Contrary to what social media may lead you to believe if you live on a different continent, traveling around Europe is not always glamorous. While your Instagram might be flooded with cute videos of croissants, cozy city streets and gorgeous views of the Mediterranean sea, European countries are not immune to the difficulties you can encounter anywhere else in the world.
One traveler who knows that all too well is Australian TikToker Rowena Young, or Row.yo. She recently shared a video detailing all of the unfortunate struggles she experienced while traveling throughout Europe, so keep reading to hear all about her trip, as well as find conversations with Rowena and travel expert Alex Miles of offMetro.
After traveling through various countries in Europe, this woman decided to document all of the nightmares she encountered along the way
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
Image credits: row.yo
“Overall, it was the best trip of my life”
We reached out to Rowena to learn even more about her travels through Europe, and she was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda explaining what inspired her to share her experiences. “I wanted to show the other side of traveling which people don’t tend to post about on social media,” she revealed. “Everyone (including me) loves to share perfectly edited pictures and videos that make traveling look like an absolute dream. And it really can be at times, but there are also mishaps, mistakes and unexpected fines!”
Rowena shared that all of these negative experiences happened during one long trip, as she was studying abroad in Copenhagen at the time. And thankfully, the bumps along the way didn’t ruin the whole journey. “Overall, it was the best trip of my life,” Rowena says. “That might be hard to believe after seeing my post, but the good definitely outweighed the bad. I probably wouldn’t go back to Munich because I’m still a little scarred (mentally and physically!) from Oktoberfest. But I did end up having a really fun time overall.”
We also asked Rowena if she could share her top tips for people from other continents who want to travel around Europe. She recommends packing light and avoiding large suitcases; doing free walking tours whenever you arrive in a new city; exploring grocery stores to discover local foods; visiting during autumn instead of summer to avoid crowds but still enjoy nice weather; getting recommendations from locals; always having some cash with you; and saying yes to adventures and stepping outside of your comfort zone. “But not to the point of trying to ski down a slope far beyond your level,” Rowena added.
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
“Don’t be scared by uncertainty or the thought of things going wrong”
As far as her favorite place she’s visited in Europe, Rowena told Bored Panda that it might have been Iceland. “I was there over Christmas, staying with an Icelandic girl who I’d met and quickly become best friends with while studying in Copenhagen. It’s unlike anywhere I’ve been – the landscapes are incredible, the people are kind, and the licorice chocolate is divine,” she shared.
Finally, Rowena wanted to encourage others to get out and travel, even though it doesn’t always go according to plan. “Don’t be scared by uncertainty or the thought of things going wrong because you’re stronger than you think and you’ll get through it!” If you’d like to keep up with Rowena’s travels, be sure to follow her on TikTok and Instagram!
We also got in touch with travel expert Alex Miles, a writer for offMetro, to hear his thoughts on what we should prepare ourselves for when traveling. “Oh, the beautiful melody that is traveling to other countries! It’s like setting out on an adventure to find the missing sock in your laundry pile; you know it must be around someplace, but there’s always a chance that you’ll wind up with a few pairs that don’t go together,” Alex shared. “It is quite typical for things to go a little goofy when jet-setting between borders. It is about as common as a pigeon in Venice. It’s almost like a right of passage, if you think about it.”
We also asked Alex for his advice on how we can minimize our difficulties when traveling internationally. “Imagine this: you’re taking a leisurely stroll around the gorgeous streets of Paris when all of a sudden, your phone dies, your GPS decides to take a break for some coffee, and you’re forced to rely on your rusty French abilities in order to ask for directions,” the travel expert says. “How can we avoid this happening? Don’t forget to bring a portable charger! Learn some of the common terms spoken locally, and for heaven’s sake, always carry a paper map with you. It’s possible that you look like a time traveler from the past, but hey, it’s better than not being able to communicate at all.”
Image credits: Leah Kelley (not the actual photo)
“It’s not all rainbows and unicorns, but are those strange occurrences unfortunate turns of events?”
We were also curious if Alex believes Europe is too often romanticized by travelers from other continents. “If you’ve ever watched a romantic comedy, you already know that the streets of Europe are like the set of a beautiful love story,” he shared. “The path to truth, however, does not always present itself with a bed of rose petals.”
“Here’s the deal: Share the less-than-magical experiences you’ve had in Europe, because let’s face it, sometimes the bathrooms in European countries are as cramped as a sardine can, and the Eiffel Tower could be obscured by a layer of fog,” Alex says. “It’s not all rainbows and unicorns, but are those strange occurrences unfortunate turns of events? They are the spices that give flavor to your international travel narrative and make it come alive.” If you’d like to hear more travel tips and stories from Alex and his colleagues, be sure to visit offMetro!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on Rowena’s experiences in the comments below, pandas. Do you have any similar stories from traveling internationally? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article, we recommend reading all about these unfortunate vacation fails!
Image credits: Brett Sayles (not the actual photo)
Sympathetic viewers shared their concern in the comments, as well as some of their own similar experiences
"Inexperienced Traveler Lacking Situational Awareness Fails to Plan Trip Through Europe, Shares Completely Predictable Things That Went Wrong"
Please don’t visit Europe without research and if you do, don’t make posts like this. Europe is very different compared to Australia, America, Asia etc. . Finland here, Yes we have beautiful nature and the norther lights, it is also very cold and windy and wet. So don’t be surpised if you come here and it rains in July. This person shares everything that went wrong, not a single thing that was good. If you are sick in Europe, you can just walk to a hospital and they will take care of you.
If she told the truth, then why shouldnt she post it? Im Portuguese, we need tourists here, but we have a problem with pickpocketing. Im not going to get mad if somebody mentions that happened to them.
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Why would it “make sense” to get sick after a trip to Ibiza? Also, take skiing lessons if you cannot ski, don’t go down the slope by yourself. It is harder then you think.
Ibiza is often called the party capital of the world so sick after Ibiza makes perfect sense
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95% of these and other stories on internet are caused by having read no instructions (europass for instance) or reviews when booking, having done zilch research beforehand about how to behave, how to communicate, what to have at hand, which cultural pecularities to expect, which risks are (not) present, exclusions of the health insurance and why it is excluded, food and drinks tips (no icecubes!!!) and warnings and travellers reviews. If you go travelling to another country, AND a different continent on your own, it is a no-brainer to gather not only as much information as possible about your destination, but also how to get there and which type of luggage suits your means of transportation best. It is beyond me, why all this and applying some common sense was impossible for this person and dozens of her type, complaining on all kind of social media. Abozt the suitcade: Read the small print that came with your ticket. Follow these instructions, keep the receipt, take photos...
Most if this could have been avoided with good preparation, situational awareness and common sense.
LOL @ the people crossing Copenhagen from their list :-D this can happen in every big city and not just in Europe. I have a few questions. Also wondered why she booked a mixed dorm. Mixed dorms all over the world can have "strange guys" in it. (female dorms can have strange women in it. Book a hotel if you cant handle a hostel) Why did she get sick in Ibiza? Its easy to assume she partied to hard, but if she didnt, you can get sick all over the world. I think all these things are global problems, and i wonder if this is the first time she ever traveled. Not even outside of her country, no, just AT ALL.
Who said it was europe's fault? She was just talking about s**t that went wrong on her trip. It was her trip. It went wrong. Simple as that.
Load More Replies... I am a newbie to international travel. DOne it twice in the last four years. I find that these experiences are what make the trip memorable. Even the bad parts.. That is what makes it an experience. Getting out of your comfort zone. I had culture shock when I traveled outside the US. Do not regret it. Of everything went right, then it is like watching a movie. It is the hiccups and whatnot that make it a life experience.
Don't go to the Oktoberfest. It's mainly for tourists. Every town in Germany has lots of big and small festivals year-round that are much more fun, authentic, and safe than the Oktoberfest. You'll pay decent prices and hang out with the locals.
Yep! And it’s not the locals that make Octoberfest unsafe. It’s the mass tourism, those who cannot handle the potent beer or don’t know their drinking limits… and especially these tourists that think being drunk at Octoberfest is a must and worse: an excuse for misbehavior!
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Honestly...most things weren't specific for Europe.. I've traveled a lot and had some similar / weird things happening around the world. A lot can be prevented with some simple google research and common sense.
In mean, yes but she's just mentioning things that happened to her
Load More Replies... Some EU anecdotes: 1. Check the hotel location versus where you want to visit. They tell you it is "in rome" but actually it's about 20km out. 2. Taxi drivers drive round in circles to clock up miles. Try get an uber if you can, because at least you can see if your guy is driving a reasonable route (direct) or scamming you. 3. Anyone hands you anything is a scammer, especially roses, jewelry and umbrellas. If someone tries this, switch to another language that isn't from EU and act like you do not know what they are doing.
1. Well they tell you it is "in Rome", "in London", "in Paris", because it actually is. You're a bit silly if you assume by that, that the hotel is in the historical center, or right by the Coliseum/Eiffel Tower/Westminster abbey. 2. That's true, although it's less the case thanks to the competition of driver apps. Bolt is also a good alternative in Europe. 3. That depends, if you encounter one of the many 'rose sellers' in Paris, they're not scammers, just honest Pakistani dudes trying to make a living. Well actually no, scammers don't care if you speak a 'non-EU' language or not (I guess you mean non-European), and don't act like you don't know what they are doing, they'll stick to you. Just say a firm 'no' in the European language of the country you're in, and move along.
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This was a fantastic read!! I’m glad she loved the trip even after all that terrible sh!T happening.
Sometimes trips are remembered as great trips because of the obstacles. A vacation that goes as planned is more easily forgotten then the one where your car broke down and you had to try to communicate in a foreign language to get it started. " remember that time when the car broke down? " Now I don't mean bad things should happen, but sometimes it gets you out of your comfort zone and that is scary but sometimes also empowering - to know you have handled it.
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This is misleading. It's apparent from the language and circumstances that this isn't just one person, and it's definitely not all women. Also, I doubt a few of these. I'm not going into which ones. Basically I think someone built this patchwork style from other stories and claimed it happened to them for some reason.
i'm from europe and i frequent hostels when i travel to another city. what's wrong with wearing undies to sleep? that is all fine lol
He didn't just sleep in his undies, he did EVERYTHING in his undies.
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Our European tour last month. Ireland: fine. Scotland: fine:. Netherlands: fine. UK: Wife has stroke. Wanna trade?
Nothing. The problem was he did everything in his undies.
Load More Replies... Jesus, what is wrong with everyone in the comments. I thought people were rabid about the US being perfect, but my EU crowd is letting me down. She was talking about things that went wrong on her trip that had nothing to do with europe. Some were her own fault but that doesn't matter, they weren't really f**k around and find out sort of things. No one is saying that europe sucks (except a few people at the bottom, but that's rare). And to the people sarcastically talking about how "they thought america was the only one with problems," no one says that. *Again, it wasn't a review of her trip, she isn't saying europe sucks, it was talking about the misfortunes she experienced.* Seriously guys, don't be so nasty on her sharing her story and stop making it political.
Is this for real?!? I hope it's just documenting and not complaining, because most of these are on her.
most? I would definitely make the rail mistake, it's totally not obvious. Diarrhea in the loo: not her fault. Stalker in the streets: not her fault. That I think is the majority NOT on her.
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Just wanted to say I applaud the actual use of "unalived" in the Oktoberfest picture. Bravo!
Like I feel for the inconveniences and couple of actual scares but to have the privilege and means to travel through Europe only to point out onlu everything that went "wrong" leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
"Unalived" is asinine. Grow up and use the actual word. It still means KILLED.
if you say "kill" or "killed" on facebook, you can get banned. so, people have come up with alternate ways to say it. "unalive" is simply one of them. NBD
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After last Ving 23 years in Europe as an American almost all of this is bad planning and/or thinking your culture wins out in their town.
Why? Just read all information when booking something. Google places, habits, do's and don'ts, wise food choices and travel tips in general. Be informed, be prepared, be smart, stay out of crowds, avoid extreme weather conditions ( = check forecast), don't try new things without instructions by an expert and don't do anything stupid you wouldn't do at home.
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Not really, because almost every time this is not a mistake, it’s a fraud, see below.
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Great word, "probably", especially when used willfully ignorantly, as in 'proudly without any knowledge'. So you have the right idea, stay home.
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"Inexperienced Traveler Lacking Situational Awareness Fails to Plan Trip Through Europe, Shares Completely Predictable Things That Went Wrong"
Please don’t visit Europe without research and if you do, don’t make posts like this. Europe is very different compared to Australia, America, Asia etc. . Finland here, Yes we have beautiful nature and the norther lights, it is also very cold and windy and wet. So don’t be surpised if you come here and it rains in July. This person shares everything that went wrong, not a single thing that was good. If you are sick in Europe, you can just walk to a hospital and they will take care of you.
If she told the truth, then why shouldnt she post it? Im Portuguese, we need tourists here, but we have a problem with pickpocketing. Im not going to get mad if somebody mentions that happened to them.
Load More Replies... Why would it “make sense” to get sick after a trip to Ibiza? Also, take skiing lessons if you cannot ski, don’t go down the slope by yourself. It is harder then you think.
Ibiza is often called the party capital of the world so sick after Ibiza makes perfect sense
Load More Replies... 95% of these and other stories on internet are caused by having read no instructions (europass for instance) or reviews when booking, having done zilch research beforehand about how to behave, how to communicate, what to have at hand, which cultural pecularities to expect, which risks are (not) present, exclusions of the health insurance and why it is excluded, food and drinks tips (no icecubes!!!) and warnings and travellers reviews. If you go travelling to another country, AND a different continent on your own, it is a no-brainer to gather not only as much information as possible about your destination, but also how to get there and which type of luggage suits your means of transportation best. It is beyond me, why all this and applying some common sense was impossible for this person and dozens of her type, complaining on all kind of social media. Abozt the suitcade: Read the small print that came with your ticket. Follow these instructions, keep the receipt, take photos...
Most if this could have been avoided with good preparation, situational awareness and common sense.
LOL @ the people crossing Copenhagen from their list :-D this can happen in every big city and not just in Europe. I have a few questions. Also wondered why she booked a mixed dorm. Mixed dorms all over the world can have "strange guys" in it. (female dorms can have strange women in it. Book a hotel if you cant handle a hostel) Why did she get sick in Ibiza? Its easy to assume she partied to hard, but if she didnt, you can get sick all over the world. I think all these things are global problems, and i wonder if this is the first time she ever traveled. Not even outside of her country, no, just AT ALL.
Who said it was europe's fault? She was just talking about s**t that went wrong on her trip. It was her trip. It went wrong. Simple as that.
Load More Replies... I am a newbie to international travel. DOne it twice in the last four years. I find that these experiences are what make the trip memorable. Even the bad parts.. That is what makes it an experience. Getting out of your comfort zone. I had culture shock when I traveled outside the US. Do not regret it. Of everything went right, then it is like watching a movie. It is the hiccups and whatnot that make it a life experience.
Don't go to the Oktoberfest. It's mainly for tourists. Every town in Germany has lots of big and small festivals year-round that are much more fun, authentic, and safe than the Oktoberfest. You'll pay decent prices and hang out with the locals.
Yep! And it’s not the locals that make Octoberfest unsafe. It’s the mass tourism, those who cannot handle the potent beer or don’t know their drinking limits… and especially these tourists that think being drunk at Octoberfest is a must and worse: an excuse for misbehavior!
Load More Replies... Honestly...most things weren't specific for Europe.. I've traveled a lot and had some similar / weird things happening around the world. A lot can be prevented with some simple google research and common sense.
In mean, yes but she's just mentioning things that happened to her
Load More Replies... Some EU anecdotes: 1. Check the hotel location versus where you want to visit. They tell you it is "in rome" but actually it's about 20km out. 2. Taxi drivers drive round in circles to clock up miles. Try get an uber if you can, because at least you can see if your guy is driving a reasonable route (direct) or scamming you. 3. Anyone hands you anything is a scammer, especially roses, jewelry and umbrellas. If someone tries this, switch to another language that isn't from EU and act like you do not know what they are doing.
1. Well they tell you it is "in Rome", "in London", "in Paris", because it actually is. You're a bit silly if you assume by that, that the hotel is in the historical center, or right by the Coliseum/Eiffel Tower/Westminster abbey. 2. That's true, although it's less the case thanks to the competition of driver apps. Bolt is also a good alternative in Europe. 3. That depends, if you encounter one of the many 'rose sellers' in Paris, they're not scammers, just honest Pakistani dudes trying to make a living. Well actually no, scammers don't care if you speak a 'non-EU' language or not (I guess you mean non-European), and don't act like you don't know what they are doing, they'll stick to you. Just say a firm 'no' in the European language of the country you're in, and move along.
Load More Replies... This was a fantastic read!! I’m glad she loved the trip even after all that terrible sh!T happening.
Sometimes trips are remembered as great trips because of the obstacles. A vacation that goes as planned is more easily forgotten then the one where your car broke down and you had to try to communicate in a foreign language to get it started. " remember that time when the car broke down? " Now I don't mean bad things should happen, but sometimes it gets you out of your comfort zone and that is scary but sometimes also empowering - to know you have handled it.
Load More Replies... This is misleading. It's apparent from the language and circumstances that this isn't just one person, and it's definitely not all women. Also, I doubt a few of these. I'm not going into which ones. Basically I think someone built this patchwork style from other stories and claimed it happened to them for some reason.
i'm from europe and i frequent hostels when i travel to another city. what's wrong with wearing undies to sleep? that is all fine lol
He didn't just sleep in his undies, he did EVERYTHING in his undies.
Load More Replies... Our European tour last month. Ireland: fine. Scotland: fine:. Netherlands: fine. UK: Wife has stroke. Wanna trade?
Nothing. The problem was he did everything in his undies.
Load More Replies... Jesus, what is wrong with everyone in the comments. I thought people were rabid about the US being perfect, but my EU crowd is letting me down. She was talking about things that went wrong on her trip that had nothing to do with europe. Some were her own fault but that doesn't matter, they weren't really f**k around and find out sort of things. No one is saying that europe sucks (except a few people at the bottom, but that's rare). And to the people sarcastically talking about how "they thought america was the only one with problems," no one says that. *Again, it wasn't a review of her trip, she isn't saying europe sucks, it was talking about the misfortunes she experienced.* Seriously guys, don't be so nasty on her sharing her story and stop making it political.
Is this for real?!? I hope it's just documenting and not complaining, because most of these are on her.
most? I would definitely make the rail mistake, it's totally not obvious. Diarrhea in the loo: not her fault. Stalker in the streets: not her fault. That I think is the majority NOT on her.
Load More Replies... Just wanted to say I applaud the actual use of "unalived" in the Oktoberfest picture. Bravo!
Like I feel for the inconveniences and couple of actual scares but to have the privilege and means to travel through Europe only to point out onlu everything that went "wrong" leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
"Unalived" is asinine. Grow up and use the actual word. It still means KILLED.
if you say "kill" or "killed" on facebook, you can get banned. so, people have come up with alternate ways to say it. "unalive" is simply one of them. NBD
Load More Replies... After last Ving 23 years in Europe as an American almost all of this is bad planning and/or thinking your culture wins out in their town.
Why? Just read all information when booking something. Google places, habits, do's and don'ts, wise food choices and travel tips in general. Be informed, be prepared, be smart, stay out of crowds, avoid extreme weather conditions ( = check forecast), don't try new things without instructions by an expert and don't do anything stupid you wouldn't do at home.
Load More Replies... Not really, because almost every time this is not a mistake, it’s a fraud, see below.
Load More Replies... Great word, "probably", especially when used willfully ignorantly, as in 'proudly without any knowledge'. So you have the right idea, stay home.
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