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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/xXDANG3RDANXx on 2026-07-25 08:21:09+00:00.
First off, I'm an Australian, this took place between the city of Rockhampton and the town of Yeppoon in 2014 so you can look up the route yourself if you want.
When I was 18 and stupid, I went to the next town over, there was a big illegal block party on a public road, lots of drink driving, illegal racing, drugs etc. I just stuck to the drinking, I was a passenger in one of the drunk races but that's another story (Never ever do this! Never get in a car with a drunk person driving). At some point my friends that drove me there left and at around 1am someone asked me how I was getting home, I told them I'd just sleep at the bus stop and wait for the bus home.
They told me because the next day was Anzac day, the busses wouldn't be running because it was a public holiday. I was like 'Aw fuck' so I had to decide what to do. I could sleep in a bush and just be pointlessly bored and homeless for a day then get the bus home the next day but I'd need food and drinks and stuff, and would I even be able to afford the bus after that, I only had $25. Or I could start walking.
On the way out of town I stopped at each of the 24 hour petrol stations and got some "supplies". 2 bottles of water, a bottle of Powerade, a bottle of Maximus (the rip-off version of Powerade that comes in larger bottles). Some Doritos, Burger Rings and Twisties for food, and a roll of duct tape and scissors.
I had just watched the Mythbusters episodes where they used duct tape as a survival tool, so I figured it would be useful. And it was! I fashioned some rope by twisting the duct tape up, I made a bandolier to hang the plastic bags from so I didn't have to carry my stuff, I made a holster for the maximus bottle so it was always in reach when I needed it. I made a pouch on the bandolier to slip the scissors into in case I needed them for self defence.
By the time I got to the edge of town it had been over an hour of walking. It was overcast and very dark. Behind me was all the street lights, lights of buildings, sounds of cars, but out on the highway was just pitch black. But I figured I'd already walked that far, I may as well finish it, so I kept walking.
About an hour out on the highway my phone ran out of battery, I'd been listening to music while I walked so if something happened now I'd be fucked. As the sun was coming up, more cars started passing me. About 5 hours into the walk, I could feel the blisters forming, I taped up my heels but it still hurt to walk. I started thinking about finding a spot on the side of the road to sleep, a nice bush or something, but the sky was still overcast and getting darker and I didn't want to be caught in the rain if I could help it, so I kept walking.
As the sun kept rising and I kept walking, what passes me but the bus I was told wouldn't be running! And here was me standing there like an idiot on the side of the highway covered in duct tape after stupidly spending my last dollar on Doritos, so I couldn't afford the bus now even if it did stop it. Feeling like an idiot I took all the tape off and left it behind, I'd eaten and drank all the food by then anyway so it didn't matter much.
After a total of about 12 hours of walking, I made it home, fell into bed and slept for I don't know how long, I think 18 hours. The next 3 days after that were a blur of me barely being able to stand and using a wheeled office chair to slide around my unit to microwave food. If there's a moral to this story I'll let you figure it out. I don't drink much anymore but I'm great at 2 truths and a lie.
TL;DR I got drunk, walked 45km to go home after spending all my bus money thinking the busses weren't running