Married At First Sight star Melissa Rawson shared a cautionary tale from her belated honeymoon with husband Bryce Ruthven in Thailand.
Posting to her blog Her Second Shift, she revealed the pair’s romantic getaway in May took a dramatic turn when cash and jewellery were stolen during a late-night visit to a massage parlour.
A night of relaxation gone wrong
Melissa explained that she and Bryce decided to unwind with a massage on the Thai island of Koh Samui.
“I had also just stopped at an ATM on the way back to the hotel and had withdrawn all our money on our card for the next day’s activities, so I was ready to spend,” Liss wrote.
The couple had to pay upfront and were taken to separate rooms for their massages. Reflecting on the night, Melissa realised there were several “red flags” she overlooked in her holiday mode.
During her massage, the masseuse moved Melissa’s belongings, including her bag, to the head of the table.
“I thought nothing of it. It was closer to me at least,” she detailed. However, after the massage, when Melissa went to pay for a cocktail on their way back to the hotel, she discovered her bag was empty.
“No cash or jewellery. My Francesca necklace that I had had for one week. Gone. (#gifted… but still, very sad),” she wrote. “And as I had just withdrawn all the money from the travel card (our credit cards were in the hotel room safe), we were skint.”
A lesson learned
Melissa admitted she was “mentally kicking [herself] for being so naïve” and offered some travel advice to her readers:
“Don’t go for a massage off the main street or while heavily intoxicated. Don’t give cash before a service or purchase (or your passport – for anything!). Always keep spare cash in the hotel safe. Try not to separate from your partner or friend/s – unless you know it’s safe to do so.”
Their honeymoon wasn’t exactly smooth sailing from the start.
Melissa described their flight from Melbourne to Bangkok as “a flight from hell,” recalling how they flew into an electrical storm.
“The plane was hit by strong wind and rain as we descended beneath the clouds. Then, it suddenly jolted and dropped violently,” she wrote. “It was only 10 or so seconds of turbulence, but I was genuinely terrified.”
It took three attempts before the plane safely landed, causing the couple to miss their connecting flight to Koh Samui.
“Passengers became unruly, shouting out to staff for information as we sat stranded,” Melissa recalled. “There was minimal communication from the pilot and no one was offered food or water during this excessive delay. When we eventually took off, most on the plane cheered.”
Despite the ordeal, Melissa confidently said that it was a “wonderful” holiday and she is “eagerly planning another trip back”.
Want to CHATTR with us? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more entertainment news.
