What Were Your Strangest, Wackiest, Most Unusual Travel Assignments?

[EnLinea Media]

Most of us have at one point or another taken an assignment or two that've made us think, "I can't believe I'm doing this." Do share!

[Stephen Hartshorne]

For wacky, the Houston Art Car Parade is hard to beat:
http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/art-car-gallery.html

[Karen Fawcett]

I do recall an assignment where I stayed in a perfect hotel on a secluded island. It was going to be a wonderful article. Not only were the accommodations ideal but the kitchen turned out *** food. Here was the quintessential romantic destination. Then l I received the news the majority of the hotel had burned down including the property's kitchen. The reconstruction would take a year. My deadline was then -- and I had nothing to write. The experience was fabulous and I looked forward to returning to write the piece for the newspaper - that no longer has a travel section. Sigh. No problem. The hotel hasn't been rebuilt either.
This is not a funny story. Sorry.

[José Balido]

Not a funny story, but certainly a sign of the times!

karen Fawcett said:

I do recall an assignment where I stayed in a perfect hotel on a secluded island. It was going to be a wonderful article. Not only were the accommodations ideal but the kitchen turned out *** food. Here was the quintessential romantic destination. Then l I received the news the majority of the hotel had burned down including the property's kitchen. The reconstruction would take a year. My deadline was then -- and I had nothing to write. The experience was fabulous and I looked forward to returning to write the piece for the newspaper - that no longer has a travel section. Sigh. No problem. The hotel hasn't been rebuilt either.
This is not a funny story. Sorry.

[Adriane Berg]

Perhaps a little off point-but my first trip was wonderful-to Santa Fe-but I drink wine and champagne, so I ordered and paid for myself. My two co-press travelers took me aside and said that they only earn $35,000 a year, that because I paid for my drinks the CVB would get the idea that only food needed to be provided, and that I should never put my hand in my pocket again! I felt foolish-but since then, I wait and see what is appropriate-still it took the bloom off a novice's rose!

[Roderick Eime]

Figuring I could get an inside running and an exclusive (because no-one else was this nuts) I volunteered to do the Macau Skyjump just after it opened. Trussed up in superman suit, cables and guy wires, I stepped off the platform into thin air 235 metres above the pavement. My knees were still shaking hours later.