John - I can assure you that since we started cruising - 2003 we haven't had any nightmares. Helen recovered from her illness very quickly. That must have been about 15 years or more ago - since then my elder daughter has married, had two children and Helen is a godmother to the eldest! One thing that our nightmare did teach us was the importance of good travel insurance. Just to add to the story - the holiday where Helen ended up in hospital - on our way back home just north of Samur our car broke down! I thought I detected just the faint hints of laughter when we phoned the insurance people - again! All was well and we got home safely!
Carole
Holiday Nightmare
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CaroleF
- Senior First Officer
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Hampshire
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Capt Black
- Senior Second Officer
- Posts: 516
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Sarfend
Re: Holiday Nightmare
Not too sure whether this counts as an actual holiday nightmare but it's a good story.
A few years back we went on a cruise out of Hong Kong with a couple we are friends with. A couple of nights before we were due to fly out a group of about 8 of us went out for a dinner/dance evening, including the couple we were going on the cruise with. The "lady" of the cruise couple had too much to drink (not an unknown occurrence) and started a domestic with her fella. To the point that she chucked several drinks over him as as actually landing a few thumps on him as well. He left on his own (soaked in red wine and beer). When she realised the impact of what she'd done she pretended to fall asleep so as not to have deal with it.
There was a large cab for the rest of us, so we took her back to our place, just in case she really was just so drunk that she was unsafe on her own.
Next afternoon was the day before flying. I drove her home and I really did not know whether or not they would be still be going on the cruise. Additionally, they were driving us all up to the airport and had all the pre-flight hotel and parking details as well as the flight e-tickets and pre-cruise hotel stuff for Hong Kong! I really thought I was going to be making an additional journey back to collect all the paperwork and just make our way there.
As it turned out, off we travelled together, as if nothing had happened. Well, there were a couple of "almost" moments, but the cruise happened and we at least enjoyed ourselves.
We do have a chuckle whenever we remember this holiday, but it wasn't so funny at the time.
BTW, they are no longer a couple. He has a new partner. She doesn't.
A few years back we went on a cruise out of Hong Kong with a couple we are friends with. A couple of nights before we were due to fly out a group of about 8 of us went out for a dinner/dance evening, including the couple we were going on the cruise with. The "lady" of the cruise couple had too much to drink (not an unknown occurrence) and started a domestic with her fella. To the point that she chucked several drinks over him as as actually landing a few thumps on him as well. He left on his own (soaked in red wine and beer). When she realised the impact of what she'd done she pretended to fall asleep so as not to have deal with it.
There was a large cab for the rest of us, so we took her back to our place, just in case she really was just so drunk that she was unsafe on her own.
Next afternoon was the day before flying. I drove her home and I really did not know whether or not they would be still be going on the cruise. Additionally, they were driving us all up to the airport and had all the pre-flight hotel and parking details as well as the flight e-tickets and pre-cruise hotel stuff for Hong Kong! I really thought I was going to be making an additional journey back to collect all the paperwork and just make our way there.
As it turned out, off we travelled together, as if nothing had happened. Well, there were a couple of "almost" moments, but the cruise happened and we at least enjoyed ourselves.
We do have a chuckle whenever we remember this holiday, but it wasn't so funny at the time.
BTW, they are no longer a couple. He has a new partner. She doesn't.
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Manoverboard
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 13014
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Dorset
Re: Holiday Nightmare
Not trying to out-carole Carole but her memories reminded me of one of ours ... .
Our flight was from Stansted to Ostend in a DC3 transporter aircraft complete with umpteen patches to conceal the bullet holes, it was a 10 night holiday for £23 with 7 days in a Spanish resort and all the remaining time in the coach. We transferred to our then very modern touring coach for a 26 hour drive to Northern Spain with comfort and meal break stops only.
Just before the border we stopped and waited, and waited, for a lorry which had, it transpired, 200 cigarettes for each passenger to carry through the Belgian / French border crossing. Once through they were collected up again and put under the coach awaiting another lorry sitting up a hillside some 20 miles short of the French / Spanish border. When we eventually got to the border the French got very rattled and held us up for ages because, they said, the coach driver(s) had filled up with fuel in Belgium and would do so again in Spain for the return journey. Maybe they were expecting a few duty frees ...
At 5,000 ft up in the Pyrenees during a long series of hairpin bends the drivers swapped over without stopping and without slowing down.
Eventually we reached the Hotel which is now a luxurious Parador and very Grand it is too albeit less so in our day as we had to share our generous suite with another couple who we didn't even know. We had a huge castle style door off an upstairs landing with a giant iron key and this led into a regal entrance hall with the two bedroom and two bathroom doors leading from it. We had a set each of course, rooms and keys.
On the second day the chap from the other couple contracted dysentery and spent the next six days in and out of the toilet lugging about a saline drip or whatever it was ... no more food for him and the weight just dropped off him of course. It was at that time doubtful that he would be able to make the return trip by coach so I went to the Bank and exchanged enough money for his flight home.
The day before he was due to fly the Doc passed him fit so now I had an armful of Spanish Pesetas to change back into English money but the Banks were shut. The best rates, I was told, was in a casino in Belgium and that proved to be the case but I had white fivers, notes from Cootes and Clydesdale Banks and all sorts.
So if you know a couple ex Solihull called John and Val who tell a similar story then please send me a PM cos somewhere along the way we have lost touch with them.
In our case we continue to enjoy coach touring to this day and indeed beyond.
Our flight was from Stansted to Ostend in a DC3 transporter aircraft complete with umpteen patches to conceal the bullet holes, it was a 10 night holiday for £23 with 7 days in a Spanish resort and all the remaining time in the coach. We transferred to our then very modern touring coach for a 26 hour drive to Northern Spain with comfort and meal break stops only.
Just before the border we stopped and waited, and waited, for a lorry which had, it transpired, 200 cigarettes for each passenger to carry through the Belgian / French border crossing. Once through they were collected up again and put under the coach awaiting another lorry sitting up a hillside some 20 miles short of the French / Spanish border. When we eventually got to the border the French got very rattled and held us up for ages because, they said, the coach driver(s) had filled up with fuel in Belgium and would do so again in Spain for the return journey. Maybe they were expecting a few duty frees ...
At 5,000 ft up in the Pyrenees during a long series of hairpin bends the drivers swapped over without stopping and without slowing down.
Eventually we reached the Hotel which is now a luxurious Parador and very Grand it is too albeit less so in our day as we had to share our generous suite with another couple who we didn't even know. We had a huge castle style door off an upstairs landing with a giant iron key and this led into a regal entrance hall with the two bedroom and two bathroom doors leading from it. We had a set each of course, rooms and keys.
On the second day the chap from the other couple contracted dysentery and spent the next six days in and out of the toilet lugging about a saline drip or whatever it was ... no more food for him and the weight just dropped off him of course. It was at that time doubtful that he would be able to make the return trip by coach so I went to the Bank and exchanged enough money for his flight home.
The day before he was due to fly the Doc passed him fit so now I had an armful of Spanish Pesetas to change back into English money but the Banks were shut. The best rates, I was told, was in a casino in Belgium and that proved to be the case but I had white fivers, notes from Cootes and Clydesdale Banks and all sorts.
So if you know a couple ex Solihull called John and Val who tell a similar story then please send me a PM cos somewhere along the way we have lost touch with them.
In our case we continue to enjoy coach touring to this day and indeed beyond.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being
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emjay45
- First Officer
- Posts: 1192
- Joined: April 2013
- Location: Ellan Vannin
Re: Holiday Nightmare
I'm with you there towney.towny44 wrote:Yes but please keep us informed when you are going, so we can avoid being on the same cruise.,david63 wrote:Carole - I can see why you started cruising
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CaroleF
- Senior First Officer
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Hampshire
Re: Holiday Nightmare
Well we are doing a back to back on Azura next March - so that's a month you better avoid!
Carole
Carole