Ever had a holiday with friend/s which ended in a row?
A work friend and I decided to go to Paris. When I warned her I would be going off on my own some (her first trip to Paris) Workfriend proposed bringing another friend, who also wanted to bring a friend. All good, two couples and two rooms booked. Well as the only one who spoke French and having visited the city multiple times I found myself doing all the translating, organizing and so on. The three of them followed me around like little pet lambs. I was beginning to feel like an unpaid tour guide. And they couldn’t even agree on which restaurant to eat in. One was a veggie and wanted every menu translating. Eventually I went into a restaurant alone and told them to make their own arrangements. On day 3 I announced I was going off on my own into the flea market and they could make their own way to Notre Dame and all the other tourist attractions they wanted to see. Surely 3 adults can manage in Paris. Its not Outer Mongolia.
Unfortunately friend of friend left a bag with her passport, cash and travel cheques (1970s) on the floor under the table and it was gone when they returned. Long frustrating trip to local police for report (We could have done with your help we don’t speak French) and by the time the translator arrived it was too late to go to the British Embassy for a replacement passport. When I got back to the hotel late evening I was confronted by three hostile companions who made out how it was my fault for “abandoning” them. Next morning there was more bickering because I would not accompany them to the British Embassy to apply for the replacement passport. “We don’t speak French” “Well be prepared for lots of waiting around, form filling and queuing. But Ive got some good news for you. They speak English in the British Embassy so you don’t need me to babysit you”
We sat on separate seats on the train back to Calais.
That was when I decided to begin travelling alone.
