To not want to meet this guest?

[Avisit]

I very possibly am.

guest staying with us over Christmas so working out logistics - we live outside of UK in a tourist city.

we don’t have a car - nobody does here so the options from the airport are cab or train. Guest feels cab is too expensive and they only want to take the train if I come and meet them at the airport but they don’t want to switch their data on so that makes meeting tricky, plus I will be 7.5 months pregnant by then.

It’s an English speaking country that they have visited (including this city) before. Guest is not elderly and we are paying for most things whilst they are here.

Shall I just pay for their cab given they have paid for their flights to visit or would you expect a guest of navigate their way to our house (every other guest ever has done this)

No! Massive CF. Tell them to woman up and catch a train.

The data thing is insane, they'd likely be covered by airport and station wi-fi anyway

Just give them your address. Surely up to them to travel?
Shame if they chose not to come..

Absolutely do not pay and do not meet them. If they can manage an airport and a flight they can manage the train. If they can pay for a flight they can pay for a cab. Can’t believe you’re even questioning it, madness!

They are being pathetic.

I'd just reiterate you cant meet them persomally but you are happy to give them directions on how to get to your place.

It’s totally up to them to arrange travel from the airport to you.

she sounds like she’s gonna be a nightmare guest and she isn’t even with you yet!

I’m guessing you’re somewhere like Amsterdam where there’s an airport shuttle type train? You’re obviously not BU but if they’re unfamiliar with getting public transport could you offer to buy their ticket online? If they insist on a cab they should frankly pay for it themselves.

Tell them to get whatapp, then they can message anywhere there is wifi. And then they need to get themselves to your house using their own credit card (unless elderly, disabled, or otherwise mentally or physically restricted)

Why won’t they turn on their data? That’s crazy! Did they invite themselves?

Maybe they're really anxious about traveling somewhere unfamiliar? If so, could you book train tickets and send a detailed step by step guide on how to travel to your home?

I reckon you've a potential CF on your hands. Imagine making a heavily pregnant host come to collect you because you're too tight to get a cab and you won't turn your data on. I presume you're putting them up free too.

I think as a host you've done more
Than enough.....they can sort their journey to and from your home

Did you invite them or did they invite themselves? Surely you just give them directions how to take the train and say 'text me when you are on the train and I can meet you at the local station'. Do you have a partner who can help?

Guest is ridiculous.

They either get a cab or train to your house.

What do they do when they visit other cities, sit in the airport just waiting to be picked up? This is ridiculous unless there are mobility issues.

YANBU. Assuming the guest is not particularly vulnerable in some way, they can make their own way from the airport. I’ve visited friends in countries where I didn’t speak a word of the local language (but where locals often spoke English!) and got myself to their home from the airport. Would never expect someone who was hosting me (with all the work and expense that entails) to come and chauffeur me!

Is this your sister or your mum?

show them clearly how to get the bus - get them to spend some time on google earth and the internet familiarising themselves with the route.

travelling alone can be scary - but the sense of achievement and navigating a new city is amazing! I have travelled alone to Singapore, New York, boasting and Sydney. The journey from the airport was always to easiest part because it’s always so well signposted and discovers in detail on websites

Who is the guest? I'd be tempted to cancel her now. Sounds like she could be tricky.

A grown adult can get herself from the airport to your house. YANBU

Guess New York and JFK? Tell them to get the bloody metro!

I'm slightly on the fence as I think it depends how long the plane journey has been.
If it's an overnight one then I'd meet them at the airport or pay for the cab unless there's some back story.

@SavingsThreads yes, correct!!

the only mobility issues are mine tbh as I’m getting big and slow

Guest, I’m heavily pregnant and don’t have the energy to take the train unnecessarily. If you feel this visit is too much, perhaps we should give it a rain check until it’s more feasible

You'd have to be bonkers to go out to JFK just to escort someone on the train. Tell her it's not possible and that she'll need to take one of the dozens of taxis that queue up there.

The data bit makes no sense. Is she planning on not using her phone for the whole visit? This is not really your problem.

in that case she is very unreasonable.

i did a solo trip to NY when I was in my mid 50s, after my divorce.

i made sure I had a phone plan for the US and used Google maps to get around. It was really easy and I had a ball! Even used the subway by myself.

your relative needs to get a grip.

It's very immature and totally ludicrous not to turn a phone on to facilitate international meeting. Explain you arent up to coming just to escort on train and leave it to her.

Is this person very young? The phone thing makes no sense you can get data plans it would be a few pounds