Toni Mannion, a 38-year-old from Birmingham, was looking forward to a magical trip to Disneyland Paris with her terminally ill daughter Daisy, aged five. Plans were dashed due to the discovery of an unexploded World War Two bomb near Gare du Nord station in Paris, causing significant disruptions to Eurostar services. Although the bomb was safely defused on Friday afternoon, the travel chaos left Mannion unable to find alternative transport for Daisy, who has complex health needs.
Daisy suffers from Nonketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH), a rare metabolic disorder. Ms. Mannion had arranged for a trip through the Make-A-Wish charity, covering all expenses for the family. "We were really looking forward to making some special memories with the girls," she expressed, feeling crushed by the cancellation. "We've been planning this for such a long time, and we just want to create beautiful memories together."
The mother’s thoughts were filled with concern as she reflected on Daisy's limited life expectancy, saying, "I know that Make-A-Wish will look to reorganize the trip, but it's still gutting." Meanwhile, many British travelers found themselves stranded across the Channel.
In contrast, some like Vicky and her mother Jo chose to embrace the situation. Having initially booked only one night in Paris, they decided to extend their stay and explore the city. "We're going to make the most of it," said Vicky as they prepared to visit the iconic Eiffel Tower.
Across the board, numerous travelers experienced frustrations with the Eurostar app, with many unable to secure alternative journeys promptly. Bob and Mavis from Nottingham described their struggle to secure a train to Paris, ultimately leading to additional hotel expenses due to the delays. "It took us hours to get through on the Eurostar app; it keeps crashing."
The disruption has reminded many of the unpredictability of travel, particularly for those like Mannion who had so much riding on their dreams.
