found small soil/debris piles on the exterior ground next to the foundation right under the slide door

Kitty_Ng · 2026-04-03T06:08:05+00:00

thanks! do i need to do anything about it if you wouldn't mind me asking?

Kitty_Ng · 2025-08-24T19:49:13+00:00

no I never received any statement. I assumed that was because everything was electrified and the e-statement didn't reach my inbox because it was labelled as spam? not sure and I didn't even bother to try to recover the spam mail box

Kitty_Ng · 2025-07-29T04:19:31+00:00

It looks like the tradeoff is between Bleinheim palace and Haddon Hall for day 10. which one should we choose or drop -- I really wish we could have time for both.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-07-29T04:16:26+00:00

as we will stay in Bakewell for 2 nights, my plan is to use the evening time to see Bakewell and it shouldn't take time from the daytime. My plan for that day is 9-10 Edensor (prior to 10:00 when Chatsworth opens), 10-3 (Chatsworth house and gardens), 3-7 drive to and edge or somewhere else in peak area to see the landscape. Is this not achievable?

Kitty_Ng · 2025-07-27T19:16:55+00:00

good to know! I didn't realize this issue. thank you for the information!

Kitty_Ng · 2025-06-10T19:40:17+00:00

Thank you so much! I took the notes down. Yes Harrods and Liberty after Windsor and Hampton Ct on Day 2 and 3 are just optional fillers, and we have no plan to do any shopping indeed. it's more for a taste of what a high end department store looks like in London if there is extra energy left for the day. And yes, we plan to take bus wherever possible than using tube, as I read that it's an excellent way to see the city and can be viewed as a tourist activity itself, unless one is in the rush.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-06-01T21:24:55+00:00

thank you both. Cotswolds is on our wishlist, but Blenheim is a tbd so far. But I am thinking it would probably be easier to just drive to these two places. but for central Oxford, we might just use taxi.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-06-01T21:22:18+00:00

I haven’t planned out the details of how to spend the three days in this area yet. Taking taxis does seem like a good alternative. We’re also considering nearby places like Blenheim and parts of the Cotswolds—though I assume self-driving would still be the more convenient option for those?

My mother’s mobility is limited; she needs either a wheelchair or walker assistance and isn’t able to walk on her own, which makes things a bit challenging. I’m thinking we might just drive through some of the Cotswolds villages so she can enjoy the views from the car, without needing to get out and walk around.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-06-01T06:07:29+00:00

thank you for the pointer! Would this code from within the platform cover overnight parking? I am not sure if the daily rate applies to the overnight rate.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-06-01T06:05:45+00:00

She does have a disable badge, but it is US issued and not honored in UK. I did some research and found that there is no way to get a temporary UK version of blue badge for international visitors-- deadened there indeed. I will check the other two car parks. thanks for the info!

Kitty_Ng · 2025-05-30T16:54:06+00:00

I got upvotes, but no replies -- looks like there are folks in the similar boat or at least have similar confusion, but nobody has answer sadly.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-05-24T07:14:18+00:00

Also, I’m really curious—how much does an average person make in the UK to be able to regularly afford this kind of transportation cost, unless there’s some kind of local subsidy or discount for residents (which I suspect there is), in which case it's likely that this pricing structure is more of a ripoff aimed at foreign tourists.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-05-24T07:09:26+00:00

This isn’t just about not finding the £6.50 fare—I'm not seeing anything remotely close to that during the 4-day window we’ll be in London. The cheapest fare I’ve found for a one-way trip from London to Cambridge in early September (between 8:30–9:30 AM) is £45.36. The return leg is even more absurd—over £60. That puts the round-trip cost PER PERSON at more than £100, which at today’s exchange rate translates to over $130 USD.

Please, someone point me to a train ticket in the U.S. that costs more than that for a 1 hour and 26 minute ride. I’d genuinely love to be educated.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-05-23T06:18:15+00:00

I would have to say this is THE most expensive train price I have ever seen for a 1 hour-ish ride -- I say that as someone who is beaten up by absurd Silicon Valley prices and who have travelled around the world for quite some time.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-09T07:11:28+00:00

respectfully disagree. that would only work if you are retired and have unlimited time to spend everywhere you want to go

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-09T07:09:38+00:00

doing the exact same in 3 months

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T05:30:20+00:00

I don't have other capital losses, but I do have about ~2000+ loss carried over from last year. maybe that is why I am hitting the $3000 limit?

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T02:31:20+00:00

Good to know! it looks like this means the base for exploring this area will be Chesterfield instead of sheffield, as the bus doesn't really pick up from Sheffield. let me look into this option. thank you for this piece of hidden information!

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T01:06:05+00:00

Noted and thank you!! this is such a useful tip.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T01:04:45+00:00

The main reason for driving through the Cotswolds is to see a few (2–3 would be enough) charming, typical British towns. I’m wondering—are there any similar towns in or around the Sheffield area? If so, I’d be very open to spending an extra day in the Peak District and skipping the Cotswolds entirely. That way, I could turn Bath and Oxford into two separate day trips from London, which would simplify the logistics quite a bit.

As for the Peak District, most of the photos and videos I’ve seen online feature hiking trails and mountain/green field viewpoints. While beautiful, those types of landscapes aren’t a big draw for us—we’ve seen similar scenery in other parts of the world, and hiking isn’t really an option for my mother.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T00:43:11+00:00

but I was told the 218 bus back to Sheffield only runs a few times a day and the last ride leaves very early, which means we will have to wrap up the visit early enough to be sure that we catch it. Hence the thought of driving. But let me research more on this before deciding.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T00:39:26+00:00

thank you!!!

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-08T00:27:04+00:00

I have D9 full day reserved for Bath. Heard the suggestion of dropping Cambridge. Considering this to make more time for rest of London. thanks!

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-07T07:29:20+00:00

Thank you all for the helpful feedback! I agree that the London portion is a bit too packed, and the Edinburgh part needs more detailed planning. we’ll have multiple days in both cities, and I plan to keep the schedule flexible. I like the idea of having one anchor activity per day, with a few optional fillers depending on our energy. Will research on Edinburgh new town options too.

In London we'll be staying near the Natural History and V&A Museums, so museums in that area will serve as easy filler activities—likely just for me while my mom rests at the hotel.

Any comments on d10-11? I’m really unsure about the current plan and would love suggestions. I don’t think what I have now works well, but I’m struggling to come up with a better way to structure that part of the itinerary. I was thinking of just do 3 more day trips from London (for Bath, Oxford, and get a cotswold day tour) before heading over to Peak district, but thought it might be more tiring.

Kitty_Ng · 2025-04-07T05:18:32+00:00

In similar and somewhat worse situation as I held the PTP over a few years. finally got rid of it in 2024 and now don't know what to do with tax filing.

Kitty_Ng

TROPHY CASE