Before I get in trouble, I have to point out these pictures do not depict the actual room or persons involved. They are just representative to get your imagination to run away with you thinking about the potential horrors!

1. London Hotel Claims Mildewed Basement Room To Be Best In Hotel


We paid about $135/night and for that we got a subterranean room in the basement that was cold, mildewed and questionable bedspreads.

The bathroom was covered with mold and mildew and so narrow that we had to dry off on my side of our body, leave the bathroom, turnaround and go back in to dry off the other side. When we complained the "management" indicated that this was the "best" in the house!

WOW!!!!!

Ray Miller

2. Quaint Canadian Hotel Turns Into Strip Joint After Dark


One was is a quaint little coastal town on the West Coast of Canada. The hotel has a beautiful view of the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

When I checked in at 3 pm, the town was quiet, the weather was fantastic and my room which was on the third floor was small but clean and tidy. I took a walk around the lovely little community.

Because I was planning a very early morning departure, I went to bed early, about 8 pm. At 10 pm I was awakened by loud music that seemed to be coming from deep within the building someplace, literally rattling the windows. There was loud shouting and noise on the stairs.

I got dressed and headed downstairs to find out what was going on. I followed the sound of the music. I went through two sets of swinging doors to find I was in a large room with flashing lights, a DJ and naked women in various poses sliding up and down greased poles.

It appears this delightful little hotel turned into a strip club after dark. Also, after dark the rooms could be rented by the hour.

Now, I am sexually liberated and I don’t care what other people do, but I do care when it cuts into my sleep. So, I headed back to my room to pack.

On my way down the stairs to check out, I was stopped by several of the local constabulary who were in the process of raiding the place. I spent the rest of the night having to explain my presence in a brothel.

3. Greek Hotel Ends With Sharing A Room With 37 Cats... And One Bird


The second experience was in Greece. I had a reservation in a small B&B in a small coastal village on Crete. The view was fantastic. The village was very quiet and peaceful. I was planning a three night stay.

The innkeeper informed me that he had made a mistake with the reservations and that he only could accommodate me for two nights. However, he had arranged for me to stay with his aunt for the third night. She lived next door. I said ok.

On the morning of the third day the innkeeper came to my room and moved my luggage to his aunt’s house while I was out. When I came back late in the evening he told me my things were now in this aunt’s house. I had been on a archaeological dig that day and I was exhausted, so I went with him next door.

When he opened the door the odor slammed me in the face. He introduced me to a petite happy Greek woman who did not speak any English. I speak no Greek. She showed me to a lovely room with a view of the ocean.

The only drawback was the odor. She said something to her nephew, which he translated. Basically she wanted me to pay her for the night’s accommodation, which I promptly did. She left the house. Later she came back with some bags of food. She evidently went to the grocers.

Then the show started. From every corner of this house, from under every piece of furniture, to include my bed, cats emerged. This woman housed 37 cats. It appears my boarding money allowed her to feed her cats. The source of the smell was revealed.


I went to bed, with the window wide open for air, so exhausted, I didn’t care about the smell any more. In the middle of the night, I was awakened by a terrible cacophony of noise.

It appears a bird landed on the open windowsill and was fair game for any one of the many cats sleeping in my room. The cats fought over the kill. Auntie slept through it all, and, I dressed and went to the beach to watch the sunrise.

Judy Thompson, PhD

4. Chicago Hotel Customer Service Falls Flat


Checked into a hotel near Chicago O'Hare with a fully guaranteed reservation, where our trade group was holding a major meeting. All they had was the lower half of a 2-story efficiency.

The tiny space had only a fold-out sofa with a steel bar right in the middle of the mattress. When I couldn't sleep and protested they said "take it or leave it," so I took a $25 taxi to another hotel (my expense both ways).

The next day our association protested, so the hotel people apologized and gave me a room, but after schlepping my luggage what seemed like a mile I discovered that the key they gave me didn't work. They sent someone with a key and another apology.

When I got home they sent me a voucher for a free night -- good only on a "space available" basis.

I returned the shreds of the voucher by mail.

Al Kennedy

5. Oklahoma Motel Security Guard Moonlights As A Pimp


My worst motel experience took place in Lawton, Oklahoma three years ago.

My colleagues and I had reservations for four rooms at the Red Lion motel, but when we arrived late at night we found that they had inexplicably been cancelled. It was graduation weekend at nearby Fort Sill, and every property in town was booked to capacity.

The manager of the hotel that turned us away suggested we try the Motel ___ down the street. (I’m not naming the place for fear of litigation.)

I should have known something wasn’t quite right when the desk attendant said we should inspect the rooms first to see if they were acceptable, pointing to the sign over her head: “NO REFUNDS.” Since we knew we had no other choice, we decided to check in anyway.

We drove around to the back, noting that there was a LOT of activity in the parking lot for 2 a.m.

It turned out that the motel security guard was soliciting business for a group of nearby prostitutes.

Tom Bearden

6. Russian Hotel Vents Sewage Back Into Bathroom


I was staying in a "classy" 4-star hotel in Kaliningrad (Russia).

When I got to my room, the first thing I wanted to do was relieve myself. Entering the bathroom, I was overwhelmed with a strong odor I first detected when I entered my room - think "summer afternoon in an outhouse".

As I sat, I noticed a "floor drain". Proceeding, I soon heard a tinkling sound at my feet, and realized it was coming from the "drain". Nope, it was an air vent, venting ... you guessed it, the sewage line from my toilet. Open windows in the winter was insufficient to diminish the odor that emanated from the vent.

My stay there was not short enough... The next hotel had a similar vent, but there was no odor. Luck of the draw.

Anonymous

7. Belize Resort Gets Flooded By Raw Sewage


Several years ago my wife and I were spending a week on Ambergris Key, Belize.

The resort was a little shabby at the edges but the people were very nice and accommodating. It started to rain the day after we arrived and did not stop for three days.

The sewage treatment plant that was located 50 feet from our back door over flowed and raw sewage was spreading out over the resort.

I grabbed my wife and all of our belongings and ran to the end of the pier. I flagged down a passing fishing boat and paid him to get us to the other end of the island where we managed to find a room and watched it rain for three more day.

We have never returned to Belize.

Anonymous

8. Major Hotel Overbooks But Tries To Get Customer To Still Pay For The Room


It happened just the other day. I reached my destination hotel after a really long day with a confirmed reservation only to find there were no rooms available.

In spite of that, I was informed that I would be charged for the room, since I hadn't cancelled my reservation before 6 pm!

I argued to no avail with the manager, who would only say that I should have arrived sooner (what's the point of a guaranteed reservation, then?).

I eventually had to resolve the matter with the company's customer relations department, who wasn't all that willing to help.

This wasn't at Motel 1 in some 4th world country, incidentally. It was a major worldwide chain right here in the USA.

Anonymous

9. Hotel Booking Website Mix Up Ends Up With Charges For Two Hotels


In 2002 I took my wife and two young sons to London. I had a confirmed reservation at a big London hotel made through an online hotel booking website. A taxi delivered us, exhausted as usual after the flight from Chicago, to the hotel, where I presented the complete paperwork of the hotel reservation, which the hotel clerk maintained meant absolutely nothing.

I persevered, of course, eventually speaking to a manager, who declared that we absolutely had no reservation. With the family now sitting on our luggage at the curb side,

I found a pay phone (no cell phone in those days) and called the website's 800 number, but, if I recall correctly, the only people available were those making reservations. "Customer Service," or whatever they called it, would not open until 8am in their U.S. office (which I think is, or was, in Texas).

To make a long story short, I deposited the family in a coffee shop and began hiking to a list of hotels I got from the one where we were supposed to stay, found a room, and got the family settled.

Later that morning I finally got Customer Service of hotels.com on the line and told them the story, which they insisted was impossible. They said they would call right back after "checking into it," but they never did.

After our return, the entire bill for the hotel where we were turned away appeared on my credit card account, in addition, of course, to the bill for the hotel that we had had to find on our own.

My protests to the hotel booking website were met with replies that as a "no show" I was not entitled to any refund! It took multiple phone calls (cheaper, at least, than from London) and the usual ascent up the management chain before I finally found someone who pronounced herself satisfied that I was sincere--paper records apparently being inadequate for that purpose.

She agreed to issue me a credit for the hotel bill, but, just to add insult to injury, less $50 or so for processing! Judging that I had reached the point of diminishing returns, I agreed.

I now never depend upon a hotel booking made through an intermediary (especially when travelling with children) unless I have direct email, fax, or other confirmation of the reservation from the hotel itself.

Jim Lattis

10. Surprise Pair Of Underwear Left In Hotel Bed Sheets


About 10 years ago I took my two (then) young sons to Princeton, NJ, for an overnight trip.
We checked into a new chain hotel, and all went well. As we were getting into bed, my boys were fighting in their bed together, so I separated them and put my youngest son in
bed with me.

They were still pretty active and my youngest crawled
down by my feet. He then said, "here, mom" and handed me some
underwear.

I told him to put his underwear on but he said, "they're
not mine!"

Imagine the horror!

There was a pair of men's underwear left between the sheets - gross!!!!

Needless to stay we never stayed at that hotel again!

Beverly Buffkin

11. When An Amorous Couple Is Only The Second Worse Thing To Wake You


So, the first night I spent in the hostel was interesting.

I was in a room with seven other people, and trying to fall asleep at around what to my biological clock was 8:00pm. I succeeded, but at 4am I was awakened by "oh yeah, so nice! Oh yeah, so nice! Oh yeah, so nice!...etc." On the bed directly below me.

Everyone was awake by the end of their little escapade, (which we got to hear narrated in great detail) staring at the ceiling, knowing we asked for it for $20 a night, but still.

They could've at least tried to be quiet but then they woke me up early as dawn the next morning playing a tin whistle in the room.

I mean seriously, if you get the urge you get the urge, but no one's GOTTA play the tin whistle.

Earplugs will help you retain your love for humankind under these circumstances.

Cheers,
Rachel Strickland

12. Nepal Hotel Has Different Idea Of Hygiene


I was with a small group of travelers on the road from Tibet to Nepal, when our tour guide found out our hotel was overbooked. We were sent to another establishment down the street. I and another woman were assigned a room where there was a great glob of matter from someone's nose deposited onto the wall directly above the bed'.

We asked to have the wall cleaned, and an employee said they would do so, but no one ever came. My roommate was so freaked out about the wall filth that she wouldn't lie on the bed.

There was no other room for us to go to, so I pushed the bed away from the offending stuff, lay down in my clothes and slept as best I could that way. We were sure glad to hop on a shared truck and go over the bridge to Nepal the next day!

Oh - all of the toilets were situated directly over a raging stream that tumbled down the mountain - everything went into the town's drinking supply!

Sincerely,
Gail DM Giacomini

13. Arizona Hotel Has "Coachroach Wallpaper"


My husband checked into an interstate motel somewhere in Arizona. He called me from his room. While on the phone, he noticed the wallpaper on the wall across the room was different - it seemed weirdly animated, with movement!

Yes, it turned out to be a solid color wall with so many cockroaches on it he thought it was a pattern.

Caris Turpen
Fort Worth

14. Lincoln Hotel Blames Bloodstains On High School Wrestlers


Driving back from a ski trip in Colorado to Chicago with two children under age 10, we stopped at a chain hotel in Lincoln, NE.

It was 10PM and we were exhausted. Got into our pyjamas, brushed our teeth, and pulled back the sheets --- to find bloodstains on the sheets.

Hotel management completely stripped the beds, including the mattresses. We were too tired to leave.

The excuse was there had been a high school wrestling tournament during the weekend and housekeeping was over whelmed!!

We never stay at this particular hotel chain.

Linda

15. Towel Saves Couple From Mice, Vomit Smells And Fighting Drunks


I was 24 years old "Eurorailing" it with my girlfriend for two months. Our last stop, and our worst hotel, think "Bates Motel" was in Amsterdam. We went to one of the cheap hotels listed in Frommer's, or Fodor's, or Who Knows What.

It was a room over a bar; normally not a problem, but this, definitely a problem. I think everyone at the hotel was an alcoholic regular who leered at us as we walked by.

We shared a communal bathroom down the hall - neither of us would go to it without the other. The hallway smelled like vomit, and it sounded like the drunks were fighting in the middle of the night.

On top of it all, when we turned off the lights, we heard a scurrying - sure enough - mice. We thought we chased them all out, and then heard them again. They were coming in under the gap of the door.

We chased them out again and then stuffed a towel under the crack of the door. Not only did it help keep the mice out, but the smell of vomit, and sounds of fights.

Needless to say, we checked out early in the morning and paid a little more money for a safer place.

M. Moore

16. Hotel Uses The "Bait And Switch" Method To Charge Higher Prices


My wife and I went with another couple Toronto which neither of us had previously visited. When traveling we stay at Bed & Breakfasts whenever possible while our friends had never stayed in one. I made the reservations via the Internet.

The internet site contained a glowing description of the accommodations to include a gourmet breakfast. Upon arrival, I knew something was drastically wrong. The place was located next to a boarded up building. In front of the "B&B" garbage cans were overflowing. Out of curiosity we went in and were greeted by the manager.

The hallway walls and the room he showed us were filthy, to include a leftover condom wrapper on the bathroom sink. The sheets and towels looked as if they had been previously used. The so-called "gourmet breakfast" consisted of boxes of cereal from which to choose.

As we started to leave the manager made a quick phone call and implored us to go to their other B&B located nearby. Upon arriving at it, we found that it was the one described on the Internet and was more than double the price.

How do you say "bait and switch"? The owners had deceptively used the single description for both of their accommodations. Needless to say, we did not stay there either. I advised the owner we were cancelling our reservation. She stated she would have to charge me one night's stay. I told her not to but she did anyways.

Subsequently I did a charge-back on my VISA to cancel her charge. I also wrote the Toronto B&B Association and AAA about our experience. We and our friends had a good laugh. It was worth seeing the expression on their faces when we pulled up to the first accommodation.

I believe they still stay in hotels.

Jan H. Zimmerman

17. Customer Awakes To Find Maid Stealing Wallet


My worst hotel experience was waking in the a.m. to find a maid reaching for my husband's wallet which was lying on the dresser.

Only moments before, my husband had left our room for his usual 6 mile morning run and had encountered the cleaning person outside our room & had requested that she not disturb our room since I was still asleep.

(She ran out of the room when I confronted her.) When I reported the incident to the Security dept., I was told there wasn't anything to be done since there was no way to tell who it could have been.

No one was assigned to the floor? Needless to say I've never stayed at another of their so-called 5-star establishments!

Anonymous

1. How To Repair A Broken Hotel Toilet (And Other Items)

Michael: A travel tip I have seen before, but never too much of a good thing. I always carry a small roll of duct tape with me. I even used it to repair the broken toilet seat in a villa we rented in France.

Calvin

2. Another Use For Your Mobal World Phone

In response to Bill McGough's story of getting a wake-up call from his wife--my Mobal phone has an alarm function. On a trip to Italy this past May, I discovered that I'd forgotten my little travel alarm. No worries. I used the alarm function on the Mobal phone and never missed getting up when I needed to, including the wake-up for a 4:30 departure from the hotel to the airport. (Can't help but wonder if Bill was staying in Taormina and had to get to Catania airport, which doesn't open--that is, the manned counters don't open--until 6 a.m.)

Betty Sheldon

3. How To Rearrange Hotel Electrical Items To Your Liking

I always pack a 6' extension cord. Sometimes plugs are not easily accessible for hair dryer, to relocate the coffeepot (out of the bathroom, for instance) and/or my phone charger.

Kathy in Louisiana

4. How To Keep An Emergency Telephone Numbers' Back Up List

Make your emergency info available anywhere. E-mail to yourself all important card numbers and reporting telephone numbers, passport number, emergency telephone numbers, insurance info, consulate's addresses and numbers in the cities you will travel to, anything that can get you out of a jam.

Gauri Devi

5. How To Identify Your Luggage Easily

To make it easy to identify your luggage at a distance, put tape (with your initials) on your luggage (duct tape and or reflecting tape on the corners).

Also, in addition to a luggage tag attached to the handle, consider taping your name and address inside the bag.

Robert Lamson

If you've got a way to video yourself, and you'd like an easy and free $50 call credit on your Mobal World Phone, we want you send us your videos.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Some way of videoing yourself, like a video camera, digital camera or web camera.

What to include in the video:

1. Your name and where you’re from
2. Whether you use your Mobal World Phone for business, leisure or both
3. Where you’ve used your Mobal World Phone
4. What you like most about the Mobal World Phone
5. Any example of an interesting or useful call you were able to make
6. If you would recommend other travelers buy a Mobal World Phone too

If you manage to plan ahead, then it would be great to get your video while you’re actual overseas, and you could make a call from the country you’re visiting.

Your video doesn’t have to be very long, or of the highest quality (but it is important that we can hear what you’re saying OK), so don’t worry too much about creating it.

How to send us the video:

The quick and easy way:

1. Once you’ve shot your video, if possible, you should upload it to a video sharing website like www.youtube.com or www.blip.tv.

2. Once it is uploaded it will give you a web address for your video that you can cut and paste into an email and send to me at michael@mobalphone.com

3. Also remember to include your name and Mobal World Phone contract number in your email, so once we receive it we can credit your account with the $50.

The slower and more complicated way:

1. If you cannot upload your video to your computer, then you can mail your video tape or DVD to:

Michael Furniss
Mobal Communications
Suite 300
171 Madison Avenue
New York
NY
10016

2. Remember to include your name and Mobal World Phone account number with the video

3. Once I’ve received it your account will be credited with $50.

So get filming and send your videos now...

Just follow the instructions above and send your videos to michael@mobalphone.com

If you have any questions before your create your video, then you can also email those to michael@mobalphone.com

1. Holiday destination
Chile

2. Type of holiday
Travel

3. How long did you go for?
3 weeks

4. Who did you go with?
I went with two friends

5. Your best holiday experience and why?
The driest desert in the world, San Pedro de Atacama

6. Your worst holiday experience and why?
Worst...? Don't think I have any bad memories...!

7. Tips for traveling to this country
Take a hat and don't drink tap water.

8. Would you travel to this destination again?
Yes I would definitely going again.

9. Would you recommend this destination to others?
Oh yes, Chile is a good place to start if you are new to South America I think as it has a good transport system and standard of living I hear is higher than the rest of the countries.

1. How To Avoid Jet Lag

There is a product I've used for years called "No JetLag". It's made in New Zealand and can be purchased through Magellan's (travel supply company like Travel Smith). I used to buy it at Trader Joe's in CA but they don't carry it any longer.

No JetLag is a homeopathic product... take 1 tablet 1 hour before departure & every 2 hours while flying & 1 more 1 hour or so after landing. I'm usually pretty much right on local time as far as being ready to go to sleep, eat and so forth. I don't exactly feel like I've had 8 hours of the greatest sleep ever but certainly not waking up at weird hours and so forth. Another symptom I still feel as part of jet-lag is sort of a "heavy, tired body" feeling, like I've done a lot of extra yard work, lifting or whatever, which I guess I have hauling luggage etc... but that feeling is minimal.

So give No JetLag a try.

Karen Kanar
Born to Travel

2. How To Get A Better Night’s Sleep

I keep 1 or 2 wooden clip-type clothespins in my luggage to hold curtains closed that won't do so on their own.

3. How To Stop Spreading Germs

The largest size of Purell or other hand sanitizer or wipes that will fit in my purse comfortably. After unavoidable contact with any hard surface such as counters, doors, airline arm rests and seat belt buckles we use it to help prevent transfer of germs.

4. How To Be Prepared For A Hotel Blackout

A small but powerful flashlight comes in handy lots of times other than a hotel blackout or fire.

5. What Not To Forget When Renting A Car

When driving in a country where I don't understand the language, a compass is very useful.

Bonnie McNeil Lampert

Based on the experiences of Mobal World Phone users...

1. Clipping Your Finger Nails



There is a time and place for everything. And clipping your finger nails on an airplane is neither the time or the place!

"The worst is people who clip their fingernails. It is a total lack of class and respect to have someone’s dirty and repulsive nail clippings flying around the seating area while you’re either trying to read or worse, eat something. This has happened 3 or 4 times over the last several years."

Kevin Mullen


2. Using The Headrest In Front To Help You Stand Up


I find this is normally a tactic of gentlemen of advancing years (and girth for that matter). Not only do they find it harder to stand in their condition, it seems to have effected their ability to appologise too!

"I hate it when I am sitting in my seat...usually trying to sleep and the person behind me decides to get up and grabs the back of my seat for support, letting go as they walk away turning my seat into a catapult ,,,whip lash city!"

Glen Ridnour

3. Reclining Your Chair


This has got to be the most popular airplane crime committed. From just experiencing a lack of space to getting your scolding hot coffee thrown into your groin -- we've all been on the receiving end of a reclining chair.

"...People who recline their seats with no regard for the people sitting behind them. I've had people bruise my knees, almost break my laptop (and render it impossible to use the laptop once they've reclined), etc. Not to mention the fact that it's extremely difficult to get in or out of my seat when I have to practically do the limbo to move. Of course this is mostly the airlines' fault for cramming us in, but I think it's a perfect example of the Golden Rule... Do Unto Others as You'd Have Them Do Unto You."

Karen White

4. Bringing Your Unruly Kids Along


You may think your darling offspring are little angels, and love to see them being active and having fun. Well you're the only one. Children should be stowed with the luggage down below if you ask me.

"They bring their monster children on an overseas flight. They subject the entire plane to their little brats who are so misbehaved that they shouldn't even be out in public let alone on a 12 hour flight."

Christy Daniels

5. Cleaning Your Feet


See point number 1, and then double it!

"Once I was on a flight from Boston to Athens when a big guy who was sitting across the isle from me took off his shoes and socks, propped up his ugly (and I can not emphasize that enough), scaly, unkempt feet and started picking at them. The topper was when he took out his toe-nail clippers and started to cut his thick, yellow nails and they started popping in the air on people's laps and in their food!"

6. Aiming Your Vomiting Baby At The Person Next To You


Mothers, as a general rule, there is never an occasion when someone wants your vomiting bundle of joy pointed at them, and that includes during a flight on a cramped airplane.

"Mother fed baby a bottle of milk that had been sitting in her bag for 2+ hours while waiting for take-off. Baby begins vomit so mother turn baby towards person in adjacent seat (me) and changes the color of my business suit."

Best regards
Mike Altmann

7. Trying To Get An Upgrade


You won't get one, so stop trying to ask.

"My husband always, always, ALWAYS asks for an upgrade. He's hopeless. I just try my best to blend in with the crowd."

Theresa Lapointe

8. Leaning Over Your Neighbor To Look Out Of The Window


If you were so desperate for a window seat you should have booked on when you ordered your ticket.

"I was seated in a window seat on a flight to Copenhagen. As the plane was coming in for landing the man next to me was leaning over me to look out the window, it was very weird."

Crissy

9. Creating Your Own Sleeping Den


Acceptable when you were 6 and your friend came for a sleep over at your house, not acceptable when you're a 45 year old business man on the red eye flight.

"I have a wild example for you... I was in the window seat on a flight from London to San Francisco. Sitting next to me was a guy on the final leg of an exhausting trip from Pakistan or India. He proceeded to pull down his tray table and put his feet on it, and to make himself a tent, covering himself completely, so he could sleep. Of course this improvised structure and spreadeagled posture of his impinged on my already ridiculously limited space."

10. Making Everyone Listen To Your Conversation


You are never as interesting or funny as you think you are, so keep it to yourself.

"Non-stop talking in loud voice"

R Berkowitz

11. Talking To The Person Next To You


If you're one of those people that says things like "you know me, I'll talk to anyone", then I hope to never have to sit next to you on a long flight.

"Talking nonstop to your obviously disinterested seat mate the entire flight about your **** ex wife and how terrible she is and what a great and successful guy you are."

Patty Ellis

12. Being Too Fat


Tricky one this, and your size may be outside of your control, but the simple fact is nobody likes to be crammed in.

"For me, the most annoying thing people do on an airplane applies to a very select group of people--those who are wider than their seats, and who proceed to pull up the arm rest between us (without asking) and "flow" into my seat. I once spent 10 hours squashed against the window with 1/3 of my seat taken up by someone else's thigh. Since then I have been much more assertive in insisting that the arm rest remain down. I paid for my entire seat!"

Wendy McIlroy

13. Dieing

May be not one of the most common problems, but it seems at least one person's had this experience...

"Once the guy next to me died. I felt bad for him."

Eric Jones

14. Hitting Everyone With Your Bag As You Board


What on earth do you need such a big bag for anyway!

"Having a shoulder bag stick out from the body so that when the person walks down the airplane’s center aisle, the side of the back hits everybody’s arm on the way through. There is at least 1 or 2 of these on every flight. If you are in seat 1C, you are bound to get bumped even more often because of people cutting the corner."

15. Stopping At The Bottom Of The Steps As You Disembark


At what point did you think that stopping and blocking a right of way of people who've spent the last who knows how many hours trapped on a plane while you adjust your hand luggage was a good idea?

"Stopping right after you get off the plane to get the roller handle on your bag extended, nearly causing a multi-person pile-up behind you. These people tend to do the same thing at the top of an escalator. The people walking behind you don’t appreciate getting stopped in their tracks and then waiting for somebody to get their “roll on”…"

16. Rolling Your Carry On Luggage Down The Plane


As it says below -- "It's called carry on not a roll on"

"And while on that subject, It is called a “carry on” not a “roll-on”. If you can’t safely navigate that roll-on down the aisle, maybe it was just a little too big to be brought on the plane anyway. Even if it has a roller, carry it once on the plane, don’t make everybody wait on you as you get caught on seats on your way down the aisle."

17. Being Too Eager To Board


The plane is not suddenly going to leave without you unless you stand within a metre of the gate. Just get out the way and wait your turn.

"Crowding around the door before your seating area is called. Why do people feel it is necessary to block the walkway to the jet way as soon as the plane starts boarding. Stand to the SIDE until your row/zone is called and everybody will get loaded faster. I can’t even count how many times I stood behind somebody thinking they were in line/queue to get on the plane only to find that they weren’t, they were just standing waiting for their zone to be called, so I had to try to squeeze around them to get in the “real” line to board."

18. If You’re A Pilot, Keep The Commentary Relevant


I don't need to be told we're cruising at 30,000 feet more than once. I especially don't need to be woken up to be told it.

"Pilots who insist on giving you the flight play by play. On occasional informative message is appreciated, but some pilots tend to ramble and well, frequent travelers are usually sleeping/reading/watching a DVD, or working on their computer and don’t need the constant interruption."

Gary Fowler

19. Overdoing The Duty Free Perfume Testers


Perfume should add a delicate and seductive note to the air as you pass, not make the eyes water of the person next to you.

"Wearing a lot of perfume is at the top of my list. I have mild allergies which really clock in when flying, and maybe it is the recycled air. and after five or ten or fifteen hours of the same smell morphing, mingling -- well, you get the picture. something mild or organic is considerate, but strong overpowering smells are really rude."

Lisa Siegel

20. Using Other People’s Storage Space


Maybe we should introduce a rule that says if you can't fit your luggage in your allocated space, you should be forced to have the rest on your knees for the entire flight.

"What annoys me the most is when people use other people's (my) overhead space with their bulky belongings! That ticks me off no end. (And I've used only the most polite way of wording this gripe.)"

Betty Sheldon

21. Entertaining Yourself Noisily

Any continual noise you make on a flight is going to be annoying, so give it a rest.

"Overnight flights when one person in business class loudly shuffles his cards as he plays solitaire by himself, when everyone else is trying to sleep."

Larry Hansen

22. When You’re Oblivious Other People Are Sleeping


Just wait until you try and sleep after you've kept your neighbors awake for the past few hours!

"On long night flights from U.S. to Europe, there always are some people who stay up all night talking,drinking, with lights on. Even with ear plugs, sleeping is impossible! Once, I woke up to find the white trash bleach blond in the seat behind me, with her red polished nails about two inches from my face. Yucck."

Roselyn Fredricks

Based on the experiences of Mobal World Phone users...

1. Holiday destination
Nice, south of France

2. Type of holiday e.g. beach, travel, ski
Basically to relax and see some friends who live there for New Years Eve (and also to escape the miserable UK weather and get a little sunshine). Although the French Riviera is a beach destination, it's not quite warm enough for sunbathing in winter, so most of the action takes place in the pavement bars and cafes. Winter is also a great time to see the sites and museums without the oppressive heat of summer.

3. How long did you go for?
I went from the 29th of December to the 8th of January

4. Who did you go with?
I went on my own. I have lots of friends who live there so it's like a second home.

5. Your best holiday experience and why?
As I've been to Nice so many times now, I've seen most of the sites and know what to expect, so for me the best part of the holiday is always seeing friends again, but also meeting new people.
Because Nice is a holiday destination, and has a lot of people living there from all over the world, most people are happy to strike up a conversation in the bars and cafes if you're sat at the next table. It means when I go for a night out I never know who I'm going to end up meeting or where the night will end up. It can keep things very interesting, even in a place I know well.

6. Your worst holiday experience and why?
I guess if I had to pick something, visiting Nice in the off season means that many of the places are closed until summer, and many of the places that are open have enclosures around their outdoor terraces in the evening to keep the heat in. This means that you can lack some of the atmosphere as you walk around the streets at night compared to the summer where everyone is spilling out all over the streets.

7. Tips for traveling to this country
If you're travelling to France I'd recommend you learn a few basic phrases. Even in a big tourist area like Nice (and Paris too) you won't always find people can speak English. Also, most of the beaches on the French Riviera are pebbles and rocks and can be hard to walk on, so most people find a pair of shoes to walk to and from the sea a real help.

8. Would you travel to this destination again?
I own an apartment there so go I every year.

9. Would you recommend this destination to others?
The French Riviera is the ultimate jet set destination -- ever since the 19th century aristocrats, royalty, artists and movie stars have been flocking to this stretch of coastline. You have the glamour of St Tropez, Cannes and Monaco where everything is about yachts, villas and fast cars. But this image appeals to a lot of people, and so many find the reality is over development and overcrowding.

So, if you want to live a little bit of the high life with the rest of the crowds, then the Riviera is for you. If you want the quiet life then it might not be such a good destination.