Holiday or Hell ?

[notonmybucketlist]

Warning , major first world problem !

DP and I have been saving up holiday days and money for a trip of a lifetime with DC 15. We have 4 weeks. I was envisioning warmth, sun , different culture, delicious foods, to expose our DC to something new.

We have both become increasingly aware that flying is terrible for the environment and it's hard to justify contributing to climate change just for amusement, so we want to choose something that is less heavy on carbon emissions. I was thinking overland to Morocco.

DP is now really set on going to and from Japan via the trans Siberian railway, bearing in mind this will be in winter. It sounds like an adventure but I fear in reality its 2 weeks on a train with a probably very bored teen and 4 ferry crossings on rough, winter, possibly frozen seas.

DP thinks I am negative and putting a downer on what could be an amazing adventure. He says I'm full of resistance and not open to how great it would be. AIBU in thinking days in a train travelling across frozen Russia in winter with a teenager will be an experience I could live without.

Sounds hellish!!!!

That idea sounds like hell to me, but each to their own.

Personally, for a once in a lifetime trip, I'd stick to the original plan and make a donation to one of the charities that will try to offset the carbon footprint involved. Not ideal I know, but i'm ethic-less!

Thankyou ! Its upsetting to be painted as someone not open to aventure. I apparently can't see how much fun could be have playing cards and drinking from samovars, chatting to the locals and this wonderful chance for our teen to be away from phones and WiFi.

That sound like a disaster.

if it were summer, it would be marvellous. but not in winter.

how about the oriental express to Istanbul?

Yeah that would be a wonderful experience for a couple of days. Not TWO WEEKS! He's the one being unreasonable.

There was a blog recently on the pain, boredom and chill of the trans seberian express, might have been the guardian ?

Sounds absolutely bloody awful. Overland to Morocco sounds fab

Wow, I think your husband's idea sounds fantastic.

Teenagers love adventure and travelling by train will be an adventure. The scenery will be stunning.

Ask your teen if they would like and if yes, go for it. Enjoy.

😂 this thread can't be real!

Your little flight wont make any difference just go and enjoy yourself. Theres so much pressure to not enjoy ourselves anymore!! If you were doing a big 4 week carbon footprint heavy trip every year then maybe change your ways but this is a once in a lifetime trip. Do what you all wanted to initially do - the transSiberian railway in winter is madness.

Sounds hellish to me too. I'd go to NZ, we did 3 weeks driving around staying in hotels/motels, alternatively could hire a camper van but less chance of finding wifi.
Also did 3 weeks driving the west coast of the US, could easily have done 4 weeks there is so much to see, highly recommend that

For a once in a lifetime trip you both have to want to do it.

Can you imagine how grim it would be if it did turn out as you suggest and your DH had persuaded you into it? Not only would you be having a shitty time you wouldn't even be able to bond over it!

Really unfair to push your agenda over another person's wishes like that.

Overland will be an awesome adventure. Travelling is definitely part if the experience for me. Why no compromise? Overland on the way, fly home.

Add to the adventure by doing a family book group on the train, for authenticity chose Tolstoy.

Wow, that sounds amazing. Sort of horrendous but incredible at the same time.

"Chatting to locals" on the trans Siberian railway?? his idea is deluded.

Research sunrise and sunset times for your/his routes. Holidays are better in the light.

I would love to do the trans Siberian, can you consider it at another time?

Also offsetting carbon is a good idea, I had forgotten that you can do that.

That sounds horrific! My kids hate long journeys!

Doesn’t sound like the holiday of a lifetime to me.

It sounds more of an adventure than a holiday.

😂 Jelly
Family reading aloud of War and Peace on route ! I can really sell this idea to DC !

Train holidays are my idea of heaven but not in this situation. Like cruises, they aren't for everyone and I think if you want to do a train holiday they are better ones to pick first. I'm sure there's a nice one in Spain and one around Scotland. You need to find one you all like. The Guardian has recently had some articles on low impact holidays

Mermaid. Oh joy , thanks for pointing out that most of the route would be in darkness !

chatting to the locals

Do locals use the Trans-Siberian railway or just holiday-makers? And if they do, do they use the same trains as holiday-makers?

And does your DH speak much Russian?

I'm laughing now at the thought of Russians planning a holiday chatting to locals on the west coast mainline.

I would LOVE it! But I fear a 15 year old would not.

Some of these look nice and could fit in a holiday. www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/travel/2019/may/04/10-best-scenic-rail-journeys-train-europe