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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to go to Australia for the weekend?!

920 replies

HufflepuffHarpy · 07/07/2019 07:16

My best friend (male if relevant) is getting married in the autumn. I'm in the UK (where we both grew up) he now lives in Australia.

I desperately want to go to the wedding.

It will cost £1000 for the flight plus accomodation etc over there which is in no way small money.

I have 4DC so would be asking my parents (very hands on babysitters, have had them for me and DH to go on holiday etc) to have the DC (all under 10) while DH is at work.

I would leave on a thursday AM flight and get back tuesday pm. SO literally fly in for the wedding, the day after and then back home.

Am I being totally crazy to consider this?! (Haven't actually asked DH yet!!)

OP posts:
BIWI · 10/07/2019 08:28

@Catwaving

My motivation? I don't have one! Other than posting in reply to the OP's original question. And then getting pissed off by posters like you jumping on her thread to make it an environmental bandwagon.

The point I was making was that if you are truly serious about environmental issues, why aren't you (general, not specific you) all over the long haul travel threads on Mumsnet, instead of making snide and sneery comments about the OP's motivation for wanting to go!

I do get and understand environmental concerns about flying, actually - and I said so in an earlier post. But there's a time and a place, and this thread wasn't one of them.

BIWI · 10/07/2019 08:34

Oh, and there are two other boards on Mumsnet - one called Ethical Living and the other called Climate Change, but I notice none of the supposedly-concerned are posting there either.

CecilyP · 10/07/2019 08:48

Wouldn’t they just be preaching to the converted though, BIWi? Also some of the more obscure boards hardly get any traffic. There are plenty of posters who only use AIBU who are also concerned about the environment.

While not exactly an eco-warrior myself, OP’s dilemma did strike me as indicative as the way many people live today. In the past, a trip to Australia would have been seen as holiday of a lifetime that you saved up your holiday entitlement so you could go for a reasonable stint. Going for a weekend would have been unthinkable. I think the people who have given up flying for the sake of the environment must be more than balanced out and exceeded by people who take several foreign trips a year that all involve flying.

Catwaving · 10/07/2019 09:11

@BIWI see CecilyP's first paragraph above....

IncrediblySadToo · 10/07/2019 09:23

BIWI

Because it’s virtue signalling at its best. Nowhere near as much traffic on the other boards to ‘impress’ with their ‘oh so aware’ posts 🙄

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 09:30

This thread is particularly depressing to read given the replies, especially the pp post 🙄

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 09:32

Incrediblysad do you think there’s a climate emergency going on?

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 09:36

You don’t have to be an ‘eco-warrior’ to think long haul trips for weekends should be in the firing line, just aware of what’s going on.

CecilyP · 10/07/2019 09:37

It really isn’t virtue signalling to be on the busiest board on Mumsnet and post an opinion if something you are interested in catches your eye. Most people don’t have time to search through all the more niche boards.

BIWI · 10/07/2019 09:48

There is no excuse, however, even if you buy the argument that people haven't got time, which is risible for the snide and sneery and downright unpleasant remarks that have been made about the OP.

That's simply unnecessary.

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 09:50

No one would post should I fly to Australia for the weekend in ethical living so this is where it gets raised

IfItIsntYerManRobert · 10/07/2019 09:55

They might post it in 'long haul travel' though.

Might be worth popping over there and getting involved in those guys' travel plans.

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 09:56

For the weekend if it got bumped this much by the yay crowd it would be the same

CecilyP · 10/07/2019 09:58

Which really begs the question, why didn’t OP post on long haul travel?

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 10:00

What’s wrong with hearing that a weekend flight to Aus is a bad idea given the shit we’re all in

Would you rather everyone just carried on, including those 24 hour meeting flights - yay go for it?

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 10:02

Actually in long haul you’d probably get a much more measured response without all the you go stuff

Original poster
HufflepuffHarpy · 10/07/2019 10:03

cecily because i didn't even know there was a long haul travel board? because i wanted a quick reply? because AIBU and Chat are the only boards i use as i'm not on here that much to trail through hundreds of different board?

This thread is an impressive derailment i have to say!

I am looking forward to my trip and i'm afraid i dont feel guilty about it.

OP posts:
TreeSunset · 10/07/2019 10:03

Just RTFT, that’s fantastic that you’re going! Amazing experience and you are a true friend!

Original poster
HufflepuffHarpy · 10/07/2019 10:06

i will however take some time to research into the climate change situation - research by scientists, not philosophers as was linked to earlier - and see what other aspects i can incorporate into my daily life. wont be culling my kids though! Grin

OP posts:
TreeSunset · 10/07/2019 10:06

Oh, OP!
I’ve not been on a holiday abroad for 5 years, you can have my flying credits for the environment 🙂 So you’re good to go

BIWI · 10/07/2019 10:23

Actually @HufflepuffHarpy you were right to post here, because your question was an AIBU!

INeedNewShoes · 10/07/2019 10:30

This thread has been useful for getting me thinking more about travel and climate change.

I have to say that, OP, I would leave the thread at this point and look forward to your trip. Regarding this specific trip which you have booked, get on and enjoy it.

Everyone will have their own turning point where they look more into climate change and start making additional changes for the better. I don't think anyone can force it on people but keep raising the issues and informing so that the trigger for people making changes is there.

I haven't flown for 3 years and I have now decided as a result of the information stemming from this thread that I won't fly for holidays any more. If I already had a flight booked I would go ahead with it and try to enjoy it and then make changes after that. It's not a massive sacrifice for me to give up flying for holidays though as I enjoy exploring Europe anyway!

Catwaving · 10/07/2019 10:32

The question is specifically:

"Am I Being Unreasonable to go to Australia for the weekend?"

I don't see how this precludes any answers about the environmental impact. In fact, it's begging for a response along those lines. I assumed that was the OPs concern, and reason for posting

CecilyP · 10/07/2019 10:35

Cecily because i didn't even know there was a long haul travel board?

Honestly, OP, I wasn’t getting at you. It was just rhetorical question in response to ifitisn’t’s post.

MarshaBradyo · 10/07/2019 10:36

Agree Catwaving