Back in the 1970s (long before cards became common) I went to Paris with a friend and her "friends." By the third day I was gettng pretty tired of being an unpaid tour guide and showing them around Paris - I was the only one who spoke French. We spent the morning at the famous fleamarket and the others got bored. So we were sitting in a pavement cafe near the market and the other three were deciding where "we" were going that afternoon. Up the tour, Notre Dame, etc.
I told them "well you are on your own because Im going back into the fleamerket". "But we dont speak French". I reminded them that we were in Paris not Outer Mongolia and that learning how to do things and find your way in another culture was part of the experience. "This is my holiday too and I want a bit of my own space. Bye."
I spent the day in the fleamarket, got talking to some dealers (as you do) and we all went out to dinner. They invited me to come back to their shop next day and were bringing in some items specially for me to see. I had recently began dealing and was interested to secure some fresh stock.
When I eventually got back to the hotel my travel companions had faces down to the floor. They had travelled half across Paris on the metro only to discover that one of the stupid "friends of a friend" had left a bag with her passport, money and travel cheques on the floor under the table. Needless to say it was not there when they made their way back.
So they had to go and get a police report. But the local police station had no one who spoke English and they had to send for an interpreter. It took so long to get the police report (which they needed to apply for the emergency passport) that they had to put off going to the British Embassy til next day. Also they had to pick up money from Western Union to pay for the passport and replace what the girl has lost.
Of course i was made to feel guilty for not being with them "We could have done with your help because we dont speak French yadda yadda". In the end I was so peed off with them that I left them again the next morning to keep my appointment with my dealer friends.
"But surely your not going to leave us again. We dont speak French"
"Folks ive got some really good news for you. Your going to the British Embassy. There will be lots of waiting around, standing in queues, answering questions and form filling. But they speak English there!"