Let's start with the fact that we weren't even planning to go on vacation. We already had many upcoming expenses – we needed to save. But one fine day, a little person joined the conversation. Let's agree to call her "mom".

So, mom told us that there was an option to go to a big hotel at super low prices. For about 2 weeks, they kept offering us different options, and in the end, we agreed. The tour was cancelled, meaning someone suddenly didn't go. That's why the price was attractive.

Important nuance: I had never traveled through a travel agent before. I bought tours directly from aggregators or simply booked a hotel and flights myself. But the offer was such that we simply couldn't refuse.

We emptied all our piggy banks and made the payment. We wait and rejoice in the suddenly upcoming vacation. The last working day passed. In 3 days, we'll be in Egypt. Our daughter already sleeps in her swimsuit, and like in "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," all conversations are only about the sea.

Friday evening arrived, 10:00 PM.

The phone rang.

And then the travel agent says that...

   she mixed up the departure weeks. And we're flying out not on the 11th, but on the 18th.

The worst part is that Olivia really kept repeating "sea, sea, sea, sea" tirelessly. We somehow convinced her that, well, it turns out we have to wait another week.

On the 15th, the phone rings...

What do you think the travel agent says?

The tour operator cancelled the booking.

They offer us 3 hotels as replacements. Naturally, of varying degrees of crappiness. We cancel everything, to hell with it. I have maximum rejection of the whole situation: I've been supposed to be on vacation for 2 weeks, but I have to work. My brain simply refuses to believe it. We ask them to find another option as a replacement.

After another week, we managed to join my parents' vacation in the Emirates. So Olivia got to swim to her heart's content with grandma and grandpa. The hotel was much better than the original: the exit from the room was right to the sea. And well, UAE vs Egypt, of course... You get it. I also got to see my best friend, he lives there. So the story ended well, I had a great rest, but before that, I suffered quite a bit. And there will be no moral to this story :)