My trip went pear shaped faster than Usain Bolt (what you need to know to avoid the same)

Picture this. 

It’s New Years Day.  The sun is shining, the house is full of family and friends laughing and nursing hangovers, while fighting over who is having the last of the leftover lamb in a toasty.  Fighting about who invented Pavlova, the Kiwis or the Aussies (it’s the Aussies, for those interested).  Although New Years isn’t really your thing, you love the holiday season and hanging out with people you love, so being with family in New Zealand for this time of year with the in-laws has been extra fun.

EXCEPT - you are bed ridden, and half of your face feels like it is going to explode off the side of your head.  You have the sinus infection from hell AND strep throat.  The timing is… impeccably dreadful.  

All the plans you have for the next few days look ready to go down the tubes.  Actually - and maybe even worse - they will still happen, but without you.  The hike to Cathedral Cove and digging for thermal water at Hot Water Beach will for now remain to be insta images only.  Ouch. 

 But even worse than this, you are due to fly back to Melbourne in 4 days time and honestly at this stage you can’t see yourself walking as far as the front door, much less hauling your sorry butt back to Auckland and getting on a 3.5 hour flight.

This is a sad true story.  After waiting for months for this huge family reunion trip, the first half of which was pure magic, this was how I saw the start of 2025.  Embarrassingly, I took my whole family to New Zealand without travel insurance.  Me.  A travel agent of over 20 years.  It’s a mistake that keeps me awake at night, and one I certainly won’t ever make again.  Like literally - I get goosebumps on my arm and a cold sweat every time I think about how much I risked by not following that basic step that I have been encouraging people to do for years.  

So. Dumb.

Taking out travel insurance to cover things like this surprise illness should ABSOLUTELY be part of your trip budget.  If you purchase a policy as soon as you put money down on the trip, your specified trip will be covered from the day you buy it.  Simple, really.  And should be mandatory!  

If I had travel insurance, I would have absolutely been more focussed on making sure I was well, rather than stressing about how we were going to get home with 3 kids in tow and 5 suitcases of christmas presents (thanks for all the lego, Nana & Poppa!).

The good news is, I got some extreme antibiotics and a host of other things to make the journey comfortable enough that I could make it, with an extra special mention to my other half for managing the lego suitcases scenario.  We made it home, but only just.

Moral Of The Story:

The moral of the story, folks, is to not be like this super experienced travel agent, and get yourself travel insurance every time you go on holidays.  It will save you.

<insert links to LBTC travel insurance page>