same attitude. It is dangerous to live ... and the outcome is given so it is important to take advantage of your time. 🙂
Traffic is usually the biggest threat to your well-being, but not everyone thinks about that. I've been involved in some dangerous situations, but it's not something I worry about. If something happens, you have to take it then. Common sense goes a long way. I was full of laughter when I read the caption to picture no. 8. The same realisation that I got from the Shuar Indians in the Amazon. It was fast out and just as fast in again. =)
16 November 2012 - 18:54
Pumita says:
I mean the tent in Tanzania, of course, No. 9.
16 November 2012 - 18:59
Ditte says:
Travelling is a way of life, at least for me and the family and for you too, I think, and some inconveniences can appear from time to time. Some more unexpected than others. Exciting to read about your experiences that sometimes were not planned at all; Ukraine at night and Kenya in election times. But sometimes you just have to "go with the flow". That was the first and best advice I got when I arrived in Beijing in 2007. And it has worked around the world. Most of the time!
Traffic is probably the worst thing in big cities around the world. Then I'm afraid of snakes and some other things...
Thank you for a wonderful, rewarding and fun read!
Beijing greetings!
17 November 2012 - 3:55
admin says:
Pumita, like you, I think traffic is often the biggest danger when travelling, even if you don't always think about it. It's funny to hear that you had the same camping experience, but in another part of the world...
😉
Ditte, that can often be good advice! You sometimes end up in situations that you did not expect, but usually it solves itself in one way or another!
17 November 2012 - 9:41
The abbess in China says:
The serpentine roads between Baguio and Sagada in the northern Philippines are not to be trifled with either - mountain wall on one side and cliff on the other, 100 km/h, one hand on the wheel, one on the tyre 🙂 A number of buses can be seen down the cliff in places. Then you appreciate life afterwards!
Was also inside a cave in the northern Philippines - the guide had a bottle with turpentine in it as a lamp, only. No ropes, we had flipflops and it was muddy and pitch dark. Big holes here and there. Tried to avoid thinking about "if" the lamp would go out, if... Almost the scariest thing I have experienced and then I have experienced a lot!
Went on a ferry between Luzon and Negros (at night) - on deck there were big rusty holes, no life jackets, three lifeboats... The same ferry sank three days later, hundreds dead!!! Ugh yes...
19 November 2012 - 13:44
admin says:
Abbfrun in China, wow what dramatic adventures you've had! All that sounds like something I would get (a little too much) adrenaline from!
19 November 2012 - 19:30
annelias says:
But god those with the snake sounded terrible! How to kill a snake in shock and freshly bitten, haha yes, I do not know! Like those in Ukraine, I have been through that myself and I was only 10 years old! There were two fake policemen who would take me and a friend (we were on a charity trip) to the police station because we had "done something wrong" BUT when my friend's father knew where the police station was, these "policemen" were not so interested in our crime any more. Yes, a bit complicated but I remember that I was terrified when I realised what was happening!
19 November 2012 - 22:52
admin says:
Annelie, oh that didn't sound like a pleasant experience... Good thing it ended as well as it did!
20 November 2012 - 9:09
Mr Marcus says:
Haha, nice to be half-dead in the hospital with a snake in your hand 🙂.
10 January 2013 - 12:01