Sunburnt on holiday and friend frustrated with me

[tabletopsy]

I am currently on a resort style beach holiday with a friend.

I stupidly got badly sunburnt on the first day, despite applying sun cream. I know I am stupid so please don’t turn this into a lecture on sun protection, I already have a lot of regrets.

It’s still quite painful and red a couple of days later, although I think it’s slowly healing. My feet are the most badly burnt and any significant walking really does hurt. I stayed in the room for a day but now I’m venturing outside to sit covered up in the shade.

My friend is growing increasingly frustrated by me not wanting to do any fun stuff. She wants to go on long beach walks and try out all the water sports activities. I really don’t want to given the pain I’m in and how much of a terrible idea it is for me to go out in the sun again. I am a little upset because this holiday was expensive and I feel like I’ve ruined it for both of us.

AIBU to tell her that she needs to do these activities alone if she wants to do them? I feel bad for abandoning her but I need to put my health and comfort first.

Also if anyone has suggestions for what to do in this scenario, please let me know! Given we’re at a resort, there aren’t many indoor cultural activities (e.g. museums) to fall back on

I’ve lived in NZ. I never got burnt either. The heat and direct sun can absolutely have an impact on how badly a person can get sunburnt.

Treat your friend to a night on the cocktails, she'll wake with a hangover and not want to leave the room the next day therefore making the score one all.😎

Could you cover up where you are burnt (socks?) who cares what you look like, you won't ever see anyone again except your friend! That way you could at least do things like swim in the sea. The water would be nice and cooling and the salt do your skin good. But definitely covered up! And nurofen for the swelling and pain.

I think your friend sounds like a bit of a cow! You burnt DESPITE wearing appropriate sun protection so how is that your fault? It’s frustrating for your friend but she shouldn’t be taking that out on you! If you’d been lying around for hours with no sun cream on while she kept telling you that you’d burn, then fair enough! But that’s not what happened and so why on earth are people saying you should feel bad?

If you’d got unwell through no fault of your own should you be reimbursing her for the holiday? How ridiculous!

Hope you feel better soon OP. Sun burn is miserable. Sounds like a dodgy batch of cream.

Well, quite! (Assuming they have friends in the first place)

She said her feet were the most badly burnt. I imagine that irrespective of where the feet were burnt, they would not magically become comfortable by wearing whatever sliders are. It would be the movement caused by walking pulling badly burnt skin on the feet that would be painful, not OP dressed up in party shoes

Why are you replying to me if you don’t even know what sliders are?

Because I know what crocs are ✔️

Oh you poor thing! Yes it was daft to let yourself get so burnt and yes your friend is reasonable to be annoyed but it’s done now and sunburn is the actual worst. We’ve all done it at some time or other.
How long is your holiday? Cos in my experience the worst does tend to be over after a few days so can you promise you’ll try some of the things she wants to do later? In the meantime slather on some after sun cream as often as you need to (a local shop is bound to have some or at least a big tub of moisturiser). Can you get in the pool for some of the time? That would be soothing, even if you have to wear a big t shirt and hat. What about a nice walk in the evening when it’s cooler with some comfy shoes and having slathered your feet in cream? You could also take some painkillers if you haven’t already. Or treat her to a slap up meal and some cocktails and have a laugh at the evening entertainment- alcohol is an anaesthetic at least! Don’t overdo it though and drink plenty water of course because you will dehydrate more quickly when sunburned. You want to try to make the most of what you can do and hopefully you’ll feel better soon.