Our 2024 Travel Hall of Infamy Awards honour the best of the worst tourist behaviour

Travel

Open this photo in gallery:Illustration by Graham RoumieuSome travellers just don’t know how to graciously visit other places. But for the rest of us, that’s what makes the Travel Hall of Infamy – celebrating its 40th year in 2024 – the gift that keeps on giving. From walrus bothering to inflight idiocy to cruise ship fisticuffs, read on for a full serving of wonderfully woeful tourist behaviour.The Sand Gets Everywhere AwardOpen this photo in gallery:Illustration by Graham Roumieu… goes to the three male tourists who paid unconventional homage to Namibia’s iconic Big Daddy sand dune by removing all their clothes for some grinning, willy-waggling photos. That might have been the end of it if the images (and a video) hadn’t exploded across social media faster than a new Taylor Swift meme – prompting ministry of environment spokesperson Romeo Muyunda to decry the “extremely shocking” behaviour before optimistically adding, “We appeal to that section of tourists to summon the conscience so that they do the right things.”The I’m Only Here For The Beer AwardOpen this photo in gallery:Illustration by Graham Roumieu… goes to EasyJet holidaymaker Brian Watt who indulged in a tipple or three before boarding his Glasgow-to-Tenerife flight, where he quickly executed a comprehensive checkbox of idiotic behaviour. Refusing to remain seated, the booze-addled flyer smoked in the toilets, smashed a soap dispenser, hurled abuse at everyone within earshot and, for a final flourish, urinated in full view of fellow passengers. The result? The plane was diverted to Bristol Airport, where Watt was removed and later sentenced to an eight-month jail stretch – giving him plenty of time to flick through some holiday brochures and plan his next jolly jaunt.The Tone Deaf Workout Award… goes to U.S.-based Instagrammer Marimar Perez whose 140,000 followers love watching videos of the former gymnast exercising her sculpted bod at home and around the world. One trip took her to Japan, where the abs-forward tourist spotted an irresistible avenue of red-painted rectangular archways perfect for a picturesque pull-up movie accompanied by pulsating dance music. But the archways were actually torri – sacred gateway entrances to Shinto shrines – and the resulting viral video was widely denounced on social media, where words like “vulgar,” “disrespectful” and “uneducated” dropped like medicine balls on a glass coffee table.The He Just Needs A Hug AwardOpen this photo in gallery:Illustration by Graham Roumieu… goes to the Polish tourist visiting the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, who spotted a cuddly walrus posing on the ice floe like a big fluffy cat. Hopping across the frozen chunks for some quality time with a critter that can weigh up to 2,000 kilograms, has razor-sharp tusks and can run as fast as a (tasty-looking) human, incredulous locals watched the misguided selfie-snapper from the shoreline as he inched toward his fate. Just in time, authorities intervened to save him from an almost guaranteed Darwin Awards entry, and he was later fined 12,500 Norwegian Kroner for wildlife bothering.The Shag A Statue Award… goes to the young female tourist in Florence who, presumably after one-too-many grappas, spotted a handsome fella giving her the eye on a busy street near the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Unable to resist his come-hither glances and his clothes-free approach to life, her admittedly one-sided kissing quickly progressed to what the BBC reported as “miming a lewd act.” It’s not clear what the statue of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and revelry, thought about the unexpected attention but locals were appalled when photos of the late-night make out session began lighting up social media feeds around the world.The Boys Will Be Boys Award… goes to a pair of 20-year-old German tourists who knew exactly how to have a good time during their sun-dappled Mallorca hotel stay. Not content with destroying the mattresses and furniture in their room, the terrible Teutons elevated proceedings by emptying two of the property’s fire extinguishers. That left them plenty of time to head back to the elevators for a hearty round of lift-based defecation, no doubt delighting fellow guests when the doors next opened. Not quite seeing the funny side, police arrested the lads the next day and a court case quickly followed.The All You Can Beat AwardOpen this photo in gallery:Illustration by Graham Roumieu… goes to Carnival Cruise Line passengers on a Caribbean vacation who aimed to satisfy their late-night cravings at the ship’s 24-hour buffet. Fellow cruiser Nick Richardson told USA Today that when he arrived for some pizza at 3 a.m., he found an overly animated group of 15 or so passengers “talking trash to each other” between the heated food counters. Whatever they were debating – pasta sauce recipes or baked Alaska tips, perhaps – quickly escalated, with fists, plates and chairs flying around like dinner rolls in a tornado. Security guards soon restored order and Carnival later banned the buffet brawlers for life.The Tag I’m It Award… goes to the Dutch tourist visiting the ancient town of Herculaneum near Naples, which was decimated by 79 AD’s Mount Vesuvius eruption and is now home to dozens of carefully preserved archeological sites. That rich history meant so much to our self-absorbed explorer that he uncapped his indelible black marker and scrawled some jagged graffiti onto the interior wall of a 2,000-year-old Roman house. Quickly detained at the site, the pen-wielding scribbler didn’t have a leg to stand on when police arrived since his impromptu annotation turned out to be his personal graffiti tag.The Pooh Sticks AwardOpen this photo in gallery:Illustration by Graham Roumieu… goes to the Shanghai Disneyland visitor who was presumably reminded of some deep childhood trauma on a trip to the popular park when the large, wobbly-headed figure of Winnie the Pooh ambled toward him during a parade. A viral video shows the man lunging at the bright-yellow honey-hogger, smacking him on the head and causing him to collapse like a furry sack of spuds. Staff rushed to rescue the cheery ursine mascot, while officials later confirmed that the visitor “faced consequences.” Which, hopefully, included a nighttime visitation from an avenging Heffalump or two.

At Periwinkle’s Toy Shoppe in Camas, Legos, stuffed animals and science kits a hit for the holidays

Science and Health

“This time of year is pretty special,” said Heather Kesmodel, who co-owns Periwinkle’s with her husband, Dave. They opened the shop at 326 N.E. Cedar St. in 2021.
Kesmodel said she has seen some toys come and go. Pop Its!, for instance, were big for a time.
“Those have pretty much run their course,” she said.
Kesmodel and her husband try to carry a variety of toys in their shop. But she said the staple toys that customers buy at Periwinkle’s are largely tried and true. (Her shop doesn’t sell electronic toys.)
One of the biggest sellers this year is slime (not your mother’s homemade slime). This is fancy slime with fun scents and tiny toys added in.

“We get it in, and then it’s cleared out again,” Kesmodel said.
Fidgets of all styles are popular with kids this year, she added. Some brands are so desired they may actually provoke Tickle Me Elmo-circa 1996 flashbacks when trying to find them for Christmas.
Imaginative play is also big. Kids love stuffed animals and figurines. Calico Critters figures and playsets are especially popular at Periwinkle’s.
STEM sets, like Thames & Kosmos Bubble Gum Lab and Mega Cyborg Hand Science Kit, are also popular sellers.
Season outlook
Trade group The Toy Association said in its holiday season outlook that consumers are still cautious about spending despite inflation slowing.

“But our survey shows that parents are still prioritizing purchases that spark joy,” said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association.
The group’s survey showed 69 percent of parents would cut back on other areas of their budget to ensure their kids have the latest toys.
Kesmodel’s small shop can’t compete with the big retailers, so she can’t get her hands on some products, like the popular Hatchimals brand.
But the toys her shop does carry represent the cornerstones of play: games and puzzles for family time, imaginative play with figurines and stuffed animals, science kits for hands-on learning, and art supplies to spark creativity.
“That’s the beauty of it,” Kesmodel said. When kids experience different kinds of toys, they learn and grow, she said.

At Periwinkle’s Toy Shoppe in Camas, Legos, stuffed animals and science kits a hit for the holidays

Science and Health

“This time of year is pretty special,” said Heather Kesmodel, who co-owns Periwinkle’s with her husband, Dave. They opened the shop at 326 N.E. Cedar St. in 2021.
Kesmodel said she has seen some toys come and go. Pop Its!, for instance, were big for a time.
“Those have pretty much run their course,” she said.
Kesmodel and her husband try to carry a variety of toys in their shop. But she said the staple toys that customers buy at Periwinkle’s are largely tried and true. (Her shop doesn’t sell electronic toys.)
One of the biggest sellers this year is slime (not your mother’s homemade slime). This is fancy slime with fun scents and tiny toys added in.

“We get it in, and then it’s cleared out again,” Kesmodel said.
Fidgets of all styles are popular with kids this year, she added. Some brands are so desired they may actually provoke Tickle Me Elmo-circa 1996 flashbacks when trying to find them for Christmas.
Imaginative play is also big. Kids love stuffed animals and figurines. Calico Critters figures and playsets are especially popular at Periwinkle’s.
STEM sets, like Thames & Kosmos Bubble Gum Lab and Mega Cyborg Hand Science Kit, are also popular sellers.
Season outlook
Trade group The Toy Association said in its holiday season outlook that consumers are still cautious about spending despite inflation slowing.

“But our survey shows that parents are still prioritizing purchases that spark joy,” said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association.
The group’s survey showed 69 percent of parents would cut back on other areas of their budget to ensure their kids have the latest toys.
Kesmodel’s small shop can’t compete with the big retailers, so she can’t get her hands on some products, like the popular Hatchimals brand.
But the toys her shop does carry represent the cornerstones of play: games and puzzles for family time, imaginative play with figurines and stuffed animals, science kits for hands-on learning, and art supplies to spark creativity.
“That’s the beauty of it,” Kesmodel said. When kids experience different kinds of toys, they learn and grow, she said.

Teen internships pave a pathway to careers — and belonging — in science

Science and Health

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For more than 30 years, the California Science Center has worked to build a pathway for local teens to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and at the very least, show them science isn’t boring.

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• 3:46

Teen internships pave a pathway to careers — and belonging — in science

The paid Community Teen Intern program is open to students who live or attend school near the center’s Exposition Park campus, and starting their sophomore year of high school.“A lot of our students from these communities are from under-resourced communities, and so we want to break down barriers and give them access to science,” said Community Program Manager Rosemary Garista.

Black, Latino and women workers have long been underrepresented in science, tech, engineering and math-related jobs.The pandemic may have further damaged the educational pipeline to these jobs. Research from the Public Policy Institute of California found the COVID-19 pandemic “derailed science education” because few schools prioritized the subject, provided additional support for students and requested help from county education agencies.

Community teen interns Ingryd Hernandez (left) and Anaya Camacho. Both say the experience has changed their career aspirations. Hernandez wants to study radiology and Camacho is interested in dermatology. (Mariana Dale/LAist)

Finding a sense of belonging in scienceHuntington Park High School senior Ingryd Hernandez had never visited the Science Center before someone came to her class to talk about the internship.“ There were so many, like, other smarter kids than me. I was like ‘Oh my god, I do not belong here,’” Hernandez remembered thinking after she found out her internship application was accepted. “They… made me feel so welcomed and it made me calm down and be like, ‘I did deserve to be here because… they might have seen something that I didn’t see in me.’”Since she started in fall 2022, Hernandez has researched plant growth, air and space, and worked at the center’s summer camp.

Participate in the community teen intern program

Applications for the 2025-2026 school year will open in August 2025

Requirements:High school student between grades 10-12Live or go to school within a 3 mile radius of the California Science CenterMaintain a 2.0 GPALegally eligible to work in the U.S. Compensation: $17.28 an hour

The interns also meet with center staff, from the CEO to the marine life veterinarians.“Seeing the diversity of people that are here, too, with different, like, backgrounds and wanting to go into different fields,” Hernandez said. “It’s just mind-opening.”

California Science Center summer campers float various objects in the streams of air rising from a Bernoulli table. (Mariana Dale/LAist)

Finding a second homeSome students stick around even after graduation.Program alumna Julissan Gonzalez is studying mechanical engineering and astronomy at Santa Monica College and mentors other students in STEM. She said working at the Science Center helped her overcome imposter syndrome, the feeling that she didn’t belong in the field.

Julissan Gonzalez joined a program to mentor other STEM students at Santa Monica College. She plans to go to grad school and hopes to one day work at NASA. (Mariana Dale/LAist)

“That’s where I started to build my networking, talking to others,” Gonzalez said. “That’s actually where my journey started.”Gonzalez now works part-time in the center’s education department.“ I could say this very proudly, I consider the Science Center as a second home,” Gonzalez said.On an August day during the center’s summer camp, Anaya Camacho explained to dozens of elementary school students how pounding their fists into the bouncy drum-like surface of an air cannon rippled the sequined curtain hanging above them.

“ When I first tried it, I was in awe myself,” Camacho said. “Like, ‘Wow, I can really see the force of the air hitting against it.’”

Camacho said her internship experience has made her feel more confident in school.“ I am not afraid to share my knowledge,” Camacho said. “I will help anybody that’s confused, and I feel like this program has also taught me how to break down science into simpler terms to make it easier for somebody to understand.”The community teen interns usually sign on for a year, but can extend for up to three. Camacho is now in her second year.“I really, like, have never been in, like, such a positive place,” Camacho said. “At school, you don’t really look forward to it. But here, it’s my Saturday morning. I wake up kind of tired, but I can’t wait to go to work on Saturday.”

Science Center youth programs

Other programs for youth at the California Science Center

Summer CampAge range: pre-K to 8th gradeDates: June to August 2025Cost: Prices to be determined, scholarships availableEnrollment: Opens February 2025

Field trips Age range: kindergarten through 8th grade. Maximum of 28 students per session. Cost: $415 per session. Reservations required at least two weeks in advance. There are also free virtual field trip materials (videos, activity guides, etc.)

Homeschool days Various days in 2025 where homeschool students can explore the exhibits, classes and hands-on activitiesAge range: 5- to 13-years-oldCost: $50 non-members, $45 members — pre-registration required