AIBU to be disappointed about this?

[mrsm43s]

Later this week, on my birthday, we're doing a long train journey to visit friends for a few days. Whenever we do these long journeys, we always book them over lunchtime, and do a "train picnic" of nice food e.g afternoon tea style and share some prosecco or anti pasta style and share some red. It means that our trip starts when we get in the train, and the journey flies by.

DH booked the train tickets, and he just accepted the default seating rather than selecting seats, and as a consequence we're stuck on a middle and aisle seat with no table. So lunch is pretty much going to be a sarnie and a bottle of water as there's no table space, the journey is going to be long, boring and uncomfortable, squashed in next to a stranger.

We've tried to change seats now, but as it's a couple of days away, there's no availability of seats at a table, and no availability in first class either.

I feel like instead of my birthday starting at 11.30am once we're on the train, it's not going to start until 3pm when we arrive, and the journey is something to be tolerated, rather than something to be enjoyed.

I don't want to be spoilt, and I get that I'm going to have a lovely time with my friends, but I'm really grumpy and disappointed. I think it's mostly because DH has form for this kind of stuff, always taking the quick, easy way, and never checking anything.

AIBU to be pissed off? And does anyone have any ideas of how to make the journey more fun, or special/treat lunch ideas possible to eat when sitting in a cramped middle seat?

Buy a couple of sectioned lunchboxes and divvy it all up before hand so you don't need to pass it about/spread out lots of containers.

Not smelly? Chorizo bloody stinks 😷

Hi, yes sorry but I think you are being unreasonable and also quite childish I’m afraid. Also I and I think a lot of other people find it disgusting when other people eat on a train. Sounds like you’ve got a lovely birthday planned so I hope you have a great time. You could read a book of listens to a podcast with AirPods to keep you entertained on the journey? Hope you gave a great time x

She's probably pissed that after 17 pages and her repeatedly explaining that they do not encroach or make excessive noise people are still saying the same things. It's perfectly possible to do what the op is describing on half a table and they have no less right to do that than someone tapping away on a laptop..I mean you know, keyboard clacking, maybe reaching in and out of a bag for some papers, maybe even a call to a colleague. Outrageous behaviour. 🙄

Trains are disgustingly dirty, it would really be the last place I’d have a picnic.

Offensive to one person can be pleasant or innocuous to another though..Obviously there are some smells that most folk hate, sick, rotten fish and so on, but food tastes can vary significantly.

But no one’s explained how it’s disruptive and irritating beyond:

• “you’re taking up all of the table” – OP has said repeatedly she doesn’t do this
• “I wouldn’t like it” – OK?!
• “Other people are sitting there too” – yes, that’s how public transport works
• “Eating noises” – sandwiches aren’t silent
• “Leaning” – those tables aren’t medieval banquet halls, I’m sure OP can scoff, slurp, guzzle, chomp and hoover her M&S cheese cube without an Olympic-level stretch

I honestly don’t see OP’s spread as any different from putting your sandwich, crisps and drink meal deal on the table. It’s food on a train table that you then eat. Personally I cba with a train picnic at that level but it’s well within the realms of social normality. She’s not slaughtering a pig.

YANBU at all, I love a train picnic! Completely different from the selfish peasants who get on with McDonald's and stink out the carriage. DH sounds incompetent, maybe you should upgrade to first class on your own and leave him to it.

I always use headphones, so it's mostly irrelevant where I sit. The train I use mostly doesn't have a quiet coach.

Trains are only "disgustingly dirty" if you have that MN level of germ phobia that you wash your towels daily. I doubt the OP is licking the table.

re the drinking, it's perfectly possible for an adult couple to share a few glasses and not be rowdy or obnoxious.

Re the space, smells and noise...OP is using the space she has paid for. Eating is both allowed and encouraged on trains and is not required to be "discreet". It's not a shameful activity.

As others have said, if perfectly normal people existing near you is so offensive and unbearable it's worth considering not using public transport and / or really good headphones. This thread is full such hyperbole about noise, movement, smells. It really highlights to me this anxious, stressed, hyper sensitive society we now live in. I will happily challenge someone not using headphones, a rowdy group of blokes singing offensive songs with kids around or screeching. /screaming women on a hen do but what the op describes is not close to inappropriate.

I'm feeling a bit sorry for you here OP, you love a train journey and a picnic and a drink and considering it's your birthday you have every right to want to enjoy the journey. I do long distance by train regularly, seeing people enjoy themselves like that would not bother me at all. I hope you can make the best of it.

It's not ridiculous, and other posters have agreed. Thanks for your input though.

Read the room. 🫣

It’s truly ridiculous! People can eat outside of their own four walls!

LNER serve food, to you know be eaten on board their trains.

It”s a service offered, because it’s popular and wanted.

Get over yourself!

Or the menu!

Nobody has said she can't eat anything.
Nothing to 'get over'. HTH.

Eh? 🫣

So what is she allowed to eat on her long train journey?

Do you check the menu before boarding?

Mac and cheese ok?

Hot noodle bowls?

Bacon sandwiches?

they “smell” but are served on LNER trains?

HRT, before you book and whinge about others daring to you know.. eat!

Sense of humour fail… now why aren’t I surprised!

@Morgenrot25 you seem to think that because some agree with you, you are right. Others don't and agree with the OP. It's not a binary yes or no. She has explained repeatedly that her approach is no more intrusive than a meal deal except that it may continue for longer. Should I be limited to one game of cards with my kids? Or is two ok? One story? Are we only allowed now to exist in public in near silence?

You have to be talking about greater anglia trains - maybe the Cambridge -Liverpool st line?! I also hate how squashed they are since they changed to 3/2 across and the lack of tray tables/tables.

For what feeks like the hundredth time, read the existing replies.

Eh?
Where's the humour part in your comment?

For what it seems like for a 1000th tine, you state all food smells!

Thats an issue with you!

Oh my goodness!

I have just had an image of your picnic all laid out and your table sharer joins you and they have a slobbery lap dog drooling at your food and then with one shake of its head, slobbers and slavers projecting through the air. 🐾 💧