In hindsight, it seems a bit silly to be surprised by the unexpected when traveling. After all, the entire point is to see and experience new things, otherwise, why spend all the time and money? So one should at least expect some amount of surprises and fortunately for all of us, these travelers made sure to document the unusual or unexpected things they encountered while traversing the globe. 

So, wherever you are, get comfortable and prepare to scroll through all the memorable little things tourists and travelers have run into, upvote the experiences that caught you by surprise, and be sure to comment your own stories. And if some of the things listed here are pretty normal where you are from, let us know!

#1

They Have Pet Carts In Grocery Stores In Italy

They Have Pet Carts In Grocery Stores In Italy

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    #2

    This Museum In Berlin Has "Touchable" Versions Of Their Paintings For Blind People

    This Museum In Berlin Has "Touchable" Versions Of Their Paintings For Blind People

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    #3

    The Algerian Sahara By Night. With No Light Pollution, The Sky Is Truly Incredible

    The Algerian Sahara By Night. With No Light Pollution, The Sky Is Truly Incredible

    I spent four days camping out in the remote Algerian Sahara - just me and a local guide. I took a million photos but this was one of my favorites. Freezing cold at night, but free of all light pollution the sky was breathtakingly beautiful.

    xe3to , xereeto Report

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    Burnt Bagel
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The whole world is incredible if we could just stop fighting over it and learn to cooperatively enjoy it!

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    Despite the dangers and discomfort, humans have been fascinated with travel for thousands of years. There are early Medieval examples from all over the world, while the earliest example is “Periplus of the Erythraean Sea,” which is a first-century text describing travel conditions, currents, and weather patterns throughout the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean.

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    Less a piece of literature, it was more like a guide for merchants who were looking to travel in these areas, though it seems likely that any merchant with half a brain would still need to hire captains and sailors with experience. Currently, it’s not even known who authored the text or if it even had one author, as there is the possibility that it functioned more like a collection of different people’s experiences. 

    #4

    An Albino Turtle I Saw On My Vacation In Sri Lanka

    An Albino Turtle I Saw On My Vacation In Sri Lanka

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    #5

    After 4 Days Of Trekking Over The Salkantay Pass To Get To Machu Picchu, I Woke Up Around 3:30 Am To Try To Get There Before The Rest Of The Tourists

    After 4 Days Of Trekking Over The Salkantay Pass To Get To Machu Picchu, I Woke Up Around 3:30 Am To Try To Get There Before The Rest Of The Tourists

    100% worth it for seeing the sunrise alone.

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    Marco Polo is a more commonly known traveler, but he was not the only one of his contemporaries to write about his experiences. In China, one of Marco Polo’s many destinations, there were even writers who would make “day trip essays,” which would give readers some basic information about different locations that are, as the name suggests, a day’s travel away. However, these essays mainly focused on using the locations to provide some sort of moral lesson, which tells us that even a thousand years ago, people could not help from editorializing. 

    #7

    In Denmark, Some Of Our Light Signals Are Small Vikings

    In Denmark, Some Of Our Light Signals Are Small Vikings

    Ulle82 , Grubernator Report

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    Robert T
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Where? I never saw any when I was there. *disappointed face*

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    #8

    My Hotel Phone In Iceland Has A Special Button That Will Wake You Up If There Are Northern Lights In The Sky

    My Hotel Phone In Iceland Has A Special Button That Will Wake You Up If There Are Northern Lights In The Sky

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    #9

    My Hotel In China Has A Card To Give To A Taxi Driver So You Can Find Your Way Back

    My Hotel In China Has A Card To Give To A Taxi Driver So You Can Find Your Way Back

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    Indeed, in the 16th century, traveling to what at the time was Persia (mostly modern Iran) and the Indian subcontinent was so popular, that these accounts were often put together into collections, so interested readers could just buy one book and compare. There were similar collections for Europe, though it was seen as less exotic than Asia, and often focused on a single region, such as the Italian peninsula. 

    #10

    Train Seats In Japan Facing Outwards So You Can See The Scenery

    Train Seats In Japan Facing Outwards So You Can See The Scenery

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    #11

    Spotted The Hogwarts Express On My Trip To Scotland Last Year

    Spotted The Hogwarts Express On My Trip To Scotland Last Year

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    #12

    A Tram On The Stuttgart Rack Railway With A Trailer For Bikes. Stuttgart, Germany

    A Tram On The Stuttgart Rack Railway With A Trailer For Bikes. Stuttgart, Germany

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    As maritime technology developed, the means of transportation itself became a topic of interest. Similar to the travel vlogs of today, there was a lucrative niche describing the realities of ocean voyages and the various sights and experiences one could have. Of course, the average person on, say, a transatlantic ship had a much worse experience than a literate, generally wealthy traveler. 

    #13

    In The Ancient Egypt, Cats Were Sacred Animals. It Seems That Nothing Has Changed Since Then

    In The Ancient Egypt, Cats Were Sacred Animals. It Seems That Nothing Has Changed Since Then

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    #14

    These Two Different Sets Of Shopping Baskets At A Department Store In Bangkok - For Those That Need Help Or Want To Be Left Alone

    These Two Different Sets Of Shopping Baskets At A Department Store In Bangkok - For Those That Need Help Or Want To Be Left Alone

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    #15

    Wuppertal's Suspension Railway (Monorail), Germany

    Wuppertal's Suspension Railway (Monorail), Germany

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    This all goes to show that these travelers, documenting and photographing the things they saw are part of an ancient tradition. While we might think of Marco Polo’s writings as more highbrow, he probably would have used a camera, if he had the option, as a picture can really show you what a thousand words can’t. Hopefully, this list has put some wanderlust into you and there will be more interesting experiences from around the world for all of us to enjoy online. 

    #16

    This Tree In Morocco Is Filled With Real Goats Standing On It

    This Tree In Morocco Is Filled With Real Goats Standing On It

    freebird348 , FlyingBirdSnake Report

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    Debby Keir
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They are in Argan trees - from where the famed Argan oil comes.

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    #17

    The Way These Trees Grew On A Street In Amsterdam

    The Way These Trees Grew On A Street In Amsterdam

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    #19

    In Finland, There Are Buttons To Thank The Bus Driver

    In Finland, There Are Buttons To Thank The Bus Driver

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    #21

    My Buddy And I Got Our Faces On The Foam Of Our Beers In Ireland

    My Buddy And I Got Our Faces On The Foam Of Our Beers In Ireland

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    #22

    Went To A Beach In Iceland And Took A Full-Color Picture That Looks Entirely Grayscale

    Went To A Beach In Iceland And Took A Full-Color Picture That Looks Entirely Grayscale

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    #24

    This Albino Reindeer I Saw While Traveling In Finnish Lapland

    This Albino Reindeer I Saw While Traveling In Finnish Lapland

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    #25

    Found A Statue In Rome With Bunny Socks

    Found A Statue In Rome With Bunny Socks

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    #26

    Some Roads In Australia Are So Long And Boring That They Have Trivia Signs To Keep Drivers Alert

    Some Roads In Australia Are So Long And Boring That They Have Trivia Signs To Keep Drivers Alert

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    Paul C.
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Some Roads In Australia Are So Long And Boring " but fear not, just to keep you on your toes, a few feet from you are about twenty of the most poisonous creatures on Earth.

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    #27

    This 2D Café We Visited In Seoul

    This 2D Café We Visited In Seoul

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    #28

    One Of My Bucket List Items Was To Visit This Stunning Town Where The Houses Are Literally Under The Rock

    One Of My Bucket List Items Was To Visit This Stunning Town Where The Houses Are Literally Under The Rock

    Beautiful white houses line up the narrow streets of Setenil de Las Bodegas.

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    ThatCapybara
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How have I not heard of this beautiful place before? I must be living under a rock-

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    #29

    Traveling Within Iceland Because We Couldn’t Go Elsewhere. Found These Guys Sheltering From The Wind

    Traveling Within Iceland Because We Couldn’t Go Elsewhere. Found These Guys Sheltering From The Wind

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    #30

    Desert Oasis In Peru - Huacachina

    Desert Oasis In Peru - Huacachina

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    El Dee
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You'd think they might build a little further back than that..

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    #31

    Lisbon Consists Of 7 Hills. In Order To Make It Easier For Residents And Tourists To Move Between The Different Neighborhoods, This Open-Air Escalator Was Installed

    Lisbon Consists Of 7 Hills. In Order To Make It Easier For Residents And Tourists To Move Between The Different Neighborhoods, This Open-Air Escalator Was Installed

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    AR
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I imagine those with disabilities or the elderly appreciate this

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    #32

    I Found This Ceiling Light Full Of Rubber Ducks In A Pub In Edinburgh

    I Found This Ceiling Light Full Of Rubber Ducks In A Pub In Edinburgh

    mALLIC2k6 , old.reddit.com Report

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    #33

    Giant Hives Hanging From The Ceiling Enclosed In A Glass Case With Outdoor Access At The “Home Of Bees” In Poyales Del Hoyo, Spain

    Giant Hives Hanging From The Ceiling Enclosed In A Glass Case With Outdoor Access At The “Home Of Bees” In Poyales Del Hoyo, Spain

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    #35

    Here In Italy Bars Are Starting To Use Pasta As Straws To Reduce Plastic Use. Our Technology Amazes The World Another Time

    Here In Italy Bars Are Starting To Use Pasta As Straws To Reduce Plastic Use. Our Technology Amazes The World Another Time

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    #36

    The Town We Vacationed In Has Red Street Lights To Not Mess With The Wildlife

    The Town We Vacationed In Has Red Street Lights To Not Mess With The Wildlife

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    #37

    UPS In Italy Use These "Bicycle Trucks" To Deliver Packages To Places In The Narrow Streets Of Rome

    UPS In Italy Use These "Bicycle Trucks" To Deliver Packages To Places In The Narrow Streets Of Rome

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    #38

    This Guy Makes Pizza Using Volcanic Vents On The Volcán De Pacaya In Guatemala

    This Guy Makes Pizza Using Volcanic Vents On The Volcán De Pacaya In Guatemala

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    censorshipsucks
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd not be able to. These vents release SO2 gas which would probably infest the pizza and give me asthma. Terrible stuff.

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    #40

    This Warning Sign For Ghosts At An Old Castle In Poland

    This Warning Sign For Ghosts At An Old Castle In Poland

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    General Anaesthesia
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Are the ghosts married, the ball and chain? Edit to add, "/just kidding".

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    #41

    In Italy They Got Free Water In Little Towns. You Can Choose Between Water With Gas, Cooled Or Regular

    In Italy They Got Free Water In Little Towns. You Can Choose Between Water With Gas, Cooled Or Regular

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    #42

    I Was Visiting The Gulf Of Mexico Last Week, And It Was Genuinely Difficult To See Where The Sea Stopped And The Sky Started

    I Was Visiting The Gulf Of Mexico Last Week, And It Was Genuinely Difficult To See Where The Sea Stopped And The Sky Started

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    Robert T
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm going to make a fair guess that it is somewhere around the boat. ;-)

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    #43

    My Apartment For The Night In Porto, Portugal Has A Preserved 12th-Century Wall And Staircase Encased In The Bedroom

    My Apartment For The Night In Porto, Portugal Has A Preserved 12th-Century Wall And Staircase Encased In The Bedroom

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    #44

    Α Trireme At The Piraeus Port, Greece

    Α Trireme At The Piraeus Port, Greece

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    #45

    A Non-Muslim Section At A Grocery Store In Dubai

    A Non-Muslim Section At A Grocery Store In Dubai

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    censorshipsucks
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have ZERO interest to go there. They have been giving refuge to the corrupt guys who stole 50bn of our government's money. (SA).

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    #46

    This McDonald's Has A "Drive-Thru" For Boats. Located In Hamburg, Germany

    This McDonald's Has A "Drive-Thru" For Boats. Located In Hamburg, Germany

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    #47

    These Sprinklers On The Road Near The Ski Resort I'm At In Japan To Keep The Road From Freezing Over (Salt Water If You Were Wondering)

    These Sprinklers On The Road Near The Ski Resort I'm At In Japan To Keep The Road From Freezing Over (Salt Water If You Were Wondering)

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    Shadowfall The Explorer
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We have something like this in the US. They normally use magnesium chloride and not salt. Still not good on cars but better then salt.

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    #48

    Today I Discovered That, In France, McDonald's Serves Mcbaguettes

    Today I Discovered That, In France, McDonald's Serves Mcbaguettes

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    #50

    This McDonald's In New Zealand Has A Decommissioned Plane You Can Dine In

    This McDonald's In New Zealand Has A Decommissioned Plane You Can Dine In

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    Note: this post originally had 132 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.