I have fucked up holiday

[Youagain2025]

I booked a holiday in tunisa. I have never been abroad before as an adult. I did not know tunisa is not a safe place to go. I didn't even know you could look it up. I just thought that if its not safe that all flights to that area stop . But that's not the case . I tried changing it but they told me I can't because airline operator do not go to the area I want . Its with tunisa airlines so basically it only gos to tunisa? . So i can't go change to a different destination. But unless I pay a load of money I can't cancel either.

Just to add . I do have learning difficulties. Which is probably why I did not realise all of this . I'm so pissed of

You have all that wrong litterly every bit .

I did ask if people can go abroad without a passport . People then told me i could go to the channel islands or Ireland. Not the exact wording but I also said something along the lines that I heard you coukd to certain places but I was not 100% sure . That's when people mentioned channels islands/Ireland.

As i said the rest you have wrong.

If it makes you feel any better OP, I have family just returned from Tunisia. They had a lovely time.

@Youagain2025 OP, just to further reassure you about the safety of Tunisia. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) which is the Government Department that, among other things, gives advice on the safety of travelling abroad, puts Hammamet in the green zone (see the map at the link I posted to you on page 2 of this thread). The riskier places (Amber and Red zones) are near/on the borders with its neighbouring countries (Algeria to the West and Libya to the South). To give you an idea, you are at least a 3 hour drive from the riskier region to the West and at least a 5.5 hour drive from the riskier region to the South. In other words, NOWHERE NEAR where you are staying in Hammamet!
Now, two questions for you OP:

• WHEN are you flying out to Tunisia (the actual DATE)?
• Have you applied for your passports yet? (This is important because for standard applications, it typically takes around 3 weeks to receive a new British passport, but this can extend to six weeks or longer during peak periods or if additional information or an interview is needed).

I think most of that is inaccurate. The OP can correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the plan is to travel with her adult son (in his 20s), her 14-year-old daughter, and two younger children who are 8 and 9. The 18-year-old son isn’t invited, the OP isn’t travelling with 3 small children, only one of the younger kids has SN.

I think you make some reasonable points about plans and preparation, though.

I'm getting anxiety reading the nonsense on this thread.

I've travelled to Tunisia at least 20 times since 2010, several times with DC without my husband as he had travelled ahead and we stay further south than Hammamet (Mahdia) and have never ever felt threatened or in danger.

Tunisia is not a third world country in the least. Most hotel staff speak English as its in their interest to do so.

Yes'i wouldn't drink the tap water but I wouldn't fo that in Spain either and I lived there for several years.

Insurance will cover medical emergencies so no need to pamic the OP.

I do agree the flight may be a concern with SEN family members but OP must have considered that.

@Youagain2025 just apply for your passports, sort out some travel insurance then take a deep breath.

Then read the hotel reviews, look at the pictures and learn a little bit about the culture.

Once you've done all that think about the practical things such as changing money, etc.

@SammyTales and I are giving the most recent, accurate information.

Just to add if you are flying Tunisair from Gatwick or Heathrow they are quite poor in terms of customer service and the flights often delayed. A bit like Ryanair.

The first time I flew alone internationally I was 17 and I'm still here to tell the tale!
Honestly, please just stop with your negativity - you're stripping away any semblance of confidence OP has. OP isn't an idiot and she knows her 18yr old DS and three younger SEN DC better than any of us. She's going on a package holiday with transfers to/from the resort in Hammamet. If they get stuck with anything en route, either in the UK or in Tunisia, there will be people they can ask for help.
Anyone who has ever travelled abroad has had to do it for the first time and the overwhelming number of people return home unscathed having had a great time. Please don't cause OP any more unnecessary anxiety with your posts.

Jesus Christ how patronising.

Do you genuinely think comments like this is going to help the OP? Are you wanting to make her feel shit on purpose?

Airports have staff that are there to help. If the OP and her adult son need any assistance when they are there I’m sure there will be plenty of staff to assist and reassure them.

What a ridiculous response.

People travelled abroad for years without Internet and without copies of their passport saved to the cloud.

The OP is going to an all inclusive resort, not backpacking around a war zone. The hotel staff will speak English and will be able to help in an emergency.

I have travelled extensively but I have to say I don't find out where the embassy is for every country I visit before I get there.

It sounds like you have a lot of anxiety yourself but please don't try and make the OP anxious.

Maybe / maybe not. The op doesn’t have passports for any of them, and until a few days ago didn’t actually realise they were needed.
It doesn’t bode well.

That's wrong. People seem to miss bits out. I really don't know why that is.

I never said that i just thought they were not needed. I asked if there were (some) places they were not needed. People then replied channel islands and Ireland.

Yes the OP asked about passports as she'd heard there were some countries where they weren't needed. She was told this would be the likes of the Channel Islands, she said she wanted to go further afield so she was going to sort their passports.

The OP has been clear that she's never travelled abroad as an adult. Of course she's not going to know everything, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't go!

There's a really condescending, unpleasant undertone to some of these responses.

My parents literally stayed in this hotel last week and booked several excursions. They loved it and were absolutely fine. Weirdly, same hotel and excursions they took us on 20 odd years ago when we were kids. Still fine. As long as you stick to hotel and approved days out, you will be OK.

Ah so you'd owe them £400. The cost of cancelling is £698 so if you've only paid £300 you would owe them the difference yes.

Tunisia is lovely, the Tunisian people can’t do enough for you! We went a couple of years ago and had a lovely time we’d definitely go again. We went on several trips including the souks but with a guide. You’ll be fine you’ll have a great time. If it was that dangerous they wouldn’t advise flying there!

Have you booked the holiday without physically having passports yet? 😬

Just stay in the hotel for the duration of your stay and you'll be fine. Do not venture out of the hotel grounds. I went to Tunisa years ago and had a very bad experience which I won't go into but was very unsafe outside of the hotel.
You will be fine in the hotel though so have a lovely time

Flying alone once is very different to being able to sort out a whole trip for your mum and two siblings, some of whom have special needs.

Based on another thread by the OP from February, there was a lot of confusion regarding the ages of her children. She said youngest is 10, then said he was 8, and then claimed it was because he would be 10 at the time of travel. Fair enough, but this means she was planning holiday that's going to take place in 2027?? She also reiterated they have no money or passports yet, and would be saving up to pay for everyone. However the Tunisia holiday has suddenly been booked and one can only presume it's taking place relatively soon? Not sure package holidays are allowed to be booked years in advance. Where did the money come from between Feb 2025 and now?

OP also disregarded the advice of 90% people on her thread to go to Spain which is a reasonable distance from the UK and a lot easier to get support if something goes wrong.

I think many of the people egging OP on to take this holiday are MN "disaster vulture viewers" who enjoy getting a stranger to put themselves in a situation that can be used for their personal entertainment. They might be hoping for another live thread update or some other drama to follow. This applies very often to dubious advice in medical situations, relationships, schools, children etc.

This is clearly a very vulnerable adult who is trying to organise a holiday that is totally out of her depth of experience. There are very limited finances available, no travel experience, no language experience of the destination country and taking 3 children, including at least one with serious SEN issues who has never been on an international trip either. It would have made far more sense to book a holiday location within the UK or somewhere in the EU with a shorter flight and better infrastructure.

If you read the original thread, the main reason for her holiday is to "get a break from cooking and cleaning" and "take the kids someplace sunny above the grey clouds". Totally valid reasons of course but it's almost a very naive way of seeing it. Travelling with children is not a "break". Most parents know it's more work than being at home because you are in an unfamiliar place without the usual support network. Based on all the facts, nobody else seems to be giving an honest reality check of the situation.

This OP. I was in Tunisia a few years ago with my sister and our kids.
If guys approach you to offer services just outside the airport just say no. If you're out of the resort (I wouldn't advise unless you are on an accompanied trip) don't let anyone take your bags to carry them, enter any shops unless recommended by hotel staff. NO is definitely a word you need to be strong on.
The weather there and the food is amazing x

Why do you post things like this there's really no need for it. Its like yoir trying to stir things up and twist what I have said .

Let's talk about the kids ages for a moment . Youngest ds is 8 he will be 9 in may . My other ds is 9- 10 in April. I have 2 children with special needs only 1 of them is coming with me. Adult ds is also coming with us i wont be completely on my own . I know my children better than you .

Money: my money gos up and down. I did struggle with money a couple of or so months have as the kids dad stopped paying child maintenance at the time I lost 500 a month that's alot of money. He's now paying child maintenance again. I also had some money owed to me .. adult ds is also contributing to this holiday

As for taking advice that's just what it is i don't have to take advice I don't have to go to Spain because people suggest it. And what you mean is I didn't take the advice YOU think I should. I do get what your saying about Spain though. I did actually look at Spain. But it was more expensive than tunisa. When I looked at holidays this is how I decided to do it . Destination =any . Board = all inclusive. Sort =low to heigh . I then scrolled and looked for the cheapest holiday that had pool with slides and close to the beach

Jesus Christ, you just can't help yourself, can you? You must live in a very small world Debbie Downer - and that's fine for you - but allow others to be braver.

@Youagain2025 this is just an idea and might not be possible but you say you have learning difficulties. Is there something "official" that says that? (like a doctors report or similar).
If you want to cancel you might be able to claim that they shouldn't have sold the holiday to you because your learning difficulties meant you didn't understand what you were booking.
Is there someone that can help you for that?

No there's not. i mean I went to school for people with learning difficulties. But obviously that was a really long time ago. I normally get through life quite well . And it's never normally an issue. I think its because its a new thing to me. And with the panic of you must book within 30 mins or the price coukd change sort of messed me up a bit to.

You can stop worrying. You will love it. I plan on returning to Tunisia soon again for holidays. That is my resort holiday country. Value, weather, nice people.

As long as your passports arrive on time though.

Well said OP! (I couldn't even be bothered to read her lengthy post as it would just be more of the same negative nonsense she's posted previously). You sound as capable as the rest of us of going abroad for the first time and you have a tongue in your head so can ask for help en route if you're unsure of anything. I'm sure you'll have a lovely holiday and be so glad you went - it'll probably give you the confidence to book another holiday when you have the money. Have a fab time OP! 😃

OP have you got travel insurance?? You need to get this ASAP and perhaps maybe do it with another adult close to you to make sure it's done correctly with every relevant medical disclosure. This is vitally important.