Upset about a surprise trip to Paris?

[FoxOfWallStreet]

So my partner has surprised me with a trip to Paris for my birthday.

I was absolutely thrilled.

But I then found out that we will be going there by coach. It's not the fact that its a coach, it's the fact that it will take us 12 hours to get there.

I haven't said anything or moaned to him as obviously its a lovely surprise non the less but aibu to be dreading it slightly?

whilst Eurostar cannot compete with the prices they did have an offer on a month back where single tickets to Paris were £20 and £20 back from Paris making a return trip £40 and you could go on a Thurs come back on Monday or make your trip for as long/ short as you want.

An offer a month back is not much use for the OPs birthday though is it?

FWIW, it isn't the OP who is being rude and ungrateful. She said she hasn't said anything as it is a lovely surprise but is dreading it slightly. The over reactions are from other posters.

And is it really so hard to imagine that the OP isn't starting out from London?

you're sure it's 12 hours? It the coach takes the Eurotunnel, it's likely to be much less.

Yanbu in my eyes. If dh presented this gift to me I would make him change it too, but I have mobility issues/cfs so 12 hours on a coach would have me in bed and dosed up on painkillers for the whole romantic weekend. Same when we got home.

Lovely of him. Yes it's a long time on a coach, but obviously you'll be able to walk about on the ferry.

My concern though is that the, shall we call it cost efficient, mode of transport will also extend to the hotel and it's location. I've stayed in parts of "Paris" where you'd have a better view of the Tour Blackpool

I have done some coach trips, when I was 17. It's hell. No way will I spend 12 hours on a bus, when there are reasonably priced flights available. I would say that you are thrilled, but what about other transport options?

As for being grateful - no, I don't think you have to be grateful for any present, just because. My ex threw a tantrum because I wasn't grateful enough when he wanted to take me skiing. I hate skiing and he knew it very well.

I would love a surprise trip away. I don't think I would be put off by the coach at all.

My Dh wouldn't bother organising a trip either! Just go and put a brave face on, it was a nice thing to do.

How long are you going for?

If you're going for 3 weeks I'd be happy to go on a coach.

Otherwise I'd not bother. Twelve hours on a coach for the sake of arriving tired, stiff and sweaty in Paris for twelve hours before turning around again wouldn't float my boat.

Yes YABU!

It is probably alot cheaper going by coach. Give the guy a break, maybe he's spent the money he saved on something to do when you get there.
It could be worse he might not be taken you at all.

I wouldn't bother.

Eurostar tickets are what? £100 return if you're lucky? (I've never managed to get them that cheap, it's always been more).

So that's £200. Then the cost of the train to Euston. Plus a hotel, which probably won't come in under £80 a night - say this is a weekend and it's 3 nights, another £250. Then you've got meals etc. on top.

Imagine that this thread was called 'Is £500 excessive for a birthday present?' - and consider the response it would get and the suggestions that would be made as to how to reduce the cost.

I wouldn't go. I absolutely hate being stuck on planes for long haul flights but that's unavoidable if you want to visit certain countries. It doesn't take 12 hours to get to Paris.

Surely it depends where in the UK you travel from? I travelled from Wales to London on the coach in the weekend and it took 5 hours.

Depends where you go from Suki. Not everyone lives in London. I once got a 5 hour coach from Leeds to London.

I meant that there's no need for it to take 12 hours. It's a 1 hour 50 minutes flight from Edinburgh.

The coaches don't take a direct route. It is a glorified bus route - fairly torturous, stopping at several places to pick up passengers, wait for passengers to arrive / get on. It takes ages.

It sounds hellish.

Not sure where you're travelling from, but you can get easyjet flights to Paris from either Gatwick or Luton for about £60. Return. No idea how much the coach is, but I would personally gladly pay £60 to avoid 12 hours on the bus.

Eurostar can cost up to £150/£200 for a decent time, coach is about £30. I've done the coach few times overnight and it's fine!
Maybe he's saving the money to take you up the tower for dinner or something. Be grateful

How often do you hear on mn about dh not spending enough time with them etc. use the 12hrs to have a really nice one on one time with him - hours of conversation, playing card games etc.

YABU and totally ungrateful! Your poor DH.

I'd kill to have such an amazing birthday gift, coach or no coach.

I say that as someone who has been to Paris on a coach trip! It was lovely, the coach trip was relaxing. Magazines, music, chatting. Bliss.

I'm honestly shocked at the posts on this thread and how ungrateful so many of you are, bloody hell.

The op hasn't come back. Maybe she's on the coach already.

Assuming this is feasible in time and money, could you-
Drive to Kent the previous day.
Stay overnight in cheap b&b/travelodge.
Leave car at Dover ferry parking.
Arrange to meet coach at Dover.
That way you would be straight on the ferry, missing out all the boring bits when they collect people from around the UK. Have a nice meal, wine etc. on the ferry and do some shopping. Once off the ferry I think it's only about 4hrs to Paris so you will arrive relatively fresh compared to the other unlucky buggers on the coach who have travelled all the way from Newcastle etc.

I did the eight hour trip from Edinburgh to London twice and both times I vomited every half hour for two thirds of the trip. DP suggested a few months ago that we do the coach to Paris and he was immediately shut down.

It's an hour long flight from where we live and about £60 return by Easyjet depending on when you go!