Will I get away with this?

4SRKT · 25th October 2010, 10:42

A couple of years ago my wife turned 40, and we went to Rome for a few days. I'll be 40 next year

and she's started asking me what we're going to do to mark it. I suspect this means she's angling to go poncing about in Barcelona or Seville or some such, whereas obviously I'd rather go bashing. My wife is not interested in trains except as a mode of transport, and is actively hostile to the art of bashing.

I've got a plan to spend 2 nights away at minimal cost, getting in stacks of quality mileage on interesting trains. Take the kids over to my parents' house in York after work on the Friday, then up to thatLondon on an HST. Then take the Night Riviera to the Zance. This should provide sufficient novelty not to be seen as simply another boring train ride. Spend the morning in St Ives doing arty stuff to please her, then train it back to Windsor where we used to live when we were first married and do a Travelodge overnight. Next day potter around Windsor in the morning, returning to York in the afternoon.

Booking well enough in advance this can all be done for a shade over £230 for both of us. Going back from Windsor & Eton Riverside instead of Central just pushes the mileage over 1,000 as well for added excitement.

This is clearly an audacious attempt to dress up bashing as a mixture of culture and romance. I'll need to tread very carefully, but I'm hopeful that it can be achieved without too much suspicion being aroused. Clearly 57 bashing in the small hours will be right out and likely to spoil the ambience somewhat!

Kneedown · 25th October 2010, 10:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4SRKT

A couple of years ago my wife turned 40, and we went to Rome for a few days. I'll be 40 next year

and she's started asking me what we're going to do to mark it. I suspect this means she's angling to go poncing about in Barcelona or Seville or some such, whereas obviously I'd rather go bashing. My wife is not interested in trains except as a mode of transport, and is actively hostile to the art of bashing.

I've got a plan to spend 2 nights away at minimal cost, getting in stacks of quality mileage on interesting trains. Take the kids over to my parents' house in York after work on the Friday, then up to thatLondon on an HST. Then take the Night Riviera to the Zance. This should provide sufficient novelty not to be seen as simply another boring train ride. Spend the morning in St Ives doing arty stuff to please her, then train it back to Windsor where we used to live when we were first married and do a Travelodge overnight. Next day potter around Windsor in the morning, returning to York in the afternoon.

Booking well enough in advance this can all be done for a shade over £230 for both of us. Going back from Windsor & Eton Riverside instead of Central just pushes the mileage over 1,000 as well for added excitement.

This is clearly an audacious attempt to dress up bashing as a mixture of culture and romance. I'll need to tread very carefully, but I'm hopeful that it can be achieved without too much suspicion being aroused. Clearly 57 bashing in the small hours will be right out and likely to spoil the moment somewhat!

It'll be YOUR 40th mate so you do whatever you like!
Meanwhile, back on planet Earth, and especially if you need the brownie points, i'd suggest somewhere a little more exotic. Florence is lovely and very cultured, plus if you fly to Pisa you can bash the Italian trains there!

LexyBoy · 25th October 2010, 12:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kneedown

Florence is lovely and very cultured, plus if you fly to Pisa you can bash the Italian trains there!

Or take the train to Florence - Eurostar to Paris, a day's culture/wine/food in Paris then the sleeper to Florence (or Rome) from Gare de Bercy in the evening. Tickets can be quite cheap, but you'd probably be best off making sure you get a 2-berth sleeper rather than 6-berth couchette.

An alternative route back is Eurostar Italia to Milan, then TGV back to Paris.

Stives - Windsor is a bit of a trek: I'd definitely do it in 1st - advance fares are usually pretty good - and have a decent picnic on the way. For a posh lunch, Porthminster Beach Cafe in Stives is very good (and nothing like a beach cafe, other than location).

25th October 2010, 10:42	#1
4SRKT Established Member Join Date: 9 Jan 2009 Posts: 4,205	Will I get away with this? A couple of years ago my wife turned 40, and we went to Rome for a few days. I'll be 40 next year and she's started asking me what we're going to do to mark it. I suspect this means she's angling to go poncing about in Barcelona or Seville or some such, whereas obviously I'd rather go bashing. My wife is not interested in trains except as a mode of transport, and is actively hostile to the art of bashing. I've got a plan to spend 2 nights away at minimal cost, getting in stacks of quality mileage on interesting trains. Take the kids over to my parents' house in York after work on the Friday, then up to thatLondon on an HST. Then take the Night Riviera to the Zance. This should provide sufficient novelty not to be seen as simply another boring train ride. Spend the morning in St Ives doing arty stuff to please her, then train it back to Windsor where we used to live when we were first married and do a Travelodge overnight. Next day potter around Windsor in the morning, returning to York in the afternoon. Booking well enough in advance this can all be done for a shade over £230 for both of us. Going back from Windsor & Eton Riverside instead of Central just pushes the mileage over 1,000 as well for added excitement. This is clearly an audacious attempt to dress up bashing as a mixture of culture and romance. I'll need to tread very carefully, but I'm hopeful that it can be achieved without too much suspicion being aroused. Clearly 57 bashing in the small hours will be right out and likely to spoil the ambience somewhat!