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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

I bow deeply to your honesty and relate hugely!! *Anything* like this on vakay is instantly 💯 times worse, esp if it's one's caboose acting out lol. Thanks for this refreshingly bold vignette to start the day! xo

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Thanks for reading, Sue, and for empathizing despite the nature of the topic. I've been so immersed in this year's down under experience (thankfully, without a repeat of any of the previous shenanigans) that I'm just getting 'round to replying. I have to admit: I'm feeling a bit of a lift from "refreshingly bold."

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John Lovie's avatar

Oof, what a pain in the ass!

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

This is one of those times we can all use "literally" and mean it. Thanks for chiming in, John.

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Meanwhile, Elsewhere's avatar

"Bold vignette" indeed! I'd need more than a minute to find a better story from down under. Good to hear from you, whatever the subject matter! Have a wonderful visit, free of any blemish!

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

More than halfway through this second adventure without a recurrence, thank goodness. I guess I can put the trepidation fully behind me now. 😆

Thanks for your support, Stew.

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Rona Maynard's avatar

One cheeky travel tale deserves another. Once in London, after washing my undies in the hotel sink with hand soap. I developed the most horrible rash in my privates. It hurt to walk. Hand soap had never let me down before, but now I use the same extra-gentle soap I apply to my face.

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Oh my goodness, Rona. That must have been awful! Can't imagine what was hiding in that soap to cause such a ruckus. On the other hand, the thought of you washing undies in the hotel sink brings a happy reminder of my mother doing the same, her "granny panties" hanging from various towel and shower racks in hotels the world over. Smart way to travel, as long as nothing reacts badly. Thanks for sharing!

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Rona Maynard's avatar

Of all the hotel sinks I’ve used for washing lingerie, this was the only one that caused a problem.

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Amy Cowen's avatar

I hope this trip is medically uneventful! But it’s always good to have a family that jokes together.

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Uneventful so far, Amy, and I'm very relieved. Being able to laugh at ourselves and each other might be bit of a dying art, but we're doing our best to keep it alive over here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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Beth T (BethOfAus)'s avatar

Pimples in paradise! Excruciating, but hilarious. Poor love.

The closest I can come is a tooth coming out while flossing in a tiny Sydney bathroom on my first night of holidays before flying to Broome. A few days later I admitted defeat and saw a wonderful lady dentist in that tiny remote township. She carefully extracted all the pieces of my disintegrated tooth’s root - on her lunch break because that’s the only spare time she could fit me into - and I was able to continue my holiday in much less discomfort. Thank goodness.

Hoping this trip is much less eventful from a health perspective.

Hugs from not too far away! 🤗🤗💕

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Oh, that was not at all nice of that tooth, coming apart at such an inopportune time. How fortunate you were to find a capable and generous dentist. Think how much easier our circumstances would have been had these issues shown themselves while we were still in our usual locations. Geez!

Thanks for stopping by, Beth. Australia is beautiful right now!

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Beth T (BethOfAus)'s avatar

A wonderful time of year. Enjoy your stay. 🤗🤗

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Jill CampbellMason's avatar

Cheeks have their time in the sun...sort of

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Ha!! Their moment in the spotlight, for sure. Yikes! Thanks for reading, Jill.

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Thomas DeFreitas's avatar

Ah, yes, down under! My favourite part? The parenthetical "in fact, it had been" [manhandled]. But egad, what a travail!

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Ha! A set-up for another story, I suppose. Appreciate you being here, Thomas. Thanks so much!

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

Oh my goodness! An uncomfortable - in many ways! - experience but a brilliant story! Gosh! 😅

Have a fantastic trip! x

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Thanks, Rebecca. The kind of story I imagine you wouldn't be caught dead telling. I probably need to work on my etiquette. 🤣 Thanks for reading and for the good wishes. Smooth sailing so far.

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

Ha, you think? Let me tell you about the time when I REALLY needed a wee in a place I hadn't realised was quite such a popular dog-walking area. The heath was covered in bracken, scrubby birch trees and the second-prickliest plant known to man, after the cactus: gorse. Decided I HAD to go ‘al fresco’, and then a mature couple with their dog walked past just inches from my nose, taking me by surprise, and in a (futile) effort to hide I threw myself backwards INTO the gorse bush I had been, erm, crouching in front of.

1. Yes, they had noticed exactly what I was doing.

2. OWWWWWWWWWW.

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Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Ohhhh...owww....noooo...$!%#...hahahahah!!!!...!!! (Sounds like I'm writing the script for your misadventure.) This is a priceless story, Rebecca, and so comforting in its discomfort.

I looked up your gorse, (https://wearethesaltbox.co.uk/foraging-guide/foraging-for-gorse/) learned that there are three kinds, that the flowers and buds are edible in small quantities, that the seeds are toxic, and that it's suggested to wear gloves when foraging for infusions and such. Perhaps they also need a disclaimer in this blog about toppling backwards?

Thank you so much for sharing! 😅

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

LOL - I'm so glad you enjoyed my untrousered tale - I've had such fun telling you about it!

Gorse - and you'd only know this if you're brave enough to get in close enough for a sniff - smells of coconut, especially in the sunshine. And there's a lovely phrase which goes something like 'I will love you while the gorse is in bloom' - which is adorable, because it flowers all year round!

Again, I recommend NOT approaching it backwards with your trousers at half-mast, no matter how desperate you are for a wee. I am NEVER doing THAT again....... 🫣😆😂

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