My 5 Scariest Travel Experiences (That Still Give Me Chills)

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here…

Today marks exactly one year since I started this channel.
Okay  technically, the first video came a few weeks later 😅,
but the channel itself was created today, and that’s reason enough to get a little reflective.

Funny story,  my very first upload wasn’t even about gear.
It was a short video where I talked about my scariest travel experiences,
and it got exactly 46 views.
One comment said, “This could be a Drew Binsky video,” 
to this day, I still don’t know if that was meant as a compliment or not 😅.

Luckily, now I have this newsletter for stories like that
so, as the title already gave away,
today I’m sharing my 5 creepiest, weirdest, and most unforgettable travel moments.

#5 – The Airbnb Invasion (Bogotá, Colombia)

I was exhausted. Long travel day, finally in bed, just drifting off.
Then — click. The sound of a key turning.
I froze. The door opened.

In walked… my Airbnb host. At 2 a.m.

Apparently, he thought the apartment was still empty. His wife had just kicked him out, and this was his backup plan. He was apologetic, a little drunk, and honestly looked more confused than I was.

But imagine being half-asleep in a foreign country, thinking someone is breaking in. I didn’t sleep the rest of the night.
And yes, I always put a chair in front of the door now.

#4 – The “Friendly” Robbery (Southern Italy)

Walking through a small Italian town, camera in hand, good vibes only.
Two men approached me  smiling, chatting, asking where I was from.
It felt friendly… until it didn’t.

One of them “playfully” bumped into me…like an old friend.
And just like that, my wallet was gone.

No yelling, no panic, no drama — just gone.
To this day, I still don’t know how they pulled it off that smoothly.
Lesson learned: never underestimate pickpocket ninjas in polo shirts.

#3 – Scooter From Hell (Koh Samui, Thailand)

Ah, Thailand,  land of coconuts, clear waters… and scooters that want to kill you.
I was cruising down a mountain road, wind in my hair, life was good
until my brakes stopped working.

Completely.

No fluid. No pressure. No plan B.
Just gravity and me.

I had to ride it out, dodging potholes, praying no truck came uphill.
When I finally coasted to a stop at the bottom, I was shaking.
It took 20 minutes to unclench my hands from the handlebars.
Never again.

#2 – Police Trouble in Kyrgyzstan

Picture this: small Soviet-era town (where one side of my girlfriend’s family comes from), no tourists, no English, just quiet streets.
I’m taking photos when a policeman walks up and says something fast in Russian.
One word I catch: “Passport.”

I tell him it’s at my hotel.
He frowns, gestures: “Come with me.”

Minutes later, I’m sitting in a dimly lit police office,  one desk, one flickering bulb.
No phone, no translator, no clue what’s happening.

After an hour, he returns with a handwritten note:
100 Euro
110 US Dollar
10 000 Soms

No explanation just a look that said you know what to do.
So I paid.

Then, in perfect English, he says:
“Okay. I’ve now seen your passport.”

And that’s when it hit me
he understood everything the whole time.
Welcome to real travel.

#1 – Guns at the Border (Venezuela)

Crossing into Venezuela with a local guide.
Everything was calm until three men with guns stepped out of the jungle.

No words. Just stares.
My heart sank.

Our guide started talking fast in Spanish, tension thick in the air.
No police, no cameras, it's just us.

After a few minutes that felt like hours, they backed away.
Later, the guide told me it was just an “intimidation tactic.”
A way of showing who’s in control.

But to be honest ?
That was the first time I ever thought, we might not make it out of here.

So guys, as you’ve probably noticed  I’ve been incredibly lucky on my travels.
Apart from one or two close calls, nothing truly bad ever happened.
But I still want to say this clearly: travel is amazing, and moments like these are part of the experience but you have to stay alert and protect yourself.

Especially when visiting countries where it’s simply more logical to be cautious.
I know a few travelers who purposely go to places like Venezuela or Iran
which is totally fine, but it’s important to remember that danger can exist anywhere.
So no matter where you travel, always stay aware, and take care of yourself.

Now, to end on a brighter note (and something that has absolutely nothing to do with this email 😅):
My new video is live where I share 12 completely new travel gadgets I’ve bought, tested, and actually recommend.

🎥 Watch it here: The 12 Best Packable Travel Gadgets for Your Trip!

P.S. I’ve added a new photo from Corfu and my latest Instagram post right here

📸 See the full post here