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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Upset about a surprise trip to Paris?

177 replies

FoxOfWallStreet · 21/01/2015 20:15

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?

OP posts:
BreakingDad77 · 23/01/2015 14:39

Well depends on your financial situation as to wether your being 'entitled much'

though curious why he pipped for coach.

timbrrr · 23/01/2015 17:47

Poor OP, maybe she should namechange to the Moaner Lisa...

Personally I would rather fairy cake with ground glass sprinkles than spend 12 hours on a coach.

ProudAS · 23/01/2015 22:28

DH and I went on a coach trip to Paris when we were students (very budget sleeping on coach and ferry floor). I can't honestly say I wouldn't do it again but not sure how I'd react to being surprised with it. I don't like big surprises anyway.

ThatBloodyWoman · 23/01/2015 22:34

Yabu and I would be really offended if I did similar for my partner and it wadn't good enough for them!

rightguard · 23/01/2015 22:44

As a coach operator I've got to say YABVVVU. Coaches are comfortable, and the journey from say London to Dover is about 2 hrs, then 90mins on the ferry, followed by 4 hrs from Calais to Paris, you'll have a stop on the way, so it's not like you'll be stuck in a seat with no leg room for 12 hours non stop as some posters are suggesting.

Personally a few hours to listen to music, read my kindle, talk to my dh, catch up on sleep wiithout dcs interrupting sounds like bliss to me.

BlueBrightBlue · 23/01/2015 23:43

YABU, no one has ever done anything as remotely as nice and romantic for me.
Coach trips are very relaxing; a lot less stressful than flying and having to get additional busses and taxis.
Be grateful that you have someone who genuinely loves and cares for you.

musicalendorphins2 · 24/01/2015 07:04

12 hours isn't that long. Make the journey part of the trip, enjoy it.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 24/01/2015 07:14

BlueBrightBlue you find coach trips relaxing. They give me awful travel sickness, I can't read or look down (or anywhere other than straight ahead) so I don't. Many other people don't.

Armpitt · 24/01/2015 07:18

Wot no op?

I once went by coach to Pisa. Bloody hell

Unidentifieditem · 24/01/2015 07:29

Where the hell has OP gone? Drives me batty when I see so many replies asking for more info and no return. Meh, you deserve the coach Wink

kaykayred · 24/01/2015 08:52

I am sadly somewhat of a veteran of travelling between Paris and London. I don't know if that's where you are based OP.

Here goes:

Flights - A pain. Longer Check in times, a pain to get to, then having to either take a very expensive cab from the airport, or navigate the RER's. It's a good option from other parts of the UK, but not from London where there is the...

Eurostar - Basically heaven (when it's not on fire/closed/suffering massive delays). If you book sufficiently in advance then you can get a return for £30 or so. Bookings open six months in advance which is when to get the cheapest prices. Most expensive prices for an economy seat are usually around £99 or £130 if you leave it TOTALLY last minute. The check in is minimal, and it takes you to Gare du Nord, which, whilst a complete fucking shithole, is pretty central, and you can easily navigate the metro from there.

Driving - okay if you live closer to Dover, and can be quite fun, but from London it's a bit of a nightmare, and pretty expensive. Not to mention it can be exhausting for the person driving.

Coach - The only reason I would ever recommend someone to take the coach between London and Paris is when: they absolutely cannot afford to take the eurostar, and absolutely have to go to paris. Or if they don't mind selling their soul.

It is the most depressing, dirty, boring, long route possible. A return used to cost me between £16-20. I don't know about from other cities, but from London you don't get dropped off somewhere central. You get dropped off bloody miles away. If you are going just for a weekend, then I assume you are taking the over night coach? I don't even want to talk about how depressing the journey was. It still makes me feel miserable to this day. Often they do pass port inspections for the coaches after the ferry, so you all have to get off, troll through a dingy building to get your passports checked, then pile back onto the bus, which causes further delays. Sometimes, just for fun, both the UK AND French authorities will do this.

If you are really struggling for money at the moment, and this is the only way you can get there, then go with it. Bring some earphones, grit your teeth and try and sleep through most of it. The ferry can be quite nice at night (even if you're normally too exhausted to care). If you aren't counting every penny to get by, then just go and buy some eurostar tickets! If you partner is paying for the hotel and whatnot, then you could always say the transport upgrade is on you, as you want to enjoy more time actually in Paris together.

If your partner had booked a long time in advance, then really the prices between the two transport methods wouldn't be even worth considering the coach.

kaykayred · 24/01/2015 08:56

By the way, if your partner has also "sorted" accomodation, and ends up taking you to "total bargain" of a crack den in Porte de la Chapelle, then drop me a line and I will you escape to somewhere nice and safe Grin

Aridane · 24/01/2015 10:24

OP -you sound horrible - sorry. Maybe your husband could take a mate instead and you do something else for your birthday.

SoupDragon · 24/01/2015 10:44

OP -you sound horrible - sorry.

Why?
She has said nothing to her DP.
She doesn't plan to say anything to her DP.
She thinks it is a lovely surprise.
She simply is dreading spending 12 hours on a coach.

CalicoBlue · 24/01/2015 10:54

OP -you sound horrible - sorry.

I agree with SoupDragon OP is being very nice about it, she even feels guilty for not liking the idea of a coach.

Much nicer that I would have been. I would not go on a coach to Paris. At 16 I went to Greece by coach, it was hell, never again.

DH is planning a trip for my birthday, but he had to ask me what I wanted to do as he did not want to arrange something I did not like. He told me his first idea and I did not like it, so I told him where I would rather go. Now we will do that, much better for me to like where I go on my birthday.

differentnameforthis · 24/01/2015 11:00

oh please. ..until you have spent 24 hrs on a coach, travelling from one Australian city to another, a few hrs to Paris is nothing!

HazleNutt · 24/01/2015 12:03

I did not see OP claiming she has or is ever planning to spend 24H on a coach in Australia either.

differentnameforthis · 24/01/2015 12:22

Which is kind of the whole point!

paintedfences · 24/01/2015 12:29

I would NOT be impressed. Eurostar/ryanair is not that expensive, unless he is seriously up against it I would be a bit Confused.

FyreFly · 24/01/2015 12:37

I agree with kaykay. I've travelled damn near every way you can think of to get to Paris, short of launching myself off the cliffs of Dover in a hanglider, and Eurostar is by far and away the best way to do it. I don't live in London either.

The coach will likely drop you at CDG or at Gallieni; neither are central, but Gallieni is probably a little closer. Eurostar at least gets you into the genuine centre (although dont linger in Gare du Nord, it is, like kaykay said already, an absolute shitpit. Rubbish compared to St Pancras!).

Southeastdweller · 24/01/2015 12:48

YANBU. Completely understand where you're coming from. It's twelve hours eating into a weekend away in one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Not good.

I do think he was a little thoughtless, and I agree the money was probably a factor. Better if he'd booked a little further in advance for flights or the Eurostar.

Chippednailvarnish · 24/01/2015 12:56

I went by coach to Berlin, by the time I got off my feet were so swollen I couldn't put my shoes on.

Never. Again.

Cubtrouble · 24/01/2015 13:01

i think you will have a great time, if its taking 12 hours you must live somewhere far from a port? calais to paris is about 5 hours in a truck so it wont be that bad and i expect the coach will stop off at duty free etc. think of it as an adventure. it will be fine

SlaggyIsland · 24/01/2015 13:02

Can't believe people are accusing you of being horrible OP! Seriously I would be horrified at spending twelve hours on a coach. I'd honestly rather stay home.
It's hardly a nice gesture if the person one is inflicting the gesture on is going to be made miserable by it.

ActionManEyes · 24/01/2015 14:17

I went by coach from North Wales to Northern France as a student. I also went from Wales to Prague and back again. It was fine! I took books and portable tape player (was ages ago, obv) and enjoyed watching the different towns going by out of the window. You don't see anything from a plane. But then I suppose I am a contemplative sort who doesn't mind roughing it a bit.

I would love a trip to Paris, coach or not.

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