Share your vacation disaster

[davidpdx]

Mine happened three years ago. I live in Korea and broke my ankle three weeks before leaving on a trip to the US. I walked on it for a few days before going to the doctor (stubborn, yes). In order to go on the trip I had to buy a big walking boot ($200). When I left I was mildly ill and by the time I got to the US I was pretty sick and it continued to get worse. I went to an urgent care clinic and got antibiotics. No dice. Traveled up state and continued to get worse. Went to another urgent care clinic. The doctor basically said "do not stop at go, go directly to the ER now". I went to the ER and the initial diagnosed was, yes you guessed it, pneumonia. Spent five days in the hospital in a private room since I was possibly contagious (they said they didn't know for sure). Ended up finishing my vacation and flying back to Korea and then had to get back on a plan a week later so I could go work in China. Got the bill later for the hospital stay, $30,000.

[Paper Roses]

1. Typical US health care disaster. It is no wonder many of us don't go to the Doc.

I don't blame the doctors, it is the whole awful system that is out of whack.
I have a few health issues and am afraid to find out what they are. I think, at my age, I'd be better off just riding along instead of wiping out what little that I have left for my kids when I go.
I hope you are able to resolve your situation. If you are a citizen of Korea, can you just ignore the bill?

What a world!!!!

[davidpdx]

2. I'm a US citizen, but a permanent resident of Korea

In the end because I was a student at the time, the hospital foundation paid the bill. I got lucky.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. My trip to Japan before this one was for a board meeting, but I purposely extended it

to allow for a bit of vacation time.

Unfortunately, I came down with a bad respiratory infection on the fifth day of twelve. I was able to attend the meetings I needed to attend (just sitting all day), thanks to Tylenol, vitamins, and lots of liquids, but then I was supposed to visit some friends who live in a small town north of Tokyo. I got through the visit all right, but upon my return to Tokyo, I was REALLY sick and spent the remaining full days of my trip in the hotel room, sleeping and watching TV, too sick to do anything else.

The upside? I didn't spend much money. If I had been well, I would have bought things and taken day trips.

This is the first time I ever looked forward to leaving Japan. I usually feel as if my visits aren't long enough.

[Little_Wing]

4. Cursed vacations

I don't seem to have personal disasters on my vacations, but they seem especially ill-timed when it comes to the rest of the world... in 1989 my vacation to Hawaii was scheduled to begin on Oct. 18, the morning after what turned out to be the Loma Prieta earthquake in central California. We were on the 2nd plane allowed to fly out of SFO the next morning, then spent our 10 days on the Big Island glued to the TV trying to follow what was happening back home.

In 1992, a trip to Disneyland for my son's 5th birthday was made especially exciting by another earthquake (the Landers) which we rode out on the 9th floor of the Disneyland Hotel.

A 1997 a trip to the Pacific Northwest coincided with the death of Princess Diana.

In 2001 I journeyed to New York City and enjoyed a fabulous dinner at the Windows on the World restaurant in the World Trade Center on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 4, one week exactly before 9/11.

In 2005, my long-dreamed-of first visit to New Orleans was interrupted by a little hurricane by the name of Katrina, and I never even got to see it before it was devastated.

Michael Jackson died at the beginning of my Yosemite camping trip in June of 2009.

Last year I somehow managed to schedule a trip to Lake Tahoe at the exact time the Republicans decided to shut down the government...

Do you think the universe is trying to communicate something to me? Like STAY HOME? Urggh.

[davidpdx]

5. Geez, remind me never to go on vacation with you!

I flew back across the Atlantic from Europe via Detroit arriving in Seattle on September 7th. If we had came back a few days later, we would have been stuck in either Europe or Canada. I was scheduled to start grad school the third week of September.

I've never been to Lake Tahoe, but my mother spent the summers there when she was a child before all the development took place.

[Little_Wing]

6. No, see you are SAFE with me!

It's the rest of the world that goes to hell while I'm gone

[cbayer]

7. Mine is somewhat similar to yours.

It was not a vacation, but it was to a convention in Hawaii and the first time I had every gone there.

My flight left early and I had called a pre-dawn cab.

Coming down my rather steep front stairs with luggage, I stumbled and heard a sound I have never heard before.

My ankle hurt, but I'm pretty stoic. I was able to get to the airport and checkin, but by the time I got on the plane, the swelling had really kicked in.

Changing planes in SF, I realized that I could not walk….. at all.

I called for a wheelchair and made it to the gate.

After asking for a change to a bulkhead seat so I could keep it elevated and a bag of ice, the flight crew beta to get a little concerned.

They even had the pilot come out to take a look. He asked if I was sure I would be ok to fly and i, holding back tears, smiled broadly and said "Of course!".

I just wasn't going to miss this paid for trip.

A wheelchair, cab and another wheelchair got me to my beautiful room.

I literally crawled to the mini-bar, swiftly removed all of the little bottles of scotch and somehow got up on the bed.

The following day, the hotel staff found me a "doc in the box", where my third degree sprain was confirmed.

Air cast, crutches and vicodin got me through the conferences, but I completely missed the Hawaii part!

[a la izquierda]

8. I've been traveling for six weeks for research.

Left for Mexico in mid-May, then traveled from there to Berlin 30 June. It's my first trip to Europe.
I flew through Heathrow.
My bags went missing. Heathrow and British Airways have been worse than useless. It could be days until I get my luggage, which happens to have some work in it, including my letters of introduction that are required by all archives.
Swell.
I'm going on vacation tomorrow as a result. Here I come, Rotterdam.

[davidpdx]

9. Good luck on your vacation

I hope you aren't going on British Airways.

[a la izquierda]

10. I flew British Airways.

The flight service was great. The finding of my bags service, not so much.

[davidpdx]

11. You are a glutton for punishment

I will never fly United again. I hate them, I hate them, I hate them.

If you ever fly in Asia, either Asiana Airlines or Singapore Airlines are good.

[a la izquierda]

12. I didn't have a choice, unfortunately.

The travel agent for my university booked the travel. Gah….

[davidpdx]

13. Cross that person off your Christmas list

I've worked at a few places where I've gotten reimbursed for plane tickets. The policy has changed here and it's implied to be part of your salary. #sucks