📍Netherlands — The Falling Down The stairs Incident

Hey y’all — it’s Wander Woman with another incident/ story ✨

Because it’s stories like these that remind us (fellow travelers) that mishaps can happen anywhere in the world — and how easily strangers can show up for you during tough moments… or support your clumsy little (not so little) side 😜

This happened back when I was in the Netherlands.
(I know what you’re thinking.)

Six months in Den Haag and you ended up in the emergency room twice??
You can read about my first travel mishap here — but the short answer is: yeaaasss

At the time, I was volunteering at Will & Tate City Stay. We were on day shift, which meant cleaning dorms, showers, bathrooms — the usual hostel routine. My task was taking the used linens downstairs and out to the containers.

It was a rainy day (of course — it is the Netherlands 😛).
We had a lot of laundry, and usually we don’t overfill the linen bags so everyone can carry them safely.

Well… one volunteer decided to fill them all the way up.
Friendly reminder: be mindful of other volunteers — don’t be a douche, babes.

I was carrying the bags downstairs one by one. I had three left. I went back up to grab the next one, and as I reached the last floor to go down, there’s this corner stair.

My shoes were wet from the rain.

I slipped.

I fell.

And I hit my head on the wall.

I’d describe it more… but I honestly don’t remember much after that 😅

Everything that follows is either partial memory or what I’ve been told.

Apparently, after I fell, I somehow made it to our break area. You get a free coffee, tea, or soda during breaks — so if you want similar experiences while staying for free, sign up through Worldpackers (I mean the free drinks, not the falling down the stairs 😆).

What I remember is feeling dizzy, nauseous, and someone saying,
“Yo, I think you’ve got a concussion.”
Someone else said I needed to go to the hospital.

One of the hostel staff members (bless her soul) offered to walk with me to the emergency room — and she stayed with me through the whole thing. We were there for five hours.

The hospital was only a five-minute walk… but it took us about fifteen.
We had to stop constantly because my left side was in so much pain. I could barely walk, couldn’t move my arm properly, and felt like I was going to throw up every minute.

At the emergency room, we waited around three to four hours.
(Yes, there are videos. Yes, they live on my private social media. Emergency-room blogging, but make it ✨funnier✨.)

Eventually, I saw the doctor. They checked me over and sent me for scans to make sure nothing was broken. Completely unshaved — so ladies, you understand my pain 😭

After the scans, I went back to the doctor’s office, where he gave me a pain-relief injection.

Results came in.

Thank God — no broken bones. Just a concussion.

We went back to the hostel, and the manager told me to stay in bed and not work until I recovered. For about a week and a half, I was bruised, in pain, and barely able to move.

I stayed in bed while people constantly checked on me — bringing water for my medication, making me breakfast, helping however they could.

What This Accident Taught Me About Travel Safety

Travel accidents don’t usually happen because we’re irresponsible — they happen because we’re tired, distracted, or in an unfamiliar place.

Here are the real lessons I learned from this experience:

DO

• Always travel with insurance, even for short trips
• Take falls and head injuries seriously — even if you “feel fine”
• Go to a doctor if pain or dizziness continues

DON’T

• Ignore symptoms just because you don’t want the hassle
• Delay medical help in a foreign country
• Assume small accidents can’t become serious

Why Travel Insurance REALLY Matters

In many countries, even one night in a hospital can cost hundreds or thousands of euros.

Travel insurance is not just a “nice extra”. It protects you when things go wrong far from home.

Every expat, nomad, or clumsy person on earth (including me 😅) uses 👉 SafetyWing — one of the best travel insurance options for long-term travelers.

Another reminder that mishaps are part of the journey.

Not to say it doesn’t hurt — physically or emotionally — when it happens.
But I’ll always be grateful that I experienced it surrounded by complete strangers who chose to take care of me.

Even back then, I felt it.

At the time, it was unfamiliar.
Now — after over a year of full-time traveling — it’s the same emotion that keeps me going. The thing that makes me want to explore more, meet more people, experience more cultures.

It’s the feeling of belonging — even temporarily.

Belonging to a new family, new experiences, shared moments with strangers. Being present enough to notice it, feel it, and be grateful for it.

This is more than traveling for me.
This is life.

This is being an explorer.

And I’m so grateful I get to experience it — raw, messy, and real.

Traveling isn’t just about finding cute countries to visit (at least not only that).
It’s about the people. It’s about slowing down. It’s about connection.

As always,
Wonder. Explore. Live.

Till next time,
💫 Wander Woman Quest