Even though recreational, travelling is a serious business that requires a lot of planning. Yet there are instances that end up being news for all the wrong reasons! Here’s a roundup of the funniest and the most bizarre travel news from 2019 to end the year on a laughing note!
While all these stories had a happy ending, they did leave us in splits and taught us what not to do while travelling.
1. Guess my age!
A 32-year-old Jayes Patel was travelling from Delhi to USA on a fake passport in September 2019. Apparently, his visa request was declined many times. So, he decided fake his identity by dressing up as an 81-year-old incapacitated man! He dyed his hair grey and showed up at the airport in a wheelchair. The prosthetic didn’t match with his voice or his wrinkle-free skin, revealing his true identity. He was then arrested by the airport security and handed over to the police. Certainly, he’s never telling his children about his good ‘Old’ days!
2. Real-life ‘Catch Me If You Can’!
It’s not new for people to be inspired by movies and act out. One such act in 2019 was played by Rajan Mahbubani. The Delhi-based man arrived at the airport dressed as a captain of the German airline, Lufthansa, much like the protagonist of the movie Catch Me If You Can. His conduct was noticed by the authorities and he was nabbed by the police just as he was about to board a flight. Upon interrogation, he revealed that he occasionally used his uniform and fake ID to get airport privileges. Two key takeaways - security at IGI airport is not to be messed with and Delhiites take airport ootd very seriously!
3. No more wild bachelor parties!
Bali has emerged as one of the world’s favourite party destinations. Although things took a turn when Indonesia’s on-going battle against illicit sex trade and booming adultery in the country led to the passing of some stringent laws. One of these laws was misinterpreted by the media and public as stating that indulging in unmarried sex while in Bali would put people behind bars. The news spread like wildfire and things were blown out of proportion. So much so that tourism in Bali took a hard hit and the government had to give an official statement refuting such reports. Phew… that was close!
4. What the duck!
One would usually aim to live in the lap of nature with sounds of birds chirping and winds blowing. But one hat doesn’t fit all! One man in Drax, France filed a court case against his neighbour’s ducks! The man had recently moved to the town and complained that the flock of ducks quacked too loud. He even demanded monetary compensation for the damages. As expected, the court declared that the ducks can continue quacking and will not be slaughtered. What the actual duck, right?
5. Barking pandas!
Cuddling with pandas is a dream for many and can’t be experienced as easily as cuddling with a puppy or a kitten. Chasing this desire, a cafe in Chengdu, China came up with a strange idea in 2019. The cafe owner dyed six of his puppies in certain spots to make them look like panda cubs. The cafe offers to dye customers’ puppies in a similar way, though the customers are only interested in clicking pictures of those six puppies. Dying animals in synthetic colours is already attracting flak from PETA and legal action may soon follow. Hope it leaves him black and blue!
6. Economy class is horsesh*t!
Flights have a unique way of turning into nightmares. One such experience caused a spark on social media when someone shared a photo of a pony travelling in Economy class of an American plane! While some passengers chose to ignore it, others thought it was pushing the limits. The photo had the internet divided, with some calling the gesture risky and others considering it fine. Whatever it may be, it would definitely be weird to see an animal attend to nature’s call in the middle of a flight!
7. Am I forgetting something?
People tend to forget things when in a hurry. Usually, it is the last-minute pickups that are left out, like keys, bags or even tickets. But this woman took it a step too far in early 2019. While mid-air on a flight from Saudi Arabia to Malaysia, this woman suddenly screamed out of sheer panic when she realised… *wait for it*... she had left her baby at the boarding terminal. The flight was made to turn around and luckily, the baby was found at the same spot, unharmed and healthy. As for the mother, she has a lot of explaining to do once the baby grows up!
8. Arriving somewhere but not here!
What a wonderful thing it would be to set out on a journey and remain oblivious to the destination until you finally reach there. Though what if you knew where you were headed, yet ended up somewhere else? Ask the passengers of British Airways who were flying from London to Dusseldorf, Germany. Many passengers were confused by the unusual scenery below. It was only after the plane landed in Edinburgh that the crew realised that incorrect flight details were provided and that the plane was destined for Germany. After hours of delay, the flight was finally redirected to the correct destination. And ever since, everybody has been asking the pilot ‘How high were you?’
Hope you had a hearty laugh reading these stories from 2019. Did we miss out on any? Let us know in the comments. Stay safe. Happy travelling!
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