What is the biggest mishap that has ever happened to you abroad?

Ciao Café (Travel) – What is the biggest mishap that has ever happened to you abroad? Give them a taste of Capitalism and see what happens! Going to a strange country and then finding that the aeroplane you’ve personally chartered has been impounded for alleged “non-payment” of airport landing fees is one thing: when said country had only truly opened its doors to Western visitors a couple of years previously, and had made a habit of housing its politically-undesirable citizens in labour camps not a million miles from where you were about to be stranded, is another thing entirely. Yes, this ... more

As many of you know, I live in Mexico City, known for its smog, its teeming population and, most recently, its swine flu. Swine Flu in Mexico was an interesting experience, but not a scary one. I received a lot of concerned emails from people on the site - so thanks for all your messages, and sorry if you didn't get a long reply. With the best part of the pandemic panic now over, I thought it would be fun to tell you about what life was like on the ground during the couple of weeks when it took over the city. Friday 24th April On my way home from class there seems to be an insane /abnormal ... more

Deciding to go travelling in central america has been one of the best things i've done to date. However trying to get back from there, by a set date, was more difficult than it seems. After spending a few months working as a volunteer in Honduras (for anyone who fancies doing something like this, do not go with a company who claim to offer "conservation activities", its just one big rip off, go to the country and offer your volunteering services to a worthy cause), i soon learned that if in Britain a particular task takes one hour to complete, in Honduras it may take four days to complete ... more