London – Turners Abroad

Holiday in Somerset

June 15, 2014by turners07301 Comment

Here is the first of many posts we have been thinking of but have been unable to get to. This final term of school has been busier than ever, things are beginning to wind down and we have a bit of extra time now.

Our last bit of traveling took us back home to England. We spent most of our time visiting family and shopping for our favourite products that are not so easy to find here in China.

-Mrs T

Away we go

Beijing aiport

Air China

Tea with gran and grandad

Outlet shopping

The Natterjack garden

The Natterjack near Shepton Mallet

Tea at gran and grampy’s

View from gran and grampy’s in Brewham

Brewham

Brewham, Alfred’s Tower

Brewham

Birthday gift, Microsoft Surface 2 Pro

Wincanton Post Office

Wincanton High Street

Wincanton Town Hall

The Stapleton Arms, Buckhorn Weston

Our favourite sandwich shop in the world! Earls Sandwhich, Yeovil

Yeovil

Misty morning on Southgate Drive

View from the bus up to London

View from the bus up to London: Stonehenge

Five Guys in London

Gordon’s Wine Bar, oldest wine bar in London

London

Wincanton Racecourse

Bristol Zoo

Bristol Harbor

Bristol

Bingo at the Memorial hall, Mrs T’s first time!

West Bay

Blackmore Vale

Train to Salisbury

Salisbury

At the Chapel, Bruton

Grandad’s tulips

Too much shopping! We did fit it all into our cases…barely.

Ready to board

Air China

Uncategorized

London Calling

July 15, 2013by turners0730Leave a Comment

With Mr T’s Chinese Visa in hand we had the rest of the day to pop around London. We had every good intention of making it to London Eye for my first visit, but the shops of Notting Hill kept our attention a bit too long. Here’s a little look at what we got up to.

Visa in hand, ready to shop!

Near Bank Station

Eat Tokyo, Notting Hill

Something we have been missing, no sushi in Wincanton!!

All Saints Spitalfields

One of many beautiful Singers

A possible Banksy along Portobello road

Jamie Oliver’s Recipease: iced coffee, bloody mary and peanut butter banana milkshake, all our favourites!!

We were lucky to find a Keith Brymer Jones pop-up shop, I stumbled on some of his products in Kent and loved them. I decided on two pieces that we could squeeze into our cases, salt and pepper pots and mix and measure jug. If we were not moving half way around the world I’m sure I would have came out of that shop with a lot more!! I was also successful in finding Hunter wellies for half the normal price by getting the kids size 5! All in all it was a productive and enjoyable day in the city. The 3 hour bus journey back was a little rough, but good conversation with other travellers made it fly by.

Mrs T

China

China Visa Part II

July 6, 2013July 7, 2013by turners0730Leave a Comment

Step 1: a 45 minute phone call confirmed everything we had read on the website.

Step 2: complete and print online application

Step 3: schedule appointment online

Step 4: we arrived 3 hours prior to our appointment, the service centre was very well organised, streamlined and bright. They would not let us proceed early, however there was someone to look over our documents to be sure all was in order. After a short question of a signature we were assured that Mr T’s application was intact. We returned 1 hour before our appointment and still had to wait. Exactly 30 minutes before our appointment the woman at the front desk called Mr T to collect his ticket, which was called within 20 minutes. A quick break to copy Chinese documents for our own records and we walked out 1 minute after our scheduled appointment time. Passport will be ready for collection in four days.

We can only hope the process will be just as smooth for me in San Francisco!