Oh s*%t! You won!

Last week I wrote about how I was inspired by fellow blogger, Just Another Points Traveler, and her father’s travel woes and ran a “What’s the biggest oh s*%t travel moment you’ve ever had” contest.

I thought I’d start by sharing my biggest “oh s*%t moment”.  I was on the road and staying at the some hotel as my client. I soon discovered that my client’s Chief Technology Officer was in a room on the same floor as me.  After pulling a few all-nighters, I needed a pick-me-up and headed to the vending machines around 12:30 a.m one night. I was in flannel PJs (mistake #1).   The machines were in a small room near the elevator and as I walked in, the large metal door slammed behind me.  I got a soda and tried to leave the room.  The door was jammed shut.  All I had with me was my room key – no cell phone (mistake #2).  I had no way to get out. I started knocking on the door in hopes someone would hear me. I tried everything I could think of to get the door open.  The only thing I could think about was what if the CTO was the one to walk by while I stood locked in vending machine room in my PJs.   After about 15 minutes (which felt like 15 hours) a man – that I didn’t know – walked by and I was able to get his attention.  He called security and security pried the door open.  The most shocking part of story is that the security guy said “gosh, that’s the third time this week this has happened.”   I was furious and let the hotel management know it.  The lesson? Don’t wear your PJs to the vending machine room, don’t leave your room without a cell phone, and don’t let metal doors slam behind you.

There were some great entries, but only one person could win the $50 iTunes gift card prize.  The winner was selected at random from all the entries and per the rules of the contest has 10 business days to claim their prize by emailing verygoodpoints@gmail.com

And the winner is Andrew (comment #22) who said “After double checking everything before leaving to study abroad for the semester, we were about halfway to the airport when I realized I was missing my passport! I had placed it in my car “so I wouldn’t forget it” but we ended up taking a different car!. Thankfully we left early enough that I didn’t miss my flight.”

There were some really great Oh S*%t Moments submitted and although they’re not winners, we had to share some

LufthansaFlyer says: “A few years ago (well like 20+) when living in NYC, I had booked an LH flight to Slovakia and on the way to Newark (EWR) I realized that I was departing JFK. I had forgotten that I was departing JFK and ARRIVING EWR. Fortunately it only cost me bridge toll and 20 minutes, but that all over “OH S*&T” numbing feeling was with me for a long time!” 

Karen says: “I opened the hotel room door to retrieve my newspaper and the door shut behind me. I had just come out of the shower and was clothed only in a bath towel with no room key. I had to go to the lobby to get a new key”  Yikes! That is a nightmare!

Hulagrrl210 says “Booked a ticket for Jul instead of Jun. Showed up the airport. Was embarrassed. Had to pay the $200 change fee.”

To see all the great comments, check out the original post here.

Thanks and keep your eyes posted for the next contest!