Mabbiesmum

Fulham is a bit out on a limb as far as the underground is concerned

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube

Gave RCCL a ring (almost lost the will to live going through the interminable options) and the very nice agent e-mailed the amended invoice almost immediately. Apparently they have to raise an amended invoice for the drinks package manually, hence the delay.

As always dress in layers. The underground can be particularly unpleasant in hot weather and central London is always that bit warmer simply because of the press of humanity.

Trains to Moreton in the Marsh do indeed go out of Paddington Station and the journey takes just over an hour and a half.

National Rail enquiries will give you all the information you need on timings

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

The easiest was to book train tickets is online and collect them from a machine at the station before you travel but this may be a problem if you don't have a "chip and pin" credit card. Online booking gives you the opportunity to take advantage of early booking deals although you should be aware these are usually tickets for a specific train. Anytime tickets are more expensive but give greater flexibility and can be bought from the station on the day.

Information on Paddington station

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/PAD/details.html

Good luck

Thank you so much for your informative responses. Lots to think about

After a number of sea cruises we have been considering a river cruise for while but get the impression that it is a much more "organized" experience with guided tours and excursions at each of the stops.

Do river cruise ships tend to dock "out of town" so that it is not possible just to get off and explore the locality?

I hope you experienced river cruisers can give me the low down.

You can now purchase your visa online before you travel. Cost is $20, only $ accepted at the moment.

https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my questions

I understand it is necessary to have a ticket before boarding the bus. Is there kiosk or ticket machine in or near the terminal?

Is there is bus from the new terminal to the metro station?

Over the past few months I have read with astonishment the problems you encounter in the US regarding the processing of passport applications.

In the UK the Identity and Passport Service aims to return renewal applications within 3 weeks and first-time applications within 6 weeks, first-time applications take longer because a face-to-face interview is required as part of the process.

It would be inappropriate for me to suggest either a cause or a cure for the situation you are experiencing but there would certainly be "Questions in the House" if a similar situation arose here.

My apologies if my post appears to be a that of a self-satisfied "Limey", I really just wanted to express my heartfelt sympathy.