After visiting 60 countries, UK woman reveals the one place she would never return to

Recalling her unsettling experience, the adventurer described Caracas as her worst travel destination.

The 54-year-old revealed the one place that she has vowed never to visit again (Representational image/Pexels)

Geraldine Joaquim, 54, from West Sussex, has explored over 60 countries, from Japan and Russia to Brazil and Australia. Yet, despite her love for travel and adventure, there is one place she has vowed never to revisit—Caracas, Venezuela.

Over the past year, Joaquim has embarked on five international trips, including a skiing holiday in Andorra, a safari in South Africa, a villa retreat in Italy, a week in Egypt, and a festive Christmas market tour in Belgium, Express reported. However, her experience in Caracas remains unforgettable—for all the wrong reasons.

Joaquim recalled her unsettling visit to Caracas, calling it her worst travel experience. The New York Post quoted her as saying, “I was on a work trip, flying in from Montevideo, Uruguay. My flight arrived late at night, and I had a car booked to take me to a hotel before heading to Isla Margarita the next day.”
What should have been a routine transfer quickly turned into a nightmare. After hours of waiting in an empty airport, she realised she was completely alone. Her phone wasn’t working, and she had no way to contact her driver.

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Relief came when a man approached, claiming to be her driver. But as soon as she got into the car, she noticed another man in the front seat. Feeling uneasy, she instinctively grabbed a small penknife from her hand luggage, clutching it tightly for the entire 30-minute drive. “I would never normally get in a car with two strange men, but I had no other option,” she told The New York Post.

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Her ordeal didn’t end there. The next morning, as she prepared to fly out, a young man snatched her luggage and ran off. Panicked, she chased after him—only to realise he was offering an unofficial “check-in service” that she was forced to pay for. With no other choice, she reluctantly handed over the cash before finally being allowed to board her flight.

Joaquim’s terrifying experience has made Caracas the one destination she refuses to return to—a stark contrast to the many incredible places she has explored worldwide.

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