To think DH cant come to this

Millions of us survive the tube every day.

Take the Liz line for the luxury experience ;) No reason to avoid the tube unless you have extreme claustrophobia.

I've often accompanied DH on work trips. It's fine.
I also arrange travel for my colleagues and many people bring partners and occasionally children. Our company policy is that if you bring a partner you pay the difference in price yourself. If it doesn't cost any extra then it's fine.

Yeah just pay for breakfast for the extra person.

It was brilliant! And worked really well as my annual leave allowance was more than his so it was a good way to use it up!!! Sadly he hasn’t worked there for many years now so it like so long ago now. Such a shame as I could do with another long weekend away 🤭

Most companies it’s perfectly fine
pre-kids my DH had a work trip to NY, I paid for my flights (and expenses) and had a very long (wed-sun) weekend in NY
i did my own thing wed-fri, joined DH and his colleagues for drinks (after they went for dinner one night, and then spent Sat and Sun with DH in NY
the company knew, his manager was the one that extended the invite for me to join them for drink!
we did offered to pay the difference (single to double occupancy) - but it was the same rate - I even got hotel breakfast
a lot of people do it
yes do check with your company, but it’s perfectly fine, as long as you don’t charge for their expenses

DH and I both used to go away for work a lot, he still does more than I do. I don't always go, as I don't have that much leave. But if he's going somewhere interesting I'll often see if it's do-able and also make sure it's the kind of thing where that's OK.

I'm hoping for a Jersey trip soon, and he's off to London this week, I'm not going this time but we looked to see if it was feasible and if there was anything on we wanted to see.

If he was going to a full on conference/business meetings where he was having to be there all day, and network at night and be there a couple of days I wouldn't. Unless it was somewhere really lovely and we'd extend the trip.

As you say though, sometimes it's nice to have a bit of peace at home. I miss when he was travelling a lot as I did get more time to myself.

OP - your husband saying you wouldn't want to travel in on the tube on your own does sound weird.

I’m a bumpkin and managed the tube with a baby/pram/luggage on top. Was only travelling through, never ‘been’ to London and really have not much want to. It’s not the centre of the universe despite what some Londoners think.

I can’t decide if your husband sounds controlling or is simply one of these people who can’t stand the thought of travelling about. I know plenty like that to be honest - I recently had to take a bit of a journey (three trains, two buses) for something I didn’t feel like driving back from. I had a couple of people tell me they’d not even bother, such a faff, seemed utterly overwhelming just thinking about it, why would I put myself through that. I love a bit of a hop about though - appreciate a change of scenery a lot more when not getting frustrated with traffic! And an odd sense of achievement when finishing navigating a new place.

Most companies would be fine with this, I've worked at a couple that wouldn't- best to just ask them.

Bit weird how your DH is patronising you about using the tube though. I thought he'd never been either?

Obviously partners don't actually attend any work related things, but if it doesn't cost the business any more to have someone's partner wandering around the city or whatever during the day, who cares? And why would it be "embarassing"
Dh always invites me to on his work aways. I pick and choose and if its somewhere interesting I'll go. He'll go into his conferences or workshops or whatever and I'll have a great day or two out on my own. He'll give me a text when he's finished to see what I'm up to.
Sometimes I may meet up with other wives who've dome the same. It's quite a nice mini break.

Sounds like a fab company! Glad you got to enjoy the trips 😃 maybe some of the more interesting destinations I’ll think about this!

My DH had to travel to another country every other week for a number of years. Every couple of months I would fly out on my own on a Thursday morning, explore the local area on my own Thursday and Friday. After he was done with work on Fri, I would join him and colleagues for after work drinks and sometimes a meal and after that we would have the weekend there just the two of us. Of course we would pay for the weekend part and my meals and flights etc. I don’t think it’s that strange, particularly if it’s not interfering with their work and it doesn’t cost the company more money.

tbh his company encouraged partners to do this long weekend type of thing. but probably because they understood that being away every other week for a number of years was quite intense!

Or perhaps not really a city person. I’d rather be up a mountain than in a city because I’m not keen on busy places. Lots of people don’t understand that.

Using the Tube is the easiest thing in the world, and a solo trip to Central London is huge fun. I'd be a bit concerned if my husband thought that the "little woman" wouldn't be able to cope - he knows it would be (and often is) a huge treat for me. So "Woman Up" and enjoy time alone!

It isn't an issue to take partners in my experience. I've been on my partner's work trips to Sweden, Italy and the US. I paid for my costs but I got to stay in luxury hotels I wouldn't have paid for if this was a personal trip. Similarly, I've brought my partner on work trips to Asia and covered her costs. No one has minded in the slightest. The only issues we had was getting seats where we could sit together!

For that comment I’d go by yourself.

You’re a grown woman. You are perfectly capable of getting on and off a tube train.

My 11 year old gets the tube by herself to school every day!

I wouldn't say it's a lack of curiosity to have never been to London but English public transport is so annoying, it's often easier to go into London and out again than go cross country.

No he definitely can't go.

Against company policy

Gross misconduct
Blimey!!🤣🤣

Maybe it’s just a different work environment, I have to network in the evening, I’m just picturing someone’s partner and kids tow- so probably very different scenarios end environments.

If it’s just working in the day and free evenings then I guess not an issue but I often end up having to work much later and would feel I had to be in 2 places. Also let’s be honest the time apart is sometimes nice!!

Either way it will be written in the travel policy.

don't let him intimidate you into needing a babysitter. so does he intend to drop you off at work in the morning and wait outside the door to pick you up? What if you get chatting and a few people suggest getting a drink afterwards?

Nothing scary about the tube if you pay attention. Use something like google maps to get the route sorted, follow the directions, don't be afraid to ask for directions.

I used to always convince work it was cheaper to go down a night in advance so id go after work, get dinner alone, go to my hotel, go to the course the next day then sometimes i'd pay for a night myself and book a day off and have a day in London.

Never had an issue eating out alone , never got lost and i'm the sort of person who could get lost in a cul de sac.

Take him if you fancy but not because he's infantilising you to get his own way

I don’t think it should matter, I’m a nanny and my bosses before now have asked me to accompany them on work trips. I mean obviously they paid for my room themselves but I doubt they’re work minded.

We did it when I used to have to go to London, if we used the restaurant we would ask for separate bills for the food and the drink as I had a decent allowance for food but none for drink!

Me and my baby spend months going away with my husband. We loved it 😀

I've travelled to hundreds of places all over the world but never been to London.

It's not a lack of curiosity, it's a lack of interest. London holds zero interest for me. I'm always staggered that people think non-londoners should be all starry eyed and amazed and excited to visit.

• family, not families ** perk not park!

My DH did this, it was a premier inn in a costal spot and they were not happy when they saw I was here too as the booking was only in his name. They told him they were not allowed to let me stay in the room as it was booked through a company system and couldn't add names. It was very embarrassing! Never again!