Mandi and Dogan are off to Istanbul again tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

They'd had a phone call from the UK Border Agency last Saturday asking them to go to Istanbul for an interview with regard to Dogan's visa application. They were on a coach heading for his family the other end of Turkey, so they asked if they could book an interview at another time. This was arranged for Thursday.

So Mandi and Dogan enjoyed their visit to his mum, brothers, sisters and nephews, nieces etc but it was very cold there - in the mountains and Mandi had problems with her breathing, probably due to the thinner air, and the fact that there was a lot of pollution with everyone there using coal fires etc and there was quite a bit of smog. So they caught a coach from his family to Istanbul and trip of just over 20 hours!!!!

They arrived at 9am on the Thursday morning and met up with an old friend of ours who lives in Istanbul. They then contacted the Consulate to enquire as to the interview, to be told, there'd been an admin mistake and could they come on Monday instead??? Mandi did tell them that they'd travelled right across Turkey to get there, so there were many apologies but it was still Monday for their interview.

They returned to their apartment in Bodrum by coach - another 18 hours, because it was cheaper for them to return than to stay for 4 days in Istanbul. Now tomorrow, they are off again to travel to Istanbul for the interview. I do hope they have rest today, because they are going to need it.

I just hope that with all this travelling up and down the country the Border Agency give Dogan his visa, so they can come home for Christmas and we can celebrate their wedding properly, then it'll be my birthday, then Mandi's then on March 1st - Tony and Stevie's wedding, and then hopefully by April, the arrival of my grandchild/dren.

When I write it out like this - it looks as if I'm in for a few busy months.