Gretatude

Amarillo

Amarillo

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I was talking to another parent at school this morning. Over the half term break they went to stay with relatives in Berlin, but their elder daughter (12) got a dose of “gretatude” and refused to fly. It took them 14 hours and five trains to get there.
Local station to London Bridge
London Bridge to St Pancras Intl.
St Pancras Intl. to Bruxelles
Bruxelles to Cologne
Cologne to Berlin

I think my two boys are too young to catch a dose of gretatude, and I suspect (without evidence) that girls are more susceptible to gretatude than boys.

But does anyone have any anecdotes of gretatude?
 
Although this must have been a right pain in the arse for your friend, is it bad that a child is concerned about the effects of travel on the planet?

I say that as someone with 2 diesel vehicles who has to fly for work etc.......

But the effects of climate change seem to be accelerating so what are the next 70 years going to hold for her?
 
kernnowkarmann said:
Although this must have been a right pain in the arse for your friend, is it bad that a child is concerned about the effects of travel on the planet?

I say that as someone with 2 diesel vehicles who has to fly for work etc.......

But the effects of climate change seem to be accelerating so what are the next 70 years going to hold for her?
Click to expand...

I make no judgement on the rights or wrongs of gretatude, I’m just interested in anecdotes of the condition so I can be prepared as my boys approach their teenage years and become more susceptible to a bout of it.

We each in our own way probably have a bit of gretatude. I generally keep to under 60 on motorways to save fuel and reduce emissions; whatever the weather the boys cycle to school - I refuse to drive them because I think the bike is the best mode of transport for London journeys under a mile.
 
Amarillo said:
I was talking to another parent at school this morning. Over the half term break they went to stay with relatives in Berlin, but their elder daughter (12) got a dose of “gretatude” and refused to fly. It took them 14 hours and five trains to get there.
Local station to London Bridge
London Bridge to St Pancras Intl.
St Pancras Intl. to Bruxelles
Bruxelles to Cologne
Cologne to Berlin

I think my two boys are too young to catch a dose of gretatude, and I suspect (without evidence) that girls are more susceptible to gretatude than boys.

But does anyone have any anecdotes of gretatude?
Click to expand...
That journey would have been so much fun. Time is a constraint that we put on ourselves even when we don't have to.

We need a few more Greta's and the gretatude needs to spread more.

We are thinking about our next Europe trip in an electric car.
 
I also suspect (without evidence!) that girls are more likely to have these feelings but then I also think that if women (albeit not Liz Truss) ruled the world then there'd be a lot less aggression than there is!
 
Amarillo said:
I make no judgement on the rights or wrongs of gretatude, I’m just interested in anecdotes of the condition so I can be prepared as my boys approach their teenage years and become more susceptible to a bout of it.

We each in our own way probably have a bit of gretatude. I generally keep to under 60 on motorways to save fuel and reduce emissions; whatever the weather the boys cycle to school - I refuse to drive them because I think the bike is the best mode of transport for London journeys under a mile.
Click to expand...
Teach them to critically review and understand the news and information regarding climate change AND environmental damage to make a considered and informed decision.

Eg: simplistically the CO2 produced / passenger will be less travelling by train if the CO2 produced over the trip is just divided by the maximum number of passengers the plane can carry and similarity for the train.

But:- if you take into account the climate/enviromental costs of construction of all the trains involved, including the infrastructure and the maintenance as well as the energy costs compared to the equivalent for air transport / person the difference might not be so stark, if there is a difference.
Trains are rarely full on all trips, in fact on average probably less than 50% when averaged out, unlike passenger aircraft.
 
What a wonderful way to travel.

Who the hell wants to wait in a crowded, noisy terminal for hours before boarding an aluminium tube that would take you to the same terminal hell 1,000 miles away without seeing anything?

Said of course as a smug old travel writer who used to criss-cross the Atlantic and pacific probably 20 times a year.
 
Women are generally thought to be more sensitive to negative emotion as post puberty they are weaker physically, and have had a more primary role in maintaining the survival of their children. So they are more sensitive to threat generally.....and more likely to take predictions of impending doom more seriously.
 
GrannyJen said:
What a wonderful way to travel.
Click to expand...
Totally agree - I love long distance trains, walk to station, Luton to St Pancras, St Pancras to Lyon - Breakfast just outside London, early lunch just before Lyon done it a few times. Best done 1st class on business. If they could do it like the old Motor rail & put a Cali on a wagon behind it would be perfect.

The only spoiler is changing trains at Lille on the way back.
 
andyinluton said:
Totally agree - I love long distance trains, walk to station, Luton to St Pancras, St Pancras to Lyon - Breakfast just outside London, early lunch just before Lyon done it a few times. Best done 1st class on business. If they could do it like the old Motor rail & put a Cali on a wagon behind it would be perfect.

The only spoiler is changing trains at Lille on the way back.
Click to expand...

Best done 1st class whether on business or just sheer decadence. Even O class though would be far better than it's aeroplane equivalent. Get up, walk around, sit and look out of the window, bring food on or buy it on board, even Luton to Rainham can look better than Luton to Ibiza, with Lorraine Chase on board of course ....:shocked
 
Luton to Lyon: pah.

In 1994 I travelled by train from Shanghai to Ürümqi.

My enduring memory is of the loo. To flush you pressed a pedal that opened a flap to the tracks below. No water. All manner of things were hanging off metal bits under the flap.

I was on that train for three days.

On the return journey we could see a dust storm approaching. Once it caught up with the train dust got everywhere- including my ear holes and nostrils.

We were also delayed for about six hours overnight because part of the track had been washed away.

But it is an experience I shall never forget.
 
Amarillo said:
Luton to Lyon: pah.
Click to expand...
Its far enough for me when its usually a one hour meet, a few beers, a decent dinner & first train back in the morning.
 
Amarillo said:
Luton to Lyon: pah.

In 1994 I travelled by train from Shanghai to Ürümqi.

My enduring memory is of the loo. To flush you pressed a pedal that opened a flap to the tracks below. No water. All manner of things were hanging off metal bits under the flap.

I was on that train for three days.

On the return journey we could see a dust storm approaching. Once it caught up with the train dust got everywhere- including my ear holes and nostrils.

We were also delayed for about six hours overnight because part of the track had been washed away.

But it is an experience I shall never forget.
Click to expand...
Life is a journey, not a destination.

I am sure that you have dined out on this story many times since then @Amarillo , and more power to you.

As we get older we have less good stories to tell as we insulate ourselves against risk by throwing money and wisdom at the situation.

I try to make decisions these days that create more risk. I’m currently in bed, it’s 4am and we chose a hotel 300m from the Khao San Road, Bangkok. It’s like trying to sleep with a ghetto blaster under your pillow.

Tomorrow we board a sleeper train north, I’m 6’4” and I’ve just realised Thai people aren’t! That train is going to be fun!!!!

Still never mind, my friends will have lots of dinner invites to hear out stories.

Your friend’s train journey sounds brilliant.
 
Anna (partner) did Stockholm to St Davids on train and back so she could race the Pan Celtic this year, she never flys and never has done at 41 years old, I sadly I don't have the same credentials but my son has (5) is inspired a lot by Anna, he loves the EV and we cycle everywhere, it's a process of realisation for us, but for kids they just think burning stuff is very stupid.
 
RodCouncil said:
Anna (partner) did Stockholm to St Davids on train and back so she could race the Pan Celtic this year, she never flys and never has done at 41 years old, I sadly I don't have the same credentials but my son has (5) is inspired a lot by Anna, he loves the EV and we cycle everywhere, it's a process of realisation for us, but for kids they just think burning stuff is very stupid.
Click to expand...
They seem quite happy to burn money, must have cost a fortune compared to Ryanair.

I’d have put her on a megabus
 
OGII said:
An associate has a new Defender 110 V8. Over £110k before he added quite a few options. 525 bhp.

His 8 year old son has Gretatude and wants him to buy an EV instead....
Click to expand...
Will his son have a phone, computer, games console or TV?
 
The Tall Luthier said:
Life is a journey, not a destination.

I am sure that you have dined out on this story many times since then @Amarillo , and more power to you.

As we get older we have less good stories to tell as we insulate ourselves against risk by throwing money and wisdom at the situation.

I try to make decisions these days that create more risk. I’m currently in bed, it’s 4am and we chose a hotel 300m from the Khao San Road, Bangkok. It’s like trying to sleep with a ghetto blaster under your pillow.

Tomorrow we board a sleeper train north, I’m 6’4” and I’ve just realised Thai people aren’t! That train is going to be fun!!!!

Still never mind, my friends will have lots of dinner invites to hear out stories.

Your friend’s train journey sounds brilliant.
Click to expand...
You're taking the overnight train to Chiang Mai? I did that some years ago. It was a wonderful trip! Have fun!
 
Early nineties I traveled out to Tengiz several times. Flight to Budapest, flight to Atyrau then 6 hours in an old bus to Tengiz.
The one thing that sticks in my mind was stopping at a level crossing in the middle of Bum F**k Nowhere and watching the Orient Express pass by. Good times!
 
We are off to Seville for a short break in late November :eek:

Thought I’d check.

Train: £713.34 return
RyanAir: £47.48 return

Two people, train costs £1331.73 more.

Family of 4, train costs £2663.44 more.
 
Last edited:
willwander said:
We are off to Seville for a short break in late November :eek:

Thought I’d check.

Train: £713.34 return
RyanAir: £47.48 return

Two people, train costs £1331.73 more.

Family of 4, train costs £2663.44 more.
Click to expand...
Interesting that Ryanair can cover their costs for £47.48 but the train companies charge £713.34 for the same trip, not taking into account the lavish taxpayers support most rail companies receive both here and abroad.
 
Just done the maddest train ride ever. A rickety old single track Thai train that ended up at Maekong station.
Maekong is a local market and the train slices right through the centre, literally slices, the goods lie within two inches of the track, the stalls are full of tourists standing 3” from the slow train as it comes to a stop just past them.

We all get off, inspect the stalls only to be budgeted aside by the next train.
 
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