I used to work in a tourist/resort town (U.S.), and your #1 reason here is SO RIGHT!!! Not only would people come down and get absolutely stinking drunk, but they would act like they had a right to act like fools, because they were on vacation! They would bring an attitude with them. What amazed me was how they seemed to want to see just how drunk (or stoned) they could get before passing out and/or puking. They would wake up sick, but then 6-8 hours later start the cycle again. Sorry, but I fail to see how that is fun.
+Casey Vee yeah. I saw that quite a few times myself and was just amazed at how upset they were when the cops would arrest them for fighting or public intoxication.
SO right! Same people, while drunk, were usually guilty of one or more of these offenses: vandalism, theft, fighting, disturbing the peace. Theft was often minor, like walking out on checks in restaurants or bars, but still.
Quite right. What's the point in travelling if all you remember about it is drinking and making a fool of yourself, which you can do just as well at home?
I would also like to say be careful of citizens also. In Switzerland you can take pictures or videos of strangers, but you can't post it on the Internet. If you do you get into big trouble. Google maps was fined a huge amount of money because they filmed people in cars and their license plates without blocking it out.
Portugal as well. You can take pictures of people in public areas without consent, but you can't do it for-profit (at least that's my understanding). So that makes having a popular channel and uploading a Portugal video to RU-vid a bit of a gray area.
Bunnyroo7 I agree Barcelona is full of complete assholes. My husband and I drove from Switzerland and were in an accident in Barcelona and the police and the person who caused the accident were trying to pin it on us. Unfortunately for them I speak really good Spanish and I said I would report them to the Swiss Embassy if they try to pin it on us. I also said I have it all on video so the Embassy will believe me.
Not too long ago a tourist was arrested in Myanmar for unpluging a loudspeaker in a building next to the hotel he was sleeping in, the speaker was being used for a Buddhist religious observance and he found himself in serious trouble for doing that. An angry crowd was gathering as he was being taken away.
My friend got stopped by the cops in Japan for smoking hash and they didn't shoot him or throw him in jail. Or is Japan not in the 'Asia' you're talking about?
@@JClark2600 Of course it depends which country. Japan has the death penalty but not for drug. Singapore and China are extremely draconian when it comes to drugs.
On a tour in Bermuda, our guide pointed out the women's prison which we were driving by. Someone on the tour asked him how many prisoners were there and he said not too many, less than a hundred, but that more than half were tourists locked up for bringing drugs into the country on cruise ships.
Mark your advice is so true but its not said very much. You stating this type of advice just makes people think twice. Most travel blogs are all about how wonderful everything is and thats great!. But your channel has extra angles that dont sugar coat every little detail and state the other side of the coin. This is the main reason i love your channel. Hope the family are doing well and also hope you are getting into a groove in your fitness regime and arent feeling too bummed.
+Aidan McC thanks Aiden. That was one of the big reasons why I started Wolters World. I was tired of the sugar coating of every destination in the world. There are issues travelers should know about and thats why we try to cover it all objectively and with as much honesty as possible. Thank you for noticing :(
If you're in Saudi Arabia, double check upstairs and make sure you're sane. Why the hell you would be in that shithole. It's a whole lot of desert and poverty with one big construction yard in the middle.
I almost got into big trouble with the law in Cuzco, Peru. I went into a big cathedral and I took pictures of gold statues and they got very mad at me and said “Don’t Do That! You can get in big trouble because that is how fakes are made and replaced with the authentic gold statues to steal.”
Hey mark, I'm 15 from the UK and I've been enjoying your travel videos for over a year now, the videos are great and they are very interesting! lots of tourists need to see these as they are so helpful !!
My scariest experience was being at a small airport in Brazil at the border of Colombia, Peru and Brazil. I was already extremely sick and hadn't slept the night before, and I had a lot of things in my bag, having recently had a surgery in the States. I always travel with WetOnes, so they were in my bag as well. Apparently, the police officer -- a federal police officer was doing security at the small airport -- did a chemical test on my antibacterial WetOnes and claimed they were testing positive for cocaine. Luckily, I was still able to make my flight, and he didn't even make me sign the document stating he was confiscating them to send to a laboratory in Manaus, but it was still horrifying. I had to take everything out of my bag and explain myself in Spanish, as I don't speak Portuguese. Nobody wants to be accused of cocaine anything in Brazil.
ajl1239 wow that sounds Very scary. i use wet-ones all the time and never even thought cociane could be used in the same sentence with it lol. glad u excaped w/o trouble.
Remember: If you are arrested in a foreign country you have the RIGHT to contact your embassy/consulate. If you are going to a foreign country, make sure to check with your Foreign Ministry (or State Department in the US) for various travel notices. Keep in mind if you are traveling to a country with no official diplomatic relations with your home country that other consulates and/or embassies may provide you services (such as representation when arrested) just like the embassy representing your home country might., this is called a protecting power A good example of this is Americans visiting North Korea, as the US has no official diplomatic relations with the DPRK, there is no US Embassy or consulate, however, the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang is the US Protecting power. US citizens in the DPRK requiring consular assistance should contact the Swedish Embassy. Regardless of where you are going, and/or the diplomatic representation available, it is smart to register your trip with the closest embassy/consulate (and the embassy/consulate of the protecting power is applicable).
Just remember you have no right to being a dipshit in another country, just because you can get away with it in your own!!! The excuse of "I'm American" therefore I'm free doesn't wash elsewhere!!
Also ... don't be afraid of simply asking a police officer about local laws, who's honestly better qualified to answer your questions then practically anyone.
One thing about religion is that a lot of tourists are disrespectful inside churches or temples. They often have a dress code, and shorts or skimpy clothing are not allowed. Many places do not permit photography during services, and many have sacred areas where tourists should not walk. Also, keep silent! That's respectful in any religion.
You can't talk bad about religion here in Russia, you can go to jail. Up to 3 years. That's article 148 of the criminal code. You also can't also express your sexual preferences in public, because it's a propaganda of sexual activity among kids. You will be jailed for that. That's they way of american propaganda machine is faking LGBT oppression in Russia. They simply puts themselves above the Russian law and insisting on priority.
One thing you forgot to mention about alcohol: A lesser drinking age doesn't mean no drinking age at all. For example, 18 in Mexico as opposed to 21 in the USA. Let's say you're a group of 18-20 Americans going to Mexico to drink; you better not have a 17-year-old with you!
Follow the law of the land you're in. Simple as that. You knew perfectly well that smuggling those 20 grams of heroin willfully was illegal and would have consequences if caught, so don't complain when the Indonesians or Thais sentence you to death for it in accordance with their laws. Only you are to blame for it. Your responsibility, not anyone else's 😉
az929292 not always that simple. In corrupt countries you can also get arrested if you did nothing wrong. Read about the local culture, that’s important too.
One of the legal issues you completely missed for tourists is photography. Places like United Arab Emirates will not allow foreigners to photograph buildings or people as an example. Other countries that appear laid back have strict laws about photography inside museums, government installations or religious establishments. Using tripods/monopods in most places is a big no no. If in doubt about a museum or other place, ask before whipping out your camera or other gear. In some countries your camera will be confiscated and you may face fines or jail.
+Phillip Mulligan yeah. You are right. I had not traveled anywhere lately like that so it slipt my mind. Back im the dictatorship in paraguay apparently if you even looked at the dictators house you could be shot.
I go to Amsterdam regularly, and I've smoked in front of armed cops who did not care and all they asked was to step to the side to smoke and not be anti-social. I've had five heavy armed firearms walk past me, and regular armed cops as well who have smiled and even nodded to me that has included male and female officers. The reason is simple, I am not being a dickhead. I am smoking a harmless joint, then popping into KFC to have a meal and relax. Do not go to Amsterdam or Holland with the intention of over-drinking, over-smoking weed and simply being a prick in their country.. I don't drink when I visit, I go to Coffeeshops and relax, follow the rules and enjoy the city and what our only harmless vice of Cannabis is. Honestly these videos are great,, I would love to travel as much as you have to at least say I've seen a lot of this world. I think most of the problems arise for tourists if they go abroad ignorant, arrogant and over abuse alcohol or Cannabis in Holland. I've seen Friday and Saturday nights here in the UK, and there are some nasty people who want to drink until they are drunk and kick someone to death. It's everywhere really, just best to avoid it abroad and on holiday. Keep up the videos man, good to enjoy travelling.
+Vishu Vicenta seriously i will hear groups of guy tourists wanting to get so drunk they end up in jail or get into a fight or whatever and im like, cone on guys. Just have a good timd
There are people stupid enough to want to turn Hangover into real life.They think that since it was a great movie it would be awesome to actually happen.I bet they will change their minds when they get thrown in jail for 5 years or more.But hey life is supposed to be full of experiences right?lol
Great video! Reminds people to be careful about what they do in other countries, something simple in your own may be a huge deal in another country. Is there a certain official website that you go to when you look up laws and regulations? Or do you trust forums/accounts from regular people etc. when you do your research? Thanks, keep up the awesome videos1 :)
# 2: In Thailand. Drug smugglers can get the DEATH penalty! # 6: DON'T speak out against the government or the King (in Kingdoms, obviously...), In non-democratic countries - even in democracies, be careful (Exception: the U.K....) #7: Don't photograph the police in Mexico!
My wife brought pepper spray with us to South Africa. While we were there we made friends with two cops from Denmark. We told the about the spray and the told us in Denmark we'd be arrested for having that. good to know.
Number 5 (the one about badmouthing religions and governments) can also apply to royal families. In Thailand, if you say something bad about the king you can get into trouble.
But why would you want to do that? A political commentator comments on the king, ok, but as a tourist spending some quality leisure time, I could care less.
About drinking in Europe... never binge drink!! In here, you don't drink 4-5 beers in an hour just so you can feel the alcohol and go around being drunk. If you are going to drink, you drink slowly, over a long period of time. Downing 3 beers in a row is considered stupid (and a waste of time and money), while drinking 6 or more over the course of 4-5 hours is just fine. And yes, you go out from 8 or 9 PM to 3 or 4 AM. It's called a night out for a reason.
Because as Americans, they've never used public transport in their lives before and expect everyone on the London tube to be super polite and they freakout when they aren't?
Another warning to mention to travelers is photography. Many nations have laws forbidding photography near locations that are deemed a security risk. Such locations include border crossings, airports, train stations, subway stations, foreign embassies, government buildings, military bases. Some locations have signs clearly posted to inform the public that photography is forbidden, but many do not.
At my sister's college, they used to have a flagship program in Russia, until a certain incident. The students went out for drinks, and one guy saw a girl he liked and started basically badmouthing Russian government like he was trying to show off how much he knew. Turns out the girl was secret police, and he almost got arrested. They don't go to Russia anymore! Kinda number 1 (alcohol) and number 5 (badmouthing) combined.
Club Fed is a description given to US FEDERAL prison farms that non-violent low-risk convicted prisoners are sent to. There is no guarantee that if you are convicted of a drug offense in the US that you will be sent there. Many STATE prisons in the US would be far more draconian than many European prisons especially in terms of inmate safety.
I don't accept anything from anyone while traveling... not even the guy that wants me to watch his luggage at the airport while he goes to the toilet. Some might say its rude and i agree but it can save you a lot of trouble
I spent a few years in the military between the Navy and the Army and one that was left off the list (at least for men) late night entertainment with ladies of the night. When I was in the Navy I processed a lot of Non Judicial Punishment paperwork and a lot of guys got in trouble for this in countries or areas where it wasn't legal.
Jakob D Oh, yeah. "Paranauê". hahaha. And there are many brazilian things in the video like "dont throw toilet paper in the toiler" and a church picture in Ouro Preto.
In general is always good to get informed before travelling. I've seen a video about things not to do in Thailand (not from your channel Mark, I'm sorry) and the concept of 'being disrespectful about royal family' also includes not offend coins since there's the head of the king shown on.
I didn't expect you to mention 🇸🇬's chewing gum issue. It was said that a fine is imposed so that no one will stick the chewing gum on the MRT train. You chew gum at home or hotel, nobody bothers.
Exactly. I don't understand the appeal of drugs. It can only end up badly, whether that means going to jail, ruining your relationships, or damaging your health.
About Texas: you have to reasonably believe that someone's life is being threatened by the trespasser. You can't just shoot a person for trespassing. I know that you didn't mean anything by your comment, but it is exaggerations like that that make the law seem outrageous and those who support it seem like crazy assholes.
I know it may be a bit personal, but I was wondering what you did as a job that allows you to travel so much? Because it honestly sounds like a dream job, even if its taken up by work.
Drove after dark in cancun last week, got robbed by the cops. You warned me, we left the jewelry at home but should have listened more. Luckily it was only $103
Feeding pigeons in public areas will get you a fine in most of Germany too, especially in semi-covered and indoor areas (it is only permitted in dovecotes and in relative wilderness). Flushing toilets in apartments with neighbours within hearing distance in Switzerland will get you a fine (night silence law).
Well, in Lihuania time an time again some geniuses get in trouble for urinating on Presidental palace. You dont have to have degree in law to know, that this will get you in trouble in any country
I remember watching a Canadian walking up to a guy sitting down on a memorial marker And the Canadian says Hey bud Where are you from..? States ! he says..Did you serve in the millitary? No i'm here In Normandy with friends from work traveling France.. Well my friend if you Don't get off that Canadian 3rd army memorial plaque with my grandfathers name on it Normandy is going to have 1 more American casualty ..The guy got up and walking away said ..jeez i thought Canadians were nice.. The Canadian ran over to him and punched him in the face ..This is me being nice ...Other words were said but that American Had a few i think french people telling him he was not welcome to be here
Don't stuff Thai currency into your shoe in Thailand. You could get arrested for insulting the King whose picture is on the currency. In fact, don't insult the Royal family in Thailand.
I just hate imagining that tourists don't know local laws and break them and don't know why then they start disliking the country if they have no value
The comment regarding how “nice” going to jail is in the USA is all I needed to know that he clearly misrepresents and-or generalizes information about different countries. I really hope travelers verify any info before traveling.
I know a lot of people who went to the Netherlands to legally buy some weed (fun fact: it's actually ‘illegal but not punishable’, i.e. you are technically breaking the law) and then took it with them to Germany or France where it is strictly illegal.
