An Aussie traveler has revealed how her trip to Italy became a nightmare when she was allegedly kidnapped twice within hours by two different men.<\/p>\n
Stephanie, an executive from Melbourne, visited Europe with friends last October.<\/p>\n
When her friends flew out, the 36-year-old stayed behind.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s known for sharing\u00a0DIY home renovation videos on social media<\/a> and was interested in Italy\u2019s \u20ac1-house programs<\/a>: an initiative where abandoned or dilapidated properties are sold for a symbolic one euro ($1.14).<\/p>\n She was also drawn to the kiteboarding offered in the town of Lo Stagnone, near Marsala in Sicily.<\/p>\n While staying in the town, she joined a meet-up with fellow kiteboarders that seemed harmless, but soon became frightening and dangerous.<\/p>\n On social media, Stephanie shares DIY home renovation videos. stephadiy\/Instagram<\/p>\n The group was heading to another bar, and trusting them, she got into a foreign expat\u2019s car, only for him to speed away from the gathering.<\/p>\n \u201cI got into the car, and he starts driving. We go 300 meters (about 984 ft), 400 meters (about 1312 ft); and he says, \u2018let\u2019s see if we can get this car to 160,\u2019\u201d she told news.com.au.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018Sorry, what?\u2019 He starts driving faster and faster, and I\u2019m like, \u2018No, please don\u2019t. I want to get out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m terrified. So I start pleading, begging, and the car goes faster. Screaming, yelling, and the car goes faster. And these are small Sicilian roads.\u201d<\/p>\n Promenade and beach in Sicily, Italy. jordi2r \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Eventually, Stephanie fell silent as she texted her location to her kiteboard instructor.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then his friend that was in the front passenger seat said to him, \u2018Is everyone coming back to your place, are they?\u2019<\/p>\n And he goes, \u2018No, absolutely not, no one\u2019s coming.\u2019<\/p>\n Stephanie joined a meet-up with fellow kiteboarders while staying in Lo Stagnone, Sicily. stephadiy\/Instagram<\/p>\n \u201cSo I realized that even the friend doesn\u2019t really understand what\u2019s going on. He\u2019s confused.\u201d<\/p>\n After traveling about 12 kilometers (7 miles), the car reached a gated compound and drove in.<\/p>\n \u201cI just decide, well, I may as well check the car door. Because I\u2019m not safe with these people. The friend doesn\u2019t seem like he\u2019s got enough backbone to stop whatever this man has in mind for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Discovering the door was unlocked, Stephanie jumped out and ran.<\/p>\n \u201dIt opened, and I just ran and ran, for as long as I could, before I found an object to hide behind and check if I was being followed, and I wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephanie was interested in Italy\u2019s \u20ac1-house programs. stephadiy\/Instagram<\/p>\n After a couple of kilometers, she came across a quiet little town and saw a security guard\u2019s car with warning lights.<\/p>\n Stephanie found the guard patrolling the area and used a translation app on her phone to tell him what had happened.<\/p>\n He agreed to give her a lift to her accommodation, and even called his boss to explain what he was doing.<\/p>\n She thought she was safe and moments from being back in her hotel room. But again, things took a sinister turn.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \u201cHe just pulls over into this alleyway, and he\u2019s determined to translate on my phone.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I finally gave him the phone when he\u2019d stopped driving, and he typed on the phone: \u2018What are you going to do for me for driving you home?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cSo I just did the same thing. The door was open, and I ran into a vineyard.\u201d<\/p>\n Having shaken off the security guard, Stephanie walked in the direction of her hotel, hiding whenever she saw headlights in the distance \u2014 not willing to take a chance on any other passer-by.<\/p>\n Stephanie was traveling alone after her friends flew home following their trip together in Europe. stephadiy\/Instagram<\/p>\n At vending machines along the way, she stopped to buy drinks so that the transactions could be tracked if necessary.<\/p>\n She made it home and \u201ccried all the next day\u201d before reuniting with the kiteboarding crew, who were \u201cbeside themselves\u201d to hear of her ordeal.<\/p>\n