Countdown to Christmas 2021: the one where autumn starts (and Strictly - whoop!). Thread 5

[NoWordForFluffy]

119 (for ease tomorrow!)

Here we go. Couldn't think of a witty thread title. Soz!

I would rather pay extra and fly than sit on a train for 8 hours. Would love to get stranded in Scotland for Christmas The price I got for trains was doing it as if we went in October so I think they're probably the best price, I can cut the time down by an hour by going from another train station but there's no parking and it's too far for me to get anyone to drop us off. Plus, again, 6-8 hours on a train is not my idea of fun. I love flying. And airports I think we're making progress as dh asked me which dates I was thinking of going this morning...

Back to work today, although wfh. Dd starts school tomorrow and ds not until Monday.

Morning.

Wreck we've done train, car and flight to Edinburgh over the years and I'd definitely choose flying given the choice (we can fly from Bristol which is 50 mins away then the flight is only 45mins). We've only ever done cheapy flights via EasyJet etc though.
Trains here annoy me but we've done long train trips in Europe which were much better, especially when we did one from Krakow to Warsaw as it turned out to be an old fashioned one so we had our own compartment, like the Harry Potter train 😁

Fluffy we did Loch Ness for our anniversary a few years ago which is just before Christmas and I was actively wishing to be stranded up there

most it's so frustrating when you're just waiting isn't it? I know I felt the same last year when we thought we were going to be in the new house for Christmas so I couldn't really get into putting the decs up etc. Horrible feeling.

DH is back at work today 🥳 His school has 2 inset days now so no kids in until Monday but he's not under my feet / distracting me which is a bonus. Plus I'm planning on some Christmas music while I work today (as research - I've bought a ticket to see Jamie Cullum soon so I think it's only right I listen to his Christmas album from last year as I haven't heard it yet )

Enjoy the peace and quiet crazy!

I've also got enough Tesco Clubcard points for £120 off a hotel which is pretty decent I think.

Wreck have you looked at the sleeper train? You travel overnight leaving London late in the evening and arrive in Edinburgh at about 7am. It's called the Caledonian Sleeper if you want to check the prices out on the website.

Woolly that looks really cool but it's £450 for a non flexible ticket

It is a disgrace that trains in this country are more expensive than flying. The more environmentally friendly option should always be cheaper and by a lot.

@Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear

It is a disgrace that trains in this country are more expensive than flying. The more environmentally friendly option should always be cheaper and by a lot.

I agree. It's the same reason we drive when we go to London, so much cheaper than train!

most I agree. Train prices are outrageous. The last time we went on the Eurostar our ticket covered us for the onward journey in Belgium. Could you imagine someone coming over from Brussels to Edinburgh (say) and being told they need to stump up another £150+ for their ticket.

I agree most - it annoys me that trains here are expensive and unreliable. A quick check shows it's just under £200 for me to get a train to Edinburgh but the most I've ever paid for a flight is £50!

Train prices are horrendous, I actually drive to the next large town to catch a train to London as it is significantly cheaper.

If you buy as soon as tickets come out, they're way cheaper though. We've all got to Glasgow for £18 with 12 week in advance booking and a railcard. Bargain! Edinburgh would be the same, if timed right, I would think. (Though I bet prices are higher post-Covid.)

I actually got my return tickets to Glasgow next week for £31, which includes separate tickets to and from the mainline station, and that's without a railcard. So cheap tickets are out there.

I love relaxing on a train and hate airports, unless I'm alone and can attack the bar in a booked lounge! 😁

Just looked for ones in 12 weeks and it's £270 🤷🏻‍♀️ you're way closer than us though Plus if we got the train we would need an extra night in the hotel as would lost two days travelling.

I checked my emails daily over the summer so don't have any to sift through in my inbox. Bored now.

Fluffy you must have the same knack with train tickets as my DH appears to have with flights. I've just checked as far in advance as it would let me and the train prices were exactly the same.
For a distance like Scotland I'd choose flying anyway if possible though because time spent travelling is time I'm not there drinking and shopping 😂 and we tend to go for long weekends etc so the quicker we can get there the better.

The house is so so quiet without DH in it. Feels odd!
I've just bought the JC Christmas album so I can have it playing in the background - and it's so grey outside I feel festive

I just find airports unbearably stressful and the train really relaxing! Horses for courses though. 😁

I am with you fluffy. Would be even better if the government properly invested in the trains.

They were shite as British Rail, mind you...even Die Hard 2 has a joke about BR in it! But, yes, that was under-investment.

We've looked at the train for trips to Europe but it's expensive and doesn't really suit our kind of trips because we like to travel between places - our holidays are almost always road trips so we tend to fly in then pick up a hire car and off we go. Much easier with luggage etc (even though I am now a fantastic minimalist traveller).

I always liked getting the train home from Yorkshire when we lived there though. I'd come home for weekends on my own so the train was guaranteed peace and reading time.

I commuted to Glasgow, so I'm a seasoned train traveller!

I have to see where I'm going or I get 🤢 so I'd drive.🚗
I could do a short flight, but trains are awful things - anything more than half an hour and I'm in a pretty bad way.
We travelled down to Newton Abbot for one day and I felt dreadful all the time I was there and had an awful night once we got home. DH hasn't inflicted public transport on me since.
Oh, and I'm really bad on buses too.

Oh, yes, I get travel sick on all forms of transport really. Pendolinos were awful for it. I get sick on planes and in cars too (even in the front seat sometimes).

I'm an ok traveller - only issues are smaller boats 🤢 (cruise ships are fine) and sometimes if we fly long haul I find the air pressure causes a migraine.
DH on the other hand - gets a bit sick if he's a car passenger, struggles with trains and absolutely cannot handle buses. He's not sick on planes but he does get restless / twitchy legs because of his height so he's a dream to travel with 😂
For our very first holiday we got the Megabus from here to Gatwick and he was sick within an hour and didn't really stop until we got there 🤢

I'm just taking a quick break. I was hoping to book tickets as a Christmas present for DH (I had a list of bands and comedians to look for) but no luck.

I get car sick too, even in the front. I have to have the cold air full blast in my face buses are a no go and trains are dodgy, definitely can't sit backwards 🤢 planes are fine. Boats it depends.

I didn't realise that the front facing seats became rear facing seats on a train once it got to Birmingham New Street...🤢

I've had that before too, Puss! < not envy.

Hello can I join you lovely lot please? I have had to be really prepared for Christmas this year as DC3 is due in September and I want to be sorted by the time they arrive🥰. All the present buying has made me feel very festive🎄