Let my story be a lesson and a warning to all women who travel alone. Overloaded with work, I suddenly decided to take a small vacation. I chose the first destination I could find and booked my tickets and accommodation online. When I arrived, I was over the moon that I would finally be able to relax.

When I got to the apartment I booked and tried to open it with the key I found under the mat, I realized that the door was already open.

It was already weird, but I went in. I saw a large bag on the couch and heard the sound of water coming from the shower. Scared, I grabbed a mop to protect myself from whoever had broken into the apartment I had rented. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and a man in a towel stepped out.

I yelled, “What are you doing in my apartment?”

The man looked equally shocked and exclaimed, “Your apartment? This is my apartment!”
We stood there, staring at each other, both bewildered. After a tense moment, he raised his hands defensively and said, “I think there’s been a mix-up. My name is Alex, and I booked this place through an online rental service. Check your booking confirmation.”

I quickly fumbled for my phone and checked my email. Sure enough, I had the correct address. I showed it to Alex, who then did the same. It became clear that there had been a double booking, an error by the rental service.

“Okay, so what do we do now?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the adrenaline still pumping through me.

Alex, still holding his towel, suggested, “Why don’t we call the rental service and sort this out? In the meantime, I can wait outside while you make the call.”

I nodded, appreciating his offer. After making the call and waiting on hold for what felt like an eternity, the rental service finally admitted their mistake and promised to find another accommodation for one of us. Unfortunately, being a busy travel season, they couldn’t find anything immediately.

Alex, now dressed and a bit calmer, reentered the apartment. “They offered to refund one of us, but there’s nothing else available right now.”

We both sighed in frustration, the excitement of our respective vacations dampened by the inconvenience. After a moment of awkward silence, Alex suggested, “Look, this place has two bedrooms. It’s not ideal, but we could share it for the night until they find another place tomorrow.”

I was hesitant but also practical. “Alright,” I agreed. “But we need some ground rules. No invading each other’s space.”

“Agreed,” he said, nodding.

That night, we awkwardly navigated around each other, trying to maintain as much privacy as possible. We talked a bit over dinner, ordered in to avoid further complications. I learned that Alex was a software developer from a neighboring city, taking a break from his demanding job much like I was.

The next morning, the rental service called back with news of another available apartment. They had also offered a complimentary spa day to make up for the inconvenience. Alex and I decided to make the best of it and accepted the offer.

As we parted ways, I couldn’t help but reflect on the unexpected twist my vacation had taken. Meeting Alex had been a strange coincidence, but it had also taught me a valuable lesson about the unpredictability of solo travel. Despite the initial scare, Alex had turned out to be a decent person, and we parted on friendly terms.

For the rest of my vacation, I couldn’t shake off the bizarre yet somewhat fortunate encounter. It served as a reminder to always double-check bookings and be prepared for the unexpected. And although my vacation didn’t go exactly as planned, it left me with an unforgettable story and a new perspective on the importance of caution and openness when traveling alone.