My Travel Horror Stories

Every jet-setter has their war stories. Mine just happen to include medical emergencies, misaligned budgets, and a taxi ride straight out of a horror flick. Here’s how I survived my very own travel nightmares, and came out looking fabulous anyway.

Non-Magical Emergencies in Hong Kong

Part of my travel bucket list is to visit all of the international Disney Parks, and of the five I’ve seen so far, Hong Kong was by far my favorite. I loved that trip — in spite of everything that went wrong.

I got lost more times than I can count, got influencer-scammed, and still managed to eat some of the best food of my life. I’ll never forget walking through the Nan Lian Garden and adjoining nunnery, thinking, “I would be willing to discuss anyone’s god… if we could just do it in air conditioning with iced lemon tea.”

Day one at Hong Kong Disneyland was magical — I met Mickey, traded fashion tips with Goofy, splashed around with the Green Army Men… perfection.

Then day two hit. I woke up looking like Quasimodo’s younger sister.

My face was so swollen I could’ve been cast in a live-action remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I spent the day hiding in my Airbnb, icing my face until it deflated enough to shuffle across the street to the pharmacy — armed only with a photo of Tylenol and Benadryl.

Now that I'm older and wiser, I travel with Faye Insurance and a travel first aid kit.

Into the Unknown in Shanghai

The final stop on my Asian Disney tour was Shanghai Disneyland. During COVID, I switched from K-Dramas to C-Dramas, many of which were set in Shanghai. But I didn’t want to spend a full week behind the Great Firewall of China, so this was a short trip — just Disney, no distractions.

Except… the distractions found me.

It started with visa drama at the Chinese Consulate and ended with what I now refer to as The Taxi Ride from Hell.

My flight from Tokyo was delayed, so by the time I landed, the hotel shuttle had clocked out for the night. Someone pointed me toward the taxi line, and before I could protest, I was shoved into a cab with a driver who didn’t speak English.

Now, as a world traveler, I don’t expect everyone to speak English. After five years living in South Korea, my translator app was practically a third limb — but this time, my internet wouldn’t connect. Luckily, I had a photo of my hotel address, but the driver couldn’t read it and had to flag someone else down to translate.

Eventually, we were on our way… until he got lost. So there I was, driving around the Shanghai countryside at 11 p.m., in the dark, with no Wi-Fi and no way to call for help.

I have never prayed so hard in my life.

If I ever return to Shanghai, I’ll be booking my eSim early, catching an earlier flight, and staying in the city — with a driver pre-booked through my hotel, thank you very much.

Misaligned Budgets in India

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to visit India. Ever since my first Shah Rukh Khan movie, I dreamed of colorful Holi festivals, sipping chai from a roadside cart, and cruising along the beach in a tuk tuk.

I finally made it, and it was incredible… mostly. My guides were great, the sights were breathtaking, but it was not the Bollywood fantasy I’d imagined.

I’d had two choices when booking: go solo and stay in a luxurious palace, or join a group tour with “moderate” accommodations. Since my blood and soju family had mild panic attacks at the thought of me going alone, I chose the group.

Plot twist: two days before departure, I found out I was the group.

That was fine — until I saw the hotels. Let’s just say they were… memorable. I stayed in secluded areas, musty basements, and rooms that hadn’t been dusted since the British Raj. At one point, I woke up to monkeys fighting on the balcony.

When I mentioned this to my tour contact, she told me the hotels were chosen for “larger groups” and “moderate budgets.”

I had recently entered my Rich Auntie Era, so I politely informed her that her budget was not my budget. Then I booked myself into the gorgeous Taj Devi Ratan — five stars, secure, elegant, and fully aligned with my energy.

So this Halloween, skip the haunted houses. Just travel abroad without a plan! You'll find terror, suspense, and a plot twist worthy of a horror film. Luckily, I'm here to make sure you don't have to live it.