Simon wilson

[jadebudbud]

Also his Egypt video absolutely filled me with dread, the things he was doing with complete strangers
Very brave
But….
also highlighted to me that as a single female traveller
I don’t think most of us would do that, which seems sad. Just made me think

 

[Former_Antelopee]

I think he is a nice guy and the staff everywhere always says so but I think as a member of the public he'd be annoying trying to speak to you

 

[leigh213]

I'm glad to have found a thread on Simon where I can air my issues and see that others feel similarly! I didn't think there'd be one actually.

So I'm conflicted because I like Simon overall and I feel like with some things, he genuinely means well and just wants to make friends with everybody when he travels, and I think that's so cool. But sometimes, his extroverted nature makes him do and say things that I feel like he doesn't think through at all, then it comes across really tone deaf and insulting to other cultures. And I feel the worst part is he never seems to reflect on it to notice it's a problem and address it.

I remember when he went to Rio and was speaking Spanish. Some people in the YT comments think he did it to be an ass, but I honestly don't think he would go out of his way to speak the wrong language. I don't know how he'd miss it but honestly it looked like he didn't know it was Portugues.

However, my main problem comes in with the stealing food and basically smooth-talking, lying and swindling to get free food. I would be embarrassed as hell to hang around a public spot or bathhouse for a few days like he does, but the lying about who he is and making up stories makes me cringe so hard and I feel guilty as if I'm the liar myself. I remember a video, not sure what city, where he "treated" a homeless man to a meal by sneaking him in and lying on both their behalf. And the poor man was confused. I feel like not only could Simon have gotten busted but caught that other man up in it and it was just freaking horrible. This situation to me has no excuse and is clearly in the category of morals vs no morals and I personally don't see how he can continue doing that in good conscience.

I know a lot of his other videos where he funds the trips and all are better and he goes to places off the beaten track which I enjoy seeing. They're not fake-like or rehearsed or over edited.

But the deceitfulness puts me way off.

I see his channel just continues to grow and I'm curious as to what will change about his persona as it does.

 

[emm]

I find his videos boring tbh, always the same just getting free macdonalds and going to spas. As other people have said, Toba is much more creative and gives usable advice, also, obviously he has to be, as a person of colour it would be much more difficult for him to steal/sneak into a hotel than it is for Simon.
I cannot believe how careless Simon was in North Korea, filming in that stadium when he wasn't supposed to, does he have no idea what the north korean govt is like?! I personally think it is totally immoral to go to a country like north korea and act as if it is all nice and normal, we all know it isn't.
Who is this bobby person people have mentioned?

 

[Former_Antelopee]

His videos recently have been very boring imo

 

[Former_Antelopee]

Not saying he didn't pay for it but I've just seen another youtuber post a video where he travelled in the residence with Etihad makes me think they got a discount or something. Maybe it's just a coincidence but the videos were posted a week apart

 

[leigh213]

Latest vlog from Simon visiting his home country of... Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

Not bad, a bit better than a few of his last efforts. Can't figure out if his brother Ben has very dry humour, or is just genuinely bored during this vlog.

I agree some of his recent stuff is falling really flat. He could go anywhere but he's been doing some boring stuff lately with Wales ( not that Wales is boring) but half the fun is him meeting randoms that speak radically different languages and the chaos that ensues. That, and the train from Scotland to London. It feels like there's still so many areas of the world he hasn't been to, I think he should try to visit places that the monopoly board never landed on or at least use that as a guide and branch out, but I feel like every time I see a story on insta, he's somewhere he always ends up, like Dubai.

I'm starting to wonder if he's not "skint" again lol or made bad choices with money. Either that or he's burned out on traveling for now so is doing lackluster things to try to keep engagement going.

 

[Sabbie]

And a thief. Gross human.

 

[JulesWake]

He's married & has a baby, forgot to mention this when I found out.

 

[Haym13]

They are both better than living Bobby

 

[Former_Antelopee]

Maybe they have these Youtubers on standby at short notice in case a cancellation comes up (who doesn't get a refund), and its there way of getting it out there.

If I was travelling in that, I'd want a longer flight and one that doesn't include having to sleep!

I'd want to sleep and use the bed. WillNE was the other I saw he went from the UK to Singapore so a longer flight (and apparently paid less than Simon). He has a stopover as well which is think is perfect as you could sleep one part but enjoy the other. I thought Simon's video made it look better though.

 

[emm]

His "Sweden with No Money" video came up in my suggestions last night so I went ahead and watched it. And yep, still irritated the more it went on.

At one point, when he kept trying to get access to different pools and spas and it wasn't happening, he was like " well the Swedish spas aren't treating me too well this time are they"... and I was like well you're not paying one red cent, so.... what do you expect.

Then he was probably busted at McDonald's again when he tried the whole " I was short a burger and I don't have my receipt and can't show you my bank account because it's in the UK and hasn't been processed yet" thing. But some dude in there recognized him and watches him and likely told the manager after he left.

I can't believe he has no shame about it. I do also cringe at the way bystanders and other folk are all in his videos without knowing because he likely holds his camera/ phone in a way they can't tell.

Then he roomed with some guy that he found on an app I guess? And while it turned out fine this time and every other time prior, because he's still alive, I just feel like he's going to eventually room with the wrong stranger.

i haven;t seen it and won;t bother, i don;t get the point, travelling somewhere new a lot of things like food are, for me, a big part of the experience. I don;t want go travel somewhere just to eat macdonalds

 

[Haym13]

I think he's fab

 

[emm]

I'm not subscribed to him on YouTube but his videos constantly come up on my Facebook, his content is just the same thing over and over again. Also his way of speaking is really annoying , he asks a question like "what platform is if?" They answer and he repeats "platform ... yeh is it?"

 

[leigh213]

I've only just found out about this guy (a couple of years too late it seems haha). Have your opinions changed?

I'm still subscribed to him, he recently hit 1m. I think it's well deserved considering the work he's put in and the fact he's braved places like Syria and Chernobyl lol but I'm liking the fact that he hasn't done the McD's freeloading thing in what feels like a LONG time. He also hasn't done a no money challenge recently where he sneaks into a hotel buffet, but I suppose using their rooftop deck or shower like he does is still not nearly as bad to me as the lying to McD's. I think he might have left that in the past, although it still bothers me that he did that, if he ever acknowledged that as a mistake that'd go a long way with me but I know most of his subscribers don't care about that part and rather think it's cool.

Anyways I digress. Still like how he makes friends with anyone, tries to learn people's names and get them right and show interest in them even if he gets stuff wrong from time to time. He tries to help other people up the same way they help him, so I think all in all, he's a good person.

Now that Harald Baldr... Jesus I can't stand that guy. I think on Simon's last travel with him, Harald brought hard liquor on the plane and now by association, I think they've red flagged Simon in the Netherlands? I think. Anyways ugh, one mystery is why Simon even associates with him still.