Andorra

April 8th – 11th, 2025

This trip was full of unexpected surprises, and not all of them good. It all started at Bristol airport, where David and I grabbed some pre-packaged wrap. I started to feel sick as the plane took off, and I vomiting the moment the plane landed. But it didn’t stop there. On the bus from Barcelona to Andorra, with an empty stomach, I threw up four more times!

By the time we reached the hotel, my whole body was aching, practically falling apart. Every nearby clinic was closed, so I had no choice but to skip dinner, take a quick “battle shower,” and crash straight into bed. But then, in the middle of the night, I woke up burning with fever, and that’s when David messaged me: “I’m throwing up too.” True brotherhood upgraded to full-on “sick buddies” mode 🥴.

The next morning, still feverish, I rushed to the ER. Took a taxi and I was forced to pay 60 euros for a ride that lasted only 10 minutes, an absolute scam. I was feeling hell, I just wanted to go into the ER. The driver was genuinely the worst human I’ve ever met, taking advantage of a very sick me; I honestly hope karma catches up with him soon. At the hospital, they took blood like they were draining half my body. The doctor’s verdict? “Congratulations, you’ve activated a sleeping army of viruses inside you thanks to food poisoning.” Luckily, the doctor was good and gave me the treatments I needed to patch myself up.

It wasn’t until the third day in Andorra that David and I were barely back to “can ski without dying” status. Since the photographer caught us on the slopes, I was glad my skiing still looked decent… Our hotel faced the snowy hills with scenery that looked like a movie set. The morning slopes were smooth and silky like cream, but by noon, the snow turned into a slushy mess. With temperatures hitting 12°C, two half-broken travelers powered through sheer will.

That afternoon, we sat on the balcony bar, sipping drinks and soaking up music, the first time the trip actually felt like a vacation. What a day! The only downside? We had to pack up and head home the next day 😭. And get this — on our taxi ride from the hotel down to the bus station, we fell for the same scammer again! Not as brutal this time, but the guy totally took the long way around, stopped to pick up his buddy mid-ride, and still had the nerve to charge us extra to pick up this buddy. Unbelievable!

Pro tip for the day: Be very cautious with airport food… it might be more than just “not tasty.”