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

You need to be a bit more proactive. Go to a local pharmacy, they are places of wonder and they'll have seen this before. I was practically weeping over a random insect bite in France, the pharmacy took one look and gave me a magic cream that sorted it right out.

Cold water/the plain yogurt trick works too. Painkillers. Then start looking for workarounds - eg can you taxi to the water sports place and sit covered in the shade, or can you canoe or something sitting down while wearing a rash vest and a hat? Plan your pool day today and plan something active tomorrow?

If you're just sitting in the room despairing I can see why she's cross.

She’s burnt, it’s not sunstroke. It’s also a few days after the fact. Surely she can manage a bit of discomfort to go on a walk!

Amazon. They have a good selection. I burn really easily and use Eucerin, which is really good - link is here. www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi0hc_qi-2JAxXNZkECHYwjMKIYABAiGgJ3cw&ae=2&co=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItIXP6ovtiQMVzWZBAh2MIzCiEAQYASABEgJiKPD_BwE&sig=AOD64_25-0OwsE5ZCajptaYom2n49dCD6Q&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjHhcjqi-2JAxXCVkEAHX61BCYQ5bgDKAB6BAgJEAo&adurl=

You could try purchasing some aqua shoes and an adult rash vest? My DP got ridiculously sunburnt on holiday a few years ago in Turkey and bought these so he could still join me and DDs on the beach and watersports. Seemed to work ok for him x

I agree @Yourethebeerthief

This is coming across as a pile on by a group of adults who cannot entertain themselves.

I buy Eucerin spf 100

With the soles of her feet burned ? Really ? Is that what you’d expect ?

She never said the soles (or shoes as you put it 😂) are burnt. It’s probably the tops of her feet and uncomfortable wearing shoes. A pair of crocs or sliders from the gift shop would sort that!

Can you buy aloe gel? i find that really helps, especially if can be kept in the fridge.
Honestly i would be taking painkillers and doing as much as i could, drink plenty of water to help rehydrate and lots of moisturiser if you can't get aloe gel.

OP why would you think of reimbursing her ? She’s here, on the holiday with you, and It’s not like you did this on purpose. A grown woman should be capable of entertaining herself for a couple of days at the start of a holiday until you’re able to join in. You’re not ruining her holiday, she’s doing that all by herself. Assuming you’re not asking her to tend to your injuries, she’s free to do her own thing until you’re back on your feet.

Of course she never chose to go on holiday alone but the fact is she's now in a holiday resort with an incapacitated friend and she needs to grow a pair like the functioning adult she is and make the most of her own holiday that she individually chose to pay for and go on. It's not op's job to be the woman's personal entertainment, just like it's not the friends job to down tools and abandon the holiday to nurse maid op. Shit happens, get on with it. If friends holiday is ruined by this, that's on her, there's plenty other options.

Pain killers and sympathy OP.

It’s understandable that you can’t now do activities but she’s not being unreasonable to be frustrated by the situation. It’s her holiday too and she can’t enjoy it in the way intended.

I think you should suggest that she does activities alone but be mindful of the fact that it’s less fun for her that way so it’s not a perfect solution.

I don't get the pile on here, no one chooses to get bad sunburn, op thought factor 50 would be ok but sometimes with wind and extra strong uv rays these things happen.

I've watched my sister turn lobster red in about 20 mins even though she's slathered in sunscreen, she has alabaster skin, she always burns easy so she takes extra measures now but some people just burn really easily.

Your friend should be a grown up about it and crack on with her activities, not much either of you can do and I'd hate to think of my friend making themselves uncomfortable for me.

No, the ‘shoes’ was autocorrect, which l edited. And actually burns to the soles of her feet was mentioned upthread.

This. Sunburn on holiday is 100% preventable.

God some of these replies are harsh, have so many people really never been accidentally sunburnt?!

It was really good Comment😉
@GanninHyem made me laugh

I live in Australia, and hardly ever see badly burnt people, and when I do they are inevitably tourists. Of course everyone misses a bit of sunscreen now and again, but I really don’t understand how anyone get get so badly burned in 30 minutes if they have applied Factor 50. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but failing a faulty batch of sunscreen, you mustn’t have applied it enough. Get your hands on some aloe Vera, and moisturise and hydrate as much as possible. Get some loose cotton clothes and a big hat and sunnies and arrange some nice trips out somewhere where you can stay cool in the shade while your friend has fun, you really owe her!

It would be nice if your friend showed some concern and acted like a true friend, rather than being overly grumpy about an accident.

I grew up in Australia - something is not quite right if you burnt that badly in 30mins while wearing factor 50. Did you put on a moisturising oil before the sun screen? Any chance the sunscreen is out of date and not working properly? Maybe you have wind burn - sensitive skin can get that.

I am so jealous of you for this! I can burn so badly that I blister in a shorter time than this in the summer in England!

OP you have my sympathy - bad sunburn is really nasty and it can happen very easily.

i feel sorry for your friend too, and clearly you do too.

while recovering can you suggest a boat trip or car trip somewhere, and go for early evening walks to a nice bar?

Oh dear , I am sorry you got burned !
Especially wearing SPF 50 and only out for 30 minutes 😱 was it the midday sun ?
I am assuming you’re super pale ?
Anyhow what’s done is done all you can do is cover up , wear loose cotton with long sleeves and a wide brim hat .
Also take antihistamines plus ibuprofen ( if you can take it , I can’t ) and go to a pharmacy for some topical cream to soothe it or a doctor appointment if possible?
See if you can maybe spend time outside but in full shade or go shopping/ lunch on shade or AC .
i have never had a sunburn ever and I don’t have a darker skin tone but I am very careful indeed .
( To be fair I do have very dark hair and hazel eyes + my skin looks same tone as many North Italian people, you know very fair until in the sun then goes slowly sort of golden )

I normally buy it off Amazon, the Neutrogena is a good one - there are a few different makes, think they go up to factor 110

Neutrogena, Ultra Sheer Sunblock Dry-Touch, SPF 100+, 3 fl oz : Amazon.co.uk: Beauty