Mishaps And Misfortunes

      Studies have shown that there's a 20 to 40 percent chance you'll become ill or suffer an injury when on vacation. During our recent three-week vacation my wife and I avoided becoming sick aboard our Princess cruise ship and we weren't injured, but we did suffer mishaps.

     On our first day at sea, my wife fell near a pool, gashing her elbow. “I see blood,” a member of the crew cried out, then asked if they should call 9-1-1 for medical assistance. Wendy declined that, though others helped her to her feet. “I will pray for you,” the crew member said. I was unaware all this had happened until my wife returned to the table where I was sitting. She was in tears as she said, “I want to go home.”

     We were just beginning to cross the Atlantic Ocean and would be at sea the next seven days at least. Leaving now didn't seem to be an option other than maybe a helicopter airlift. Maybe those prayers offered would kick in and we would be okay.

     But the following day, Wendy fell again. This time it was in a public shopping area aboard the ship and employees immediately did call 9-1-1. Shortly afterwards, a member of the medical staff arrived but Wendy again refused medical assistance. We helped her to her feet and went back to the room where she iced her badly bruised knee.

     After her second fall, my wife switched to a different pair of shoes and had no more falls. However, I suffered a mishap of a different kind when my one and only belt broke. Trust me, I was not overindulging at the ship's buffet. The metal part just snapped. What to do? The ship's shops claimed they did not sell men's belts. I had to rig up a temporary belt using the fanny pack strap I had brought. I had to do something or else I was going to be revealing more than my moves while gyrating to the Beatles' Twist 'n Shout on the dance floor.

     Mishaps and misfortune are common on vacation as everyone knows. It could have been worse for us too. I saw one guy with a cast on his leg navigating a knee scooter towards the ship's dining room. He said he broke his leg in the middle of a six-week vacation.

     Misfortune also can take other forms. Wendy and I were aboard an elevator when a pre-teenager came sliding into the elevator in his stocking feet. I assume it was his mom who asked him, “Did you find your shoes?” to which the kid replied, “They weren't there.” Mom didn't look happy.

     While at Heathrow Airport, I saw a security staffer pull out a couple passports from a bin that had been left behind after it went through the electronic scanner. The guard asked if these passengers who had left them were still in the area. He was told they had left.

     The United Kingdom has implemented a new policy that requires tourists to get a visa if they plan to visit. While on an elevator aboard ship, days away from disembarking in England, a fellow passenger said she had not received her visa yet despite having applied weeks ago. Wendy informed her that we had received our's within days. She advised the lady to check her e-mail.

     That obviously wasn't the answer that passenger wanted to hear. I think I saw her enter the elevator on a subsequent occasion, her laptop opened, and she had an even more concerned look now. Meanwhile, our fortunes brightened. Not only did my wife do better with her walking, bruised knee and all, but they had a $10 sale in the shops aboard the ship.

     They even had belts! Rather than chastise the sales staff for misleading me earlier, I was just happy to have finally found an adequate belt replacement. I bought two.