The stag do
You're in such a fantastic holiday mood, even the party of beery, leery lads on a stag do singing football songs and heckling the air hostesses for the entire three hour flight isn't going to ruin your vibe. They're just young lads letting off a bit of steam, no harm done, eh? That is until the plane lands, one of them pulls his bag down from the overhead locker and you catch sight of the label on it, addressed with the name of a resort which looks worryingly similar to yours...

Just off the plane and eager to get on and explore the wonders of the exciting European city you've landed in, you grab your smart new case off the carousel and run to catch a taxi. A quick freshen up and change of clothes at the hotel and you'll be good to go. Until you open your luggage and discover that while the case is identical to yours, the contents certainly aren't, and you'll be wearing the wardrobe of an 11 yr old girl with a penchant for pink until the mix-up's sorted out.

Feeling pretty pleased with yourself for bagging such an amazing last minute deal, you settle back and enjoy the transfer to the hotel. The sun's shining, the sea's shimmering through the window; so far, so good. Until you reach the resort to find it slap bang in the middle of a building site, cranes and scaffolding looming above it and a drilling volume to rival an AC/DC concert. Whoever took the photo for the brochure should get an award for his contortionist skills and for taking artistic license to a whole new level. Note to self: learn to read between the lines.

Experiencing the local flora and fauna is a wonderful part of visiting a foreign country – tropical birds in rainbow colours, cute, furry creatures up trees and exotic insects in their natural habitats = all good. Cockroaches, bed bugs and rodents in your room = bad. If you'd wanted to share your bed with an unhygienic, hairy creature, you'd have taken the barman up on his generous offer.

There are some holidaymakers who can resist the lure of the all-you-can eat buffet, choosing a sensible, well balanced selection of dishes, and then there are those of us who regard it as a personal challenge to load as many items as possible onto one plate. Either way, the combo of prawn curry, chicken piri piri and bbq ribs in your stomach is never advisable, particularly when you notice a guy in a tall white hat emerging from the loos with suspiciously dry looking hands..

White water rafting/paragliding/bungee jumping sounded like such fun at the time... until you found yourself landed with an eye watering medical bill and a neckbrace/plaster cast. Enough said.

Ah, the wonders of Asia! Temples, beaches, tropical heat, friendly people, exotic food. As all true travellers know, the best way to get an authentic taste of the local cuisine is from the street food vendors – cheap as chips and hot off the grill. Though now you come to think of it, you didn't exactly see your delicious spicy snack being cooked right in front of you, and what's that ominous rumbling noise and gripey feeling in your stomach? Suddenly a two week bus tour isn't looking like such a great idea...

There's nothing like a mates' holiday in the sun, just two single friends, footloose and fancy free,  only sun bathing, the odd cocktail and harmless holiday flirtation on the agenda. So when your best pal turns up at the airport gabbling breathlessly about the 'amazing' new guy she met the night before - and then announces that he's 'coming with', you know you're in for a long fortnight...

You were promised deserted beaches and off the beaten track bliss. As you fight your way through the crowds for a spot on the sand, you start to think that rush hour on the Tube on a Monday morning is quite fun in comparison, actually.