Traveling around the globe has a way of broadening one’s perspective, exposing both the wonderful and not-so-great aspects of the world.
While many destinations offer unforgettable experiences, some may not meet expectations.
One traveler has taken to the internet to share his less-than-favorable experiences, offering a cautionary tale for others.
Among the countless travel stories shared online, one Reddit user has provided some unexpected insights into well-known and beloved countries.
He revealed, “I’ve been to 103 countries for work and spend almost the entire year living out of a suitcase. Curious about travel, life abroad, or anything else? AMA.”
The acronym AMA, which stands for Ask Me Anything, was eagerly embraced by commenters eager to learn which destinations to approach with caution and the reasons behind it.
Using the username ‘Boston_772’, this traveler mentioned he has visited ‘103 countries and spends most of the year on the road’. While ‘Boston is home’, he only spends a few weeks there annually.
The majority of his time is dedicated to exploring diverse destinations.
Having traveled extensively, he shared that he has ‘picked up a lot….good spots, weird stories, little tricks that make life easier when you’re never really settled’.
Initially, he was asked to recommend a destination for a ‘casual traveler’, someone who enjoys leisurely visits without the intense commitment of global exploration.
His suggestion was Slovenia, which he described as ‘one of the most underrated spots in Europe (IMO)’.
He elaborated: “It’s super safe, affordable (by European standards lol), and easy to get around. You get a bit of everything. …mountains, lakes, wine country, caves, castles, and a tiny slice of Adriatic coastline. “Ljubljana is clean, walkable, and truly not swarmed with tourists, and Lake Bled looks like something out of a storybook.”
He also recommended Ireland’s major cities and the Aran Islands during weekdays.
On the other hand, the country he found least enjoyable was ‘probably Somalia’.
Discussing the most challenging place he visited, he stated: “I went to Mogadishu briefly as part of a work assignment, and don’t get me wrong I’ve been to some real doozies of dangerous places, but this…was the only place where I felt genuinely unsafe from the moment I landed.”
Despite a heavy military presence, it did not feel ‘reassuring’. He was instructed not to leave the building where they were staying ‘under any circumstances’.
It was one of the few places where he ‘truly counted the days’ until he could depart.
With an armed escort from the moment of arrival, he noted the absence of ‘public areas we could walk through safely’.
He recounted being accompanied by ‘heavily armored convoys with armed guards’ to his hotel compound in Somalia, where simple activities like taking a walk or grabbing a coffee were not possible.
He described hearing ‘sporadic gunfire in the distance’ which became a background noise during his stay.
Overall, it was not a destination he relished visiting, and the airport experience was ‘legit the most on edge I’ve ever felt in an airport’.