Please lighten up. Barb's just having a bit of fun. She deserves it!

No pressure Barb but you are on a roll. :)

It's educational too. I'm getting some pointers for my trip next week!

kakalena

"... if one of these women ever comes across this report..'


It would be a surprise if one of these women came across this report. It doesn't sound like they did any research going into the trip the chances of them reading Fodor's is slim now.

wliwl,

You can't post twice on a thread without us thinking that you're enjoying as much as the rest of us :-)

As my daughter would say "You think too much"

I'm just enjoying the trip report for what it is - Barbs point of view. I'm not sure I could have been that patient without my tongue bleeding from all the 'biting' it :-)

Hi alya, I agree..and besides a bleeding tongue I would have had a splitting headache, a clenched stomach, a stiff back, new frown lines, more gray hairs, well you get the picture I am sure, LOL.

Barb, I truly do appreciate your sense of humor. I know this trip was not what you anticipated especially after all the work you went through to arrange it. Having usually been put in the position of being the "travel agent/guide" I really know how much time and energy you must have spent getting this trip together. Now continue on please........your fans are waiting. Well OK, you can get a good nights sleep but don't forget about us tomorrow alright?

Oh, no, I feel like I'm going to live out Barb's nightmare next year.

I mentioned earlier that an ex-coworker and I had talked about going to Venice next year. She & I have never travelled together, so I was a little nervous but thought it would probably be okay.

Tonight, she and some other people met for dinner & drinks. She and I mention our trip and she turns to another woman there and says, "want to come with us?" I immediately thought of Barb's trip and cringed..Oh, No, it will be having the nightmare next! I like the other woman she asked, but I don't know if I could travel with her. I worked with her for 4 years and she can be a "little tense", she even didn't speak to me for a week because I played a joke on her -- a harmless joke -- we all would play jokes on each other..... Now, I'm petrified, it's already getting out of control! I'll have to speak to her and put an end to this before it gets even worse.

Of course, I thought if all 3 of us went, we could get an apartment and it might be fun...but now I'm scared!!!

Hi LoveItaly, It's been a while since we 'talked', I hope everything is going well. x x

Grey hairs???? Nope sorry not me! but then I do have a wonderful hairdresser.

Denial? Me? Hah!

I had the opposite experience travelling with someone I didn't know very well to start with. A few years ago, I was living in London and periodically communicated with my former boss' assistant. She was an incredibly friendly and professional woman, about 18 years older than I. One day I told her in an email that I had split up with the guy for whom I'd moved to London; she replied by saying that she had just left her husband after 25 years of marriage. I immediately invited her to come and spend a week with me in my new London apartment, which had a spare room. She accepted, and we started to make plans.

Eventually, it transpired that she asked if, instead of spending a week travelling on her own in the UK (and spending a week in London with me), could she come on the guided hike I'd planned in Southern Spain; she said we could both save on the single supplements, and at least I'd have a roommate I knew. Well, of course I said yes, even though the idea gave me pause. I thought to myself, "I don't really know this woman, and it's going to be like travelling with my aunt. She's never travelled alone before, only with her husband. And she's the the kind of person who lives in high heels, is always immaculately dressed, made up and coiffed, and dresses entirely in white. I'm not sure how she's going to cope in Spain - although this was a hike where we based ourselves in a hotel."

I was completely wrong in my misgivings and had a wonderful time with her. She was such a good sport. Yes, she packed a little more than I would have packed, and yes her wardrobe did include a number of white items. Amazingly, they stayed white (I think there's a teflon-like force field around her ...) She was curious, enthusiastic, ready to try anything and fit enough to do the walk. I have a great photo of her hanging upside down in a tree picking oranges and throwing them down to the group.

Back in London, I watched her confidence at making her way round the city alone grow with each day. I visited some sights I never would have visited, while she made her own plans for most days while I worked - sometimes taking a guided tour, sometimes not. She had done her research, and had some ideas about what she wanted to see; she just asked for a little advice on how to get there. Other than orientation walk on day one in London, and some careful plans about how and where to meet, she did it on ther own. We'd have a relaxing easy meal at home or go out for dinner.

I was so lucky to have had the opportunity to travel with her and enjoy seeing London through her eyes.

Oh my, Barb, it just keeps getting worse! At least most of the Divas will never go back again to plague the good people of Italy. But can you ever go back to some of those restaurants?

Just for the other side of the record, I've traveled a lot with different groups of people: with friends, business colleagues, DH and I with other couples and with individual male and female friends. I can only think of 2 times that were unpleasant. One was not in my control, and the other I probably should have known better.

We also have a close group of about a dozen friends and many of us have traveled together in various combinations. Those have been some of the greatest trips I've ever taken. So it CAN work out!

I have a wonderful firemd that I met years ago in NY/NJ who was introduced to me before i moved to Ireland. She was they only person I knew who would go to an Indian restaurant and loved to travel. Over 10 yeras we have met up in London twice and she has visited me 3 times in ireland. I love travelling with her because she will go anywhere and have a look at anything. My favourite memory is walking up and down Portabello road in London for an entire day looking at EVERY stall and making pit stops in the pub for drinks in between. It was like being with someone I knew for years. I knew her for about 6 months through a friend before I left America and now she will be back to visit me in March and I can't wait to tour the countryside with her. SHe has turned into a good friend and I always look forward to seeing/travelling with her.

Hi lyb
>She and I mention our trip and she turns to another woman there and says, "want to come with us?" <

My suggestion is that you immediately find a reason why you have to cancel the trip with this woman.

((I))

I think in some weird way when you are in the middle of a vacation-from-hell you still keep hoping that the travel fairy will come and make everything fine. I would think that that is how Barb felt knowing that she still had eight days to go! I would be hoping that the really weird ones would turn tail and head for home early so that I could enjoy the rest of the vacation (fat chance, I know....but one always hopes).

The scope of how awful an experience like that is does not really hit you until it is over. Then (if you are a well balanced person) it turns from disastrous to hilarious.

hello Barb,
The way you describe them, your travel companions seem like they are from the seventh circle of hell. But at least you harvested some great fodder for your story! But maybe that's why you stuck it out? We can't wait to read more tales of woe.

Knowing that life is short, and vacation time is very precious (at least to me), If i come back to read that you actually continued to hang out with these ladies (?) for yet a week more, then I'll know you're a true martyr at heart.

What's with that story about not being able to command anough closet and drawerspace for your clothes and toiletries? Is that true? If you are a traveller and not a tourist as you say, and over fifty years old, you must know how to negotiate this kind of thing.

As a fellow traveller over fifty, I like solo travel, but I've had a few travel roommates in my time, and I know I would put up with it for not more than five minutes before I found a nice way of getting my share of a shared space.

Give us more, this is fascinating!

What's with that story about not being able to command anough closet and drawerspace for your clothes and toiletries?


Blame the victim? Gah! : D All the woman did was go on vacation with the kindest of intentions.

Barb I hope you can finish the story before the villagers come for you with torches. It is almost Halloween you know. ; )

Barb -

This story is so great I'm printing it as it happens for my husband...he rarely is on the computer. Anyway, he loves your writing style and will certainly be your #1 fan when he reads your favorite dish is the bucatini...his as well.. so much so I have found bucatini here at home to make!!

Anticipating the next installment! :)

"They had a really good lunch apparently right across from the Vatican. D said this real nice man was standing in the door asking people to come on in. They had pizza that didn’t have that thin crust like everywhere else and it was only 5 E. I don’t say a word."

LOL!!!

my favorite part is when you said that you have 8 more days to go. im selfish and can't wait to read about the next 8 days!!

I can't believe I just sat and read this entire 201-response post in one sitting - couldn't stop! I need the next chapters!!!

Barb - I hope you've recovered somewhat by now, but better have another glass of wine just to be sure. What a trip! I feel guilty for enjoying the report so much when you were, rightfully so, in agony. Just remember, your next trip will be so much better.

This is great. It would make a great movie. I am going to Chicago for a "girl friend" weekend in December and now I'm thinking "am I crazy" because I know at least one in the group has tendencies like these divas.
Looking forward to the next installment.

"What's with that story about not being able to command anough closet and drawerspace for your clothes and toiletries? "
"Blame the victim? Gah! : D All the woman did was go on vacation with the kindest of intentions."

I agree-it appears that all these other women really did victimize Barb terribly, who seems like a nice person and a talented writer as well.

They must have a nightmare to be around. I do feel so sorry for her, and apologize for my awful insensitivity in asking why she didn't separate from them earlier.

Barb, I hope you are able to carve out a better experience for yourself next time with these lessons you learned.

Absolutely no disrespect to any other Fodorites, but this is possibly the best trip report I have read here. Thank you so much for the honest entertainment Barb!

Barb, I can so relate! I went on a trip last year with 3 other women. It was to one of my favorite destinations, but when they begged me to go this year, I came up with so many excuses it would make your head spin.

These women acted as if they were incapable of finding their gate at an airport, finding their luggage at baggage claim, finding a taxi stand, making a dinner reservation. It drove me insane! To top it off, all they wanted to do was shop!

I'm sorry that you had to endure this torture, but I have to say it does make fascinating reading!