While on a cruise, I book a tour of a historic site. After everyone boards the bus, the tour guide tells us that in his country it is required by law to wear seat belts. We buckle up and he checks to make sure we are all wearing the belts. One tourist near me has decided not to wear his.

Guide: “You need to buckle your seat belt.”

Tourist: “I am not wearing the belt.”

Guide: “Maybe you misunderstand me. It isn’t the cruise line recommending you wear your seat belt or the tour company recommending you wear the seat belt. It is the law of my country. I am not asking you to wear it; I am saying you have to.”

Tourist: “No, I’m not using the belt. I don’t want to.”

Guide: “Our driver cannot legally go on the roads if anyone doesn’t have the belt on, so you have two options. You can either buckle up and come see the ruins with us, or you can get off the bus and stay at the port. Your choice.”

Tourist: “I don’t have to wear a seat belt in my home country, so I’m not going to wear one here.”

 Guide: “Are we in your home country?”

Tourist: “No.”

Guide: “Then your country’s laws don’t apply here. Either buckle up or get off the bus.”

The man did buckle up, but he spent the whole ride talking angrily with his wife. I don’t know what exactly he was saying as it was in a different language, but the tourist got increasingly louder as the trip went on. He was so angry that, once we got to the site, he didn’t go on the tour; he just sat at the entrance.

His wife came with us on the tour, though, and she seemed like she had a great time. It’s a shame he ruined his day over a little safety thing like a seat belt.

If you thought this tourist was bad check out these 13 Cringeworthy True Stories About Tourists Who Have Absolutely No Clue!

I work in one of those old-time photo studios. It’s one of my favorite jobs ever; I get paid to play dress-up and goof around with people from all over the world. Most people are a lot of fun, but one guest stands out.

An older woman comes in, wanting to do her photos in a Victorian dress. For those unfamiliar, those dresses are high-waisted and not very flattering if you’re of a certain build.

To make matters worse, she insists on being seated for the photo. She categorically does not like ANY of the dozen photos we take and insists on a reshoot. We oblige, changing the lighting, offering a different outfit, angles, you name it, but it still doesn’t look how she wants.

Finally, my manager takes over and tells me:

Manager: “Go move that laundry to the dryer.”

This is our code for “Go to the back and take a breather.”

As I walk away, I hear this exchange: 

Angry Customer: “I don’t understand! What is he, stupid or something? I’m not paying until I get good pictures!”

Manager: *Takes a breath* “Ma’am, we have offered every possible fix we can. We can take the pictures again, but it’s still the same camera and the same subject.”

The customer paid the studio fee and left without any photos.

I worked at a Visitor Information Centre in a popular rural tourist spot where icebergs drift close to shore throughout the summer.

A woman from the southern US is asking me questions.

Tourist: “Where do they get all the Styrofoam to make the icebergs?”

I live on the west coast of the USA in a tourist town famous for whale watching. I’ve heard these odd questions from tourists many times.

Tourist #1: “When do they let the whales out so visitors can see them?”

Tourist #2: “Does the rainy weather bother the whales?”

I work in a restaurant in a historic quarter with wooden buildings on the west coast of Norway. The place is a cultural heritage site, and a part of my job is to know the history of the building and the area to give a special experience to the guests. We often get tourists as guests in the summer months.

It’s right after opening, before the large cruise boat rush, and I’m alone on the floor. In walks a mousy, middle-aged woman with a fanny pack. She looks around with eyes like saucers and murmurs exclamations like “Whoa!” and “Wow!” Her accent is American. Curious, I ask:

Me: “Welcome! Can I help you?”

Woman: *Ignoring me* “Oh, my God! Oh, my god!“

Me: “…um?”

Woman: “Oh, my god! Oh… Oh, my God! Is it all real?!“

Me: “I…”

Woman: “Is it all real?!“

She looks directly at me now, while before she was gawking at the ceiling. I’m utterly bewildered and wonder if she’s crazy or high.

Me: “…yes?”

Woman: “No, all this!” *Gestures wildly* “Is it all real?! It’s all for the tourists, right?”

Suddenly, it dawns on me. She thinks the building and the area are fake — props or replicas. I am dumbfounded.

Me: “Oh… oh! No! This is a very old building. The building itself is from 1702, built after the city fire, but the area, structure, and some buildings are from the Middle Ages. It’s all real.”

The woman was literally speechless and just looked at me with wonder. I went on telling her more of the history, how the building was used, where the indoor well and old hearth were, etc., and ended up giving her a nice experience. She didn’t buy anything, but I didn’t mind since it was a slow morning anyway. As she left, I was still wondering: did she think we would fake our history? For the sake of tourism? How would that even work?