Holidays can be memorable for all sorts of reasons.
Whether it’s quality family time, an amazing time with your mates, some dodgy food, unexpected diversions, or a short-lived, sun-fuelled romance, there will always be a selection of good, bad and strange reasons why we’ll remember some holidays more than others.
So in appreciation of the unpredictable nature of travelling abroad, the Holiday Discount Centre team have decided to share our most memorable holiday moments – the good, the bad and the downright silly.
Here’s what happened, and the lessons we learnt as a result…
Drinking Hangover Tea, by Vicky Liddle (Marketing Executive)
On a boys’ trip to the lively resort of Malia on the Greek Island of Crete, my partner Steven decided to cook some hotdogs after a great night on the town. Unfortunately, they had no clean pots or pans so being clever lads they hatched a plan and decided to use the kettle. The next morning (or should I say midday) the lads woke to a terrible thirst and decided a nice cuppa would be the order of the day. The kettle was already full of water – or so they thought, not remembering last night’s antics. The rest, as they say, is history: brine flavoured tea. Mmmm.
The lesson: When on self catering holidays, avoid cooking food in the kettle.
The Perils of Motorbikes Abroad, by Mark Graham (Marketing Executive)
“Back in October 1997, while on a cheap lads’ holiday to the party resort of Magaluf in Majorca, me and my mates hired motorbikes to take a look around the island, starting with the cosmopolitan capital of Palma. We set off in the glorious sunshine in our shorts & vest tops looking forward to an afternoon of fun. This was soon spoilt when the rain started to fall as we were closing in on Palma, and one of the party suddenly had to brake and proceeded to travel down the road on his knees. When the rest of us got to our friend and realised the extent of the damage, we took him to several doctors in Palma who did not want anything to do with the situation as no travel insurance was purchased. After a trip to the chemist we strapped him up as best as possible. Then we returned to the bike hire shop in Magaluf, only to be charged £200 for the damage to the bike!”
The lesson: Motorbikes or not, always remember your holiday insurance!
Pesky Sunbeds, by Susan Winter (Sales Director)
I was having a great day in the sun with my champagne on a recent holiday to Puerto Del Mogan in Gran Canaria. After a cooling dip in the pool, I started to chat with my friend and sat on the front of her sunbed. We all know what disaster this leads to, as the bed proceeded to tip and fold in half, throwing me into the nearest shrubbery – which just so happened to be a cactus. Ouch.
The lesson: Always choose the sun lounger farthest away from the cactus plants.
Saturday Night Fever, by Rick Fullerton (Sales Consultant)
I was in a bar while on holiday in Torremolinos on the Costa Del Sol, and became friends with some young locals who invited me to a beach barbecue. We headed down to the beach in their jeep and had a great night of music, food and drink. The next morning I awoke and noticed that my legs felt really heavy, only to discover I was wearing roller boots. Confused as to how the roller boots got there, I removed them and went to reception to see if I could find any of my new friends. On the way down in the lift I noticed that the hotel surroundings seemed a little different. When I got to reception it then dawned on me that the hotel I woke up in was actually in Barcelona. Now that’s a good night out.
The lesson: Always make friends with the locals!
An Education in Flight Upgrades, by Mark Graham
Travelling to Los Angeles with British Airways, I was informed at the airport that my flight was overbooked and asked if I would take a flight two hours later. Thankfully this wasn’t a problem, and for my troubles I was upgraded to business class and given £150. Result!
Lesson no.1: If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
I was put in a similar situation travelling back from New York with Continental Airlines, where my flight to Gatwick was overbooked. Being a seasoned traveller, I started to bargain at the Continental Airlines desk and asked to be transferred to a flight leaving for Glasgow where I was living at the time.
The answer was yes, and I could fly club class for understanding the situation. I happily set off to board my Glasgow bound flight, only to be called back to the Gatwick desk, and informed both flights were now full and I had to stay in airport hotel overnight before my flight to Gatwick the next day.
Lesson no.2: You win some, you lose some.
Skiing in Sunglasses, by Ian Raine (Marketing Manager)
On a ski trip to Andorra, I was enjoying the sun and the snow when I noticed that a man had fallen and was in distress. I skied over and turned him over only to find the leg of his sunglasses embedded in his eye. The reason for this horrible accident was that the chain attached to his sunglasses had not allowed his glasses to leave his face.
The lesson: Since witnessing this, Ian wears goggles only whilst on the slopes.
The Singapore Cigarette Sling by Mark Graham
On a trip to Singapore, I decided to stub my cigarette out on the street, which resulted in a £20 fine. OUCH!
The lesson: Littering is illegal in Singapore. Put it in the bin!
A Sandy Upgrade, by Vicky Liddle
After landing in to Larnaca airport in Cyprus, my partner and I were advised that we had been moved into different accommodation due to a sand storm ruining our original hotel. We were told the new hotel’s name and jumped on the transfer coach feeling a bit worried as the coach headed down to the resort of Ayia Napa. We arrived at the new property and to our delight, the new hotel was one of the best ones in the resort – a great deal better than the 2* self catering hotel originally booked – and even better, meals were included. That’s what I call a result!
The lesson: Even sand storms have their plus points.
We’ll be sharing more of our team’s holiday stories next week. Until then, tell us…
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