A promotion in today’s e-mail made me ponder what qualifies as my worst travel experience. Usually, these fall in the Relatively Minor Irritations category: delayed luggage, missed connections, bad food, and so on. I don’t think any of the Merely Annoying will win this contest.

Then I remembered the Wish-I-Could Forget trip to the Caribbean with my then-husband (my ultimate “wish I could forget” experience, but that’s another story). Along with our 2 year old son, we  traveled to Nassau in the Bahamas for what should have been a restful week.

A couple of nights in, we decided to have dinner at the resort and accepted their recommendation for a babysitter. After a pleasant meal, we returned to our room, paid the sitter, and checked on the baby.

He was fine, but something just felt “off”.

Turned out, the sitter had slashed through our luggage and stolen everything that looked valuable including clothing and shoes as well as cameras, extra cash etc. The hotel manager was faux-apologetic, the woman “couldn’t” be located, and any thought of a relaxing vacation was hopeless.

I’d enter the contest and provide more lurid details, but what if they offered to send me BACK to Nassau for my do-over?? No, thank you!!

However, YOU should click this link. Good luck and let me know if you win!