Was this normal - ex-bosses behaviour

[Opi2345]

Thinking back to it and wonder was this normal.

My now ex male boss hired me and I worked for him for nearly 7 years. There was only two of us in our team for the majority of that time.
This could be a cultural thing but over those 7 years, we had lunch together every day. We travelled very often outside Europe and he insisted we sit next to each other on flights, have breakfast, lunch and dinner together- which I guess is normal on work trips. An 11-hour flight next to each other was a bit weird. We would be away on those trips a lot for work. Always sharing a taxi as we lived close by. I met his wife and kids and I and my DH was invited to their house. So nothing weird there.
We have stopped working together for many years but are still in touch although not as often. I had a baby, he was very ill for some time.
He suggested we all go on holiday together last year but that didn’t happen.
Now I am working in another place and my relationship with my boss is nothing like this and we hardly speak. Which is fine with me.
Not sure what I am asking but think I should have had more boundaries with my ex-boss.

Did you feel uncomfortable at the time? It sounds like you had a good working relationship and a friendship too.

I felt it was a bit much but I wasn’t in a position to say no. As you say we had a good friendship and he’s a nice person and was a good boss but found I couldn’t say no to constantly being together. I would have liked to sit on my own when flying and maybe have breakfast on my own. Maybe I should have just said that to him

That would have been way too intense for me

It sounds as if you don't know how to voice a preference. Colleagues travelling together and eating together when overseas on business isn't unusual.

Your boss obviously saw the relationship as a friendship as well as work. He met your partner, and you his. It doesn't sound like he was coming on to you but if you ever felt uncomfortable, you could just have said you wanted a bit of down time. I used to claim jetlag and go to bed early if colleagues were getting a bit much.

I think you just needed to speak up.

So what now? What are you planning on doing based on the responses you get?

True. Could have said something but a few times I said no to lunch in those 7 years he would often make remarks for avoiding him.
Good point re-jet leg - something to use in the future.

What am I planning to do with the response? I would like not to repeat something like this in the future and I appreciate the PPs response saying I should have just spoken up. Something to take onboard.