Trinity Boys Choir

It’s all over. We are back. Thanks very much for following us!

We did Beijing and the Great Wall. It was hot. We got very sticky. The photos can tell the story. Now for home…

Beijing! But not before we clear up a bit of business from last night… Our evening routine is well established. We return after a concert and have 30 minutes with our phones to call our wags and play games. The staff gather in a comfortable area on the ground floor of the hotel to discuss … More China 2018: Day 17 Sunday 5th August

A bucket load of contrition later and we have ‘our’ Mr Swinson back! We set about a two-pronged attack: the carrot and the stick. First, the stick – we unleashed Mrs Martin. It was her birthday today and she said being given the opportunity to tell Mr Swinson a few home truths was the best … More China 2018: Day 16 Saturday 4th August

Brookman is back! The visit of Messrs Bishop and McKee has really done the trick and Mr Brookman is much more his old, cheerful self. Actually, we don’t use the word ‘old’ anymore as we realise it is insensitive. To celebrate his return, we asked him to explain to us the (revered) art of page-turning. … More China 2018: Day 15 Friday 3rd August

A difficult day with a happy ending. It’s hard to see a great man in tears – broken, even – but it appears that the Xiamen waitress who had seemed so taken with Mr Brookman was not, as we had assumed, attracted by his rugged good looks, charm and status (page-turning is a revered art … More China 2018: Day 14 Thursday 2nd August

Shanghai baby, yeah! As we enter a new month we are suddenly aware that the tour is nearing its final stages. This provokes mixed feelings but we have certainly been looking forward to today as we have our sight-seeing and shopping trip to Shanghai. The day started with a three hour coach journey from Taizhou … More China 2018:Day 13 1st August

As we had a free morning in Taizhou, Mrs Martin asked a local Chinese travel agent what there was to do in Taizhou. ‘Nothing’ was the answer. And when she asked if there was a tourist map the answer was similarly unequivocal – ‘no’. ‘Nothing’ and ‘no’ are not words that Mrs Martin either understands … More China 2018: Day 12 Tuesday 31st July

This tour is full of surprises. The boys may have become used to female adulation. Some might even say they have become blasé. But the role of the page-turner must not be underestimated. While Mr Swinson conducts, Mrs Martin translates into Chinese and Ms Federici plays the piano, it is the rugged good looks and … More China 2018: Day 11 Monday 30th July

Breakfast. Big Breakfast. Croissants. Chocolate. Cake. Chocolate. Cake. Then we remembered Mr Brookman’s wise words concerning the digestive system. Cereal. Fruit. Cereal… Chocolate. Cake. Chocolate. Best and biggest breakfast so far. All the hotels have been really nice but the Xiamen Double Tree Hilton tops the list. And it’s not just the breakfast. Sentient rooms. … More China 2018: Day 10 Sunday 29th July