ADVERTISEMENT

The joy of travel is in the discovery. However, in these days of Tripadvisor, Instagram and Google maps, the magic of the unexpected has been diminished somewhat; we seem to want to find exactly what we are looking for, rather than simply bask in the newness of it all.

There is a certain kind of traveler that takes this concept to the extreme, and would probably be happier just staying at home. You'll find them in English pubs up and down the Spanish Costas, red as lobsters, tucking into egg and chips and complaining about the lack of Marmite or baked beans, or some other obscure product from the U.K.

Then there are the Instagram hordes who saw a heavily filtered picture of an iconic attraction and join a huge crowd of people with selfie sticks, jostling to get that exact same shot. Hardly the breathtaking and romantic experience you had in mind, was it? When reality fails to match expectations, based on the promise of home comforts or unrealistic Instagram images, people get disappointed and make ridiculous complaints.

These vacation complaints, made to real travel agents and tour companies and based on a Thomas Cook/ABTA survey, are so absurd that it's hard to believe that they are real. Spanish people speaking Spanish in Spain? The brochure didn't tell us it would be like that! Why is the sand yellow? I expected white sand!

I guess the lesson to take from all the disappoint and ridiculousness is this: Travel without expectations, and accept that the world doesn't exist simply to cater to your comforts and photography needs.  Go with an open mind to discover, experience and learn!

Scroll down below to see the list for yourself, and tell your travel stories in the comments!

#1

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
kaisu-reinikainen avatar
Kaisu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This can't possibly be real, no one can actually be this stupid

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

But are we getting more picky about our holidays? How are people's travel habits changing? Let's take a look at the ways that technology and modern life have affected the ways we choose to spend our time off.

We travel more frequently but for shorter durations: "The Office for National Statistics in the UK conducted a survey called the International Passenger Survey in 1996 and 2016 to uncover the biggest changes in the travel habits between the 1990s and now – that’s a 20-year study," Drifter Planet writes.

"The results show that Brits are now going on more holidays than before. In 2016 they went on more than 45 million holidays abroad, compared to only 27 million in 1996, an overall rise of 68%. But despite this, holidays are becoming shorter, proving to be one of the biggest changes we’ve seen over the years marking a huge decline of two week holidays. A week-long break is now much more popular than ever before and there’s been an increase in holidays lasting up to 10 nights."

With budget airlines making the citybreak a more affordable option, it's no surprise that people are exploring their own continent more, rather than save it all for one big summer trip. It keeps you fresh to get frequent little escapes from work and daily life, rather than waiting almost a whole year for the summer to come around again!

ADVERTISEMENT
#2

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
stonewoodoo avatar
vikrant-talponkar avatar
Vic
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But it's true!! The Americans use their proximity to Jamaica to their advantage. They remove their travel time and put it in the Brit's time.

Load More Replies...
kristypuffer avatar
Kristy P
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Next time you go, fly to the US and THEN down to Jamaica. Problem solved!

mmagcoco avatar
Turnip and a Frog
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They should so sue the Map Making Institute People for this! If they do, I really hope this lands me a pretty Pacific island right in front of my door in the middle Central Europe 😏

crhind avatar
Christopher Rhind
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait till they see the extra travel time to get to Europe after the Brexit move !!

lilskittleme avatar
Molly E
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are they really tracking everyone's flight to see whose takes the least amount of time?

pmnovack avatar
Kanga9ine
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not the ones who booked a flight to mars. Took them a lot longer and their luggage burned up.

wll_leitz avatar
Wlle Leitz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My first trip to Vancouver, asked the locals - What time does the ocean close ???

suzclark795 avatar
Suzanne Clark
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess it's comforting to know that stupidity is not exclusive to any one country...sad though.

janapetlnov avatar
Jjjane20
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They could have taken a flight to USA a swim the rest...

mollyloveswayne avatar
Molly Block
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not literally in hours. The comment was based on what time it is in the USA and what time it is in the UK. Remember the UK is hours ahead of us, so it made the time travel to the USA seem a lot shorter, when it wasn't.

k8rosebudjohnson avatar
Kate Johnson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

EVERYONE should have to work at least one year in retail, particularly during holidays. Maybe then people would realize that there really *are* people this selfish, self-centered, and stupid. Maybe it would stop.

smileyrie avatar
Smiley Rie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those pesky Americans - always rigging things to their advantage lol

lisachambers2018 avatar
Lisa Chambers
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is definitely unfair. You should petition your govt to move closer.

maggiec2ditto avatar
Maggie Collins
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, dahling, stop and think....."with the sun" "against the sun"? Hmmm?

diana4words avatar
Diana Crawford
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, this statement proves geography should have been taught in kindergarten or pre-school or started while attending pre-school and kindergarten. Why I'm I thinking "You may not past" hmm

happywaffle12 avatar
WaffleFryLife
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i know it's sad, but I didn't even begin to learn geography until around sixth grade! it's gotten easier, but I really wish I had started learning sooner.

Load More Replies...
mikep23 avatar
Mike Procaccini
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is Totally unfair!!!! The Americans get all the breaks!! How wrong!!!!

nikki_16 avatar
Nikki
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

hm. wonder why? i guess they don't know distance works.

heynsdesigns avatar
Shirley Heyn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who promised you life would be fair? You better get used to it, I'm thinking you are going to keep running into these kind of problems for the rest of your life.

freescotland avatar
Free Scotland
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m sure this wasn’t in the literal sense. This category is mostly fake.

idrow avatar
Id row
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've actually seen other version of this type of complaint. There really are people that stupid out there.

miriamemendelson avatar
Mimi M
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought the first one was a classic. This is Shakespeare level.

tdbaker avatar
TD Baker
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so much for the educational system. this is beyond sad and stupid.

wll_leitz avatar
Wlle Leitz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tourist stopped me and asked if I could help him out ! I replied - sure can, which way did you come in...

anngam1043 avatar
Annamay
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's dreadfully unfair! Please don't travel again. I'm begging you.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Active holidays are on the rise: As people are becoming more health conscious, so are wellness holidays becoming more popular. Instead of letting it all go with booze and food while away, people are seeking to recharge, repair, and have more of a fitness-oriented break. Things like Ayurveda, Yoga, reiki, body detox, spa and meditation holidays have all seen a huge spike in interest, while classics like hiking, camping and cycling are as popular as they ever were.

Conversely, the old 18-35, contiki tour classics are on the wane, which many people would see as a good thing. While there are still plenty of resort options if you want to get wasted, sunburned and laid, it doesn't quite seem to have the same appeal to the younger generation as it did for us oldies. Maybe kids these days are just more sensible, introverted, health and image conscious to get into wild drunken brawls on the streets of Benidorm or Ayia Napa.

#4

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your husband is probably making the person bathing topless uncomfortable. It should not be allowed to ogle.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

Social media's effects: Back in the old days, you'd arrive at your destination with maybe a guide book, a map and some interesting new banknotes. These days, we've seen photos of everything, read all the restaurant reviews, know which attractions we want to photo ourselves, as well as the funky 'hidden' bars and hangouts. We all find these things in the same place: Google. 'Top 10 things you must see in Porto' leads tourists to the same few places in the city, all busy instagramming away and trying to keep the crowds out of their image.

If somewhere happens to be particularly popular on Instagram, it will be packed with people trying to get that 'money shot,' rather than simply enjoying the aura of the place. The tumbling, colorful buildings of Cinque Terre; the strikingly blue streets of Chefchaouen, the sun setting over the pyramids of Giza... we've all seen these iconic images in gorgeous photos, and we want to take those exact same photos. Perhaps it has always been that way, but Instagram has definitely 'influenced' the way we travel.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
vikrant-talponkar avatar
Vic
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a Goan, I apologise for this obviously forsee able error. Next time we'll suck the spices out, before we serve you gravy!

View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
karinajo avatar
Kwj
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like someone has "sniffed" too much hairdye chemicals already :O

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#16

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#19

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
dhejno avatar
Rowlie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would have solved it by pushing them into the water to wait for boat's arrival

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

Funny-Customer-Travel-Complaints

Peter Dickinson Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You would hate it in Australia. Shops open 9am - 5:30pm Monday to Friday except late night shopping one day a week, which finishes at 9 pm. Saturday is 9-5 and Sunday is 11-5. Although supermarkets are open from 7 am - 9pm mon to fri.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu