5 Craziest Travel Moments from My First 100 Countries

“We are never gonna survive unless, we are a little crazy” – SEAL

I hit my 100th country this week on arrival into Tunis, Tunisia so I thought I’d simply share my top 5 crazy travel moments and highs from the journey so far as it seems the best time to do that. Plus I’ve been asked for a few of these type of posts before and never written them. These are the craziest travel activities and adventures I have had so far. The craziest, not the best or the most off the wall – just crazy times.

1. Hyena Feeding in Harar, ETHIOPIA
Quite simply this was crazy. After a death mini-bus where I thought I was a goner, a tour of the awesome walled city of Harar, dusk fell and wild hyenas were on the loose.

It was time to lose all inhibitions and fears and feed the hyenas mouth to mouth. A truly crazy moment. I did neck a bottle of Ethiopian red wine just before it. You can read my hyena feeding in Ethiopia story here.

2. Bolas del Fuego in Nejapa, EL SALVADOR
In 2014 when I backpacked through El Salvador I was shocked by the quantity of off the wall activities on offer and sights to see (crocodile tour, surfing, Joya de Ceren, indigo workshop etc.) But then there was the Bolas del Fuego in the town of Nejapa.

It was here on the streets of Nejapa where I watched people through fireballs at each other on a manic Sunday night in August. I have not seen anything like it, even a riot in North Belfast could not compare to this – plus this is organised and “friendly”, allegedly.

3. Bunjy Jumping in Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Back in 2007 I did the AJ Hackett bungy jump off Auckland Harbour Bridge. It’s crazy enough doing a bungy jump but I was the only one on my party bus that was doing it, which felt more scary as the night before I had been in Los Angeles and was still jet lagged.

4. Swimming in Whaler’s Bay, ANTARCTICA
Getting naked in Antarctica has to rate as a crazy moment. After touring the British Base, stepping on the Antarctica Mainland and hiking up Cuverville Island, we rocked up to Deception Island and sailed inside the “C” shape.

Once there we had the chance to go swimming, with some of the people on our boat decided to do it. I loved the freedom of it all and got my kit off in the ice cold waters. It was chilly so the girls nipples were erect and the penises shrunk, but one of the girls from Tasmania said “Jonny we could still see your willy”. They got some graphic photos which everyone on the boat saw! Once back on the boat we were given a shot of Kahlua. It was all so crazy, but inspiring.

5. The Day I Lost $1000 in Vang Vieng, Laos
As Blur once said “this is a low” and probably my worst travel moment but still a crazy one so I’m including it. After a few nights out in Laos in Vientiane and Vang Vieng, my travel buddy and Belfast Boy Chaz Fitzsimmons and I decided to go tubing.

I wasn’t well prepared and didn’t trust my hostel so I took my camera, my wallet, all into the water with me in a green waterproof bag. I lost the lot. Yes I lost $1000 in Laos’s rivers.

More crazy posts do exist on here and you can find them but I’ve been busy compiling some more for my upcoming book, Backpacking Centurion. In the meantime I’ve more travels coming up in north Africa and lots to catch up on!

From a train bound for Monastir, Tunisia, Cheers!