Inside three travel disasters that turned dream trips into chaos

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They’re tales of trips-gone-horribly-awry that may make your getaway gripes pale into insignificance.

The ‘world’s unluckiest vacationers of 2025’ have been unveiled in an annual contest run by a journey insurance coverage supplier that solicits trip nightmares from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

After weeks of voting, the winners have been declared, with Journey Guard giving the grand prize of $10,000 to Lloyd L, whose once-in-a-lifetime journey to Rome to see the Pope turned a soggy, soul-destroying saga.

Right here, we reveal the entire, sorry story of his waterlogged journey, together with the calamities honored with the $5,000 runner-up and $3,000 third-place prizes.

A hellish soaking — the grand prize winner

Lloyd L has been declared the 'world's unluckiest traveler' after describing his water-logged trip to see the pope in Rome — Lloyd L has been declared the ‘world’s unluckiest traveler’ after describing his water-logged journey to see the pope in Rome (Lloyd L/World’s Unluckiest Traveler)

Lloyd L flew to Rome for “a once-in-a-lifetime common viewers with the Pope in St. Peter’s Sq.” — a visit he’d been wanting ahead to for months.

Earlier than setting off, he advised Journey Guard that he “imagined sunshine, reverent silence, possibly just a few tears of pleasure.” However nonstop rain drenched him in distress.

He defined: “From the second we stepped out, it poured just like the heavens have been testing our devotion.”

Recounting the ordeal, he remarked: “We left the resort earlier than dawn, with a bagged breakfast of fruits and pastries to eat as soon as we arrived at St. Peter’s Sq.. By the point we reached our vacation spot, the bag was soaked and break up open like a piñata, spilling all of the meals onto the cobblestone pavement.”

Then the scenario worsened.

Lloyd continued: “We huddled shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of different hopeful pilgrims; all soaked of their ponchos and holding umbrellas, ready patiently for the Pope to parade across the sq. in his popemobile.”

“With all of the rain and umbrellas, it was exhausting to see him as he drove among the many crowds of individuals. At this level, I used to be drenched, chilly and hungry and could not watch for it to finish and get out of there,” he added.

Lloyd admitted that Rome had baptized him, simply not in the way in which he anticipated.

He added: “Whereas I couldn’t watch for it to be over, I’ll admit it’s the sort of depressing reminiscence that makes for a terrific story.”

Flip-flop fiasco — the runner-up

The runner-up prize went to a traveler who had a panic attack when he scaled a rock-face in California in flip-flops (pictured) — The runner-up prize went to a traveler who had a panic assault when he scaled a rock-face in California in flip-flops (pictured) (Daniel B/World’s Unluckiest Traveler)

Daniel B admitted that his sorry story is “much less about dangerous luck and extra a testomony to my ignorance, conceitedness, and a beneficiant sprint of stubbornness.”

He recalled how, throughout a high-school reunion in California, two of his longtime buddies had the “vivid thought” of exploring Vasquez Rocks, an space within the Sierra Pelona Mountains of northern Los Angeles County recognized for its awe-inspiring rock formations and beloved by Hollywood administrators.

He defined: “My associates pitched it as a cool Star Trek filming location. I vaguely remembered seeing it in a journey information, however didn’t give it a lot thought. I pictured just a few modest rocks within the desert. No massive deal. I simply wished to relax with my associates.”

He confirmed up in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, which have been ultimate for the warmth however, as he quickly discovered, “horrible for what got here subsequent.” And that was a contest to see who may climb the best.

Daniel realized that he’d “misjudged the scenario,” together with his associates sporting “correct footwear.”

However he joined the ascent regardless, with “pleasure being a strong motivator.”

He recalled: “At first, I held my very own. However because the rocks obtained steeper, my concern of heights kicked in exhausting. I froze. My associates, perched above me like smug mountain goats, sneered down in triumph. I waved the white flag. Then got here the true problem: getting down.”

“My nervousness went into overdrive. I panicked. Vultures — precise vultures —began circling overhead. My associates couldn’t cease cackling. I used to be livid at them, and much more livid at myself,” his continued.

He added: “After 20 agonizing minutes of inching down on my bottom, I lastly made it to stable floor. My flip-flops survived. My dignity? Not a lot.”

The $28,000 snowboarding memento — third-place winner

Ryan P was awarded third prize after he recounted his tale of badly fracturing his wrist two hours into a snowboarding vacation in Austria. This picture shows the moment a helicopter arrived to fly him to hospital — Ryan P was awarded third prize after he recounted his story of badly fracturing his wrist two hours right into a snowboarding trip in Austria. This image exhibits the second a helicopter arrived to fly him to hospital (Ryan P/World’s Unluckiest Traveler)

Canadian Ryan P revealed he had the “snowboarding journey of a lifetime” in Austria, simply not the way in which he’d imagined.

He recalled: “Two hours into our first day on the slopes, I made a fallacious transfer and all of a sudden discovered myself sliding on my again in direction of a blind drop. Regardless that I had years of expertise, I used to be a foreigner on this slope. “

“As I approached the sting, I caught my palms into the snow. I slammed into the icy financial institution and braced myself for the autumn past. Subsequent factor I do know, I’m mendacity on my again in deep powder. I giggled at my obvious luck and continued down the hill,” he added.

However issues quickly took a flip for the more serious: “At first, I used to be in whole denial… I rode down the slope to the subsequent hut and unstrapped my board as if nothing had occurred. However once I took off my gloves, every little thing modified. My wrist was deformed. It regarded prefer it had been assembled by Picasso.”

The ski patrol arrived and insisted that Ryan needed to be flown by helicopter to a hospital, as a snowmobile experience might need aggravated a wrist that was badly fractured.

Ryan continued: “On the hospital, X-rays confirmed the dangerous information: my wrist had exploded. Surgical procedure was instant, costly, and unavoidable. The following few days have been a blur of extra ache meds and awkwardly making an attempt to chop steak with one working hand. On prime, it was my birthday the day after I left the hospital; not the sort of celebration I had in thoughts.”

“By the point I used to be launched, I had sufficient steel in my arm to set off each airport detector, and a group of receipts that might wallpaper a room.”

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