To think they should get the bus???

[Pempe]

I'm going for an antenatal appointment in Athens in a week's time - I'll be 35 weeks then. Athens is where my gyno is, and it's a 5 hour drive (things are very different here - no midwives!!! ).

Also using it as an opportunity to get the final pieces of furniture that we need from a certain well-known Swedish furniture store - so we decided to travel in our van which takes 3 people up front.

So, my dh has announced that his 2 nieces, who are at uni in Athens, want to travel with us, which means we have to take the car, and will not be able to get the furniture. The shop do deliver, but the charges are extortionate here and we are not....flush....at the mo. They may also not get it to us in time (i.e. within 5 weeks, we have ordered from them before and it took 2 months). Plus why should we pay delivery when we have a van? There are no suitable furniture shops around here. The nieces travel between here and Athens regularly by coach, it's cheap and just as fast and comfortable.

AIBU to think the girls could get the coach so we could take our van? I have been debating this with myself extensively and can't work it out (depends what mood I'm in, really).

To make things more complicated, we are staying with the girls at their flat in Athens.

I am new to posting on this website, but know from observing that you ladies are blisteringly honest.....go on, let me have it....

Be honest, say that you are furnbiture shopping, you are taking the van and you can only fit one extra in. If they kick up a fuss, book a cheap hotel.

Agree with 5. You're taking the van. You need to buy furniture. They can't get a lift.

YANBU

Just tell em straight. You need the van for your furniture.

yanbu

YANBU at all. I suppose it is difficult as they are doing you a favour by you staying with them, but you need to get furniture, and if the delivery is not reliable you really must take your van

I think this is a no brainer.

They cannot have a lift as you need to take the van. Where is the harm in saying that?

offer them a ride in the back of the van? bet they take a coach

If it's the furniture store I assume it is then it will probably all come flat packed and might fit on the back seat of your car?
If not - take the van.

thanks everyone. one of the items is a settee bed, so definitely too bulky for the car. My dh has spoken to his sister and said we're taking the van and it wasn't met with too frosty a reception

Want to hear what's happening now? You know those vans officially take 3 people in the front? Well it tends to be a bit snug like that and at the moment, I reckon I count as 1.25 people.....I have to sit with my legs open to get comfortable (head engaged?)....see where this is going? DH wants to bring someone back from Athens with us so I have to try and get him to realise this is also not such a good idea.....

Lordy I am just so difficult (pregnant women here are generally well-behaved and wouldn't cause trouble like this