Yesterday evening we took an Uber to The Crows Nest …a Greene King Pub, with good old fashioned ‘pub grub’. We didn’t want a posh restaurant just some decent food….thats what we got…Dad had hunters chicken, John had gammon steak, pineapple & egg & chips. I had 3 Cumberland sausages, mash, peas, gravy and a Yorkshire pudding …we each had a soft drink and the bill was less than £35…. Half the price of the night before and more tasty….a great choice.
Day 3 – time to leave Newcastle and head for Scotland
John walked up to the station and brought back 3 bacon butties which we had in our room with coffee. Heading down to reception to book out we meet a delightful receptionist. When he heard how old my Dad was he rushed across to shake his hand and chatted to him while John and I went to fetch the car. The Leonardo Hotel discounts your car parking which was a very pleasant surprise…if you stay longer than 2 nights it would be cheaper to buy a week’s parking.
Returning to the hotel the lovely receptionist assisted us with our bags and then gifted us some wonderful fruit jelly pastilles, which he said he and his wife enjoyed on their trips to Scotland….he was right we did enjoy his kindness and the jelly pastilles……what a kind gentleman….I must say we would definitely stay there again….we were made to feel very welcome and the Northern Kindness shone through.
We had a good steady trip up the A1… until we saw……
We crossed into Scotland and headed for South Queenferry a favourite haunt of ours. Filling with petrol at a garage with a Marks & Spencer’s we picked up sandwiches and sausage rolls for the boys and a wrap with yoghurt for myself. …we sat in the carpark almost beneath The Forth Bridge eating our lunch. I fetched a couple of coffees from the Forth Bridge cafe & Bistro….we spent an enjoyable hour watching the world go by…trains, boats, ferry’s etc…
We headed on to our hotel in Falkirk. It’s not the Premier Lodge’s fault that their lodge is in the middle of massive roadworks at the moment. We are here for 4 nights so that John can go to Edinburgh and Glasgow stations, while Dad and I see the tourist sights….so we wanted somewhere cheap and cheerful….. that is exactly what we got …we were greeted by two delightful receptionist who went beyond the norm to give us information and to make us welcome. A lift deposited us on the 2nd floor. The rooms have double beds ( we’re used to kingsize so we will be very snug!), a kettle and coffee and a hanging area, a tv, desk and en-suite. Everything we need…there are 2 communal microwaves and fridges near the reception…..so all good…basic but clean and ok for what we need.
We’ll need to negotiate the road works again tonight to find somewhere to eat….more about that tomorrow.
We set off from Bedford…..the car resembled a jigsaw – 2 cases, a mobility scooter, two over night bags, a bag of pillows, two camera bags, two laptop bags, a picnic cool box, a box of Diet Coke, 12 small & 6 big bottles of water, a large jar of coffee /flask/ mugs in a bag…and everything else as well as the kitchen sink!!!!….somehow it all fitted in with no gap unused…We picked Dad up and off the 3 of us went…on our holiday.
We trundled up the A1 with the accompaniment of Smooth Radio and John and I singing along, while Dad turned his hearing aid off !!!!!! Stopping at a rest area just short of Scotch Corner for the loos, coffee and the sandwiches we’d brought with us. We arrived at The Leonardo Hotel in Newcastle, mid-afternoon. Having off loaded Dad and the overnight bags, John and I found a convenient 24 hour multi story carpark a short stroll away.
We were quickly booked into the hotel by a very helpful receptionist. We had two superior double rooms on the 7th floor, next to each other… The rooms were nice enough with a small table and one chair, kettle mugs, coffee and a nice clean bathroom. I am pleased we had opted for superior rooms because we wouldn’t have wanted anything less…..but for £71.50 per room per night, I think it was good value for a hotel in the heart of the city of Newcastle, a stones throw …or 10 minute walk from the Central station .
We decided to eat in the bar, where they serve meals in the evening. Unfortunately just as we sat at a small table, to study the menu, a coach party arrived. We joined the end of the queue which was being serviced by one rather grumpy member of the bar staff. We ordered fish and chips for Dad and minute steak and chips for John and myself. We feared a long wait but surprisingly enough it arrived quite quickly. The food was palatable enough, and the ice creams to follow yummy. However it was relatively expensive for the quality and ambience so we hatched a plan to eat else where the following night.
Having had what seemed like a long day we decided to go to bed early. The bed was comfortable, and there was a selection of firm and soft pillows.
After a good nights sleep, John headed to the station for a day out on the trains with his camera. Dad and I had a more leisurely start. We meandered across to the carpark to get our extra thick coats, it was not only drizzling but it was also very cold.
Having dressed in more appropriate attire we walked up to the station arriving wet and ready for a sit down…..thank goodness for Greggs….a bacon butty and a strong Americano coffee each, soon warmed us up.
We had decided to take a circular route on the Metro and get off where we fancied…2x all day one zone tickets were around £9.00.
We were doing the yellow circular route.
The metro runs regularly every few minutes and we were soon speeding our way out of the underground and enjoying the views of the open countryside.
After several stops we disembarked at Whitley Bay. A lovely old station, which is presently being renovated. The beautiful mosaics in its entrance set the scene for this delightful station.
We decided not to go further as it was still rainy. So we hopped back on the metro after using the toilets and exploring the station.
Two Stops further on we disembarked again at Tynemouth. Another beautiful station from a bygone era. The station platform area is huge. Today it is home to several shops with a big market every Saturday and Sunday.
Off we went again. This time the metro hugs the estuary, which we caught several glimpses of. We changed trains at Monument and headed back to Central Station Newcastle.
I used the convenience of Marks & Spencer’s, Sainsbury’s and Greggs to get sandwiches, sausage rolls and yummies for lunch and we passed John his goodies over the platform barrier as he had an afternoon of train chasing planned.
We took a taxi back to the hotel to avoid anymore inclement weather. Lunch was eaten in Johns and mine room, prior to having an afternoon rest, readying ourselves for our evening supper.
Unfortunately we can no longer offer them at the very cheap price we did previously because our printer had stopped trading …however we have found another printer with top studio Fine Art quality paper -Baryta Rag (cotton310gm) with Lustre finish to help prevent reflections and fading but still give vibrant colours….. So our prints are now back up for sale as A3, mounted and framed ( black or white frames, white mounts) for £49.95 inclusive of UK mainland postage. We can print any of the sunsets or wildlife photos… just message us or email us at 2jsworldofadventure@gmail.com
Chobe River Botswana Seville at night – SpainKruger National Park South AfricaChobe River BotswanaReflections on Chobe River Botswana The last Rays of the Day – South AfricaGoodnight – Kruger National Park South AfricaEvening Safari Drive Kruger National Park South Africa Another Wonderful Day Draws to an End – Kruger National Park South Africa Raw Bushland at Dusk – South AfricaFrom Botswana to Namibia Sleep Well- Chobe River BotswanaAnother Beautiful Day says Goodnight- Chobe River South AfricaUnforgettable Moments – Chobe River Botswana Kruger National Park South Africa
A very good friend has used this company to tour Beijing from Shanghai….her recommendation came from a friend who lives in Shanghai who has used this company for his own touring. Our friend said they were very reliable, she was met in Beijing by a lovely lady who spoke good English.
Our friend is also a traveller infact they are travelling India at the moment, having spent 3 months in South America last year….so they know the difference between good and bad experiences. Having been really good friends for over 40 years we trust their recommendations and they trust ours….Thanks Caz and Geoff for this contact…
The company they have used is licensed…
James who I have been dealing with at the company has forwarded me a picture of their tourist License.
This is the ground tour James has put together for us….
北京百迎国际旅行社有限公司
百迎国旅 BEIJING BAI YING INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICE CO.,LTD
BYITS Tel:010-64680949
Day 1
19th Sept
Beijing
-Arrive at Beijing Daxing Airport(arriving at 14:12PM)
– Driver meets you outside the exit,holding name board
– Transfer to Beijing Legendale hotel by driver
– Check in and free at leisure
Day 2
20th Sept
Beijing
Have breakfast
– Free activity – the hotel is within easy walking distance of many attractions – (The Tian’an Men Square and Forbidden City)
– Foodie evening tour by yourselves Recommended place:Ghost Street/簋街
Day 3
21th Sept
Beijing
Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– Visit the Summer Palace in the morning
– Lunch
– Visit The Temple of Heaven and take Hutong tour By Rickshaw in the afternoon
Day4
22th Sept
Beijing
– Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– Make a morning excursion to Badaling Great Wall – including cable car up and back
– Lunch
– Visit Badaling Wildlife Park in the afternoon
– Return to hotel
Day 5
23th Sept
Beijing
– Have breakfast
– Free Activity Recommended:Acrobatic Show(Show time:16:00 and 17:30, please choose)
Day 6 24th Sept
Beijing-Xi’an
– Have breakfast and check out
– Transfer to Beijing West railway station for Xi’an（Train info: G365, 09:55-14:05, 1st class ticket）
– The driver meets you outsie the exit and then transfer to Xi’an Sofitel Hotel
– Check in and free at leisure
Day 7 25th Sept
Xi’an
-Have breakfast
– Free Activity
Recommended places: Grand Mosque,Bell and Drum Tower Square ,Muslim Street and Grand Tang Ever-bright Mall
– Evening foodie tour/ Or evening show (Only driver available) Recommended: Dumpling banqut and Tang Danasty Dancing/唐乐宫
Day 8 26th Sept
Xi’an
-Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– One-day Terracotta Army tour
– Return to hotel
Day 9 27th Sept
Xi’an
-Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– One-day sightseeing tour(City wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi’an Museum)
– Return to hotel
Option:
– One-day sightseeing tour(Qinling Wildlife Park) Re: Wildlife can be seen in Qinling area, But it is foribidden to go there right now , we will know final result this summer holiday if the park will reopen or not
Day 10 28th Sept
Xi’an-Chengdu
– Have breakfast and check out
– Transfer to Xian North railway staiton (Only driver available) heading to Chengdu(Bullet Train info:G3433,09:04—13:07,1st class ticket)
– Upon arrival, driver meets you and then transfer to Somerset Gaoxin Chengdu hotel
-Check in and free at leisure; The rest of time free & easy
Day 11
29th Sept
Chengdu
– Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– Drive to visit Chengdu panda Base（0.5 hour）, One of the most important research and breeding centers (Electric cart included)
– City center to stroll along Kuanzhai Alley
– Transfer back to hotel ,free time
Day12
30th Sept
Chengdu -Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– Drive to Leshan Giant Buddha (2.5 hours)
– Visit Leshan Giant Buddha by climbing mountain or boat trip
– visit Leshan Suji ancient town(乐山苏稽古镇)
– Drive back to Chengdu hotel , Free and leisure
Day 13
1st Oct
Chengdu-Dujiangyan
– Have breakfast and guide meets you in the lobby
– Visit Dujiangyan Panda Base （1.5 hours）
– Lunch
– Dujiangyan Irrigation System
– Drive back to Chengdu hotel , Free and leisure
Note: traffic jam often occur during national holiday , especially for National holiday .
Day 14
2nd Oct
Chengdu-Beijing
– Have breakfast and check out
– Transfer to Chengdu East raiwway station heading to Beijing(Only driver available) Bullet train info:G1013,08:29-19:07,1st class ticket
– Upon arrival, driver meets you and transfer to Beijing Legendale hotel
– Check in and free at leisure
Day 15
3rd Oct
Beijing–
– Have breakfast and check out
– Transfer to Beijing Daxing airport (Only driver available)
– End of 15-day China tour
What’s Included:
• One (1) Professional English-speaking local guide
• One (1) 5-seater car and accompanying driver for all land transfers indicated in the itinerary
• Admission fees to places mentioned for sightseeing tour in the itinerary
• All relevant trip taxes, local duties and surcharges
• Drinking water throughout the tour itinerary
• Bullet train listed in the tour itinerary
What’s not Included:
• Personal telecommunication and laundry charges
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Additional excursions & activities not mentioned in the itinerary
• Round trip international flight
• All meals indicated on the itinerary as B (breakfast), L (lunch), and D (dinner)
• Accommodation in Bejing,Xi’an and Chengdu
• All gratuities for drivers, guides and local support staff
James has also put together 3 sets of prices for this itinerary- one for each part.
The Beijing section costing approx £904The Xi’an section costing approx £725The Chengdu section including train back to Beijing costing approx £1239
The total cost for the ground tour would be approx £2868 ( approx due to exchange rate fluctuations. If we add that to the flights which are approx £1500 and the hotels we have selected with breakfast are approx £ 1229. The total cost would be approx £5597. We could of course make this cheaper by staying in cheaper accommodation. We have however chosen accommodation which is popular with English speaking visitors with the hope that some of the staff and the menus will be in English.
We have asked James several important questions ….these are ….
1) how do we pay you? Do you accept credit card?
2) When do we pay you? Before we arrive in China? Or with Alipay when we arrive?
3) Do you provide us with a letter which enables us to get our visa? Or is our itinerary enough for us to get the visa?
4) Does the person who takes us to the train station put us on the correct train and the correct seats? If not how will we know the right train and the right seats to sit in as I believe all notices are in Chinese and not many people speak English so it’s not so easy to ask someone.
5) can you book tickets at acrobatics show or escorted food tasting walks, or a meal in a locals home? Or would we ask the hotel to do this?
6) Would we be able to post to our website while we are in China? Or would we have to just log every thing and do it when we get home? We don’t want to do anything which is not allowed and we worry we might not know what is and what isn’t allowed.
James has been very quick in replying to our emails, we usually get a response the next day – due to the time differences…. If you are wanting to book a trip through James his email address is 36075568@qq.com
We will let you know the response to our questions…..we still hope to do this trip this year although due to the amount of preparation and questions I have we may push it back to next year. James is aware of this and is happy to help us and any of our readers who are going to embark on a trip to China.
It’s relatively easy to get to Xi’an either by plane or high speed train. We intend to travel from Beijing to Xi’an by train. It takes between 4h 10m to 6h 45m for high-speed (G trains)from Beijing West to Xi’an North. It costs about £60 each for a single ticket. These can be booked a couple of months in advance online with Trip.
Xi’an
Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi Province in central China. In past times it was known as Chang’an (Eternal Peace). It is situated at the eastern end of the Silk Road’s and was home to the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties’ ruling houses. The city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu. Its total population is around 12.95 million.
The City Wall
Xian’s original city wall was started in 194 BC and took 4 years to finish it enclosed an area of 36 km sq (13.90 sq mi). During the Ming Dynasty a new wall was constructed in 1370 which remains intact to this day. The new wall and moat would protect a much smaller city of 12 km sq (4.6 sq mi). The wall is one of the tourist sites in Xi’an.
The Terracotta Army
Xi’an is also famed across the world for the archaeological sites found in Xi’an’s surrounding plains. This is where you find the Bingmayong (Terra Cotta Army), thousands of life-size, hand-molded figures buried with China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the Terracotta Army and his mausoleum, just to the east of Xi’an , almost immediately after his ascension to the throne. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting him in his afterlife. It is said to have taken 720,000 people to build it.
The Terracotta Army figures’ excavation is regarded as one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century. It had been underground for more than 2000 years before farmers digging a well in 1974 uncovered what is now considered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world.
The first part of the Terracotta Army site to be discovered was named Vault One. In 1976, two other vaults were uncovered about 20 meters away, and were named Vault Two and Vault Three.
In December 1987, UNESCO selected the Tomb of the First Emperor and the Terracotta Army Vaults as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
Today the museum consists of Vault One, Vault Two, Vault Three, and The Exhibition Hall of the Bronze Chariots. The most popular vault with tourists is Vault One. This can be crowded but is the best place for photographs.
Vault One is the approximate size of an airplane hanger. It is said to have contained over 6000 terracotta figures of soldiers, horses and chariots, but today there are less than 2000 on display. However it is still a very impressive site. All soldiers and horses face east in a rectangular formation, each soldier is armed with either a long spear or a dragger. Close behind is the main force of armored soldiers are 38 horse-driven chariots. Every figure differs in facial features, expressions, clothing, hairstyle, and stature. The scene provides a lot of detailed artifacts in line with the military, cultural, and economic history of that period. The Vault was opened to visitors in 1979.
Excavation and restoration is still ongoing at vaults two and three.
The museum can be found at 1 Terracotta Road, East Third Ring Road, Yunlong District, Xuzhou City. It takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to travel from downtown Xi’an to the Terracotta Army, which is located approximately 40 km away in the Lintong District. The fastest option is a taxi or Didi (approx. 40–50 mins)This costs approximately £12.60. Allow a half day for your visit. The museum opens from 8.30am to 5 pm. Tickets can be booked online with Trip at a cost of about £8,50 per adult . This helps to skip the line and is a little cheaper than the £12.50 on the official website. It is worth checking to see if over 65’s go free, this is the case in some of Chinas tourist attractions. We will probably take a small group Viator which includes a half day visit to the museum and a lunch with a local family for £65 for us both.
There are also other visit options available some include making your own mini warrior to take home with you…it sounds intriguing but we prefer the family food option!
2 J's World of Adventure 