Please don't let this dissuade you from visiting Dubai or going to the camel races. They were actually my favorite part of the entire trip, I just hated that it ended this way. Twitter: #!... Facebook: / linzloves
Wow that was really touching. I traveled alone to italy (college research over the summer) and i understand the panic that sets in with being in a foreign place. I was never worried about getting kidnapped but i traveled to rome (i was living about 2 hours out) one weekend and the hell i went through to get back to my apartment was more than id ever faced in my life. Looking back it was a good experience in that i made it back safe and sound and feel like i grew as a person because of it
i have a lot of respect for you being able to come back from an experience like that and still educate people by not following stereotypes and really drilling in on the fact that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I love what you are doing here and cant wait to see more of your travel videos.
I had a tiny bit similar experience last time i went there but it was when the taxi driver ( Not Arabic Nor from Emirate ) decided to drive me to highway away from the city thinking that i wouldn't notice the road while at night.I declared right away that am aware of the roads and that where he is driving me is away from the city and is far from my destination. I called my fiance right away and informed him of whats happening and he stayed on the phone with me until i arrived safe to my hotel.... Having said so; looking at your vid and seeing what those men where wearing. they weren't Arabs . They were either from india,Pakistan or Bangladesh. ( SOOOO many of them are working there ). The gentleman who was trying to help and was talking to you at last and who was by your vehicle window is an Arab (Emiratey). Well done for being on guard all the time. Am planing to visit Dubai soon and will always treasure the wonderful times i spent there.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It had to have been the worst feeling anyone could endure. I'm really happy to see you remain so positive about your experience travelling to the middle east even after something so life changing. Great videos and thanks for sharing this experience with us.
Well, first of all I am a local Emirate guy. second, I am glad that you enjoyed your trip and I am really sorry for the panic you were experiencing in the last hours of your trip. The gold SUV is probably "Tahryat" which is kind of an under covered cop mobile, noticing him kind of following you after those people have been taking pictures of you proves that theory. They were probably following you just to make sure you are safe. In the UAE it is really rare to get hurt or abused by someone. Believe me it is really safe. I hope that incident didn't leave a bad memory or prevent you from coming here again.
Oh my god, I started crying when I was watching this. That experience must have been so scary, but you were so right to trust your instincts. And it was great that you recorded your surroundings and the guys! I really do hope you're able to get in contact with the guy who helped you out. Also, I'm glad it's not discouraging you from traveling - your videos are inspiring me to travel overseas :)
You are 100% right when you said that we have to be on guard all the time when in a strange country. Damn! I know Phil was pissed when he heard this, wishing he were there to take care of you, but glad you were ok. When I saw the look of terror in your face when the camera finally got your face. My heart sank. LOVE that you are ok.
Absolutely loved this series of videos. I am also passionate about the Middle East and want to learn Arabic in college. Your whole experience has simply further encouraged me. Your story in this video was amazing and I love your attitude even after the terribly frightening experience. I definitely teared up along with you!
Damn, that is absolutely crazy. Sharing your experience has to be tough, but your story really helps get a great message across about being safe. Terribly sorry to hear about it all, but at the same time, I am extremely glad you shared it all.
I cried with you! It must of been so scary, but kudos to you for not wanting to have naivety about the middle east, I admire your curiosity and positivity for encouraging other people to visit and learn. You're awesome for that!
Linz, I'm so glad you're safe, it just goes to show you've got a wise head on your shoulders. On an unrelated note, I hope you keep making videos after the Dubai faqs, it's nice to see you back on TH-cam!
I love your videos and I always admire how brave you are traveling to so many different places! I also admire how you're trying to learn about and understand a culture so many people from the US are quick to reject. I'm so sorry this happened to you but I think you dealt with it really well!
I think you really handled both the situation and video really well. I started tearing up when you did too. I think your fear and then relief was just so apparent that it affected me as well. I appreciate your message at the end as well. I have been in frightening situations like this in just the US so cannot imagine how it would feel if it were just me and a friend in a foreign country. You have every right to be scared. It is a natural instinct that can save your life. Better safe than sorry.
Linz I loved all of your videos on Dubai... I'm so very sorry for you and your brothers girlfriend that this happened. I'm glad to see you kept a level head and kept recording your surroundings... and for all you know your video may have saved another life. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Arabs way of protecting people is so different than the western way. I understand why you panicked, i would actually panic myself if i was in the situation. But that guys was probably a policeman or just someone who is trying to help you. It's so normal for people to ask you to follow them if they think you were lost or unsafe. It is also so normal for people to offer to drive your car if it was stuck to help removing it from the hole.. cuz if you have no experience it might get worse. When Arab people try to help/ protect someone they go above & beyond which sometimes sounds creepy to foreigners ! :) I'm from Oman but i currently study in the States so i experienced both cultures & pretty much see the difference a lot hahah.
I've had this same thing happen in the states many times and I still don't trust it then either. I wouldn't say it's inherently different than anywhere else, but that people who are bad exploit these very kind and thoughtful acts so that, no matter where you are, it's impossible to trust it.
You absolutely did the right stuff there and seriously bravo on remaining as calm as you did! Glad that everything worked out and you ladies were able to stay safe.
I love this Linz! It makes you think, You have to be aware the whole time!! Things could have gotten worse but I'm glad you stuck to your instincts and got out of there as fast as possible!! Like you were one of the lucky ones both because you got to go and visit Dubai and because you got to leave Dubai.
For all of you ladies planning to visit Dubai. DO NOT let men take pictures of you (they can be arrested if they do it without your permission by the way) and most importantly do not I repeat DO NOT let them touch you in anyway even arm on shoulder) I am a local girl and I am telling you that is forbidden by culture here for a reason because they will take advantage. at 6:55 when they were following you there was a police car behind you. They would have scared them off if you went to them for help. Im glad you guys were alright.
More than culture is a superstition does not. But anyway rules must be from the plane said before going to Dubai. As the constitution of dubai. But it is good to know.
Fanfic Extreme The truth which is the origin of this culture. Security is in the Quran and there becomes culture. That the origin of a civilization is religion. The Peru my country is multicultural, multi linguistic is, is multi Razial. Who does not want to take a little world in a universal commerce, but of course there are laws to abide by our culture in a country. Not everything is money involved.
It's crazy how long I've been watching you and Phil's videos and how instantly upset I became when I watched this. You've somehow became a sort of family to me and I'm sorry you went through this.
I had someone grab me as I walked along the street at age 16, this was 3 streets over from my home where my family has lived for 4 generations, small town where everyone knows everyone. We struggled in the road I got away he chased me in his car I made it home safe, its absolutely terrorizing it can happen ANYWHERE, always have your guard up. Glad you are safe :-)
Oh gosh, Linz! I would've been so scared! I'm always wary of everyone, I wouldn't have trusted that one guy either! Thank god nothing happened! I genuinely got a little teary-eyed when you cried cause I could tell it really upset you. Glad to hear it didn't ruin your trip because I met you at Philly's Amsterdam meetup in 2011 and we talked for a long while! I had a friend that had lived in Dubai and you mentioned how badly you wanted to go there and were already excited about it, even back then!
I'm really glad that you made these videos and kept a pretty neutral tone, too. I've traveled abroad (from the US) once before when I was younger and moved around within the US a lot, and I can say you're absolutely right: you can be in danger anywhere, but you can be safe in many places, too. It's just up to you to make smart decisions and keep situational awareness. I'm really really glad you're okay and that you had a great experience in Dubai! I'm considering going there now :)
You are so awesome, for not letting this little experience completely shift your perception of the Middle East. You're right, this could happen ANYWHERE in the world, and it does. I couldn't help but get emotional at the end. So glad your back home! Did you ever send the text to Phil and did you cry when you told him about this?
Thank you for showing us Dubai Linz! Your videos were so good to watch, informative and fun :) It's such a shame your last day was ruined, but the way you coped in such a scary situation was both brave and admirable! Take care, I look forward to many more travel videos in the future xx
thats so awful, im so glad everything turned out all right for you. it was tough to watch but i feel better knowing that you went through all that and still made it out okay, nice to see one of these tough situations actually turn out okay for once
this is the video ive been waiting for, even knowing that you are back in the states ive had this anxiety to know what happened. very glad that your safe and nothing bad did happen to you. holy crap though that is terrifying.
I am so glad that you're okay! I feel like I would have reacted the same way (being scared, but rational). I truly appreciate that you are willing to take the risks in experience, and not be too negatively influenced if those risks lead to not such a good experience...
thank you for sharing this! i think your commentary really did a good job at ensuring that you weren't portraying dubai in a bad light. i feel that what you've taken away from this experience is awesome. i was in a similar situation in west africa and i think i really tried, as you did, to view it as a learning experience which just happened to be really shitty. well done :)
WOW. Just WOW. I'm glad you handled the situation so well. You two were clearly freaked out. Thank god that one guy was there to help you. And even though you didn't know you could trust him in the situation, it clearly speaks for you that you tried to find him afterwards. I don't know whether I would have thought about that. It's just amazing how positive your attitude is :)
Really glad you're safe and well. This series has been one of my favourite on youtube so I really hope you do another one soon. If you were to do another one do you think you would go back to the middle east to connect in with your studies or head somewhere else, Asia for example?
Thank you so much for sharing this! even though it was probably a hard story to tell i really appreciate you bringing awareness to safety while traveling, and trusting your gut when you're in a scary situation.
Thanks so much for making this video. I have always wanted to travel but seeing how calmly and sensibly you reacted has made me realise I would have FREAKED out and probably got myself into a bad situation. I definitely need to find a couple of guys to go with, not by myself.
I really appreciate how you addressed the whole stereotype thing, I've lived in a lot of countries from New Zealand to across North Africa, and I've spent 8 years in Dubai; the thing that I really like about Dubai is how efficient and quick to respond their police are. I know its pointless to point this out now, but if you do feel in danger in any of your future travels, the first thing you should do is contact the authorities. Using "Stalkers" instead of "Kidnappers" would be more appropriate.
This is an amazing story. You are so strong. You seemed to keep your cool really well given the circumstances. I'm impressed. That sort of thing can happen, even here in the US but obviously its more dangerous so far from home. Its good that the rest of the trip seemed to be so good though. Glad you made it back safe. Phil would have never been the same without you, and myself and I'm sure others who are also just fans of you yourself would be destroyed too. Stay strong and keep being awesome!
I'm glad you were able to share this story with us. Holy crap that sounds so scary and it must of been terrifying to go through that. I'm glad you made it! /hugs
You might never read this, but anyone going to the uae ( I'm born & raised here) the people that took the pictures with you are batani, indians & Pakistani( lower class in this country) you never give them a way to talk to you, not even sellers in souq or any market, trust me we are all humans but in a country where they are treated the way they are, they are deprived, they could seriously hurt you. Be strict with them & dont be nice & smiley with them. You have every right to tell then no or youll call police if they dont leave you alone. Also you need to know that the police will reach you anywhere, dial 999, someone will surely pickup. The emarati guy sounded genuine, most guys in the uae will help you get out of the sand, which he was trying to do ( i only allow guys to help me out& get in the car if im in a more safer environment, like infront of my uni, a place where people can see me & whats happening) In the uae there are the police & tharyat( which is undercover police, the guy was probably one of them) Even if a car follows you just ignore them, emarati guys usual give out their number as a pickup line ( not much anymore) Im arabic, i would be lying if i said i wasnt harassed by tourists as well & it's scary, its my home town, they follow you & think its ok to take pictures of you. I advise for next time, to have someone that speaks arabic & is more knowledgable about the uae to help you around. Hope you give the UAE another shot, maybe with phil & baby trey, Abu Dhabi is nice in the winter.
Awesome job on all of your Dubai videos and even more awesome job keeping calm in a very scary situation. Thank you for showing us a place that most of us will most likely never get the chance to visit!
Wow, poor Lindsey, VERY BRAVE of you to share this story and put other women on guard if they are not aware of what to do in a similar situation. Glad you made it out of there ok and are now, 2 years later happy, healthy Mrs. ***** .
Amazing story. So very glad that you were able to think on your feet and handle it so well. And kudos to you as well for being able to put the experience in perspective and not let this color your entire impressions of the trip.
Oh Lindsay, I'm so glad you both got out okay. I've had similar experiences with a group of Pakistani men and it was as unpleasant as yours. You did really well at keeping your cool, had you not something really bad could've happened. You're an amazing person and you should be proud of yourself too, you managed to keep yourself and your friend safe. Big hugs.
I'm so glad you're alright! Thanks for sharing your story. So glad you didn't let it change your view of your trip. You were so smart about this situation! Kudos :)
Even though you were sitting there safe and sound telling your story I was really scared for you. I'm glad you trusted your gut feelings and you're not letting this situation stop you from traveling in the future.
This video was very well done and explained the situation very well. Glad you were smart and alert and got the heck out of there. Great videos. Can't wait to see more from your future travels.
oh my goodness, I was crying and shaking and my heart was pounding the whole time, granted, you ladies will know, my hormones are a little crazy right now and I will cry about pretty much anything right now, but I'm so glad you guys are OK, and good thing it was on your last day, imagine if it would have happened earlier in your trip!
totally crying with you. So happy you got home safely. I would have totally freaked out too. Your alot smarter than me. I probably would have been so guillible and got out and let the guy get me out of being stuck.
I'm glad you made it out alright, I think you handled it really, really well. A eerily similar thing happened to me and a friend right here in North Carolina, this should in no way reflect badly on Dubai, as you said, it can happen anywhere. Dubai seems really lovely! I've enjoyed this series, as always. :)
Moroccan guy here. Three pretty white girls in that part of that world is just asking for trouble. Dubai is actually pretty loose in their enforcement of Sharia/woman-male interaction stuff. Not sure how to put it in English. Saudi Arabia is much worse with Morocco being the easy going place.If you are a woman and want to see the Middle East / Arab countries. I would recommend Morocco over any other country (I know it's technically not in the middle east). Tons of women don't wear hijab/head garb there and men and women usually associate freely with another. The reason for this is that many Moroccan young people have become smitten with the USA and our culture which is HIGHLY unusual for an Arab country. They listen to our music, watch our movies, learn English along with French at really early ages they even eat McDonalds regularly. They even have their own ratified Constitutional rights. Not as deep as ours but still a huge step.If you REALLY want to see Dubai or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan make sure you have a man with you wherever you go as a trusted guide. Don't go anywhere alone. Best case scenario they thought you were a prostitute because your eyebrows were done (cultural thing I know it sounds weird) worst case scenario they know you are American and try to make an ethnic justice thing of it all. Hope this helps anyone
Damn Lindsay! You handled that better than I probably would've. We're all glad you and your friend are safe. Out of the entire trip, what was your absolute favorite thing? Was it the sightseeing? Was it the food? Or was it just the overall experience?
Its good that you managed to learn this lesson the easy way. Safety is (or it should be) a high priority in cultures you are not familiar with. You kept your head on your shoulders pretty well. Best of luck in future travels.
Omg that was so moving. I can't believe this happened to you. While I was watching he video, I put myself in your position and I was even more freaked out than you were. I would've called 911 to be honest. Thank you for sharing your adventure, and unlike TV, show that bad things can happen when you travel. You tell us everything and that is why, in my opinion, your TH-cam channel should be even more successful. Thank you xx
I'm so glad you're both okay! What a terrifying experience and I'm very impressed with you that you're not letting this ruin your experience. Also, did the police guy say that the kidnapping guys were ninjas at one point? Or am I just hearing wrong?
Linz, I had what is known as a premonition that you would be unsafe. I am so glad that you and your friend are safe and well. You were on your guard. Good! Hell, that's how I am every time I come out to LA. I had a premonition about NBC's David Bloom, too. I sensed that he would not leave Iraq alive. 9 days later, he was dead.
linz you are brave and amazingly awesome! kudos to you and your friend. you reacted way better than most people would have in that situation. love these videos linz! :) :)
I think what the guy was trying to say is that when you were taking pictures with pakistani men and local people you attract attention and to have all this attention from those men is not a good thing when you are a woman (it's cultural) so he think you might be in trouble with those men , but next time get to know how people think in others countries so you wont have misunderstood "problems" like this :) (sorry for my english)
I love to travel just like you :) Ioved hearing about your amazing adventures too! I can understand how scary it can be when you're dealing with the unknown and wanting to protect yourself. So so happy you stuck to what you felt was right and made it out safe in the end. Gotta learn your lessons the hard way and experience every moment of the good and bad. This make me cry, the joy if relief to make it home safe and sound :) yay! Stoked to hear and see your next adventure :D
god dammit. thank god you're safe, I started feeling bad right at the time when the guys started gathering around you, but I guess that guy that helped you was a good guy. All in all, glad you're safe. Thanks for everything you do. :-)
omg i would of been hysterical if i was in that situation, you are so brave an smart! im so glad everything ended ok an no one got hurt. im so sad these are over though, i love your travel videos the most! hope you do more soon! an be safe! xox
Thanks for sharing your experience. So happy that you are okay. I remember when my grandmother went to the middle east and it does seem like a really interesting place.
I feel so bad for you Linz and glad that you were safe. That was very intelligent of you to not trust anyone and even the police guy as there are many people who pose as police/CID when they aren't. Taking pictures with strangers wasn't the right thing here :) When I first saw the thumbnail I thought its some stereotype video but it's great to know there are amazing people around the world.
More importantly, more than anything, you handled the situation really well and logically. You didn't lose your cool and panic. And your friend did a good thing by asking him to walk you to the car. But all in all, one has to be very weary. God am I glad you're safe. :-) Love.
It can happen anywhere at any time. Dubai, Japan, Russia, USA, Canada, China... take your pick. Good on you both for keeping your wits about you. Very happy to hear that you made it home alright. I know this is going to sound sexist even though I don't intend it that way Linz, but it most times safer to either travel with a male friend or to find a local to work as a escort (especially in countries that have a very different culture). Once again, happy you are both home safe.
Loved the series! I would love to see a clip in your Dubai tips video of you and Phil and have him discuss his reaction to the almost kidnapping and how he feels about future travels. Its nice to hear a significant others opinion. :-)
I'm glad your safe, and it's cool that you didn't let that one event ruin your whole trip. But I am curious as to what that wanted from you guys. Thanks for the vid :)
Your video's have actually made me really want to go to Dubai/Abu Dhabi. I had no clue there was so much you could do there! My only question is if maybe you would recommend staying inside the major cities?
You're right that some places are riskier than others but point is that dangers are present in every country and you just might end up being in that wrong place at the wrong time. Theres no harm in staying on your guard.
I'm so sorry, Liz. People are really scary, and you did what you should have done. Even having Phil on the ready was a good thing. Good job on the emergency procedures and keeping your cool.
As a social worker, I have had trainings about human trafficking, and based on the things I learne, you definitely did the right thing. I am not saying these guys were human traffickers, but it he
Yikes! I'm so glad you didn't let this colour how you feel about the middle east and travelling, and more glad you're safe. That's a really scary situation and I think you handled it really well!
It's a good and important lesson that you should never have to follow someone or be taken to help. I've learned that lesson the hard way. My heart tightened just watching this. Still, the camel races looked friggin' sweet.
Wow that was really touching. I traveled alone to italy (college research over the summer) and i understand the panic that sets in with being in a foreign place. I was never worried about getting kidnapped but i traveled to rome (i was living about 2 hours out) one weekend and the hell i went through to get back to my apartment was more than id ever faced in my life. Looking back it was a good experience in that i made it back safe and sound and feel like i grew as a person because of it
i have a lot of respect for you being able to come back from an experience like that and still educate people by not following stereotypes and really drilling in on the fact that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I love what you are doing here and cant wait to see more of your travel videos.
I had a tiny bit similar experience last time i went there but it was when the taxi driver ( Not Arabic Nor from Emirate ) decided to drive me to highway away from the city thinking that i wouldn't notice the road while at night.I declared right away that am aware of the roads and that where he is driving me is away from the city and is far from my destination. I called my fiance right away and informed him of whats happening and he stayed on the phone with me until i arrived safe to my hotel....
Having said so; looking at your vid and seeing what those men where wearing. they weren't Arabs . They were either from india,Pakistan or Bangladesh. ( SOOOO many of them are working there ). The gentleman who was trying to help and was talking to you at last and who was by your vehicle window is an Arab (Emiratey).
Well done for being on guard all the time. Am planing to visit Dubai soon and will always treasure the wonderful times i spent there.
Glad that you were safe :)
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It had to have been the worst feeling anyone could endure. I'm really happy to see you remain so positive about your experience travelling to the middle east even after something so life changing. Great videos and thanks for sharing this experience with us.
Well, first of all I am a local Emirate guy. second, I am glad that you enjoyed your trip and I am really sorry for the panic you were experiencing in the last hours of your trip. The gold SUV is probably "Tahryat" which is kind of an under covered cop mobile, noticing him kind of following you after those people have been taking pictures of you proves that theory. They were probably following you just to make sure you are safe. In the UAE it is really rare to get hurt or abused by someone. Believe me it is really safe. I hope that incident didn't leave a bad memory or prevent you from coming here again.
i love how respectful you are and i'm admiring your honesty about dubai and not being judgmental by one accident ..
Oh my god, I started crying when I was watching this. That experience must have been so scary, but you were so right to trust your instincts. And it was great that you recorded your surroundings and the guys! I really do hope you're able to get in contact with the guy who helped you out. Also, I'm glad it's not discouraging you from traveling - your videos are inspiring me to travel overseas :)
You are 100% right when you said that we have to be on guard all the time when in a strange country. Damn! I know Phil was pissed when he heard this, wishing he were there to take care of you, but glad you were ok. When I saw the look of terror in your face when the camera finally got your face. My heart sank. LOVE that you are ok.
Absolutely loved this series of videos. I am also passionate about the Middle East and want to learn Arabic in college. Your whole experience has simply further encouraged me. Your story in this video was amazing and I love your attitude even after the terribly frightening experience. I definitely teared up along with you!
Damn, that is absolutely crazy. Sharing your experience has to be tough, but your story really helps get a great message across about being safe. Terribly sorry to hear about it all, but at the same time, I am extremely glad you shared it all.
I cried with you! It must of been so scary, but kudos to you for not wanting to have naivety about the middle east, I admire your curiosity and positivity for encouraging other people to visit and learn. You're awesome for that!
You know, Linz, I absolutely loved these vlogs, you really make me want to travel the world, just like you. Excellent video (as always)!
Linz, I'm so glad you're safe, it just goes to show you've got a wise head on your shoulders. On an unrelated note, I hope you keep making videos after the Dubai faqs, it's nice to see you back on TH-cam!
I love your videos and I always admire how brave you are traveling to so many different places! I also admire how you're trying to learn about and understand a culture so many people from the US are quick to reject. I'm so sorry this happened to you but I think you dealt with it really well!
I think you really handled both the situation and video really well. I started tearing up when you did too. I think your fear and then relief was just so apparent that it affected me as well. I appreciate your message at the end as well. I have been in frightening situations like this in just the US so cannot imagine how it would feel if it were just me and a friend in a foreign country. You have every right to be scared. It is a natural instinct that can save your life. Better safe than sorry.
Linz I loved all of your videos on Dubai... I'm so very sorry for you and your brothers girlfriend that this happened. I'm glad to see you kept a level head and kept recording your surroundings... and for all you know your video may have saved another life. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Arabs way of protecting people is so different than the western way. I understand why you panicked, i would actually panic myself if i was in the situation. But that guys was probably a policeman or just someone who is trying to help you. It's so normal for people to ask you to follow them if they think you were lost or unsafe. It is also so normal for people to offer to drive your car if it was stuck to help removing it from the hole.. cuz if you have no experience it might get worse.
When Arab people try to help/ protect someone they go above & beyond which sometimes sounds creepy to foreigners ! :)
I'm from Oman but i currently study in the States so i experienced both cultures & pretty much see the difference a lot hahah.
I've had this same thing happen in the states many times and I still don't trust it then either. I wouldn't say it's inherently different than anywhere else, but that people who are bad exploit these very kind and thoughtful acts so that, no matter where you are, it's impossible to trust it.
You absolutely did the right stuff there and seriously bravo on remaining as calm as you did! Glad that everything worked out and you ladies were able to stay safe.
I love this Linz! It makes you think, You have to be aware the whole time!! Things could have gotten worse but I'm glad you stuck to your instincts and got out of there as fast as possible!! Like you were one of the lucky ones both because you got to go and visit Dubai and because you got to leave Dubai.
For all of you ladies planning to visit Dubai. DO NOT let men take pictures of you (they can be arrested if they do it without your permission by the way) and most importantly do not I repeat DO NOT let them touch you in anyway even arm on shoulder) I am a local girl and I am telling you that is forbidden by culture here for a reason because they will take advantage.
at 6:55 when they were following you there was a police car behind you. They would have scared them off if you went to them for help. Im glad you guys were alright.
More than culture is a superstition does not. But anyway rules must be from the plane said before going to Dubai. As the constitution of dubai. But it is good to know.
hahaha its not superstition XD it is culture. Yeah, there should be pamphlets given on the plane
Fanfic Extreme The truth which is the origin of this culture. Security is in the Quran and there becomes culture. That the origin of a civilization is religion. The Peru my country is multicultural, multi linguistic is, is multi Razial. Who does not want to take a little world in a universal commerce, but of course there are laws to abide by our culture in a country. Not everything is money involved.
Incredibly proud of you, Linz. Very, very proud that you kept your cool.
It's crazy how long I've been watching you and Phil's videos and how instantly upset I became when I watched this. You've somehow became a sort of family to me and I'm sorry you went through this.
I had someone grab me as I walked along the street at age 16, this was 3 streets over from my home where my family has lived for 4 generations, small town where everyone knows everyone. We struggled in the road I got away he chased me in his car I made it home safe, its absolutely terrorizing it can happen ANYWHERE, always have your guard up. Glad you are safe :-)
Oh gosh, Linz! I would've been so scared! I'm always wary of everyone, I wouldn't have trusted that one guy either! Thank god nothing happened! I genuinely got a little teary-eyed when you cried cause I could tell it really upset you. Glad to hear it didn't ruin your trip because I met you at Philly's Amsterdam meetup in 2011 and we talked for a long while! I had a friend that had lived in Dubai and you mentioned how badly you wanted to go there and were already excited about it, even back then!
I'm really glad that you made these videos and kept a pretty neutral tone, too. I've traveled abroad (from the US) once before when I was younger and moved around within the US a lot, and I can say you're absolutely right: you can be in danger anywhere, but you can be safe in many places, too. It's just up to you to make smart decisions and keep situational awareness. I'm really really glad you're okay and that you had a great experience in Dubai! I'm considering going there now :)
You are so awesome, for not letting this little experience completely shift your perception of the Middle East. You're right, this could happen ANYWHERE in the world, and it does. I couldn't help but get emotional at the end. So glad your back home! Did you ever send the text to Phil and did you cry when you told him about this?
Thank you for showing us Dubai Linz! Your videos were so good to watch, informative and fun :) It's such a shame your last day was ruined, but the way you coped in such a scary situation was both brave and admirable! Take care, I look forward to many more travel videos in the future xx
It gave me goosebumps and made me shiver, im really happy that you two managed to stay safe.
thats so awful, im so glad everything turned out all right for you. it was tough to watch but i feel better knowing that you went through all that and still made it out okay, nice to see one of these tough situations actually turn out okay for once
this is the video ive been waiting for, even knowing that you are back in the states ive had this anxiety to know what happened. very glad that your safe and nothing bad did happen to you. holy crap though that is terrifying.
I am so glad that you're okay!
I feel like I would have reacted the same way (being scared, but rational).
I truly appreciate that you are willing to take the risks in experience, and not be too negatively influenced if those risks lead to not such a good experience...
Holy shit, I had to pause half way through the video because my heart was pounding so fast! I know you're ok now, but that was scary as shit.
thank you for sharing this! i think your commentary really did a good job at ensuring that you weren't portraying dubai in a bad light. i feel that what you've taken away from this experience is awesome.
i was in a similar situation in west africa and i think i really tried, as you did, to view it as a learning experience which just happened to be really shitty. well done :)
Linds, thank you so much for sharing this story with us. I feel like I learn so much through your experiences, especially this one.
WOW. Just WOW. I'm glad you handled the situation so well. You two were clearly freaked out. Thank god that one guy was there to help you. And even though you didn't know you could trust him in the situation, it clearly speaks for you that you tried to find him afterwards. I don't know whether I would have thought about that. It's just amazing how positive your attitude is :)
Really glad you're safe and well. This series has been one of my favourite on youtube so I really hope you do another one soon.
If you were to do another one do you think you would go back to the middle east to connect in with your studies or head somewhere else, Asia for example?
I just cried with you, Linds. I'm glad you followed your instincts and got the hell out of there.
I'm so glad you're okay! When you started crying, I couldn't help but tear up a little too.
Thank you so much for sharing this! even though it was probably a hard story to tell i really appreciate you bringing awareness to safety while traveling, and trusting your gut when you're in a scary situation.
Thanks so much for making this video. I have always wanted to travel but seeing how calmly and sensibly you reacted has made me realise I would have FREAKED out and probably got myself into a bad situation. I definitely need to find a couple of guys to go with, not by myself.
I really appreciate how you addressed the whole stereotype thing, I've lived in a lot of countries from New Zealand to across North Africa, and I've spent 8 years in Dubai; the thing that I really like about Dubai is how efficient and quick to respond their police are. I know its pointless to point this out now, but if you do feel in danger in any of your future travels, the first thing you should do is contact the authorities.
Using "Stalkers" instead of "Kidnappers" would be more appropriate.
This is an amazing story. You are so strong. You seemed to keep your cool really well given the circumstances. I'm impressed. That sort of thing can happen, even here in the US but obviously its more dangerous so far from home. Its good that the rest of the trip seemed to be so good though. Glad you made it back safe. Phil would have never been the same without you, and myself and I'm sure others who are also just fans of you yourself would be destroyed too. Stay strong and keep being awesome!
I'm glad you were able to share this story with us. Holy crap that sounds so scary and it must of been terrifying to go through that. I'm glad you made it! /hugs
You might never read this, but anyone going to the uae ( I'm born & raised here) the people that took the pictures with you are batani, indians & Pakistani( lower class in this country) you never give them a way to talk to you, not even sellers in souq or any market, trust me we are all humans but in a country where they are treated the way they are, they are deprived, they could seriously hurt you. Be strict with them & dont be nice & smiley with them. You have every right to tell then no or youll call police if they dont leave you alone.
Also you need to know that the police will reach you anywhere, dial 999, someone will surely pickup.
The emarati guy sounded genuine, most guys in the uae will help you get out of the sand, which he was trying to do ( i only allow guys to help me out& get in the car if im in a more safer environment, like infront of my uni, a place where people can see me & whats happening)
In the uae there are the police & tharyat( which is undercover police, the guy was probably one of them)
Even if a car follows you just ignore them, emarati guys usual give out their number as a pickup line ( not much anymore)
Im arabic, i would be lying if i said i wasnt harassed by tourists as well & it's scary, its my home town, they follow you & think its ok to take pictures of you.
I advise for next time, to have someone that speaks arabic & is more knowledgable about the uae to help you around.
Hope you give the UAE another shot, maybe with phil & baby trey, Abu Dhabi is nice in the winter.
Awesome job on all of your Dubai videos and even more awesome job keeping calm in a very scary situation. Thank you for showing us a place that most of us will most likely never get the chance to visit!
Wow, poor Lindsey, VERY BRAVE of you to share this story and put other women on guard if they are not aware of what to do in a similar situation. Glad you made it out of there ok and are now, 2 years later happy, healthy Mrs. ***** .
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I hope this helps someone else stay safe abroad (and even in our own country).
Amazing story. So very glad that you were able to think on your feet and handle it so well. And kudos to you as well for being able to put the experience in perspective and not let this color your entire impressions of the trip.
Oh Lindsay, I'm so glad you both got out okay. I've had similar experiences with a group of Pakistani men and it was as unpleasant as yours. You did really well at keeping your cool, had you not something really bad could've happened. You're an amazing person and you should be proud of yourself too, you managed to keep yourself and your friend safe. Big hugs.
Glad everything worked out, sounds like a terrifying experience, just happy you're here. Hope you had fun on the rest of the vacation. Cheers!
I'm so sorry this happened to you Linz :( I'm just really happy you're okay and everything was okay afterwards.
im so glad you guys are safe i just wanna give you a big hug
I'm so glad you're alright! Thanks for sharing your story. So glad you didn't let it change your view of your trip. You were so smart about this situation! Kudos :)
Even though you were sitting there safe and sound telling your story I was really scared for you. I'm glad you trusted your gut feelings and you're not letting this situation stop you from traveling in the future.
i'm so happy to know you made it home safe and sound!! I was terrified watching this. You have a great perspective on this situation.
This video was very well done and explained the situation very well. Glad you were smart and alert and got the heck out of there. Great videos. Can't wait to see more from your future travels.
oh my goodness, I was crying and shaking and my heart was pounding the whole time, granted, you ladies will know, my hormones are a little crazy right now and I will cry about pretty much anything right now, but I'm so glad you guys are OK, and good thing it was on your last day, imagine if it would have happened earlier in your trip!
totally crying with you. So happy you got home safely. I would have totally freaked out too. Your alot smarter than me. I probably would have been so guillible and got out and let the guy get me out of being stuck.
*hugs. That's a very stressful scenario. Props for staying calm and not acting irrational. I think you handled that pretty damn well.
I'm glad you made it out alright, I think you handled it really, really well. A eerily similar thing happened to me and a friend right here in North Carolina, this should in no way reflect badly on Dubai, as you said, it can happen anywhere. Dubai seems really lovely! I've enjoyed this series, as always. :)
Moroccan guy here. Three pretty white girls in that part of that world is just asking for trouble. Dubai is actually pretty loose in their enforcement of Sharia/woman-male interaction stuff. Not sure how to put it in English. Saudi Arabia is much worse with Morocco being the easy going place.If you are a woman and want to see the Middle East / Arab countries. I would recommend Morocco over any other country (I know it's technically not in the middle east). Tons of women don't wear hijab/head garb there and men and women usually associate freely with another. The reason for this is that many Moroccan young people have become smitten with the USA and our culture which is HIGHLY unusual for an Arab country. They listen to our music, watch our movies, learn English along with French at really early ages they even eat McDonalds regularly. They even have their own ratified Constitutional rights. Not as deep as ours but still a huge step.If you REALLY want to see Dubai or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan make sure you have a man with you wherever you go as a trusted guide. Don't go anywhere alone. Best case scenario they thought you were a prostitute because your eyebrows were done (cultural thing I know it sounds weird) worst case scenario they know you are American and try to make an ethnic justice thing of it all. Hope this helps anyone
I'd say Lebanon would be the best Arab country for a blonde looking alone woman
Lebanon would be good also to visit
Love your videos. Keep em coming.your Dubai trip was the best in my opinion.
Wow scary! Had me on edge of my seat and teary eyed. So glad you made it out safe and sound! You're so much braver than I woulda been.
thank god for sunglasses! i was crying almost right when we got in the car hahah
Now now, don't give in to hate. You, like me should just be VERY happy that Linz and her friend are alive, safe, well and back home.
Damn Lindsay! You handled that better than I probably would've. We're all glad you and your friend are safe. Out of the entire trip, what was your absolute favorite thing? Was it the sightseeing? Was it the food? Or was it just the overall experience?
Watching these videos was actually an awesome experience. Now I defenitely want to go there some day!
Its good that you managed to learn this lesson the easy way. Safety is (or it should be) a high priority in cultures you are not familiar with. You kept your head on your shoulders pretty well. Best of luck in future travels.
Omg that was so moving. I can't believe this happened to you. While I was watching he video, I put myself in your position and I was even more freaked out than you were. I would've called 911 to be honest. Thank you for sharing your adventure, and unlike TV, show that bad things can happen when you travel. You tell us everything and that is why, in my opinion, your TH-cam channel should be even more successful. Thank you xx
thanks for your support:)
I'm so glad you're both okay! What a terrifying experience and I'm very impressed with you that you're not letting this ruin your experience. Also, did the police guy say that the kidnapping guys were ninjas at one point? Or am I just hearing wrong?
Linz, I had what is known as a premonition that you would be unsafe.
I am so glad that you and your friend are safe and well.
You were on your guard. Good! Hell, that's how I am every time I come out to LA.
I had a premonition about NBC's David Bloom, too.
I sensed that he would not leave Iraq alive. 9 days later, he was dead.
That was a great video, Linz! I enjoyed every minute of it and I'm glad you're okay.
linz you are brave and amazingly awesome! kudos to you and your friend. you reacted way better than most people would have in that situation. love these videos linz! :) :)
I think what the guy was trying to say is that when you were taking pictures with pakistani men and local people you attract attention and to have all this attention from those men is not a good thing when you are a woman (it's cultural) so he think you might be in trouble with those men , but next time get to know how people think in others countries so you wont have misunderstood "problems" like this :) (sorry for my english)
I love to travel just like you :) Ioved hearing about your amazing adventures too! I can understand how scary it can be when you're dealing with the unknown and wanting to protect yourself. So so happy you stuck to what you felt was right and made it out safe in the end. Gotta learn your lessons the hard way and experience every moment of the good and bad. This make me cry, the joy if relief to make it home safe and sound :) yay! Stoked to hear and see your next adventure :D
What did Phil say and how did he react to this story? You're so brave. Thanks for this awesome series!
god dammit. thank god you're safe, I started feeling bad right at the time when the guys started gathering around you, but I guess that guy that helped you was a good guy. All in all, glad you're safe. Thanks for everything you do. :-)
Loved this series of videos, I totally understand your fears because even watching I was scared for you.
This was terrifying to watch, God knows what it was like experiencing it, so happy you're ok, thank you for sharing, great video.
Not sure why I am crying with you... Thanks for sharing. I am glad you made it home safe!
omg i would of been hysterical if i was in that situation, you are so brave an smart! im so glad everything ended ok an no one got hurt. im so sad these are over though, i love your travel videos the most! hope you do more soon! an be safe! xox
Thanks for sharing your experience. So happy that you are okay. I remember when my grandmother went to the middle east and it does seem like a really interesting place.
I feel so bad for you Linz and glad that you were safe. That was very intelligent of you to not trust anyone and even the police guy as there are many people who pose as police/CID when they aren't. Taking pictures with strangers wasn't the right thing here :)
When I first saw the thumbnail I thought its some stereotype video but it's great to know there are amazing people around the world.
I'm so glad you're okay! You're videos make me excited to travel! What did Phil do?
More importantly, more than anything, you handled the situation really well and logically. You didn't lose your cool and panic. And your friend did a good thing by asking him to walk you to the car. But all in all, one has to be very weary. God am I glad you're safe. :-)
Love.
Glad you made it back safe Liz. I'm glad you judged from the overall XP and not one horrific moment!
Thank you for sharing your experience! I appreciate your outlook and enthusiasm for traveling.
It can happen anywhere at any time. Dubai, Japan, Russia, USA, Canada, China... take your pick. Good on you both for keeping your wits about you. Very happy to hear that you made it home alright.
I know this is going to sound sexist even though I don't intend it that way Linz, but it most times safer to either travel with a male friend or to find a local to work as a escort (especially in countries that have a very different culture). Once again, happy you are both home safe.
Loved the series! I would love to see a clip in your Dubai tips video of you and Phil and have him discuss his reaction to the almost kidnapping and how he feels about future travels. Its nice to hear a significant others opinion. :-)
I'm glad your safe, and it's cool that you didn't let that one event ruin your whole trip. But I am curious as to what that wanted from you guys. Thanks for the vid :)
Your video's have actually made me really want to go to Dubai/Abu Dhabi. I had no clue there was so much you could do there! My only question is if maybe you would recommend staying inside the major cities?
You're right that some places are riskier than others but point is that dangers are present in every country and you just might end up being in that wrong place at the wrong time. Theres no harm in staying on your guard.
I'm so sorry, Liz. People are really scary, and you did what you should have done. Even having Phil on the ready was a good thing. Good job on the emergency procedures and keeping your cool.
i cried along with you linz! i hate when people follow you, glad your safe! x
As a social worker, I have had trainings about human trafficking, and based on the things I learne, you definitely did the right thing. I am not saying these guys were human traffickers, but it he
Yikes! I'm so glad you didn't let this colour how you feel about the middle east and travelling, and more glad you're safe. That's a really scary situation and I think you handled it really well!
Glad you made it home safe and sound; life is precious!!!
I was shaking like a leaf during this video. I'm so glad you were safe in the end,
It's a good and important lesson that you should never have to follow someone or be taken to help. I've learned that lesson the hard way. My heart tightened just watching this. Still, the camel races looked friggin' sweet.