ON March 1994, I was taking my friends to Penang, Malaysia, for a wedding. I arranged to meet them at Heathrow Airport and then show them the ropes getting to Penang.

Disaster 1

At 5am my husband piled me and my eight-year-old son in the car to take us to Leeds Airport for the 7am flight to Heathrow. The car would not start. It's the first time it has ever failed us. Panic. In the end had to get a taxi there, cost £30.

Disaster 2

At the check-in in Leeds I was 40lb overweight (I always take a lot of chocolate and sweets and presents for my family in Penang). It would cost me over £500 in excess weight to go through. Panic. Had to open my suitcase and emptied out quite a lot of chocolate and sweets. No carrier bag. So my husband had to rush and borrow any carriers from other passengers. This was all in the middle of the check-in hall. Got a few bags and he took back six carriers of chocolate (my husband was not coming on holiday with me!) to take back to York. He was very cross with me.

Disaster 3

Arrived at airport but could not find my friends. One minute, Adam (my eight-year-old son) was following me, the next minute he had disappeared. Biggest fright of my life. I was petrified running along the departure lounge shouting for him amongst the thousands of passengers. Then I heard through the tannoy that Adam was looking for me and he was at the information desk. It took another information desk to find that information desk. The police were really kind. Was I relieved to see Adam at the information desk.

Disaster 4

As we were quite delayed, we ran to our departure gate to find nobody there. We had gone to the wrong gate. The one we wanted was on another corridor - miles away. Panic again. Had only five minutes before my plane leaves. Luckily a trolley came along and gave us a lift to the correct gate. A relief to step into the plane. My friends were already in the plane and were very worried. They stood up and clapped together with the other passengers when they saw us (and I was supposed to show them where to go as I travel home fairly regularly!)

Disaster 5

With relief we sat down. Guess what? The captain then announced that we will be an hour delayed before flying (all that rush for nothing!) Suddenly an official came down the aisle asking for Jennie Cook. Another fright. What's wrong now! He told me my catch on the suitcase had snapped and they had managed to put everything back and strapped the case together. I had to report to the desk (MAS) in Penang to check the case and content.

Disaster 6

After all that I needed a drink. The air stewardess brought me a gin and tonic and accidentally tipped the whole tray over me and my open handbag. My passport, contents in the bag, were dripping wet and sticky! What have I done to deserve all this! The flight was pretty uneventful - thank God. When we arrived in KL Airport, I took my friend to the transit terminal to catch another plane to Penang.

Disaster 7

At the check-in (after walking again miles to the departure lounge) I was told that I am on a different flight from my friends (they booked a package tour) and my flight to Penang is an hour earlier in another terminal. God, did I swear then. Adam and myself had to run all the way to the other gate with barely a minute to catch the other plane.

Disaster 8

On arrival to Penang, of course there was nobody (my family) to meet us. I had no Malaysian currency to ring them. Finally a kind Malaysian lent me his mobile, but there was nobody at home. They have gone for breakfast and then to pick me up not realising I will be arriving ??????????. So we both had to hang around the airport for an hour waiting for my relatives. My suitcase was "bandaged" up and the contents were in a mess.

Anyway my family came and took us back to the house. What a relief to actually arrive finally at my parents' house after a horrendous journey.

Disaster 9

We had booked an open ticket for the return, thinking that I could organise a date after three weeks with my family. When I went to the MAS office after two weeks to book for a flight home the following week, I was told the plane had been fully booked for the next three weeks. I was shocked and upset as I had to go back to school to teach and so had my son (to school). There was nothing the MAS could do for us except ring up every day to see if there was any cancellation. Well you guessed it! There was no cancellation so we had to stay another two extra weeks (in fact, I would not call it a disaster. I had another two weeks with my family and Adam was thrilled to miss school for two weeks).

Our flight back was thankfully uneventful except that the plane to Leeds could not land in Leeds due to fog so we ended up in Teesside.

John had to wait three hours before we arrived in Leeds Airport by coach. He was so glad to see us after five weeks away when we should have been only there for three weeks!

Updated: 09:01 Monday, February 13, 2006