Is this too much hassle for a long weekend away?

[BarrelOfOtters]

Dh is away for work for a week, involving 4 flights, all UK. He gets back on a Thursday night, we then get a 4 hour ferry and a 3 hour drive to stay with friends. Come back on the tuesday. He’s away again for work on the Wednesday for 2 nights. Flying again.

there’s a strong chance of any or all of those flights being disrupted…

we are going to see my friends, he agreed to it all, now it’s getting closer he’s making noises about it all being a bit much.

I sort of get his point but I don’t want to be flakey, but I also don’t fancy the ferry and drive on my own. It’s also all been paid for…(£400) though can transfer the ferry tickets to another date.

As someone who travels for work a lot, the bit of the itinerary that makes me wince is the Thursday coming straight from a flight onto a ferry (if I’ve read that right).

Is there no way for him to miss out the ferry and fly directly to the destination?

Also yes flights are dreadful at the moment - Gatwick in particular. If he’s going through Gatwick on any of the legs I’d be thinking of other options.

He doesn’t want to go and really does have good reason

So do you want to force him to go and then he’s tired and probably a bit grumpy

or do you want to postpone

or…. Put your big girl pants on and go and visit your friends on your own

I was assuming you'd do all the driving. No way would I be driving in that situation if I were him.

But he said yes and it's all booked now...so....

Got the tickets, might as well go. But same price for both of you as for just you, presumably?

OK where in the UK has a 4hr ferry transfer. I can only think of short under 90 min crossings or going over to Ireland?

Isle of Man is about 4 hours to Heysham

I had assumed it might be that OP lives off the mainland and they’re travelling back onto the mainland for the weekend - but probably doesn’t want to specify exact locations as might be outing

Ah that would make more sense and tie with 2 flights. Definitely daft to fly home rather than head straight to the friends place

Whilst it will be a tough weekend I'd do it as I originally had said yes. Then ensure the next weekend was a relaxing one at home.

Can you switch to a week when he has less work travel? It's that bit that tips it over the edge of reasonableness.

Just go it will be fine. I used to do lots of travel for work, if we waited until I wasn't just travelled/about to travel we would never have done anything. You drive he sleeps.

If the plans fall through due to flight delays that's a different ball game.

Break it down into manageable chunks.

Yes it’s tiring just reading your itinerary and slightly overwhelming, however looking at it in sections, you have 4 hours to chill on a ferry - is it over night? If so that’s Thursday down. Friday at that point is only a 3 hour journey and let’s be fair, it goes pretty quickly.

The weekend is the fun and the break

Travel back I assume is the reverse. He has to fly the next day which I personally wouldn’t want to and you get to have your place to yourself to chill for two nights until you get to have a chilled weekend back together.

If flights go sideways then he flies out to the destination and you either drive yourself (did you imply you don’t like driving on to the ferry? If so, ask them to help you there) or get a flight yourself and hire a car there is needed.

You might find the ferry journey is exactly the relaxation needed. A nice meal, a film, a snooze, a good book.

Ha!very much doubt this. It’s isn’t a cruise and no private cabin and it’s presumably a short ferry journey.

There is continental ferry crossings that are 4 hours, Poole to Cherbourg for instance

If any of the flights are Loganair, good luck! Their reliability is shocking at the moment

Ah I wasn't thinking the South Coast (Poole is south coast? ).

I was thinking about West Coast islands Arran, Lewis etc / Orkney / Isle of White/ Dover - Calas being closer, but the Hull ferries and Shetland being much longer.

I’m travel lots for work and this sounds awful. I wouldn’t do it. He needs downtime
to recharge his batteries before he goes again the next week.

I would reschedule and explain work commitments - work comes first after all. Reorganise it an ensure he is back to back travelling.