Ten Family Vacation Nightmares

Nearly every family has gone on a vacation, whether by plane, train or camper. These trips can be fun, but there are some things that can either make the vacation unpleasant, or dangerous.

1. Traveler's diarrhea

Anyone who has traveled to a place like Mexico or even drank from a clear, clean-looking mountain spring will tell you that even water which looks clear and safe can house bacteria and other parasites that can cause severe bowel problems. It is very common in Mexico and other countries where the tap water is not properly sanitized, and tourists are warned to drink only boiled or bottled water. Even their ice can be harmful to those with unaccustomed digestive tracts, so it's best to bring your own ice, or simply drink your sodas warm - it's better than the alternative. Mexico is not the only place with dangerous drinking water, so when traveling abroad, ask for information on the local tap water and make sure it's potable.

Diarrhea is not only an annoyance - it can cause loss of water and important electrolytes, so be careful what you drink.

2. Tornadoes

Twisters can be a problem, and many of the South and Midwest United States are particularly known for them. There are some people, known as tornado-chasers, who often endanger themselves to study these severe wind storms. Tornadoes form when cold and warm fronts mix and become occluded fronts, and the convection of the air currents forms a destructive vortex. What makes them so dangerous is that when a tornado warning is sounded, it means the cloud has 'touched down'. When the funnel cloud touches the ground and becomes a tornado, you only have a short time to run for cover. This is why many people who live in states like Kansas and Missouri have storm cellars.

I once went on a cross-country trip with my family and we drove right through tornado territory. While we spent the night there, a severe thunderstorm hit and we were lucky we didn't have to abandon our camper. I even had to stay up late one night to watch for funnel clouds while my father was driving.

3. Bears and Mountain Lions

These animals are widely known to be extremely territorial and aggressive, and while their young are cute, the mothers are close by. Word to the wise: if you see a bear or cougar cub, keep as far away from it as you can. Keep your food where bears can't get to it, because it's now fairly common knowledge that bears which are fed human food can become too bold and even more dangerous. Don't encourage bears to mingle with people.

4. Border Guards

When you travel to a different country, you often will be subjected to a search of yourself, your vehicle and your luggage. Always look up the country's laws of what is and is not acceptable for import, and what has to be declared. Be prepared to be inconvenienced, and make sure all your family members stay with you outside. My family and I once visited Canada, and my father said afterward that he would never visit that place again. They searched everywhere in our camper for weapons and drugs, and they got mad when my sister and I wandered off. They can even at times seem to be inconsistent with their searches, so be forewarned before going to visit another country.

These people may seem mean, and you might think they hate you. More likely than not, they are just doing their jobs and could be under a lot of stress, because if anything goes wrong they could get in serious trouble. Treat them with respect.

5. Poisonous Snakes

Some of them, like the rattlesnake, can be fairly well-known, while others most might not know of. But when traveling to a desert or jungle area, where most of these dangerous reptiles live, always be careful and heed warnings from the locals. They know these areas very well.

I live in a rural Northern California area, and rattlesnakes can hide in the tall grass and under rocks and logs. Because of this problem we often mow large areas of grass so we don't have to worry so much about stepping on rattlers, and to protect our house from possible wildfires.

6. Biting insects

These insects may just be a nuisance, or they can be vectors for diseases such as malaria. Mosquitoes are especially known for this, so when traveling to areas where insect-borne diseases are common, use plenty of insect repellent and sleep under mosquito nets.

In my area, we have ticks. We would find them on our dog, but not ourselves, luckily. Ticks can spread Lyme Disease, while our mosquitoes are for the most part just annoyances. I have visited areas with horseflies - they look like giant houseflies and gave nasty bites.

7. Toilet Problems

Toilets can be built into a recreational vehicle or they could be simple port-o-potties for a camper. They are a great convenience, except when they break down. The port-o-potties usually have something to deal with the odor, but when an RV's built-in toilet fills up or malfunctions, it will smell up the entire vehicle. So it's a good idea to make sure your toilet is working properly and emptied at a pumping station regularly.

On one of our trips, our toilet would often fill up before we could empty it properly, and it was a hassle, not being able to flush when we needed to.

8. Inadvertently Breaking the Law

Different countries and states have different laws, and there are some which have no tolerance for ignorance. In Mexico, for example, has some very strict traffic laws in some of its big cities, and those who violate them can be fined and/or put into jail. Some countries have worse jails than others, but it's best to know what the laws are so they can be avoided.

9. Thieves

Anywhere you travel, there is a chance you will get robbed. Some areas have higher incidences than others, and it's best to keep your wits about you and not look like an easy target. If someone takes your wallet, not only will you be stranded, but you could become a victim of identity theft. It's a good idea to not carry your social security card or Personal Identification Numbers with you while traveling abroad.

10. Broken Air Conditioners

When the air conditioner fails on a sweltering summer day, everyone can suffer. Even driving with all the windows open can't fix the problem entirely, so it's a good idea to pack lots of bottled water and take frequent breaks when the AC breaks or runs out of freon. My family has experienced that from time to time and I tend to prefer cold weather with no heat to hot weather with no AC.

What are your worst vacation experiences?