Beginning in Switzerland in 1693, the Amish church is a group of traditionalist Christians known for their large families, simple living and reluctance to adopt modern technology. Though their world revolves around living by the standards of what they interpret to be God’s word, a steady rise in their population has led to more members of the church finding themselves in the crosshairs of the law. The following ten examines a series of both amusing and tragic occurrences within the religious sect too bizarre to comprehend or imagine.

SEE ALSO: 10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About The Amish

10 Religious Tipplers

In the eyes of the law, it does not matter what a person is driving – be it a car or a horse-drawn buggy—if you are impaired, you will be arrested. Such was the case for a heavily intoxicated 21-year-old Amish man who blew through a stop sign after chugging 10 beers. Believing that he was witnessing a runaway horse, a deputy in Geauga County, Ohio pursued the buggy until the inebriated gent arrived at his farm. After failing a field sobriety test, the religious tippler traded in his 19th-century ride for the back seat of a patrol car.

A similar incident occurred in 2011 when an Amish teenage in Conewango, New York led police on a slow-speed chase. Lewis D. Hostetler, 17, refused to halt his horse after police witnessed him drinking beer in his carriage. The rebellious speedster was eventually charged with resisting arrest, littering on a highway, unlawful possession of alcohol, insufficient tail lamps and obstructing governmental administration.

While amusing, the previous two boozers pale in comparison to the rowdiness four teens displayed in upstate New York. In the summer of 2012, an inebriated Amish quartet had the bright idea to drag race their horse-drawn buggies down a dark rural road. When authorities arrived on the scene, one of the horses crashed into a police cruiser causing the buggy to flip over. Though the four youths were fortunate to walk away from the accident unscathed, they were charged with underage possession of alcohol.^[1]

9 Fatal Mishaps

Just three days shy of his 10th birthday, a gruesome accident would forever change the life of Samuel Herschberger. While completing his farm chores on the afternoon of August 22, 1991, Samuel fell into a tractor-powered drive shaft. Seconds later, the boys left arm and right foot were ripped off, his scalp was peeled from his head, and his right arm was crushed to pieces. By some miracle, Samuel survived the horrendous ordeal and went on to become the most famous Amish person in Illinois—if not the entire nation. With his plight making headlines across the country, donations came pouring in for the Herschberger family who was facing a quarter-million dollars in medical bills.

Unlike Samuel who was fortunate enough to escape with his life, Jacob Stutzman of Indiana would not be so lucky. While tending to his duties in the fall of 2013, the 23-year-old Amish man slipped and fell, landing onto a moving saw blade. Deputies and first responders rushed to the sawmill only to find that any attempt of revival would be futile. Consequently, Stutzman was pronounced dead at the scene adding to the growing number of tragic accidental farm fatalities.^[2]

8 A Shot In The Dark

Returning from a Christmas party in northern Ohio in December 2011, Rachel Yoder was less than three miles from home when the unthinkable happened. Out from the sky plummeted a single .50-caliber bullet, striking the 15-year-old in the head. As she lay dying in her buggy, her horse continued on the path carting her home. Later that evening, Rachel’s brother noticed the horse and buggy going in circles on the family farm. Moments later, he found his sister lying in the dirt unresponsive, slowly slipping away. The following day, Rachel was gone. At first, police suspected that the girl had fallen from the buggy and hit her head, however, her death was officially ruled a homicide following an autopsy.

Five months after her death, Rachel’s family finally received closure. Marion Yoder – no relation to Rachel – turned himself in to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued.

On that fateful winter evening, 28-year-old Yoder was returning from a hunting trip when he fired a single round from his rifle into the air. Though implausible to comprehend, the bullet traveled more than a mile before finding its way to Rachel. While Yoder was initially charged with felony reckless homicide, Rachel’s family intervened opposing the charges. Given the circumstances, they felt that it was not just to proceed with a felony charge. Instead, Yoder pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of negligent homicide and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. In the end, the judge suspended all but 30 days of his sentence.^[3]

7 No Profit = Bullet

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is home to one of the “most secretive” residents and industries in America. The county—referred to as the “puppy mill capital of the U.S.” – is where you’ll find hundreds of dogs crammed into small crates stacked one on top of the other. These barns and sheds are mainly dominated by the Amish where a dog’s life is nothing more than dollar signs for the devoted religious sect. Female breeders often spend their entire lives producing innumerable litters until their body gives out, in which case they are euthanized with a bullet. The puppies that are produced like an assembly line are then sold to pet stores or at auctions. In Lancaster County, an estimated 600 unlicensed facilities are currently in operation where their breeders go through great lengths to avoid discovery. Such measures entail “de-barking” the puppies by shoving hammer sharp instruments down their throats to scar their vocal cords.

In 2013, two Amish men were arrested in central New York for killing a dog and her nine puppies after the Australian red heeler’s failed to sell. The DA stated that Merlin Schmucker, 26, and Jonathan Eicher, 19, shot the litter and then disposed of them in a roadside ditch where they were found by a highway crew. According to Eicher, their actions are acceptable among the Amish under these particular circumstances. Fortunately, Town Justice Carol Heald felt differently and sentenced the two to 30 days in county jail. In addition, each was fined $500 and barred from owning dogs for 15 years.^[4]

6 Secret Ingredient

To preserve their simple lifestyle reminiscent of the 19th century, the Amish shun various necessities such as licenses, high school education and of course, electricity. This has spurred much scrutiny for home bakers in Amish enclaves who sell their goods, such as meat and cheeses, to residents in their community. Without refrigeration requirements, food safety overseers constantly worry of food poisoning outbreaks causing much strife between them and the religious sect.

For several Amish bakers in Pennsylvania, their freedom of religion crossed many grotesque boundaries, to say the least. In the spring of 2019, police received an anonymous tip that Yoder Baked Goods – a bakery in Lancaster County – was using “questionable ingredients.” By all appearances, the shop was clean and compliant for food safety. Upon further investigation, however, it was discovered that the bakery’s whoopie pies – either a cookie pie or cake – were made with human breast milk. While the white fatty liquid from an Amish princess psychologically trapped in the 1800s may be unappetizing, it is unlikely to pose a danger to consumers. Nonetheless, it is not only disgusting but against the law to use human fluids in food. The bakery has since been shut down.^[5]

5 Romancing The Cattle

In 2010, two Amish brothers from Lancaster, Wisconsin were arrested on a string of sexual charges. In what the county Sheriff described as one of the strangest and most disturbing cases he has seen, Christian G. Stolzfus, 19, and Dannie G. Stolzfus, 18, sexually abused at least six family members, ages ranging from 5 to 16 years old. To add fuel to an already disgusting and bizarre inferno, the dynamic duo was also charged with bestiality. Authorities claimed that the passionate encounters with multiple animals occurred on the family’s Grant County farm over a three to four-year period. As the saying goes, ‘love is in the eye of the beholder’ and with that, of all the livestock that truly captivated the brothers’ lust was a cow and a horse. Following their arrest, the two were charged with repeated sexual assault of a child, exposing their genitals or pubic area, and two counts of sexual gratification with an animal.

Although Christian faced more than 400 years in prison subsequent to his conviction, he was only sentenced to one year in jail for sexually assaulting a child. As for his brother and partner in crime, Dannie, his records remain sealed although it is safe to assume he too received a slap on the wrist. One can only hope they go vegan, however, time will tell if they hunger for cattle yet again.^[6]

4 Amish Dr. Ruth

From September to November in 2011, members of a breakaway Amish group carried out a series of attacks on Amish locals in Bergholz, Ohio. According to authorities, the squad of religious rascals made late-night visits to homes of former acquaintances where they would forcefully cut off the beards of the men and give the ladies a charming buzz cut using clippers. Afterward the ostracized barbers took photos of their work to show their leader Sam Mullet. Mullet admitted that his intentions were to send a message to other Amish that they should be ashamed of themselves for the way his community had been treated. Specifically, “They changed the rulings of our church here, and they’re trying to force their way down our throat, make us do like they want us to do, and we’re not going to do that.” One of Mullet’s victims told the FBI that he would rather have been “beaten black and blue than to suffer the disfigurement and humiliation of having his hair removed,” given that cutting of the hair is a highly offensive act in the Bible. After months of living in fear and stacking up on door locks, mace, and shotguns, local authorities were alerted who requested the FBI’s involvement.

Eventually, the compound of the deranged Amish sect was raided and Mullet – along with several of his followers—were charged with hate crimes. Further investigation revealed that aside from the groups’ impromptu salon expertise, Mullet ordered beatings of those who disobeyed him. In particular, the 67-year-old father of 18 forced some members to sleep in a chicken coop. If that’s not romantic enough, Mullet was also charged with sex crimes after it emerged that he had forcefully bedded many of his followers’ wives – including some of his daughter-in-laws – to “cleanse them of the devil.” According to his attorney, the passionate senior citizen was merely acting as an “Amish Dr. Ruth.” In the end, Mullet was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison.^[7]

3 Over The Hill Testicles

In the early morning hours of July 23, 2013, Deputy Adam Hughes was dispatched to a farmhouse in Webster County, Missouri. There he encountered 23-year-old Jacob Schwartz lying in bed in a pool of blood. When asked what happened, Schwartz calmly and matter-of-factly said that he had gone outside and castrated himself. As if there was no emergency, Hughes asked Schwartz to describe in detail the events that led to his current dilemma. According to the Amish eunuch, Schwartz cut open his scrotum and then “cut off his testicles with a knife and threw them over the hill.” Afterward, he put blood-stop powder on the wound and went to bed to count sheep. At one point during the delightful questioning, Schwartz began to have a seizure and ultimately became unconscious before being transported to the hospital by ambulance. Upon searching the house and perimeter, police could not find any evidence of the man’s castration (testicles) nor was there blood on the premises other than in Schwartz’s bedroom. The County Sheriff immediately became skeptical stating, “I find it hard to accept what the 23-year-old man said as being completely truthful. I think that what he said he did to himself would be very, very hard to do.” Sheriff Cole went on to state that if unless someone comes forward with a different version as to how Schwartz’s testicles were sliced, diced and thrown to greener pastures, no charges can be brought. “It’s been a month since this happened, and I don’t see that happening, although, as I said before, it’s hard for me to believe the story we were told.”^[8]

2 “Amish Stud”

“Where did my friend, love, trustworthy husband go to? He hates me to the core,” Barbara Weaver lamented in a letter written to her counselor shortly before her murder. The 30-year-old Amish mother of five had been fighting to save her marriage to a relentlessly unfaithful and abusive man known as the “Amish Stud” on dating sites. During their 10-year marriage, Eli Weaver abandoned his family twice to live as “English,” only to repent a short time later. In the summer of 2009, however, Eli officially had enough of family life and began plotting with his girlfriend, Barb Raber, to kill his wife. “Maybe you could blow up the house?” Weaver texted Raber—a married mother of three – to which she replied, “What about your kids?” “The kids will go to heaven because they’re innocent.” Ultimately, the homicidal lovers who enjoyed sexual trysts in Weaver’s Ohio barn chose a bullet as the best method of execution. At 3:30 a.m. on June 2, 2009, Eli left his house to go fishing knowing full well he would never see his wife alive again. One hour later, Raber entered the Weaver home through an unlocked basement door armed with a shotgun. Quietly, she crept her way up the stairs and into the dark hallway before coming to Barbara’s bedroom. Seconds later, Barbara was dead having been shot through the heart as she slept. It wouldn’t be long before detectives saw through their diabolical scheme, arresting both of them the following week. In the end, Barb Raber was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to 23 years to life while Eli was found guilty of complicity to commit murder and sentenced to 15 years to life. In one of Barbara’s final letters she wrote of her husband, “I often think of Christ’s words: ‘Forgive him, for he knows not what he does.’?”^[9]

1 First Amish Conviction

On March 18, 1993, Edward Gingerich walked into the office of his chiropractor with complaints of a headache. He was given a scalp massage, instructed to drink molasses and then sent on his way back to his farmhouse in northwestern Pennsylvania. Several hours later, Gingerich beat his wife Katie to death before cutting out her intestines. Their 5-year-old who witnessed the horrific slaying fled the farm and ran to his Uncle Daniel’s house for help. By the time Daniel arrived on horseback, he found his brother in the kitchen sitting on Katie’s naked corpse. At that moment, Daniel hastily went to a neighbor’s house to call the police. Gingerich was later arrested, not at his home, but walking in a daze down a country road with his 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. Following his arrest, the Amish lunatic told police that he had been possessed by the devil and that he was fully aware that his children were present when he disemboweled his wife.

Just over a year after the brutal murder, Gingerich was convicted of involuntary manslaughter becoming the first Amish person tried and sentenced for criminal homicide. On March 19, 1998—exactly five years and one day since the night he committed the unspeakable – Gingerich was released from a State Correctional Institution and transferred to an Amish mental health facility in Michigan. Over the years, he would move from state to state before returning to Pennsylvania in February 2007. In January 2011, Gingerich committed suicide in a barn by hanging himself from a ceiling beam.^[10]

The international sporting events of the Olympic Games are a testament to the unwavering dedication of leading athletes around the world. Participants spend their entire lives training and competing, honing their skills and rising to the tops of their games in order to be able to call themselves Olympians. And yet, only some will get to proudly stand before the eyes of the world, medals hanging from their necks.

In spite of the glory of the Olympics, human nature takes a prominent toll anywhere. On occasion, this has engendered life-altering mishaps never to be forgotten. As opposed to delving into notorious calamities that have befallen competitors, the following ten entries examine lesser-known nightmares surrounding the Olympics.

10 The Silence Of The Doves

At the 1896 Olympics in Athens, birds were released as a sign of peace and freedom. The act officially became a part of the opening ceremonies beginning in 1920 at the Antwerp Games. While it’s theorized that the tradition dates back centuries, historians claim that homing birds were first released during the ancient Olympics in order to notify families and villages of a returning hometown athlete’s victory.

Unfortunately, the symbolic custom would be anything but festive during Seoul’s opening ceremony in 1988, when a few feathers became ruffled. As three athletes rode a rising platform skyward to light the enormous torch, numerous doves made the unfortunate error in judgment of resting atop the cauldron prior to its ignition. As the three torches lit the flame, a Korean barbecue ensued, turning white feathers into ash for the world to see. It immediately became apparent that it was vital for the Olympic committee to alter future ceremonial procedures in order to avoid another embarrassing public spectacle.

In 1992, no birds were burned. The doves were released well before the lighting of Barcelona’s cauldron, bringing tranquility to animal enthusiasts everywhere.^[1]

9 Unjust Reputation

Prior to the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, testing for drug use among Olympic athletes wasn’t carried out. The deficiency of such regulations should have been evident following the 1952 Oslo Winter Games, when several speed skaters overdosed on amphetamines and required medical intervention.

However, it took the untimely death of Danish cyclist Knud Jensen at the Summer Olympics in Rome in 1960 for anti-doping campaigns to gain prominence. Jensen, whose notoriety is rooted in becoming the first Olympic athlete to die of a drug overdose during competition, became the exemplar of an admirable objective fueled by immoral measures. His demise was a picturesque epitome for crusaders destined to increase the regulation of doping at the expense of Jensen’s reputation.

In reality, the cyclist’s autopsy stated that although the he had amphetamines in his system, they were unlikely to have contributed to his death. Nonetheless, Jensen’s passing—medically attributed to heatstroke—was exploited as propaganda. To date, the myth surrounding the first athlete to overdose persists amid tons of evidence proving otherwise.^[2]

8 Honor

At the 1964 Summer Olympics, Kokichi Tsuburaya, a first lieutenant in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, had the distinct honor of representing his nation on his home turf in Tokyo. Such a privilege, however, would prove to be nothing more than an immense disappointment for the lead marathoner, who was overtaken in the final 100 meters, finishing third. In spite of taking home a bronze medal, Tsuburaya was mortified, believing he had brought shame upon himself, his family, and his fellow countrymen.

The arduous burden rooted in pride was a driving factor for Tsuburaya to succeed in future marathons. He stated, “I committed an inexcusable blunder in front of the Japanese people. I have to make amends by running and hoisting the Hinomaru in the next Olympics, in Mexico.” Sadly, Tsuburaya’s aspirations would never come to fruition after an ongoing lower back pain problem began to take effect shortly after the Tokyo games.^[3]

As the pain became increasingly debilitating, Tsuburaya’s sight on the gold medal began to diminish. The mere thought of another humiliating defeat was more than the first lieutenant could bear, and on January 9, 1968, he committed suicide in his dormitory room by slashing his right wrist with a razor blade. Tsuburaya’s suicide note cited his inability to run as the reason for his actions.

7 Blazing Torch

During the opening ceremony at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, junior mile champion Ron Clarke was making the lap of honor around the main stadium’s arena, never realizing that the flesh of his right arm was being burned. As he circled, the tumultuous applause of the stadium made Clarke oblivious to the fiery particles spilling from the torch he carried. Only after being presented with a medallion by an official did Clarke realize he had not only left a trail of fire on the track behind him but that the embers had burned through his shirt and scorched parts of his arm.

Clarke’s amusing predicament is child’s play compared to the sizzling mishap that occurred at the 1968 Summer Olympics. During exchanges of the torches’ flame, several runners were burned by minor explosions when the torches would touch. Fortunately for the seared runners, the solid fuel, a mixture of nitrates, sulfur, alkaline metal carbonates, resins, and silicons, was nontoxic. It was, however, volatile during rapid contact between a lit torch and an unlit one.^[4]

6 Hot Dogs

Due to its special ingredient, the popular dish bosingtang has caused quite the ruckus among foreigners visiting Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Throughout the South Korean city, countless restaurants continue to serve the traditional stew made of dog meat despite government pressure and financial incentives aimed at curbing sales in the hopes of appeasing offended tourists.^[5] Such measures were taken before the 1988 Seoul Olympics, during which the sale of the meat became restricted in parts of the city. What came about was a surprising backlash fueled by patriotism among some Koreans, who began eating more dogs solely to spite imposing foreign views.

Interestingly enough, Korean traditionalists have long believed that meat from a dog contains mythical properties that increase virility and boost restorative powers. Although the demand is decreasing these days due to a lack of popularity among younger members of Korean society, the off-putting custom remains prevalent in rural regions of the country. In fact, bosingtang is one of many dog meat delicacies available to those craving a domesticated dish, including dog salad, dog ribs, and a dog “hot pot,” just to name a few.

5 1904 Spectacle

The 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis have been epitomized as one of the more bizarre exhibitions in athletic history. Having been overshadowed by the World’s Fair, the games were entwined with the fair’s own roster of sporting events, which included mudslinging and “ethnic” dancing solely for the amusement of Caucasian spectators. Meanwhile, the outcome of the Olympics’ foremost event, the marathon, was a cluster of moronic spectacles beyond epic proportion. Only a handful of runners were recognized marathoners, and the majority of the race was composed of “oddities,” including ten Greek nationals who had never competed in a marathon and two barefoot Tsuana tribesmen from South Africa, who were only in town as part of the Fair.

To make matters worse, the heat and humidity along the course was detrimental for the health of athletes subjected to their coach’s farcical demands, which included the irrational minimization of fluid intake. Several athletes suffered bouts of vomiting and debilitating stomach cramps, one was chased miles off course by wild dogs, and others stole food from humorless spectators. American gold medalist Thomas Hicks was fed strychnine and egg whites by his compassionate coach, who watered down the concoction with brandy in what has become the first recorded instance of drug use in the modern Olympics.^[6]

4 Deadly Practice

The Olympic Games are not for the faint of heart, with accidents and injuries occurring quite often during competition. Though it’s rare for an athlete to die, the names of those killed while training are often forgotten, never having stepped foot on the world’s stage. Such was the case for 22-year-old Nigerian runner Hyginus Anugo, who was struck and killed by a car while training in Southwestern Sydney in 2000.

During the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, British luger Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypecki was killed in a wreck during practice, as was Australian skier Ross Milne, who collided with a tree after flying off the course of the slope.^[7] From crashing into steel poles at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver to sunstroke deaths at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, perhaps the most reckless death of all occurred at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Swiss speed skier Nicholas Bochatay leaped over a small hill during warm-ups and crashed into an oncoming tractor-like vehicle used to groom the trails. To add insult to injury, Bochatay’s death came within minutes of competition.

3 Neighbors To The North

Rising tensions between South Korea and their neighbors to the north is nothing new, especially during the Olympic season. From the moment Seoul first won its bid to host the 1988 Summer Games, North Korea was determined to disrupt the esteemed festivities at all cost. The regime’s determination took a diabolical turn on November 29, 1987, when Korean Air Flight 858 from Baghdad to Seoul disappeared above the Andaman Sea with 115 passengers aboard. South Korean president Chun Doo Hwan immediately blamed the North, formally charging the country for the tragedy two months later. To no one’s surprise, the communist government denied the allegations and followed up with copious ineffective attempts to persuade allies—China and the Soviet Union, specifically—to boycott the games.

The world would eventually learn what truly occurred on that fateful flight when Kim Hyon Hui admitted her involvement. The North Korean agent described in immaculate detail how she and her accomplice, Kim Sung Il, planted a timed explosive on the jetliner disguised as a radio. The jubilation of the dynamic duo’s mission of creating “chaos and confusion in South Korea” came to an abrupt end upon their arrest. Both swallowed cyanide capsules after being arrested. While Sung Il succumbed, Hyon Hui survived.^[8] She was sentenced to death but was eventually pardoned and lives her life a free woman today.

2 Estadio Nacional Disaster

One of the world’s worst stadium disasters occurred in Lima, Peru, on May 24, 1964, when a rambunctious crowd of committed football fans became slightly perturbed at a referee’s erroneous call. While Peru and Argentina were competing in a qualifying round for the Tokyo Olympics, an equalizing goal for Peru was disallowed, infuriating home fans at the Estadio Nacional. Within seconds, a vicious skirmish between police and the crowd ensued.

As tear gas rained down on 53,000 spectators, those who attempted to flee into the streets found themselves barricaded behind closed gates, and they asphyxiated in the tightly packed tunnels. While the official death toll remains at 328, it is not reflective of the number of victims killed outside the stadium by police gunfire. In fact, that number may never be known, given that countless corpses with bullet wounds mysteriously vanished from the mortuaries, and the names of the dead were never recorded.^[9]

1 156 Voices

“I’ve just signed your death warrant,” Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said in a Michigan courtroom in January 2018 after sentencing Dr. Larry Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison.^[10] While the disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor lowered his head in shame, the country questioned how the sexual assault of more than 150 girls and young women continued, or perhaps was overlooked, for two decades. Of the 156 women who took the stand recounting the abuse they endured under the guise of medical treatment, it became nauseatingly apparent that countless victimized voices were ignored over the years by organizations in power, primarily USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University, and the US Olympic Committee.

In spite of pleading guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct, in a letter he had recently written to the court, Nassar accused his victims of lying, blamed the media for his ruined reputation, and claimed that he was manipulated into pleading guilty. The 54-year-old degenerate also wrote, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

Adam is just a hubcap trying to hold on in the fast lane.

Lots of planning and research goes into arranging the perfect holiday. Itineraries are mapped, flights and accommodations are booked, and we wait patiently to arrive at our dream destination. Finally, the big day arrives and we excitedly head off on our much anticipated trip.

However, despite the best-laid plans, things sometimes go wrong. Often, we make simple mistakes like leaving something at home, booking the wrong hotel, or missing transportation connections. Occasionally, mishaps occur that are beyond our control, and we often see tourists taking silly risks to get the perfect Instagram photo.

But a few travelers have recently had holiday mishaps that were so funny that they not only made the news but also went viral on social media. Many of these would be unbelievable if we didn’t have the photos, Youtube videos, and social media shares to prove them.

10 Long-Distance Water Taxi, Anyone?

Organizing transportation connections is a vital part of planning any overseas holiday. When arranging a visit to a foreign country, the local geography can understandably become a little confusing. However, simply looking at a map or using one of the many online tools available can usually help to clarify things.

Not so for one tourist from India. His question on an online travel forum would have to be one of the funniest “dumb tourist” questions the site has ever seen, going in the news and on social media. The responses must have been plain embarrassing.

The tourist was finalizing his itinerary for a planned road trip in Australia and New Zealand. “What’s the best way to drive from Sydney to Auckland?” he asked bemused fellow travelers.

Evidently, he had failed to consult an atlas before posting his query. It is 2,155 kilometers (1,339 mi) and a three-hour plane journey across the Tasman Sea between the two cities.

Submarine or water taxi were cited as his best travel options if he didn’t want to fly.^[1]

9 An Unexpected Stowaway

Many of us have packed things in our suitcases by mistake for the trip home. The odd bath towel, book, or article of clothing can find its way into our luggage.

Imagine the shock one Scotswoman received when she was unpacking her cases to find that a large Australian reptile had stowed away in her luggage. The woman had been visiting family in Queensland, Australia, when a 60-centimeter (24 in) spotted python had appeared in her bedroom during a storm. A snake catcher was called, who searched for the reptile to no avail. It was assumed that the snake had slithered outside.

A few days later, the woman packed up and returned home to Scotland. After a 40-hour flight from Brisbane to Glasgow, imagine her surprise when she unpacked her luggage and found the snake curled safely in one of her shoes.^[2]

The snake had survived the 18,000-kilometer (11,200 mi) journey unharmed and had shed its skin during the hibernation. Fortunately, the Glasgow snake catcher was more successful in catching the python. He removed it to a wildlife sanctuary.

8 Pretty Venomous Sea Life

Anyone who plans a trip to Australia is aware that they have some seriously dangerous wildlife. In fact, the fear of being attacked by some of their killer critters is often the number one concern for many potential tourists.

Really, though, as long as you take a few sensible precautions and take heed of the warning signs, you are usually fairly safe. Which is why an Asian tourist’s holiday snap holding “a pretty octopus” went viral. Not for the insta-worthy shot but for her breathtaking ignorance of how much danger she had put herself in.^[3]

The woman posted photos on social media holding a “pretty orange-and-blue octopus” she had found in a rock pool. The unsuspecting tourist was actually handling one of the Pacific region’s most venomous creatures, the blue-ringed octopus. A bite from this creature can cause paralysis and death within an hour. The octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adults within minutes.

Amazingly, the tourist was able to shake the octopus from her hand before it had a chance to sting her.

7 How Much Can A Koala Bear?

It isn’t just tourists who have funny interactions with the local wildlife. A South Australian winegrower recently had his car hijacked by a koala bear that seemed to have become a little hot under the collar.

It was a scorching day when the man drove out to inspect his vineyards. He left his dog in the car with the door open so that his pet didn’t get too hot. When the man returned, he was astounded to find that a koala had jumped into the car to take advantage of the air conditioning.

Even the loud howls of protest from the dog were not enough to persuade the koala to move on. The marsupial ensconced himself firmly in the front seat, taking full advantage of the air conditioning vents.^[4]

The driver eventually gave up trying to remove the cool koala and drove the hijacker to nearby bushland. There, the intoxicating lure of delicious eucalyptus leaves eventually saw the koala take off into the bush.

6 Boxing Kangaroo

Soaring with the eagles gives paragliders a bird’s-eye view of the world, often captured on the GoPro cameras attached to their helmets. Most experienced paragliders are aware of the risks associated with changes in weather conditions, inappropriate landings, and unfortunate encounters with birdlife.

However, one Australian paraglider’s GoPro film went viral as he captured an unexpected encounter when touching down. After a morning paragliding near Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, the man floated into a nearby national park to land. He was initially delighted to see a couple of kangaroos hopping over to say hello. Or so he thought.

Unfortunately, the ‘roos weren’t as pleased to see the man invading their territory. One of them came over to deliver a few well-timed punches to the unsuspecting paraglider before retreating into the bush.^[5]

A good example of where the term “boxing kangaroo” came from.

5 Have I Forgotten Something?

We’ve all left something behind in the airport when traveling. The umbrella, the duty-free bags, maybe even a suitcase.

In early 2019, flight controllers in Saudi Arabia initially thought the cabin crew was joking when they made a request to turn back. The flight from Saudi Arabia to Malaysia was forced to turn around when a passenger realized she had left her baby in the boarding terminal.

Imagine going through the check-in, settling into your seat, listening to the safety procedures, and taking off before it occurred to you that you may be missing something?^[6]

Reportedly, the flight was in midair when the mother realized she had forgotten to bring her baby with her and requested that the flight be turned back. The child was still sitting safely in the boarding area when the flight landed. Fortunately, the child was unharmed and mother and baby were reunited.

4 Landing In Hot Water

Many major tourist attractions around the world do pose potential safety risks. These usually have prominent warning signs, and protective barricades are often put in place as an additional safety measure.

However, a tourist in Yellowstone National Park stunned onlookers when he crossed the barricades and strolled up to a steaming geyser to use it as a foot spa. Apparently oblivious to the fact that the boiling waters can cause serious or fatal burns, the man proceeded to remove his shoes and socks and attempted to wash his feet in the geyser.

Fortunately, the man was relatively unharmed. He put his shoes and socks back on before heading on his way.^[7]

3 Modern-Day Jonah

We’ve all heard the biblical story of the prophet Jonah who was eaten by a whale after being cast overboard from a ship during a storm. Jonah spent three days in the whale’s belly before being regurgitated onto the shore unharmed.

In early 2019, an experienced South African diver snorkeling off the coast of Port Elizabeth had a closer encounter with the marine life than he was expecting. Rainer Schimpf was well aware of the need to be vigilant for sharks chasing schools of fish.^[8]

However, when he was suddenly engulfed in darkness, he suspected that he had just been mistaken for a small fish that was part of a large bait ball. A huge Bryde’s whale had taken Schimpf headfirst into its massive jaws.

Unlike Jonah, Schimpf was fortunately too large for the whale to swallow whole and apparently not to the creature’s taste that day. The whale spat out its victim, who swam away unharmed.

2 Ice Queen

When we are on holiday, we are always on the lookout for that spectacular photo opportunity. One Texas grandma’s great holiday snap recently turned into a major rescue operation which went viral on social media.

While vacationing in Iceland, she and her son were strolling along the beach when they came across a large chunk of ice shaped like a throne. This looked like an ideal photo opportunity.

The woman perched herself regally on the ice chunk to pose for the shot. A freak wave suddenly broke around her, sweeping the iceberg out to sea with the grandma clinging precariously to her perch.^[9]

Her family initially thought it was a prank when her son posted photos of granny floating out to sea on her ice throne and the rescue attempt which followed.

Mounting an operation to save the woman from the sea, the coast guard returned her safely to shore.

1 We’ve Reached Our Destination?

We’ve all made travel mistakes—getting on the wrong train or bus, missing our stop, or missing the plane altogether. But at least we expect our aircraft crew to get it right, don’t we?

Not so in the case of a planeload of surprised Londoners headed for Dusseldorf in Germany.

Many of the passengers aboard the British Airlines flight noted the unusual scenery below. Some took to Google Maps and were confused to see that they were headed north toward Scotland.

It wasn’t until the plane landed in Edinburgh that the mistake became apparent. Incorrect flight details had been provided, and the crew had believed they were headed to Edinburgh.

A show of hands indicated that everyone aboard had expected to land at Dusseldorf. After several hours delay, the flight was redirected to the correct destination.^[10]

Lesley Connor is a retired Australian newspaper journalist now providing travel stories for online publications and her travel blog Empty Nesters’ Travel Insights.