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AS the plane taxied down the runway, I let out a sigh of relief. With a busy job in events, and as a single mum to my son Kairo, seven, I couldn’t wait to stretch out in the sun in Turkey and enjoy a bit of R&R.
I’m Fia Lane, 30, from Ealing, West London and I thought our family holiday would be just the break we needed.
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But in seconds, it turned into a nightmare that left me screaming in pain, needing 40 stitches and regretting one small detail that nearly cost me thousands.
We were visiting my auntie, Diane, who owned an apartment in Fethiye, a gorgeous port city on the Turquoise Coast.
So in August 2023, I jetted off with Kairo, my little sister Mischa-Leigh, 18, and our Mum Cathy, 54, for our annual summer holiday.
On the first day, we lounged on the beach and enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant.
The next morning, we swam in my auntie’s pool, then Mischa-Leigh and I decided to have a go on her quad bike.
My auntie’s apartment was part of a complex surrounded by quiet roads.
All the residents had a quad bike to get around on, and I’d ridden on Diane’s vehicle plenty of times before.
I never bothered with a helmet on the quiet local roads.
So as Mischa-Leigh hopped into the driver’s seat and I climbed on the back in my shorts and vest top, I didn’t think twice about it.
We started circling the park, where Mum and Diane had taken Kairo for a walk.
As we sped past, waving to them, the warm wind whipped through my hair.
I was barely aware of the bike suddenly swerving sharply.
It toppled over, and I was flung off onto my side, hitting my head on the road and blacking out.
I found out later that a cat had walked into the quad bike’s path. Mischa-Leigh loves animals, so she’d swerved to avoid it, accidentally hitting the accelerator instead of the brake as she did so.
When I swam back into consciousness, I realised I couldn’t see. It was terrifying.
I could feel someone cradling my head, and the first thing I asked was, ‘Where’s my baby?’ I knew Kairo would have seen the whole accident, which sent me into a panic.
I asked the stranger holding my head – a woman who had been walking nearby – ‘Am I dying?’
The bang to my head had affected my eyesight, and I still couldn’t see a thing.
I was convinced I was taking my last breaths.
Suddenly, feeling started coming back into my body and I began screaming in pain.
My right arm was twisted upwards into the air, and a searing agony pulsed through it.
I’d never felt pain like it before – but I found I couldn’t lower it to ease the pain either.
My head was also throbbing. I didn’t realise at the time that there was blood pouring from a huge wound in my forehead.
I heard Mum, Kairo and Diane rushing over to my side. I could hear Kairo screaming, ‘Is my mum dead?’ which was agony to hear.
The lady looking after me told Mum to run and get my and Mischa-Leigh’s passports.
An ambulance had been called, but we needed them before they’d take us to hospital.
Mischa-Leigh had been relatively lucky – because she’d been holding onto the quad bike, she hadn’t been thrown off it. She managed to avoid hitting her head, but had a deep cut on her arm.
The ambulance soon arrived, and after handing over our passports, we were taken to a local hospital.
Gradually, in the ambulance, my sight started to return. I realised that my right-hand side was covered in blood, and my arm was stuck straight above me in the air.
At the hospital, an X-ray showed that my arm was dislocated.
Mercifully, I don’t remember the pain as they popped it back into place, thanks to the painkillers I’d been given making me woozy
– but Mum remembers me screaming.
I also received stitches in my toe, which had been split open, and 40 stitches in my scalp and forehead.
That was the moment I realised I had forgotten to buy insurance for the holiday.
Every time I’d visited Diane in the past, I’d made sure I had full insurance, including cover for quad biking. But this time, it slipped my mind.
What should you look for in a good travel insurance policy?
TRAVEL insurance policies can vary a great deal, but here are some “must have
- Medical expenses – A good policy will give cover of £1million or more for travel in Europe and £2million or more for the USA
- Repatriation service – The costs of getting you back to the UK for medical reasons should be covered automatically by your policy
- Cancellation and curtailment – A good policy will cover you for £2,000 or more if you have to cancel or shorten your holiday
- Missed departure – Covers additional accommodation costs and travel expenses up to £500 or more if you miss your flight due to circumstances out of your control
- Delay – You’ll usually be covered for £250 or more if your travel plans are delayed due to circumstances out of your control
- Baggage cover – Covers you if your baggage is lost, damaged or stolen. Look for policies that have cover of £1,500 or more.
As nurses stitched me up, I started worrying about just how much this accident was going to cost me.
Thankfully, the damage to my wallet wasn’t as bad as the physical damage – it cost £400 for my treatment, and for the 15 stitches Mischa-Leigh needed in her arm.
Sent home with my arm in a sling, we decided to see out the rest of the holiday, although we avoided the spot where I’d had the accident – and where you could still see my blood pooled on the road.
I took painkillers three times a day, and had to try and hide the bruising and swelling on my face from Kairo, who was still traumatised by the accident.
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He kept hugging me, and asking if I was OK. That was part of the reason I was determined to see out the holiday, despite the pain – so
he could replace those awful memories with happier ones.
Back home in Ealing, West London two weeks after the accident, I moved in with Mum for three months.
Because my right arm was injured, I couldn’t do anything for myself or Kairo without help. She had to help me wash my hair and even help me get dressed.
She also insisted I go back to hospital, where new X-rays showed that as well as dislocating my shoulder, I’d broken my arm in the accident. I was given a more supportive sling, and referred for physiotherapy.
If the doctors in Turkey had spotted the break, my medical bill would have skyrocketed – but because they didn’t, I still can’t move my arm properly, and it gives me a lot of pain.
My shoulder isn’t properly aligned either. I’m currently waiting for physiotherapy, and could even face surgery.
As well as my long-term health issues, Kairo still hasn’t got over the accident.
He’s happy to go on holiday again – as long as it’s not to Turkey. If I suggest visiting Diane, it’s an instant, ‘No way.’
He still talks about it all the time, and I worry he’ll never forget seeing me injured like that.
I’d urge anyone reading this who is looking forward to their holiday to check they have full health insurance, including cover for any risky activities.
I was lucky that my trip to the hospital didn’t cost me thousands.
But the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to always wear a helmet if you’re going to ride any kind of vehicle on holiday.
Whizzing around with the wind in your hair might feel like a fun, innocent activity, but quad bikes are heavy, serious pieces of machinery, and you can easily get hurt.
I certainly wouldn’t go on one again. I’ve paid a heavy price for my bit of fun in the sun – but the cost could have been far higher.
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