My worst travel day ever was in Paris last March

I saved up for months to finally take a budget trip to Paris, but one day in particular completely derailed my plans. I thought I was being clever by booking a super cheap hostel in the 18th arrondissement for $25 a night, but on day 3 I woke up with bed bugs all over my arms. The hostel manager shrugged and said it happens, but refused a refund. Then I tried to use a money-saving trick I read about online taking the RER B from the airport instead of a taxi. Well, the train got delayed for two hours because of a strike, and I missed my afternoon slot at the Louvre. To top it off, I grabbed a $3 sandwich from a corner shop that gave me food poisoning by dinner. The whole day cost me about $80 in wasted tickets and medicine. Has anyone else had a supposed 'budget hack' completely backfire on them like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sam13d ago

Did you actually check the hostel reviews before booking it?

gibson.morgan13d ago

OK hold on, I gotta push back a little here. Bed bugs suck, no debate there. But you woke up with them all over your arms in a $25 hostel in Paris and you're surprised? That's not a budget hack backfiring, that's a cheap room being a cheap room. The train strike thing is annoying, sure, but you're in Paris - go find a cafe and people watch for two hours instead of getting bent out of shape. And honestly, grabbing a mystery sandwich from some random corner shop for $3 and acting shocked it gave you food poisoning? Come on man. You saved $200 on the room and probably $50 on the cab, then you're crying about $80 in "wasted tickets" like you didn't come out way ahead still.

price.ben13d ago

Bed bugs all over your arms? Like, visibly crawling around? I'm sitting here scratching just reading that. No amount of budget travel is worth waking up with bugs feeding on you, man. A $25 room in Paris is basically asking for trouble but that's a whole other level of nightmare. I'd rather sleep in a train station than deal with that infestation mentally. And the sandwich thing, yeah you get what you pay for, but food poisoning from a mystery meat sandwich can mess you up for days. Miss me with all of that.