This Is Not A Perfect World.

When you travel, you expect the best out of your holiday so you conduct so many pre-travel ceremonies like arranging your itineraries, reservations of hotels, restaurants and park and museum tickets, you search on the best places to eat and top destinations and the best things to do on your place of visit. None of us expect for unexpected incidents but we prepare ourselves for it.  When you travel to a poor or third world country, you always expect that such incidents may happen like being robbed, losing your bag or luggage or accidents caused by careless people around you. But these things also happen even if you visit a first world or well-developed country. It is not the status of the country that makes it scary or attractive but instead the selected people you will encounter in that country. I chose the word “selected” because we should not be generalizing our experience in a certain country with your bad experience with another local.

Singapore Flyer, Singapore

I have heard a story of an African man who visited Manila late last year and during his very short trip in the business district area of Manila, he was approached by a local and told him about the sights to see in the area. When the African said to the local that he is not willing to join any tour, the local then told him that he must pay because he already provided the information to him. Clearly, this is an example of a “modus operandi” by individuals who seek to extort money from tourists or anyone. This may happen anywhere in the world. And this should not reflect the actions of all Filipinos but the action of a single man.

I have also heard of a story like this that happened in Vientiane, Laos. And I myself had an awful experience of being set up to pay them money or try to lure into conducting business with them in Thailand and in Nepal. You will encounter such things anywhere and you should try to avoid locals like this who ply along tourist spots waiting for their next victim.

Church Of Our Lady Of Atonement, Baguio City 

Even if you know that the place you are visiting is known to be safe or has a low crime rate, you should still be wary of what may happen. People of Korea and Japan seem to not be bothered by tourist that visited their country but you can still not be sure of what may happen when you visit a certain place. This is not a perfect world. There is no perfect country. And there will always be those individuals who you will single out for trying to or actually ruining your holiday but do remember that whenever you travel, there will always be a good chance that you meet very nice locals without a price.

Patuxai Monument, Vientiane, Laos

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jigomeister

02.24.2014