Xmas holiday

[stardustliz]

DS is at uni 200 miles away. Those in similar situations, do you/will you pick up and drop off at Christmas or with they return on train/coach with a large bag!

My DS gets the train - similar 5/6hour drive up there for us but only 3 hours for him on the train. Wheely suitcase and rucksack is the way to go!

DD1 and DS are 2 hours away by car, about 3 by train. DD2 is much further away, 6 hours by car, but has a very good train route which has a stop in DD1 and DS' uni town en route, so they are planning to coordinate their travel. I'll pick them up from the station nearest to me (Cambridge).

Dd usually gets the train home but grandad often offers to pick her up.

I collect mine, of course its tiring, but its also great bonding time.
Travelling on public transport is difficult with a lot of luggage, particularly if there are connections ( and a risk they might miss them) and expensive.
Also I'm Soft!

For the end of the first term, picking them up if you can is invaluable.
As pp have mentioned, it's great bonding time - one of mine talked non-stop for the 3.5 hour journey time

Just beware that the other parent might not find out anything at all - they've related it all to the driver, got it out of their system and just need to sleep and recover from the first term!
After the first term thought, I found that the train is fine.

Mine all came home by train as they chose to go to unis at the other end of the country and it would be a 2 day trip to get them.
I now have 1 working even further away, they will be coming home for the Christmas weekend, by train. Another is now at a uni that is nearer to home with great Christmas markets so we are going down the week before term ends and will bring back anything they want us to, then they will come home on the train.
I have never had a good conversation on a car journey but have always had a long catch up when we were all together at home.

My dc gets the train. It's a long car drive otherwise. And for a couple of weeks at home a wheeled suitcase and backpack is more than enough!

According to my poor daughter who will be catching a train, absolutely everyone she knows will be picked up by parents far more doting than she has!

It makes more sense for him or you to pay for storage in the University city over the vacation.

I love picking mine up at Christmas
Christmas songs playing,planning what movies we'll be watching and all the other Christmas plans
Hearing about all the end of term fun

Christmas songs playing,planning what movies we'll be watching and all the other Christmas plans Hearing about all the end of term fun

But you can do all that once they get home by train !!

DD is 180 miles away but it should be quicker by train than driving. Appx 3.5 hours by train. When we dropped her, on a quiet Sunday 3 months ago, it was a 9 hour round trip for us!

She's not done the journey before and has to pass through london for the first time. She's coming home on the same trains as a friend at a nearby University, so will have company. I'm sure packing and carrying her bags will be a bit of a pain but she will cope.

Although, one of her tutors yesterday told her and fellow students that she should take loads home at Christmas as they might not be coming back because there will be a lockdown! Erm, not helpful tutor. Even if lectures go back to online and theres a national lockdown, I think DD will be better off in her uni flat with fellow students.

Train. I am an optimistic so presume no lockdown next term and if there is you can pop back to get possessions usually.

I suppose I just enjoy it ,totally understand that I could wait until they come home
But O just don't want to
I love seeing their flats with the decorations etc and see it as a bridge between their Uni life and home