Our social media is constantly filled with the amazing and beautiful places to see around the world, but what about all the odd and unusual nooks and crannies that are not so Insta-worthy?
We caught up with eleven different bloggers at Holiday Extras' recent travel blogger meetup to find out the strangest places they've been and even stranger things about them. It'll turn your world Upside Down.
1. Liza from tripsget.com
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"The abandoned pyramid of Tirana in Albania. It looked really creepy and the project was supposed to be one of the most ambitious in Albania back in the 80s, but the government changed and the pyramid was abandoned."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"Sleeping in a totally abandoned hotel. It was out of season, so it was technically closed, with no staff. But the doors were open. The reason why we were there - my brother works in a sister hotel and agreed with the owner to host us there. But it was really weird - to sleep in a hotel totally alone. And with the front doors open."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where it would be and why?
"Hong Kong - I've studied there and I left a piece of my heart there. And I think it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth. And fun!"
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"Mike Wheeler - he's a good guy. He tried to find his friend who was missing."
Do you have any travelling horror stories?
"I was in a crazy hostel in Oban, Scotland. While it's not a horror story per se, it was a crazy night, because we stayed just over a bar which was open until 3am. People were partying outside until 4am, so I had to spill a glass of water over them!"
2. Xav from blackvoyageurs.com
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"A place called 'Fond du Sac'. Translates to "bottom of the bag" in English. In Mauritius where I lived for a year."
What's the strangest thing thas happened to you whilst travelling?
"I travelled to Monterrey in Northern Mexico. Since I'm tall and black, and there are not many around, people thought that I was a famous basketball NBA player. They asked me for autographs."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where would it be and why?
"Hands down, Madagascar. Because I love the movie (just kidding)! It's such a magical place."
Do you have any travelling horror stories?
"Plenty! I used to live in India for eighteen months. Not many black people around there/ I went to the Mosque in North Dehli with friends. As I walked out, I went through a market that was over , I Stood out. I And a bunch of guys started throwing rocks at me and mocking me. Not cool."
3. Ana from fadedspring.co.uk
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"I was once on a 'graveyard walk' at night and we were taken into a crypt, which was pretty surreal. I felt like I had stepped into a horror movie."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"When I was in Maderia, I was watching a summer festival, when I was roped into taking part in the parade - as someone had dropped out and apparently I looked like the person. I had to dress up as a grape and sing songs about wine as it was a wine festival."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where would it be and why?
"Madeira, because my heritage is portugese and my biological parents are from Madeira. I haven't been able to go there in five years and would love to see my portugese family again."
If you were a Stranger Things character would you be and why?
"I would be Eleven because:
a) Eleven is my favourite number.
b)I love the symbolism behind the character."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"I was abroad and was approached by a 'cult' who asked me whether I was into 'unemotional sex games'. Apparently they perform sex games on random people but they have partners."
4. Nakul from NAK_UL
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"A brothel in India as a fourteen year old by accident, was taken by cousins on the promise we were going to McDonalds. So weird."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"I was asked for selfies in Paris, by the Eiffel Tower. I'm sure it was a wind up, it started with just a random group of friends and ended up with a crowd gathering thinking I was famous."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where would it be and why?
"Los Angeles. Beautiful place. Great weather. Great food."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"I haven't seen the show. I would be Jessie in Breaking Bad though."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"Being late for a flight is a horrific as it gets."
5. Jess from enjoytheadventure.co.uk
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"I did a trek in Sapa, Vietnam and stayed in a hut in the middle of nowhere with a family. The mother was trying to get us drunk on rice wine."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"I was in a coach in Vietnam and they went into the back of another coach. The driver got out and started threatening our driver with a screwdriver and yelling at him."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"A hostel I stayed in Vietnam, a girl came back drunk. Threw up on my bag and got into my bed. There was sick everywhere, it was gross!"
6. Rhian from rhianwestbury.co.uk
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"High Atlas Mountains in Morroco. It was so quiet and we stayed in what looked like a shack. I don't think they were used to customers."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"My mum being offered 10 camels for my hand in marriage when I was a teenager. She actually looked tempted."
If you could only travel back to one pplace you've been before, where would it be and why?
"The Island of Hawaii, Hawaii as there was such a contrast of climates and locations, from beaches to volcano hikes."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"Dustin, as I can be a bit goofy and say the wrong thing at the wrong time."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"When I was in Crete I temporarily lost my passport as I had buried it in the sand when I went for a swim, and couldn't find it for 4 hours."
What do you think about the TV show Stranger Things?
"Absolutely love it. I worry about those who don't love it."
7. Eboni from eboniivoryblog.com
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"Ukraine, in the middle of the Carpathian Mountains. There was snow everywhere."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"I randomly met a woman who took me to her penthouse suite at Planet Hollywood in Vegas and we sat and watched Britney."
If you could travel back to any place you've been before where would it be and why?
"Barcelona. I lived there for three months. It is a beautiful city and there's loads to do."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"Eleven. Mysterious and open to new situations."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"I worked at a kids summer camp in America teaching drama and there was a murderer on the loose nearby. At the same summer camp, a riflery instructor shot a skunk by the pantry and I saw a big snake whilst on the phone to my mum."
What do you think about the tv show Stranger Things?
"It sounds interesting, I'm definitely intrigued. I've watched a couple of episodes but I fell asleep, so I will try harder to stay awake."
What's the strangest thing you've watched on a flight?
"I like looking out the window down at the towns and cities below. They look like toy towns. I find it really strange."
8. Giulia from giuliafsmith.com
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"I befriended the police in Peru and they escorted me to clubs every night. I also went to a cocaine bar in Bolivia that got raided whilst I was there."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where would it be and why?
"Bottle beach, Koh Phangan in Thailand. It's so peaceful, it's my go-to happy place."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"Eleven, because she is a bad ass and so am I."
9. Leanne from brokeinthebigsmoke.com
Where's the strangest place you've been?
"A graveyard in Oslo. My friend was visiting a grave there."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"I almost ended up on a TV show called tricks. It was a magicians show and I had to put my phone in this glass bowl."
If you could travel back to any place you've been before where would it be and why?
"Japan, it was amazing . I had been there twenty mins and I wanted to come back."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"Dustin, he's just a bit weird in a nice way. Keeping an Alien as a pet something I would do."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"My passport expired six months before a trip and I only noticed a day before. I had to cancel my trip."
10. Joanna from theworldinmypocket.co.uk
Where's the strangest place you'be been?
"A fake moon cave in China. I was cycling around the countryside of Yangshuo when I stopped for lunch at a village's local restaurant, the waiter promised me cheap tickets to the famous expensive moon cave. I said yes, so a car came and drove me to a fake cove. I had to crawl inside with only my bathing suit on and a helmet. It was so strange but so much fun even if it was fake."
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"I was jetlagged in Havana, after a denied boarding flight and the hotel being unable to find my booking. I went to buy a bottle of water and this guy behind me in the line tells me it's cheaper across the street. I say thanks and go back to my hotel. Hours later, I go out in a different part of town to walk along the seashore. And there he is, the same guy, waiting for the bus home. He was so amazed that he invited me for a coffee, showed me the city and the next day invited me to his sister's house to meet his nephews. Because of him, I got to know the real life in Cuba."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where would it be and why?
"I would go back to Vietnam. The warmth of the people, the beauty of the country, the delicious food... I would love to explore it some more because I was only there for 2 weeks. It is the place close to my heart where I would always return to."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"I would probably be Eleven because maybe I am strange like her? I like to think I am different from everyone else because I look for the unique experiences and I do believe in humanity."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"Oh yes! In the same trip the airline lost my luggage, leaving me in a country where you can't realy buy things as a tourist (Cuba), at 38 degress, with only my winter clothes; I got denied boarding because the airline overbooked, so I had to wait 10 hours for the next flight inside the airport because I didn't have a visa to get out and when I finally reached Havana, the hotel couldn't find my booking - at midnight."
What do you think about the TV show 'Stranger Things'?
"I think it is quite strange. The story is good but there are some disturbing scenes, especially when the girl is taken from where she sits outside the pool on the diving board and she dies. She was innocent."
11. Lisa from outsidethebubbleuk.com
Where's the strangest place you've been?
Tunisia!
What's the strangest thing that has happened to you whilst travelling?
"When I went on a family trip with my family to Tunisia, we got in two taxis to the market. My mum, dad and nephew got in one and my sister got in the other. The taxi my mum was in crashed and the driver had a fight with the people he crashed with. When my family finally got to the market, the same two drivers insisted on picking us up and they found us, so I've swapped taxis. The driver we had drove on the pavement to get out of a traffic jam and then pulled up in the desert, got out the car and left us in the car alone. Because I've watched the film Taken, I thought we were being kidnapped! The driver came back 20 minutes later."
If you could only travel back to one place you've been before, where would it be and why?
"Mallorca. I worked there and it's where I got the idea for my book The Secret Diary of a Hotel Entertainer."
If you were a Stranger Things character who would you be and why?
"Eleven, she has power."
Do you have any travelling horror stories of your own?
"When I worked in Zante, I came back to my room to find a drunk guest asleep in my bed. The hotel I worked at had given away my room."
What do you think about the TV show 'Stranger Things'?
"Love it. It's goonies meets my 80's childhood."
*No demogorgons were hurt in the writing of this article.
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