“When Vacations Attack!” Premieres Sunday November 28

As you might expect, the Travel Channel is one of my favorite channels to watch. Besides Ghost Adventures (which is probably my fave Travel Channel show), I also like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Mysteries at the Museum, Man v. Food, and Samantha Brown. And of course I love all of the specials like the “Best of” or any of the haunted places ones they run.

This Sunday, November 28, they’re going to premier a new show: When Vacations Attack!

Holy guacamole! It looks nuts!

I watched an extended preview one of Travel Channel’s PR reps generously shared with me. It gave me chills.

The ghost hunting the boys do on Ghost Adventures is thrilling in one way. It presents “What if?” possibilities that are exciting to contemplate. But there’s really no danger involved. (Except when Zak walks into nails sticking out of boards, or the weather gets crazy on them.) It’s just more spooky than truly scary.

Sure, they might have a car wreck en route to an investigation. And there was that one episode where they walked up the hill into the desert to overlook an old prison they’d be investigating. I thought they might get bitten by a rattlesnake that time.

But that’d fall under job hazards. It’s not like they’re on vacation and suddenly things go completely wonky like it did for the people who will be featured on When Vacations Attack!

It’s also quite the testament to our times just how many vacation disasters are caught on tape. Some of them look absolutely terrifying too. The clips that shook me up most were:

• A bull (? not sure if that’s what it is or not, but it’s some kind of big animal like that) has its head wedged in a car and the person inside is desperately trying to get away from it.
• A scuba diver is screaming for help when an octopus wraps itself around his upper body (including his mask!).
• Two giraffes start flinging their necks and whipping their heads at each other. (I didn’t know giraffes could do that, and if they’re fighting with each other, I didn’t know giraffes could be so aggressive!)
• A scuba diver with a camera in a shark dive cage suddenly has a shark barrel into the tank and lodge his head inside. (I don’t know if it’s a Great White, but whatever it is it sure has sharp teeth!)
• There are several clips of things flying and then suddenly not flying anymore. (Like a hot air balloon. A sudden explosion snaps the ropes from the basket and balloon and sends the basket plummeting!)

I have a feeling I’m going to like this show. As sick as that sounds. I hate to be entertained by other people’s misery, but having something happen while we’re on vacation is one of my top fears.

Maybe if I see what can go wrong and what to do when it does wil help me be more mentally prepared for tackling any disasters we encounter on vacation. (We always have a couple of hiccups, but so far nothing like what’s set to show on When Vacations Attack!)

WATCH A SNEAK PEEK

If you go to this link you can watch a sneak peek on Travel Channel’s site. It’s not the extended preview I saw, but it’ll definitely give you an idea of what the show’s about if you haven’t previously seen previews.

Below is also a clip from the show about people vacationing in Austria who witness a hang glider soar into live power lines. Disturbing!

Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.

Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.