It was the summer of 1971. I had just completed my O-levels and decided to leave school against my parents' wishes, desperate for independence and freedom. They were insistent that I should go on holiday with them and an aunt whom no one liked. She was my mother's sister and they really didn't get on, but she had been recently widowed so we were trying to 'do the right thing'. What my parents hadn't factored in was that she would bring her nasty, smelly, yappy Pekinese dog with her.

The plan for the trip was basically to get in the car and head north out of London. When we eventually stopped, somewhere in Yorkshire, many hours later, we started our hunt for a B&B. Every place we went to refused to have the dog so it was decided that we wouldn't tell anyone we had it with us, and would try to sneak it in. To my horror I suddenly realised that not only was I sharing a room with auntie, but also the dog.

Auntie snored, the dog howled and the owner of the B&B banged on the door at 3am and told us exactly what he thought of our deceit. Being a reasonable man he didn't throw us out there and then, but we all slunk out with our tails between our legs very quickly after breakfast.

The rest of the holiday was punctuated with rows, pouring rain (the dog smelt even worse when wet) and days spent searching for somewhere to stay. I fell out with auntie after she told me that my fabulous maxi dress was awful. I stormed off and went shopping. I bought my sister's wedding present, a lovely vase which was sadly smashed when my sister threw it at her (now) ex-husband shortly after the wedding.

Our final stop was in King's Lynn where we stayed in a B&B that probably should have been condemned. The sheets were rough, the bathroom dirty and the food not even fit for the smelly Peke. My father was so angry that he refused to make any stops all the way back to London, not even for the loo.

We never spoke to auntie again and I never went on holiday with my parents again and, even though I now live in Norfolk, I still can't face returning to King's Lynn!
Jan Hooks from Norwich

· Have you had a crap holiday? If so, tell us about it. The writers of stories we publish will receive a £16 Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit from Cotswold Outdoor (0844 557 7755; cotswoldoutdoor.com) for taking the sting out of minor holiday mishaps. Email crap.holidays@observer.co.uk