Unique and unusual travel experiences

[Wanderlust_tim]

I was wondering what unusual and unique travel experiences have you come across?

I'll get the ball rolling. In Kiev I visited the Mykola Syadristy Microminiatures Museum Mykola Syadristy which was extraordinary and featured exhibits such as a chessboard carved into a pin head.

Yesterday, I came across the Thomas Fair in Japan, where you can take a 37km journey pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine. Four year old me would have loved it and the grown adult me is desperate to visit. Meet Thomas and Friends at the Ōigawa Railway Thomas Fair! | MATCHA - JAPAN TRAVEL WEB MAGAZINE

What unusual experiences would you recommend or are desperate to visit?

 

[OZDUCK]

If you are around Stuttgart in September/October you can go to the Pumpkin (Kürbis) Festival. This is the home page for last years one - Pumpkin Festival in Blühenden Barock, Ludwigsburg from August 31 to November 4, 2018. Theme: Pumpkin Forest The year we went the theme was the Olympics and we drove past it another year when the theme was dinosaurs. Not only is the festival a bit of weird fun but it is held in the grounds of the baroque Ludwigsburg Palace which is well and truly worth a visit in its own right. Home: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg

Pumpkin dinosaur




Part of the Pumpkin Olympics

 

[Denali]

Did you know the CDC in Atlanta has a visitors centre with exhibits?

Super easy to to get into, after you show security your ID at the gate and the door and complete a form and go through a metal detector. Hubby was sad they didn't sell Tshirts. The photography exhibit was interesting. One of the managers was interested in what brought us there as they usually only see medical/CDC related visitors.





Actual Iron Lung machine

 

[LadyC]

The Gentleman and I (well mainly the Gentleman) drove a rickshaw/tuk-tuk down the western side of India from Jaisalmer to Kochi. Not the most comfortable way to travel but a great way to see India. The rickshaw broke down a lot so there were lots of opportunities to interact with the locals and enjoy the various different landscapes.

 

[Cossie]

The Gentleman and I (well mainly the Gentleman) drove a rickshaw/tuk-tuk down the western side of India from Jaisalmer to Kochi. Not the most comfortable way to travel but a great way to see India. The rickshaw broke down a lot so there were lots of opportunities to interact with the locals and enjoy the various different landscapes.

How long did that take? Would love to hear more about it, as I'm sure others would as well.

 

[drron]

The Gentleman and I (well mainly the Gentleman) drove a rickshaw/tuk-tuk down the western side of India from Jaisalmer to Kochi. Not the most comfortable way to travel but a great way to see India. The rickshaw broke down a lot so there were lots of opportunities to interact with the locals and enjoy the various different landscapes.

My nephew and my neices partner drove a rickshaw 3000Km across India to raise money for a charity.Unfortunately can't find their blog which was hilarious.A rickshaw apparently isn't very comfortable when you have Delhi belly.

 

[RB]

Brasov 2008 we happened to be there when the "Youth of Brasov" Parade was on The Youth of Brasov | Romania Travel Guide

Mrs RB is a horse person so this was a real bonus

 

[RB]

In 2005 our visit to Riga coincided with Mikelis Day harvest festival Miķelis Day harvest festival | Riga

 

[RB]

Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria has a pretty unique sound & light show. Sound & Light Show | Veliko Târnovo, Bulgaria Entertainment - Lonely Planet
We were able to find out that if enough people on bus trips had paid up the "cost" shows became free to others who just rocked up. It was a great experience just wandering around the 3 hills of the old town

 

[LadyC]

My nephew and my neices partner drove a rickshaw 3000Km across India to raise money for a charity.Unfortunately can't find their blog which was hilarious.A rickshaw apparently isn't very comfortable when you have Delhi belly.

Yes, this is the same as what we did. We did it in early 2011 through an organisation called the Adventurists. There are a few that organise these charity fundraisers. Luckily we had our Delhi belly in Sri Lanka the week earlier so managed to survived India with no food issues.

How long did that take? Would love to hear more about it, as I'm sure others would as well.

It took us 13 days with some hard driving. One team finished in 9 and it took others up to 20 days. It depends upon how dodgy your rickshaw was as well as whether you have any health issues along the way. There were about 20 teams doing this particular route but we rarely saw each other It was always very exciting when we saw another team.

We travelled from Jaisalmer down to Ahmedabad, Daman, Pune and then along the coast to Kochi. The weather went from wintery cold at the beginning to tropical by the time we reached Goa. One day we broke down about 20 times. That day we broke down at a tollway point and the boss felt sorry for us and loaned us one of his employees for the day. That employee took us to the mechanics to get the rickshaw fixed and then showed us off to his friends. I am sure he has dined off that experience many times. We were always a novelty wherever we went.

It was always funny when the locals were trying to flag is down as the rickshaw looked fairly standard. Or when a car drove past us quickly and then slowed down to let us pass so they could look at us (or even take our photo!). You could almost hear the conversation in the car - that rickshaw we just drove past had white people in it - no way - there were, pull back and check for yourself!

 

[nickykim]

Accidentally found an annual scarecrow festival on the Kunisaki Peninsula, Kyushu, Japan - including this tableau

 

[juddles]

I was wondering what unusual and unique travel experiences have you come across?....

I was going to talk about a certain long haul QF flight last year, when priority boarding was enforced, the staff were happy and cheerful and attentive, and my checked business bag came out second on the carousel. But then I realised this was not in the spirit of the thread

I will have to think hard of an appropriate answer Wanderlust, I do like the thread

 

[opusman]

I was going to talk about a certain long haul QF flight last year, when priority boarding was enforced, the staff were happy and cheerful and attentive, and my checked business bag came out second on the carousel.

The OP said "unusual" not "imaginary"!

 

[Quickstatus]

The OP said "unusual" not "imaginary"!

Would be unbelievable be ok?

 

[Quickstatus]

Mrs RB is a horse person so this was a real bonus
View attachment 152532

That looks like a Gypsy Cob with feathers, though many are a bit more painted

 

[drron]

We did have an unusual experience on QF 1579 on Friday.We had just settled into 1A,C when from the coughpit came a loud voice-
"Go round,Go round.
Severe windshear ahead,severe windshear ahead."
Well it was raining but not much wind at MCY that morning.

 

[RB]

That looks like a Gypsy Cob with feathers, though many are a bit more painted

Not sure, quite a few possibilities and probably quite a bit of cross breeding over time

 

[AisleSeat]

When I first visited my (then future) in-laws in OH, we drove down to the Amish country. Future Mrs AS and I wandered off and found ourselves sitting in a barn watching a cattle auction completely surrounded by Amish men and their sons.

We were the only 'English' in the place.

 

[Denali]

When I first visited my (then future) in-laws in OH, we drove down to the Amish country. Future Mrs AS and I wandered off and found ourselves sitting in a barn watching a cattle auction completely surrounded by Amish men and their sons.

We were the only 'English' in the place.

My husband did this as well as I was in the office and he road tripped to the same area

 

[Denali]

And if you are ever in Bowling Green Kentucky, there is the Corvette Factory and Museum to visit