Name Eddy Patricelli
Who? Editor-in-Chief of ISLANDS Magazine. More at http://blog.islands.com (including a free issue).
Age 36
Countries Visited 18

Titanic Nominations
1. Worst Island Ferry Puerto Juarez to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. A passenger
spotted a manta ray off one side. Everyone crowded to that side to see it, ­
flipping the 30-person ferry. The first boat on the scene was another ferry
from the same outfit. It flipped as its passengers crowded the rail to see
us.  All over a fish.
2. Worst Toilet A moving port-o-pot perched on a flatbed truck during
Trinidad’s all-day Carnival celebration. The truck’s movement required
sitting, but doing so was risky. The port-o-pot’s contents swished and
splattered beneath, and swelled closer with each visit. The thought of that
syrupy sloshing sound still makes my cheeks pucker.
3. Worst Flight Atlanta to Maui, Delta Airlines. Connecting flight into
Atlanta was delayed on arrival, so I missed breakfast. Boarded my Maui-bound
flight starving, and ordered two box meals after takeoff. Flight attendant
handed ‘em over, but at that time Delta only took cash ­ — no credit cards.
Attendant wouldn’t budge and swiped the boxes back. Faced with a nine-hour
fasting, I stood up and pleaded with her. Three flight attendants rushed me,
­ threatening to turn the plane around, contact federal authorities and so
on. Not a soul spoke to me the rest of the flight. Using the bathroom
required escorts. I just wanted a box lunch.
4.Worst Hotel Stay Le Meridien, Bora Bora, surrounded by honeymooners
“honeymooning” in over-water huts nearby. I was alone. Never go to Bora Bora
alone.
5. Worst Cliché Travel Writing Line About Beach/Water Any sentence with
mentions of powder sand, slices of heaven, and turquoise, indigo, sapphire,
ultramarine, glimmering, scintillating water.