Got into a situation where a hostel guy kept trying to sell me tours, got increasingly pushy. With the lads I would've just left. Alone I felt cornered and awkward. Ended up buying a €50 tour I didn't want just to get out of the conversation. Sounds dumb but being alone makes you weirdly vulnerable to social pressure. Is that normal?
My (38f (also autistic but with different traits)) brother (27m) decided he was going to buy plane tickets and go to Spain for the solar eclipse on a solo trip. On the one hand I'm very impressed by him and I admire his conviction and willingness to pursue the things that are important to him, but on the other hand I am worried that he doesn't consider the full scope of things.
He thinks in black or white. He is not fully independent in a sense that he lives with my stepfather and he doesn't pay rent. His current job is the first one he's had for more than three months and he is thriving. He has seemed to mature a lot since he moved in with my stepdad a couple years ago. He tends to make choices on a whim and they revolve around whether or not he feels he's been treated correctly, or whether or not he likes what he's doing. The jobs that he's had before this one have been less than stimulating to say the least.
My family has definitely done their share of traveling, and he knows what it's like to be on a plane or a train or take long road trips. He knows how to pack and the things he needs to do as far as having a passport goes. He has gone on solo trips before, like to New York and to Washington DC. He also was gay and there have been situations where he's been on apps and older men have targeted him, but he doesn't realize. He has a hard time seeing bad intentions in people.
My stepdad is also concerned, but there is nothing we can do about it. We can't control him and sometimes it can be really difficult to talk to him about things because he brushes them off. He has the selective mutism characteristic and when he feels like he's being infantilized or like his abilities are being minimized, that is his go-to. Which is valid. But we love him.
I'm an overthinker, and my brain shoots out scenarios of each different thing based on each different movement or choice and I'm constantly thinking of what ifs. It makes me good at my job, but it brings me a lot of anxiety. I'm very thorough with my research, it's very important for me to understand things. He is the opposite. I have had a lot of trauma and I have been taken advantage of when I was younger and I think that that has shaped, in part, who I am today. I don't think in black or white, I think in all things exist at once lol.
I love this for him and I know I should trust that he is able to handle himself, but at the same time I am afraid it will be difficult for him to notice bad intentions. I don't know what it's like to travel abroad, I'm like the rest of my family I have opted out of traveling due to my sensory issues. I do know that a tourist destination can be very attractive to people who are looking to take advantage of others. Whether it be to somehow steal money, to sell fraudulent tickets or items or God forbid human trafficking (which is always a possibility, even though I'm thinking in worst case scenario - I work in the human services industry and am well aware of the level of human trafficking that's going on under our noses here (US) alone).
So I guess the short and long of this is has anyone done a lot of traveling that can provide any insight into situations they've come across? Do any of you know anything of Spain? He's going to be traveling by train throughout the area. He has an itinerary planned so there's no specific area I can pinpoint. Any tips for keeping yourself safe when traveling abroad? He knows our numbers by heart and he knows to keep his passport close and on him at all times. Any insights are so welcome and appreciated.
Thank you!
TDLR; My brother is going to Spain solo and I am concerned about him being taken advantage of either monetarily or sexually. Please provide tips or relatable situations.
*Disclaimer: I don’t mean this post to be disrespectful toward Tenerife or its people. I know many of the issues I mention are complex and not the fault of the local population.
I also don’t support all-inclusive party tourism or visitors who disrespect the island. We stayed in a small hotel, spent most of our time hiking, and tried to experience Tenerife’s nature responsibly.*
I almost ended up not liking my vacation in Tenerife, which surprised me because I had been looking forward to it for a long time.
What really shocked me was the amount of litter, especially away from the tourist areas. Many beaches were covered in trash, and the water often didn’t look clean enough to enjoy snorkeling. One of the things I was most excited about was seeing sea turtles, but after learning about the island’s sewage problem during our trip, I honestly started worrying about the impact on marine life. I couldn’t believe that untreated wastewater can end up being discharged into the sea, even near protected natural areas. It made me wonder how this is still allowed.
It was also the first time I truly noticed the effects of overtourism. We stayed in a small hotel near Los Gigantes, which was nice, but the environmental pressure on the island was impossible to ignore. We had originally considered spending more time in the north because it’s greener and more beautiful, but beach closures and concerns about water quality made us change our plans.
Our goal was a hiking and snorkeling holiday, but because of the dirty beaches and questionable water quality, we often didn’t want to get into the ocean. Abades and Montaña Amarilla were among the few places where we actually enjoyed snorkeling.
That said, Tenerife is still an incredible island. Barranco del Infierno, Roque de los Brezos, climbing Teide, the magical Anaga cloud forest, and hiking through the Canary pine forests to Paisaje Lunar were all absolutely amazing.
Then came the highlight of the entire trip: a four-hour whale watching tour. We saw dolphins, whales, and even a hammerhead shark. In that moment, it suddenly felt like everything wasn’t quite so bad after all. There is still so much life in these waters, and it was one of the most beautiful wildlife experiences I’ve ever had.
It also reminded me why protecting this ecosystem is so important. Tenerife is an extraordinary place, but I really hope more is done to tackle pollution before the damage becomes irreversible.
Since I have been in Malaysia to perform a visa run $10,000 gone in airport and grab scams here. They have intentionally forced me not allowed on my flight blocking me from checkin intentionally. I have 7 plane tickets I have bought and only been able to use 3 of them. I had grab drivers falsify given me a ride and in everyway Wise bank has decided to keep the money with evidence and admission that they changed my dates without my permission and showing the drivers never showed. At this point ya’ll got $10,000 from Thailand to Malaysia alone my account has now reached $1200 from scams alone I will never come back here I will never use Wise, 12go, or Malaysia in anyway ever again. I hope ya’ll are happy with ruining people’s way of life. Visa Runs will never make since to come here ever again. And my visa of course took longer than usual so I may have paid for a school I cannot attend since class has already begin and my processing was slowed intentionally. So no more business here you will get the bare minimum of my money never again. The mdac and tdac websites exist with and are scams as well if you don’t know you should only wait until you get the proper information at the airport even if it delays your entry. Trip.com also falsifies insurance but at least when they made false claims they gave me my money back instead of paying 3 different insurancea.
🐺 Travel Confession...
I'll admit it...
Every time I start planning a trip, I get just as excited about the planning as I do the vacation itself.
Researching destinations...
Finding hidden gems...
Imagining the adventure ahead...
For me, the excitement starts long before I ever pack a suitcase.
Now it's your turn...
What's your travel confession?
Maybe you overpack...
Maybe you always buy souvenirs...
Maybe you have to sit by the window...
I'd love to hear it! 😊
🐺 Leading You to Extraordinary Adventures.
I want to know the common pitfalls to avoid when travelling
on my last few trips i kept renting cars from the big airport companies without thinking twice. the prices were always high especially for anything decent and by the end of the trips i realized i had spent way more than i needed to on just getting around.
i started using turo instead and the prices were so much better plus it was basically available everywhere i went. i could pick from actual cars people were renting out instead of the usual limited options at the counter and it saved me a good chunk of money each time.
has anyone else made the same mistake with car rentals or found better ways to get around without overpaying?
Share what you lost and how much it is important for you