Since It's Friday the 13th: Vacation Horror Stories, Please
Jun 13th, 2003, 11:55 AM
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Since It's Friday the 13th: Vacation Horror Stories, Please
This seems to be a good day to ask this question. What is the unluckies thing that ever happened to you while on vacation?
Mine is this: when I was a kid my parents took us camping in the White Mountains of NH (brother and two sisters). My mother never cared for camping, and it always rained when she came with us. This time was no exception. Shortly after setting up camp, we had dinner and afterwards my mother took her bridgework out of her mouth. This was before dentistry was high tech and you could do that. She put it down, cleaned up after us, and tucked us in for the night.
Around 11 pm she reach for her bridge, AND IT WASN'T THERE. She made my father jump into the campsite dump pit because she ascertained he mistakenly threw it out. My poor dad had to root around the garbage until he found it. By that time it was midnight and my mother was in such a state that she packed us all into the station wagon and insisted that my father bring us home right then and there.
He did, and I'm sure the car was pretty ripe smelling, and I know we never took my mother camping with us again. And it didn't rain on us any other time, either.
Mine is this: when I was a kid my parents took us camping in the White Mountains of NH (brother and two sisters). My mother never cared for camping, and it always rained when she came with us. This time was no exception. Shortly after setting up camp, we had dinner and afterwards my mother took her bridgework out of her mouth. This was before dentistry was high tech and you could do that. She put it down, cleaned up after us, and tucked us in for the night.
Around 11 pm she reach for her bridge, AND IT WASN'T THERE. She made my father jump into the campsite dump pit because she ascertained he mistakenly threw it out. My poor dad had to root around the garbage until he found it. By that time it was midnight and my mother was in such a state that she packed us all into the station wagon and insisted that my father bring us home right then and there.
He did, and I'm sure the car was pretty ripe smelling, and I know we never took my mother camping with us again. And it didn't rain on us any other time, either.
Jun 13th, 2003, 12:21 PM
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We've been pretty lucky, I don't remember any really bad experiences, or maybe I blocked them out!
The only experience I remember that was really scary, was when we backpacked in Europe, and we were on this small train going to middle of nowhere Portugal (can't even remember the name of the town), and we're about 1 hour into the train ride (of course it's a 12 hour train ride to this city!), and the ticket handler tells us that our tickets were no good!! Turns out our travel agent got us tickets for the day before (we had taken an overnight train to get to Spain, and this train was connecting and she gave us tickets for the same day!). Anyways, we freaked out and he told us to get off at the next station, which was awful since we were going to Portugal for a wedding, people were meeting us there to pick us up, and there was no way to contact them!
Finally, he tells us (we're a group of 6) that we can stay in empty seats until they fill up, and if there's no more room, we have to leave the train...So we're playing musical chair for over 5 hours, and finally the section is full, so we panic...Well one of us needed to go to the bathroom at one point, and of course they'll all clogged and discusting so she goes all the way to the other end of the train, and we find a whole area that is completely empty!!! We all moved there, but what a pain! That was the longest 12 hour train ride of our life (not to mention that people were smoking like crazy in the cafeteria, and the food was awful as well!).
The only experience I remember that was really scary, was when we backpacked in Europe, and we were on this small train going to middle of nowhere Portugal (can't even remember the name of the town), and we're about 1 hour into the train ride (of course it's a 12 hour train ride to this city!), and the ticket handler tells us that our tickets were no good!! Turns out our travel agent got us tickets for the day before (we had taken an overnight train to get to Spain, and this train was connecting and she gave us tickets for the same day!). Anyways, we freaked out and he told us to get off at the next station, which was awful since we were going to Portugal for a wedding, people were meeting us there to pick us up, and there was no way to contact them!
Finally, he tells us (we're a group of 6) that we can stay in empty seats until they fill up, and if there's no more room, we have to leave the train...So we're playing musical chair for over 5 hours, and finally the section is full, so we panic...Well one of us needed to go to the bathroom at one point, and of course they'll all clogged and discusting so she goes all the way to the other end of the train, and we find a whole area that is completely empty!!! We all moved there, but what a pain! That was the longest 12 hour train ride of our life (not to mention that people were smoking like crazy in the cafeteria, and the food was awful as well!).
Jun 13th, 2003, 12:30 PM
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When I was about 10 years old, living in a small town in Russia, the only train to take us on vacation stopped there at 4 or 5 am. So my mom woke me up at 2 am to get ready, and as I was falling asleep she decided that the best way to keep the child awake is to feed it with some strong tea and sweets. It turned out to be a nearly deadly combination for me. Most of it now forgotten, the only thing I remember lying in bed throwing up periodically. Till now I never ever eat anything at night! Of course we missed the train and did not go on vacation at all. The good thing is - it did not affect my travel addiction 
Jun 13th, 2003, 12:55 PM
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Summer vacation, my brother is 3, I am 13. We are in Asheville NC, climbing up a mountain (at least it seemed like a mountain) next to a waterfall. My dad and brother are in front, my mom and I struggling along behind, wondering if this climb will ever end.
My little brother fell, hitting his head on a piece of wood sticking out of a rotten tree lying on the ground.
His ear began to bleed.
Hurry, climb down the mountain, don't slip, don't fall, get to the bottom, leave me at the hotel alone and go to the hospital for the rest of the day.
His ear was ok, our vacation really sucked that year
My little brother fell, hitting his head on a piece of wood sticking out of a rotten tree lying on the ground.
His ear began to bleed.
Hurry, climb down the mountain, don't slip, don't fall, get to the bottom, leave me at the hotel alone and go to the hospital for the rest of the day.
His ear was ok, our vacation really sucked that year
Jun 13th, 2003, 01:08 PM
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Scarlett - aren't injuries on vacation fun!
When I was a kid every summer my family camped up in the Sierras. One year when I was in high school, my best friend was on vacation with us. She and I were on our way back to the lake after a day of driving around in the car when we saw our family's other car parked at a little store a few miles from the campground. We pulled into the parking lot to see what was going on. My dad had cut himself pretty good while chopping wood and my mom was in the store calling down to the doctor's office in town to let them know they were coming. We all piled into the car and headed into town. The doctor stitched my dad up and gave him some antibiotics and pain medication and we went back to the lake. My dad was fine, but he couldn't do much more than sit in a boat and fish or read his book for the rest of the vacation - no swimming or hiking for him.
When I was a kid every summer my family camped up in the Sierras. One year when I was in high school, my best friend was on vacation with us. She and I were on our way back to the lake after a day of driving around in the car when we saw our family's other car parked at a little store a few miles from the campground. We pulled into the parking lot to see what was going on. My dad had cut himself pretty good while chopping wood and my mom was in the store calling down to the doctor's office in town to let them know they were coming. We all piled into the car and headed into town. The doctor stitched my dad up and gave him some antibiotics and pain medication and we went back to the lake. My dad was fine, but he couldn't do much more than sit in a boat and fish or read his book for the rest of the vacation - no swimming or hiking for him.
Jun 13th, 2003, 01:36 PM
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Oh yes, what is a vacation without a trip to the hospital?
I dropped a fish (we were fishing) on my foot and the things fin spine went right through my Keds and through my foot! Not all the way, but made a nice hole.
A couple of hours later, a tetanus shot and a stiff arm, who could ask for more fun than that~
I dropped a fish (we were fishing) on my foot and the things fin spine went right through my Keds and through my foot! Not all the way, but made a nice hole.
A couple of hours later, a tetanus shot and a stiff arm, who could ask for more fun than that~
Jun 13th, 2003, 02:42 PM
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We decided to take the inlaws with us to Ireland. Using our FF miles we got 4 business seats traveling from the West coast. Easy to book the tickets, 8 months ahead and received the paper tickets in the mail. A week prior I called Aer Lingus to confirm our seats. Somebody cancelled my husband's seat! 
Since my husband Chris has the same name as his father someone saw the two same names and CANCELLED the seat even though the reservations said Chris JR & SR. So now I started to panic. I called AA and they put the blame on Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus blamed AA. Neither would accept reponsibility and reissue our seat even though we had a confirmed paper ticket.
To make a long story short our TA spent 7 days calling both airlines nonstop until someone (AA) accepted responsibility and gave my husband back his seat. During all of this the Airline tried to give us confirmed seats on another route that would take us 27 hours to get back home. No way. So AA gives us the word we are back on track 3 days prior to our flight.
Well, luckily I called Aer Lingus again the following day to reconfirm. Now they told us that we did not have ticket numbers and would not be allowed to board the plane. At this point I was ready to
. Again through harrowing calls to AA we were finally correctly ticketed .
We went through 1'1/2 weeks of hell not knowing if we'd make it for our long anticipated tour of the Emerald Isle. That was by far the worst travel experience ever.
Since my husband Chris has the same name as his father someone saw the two same names and CANCELLED the seat even though the reservations said Chris JR & SR. So now I started to panic. I called AA and they put the blame on Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus blamed AA. Neither would accept reponsibility and reissue our seat even though we had a confirmed paper ticket. To make a long story short our TA spent 7 days calling both airlines nonstop until someone (AA) accepted responsibility and gave my husband back his seat. During all of this the Airline tried to give us confirmed seats on another route that would take us 27 hours to get back home. No way. So AA gives us the word we are back on track 3 days prior to our flight.
Well, luckily I called Aer Lingus again the following day to reconfirm. Now they told us that we did not have ticket numbers and would not be allowed to board the plane. At this point I was ready to
. Again through harrowing calls to AA we were finally correctly ticketed .We went through 1'1/2 weeks of hell not knowing if we'd make it for our long anticipated tour of the Emerald Isle. That was by far the worst travel experience ever.
Jun 13th, 2003, 03:35 PM
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We too took inlaws to Europe a number of years ago. On day 1 or 2 we arrived Amsterdam early in the evening, without a reservation, but trusty guidebook in hand. As the most seasoned traveler, I was designated tour leader, so I picked a pension within walking distance of the train station, relying on guidebook's review.
The "pension" was situated above a pretty sleazy looking bar, which, in retrospect should have been clue one. But we were tired, and only staying one night...... Only one room available, but with four beds, and the price was right (clue two?). Did we want to see the room ?(clue three?) No, it's only for one night......
We were led to a room furnished with four army barrack type beds, two bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and a sink. Paint was peeling from the dingy, stained walls, exposing broken plaster. Memories of the bathroom down the hall are completely blocked.
And the view...... three or four large windows opening to three or four large windows five feet away. The rooms behind those windows were occupied by working girls. We knew this because, it being a warm summer evening and there being no air conditioning, all the windows were open......all night.
I view the whole episode humorously, but MIL still thinks it was part of a conspiracy. BTW, the guidebook mysteriously disappeared, and from that point on, decisions were made on a consensus basis.
The "pension" was situated above a pretty sleazy looking bar, which, in retrospect should have been clue one. But we were tired, and only staying one night...... Only one room available, but with four beds, and the price was right (clue two?). Did we want to see the room ?(clue three?) No, it's only for one night......
We were led to a room furnished with four army barrack type beds, two bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and a sink. Paint was peeling from the dingy, stained walls, exposing broken plaster. Memories of the bathroom down the hall are completely blocked.
And the view...... three or four large windows opening to three or four large windows five feet away. The rooms behind those windows were occupied by working girls. We knew this because, it being a warm summer evening and there being no air conditioning, all the windows were open......all night.
I view the whole episode humorously, but MIL still thinks it was part of a conspiracy. BTW, the guidebook mysteriously disappeared, and from that point on, decisions were made on a consensus basis.
Jun 13th, 2003, 04:24 PM
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A friend of mine from childhood has a birthday on July 12th, so its close enough to the 13th for this to be a Friday the 13th horror story.
When we were young and on into our teens, she would always end up having to go to the dr for some reason on or around her birthday.
We would usually go to the lake and she would cut her foot on glass or do something to have to have stitches or would be broken out with poison oak and have to go get shots, etc.
You name it, ALWAYS there was some catastrophe on her birthday.
Well, as we grew older and she and her husband came to visit for a weekend, she walked into the house (her birthday weekend) and had slit her hand and had it in a huge bandage (stitches too of course)...she had taken her black lab for a walk......and he decided to take off running for a cat or a car....and his chain went through her hand...
Well, we had a whitewater rafting trip planned for the weekend, so we had to take a rubber glove and tape it up so she could go rafting and not get her hand wet....Always, she got hurt on her birthday when I was near.
Well, her birthday is drawing near now..just a month away.......and she was in town this week for a seminar...well, she didn't hurt herself this time, but there was a horrible storm while she was here and she ended up in an area with power outages that still have not been restored.....Then, as she headed home, she sat in interstate traffic for a long, long time due to a 3 day music festival....(she should have just exited with the festival traffic!)
Go figure, maybe its just that I bring her rotten luck....She will turn 50 on the 12th of July, so I have a feeling she will avoid me like the plague...Bet she doesn't even answer her phone before she checks her caller id!!
When we were young and on into our teens, she would always end up having to go to the dr for some reason on or around her birthday.
We would usually go to the lake and she would cut her foot on glass or do something to have to have stitches or would be broken out with poison oak and have to go get shots, etc.
You name it, ALWAYS there was some catastrophe on her birthday.
Well, as we grew older and she and her husband came to visit for a weekend, she walked into the house (her birthday weekend) and had slit her hand and had it in a huge bandage (stitches too of course)...she had taken her black lab for a walk......and he decided to take off running for a cat or a car....and his chain went through her hand...
Well, we had a whitewater rafting trip planned for the weekend, so we had to take a rubber glove and tape it up so she could go rafting and not get her hand wet....Always, she got hurt on her birthday when I was near.
Well, her birthday is drawing near now..just a month away.......and she was in town this week for a seminar...well, she didn't hurt herself this time, but there was a horrible storm while she was here and she ended up in an area with power outages that still have not been restored.....Then, as she headed home, she sat in interstate traffic for a long, long time due to a 3 day music festival....(she should have just exited with the festival traffic!)
Go figure, maybe its just that I bring her rotten luck....She will turn 50 on the 12th of July, so I have a feeling she will avoid me like the plague...Bet she doesn't even answer her phone before she checks her caller id!!
Jun 13th, 2003, 07:05 PM
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I've got a good one...
Right after I graduated from high school, a group of my friends talked me into going to to a several-days-long music festival; a camp-out and everything.
I had never been camping. Neither had they. We were looking for an excuse to flex the muscles our newfound adulthood.
I was naively thinking "Woodstock." Sure, I had never heard of most of the bands, but I thought it would be an adventure. What we got was "Ozzfest" on steroids.
We get there, only to find that we were among the few relatively normal people there -- the rest looked like cast members from "Night of the Living Dead," although scarier and more intimidating. And between drunken brawls, they puked at will, asked us for drugs, and propositioned us.
As we were getting ready to turn tail, since the "scene" didn't seem to be exactly what it was cracked up to be, a horrible storm quickly approached and we sought shelter in our tents to wait it out before leaving, since our car was about half a mile away. Only, our tents leaked and dripped and dripped and leaked. Then they leaked a little more.
By the time that we made it back to our cars, we were absolutely covered in mud, as was most of our gear - which had been made delightfully unwieldy and heavy, while waterlogged and muddy.
Collectively sighing with relief at the prospect of finally getting out of dodge, we quickly noticed that my best friend's car was missing. So in the age before cell phones, eight of us, plus camping gear, squeezed into an elderly Volvo station wagon to find a police station.
Now, to the tune of "Jingle Bells," sing "Oh, what fun it is to ride, claustrophobic all the way!"
My friend never got her car back. Her parents were pissed. I came down with pneumonia and spent two weeks of my supposedly blissful last summer vacation sick.
So I've never, ever, let anyone else make my travel plans again.
Ever.
Right after I graduated from high school, a group of my friends talked me into going to to a several-days-long music festival; a camp-out and everything.
I had never been camping. Neither had they. We were looking for an excuse to flex the muscles our newfound adulthood.
I was naively thinking "Woodstock." Sure, I had never heard of most of the bands, but I thought it would be an adventure. What we got was "Ozzfest" on steroids.
We get there, only to find that we were among the few relatively normal people there -- the rest looked like cast members from "Night of the Living Dead," although scarier and more intimidating. And between drunken brawls, they puked at will, asked us for drugs, and propositioned us.
As we were getting ready to turn tail, since the "scene" didn't seem to be exactly what it was cracked up to be, a horrible storm quickly approached and we sought shelter in our tents to wait it out before leaving, since our car was about half a mile away. Only, our tents leaked and dripped and dripped and leaked. Then they leaked a little more.
By the time that we made it back to our cars, we were absolutely covered in mud, as was most of our gear - which had been made delightfully unwieldy and heavy, while waterlogged and muddy.
Collectively sighing with relief at the prospect of finally getting out of dodge, we quickly noticed that my best friend's car was missing. So in the age before cell phones, eight of us, plus camping gear, squeezed into an elderly Volvo station wagon to find a police station.
Now, to the tune of "Jingle Bells," sing "Oh, what fun it is to ride, claustrophobic all the way!"
My friend never got her car back. Her parents were pissed. I came down with pneumonia and spent two weeks of my supposedly blissful last summer vacation sick.
So I've never, ever, let anyone else make my travel plans again.
Ever.
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