Every traveler has their fair share of funny/crazy stories. Check out some of the weird/funny/crazy things I've encountered recently:

That time I was stuck in a massive traffic jam in Sri Lanka due to elephants running rampant

Embilipitiya, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is known for its painfully slow public transportation, but on my journey from Ella to Matara, I really learned the truth behind this. About 3 hours into the 8 hour journey, our bus came to a stop in a small town in what seemed like a never-ending line of cars, as far as the eye could see. Everyone got off the bus to see what the problem was. I sat back and listened to heated exchanges in Sinhalese, before someone was able to translate what was going on in English. Apparently a pack of elephants had found their way onto the main roadway and had trampled a car, killing a citizen. Therefore, not only were they searching for the elephants, the citizens also began protesting aginst the government in hopes they would build a fence to prevent this from happening again. After walking down to see the protest and scene of the incident, and getting some ice cream from a local salesman, we were ushered back to the bus, as an alternative route had opened. A bit of excitement on the otherwise uneventful 8 hr bus ride.

That time I fell asleep while learning meditation from an Indian monk

Rishikesh, India. The well known "World Capital of Yoga" is located at the base of the Himalayan Range in Northern India, and is home to the headwaters of the sacred Ganges River. Though there are many things to do in Rishikesh (River Rafting, Hiking, Climbing, Camping, Bungee Jumping, Para sailing, Hot Air Ballooning, etc.), it is by far most well known for its Yoga & meditation classes. Therefore, while I was there, I decided I had to try both of them out. First up was Yoga, bright and early in the morning. Let me preface by saying my yoga skills & experience are very limited.  I did however survive the class, and quite enjoyed it. After that was a day filled with walking all over town and seeing some of the historical & religious sites Rishikesh has to offer. My buddy Charlie & I decided we'd do a meditation class that same evening. The first 10 minutes of the class consisted of chanting the "mantra" (aka some words in Hindu), while sitting cross-legged. After a few of us were visibly uncomfortable from sitting cross-legged for so long, the teacher recommended we lay down to get comfortable. This sounded amazing to me, as I was pretty tired from the long day.. Next thing I know, I am getting abruptly shaken awake by my friend Charlie. Dazed & confused, I am not sure whether I have successfully meditated or fallen asleep. As we suppress laughter while walking out of the class, I soon learn that I had slept through the remainder of the hour long meditation class. So I guess I'm not the greatest meditator, but Joke is on them, because I felt rejuvenated and very "peaceful". 

"Do 1 More Kafida Please, Coach Chris!"

Missionvale Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I was lucky enough to be able to run a soccer camp for township kids outside of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. They were some of the happiest (and mischievous) kids I've ever been around, despite the fact that they lived in extreme poverty. The village of 25,000 had an unemployment rate of 98%. Most kids lacked basic necessities such as clean clothes and shoes, much less soccer cleats. Many of their parents abused drugs & alcohol, and many kids stayed home from school to help support the family in any way possible. In addition to soccer, I was able to organize supplies, unload shipments of food, clothing, etc, and make weekly care packages for each family. Their fervor to praise the Lord in spite of all the hardships was very cool to see. 

For some reason, the kids were convinced I was Messi's brother (probably since I was white). Well, I didn't deny it.. and I may or may not have egged on their belief in my relation to Messi with a bit of Spanish.. Anyways, after a week of playing soccer everyday with all the kids, they had kept asking meme, “Coach Chris! Do your best tricks", or “Mr. Messi, show us some ticks!”. Well, as I had just recently tore my groin wakeboarding, I was in no shape to be doing my best tricks, but I couldn't say no to the kids. After a couple juggling moves, they asked me if I could do a bicycle kick, or "Kafida" as they called it. I was reluctant to do it as my groin was hurting pretty bad, but I fell into the peer pressure from the little kids. After doing it once, they cheered & begged me even more to do it again & again. I just couldn’t say no. The kids clung to me as I left to go home, & begged even more for me to stay to come to their games. Would love to go back!

That time I bribed Zambian Doctors to give me a fake yellow fever card & that time I bribed Congolose border officials to write fake shots in said fake card

Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Well, there I was in Zambia, wanting to head over to Malawi in a few days, when I realized I had left my yellow fever vaccination card at home. Unfortunately this card is required to get into Malawi (as well as Uganda/Rwanda/Congo), so I needed to get ahold of one. Clearly, as I had already recieved the vaccination, I didn't need the shot, just a card saying I had the shot. Luckily, I was in Africa, where bribery is a well known language. After a quickwalk to the local hospital, I told the receptionist my predicament, and they got on the phone with "their guy". 5 minutes later, a very sketchy "car salesman" like guy walks up and begins talking business. Once we nail down exactly what I need, we decide $20 USD is a fair price for this fake Yellow Fever Card. I give him my information and he disappears for about an hour. After thinking of giving up, he finally returns with the stamped/signed card in hand. 

Well, this fake yellow fever card worked like a charm, getting me into Malawi, Uganda, and Rwanda. That is, until I tried to get into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Though all that is required to enter the DRC is the yellow fever vaccination, the border offical asked me where my "other shots" were. Confused, I said, "what do you mean my othr shots?". He explained, "you need other shots to enter the DRC.. We could provide them for a small fee." Now, I had heard all sorts of stories about the corruption in DRC, so I wasn't really the least bit surprised when I was asked for this bribe. After arguing for about 5 minutes, it seemed there was no way of getting into the country without "recieving more shots". And since the visa was very difficult and expensive to get, I wasn't about to turn around. So, after settling on the price of $25 USD for the "required shots", the offical took out a book of shots and showed me the 10-15 shots that I "needed". He said he would write these shots in my yellow fever card. However, after writing only one of these shots, he seemed to lose interest and handed me back the yellow fever card, telling me I was all set. After walking past, my armed guards met me on the other side, where they would escort me for the duration of my time in DRC (even while climbing a volcano!). 

That time I sat on the dashboard of a bus in Malawi for 4 hours

Lilongwe, Malawi. Buses are an intesting mode of transportation just about everywhere in Africa, but buses in Malawi are a different breed altogether. From 14 seater mini-buses that pack in 27 people, to 50 seater buses that pack in 100 people, there never seems to be a dull moment on what would usually be a mundane trip. This particular day, I was taking a full size, 50 seater bus. I had signed up for the expensive ($8) bus from Lilongwe to Mzuzu, about a 5 hr journey. Paying this premium (compared to the $5 mini-buses), I expected to have a seat. I was very wrong. About 100 people waited in the parking lot in which the empty bus would pull into. As soon as the bus pulled into the parking lot, every person ran alongside the bus and violently threw themselves against the side of the bus to cement for themselves a spot in line. Unaware of this strategy, I slowly walked to the back of the line. After waiting for a while to put my backpack underneath the bus, I looked at finding a spot on the bus. Unfortunately, the bus was so full, that there were no seats, nor ANY standing room in the aisle. The only conceivable spot to go was on the dashboard next to the steering wheel/driver. So, that's where I sat for about 4 hours until some free standing room spots in the aisle opened up. Believe it or not, it was far from the least comfortable ride I had in Malawi, but sitting on the dashboard of the bus was quite memorable. 

That time I narrowly avoided a massive earthquake, but instead almost got stuck in a massive volcanic eruption

Ushuaia, Argentina. My mind was just about made up. I was about to book flights to Nepal to hike to Everest Base Camp. Upon last minute impulse & realizing I might not have enough time, I changed my mind & instead booked flights to Patagonia to do some trekking. Fast-Forward 2 weeks as I am traveling through Patagonia, when I receive news that Nepal has just endured an 8.1 Magnitude earthquake; killing thousands of people, causing over $5 Billion dollars in damage, and leaving countless people stranded & suffering in the country. Among the destruction was an avalanche at Mt. Everest that wiped out Everest Base Camp, and much of the trekking routes in the region. Hearing this news left me torn between feeling compassion for those  caught in the devastation, and thankful that I had avoided such an event. Now feeling good about my decision to come to Patagonia, 1 day later, I hear of news that a massive volcano has erupted in Central Chile. Luckily, I was a few hundred miles from the Calbuco Volcano eruption in Puerto Montt, so it would seem I was not directly impacted. However, a pressing concern became whether or not I would be able to fly out of the region in a few days, as the massive ash clouds would shut down all potential flights. My flights from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, then from Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile seemed to be in jeopardy. As things turned out, I was able to fly out a day before the Buenos Aires airport shut down all flights due to the ash cloud. 

Moroccan  Sheep-Bus Ride

Northern Morocco. After hanging out for 3 days in the sleepy mountain town of Chefchaouen, I decided I'd arrange a bus back to Casablanca where I had a flight booked back to the states. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the bus station to book my bus ticket, the guy in front of me took the last ticket for the CTM bus (the government-run bus company that all tourists use. Note: Though some locals also use the CTM busses, they are more expensive & tourists do NOT take the local busses.) However, since this bus was booked, I had no choice but to book a local bus instead for what was supposed to be a 6 hr journey.

For a 07:30 departure, I arrived at 07:00 hrs. By about 07:20, I was ready to go on the bus with my bag in the undercarriage. However, as this was not a government run agency, departure time was very lenient (and dependent on filling up the bus with more passengers). We waited til about 08:00 to depart, as people kept showing up in taxis, many bringing sheep along for the journey. They brought the sheep to the side of the bus, flipped them on their side, tied their legs and threw them under the bus with all the luggage.

So 08:00, the sheep & I finally depart Chefchaouen. Over the course of the next 2 hours, we are in a constant state of picking up/ dropping people/sheep off. Every village we come to, the bus assistant jumps out and auctions tickets to every passerby. It's also beneficial to note that (like almost all vehicles in Morocco) the bus has no AC system. It actually probably did at one point, but all the AC vents in the roof are smashed. Therefore as an easy fix, we just leave both doors on the bus open while driving for proper ventilation. I'm lucky to have an open seat next to me for the first couple hours, until I'm greeted by the presence of a sheep carrying local. His pure white pants are covered in what I can only imagine as sheep excrement (though with the many smells on the bus, one can't be too sure). Every stop he leans over me to look out the window to make sure nobody is stealing his sheep.

The journey continues until 1pm when we arrive in Rabat, the economic capital of Morocco. Since I booked a ticket to Casablanca, I expect to stay on the bus to Casablanca. However, since I am the only non-local on the bus (and also the only one going to Casablanca), the bus decides to make its final stop in Rabat. I'm ushered out to a busy street where my bus driver (runs in the middle of the road screaming at a bus) flags down a random unmarked bus. I sprint after it and hop on. There are no seats left, so I sit on the stairs next to a mother and her baby daughter. (Again, clearly out of place on the local bus) the baby is intrigued by my skin/hair color, and we become friends pretty quick. The exchange of sheep stays constant throughout the journey, as I play with the baby while sitting on the stairs. The baby & I playing become a spectacle and there is much laughter & Arabic conversation from the locals.

Finally at 04:00, I arrive in Casablanca, 8 hours after our late departure. I smell, I'm tired, I haven't eaten anything all day. A very nice lady who (spoke no English) sat near me on the bus guides me to a collectivo taxi that I can take to the city center & walk to my hotel. What a trip. Moral of the story, book your CTM bus a bit more in advance.

High Speed Hungarian Police Chase

Budapest, Hungary. As I walked by the HUGE parliament building along the Danube River, 4 jet skis flew down the river. It seemed odd since all the other boat traffic was commercial. Then, about a minute later, a helicopter flew down the river chasing a speedboat, seemingly in a high speed chase. Everyone around me was snapping pictures and taking videos of this surreal scene. I later found out it was part of a movie being filmed(and not a real high speed chase), which was a little disappointing, but the picture/story turned out awesome nonetheless.

​That time my bus caught on fire in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong has some of the best transportation out of any city I've ever been to. Buses, subways, and boats team up to bring you just about anywhere in the city quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, I happened to have an interesting experience in the week I was in HK. After taking a bus about 30 minutes outside of the city to a pretty spectacular beach, I was on my way back to the city, sitting on the top deck of the double-decker bus, when all of a sudden we came to a stop on the windy road, and some commotion seemed to break out on the first deck of the bus. Since I don't speak any Chinese, I just sat there and waited for us to start up again. That is, until I saw smoke billowing out of the front of the bus, and people frantically filing out of the bus. My 2 friends & I decided it would probably be a good idea to get out as well, so we made our way down and out of the bus, just in time to see the front of the bus catch fire. We ran down the street a bit to get away from the burning bus, before realizing we had no way of getting back to the city now. Most of the other passengers just started walking in the direction of the city, but one of the friends I was with had a flight that evening, so didn't have the time to walk all the way back. Fortunately , we were able to find a taxi and get back to the city, without any fires this time.

Wrong Boat, Right Time

Ibiza, Spain. I'm no cloud expert, but somehow I knew what it was called when I saw it. "Lenticular" clouds are usually formed above air obstructions such as: buildings, hills, mountains, or in this case, volcanoes. They have even been mistaken for UFO's. I actually only saw this island by mistake. I arrived in Ibiza a day before Zac and Brian. To pass the time, I bought a $5 ticket to ride a water taxi to what was supposed to be a nice beach about 20 minutes away. A large boat docked about 10 minutes before I was supposed to leave so I went to see if it was the right one. I showed them my ticket and they took it and ushered me on. Well, about 30 minutes into the ride, I thought it was a bit odd we weren't there yet.  It wasn't until I started asking people where they were going that I found out it was an hour and a half ride to the island of Formentera. I had never even heard of this place and didn't even know what it was. So, I told the worker at the bar what happened, and after telling me she was really sorry, she explained that the beaches on Formentera were actually rated #1 in the world by trip advisor, and that the trip was usually $40. I began to feel pretty good about the mix up, and ended up having an awesome day, at some of the nicest beaches I've ever seen. Plus I saw this cool mountain/cloud on the way there.

A Missed Bus Isn't Always Bad

Buer Glacier, Norway. God works in weird ways. I had just taken a public bus about 20 minutes outside the town of Odda, Norway. From here I planned on taking 1 more bus 5 km through a valley to the base of a 5km hike to the Buer Glacier. I arrived at the bus stop at 11:10am, unfortunately missing the 11:00am bus, and the next bus didn't come til 3:00pm. So, after some reluctancy, it seemed my only choice was to walk. After about 10 minutes of walking through the valley towards the glacier, I came to this viewpoint. It was like God was telling me "Trust me, you'd rather walk this trail!". Touche. Proverbs 3:5-6 came to mind: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, and he will make your path straight".

I really enjoyed the hike up to the base of the glacier, and ended up basically running up and back down the 3 km intense (it required the use of chains and hoisting yourself up cliffs) hike to the top, in order to catch the bus back to the town of Odda at 4:00pm.

Surprise Slovakian Beer Festival

(Bratislava, Slovakia. Watched the sunset on the "Most SNP" Bridge which spans across the Danube River. Bratislava Castle can be seen on the hill overlooking the waterway.)

The capital city seemed a bit dull until I stumbled upon the Staromestsky Beerfest on the way back to my Hostel from the "Most" Bridge. 13 Slovakian breweries set up large tents in the city centre, selling 1 Euro beers that were among the best beer I've had. Grilled chicken, lamb, sausage, bratwurst, and other unknown meats were also sold, with a band & dancing to compliment. I met a few guys from France & Slovakia and had a great time.

If there's a Asian Facebook, I'm probably on it

Great Wall of China, (China). Let me just throw out the fact that it is NOT visible from space. To think a wall 20 ft wide, with color very similar to its surroundings could be visible from space, is just stupid. A 2 hour taxi ride from Beijing, this reconstructed section of the Great Wall offered spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The journey starts with a gondola ride up to the top of the wall that runs along the ridge of the mountain (in total it runs 3,890 miles). 

My mom, aunt, and I hiked about 5 miles through some pretty strenuous sections of the Great Wall. Many of the steps are either very tall, or very short, and steep, making it awkward to climb. We were getting ready to head back down the mountain, when a bus load of Korean school girls had just arrived at the wall. One of the girls came over and offered what I thought was to take a picture of me, my mom, and my aunt. Turns out she wanted a picture with me. Pretty soon, many of the girls form the bus were coming over to get pictures with me. My aunt was just loving it. I'm probably all over the Asian Facebook.

Hitch-hiking with a Crazy Aussie

(A)

(B)

(A) Preikestolen or Pulpit's Rock, Norway. Sheer cliff that rises 1982ft above the Lysefjord below. The 3 mile hike is easily accesible from Stavanger with a 30 minute ferry ride to a 30 minute bus ride. The forecast for the day was rain ALL day, so I wasn't sure what to expect.)

Sitting on the ferry connecting the oil-port of Stavanger to the Lysefjord region, an Aussie struck up a conversation with me. After finding out we were headed to the same place, I offered him some gummy worms I was eating (which I think sealed our friendship). Getting off the ferry, it was about a 30 minute drive to the base of the hike. Samuel had decided to hitch-hike to the base of the trail, while I had bought a bus ticket. I went straight of the ferry to my bus, and as I passed him as he was walking up a hill, I figured I wouldn't see him again. To my surprise, he was waiting there for me before I even arrived. He said he got a ride on his first try and they took him straight there - passing our bus! We hiked together, got some great photos & even explored a couple miles further up the mountain off the path.

(C)

(B) Taken near Rogaland, Norway, at the base of a strenuous 11km hike up to the Kjeragbolten. The lodge seen at the right offered spectacular views of the valley and Lysefjord below. In what was probably one of the more technical hikes I've done, there were lots of ultra-steep sections with ropes/chains, and even climbing sections. Kjeragbolten was a 4-hour bus ride from Stavanger, 8 hour hike(roundtrip), then 4 hour bus ride back. 

After hiking the Preikestolen with Samuel(Australia) the day before, we exchanged information and planned to meet up on the hike to Kjeragbolten. Unfortunately, I had to return to Stavanger after hiking at Preikestolen, while he just set up his tent and planned to Hitch-hike to the Kjerag the following day. A 4 hour bus/ferry ride from Stavanger, I arrived at the Kjerag region around 11am. When I didn't see him at the base of the hike, I started up on my own(he was hitching so I wasn't sure when he was going to get there or if he had already started up).  After getting to the top and taking some iconic pictures on the dangerously perched rock, sure enough I see Samuel coming up to the top. After sharing some food and taking some pics, we explored the area and parted ways. He had encouraged me to try out some hitch-hiking, and on following trips in Scandinavia, I hitch-hiked almost everywhere!

(C) The Kjeragbolten, Norway. I'm usually not at all scared of heights, but this one did get to me a bit. As scary as it looks, jumping out onto the rock suspended between a 1,000 ft abyss above Lysefjorden took some nerve, as the 5m3 stone doesn't offer much of an even platorm to stand on. I asked a group of Swiss teenagers if they could take my picture on the rock (since I was by myself), and they were happy to. Got some sick pics.)

A Bloody Note  Hanging on a Chair

(Chamonix, France. After traveling on the ultra-reliable Swiss rail system through Swtizerland from Zurich to Geneva, 3 friends and I crossed the border into France to visit the well known ski resort of Chamonix-Mont Blanc, near the Italian border. Chamonix has been described as the death-sport capital of the world, offering a variety of extreme sports.)

The first day of snowboarding greeted our group (Zac, Adele, Colton and myself) with perfect weather. After a gondola ride up to the base of Le Argentière Ski Area, we hit a few cruising runs before making our way to the top of the Grand Montets (3300m). This incredible view treated us after a short hike near the top of a lift. Shortly after, we went off-piste and made our way down an untracked deep powder run that was so epic, it seemed to be too good to be true. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the case, as we found ourselves at the bottom of a closed, non-operational ski lift at the base of the mountain. We debated the pros and cons of skiing down through forests and rocks vs. walking back up the mountain to get to an open area of the resort. It was decided that walking back up the mountain was our only option, and were rewarded with a grueling hour and a half hike up the mountain with our gear(See picture below). 

Believe it or not, this wasn't the worst thing to happen that day. As we got back to our hotel room in the valley(pictured), Colton (who had taken snowboard lessons that day) had apparently hurt himself, and thus left a note  attached to a chair with an iphone cord that said, "Went to doctor. Be back later." The cryptic note was covered in blood. Several white towels laying on the floor in our bathroom were also soaked in blood.  It looked like a scene out of a horror movie. Zac, Adele, and I were confused, but more importantly scared Colton was like dying or something. After the 3 of us frantically trying to figure out what to do, Colton strolled into the room an hour later with a sprained wrist that he had cut on the ice after a fall. Pretty dramatic scene in our hotel room for a sprianed wrist! Haha but being the amazing sport that he is, Colton still skied with us the next 2 days, and even danced on top of a bus stop during a ridiculous city-wide New Year's Eve party. What a trip.

That time I went to Mt. Everest with only a -6° C Sleeping bag

Everest Region, Nepal. Believe it or not, the weight difference between a (-20 to -30° C)  sleeping bag & a (-5 to -10° C) sleeping bag is very substantial. When trekking for a few weeks up in the high altitude air of the Himalayas, weight was a big concern. Therefore, against normal reasoning & many recommendations of atleast a -20° C bag, I decided I would be fine with a sleeping bag rated for -6° C. Upon starting the trek, I was pleased with the weight of my bag, and pretty happy with my decision to trek with the lighter bag. However, things quickly changed as I got into the bag the first night & realized I was already cold, and still had to climb more than 10,000' in the trek. Luckily, in conjunction with wearing all my warmest clothes at night, at finding stray blankets at the tea houses, I was able to somewhat successfully keep warm. Ironically, at altitudes above 15,000', my body was unable to sleep (I'm guessing  it was just due to the lack of oxygen), so the warmth of the sleeping bag didn't seem to matter anyway.

That time I shot an AK-47 at some Watermelons

Undisclosed Location, Cambodia. The day started out like any other. I hired a tuk-tuk driver for the day (for a cool $20), and set out to explore Phnom Penh. After hitting the Royal Palace & Siilver Pagoda, the Genocide Museum, & a few "Wats" or temples, my tuk-tuk driver asked me where I was from. After hearing I was from Texas, he said "Pew! Pew! Texas, you like guns!". Well, I guess I do like guns, so I said, "yeah man, I like guns". So then he says, "You want to shoot Rocket Launcher & AK-47?".. I mean come on, who deosn't, right? So naturally, about 10 seconds later, we're headed to his "friends" gun range. After about 30 minutes down dirt roads and through increasingly sketchy looking neighborhoods, we stumble upon a large compound with huge metal gates and armed guards outside. This was the moment I realized it may not have been the smartest decision I've ever made. We're flagged inside the gates and the compound is filled with tanks, armored vehicles, and lots more armed guards. I am clearly the only white person here. I'm guided inside a large open air garage with hundreds of guns lining the walls. I'm shown a "menu" of guns to shoot from. After the very difficult decision of turning down shooting a rocket launcher at a car, I settled on shooting the AK-47 at some watermelons. Pretty fun time blowing up some watermelons with the AK, and I didn't die, so I'd say it was a successful day.

That time I bribed Border Officials to Let me into Bolivia

Peru/Bolivia Border. To begin my 3 week trip through Colombia, Peru, & Bolivia, I only had 2 pages left (First-World Problems) in my American passport for Entry/Exit stamps. It was a last minute booking, so I hadn’t looked into all the finer points of traveling through each place. I figured I would have plenty of room in my passport to make it through each place and back home. What I didn’t realize was the necessity of a FULL-PAGE Visa for Americans traveling to Bolivia. USA (along with Israel) is literally the only Country in the world that this is required of (insert everybody hates Americans joke here). By the time I had gone through Colombia & Peru, I only had room for about 1 stamp left in my passport. Not only this, but 2 passport photos, a yellow fever vaccination, proof of income, a copy of a detailed itinerary, hotel reservations, exit flights, & a $100+ Fee are all required of Americans. 


Well I had literally none of this. I didn’t realize I needed all this stuff until about 2 days before I planned to enter, both of which were spent hiking at Machu Picchu. Then came the brilliant idea that since I’m a Dual-Citizen (Thank you Canada!), I would just use my Canadian passport after exiting Peru & entering Bolivia. This would alleviate all concerns. The only problem with this was that the Bolivian officials would be looking for my exit stamps from Peru (as they encounter this everyday, and hate Americans/Israelis enough to check for this). So, after some guidance from a local friend, it was decided that I would just bribe the Peruvian Officials to stamp my American Passport with my exit Stamp, then also Stamp my Canadian Passport with my Entry AND Exit Stamps before entering Bolivia. Seemed like a legit idea, I just wasn’t sure how the bribing of international officials was going to go. Sure enough as I arrive at the border, I wait for the rest of the bus to go through the customs, I quietly explain the situation to the Official working the desk. He thinks about it for a second, then says “Okay, $40”. After re-filling out my customs forms (conveniently leaving out the fact that I had any sort of American citizenship) & slipping him a cool $40, he did the deed with both of my passports, and I waltzed across the border into Bolivia. I handed the Bolivians my passport & documents, he took one look at my Canadian-ness, stamped my stuff & I was home free. 

That time 3 dudes were snorting Coke on my Bed

La Paz, Bolivia. There I was, La Paz, Bolivia. I had just arrived on a night bus from Salar, after spending 4 days in Southern Bolivia. It was about 8am, and my 6-person room was available, so the hostel worker showed me to my room on the 3rd floor. After catching my breath at the top of the stairs (3650m Altitude or 12,000'!), we walked into the room. we walk to one end where my bed is supposed to be, but there are 3 guys already sitting on it. I guess they had not noticed us come in, and hadn't had time to stop what they were doing. There was a notebook on the bed with a white powdery substance that one of them had just finished snorting. The hostel worker looked at me and without missing a beat said, "well, we'll just move you to this bed over here", pointing to the other side of the room. The 3 guys, who turned out to be an Aussie, an Irishman, and an Englishman kindly offered me a go or some vodka that they were polishing off. Mind you, it is 8am, and they have been up all night partying in what was considered Bolivia's version of Rio's "Carnival". Pretty crazy guys, and a funny story!

"Hey, do you want to be an actor in Game of Thrones?"

Dubrovnik, Croatia. There I was, just walking around the town- taking some pictures & minding my own business, when a girl comes up to me and says, "Hey! Do you want to be an actor in game of thrones?". Me, being a bit skeptical of this proposition, said "Well I don't know.. I mean, I've never seen it before..". She proceeded to tell me all about how they were currently filming Season 5 of Game of Thrones in the city, and that she wanted me to be a background actor for one of the scenes. After a bit of convincing, I was like "Okay, yeah I guess I'll do your little Game of Thrones thing". She gave me all the info of when and where I would meet up in the morning to get my costume and make-up done. Knowing a few of my friends were huge GOT fans, I promptly texted them telling them I was gonna be in their favorite TV Show. Unfortunately, after getting a kick out of some jealous friends, I got an email from the film crew that said the next day of shooting was cancelled. Apparently, they were going to film some naked girl running through the streets, and the City of Dubrovnik didn't like that. Therefore, I was given the option to stay a few more days and work on a different scene if I wanted. However, I had a flight booked to Berlin the next day (It was Oktoberfest) so the opportunity was gone. Pretty cool story  though!

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