A good travel story is usually the result of something that has gone wrong.
We call it the matzic effect, those moments when you know, you feel, it’s gonna be something unpleasant but it will make a very good story. And it usually happens when we are the most sure we are on the right track.
Like the moments I’m gonna talk about now – from the Europe tour.

That time when we couldn’t find the border
First day of the Europe tour. Just wanted to leave the country and head to Budapest. All good! Until we wanted to cross the border and we didn’t seem to reach it anymore.
We drove in circle for nearly 2 hours; around small lakes and quite dark atmosphere. First time the GPS showed us a road where we could cross – but we didn’t. The border was at the end of a small town, in the woods – it could be crossed only by foot or bike. What a joy!
Second time, following the classical map. It didn’t help much because a dead badger was put on, by a possibly mad man, on the road sign covering everything written on it.
In the end we followed our gut and made it out.

That time when we booked a hotel room in the Red District in Zurich
Iei, we are now on the Europe tour! We book each day the hotel for the next stay. After a full day of traveling from Barcelona to Geneva across France with a flat tire, 70 km/h on the truck’s lane, arriving in Geneva on the 14th of July (France national day that they celebrate) and without any spare tire, we forget to book for our stay in Zurich. Saturday, after half-day spent in a service trying to find a good and fitting spare tire, we arrived at sunset in Zurich.
First of, no internet – so we headed to the first McDonalds we saw – to eat and get connected. And that was the most expensive McDonalds menu I had in my life. However, we did the booking and headed to check in.
When at the reception desk the front man got a look at us, checked the reservation – which was on my name and was freshly printing in a corner – and then asked surprised: „are you staying the whole night?”, „you want the breakfast?”, „should I use the name on the id card?”.
Not long after getting the room we saw what was starting to happen in the street.
We were in the Red District and the fun was starting.
That night, while wondering around towards the old center in Zurich, Mau held my hand the tightest.

That time when we joined the Gay Festival in Munchen
Same Europe tour! Rainy and cold day in July in Munchen. We headed to have a wurst and we ended up at a festival in the old city center. People having fun, beer, shows, all good until Mau wanted to get closer to the scene. „I don’t think you want to get any closer. Have you looked around? They are going to steal you from me”, I joked. He wasn’t aware we were in the middle of the Gay Fest in Munich. Obviously we stayed and had great fun.

Do you have any fun, embarrassing travel moments?