Travel Disaster Stories

My son, Alex, recently finished high school and we were funding his upcoming road trip with his pals. The journey was scheduled for Wednesday when unexpectedly, my in-laws met with a severe car accident in another state, turning our plans upside down. We faced a daunting four-hour drive as my wife was deeply distressed, her father was in a critical state, but fortunately, he survived.

We have two younger children aged 11 and 7, and leaving them alone wasn't an option. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any last-minute babysitter; even our neighbors couldn’t help out. Thus, Alex, who is 18, had to step in. He was understandably upset but had no choice. I promised him we would compensate him and tried to get him to reschedule the trip with his friends. However, they couldn’t postpone it.

After my wife and I spent two days away, and with my wife staying behind to be with her parents, I returned alone. When I talked with Alex upon return, trying to sort out how he could still catch up with his friends, he was extremely frustrated, arguing that too much of the trip had already been missed. Despite still having 12 days left from the two-week trip itinerary, he felt disheartened and locked himself in his room after calling me unfair.

He later spoke with his mother and the conversation did not go smoothly either. After yelling at her and blaming her for everything, she broke down, which led her to send him photos of his injured grandparents. Ultimately, Alex decided to skip the trip altogether, as the airplane tickets would not be needed anymore.

During a heated discussion, my wife found herself furious at Alex's attitude - yelling right at the start of their call and accusing her of being selfish. To complicate matters, we learned that although my father-in-law was showing some improvement in feeling in his legs, our son’s friends had advanced further, now closer to their next destination, Mexico.

In the midst of this chaos, I haven't yet broken the latest developments to my wife, waiting for a calmer moment. It's difficult indeed managing such family crises.

If this incident were part of a reality show, the drama and intense emotions would undoubtedly draw viewers in. A camera would capture every strain on Alex’s face as he dealt with the abrupt changing of plans, the tearful breakdowns of my wife, and the high-tension exchanges between family members. Viewers would be glued to their screens, speculating about the outcomes and possibly questioning each family member's reactions and coping mechanisms. The blend of family loyalty, young dreams, and critical health emergencies could provide a potent mix of relatable and voyeuristic entertainment.

It’s curious to ponder - who the audience would sympathize with more? Who would be seen as the antagonist in the whole affair? Such complex family dynamics made public could offer widely varying interpretations from an engaged audience.

I’m on vacation in Europe with my husband. We’ve been together for 14 years, and this is our first trip without the kids. We hoped this two-week getaway would rekindle our relationship, but we’re now on day 9, and things haven’t gone as planned. We’ve only had sex once, and that was while drunk, feeling like we forced it. Our sex life has struggled since having children, and it got worse after my husband admitted he loves me but isn’t sexually attracted to me anymore, which hurt since I’ve gained over 100lbs in the past three years.

We’re staying at a stunning 5-star resort with a private pool and terrace, but my husband has been critical of everything – the hotel, staff, food, and other guests. Five days ago, a young British couple moved into the room next to us. They’re very attractive, and we can see their terrace from ours. Since their arrival, we’ve heard them having sex twice a day and seen them being very affectionate on their terrace, with the woman often sunbathing topless. It’s hard for me to get used to.

My husband quickly befriended them, and it feels like he’s lusting after the woman next door, though she seems oblivious. I’ve spoken to them, and they seem nice. Two nights ago, I was woken by their loud sex noises and asked the concierge to have them quiet down. The next evening, the man next door angrily confronted my husband, who didn’t know I had reported it, leading to a big argument between us.

My husband called me ridiculous and a prude, saying if I were more carefree, we wouldn’t have issues. When I mentioned his interest in the woman next door, he said, "Why wouldn’t I? She’s young, thin, and hot," clearly a dig at me. He angrily walked around the room and went to sleep in silence.

This morning, I woke up to a text from him saying he went on a hike alone, something we had decided not to do. Since he returned, we’ve hardly spoken and decided to order room service instead of going out for dinner.

Am I wrong for complaining about the couple next door? Or is he wrong for leaving me alone in the hotel all day on vacation? How would you react if this was a reality show?

I'm a 29-year-old woman. My boyfriend, Matt, is 30. I have two kids who aren't biologically his, and we've been together for four years.

Last week, Matt's friend invited us to a four-day couples retreat with him, his wife, and another couple. The retreat included couples massages, romantic dinners, and other activities. We were supposed to leave today. Matt mentioned the trip to me, so I started looking for babysitters.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a sitter. My kids' dad rarely takes them, and their grandmother is just as unreliable, only seeing the kids to post pictures on social media and act like a perfect grandmother. Usually, when we make plans, Matt reaches out to his mom or sister-in-law, since they're the only people nearby. This time, he didn't do that, so I called them yesterday to see if they could help, but they couldn't. I figured that since I couldn't go, Matt wouldn't go either.

This morning at 5 am, I woke up to him packing. I asked him what he was doing, and he said, "Packing. I need to leave by 7 am to meet up with George." I asked why he still intended to go on a couples retreat when his partner couldn't even go, and whether he even wanted me to go since he didn't help find a sitter. He said, "If you wanted to go, you would have found a sitter. I don't have time for this."

This really bothered me. He kissed my forehead and left. Fifteen minutes ago, he texted me pictures of his suite, which had flower petals, champagne, and even a heart-shaped bed. I texted back, "Have a good time." He took this as an attack and said, "Don't be clipped with me. It's not my fault you didn't find a sitter." I responded, "I wasn't being clipped. And it would have been nice if you could have helped find a sitter. I know they aren't your kids, but if you wanted me to go, you should have put in some effort." He replied, "You're being an asshole right now, and frankly, you're being overdramatic as well."

Am I wrong for getting upset that he went without me?

Honestly, if this were a reality show, I wonder how people would react. Would they see my side and agree that he should have helped, or would they think I'm overreacting?