10 Travel Stories That Seem Straight Out of a Novel

Traveling brings a mix of unforgettable moments. Discovering new destinations is an adventure, but hearing about others’ journeys can be just as fascinating. Every trip comes with its own stories—some inspiring, some cautionary, and all worth sharing. Whether you’re planning your next getaway or just love travel tales, there’s always something new to learn from others’ experiences.

• I met a handsome French guy on my trip. We instantly clicked, but he barely spoke English, and I didn’t know French. So, we used a translation app. I typed, “Do you want to keep in touch?”
  When I showed him, his face turned pale. He hesitated, then typed back. The translation read: “Are you asking me to marry you?” My heart nearly stopped.
  I started laughing, but he looked at me seriously. Then, out of nowhere, he grinned and said, “Well... maybe one day?” We’ve been married for 5 years now.

• I was traveling with my boyfriend, and we stopped at this cute little cafe. I accidentally knocked over my coffee, spilling it all over his shirt. “What is wrong with you?!” he shouted. People turned to stare. My face burned with embarrassment.
  Just then, a waiter walked up. “Our special today is fresh starts,” he said with a grin. “Would you like one?” My boyfriend scoffed and stormed off.
  The waiter looked at me. “You deserve better,” he said softly. And at that moment, I realized—he was right.

• I accidentally became engaged to a local in Vietnam. I was exploring this little village, and stopped at a restaurant. A guy comes up and starts talking to me in very broken English.
  Within 5 minutes, he asks, “You married?” I say no, so he then says, “You marry me?” with a big goofy grin on his face. I assumed he was joking, because we’d known each other for 5 minutes, so I said yes.
  He was not joking. He immediately began yelling something in Vietnamese, then grabs my hand and starts waving it around in the air. Within minutes, we were surrounded by dozens of people who are all cheering and smiling and shaking my hand. He then took me to his house to introduce me to my future in-laws.
  I broke that poor boy’s heart when I left for another city the next day. © quailgirl / Reddit

• We decided to push further in a day than we planned to. So we needed to find a place to sleep over asap. Ended up finding this small unknown place out in the middle of nowhere. Sitting there and recovering from the 9-hour drive, we had some surprise visitors.
  A huge herd of elephants just walked right past us to the small water hole in the middle of the campsite and started drinking water and bathing themselves. More and more elephants would just keep coming and going, pretty much through the whole night. © Only_One_Kenobi / Reddit

• I met my boyfriend whilst on a study abroad program in his country. Definitely felt from the beginning that there was something special there. When he dropped me at the airport for my flight home, we were both devastated, and it was obvious that wasn’t the end.
  We began texting and FaceTiming regularly, and he visited me one month after I came home. We became official and since then we’ve been flying back and forth seeing each other. It is the most beautiful relationship I’ve ever had, and we are now planning to close the distance. © 200042ptma / Reddit

• I was traveling by plane. And then a massive snowstorm hit. A huge blizzard hit the Midwest, and I was stuck in another city.
  So, the airline put me up for free in a fancy hotel in the center. I had food and drinks delivered to my room, which the airline also paid for. And the next morning, when the weather cleared, they put me in first class because there weren’t enough seats in economy. © lunch22 / Reddit

• I told the guy sitting next to me on the plane that I was traveling to Florida to propose to my girlfriend. I guess word got around because when I was getting off the plane, I had a bunch of people wishing me good luck. She said yes! © zerbey / Reddit

• I once went to Nevada, and met someone amazing there while at a concert. We loved each other’s vibes so much that we held hands and left the concert together. We hung out all night and kissed before we said goodbye. Thought that was gonna be a one time thing.
  Several months later, she traveled to California (where I live), and we ran into each other at a concert there. We weren’t even expecting this at all, and she didn’t even know I was gonna be there. We decided it was fate, and dated long distance for like 6 months. © you-nity / Reddit

• I almost got hunted by a puma. It was dusk, and I was overlooking the lake when I heard rustling behind me in the tree line. I kept staring for a while before I saw it.
  Thank God I didn’t make a run for it, as it would’ve been my initial reaction. Instead, I started yelling and cursing and throwing rocks at it as I had been told to do by the locals, and it left me alone. That night I kept a fire lit until late in the evening and then went to sleep with a flashlight on and my knife at hand. © nebbulae / Reddit

• I go backpacking every year in the mountains of Scotland, and just camp on the side of the mountain somewhere. A few years ago, I’d gone by myself, and the weather was horrible — a lot of rain, wind. Nobody else was out in that kind of weather, and I managed to go 48 hours without seeing another human being, not even in the distance. © runningdude / Reddit

Organizing a trip can be overwhelming, and family tensions can make it even more challenging. One of our readers faced this firsthand when she chose not to invite her daughter-in-law on a family vacation, causing a strain in their relationship.