Places you felt most on edge in your life

[mrmarkus1981]

12 hours ago, Tazio said:

First time I was ever in New York (back in the days when NYC had serious no go zones in it) I arrived on my own and just had to get a subway to where I was staying in Brooklyn. So I’ve just had a long cross country trip so had a large courier style bag complete with laptop, iPod,  camera and so on in it. Get to the subway station I’m supposed to get off at and the train whistles straight through it. No problem, just get off at the next on and all will be fine. 
Unknown to me the next station was in the middle of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Not the nicest area, come up out the station and it’s like walking into he middle of a cop film, people smoking crack in doorways and worse, handfuls of young men hanging around glaring at each other. And in the middle of it all me looking very conspicuously white with an expensive bag dressed like a European. And the entrance to the subway to get back uptown is about a block away. 
Then a bus pulled up so I asked the driver if he went down Fulton to Fort Green. At which point he gave the classic answer “yes I do and you should get on the bus right now” I was genuinely rattled to say the least. 

 

Mine is similar although more recent. My first trip to NYC, on the second day i thought it would be a great idea to get the subway to the north of Central Park and walk south back towards the hotel, seems easy enough. Turns out i got on an 'express train' and the thing didn't stop until 130th street or something. Climbed the subway stairs, no high rise buildings, eerily quiet, was a bit like that scene from Die Hard With a Vengeance!!! Was too scared to get back on the subway so the Mrs and I put our heads down and walked all the way back to the park.

 

Was sh!tt!ng myself, for no reason probably!!!

[GinRummy]

Buying coke in Cape Town. We had a hired driver taking us round Stellenbosch during the day and sounded him out about drugs. I was voted out the three of us to go with him to get it. Within ten minutes drive from the shore bit of Cape Town we met up with these huge African guys in a poorly lit alleyway. Gave them the cash and glad to get back to my mates. When we opened the ‘coke’ it wasn't coke at all but Chrystal Meth so ripped off as well. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by GinRummy

[FWJ]

Any Saturday night, Lothian Road in the ‘80s.

 

(I’ve led a sheltered life)

[superjack]

Some pretty scary encounters mentioned. I can top them all though, the bridge of doom.

[millerjames398]

11 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Another one, again involving my old man! Parkhead around 84 and we get near the ground early. Dad and his mate decide they fancy a drink, and spot the Springfield Vaults. Are you being serious? We can't go in there!

 

Funnily enough I took my boy in there about 20 years later as he had heard the story so many times and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, a far tamer boozer by then.

My old man done something similar before the rangers semi at parkhead, im thinkin we' ll get into a jambo boozer and have a sing song to get in the mood for the game, with like minded folk..not old dusty Miller though, straight into the old louden tavern jam packed to the rafters with huns, thought **** this we need to get out of here,, but thankfully they saw my dad as bit of a character, and there was no grief, but I'd much rather have been in boozer with hearts fans to say the least😂🇱🇻

[AW1]

My first trip to Egypt we were locked inside a shop for about an hour down a side street in Sharm el Sheikh and with no police in sight i didn't have a clue what they were gonna do to us. We bought aftershave eventually and they let us out about 5 minutes after. Found out later this happens regularly and is part of their culture towards tourists where they sit you down, give you a cuppa and lock the shop so you get their full attention etc and is nothing to ever worry about as they are extremely fearful of their police and wouldn't harm a soul. 

 

Another time was walking through the meadows estate in Nottingham at night. Silhouettes in the back ground everywhere you looked and we were stood in the precinct in the middle of the scheme sticking out like a sore thumb. We were followed about from a distance but no group tried to attack us thankfully

 

 

[highlandjambo3]

At the height of the troubles in Bosnia, a winter run from the port of split to Bosnia required a run over some rather high mountains, dodgy narrow roads and shear drops.  Going down the other side of a narrow mountain road which was icy in a warrior vehicle  (27ton tracked troop carrier) my driver was a numptie and instead of using the automatic gear box in low gear to control the vehicle he was constantly on and off the brake so, at one point we slid across the road and came to a stop with about 1/3 of the front of the vehicle hanging over a sheer drop of about 600foot.
 I drove the remainder of the way.

[benny]

Bus park at Parkhead for a midweek game late 80's.

Pitch black.Bricks flying everywhere.

Carnage.

Birmingham Bullring area.Something about the place that I'm always on edge when I'm there.

Wembley when City played Utd fa cup semi final.

Utd fans were ##### that day.Picked on anybody including women and children.

Barcelona.Once was enough for me.Again caught somebody trying to pickpocket me an hour in the place.

On edge on the streets for 3 days after.Horrible place.

 

[GinRummy]

1 minute ago, benny said:

Bus park at Parkhead for a midweek game late 80's.

Pitch black.Bricks flying everywhere.

Carnage.

Birmingham Bullring area.Something about the place that I'm always on edge when I'm there.

Wembley when City played Utd fa cup semi final.

Utd fans were ##### that day.Picked on anybody including women and children.

Barcelona.Once was enough for me.Again caught somebody trying to pickpocket me an hour in the place.

On edge on the streets for 3 days after.Horrible place.

 

Was about 86 or 87 i think. I was at that game. 

[Swanny17]

The time I got on the wrong subway train, an express one, and ended up in Harlem with several bags of designer gear. I was shitting it, but more out of ignorance and thankfully no one so much as looked in my direction. I just crossed to the other side and came back down again. 

[millerjames398]

53 minutes ago, FWJ said:

Any Saturday night, Lothian Road in the ‘80s.

 

(I’ve led a sheltered life)

Im sure basra on a bad day, was quieter than Lothian rd in the 80s😂

[AW1]

5 minutes ago, Swanny17 said:

The time I got on the wrong subway train, an express one, and ended up in Harlem with several bags of designer gear. I was shitting it, but more out of ignorance and thankfully no one so much as looked in my direction. I just crossed to the other side and came back down again. 

Mate of mine did that but had a few ales and decided he'd go for a walk and brave it so to speak. Got approached by a crackhead who threatened to shoot him but my mate and his persona diffused the situation and got away unscathed , a normal bloke would leave and go back but no he went to whatever local Dodgy bars he could find and said he had a great night 😂

[Mad Dog Logan]

Riga before it became too touristy, felt like the whole place was being run by the Russian mafia.

[redjambo]

2 minutes ago, Mad Dog Logan said:

Riga before it became too touristy, felt like the whole place was being run by the Russian mafia.

 

Ah. That reminds me of my trip through Kosovo when I had a coffee with someone who I highly suspect was a local mafia boss (the hired goons in his vicinity were a dead giveaway). Didn't feel on edge though as we chatted away about Scottish football, although when he initially offered me a coffee I felt it was an offer I should perhaps not refuse. I did feel on edge later that day when I arrived in a town in the evening and could find no accommodation, decided to walk out into the countryside to pitch my tent (not the cleverest of things to do in Kosovo but the best of the bad options I had in front of me), only to be spotted and ushered in by a Serbian who let me sleep the night on the floor in his gym for my own safety. It's an interesting country, Kosovo.

[the general]

Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay 

Boy pulled a gun out on me and girl i was with fainted 

Luckily this caused a bit of a scene so we Nashed 

Boro away with Hearts the first time was hairy too

[PortyJambo]

Early 90's, was on a driving holiday in the US. Spent some time with relatives in New Jersey, and they gave us directions to get to our next stop, also warning us to make sure we don't end up in downtown Trenton at all costs. Of course, I took a wrong turn and ended up there at night. Drove down a street that was getting dodgier and dodgier, until a bunch of people started coming down from their front steps onto the street in front us, and we were the only white faces anywhere. Quickest u-turn and burning rubber exit I've done in my life.

 

After that, being lost, we couldn't find anywhere to stop and ask for directions (it was pretty late), so I spotted a police car and sat behind him flashing headlights then pulled alongside trying to get his attention to ask for directions. He had no interest in stopping or even winding down his window, and pulled away as soon as he could.

 

I like to think the best of people, so I try to tell myself the people coming onto the streets were just going to help us out.....but no, don't really think that was how it was going to end up!

[John Findlay]

Falkland Islands 1982.

Persian Gulf 1987.

Persian Gulf again at the end of 1988 and start of 1989.

[maroongoals]

On a flight from usa that developed a big fuel leak, met by fire engines when landed.

[scott herbertson]

Clapped a fantastic Kenny Dalglish goal vs Rangers in the Rangers End shed behind the goals at a cup final in the early 70s - had to drop to the ground and crawl around for a bit otherwise I probably would have died.

 

Beaten up against a wall in Portobello by a gang of 40 'Porty Rebels' in 1972,including one guy known to be 'a radge' who put a pen knife to my throat. Bit edgy thaen

 

Most recently walking along a cliff path at the end of the Isle of Wight with my then 10 and 9 year olds and watching them run about, 12 feet away from the edge - perfectly safe but I couldn't watch, and yet I used to climb mountains quite happily

[redjambo]

4 minutes ago, scott herbertson said:

Most recently walking along a cliff path at the end of the Isle of Wight with my then 10 and 9 year olds and watching them run about, 12 feet away from the edge - perfectly safe but I couldn't watch, and yet I used to climb mountains quite happily

 

Everyone was "on edge" in this one.

[jamie1874]

17 hours ago, Normthebarman said:

If I remember correctly, it was called Logues Bar and I believe it's now called the Maxwell Arms but I could be wrong. It was about 12 years ago. Just round the corner from the Star Bar and it's legendary 3 course meal for £3 (or it was back then) which will give folk some idea of the clientele I had when they'd already been barred from that kind of place. 

I know the place you mean, not sure if it’s still a bar anymore. But the star bar was the local for the bus depot, I am sure it did ok when that was there.

 

Few dodgy pubs in the area you mentioned so could have been one of many, but equally a few all cleaned up and now decent pubs and attracting Strathbungo/Langside/Shawlands residents now, gradually changing, but if you go into heart of Govanhill I am sure you will find a few Still like you mentioned 

[Norm]

10 minutes ago, jamie1874 said:

I know the place you mean, not sure if it’s still a bar anymore. But the star bar was the local for the bus depot, I am sure it did ok when that was there.

 

Few dodgy pubs in the area you mentioned so could have been one of many, but equally a few all cleaned up and now decent pubs and attracting Strathbungo/Langside/Shawlands residents now, gradually changing, but if you go into heart of Govanhill I am sure you will find a few Still like you mentioned 

There was some that seemed OK, the Star Bar, while not exactly luxurious and the 3 course meal was brutal (but who's going to complain at £3?), wasn't the worst pub I've drank in. There were some others that seemed proper rough. And my punters had been barred from every single one of them. Place got robbed on my last night!

[joondalupjambo]

Walking / climbing along the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe.  Pooping myself, over 3000 feet up, about a foot wide in parts along a narrow path, took a wrong turn and was facing a fall into the abyss, had to turn on a sixpence to get back to the right bit.  

 

Walking anywhere, at any time of night in Edinburgh after that was a skoosh. All the JKB's Hill walkers / Munro baggers will know what I mean😃

 

Sorry about the spelling!!  

Edited April 10, 2020 by joondalupjambo

[N Lincs Jambo]

In the early 90s I worked as an export sales rep for a company which supplied textile products to the paper making industry. Only sales job I had which I enjoyed as the paper mills 100% nneded to buy these products either from us or our competitors. Anyway my markets were Eastern Europe and the Middle East so I ended up dealing with the USSR just as communism collapsed, Yugoslavia, just as it collapsed into civil war and of course the 1st Gulf War. The standing joke was that if I saw Kate Adie (remember her?) get onto the same flight then grab a parachute and jump!

 

Anyway as the war in Croatia was ending, the war in Bosnia was just starting. The main motorway between Zagreb and Belgrade, which had previously been one of the busiest motorways in Europe, was just about deserted. One paper mill we were visiting was in a place called Belisce. Paper mills require water and plenty of it so most are built on riverbanks. Rivers in the former Yugoslavia are effectlively ethnic fault lines and Belisce was no different. Even getting there was a nightmare. We had to exit the motorway far earlier than we would have liked, not because it was closed (it wasn't) but due to the danger from snipers. So we took the scenic route along country roads through these villages in an UNPROFOR controlled zone. My passpaort back then was an old British blue one and guess which nation was doing the armed checks to get in/out of the zone? Yes the feckin Argies! Felt a little bit uneasy to say the least.

 

As we went further into the zone we saw houses along the road where the exterior walls were pockmarked with bullet holes. Then we would come across the occasional property where the house had been "imploded". Then into the next village where a good 50% had been imploded. I was pretty shaken by what I had seen from a genuine war zone. I asked Drazen (our local Croat agent) what had happened. He explained that the imploded houses had probably belonged to Serbian or Bosnian families and that they had been imploded to make sure they never came back at the end of the war.

 

Onto Belisce itself. Situated on the banks of the river Drava and very close to the town of Vukovar (place got destroyed by the Serbs early on). The other side of the river was Serb occupied Croatia and the damage done to the mill was horrific. Bullet holes everywhere to the walls and shell and mortar damage all over the mill but production still continued. 

 

On the way back once we had got to the motorway I saw a sign with directions to a town where another of our customers was. Only about 10 miles away but in Bosnia itself. Town was called Maglaj. A few months later at the height of the Bosnian ware I was at Heathrow to get a flight with my boss and another colleague when guess who gets in the seat in front of me? None other than BBC war correspondent Kate Adie! Fortunately were going to Stockholm so didn't need the parachute. At the baggage reclaim we got talking to her and discussed Bosnia. I asked her about Maglaj. She said even she couldn't get there to report as she had no doubt she wouldn't get out alive. Scary stuff.

[RobboM]

3 hours ago, maroongoals said:

On a flight from usa that developed a big fuel leak, met by fire engines when landed.

Put me in mind of another hairy one.

Anyone remember the Krypton Factor? They used to have a round which was a flight simulator. If the contestant was about to crash the simulator would let out a warning, something along the lines of "WARNING! NOSE UP! WARNING! NOSE UP!"

Flying back to Edinburgh from Bristol on a very small plane coming in to land after a very bouncy approach over the Forth and that very same warning voice came on.

It was like an instant cold sweat came on!

 

[AlphonseCapone]

Two for me. 

 

First one;

Egypt in summer 2012, which was between the first Egyptian revolution and then the overthrow of Morsi. We were quite lucky to get to go and see the places we did at the time given what had happened and what subsequently happened. Staying in Sharm El-Sheik which was fine but a day trip to Cairo by internal flight. It was all guided in Cairo and travelling by bus, small group of us, me and an ex plus a family of 4 from England. We went to the Pyramids and the guide sort of left us to it a bit. Was walking around when an Egyptian guy approached me and said the tomb was closing soon so if I wanted to see it I would need to hurry, he showed me some "ID" to prove he was a security guard and like the naive early 20's lad I was I believed him and followed him, along with the others following me. We went down this tomb, him and some other guy down there gave us a really brief history lesson then demanded money. I initially refused but he started getting very shouty, the tomb was narrow and crowded with us there and it was hard to get up and down. I offered him some coins which he simply threw on the ground, saying it wasn't enough and started demanding notes. Was shitting it and basically turned and left ASAP. He followed us all out and continued shouting at us in Arabic, basically chasing us. I just power marched away but was terrified inside. Think the the dad of the family ended up given him a decent wad of notes. Afterwards I felt more shit for being so stupid and getting the others into that situation. Learned my lesson but probably too well, I'm so distrustful of others when abroad now that it probably means I miss out on some genuine good opportunities. 

 

Second one;

Year and half later, got a ferry from Newcastle to go to Amsterdam. Quite early into the trip, we were wondering about and passing two younger lads (around my age) who looked a bit rough and out their faces, really loud, one of them said something to me in the passing but I ignored it, and he was essentially doing the same with everyone. Fast forward a short time later, sitting in the bar doing the pub quiz they had when an alarm goes off. Announcement that we have to make our way to top deck due to emergency. Starting getting quite panicky. Anyway, heading up to top deck, staff member passes us and is being supported by two others, the guy who is wearing one of those pure white shirts is absolutely covered in black and coughing quite bad. Quickly becomes apparent what the issue is. Whole ship is on top deck, freezing cold North Sea at night in December, no jacket or anything, was genuinely worried about hyperthermia as I went from feeling cold and shaking to feeling nothing anymore. Eventually allowed back in to bar area, given blankets and coffee etc. RAF helicopter was sent to evacuate some people, could hear and see it from window which was insane. Announcement that there was a fire on the ferry and as it is a criminal incident and we are still in UK waters we'd be turning back to Newcastle. Whole thing was obviously terrifying. Fast forward and I'm keeping an eye on the news for updates and see a picture of the guy who was arrested for causing the fire, none other than the young guy abusing folk I'd passed earlier. He tried to appeal his sentence but it was rejected;

 

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/12928358.drunk-north-sea-ferry-arsonist-richly-deserved-11-year-prison-sentence-appeal-judges-rule/

[King prawn]

Suburbs of Prague where I was robbed by a taxi driver. Also Deptford in London. 

[Stu_HMFC]

My holiday to Tunisia in 2014. 

I stayed in Sousse everywhere you went on edge the shopping centre at bottom of hotel walking down the street to the shops over to the beach loads of dodgy folk about . Walked to the medina one day was dragged into a carpet shop, some woman on the street trying to grab my hand then into the medina and it was 100% worse . Taxi drivers mounting pavements to drive up to you asking if you want a taxi . 
 

we had a 2 day trip round Tunisia taking in salt lakes the desert and Star Wars we ended up in a city called kairouan the hub for isis to recruit North Africans to IS place was scary the following year the terror attack happened up from the hotel I stayed in would never return .

[Deodato]

I was holed-up in Washington DC for a court case for over a month and my digs were behind the Library of Congress. A real chalk-and-cheese place, as my neighbourhood was stroller city, with bars and cafes but I was warned not to 'cross the road'. Ignoring the advice, I tool a walk a little further on (still within a couple of miles of Congress) and OMG... it was like going back in time: hookers, dealers, crack cocaine being blown into your face. It was scary but also upsetting as you were still a corner kick from the centre of power of the USA. 

 

 

 

 

[Tazio]

6 minutes ago, Deodato said:

I was holed-up in Washington DC for a court case for over a month and my digs were behind the Library of Congress. A real chalk-and-cheese place, as my neighbourhood was stroller city, with bars and cafes but I was warned not to 'cross the road'. Ignoring the advice, I tool a walk a little further on (still within a couple of miles of Congress) and OMG... it was like going back in time: hookers, dealers, crack cocaine being blown into your face. It was scary but also upsetting as you were still a corner kick from the centre of power of the USA. 

 

 

 

 

Of anywhere I’ve been in the states Washington is right at the top in terms of the number of homeless people you see. I remember going for a stroll on day and was amazed to see one of the big parks at the end of one of the great avenues being used as a tented village for homeless people who’d built their own improvised shelters. 

[ri Alban]

Paranoid wrecks.

[scott herbertson]

1 minute ago, ri Alban said:

Paranoid wrecks.

 

 

lol

 

 

 

two years to the day I was in St Thomas's Hospital and was being put under a general anaesthetic for open heart surgery. I remember being quite calm and thinking that this might be my last thought and then thinking how lucky I would be to pass away unconscious compared to people I knew who had died after cancer treatment. The only thing that concerned me was how my family would react.

[ri Alban]

6 minutes ago, scott herbertson said:

 

 

lol

 

 

 

two years to the day I was in St Thomas's Hospital and was being put under a general anaesthetic for open heart surgery. I remember being quite calm and thinking that this might be my last thought and then thinking how lucky I would be to pass away unconscious compared to people I knew who had died after cancer treatment. The only thing that concerned me was how my family would react.

I loved getting put under until the last time, when my arm started to go into severe pain. Luckily I passed out and woke up. 

 

Most pubs out of your area usually puts people on edge. I'm on high alert in some places, with good reason most of the time. The world is full of cardboard hard men looking for some cred. Paisley is wall to wall growlers.

Edited April 10, 2020 by ri Alban

[redjambo]

43 minutes ago, Deodato said:

I was holed-up in Washington DC for a court case for over a month and my digs were behind the Library of Congress. A real chalk-and-cheese place, as my neighbourhood was stroller city, with bars and cafes but I was warned not to 'cross the road'. Ignoring the advice, I tool a walk a little further on (still within a couple of miles of Congress) and OMG... it was like going back in time: hookers, dealers, crack cocaine being blown into your face. It was scary but also upsetting as you were still a corner kick from the centre of power of the USA.

 

Indeed. Being surrounded in Washington by a group of a dozen guys in a seedy area not far from the centre while I was wearing a kilt is one of the other times I've been on edge. I had, as you, ignored advice and gone on a long walk with a couple of friends to a supermarket through a dodgy area. I think in the end we were deemed to be so "unusual", especially me with my kilt, that they left us alone (perhaps in case they thought they were on some TV show ). In fact it was interesting chatting to them, except for the constant voice in my head going "Now talk yourself out of *this* one, son." I doubt any of them are alive today, sadly.

[ri Alban]

14 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Indeed. Being surrounded in Washington by a group of a dozen guys in a seedy area not far from the centre while I was wearing a kilt is one of the other times I've been on edge. I had, as you, ignored advice and gone on a long walk with a couple of friends to a supermarket through a dodgy area. I think in the end we were deemed to be so "unusual", especially me with my kilt, that they left us alone (perhaps in case they thought they were on some TV show ). In fact it was interesting chatting to them, except for the constant voice in my head going "Now talk yourself out of *this* one, son." I doubt any of them are alive today, sadly.

Did a Scotsman not get shot dead when he chapped a door looking for directions, when he got lost after a night out. I'm sure I read that a few years ago.

[redjambo]

Just now, ri Alban said:

Did a Scotsman not get shot dead when he chapped a door looking for directions, when he got lost after a night out. I'm sure I read that a few years ago.

 

Yup, I remember reading about that too.

 

Here you go: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12702157.scot-shot-dead-on-trip-to-us/

[AlphonseCapone]

4 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Yup, I remember reading about that too.

 

Here you go: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12702157.scot-shot-dead-on-trip-to-us/

 

That's a tragic story on so many levels. 

[ri Alban]

14 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Yup, I remember reading about that too.

 

Here you go: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12702157.scot-shot-dead-on-trip-to-us/

You'd think shooting someone through the door wasn't quite self defence.

 

Cheers for the article.

Edited April 10, 2020 by ri Alban

[Parttimer1874]

1 hour ago, Tazio said:

Of anywhere I’ve been in the states Washington is right at the top in terms of the number of homeless people you see. I remember going for a stroll on day and was amazed to see one of the big parks at the end of one of the great avenues being used as a tented village for homeless people who’d built their own improvised shelters. 

 

Yep Washington was a real eye opener particularly on the homelessness side of things. Large American cities often make me feel slightly uneasy, parts of NY and LA were really ropey. Boston ok but maybe i just didn't find the dodgy parts.

[Caramoon]

Wow. Some of these stories are really scary sh*t! I wonder sometimes if we really are in danger in some situations or if it is all in the head and reputation preceding the places and stories people have previously told us about a certain place influences our way of thinking. Who knows. I'm no expert.Doubt it personally but the mind boggles. Hopefully our survival instincts will see us safely through these edgy times.

[AlphonseCapone]

24 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

You'd think shooting someone through the door wasn't quite self defence.

 

Cheers for the article.

 

'Murica though. 

[12XU]

3 spring to mind

 

walking through Brixton on a dark Friday evening at 7 ish before a Sex Pistols concert - was followed by 3 guys in hoodies and eyes 

 

Saturday afternoon in Red Square - 2 guys saying they were secret police 

 

Tel Aviv - being in an area I should not have been in - it was a Friday evening and the place was busy and kind of crazy 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

3 hours ago, AlphonseCapone said:

Two for me. 

 

First one;

Egypt in summer 2012, which was between the first Egyptian revolution and then the overthrow of Morsi. We were quite lucky to get to go and see the places we did at the time given what had happened and what subsequently happened. Staying in Sharm El-Sheik which was fine but a day trip to Cairo by internal flight. It was all guided in Cairo and travelling by bus, small group of us, me and an ex plus a family of 4 from England. We went to the Pyramids and the guide sort of left us to it a bit. Was walking around when an Egyptian guy approached me and said the tomb was closing soon so if I wanted to see it I would need to hurry, he showed me some "ID" to prove he was a security guard and like the naive early 20's lad I was I believed him and followed him, along with the others following me. We went down this tomb, him and some other guy down there gave us a really brief history lesson then demanded money. I initially refused but he started getting very shouty, the tomb was narrow and crowded with us there and it was hard to get up and down. I offered him some coins which he simply threw on the ground, saying it wasn't enough and started demanding notes. Was shitting it and basically turned and left ASAP. He followed us all out and continued shouting at us in Arabic, basically chasing us. I just power marched away but was terrified inside. Think the the dad of the family ended up given him a decent wad of notes. Afterwards I felt more shit for being so stupid and getting the others into that situation. Learned my lesson but probably too well, I'm so distrustful of others when abroad now that it probably means I miss out on some genuine good opportunities. 

 

 

 

Reminds me of the time in Luxor in November 2009.

Karnak Temple we were approached by this guy offering to be our guide (50 Egyptian Pounds, £5 Sterling) I said no, but the wife & sister-in-law both said yes, anyway the guy was showing us around giving it some BS that he was deputy director of Karnak Temple and that Zahi Hawass was his boss and how he'd take us to some restricted parts if we had time, total BS I thought, anyway at the end of the tour he lead us away from the crowds up this path, I thought here we fecking go, crap gonna get robbed or worse, fecks sake. Came across two armed guards at this temple, he said something in Arabic they saluted him and waved us through and we ended up in Hatshepsut & Khonsu's temples inside Karnak both were being restored and not open to the public, turned out guy was genuine he was the real deal.

So we hired him for the next day 400 Egyptian Pounds (£40) him a driver & car over to the West Bank, took us to Habu Temple, Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut's temple, fecking brilliant time, I thought the guy was full of BS, how fecking wrong was I, ended up giving him 600 Egyptian pounds (worked out at £30 each couple for the half day), was like we were his long lost brother he was delighted, probably more money than he made in a week in his day job. 

 

Luxor Museum, big signs saying no photograph no camera allowed, guard pointed at my camera case and said 'you take photo' yes, I said no no no I no take photo, thinking he was accusing me of taking photo's, he then held out his hand and said 'you take photo, I look other way'.

It's all bribes & backhanders in that country. 😄

 

[Ehllhayapeh]

On 09/04/2020 at 13:52, Caramoon said:

As the title says. My experiences are getting lost in Moss side with 2 lassie pals after Oasis concert at Maine road. Very unnerving. Also ending up among Croatia 'fans' at France 98 after their game with Jamaica. Very scary bunch. It was as if it was them v the world. How I got out of that unscathed I'll never know.

I believe that. I went to Rijeka and took in Rijeka v Hadjuk Split

 

Locals asked "are you here for the war"?

 

They set fire to hoardings threw missiles at each other, there was a pitch invasion and the army were called.

 

To get out I had to pass behind the away end and i was in my new Rijeka shirt i got as a souvenir...so aye, Croatians are mental 

 

Not as mental as the mexico city derby though, thats a different kind of crazy 

[Tott]

9 minutes ago, Ehllhayapeh said:

I believe that. I went to Rijeka and took in Rijeka v Hadjuk Split

 

Locals asked "are you here for the war"?

 

They set fire to hoardings threw missiles at each other, there was a pitch invasion and the army were called.

 

To get out I had to pass behind the away end and i was in my new Rijeka shirt i got as a souvenir...so aye, Croatians are mental 

 

Not as mental as the mexico city derby though, thats a different kind of crazy 

Still more enjoyable i guess than visiting that utter shithiole that is dundee 🙂

[Ehllhayapeh]

1 minute ago, Tott said:

Still more enjoyable i guess than visiting that utter shithiole that is dundee 🙂

Weve got the V&A and an urban beach now and been voted best city to live in Scotland.

 

Plus we have 2 flights a day from the airport these days.

 

You need to watch that Edinburger superiority complex youve got going on there 

 

🤗

[obua]

19 hours ago, trotter said:

Same for me, but without the robbery. Accidentally walked down the street that is literally one back from the Copacabana at night trying to find my hotel. I was absolutely terrified and genuinely in fear for my life for about 10 minutes. 

I was actually on the copacabana  promenade when I was robbed.i got back to my hotel and was told I was lucky it was only a knife, it’s usually a gun and it’s your own fault for walking outside after dark. Another night I got the free taxi pick up at my hotel to the Hard Rock Cafe, on arrival driver said I will be back at 10,12,and final pick up is 2am. When we arrived it was pretty quiet, nice meal and a few drinks I was getting settled for a long night as usual. Around 9 a band started setting up,great it’s getting better thinks me.   My wife asked what was happening at the entrance it was getting a bit strange, airport style metal detectors were being set up at the entrance ,suddenly the atmosphere was changing. To cut a long story short after going for a piss and I was the only one in the toilets not buying drugs ,it went from “ I hope we don’t miss the last taxi at 2 o’clock “suddenly it was drink up the 10 pm taxi will be here soon let’s get out of here. Scary place doesn’t come close to describing it .

[Tott]

10 minutes ago, Ehllhayapeh said:

Weve got the V&A and an urban beach now and been voted best city to live in Scotland.

 

Plus we have 2 flights a day from the airport these days.

 

You need to watch that Edinburger superiority complex youve got going on there 

 

🤗

two flights ?? in and out?

 

More thanEdinburgh these days tbf 🙂

 

Thought urban beach..what?

[Tazio]

4 minutes ago, obua said:

I was actually on the copacabana  promenade when I was robbed.i got back to my hotel and was told I was lucky it was only a knife, it’s usually a gun and it’s your own fault for walking outside after dark. Another night I got the free taxi pick up at my hotel to the Hard Rock Cafe, on arrival driver said I will be back at 10,12,and final pick up is 2am. When we arrived it was pretty quiet, nice meal and a few drinks I was getting settled for a long night as usual. Around 9 a band started setting up,great it’s getting better thinks me.   My wife asked what was happening at the entrance it was getting a bit strange, airport style metal detectors were being set up at the entrance ,suddenly the atmosphere was changing. To cut a long story short after going for a piss and I was the only one in the toilets not buying drugs ,it went from “ I hope we don’t miss the last taxi at 2 o’clock “suddenly it was drink up the 10 pm taxi will be here soon let’s get out of here. Scary place doesn’t come close to describing it .

A friend got his watch cut off his wrist by a young teenager in Rio, rather foolishly he chased after him shouting “thief”. Two cops appeared and ran with him and caught the young lad in a side street. They then proceeded to start laying into the young lad with their full length batons. My mate then jumped between them asking them to stop so the cops cuffed the kid and radioed for a car. He reckons if he hadn’t intervened they might have killed him. 

[AlphonseCapone]

55 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

Reminds me of the time in Luxor in November 2009.

Karnak Temple we were approached by this guy offering to be our guide (50 Egyptian Pounds, £5 Sterling) I said no, but the wife & sister-in-law both said yes, anyway the guy was showing us around giving it some BS that he was deputy director of Karnak Temple and that Zahi Hawass was his boss and how he'd take us to some restricted parts if we had time, total BS I thought, anyway at the end of the tour he lead us away from the crowds up this path, I thought here we fecking go, crap gonna get robbed or worse, fecks sake. Came across two armed guards at this temple, he said something in Arabic they saluted him and waved us through and we ended up in Hatshepsut & Khonsu's temples inside Karnak both were being restored and not open to the public, turned out guy was genuine he was the real deal.

So we hired him for the next day 400 Egyptian Pounds (£40) him a driver & car over to the West Bank, took us to Habu Temple, Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut's temple, fecking brilliant time, I thought the guy was full of BS, how fecking wrong was I, ended up giving him 600 Egyptian pounds (worked out at £30 each couple for the half day), was like we were his long lost brother he was delighted, probably more money than he made in a week in his day job. 

 

Luxor Museum, big signs saying no photograph no camera allowed, guard pointed at my camera case and said 'you take photo' yes, I said no no no I no take photo, thinking he was accusing me of taking photo's, he then held out his hand and said 'you take photo, I look other way'.

It's all bribes & backhanders in that country. 😄

 

 

Just don't try to bribe them with coins 😆