“Ni Hao” (again) from Beijing-Xi’An-Guilin/Yangshuo-Shanghai, China ’15

Man, I have so much catching up to do! I haven’t updated this thing in ages…

Okay, so let’s start with me thinking that I was going home for good after the end of my second year in China (this plan eventually changed but I’ll save that for another post). Knowing that I was going home, I wanted to see as much of China as I could before leaving (and I was not about to tell people that I’d never been to the Great Wall during my two years here).

My sister saw this as an opportunity to experience China for herself and decided to join me all the way from Canada! After some planning, I decided that we could only see four different cities in a short span of two weeks: Beijing, Xian, Guilin/Yangshuo, and Shanghai.

Beijing, like every other city in China, was quite polluted; but that wasn’t going to stop us from exploring. We walked through the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, and the Great Wall of course.

Just outside Tiananmen Square… with Mao in the background

Summer Palace

The Great Wall was truly spectacular. We ended up having clear skies and visited a more remote part of the wall. It was an exhausting, yet exhilarating experience to have walked on this 20,000 km piece of history that is thousands of years old.

Sheer greatness

Some other things worth mentioning are: we tried Beijing’s famous duck dish, missed our train to our next destination by one minute, helped out a stranded family from South Africa, and found out my visa was expiring. It was quite the adventure, to say the least.

Having some Peking Duck

Xi’an was our next stop. Here, we visited the Terracotta Warriors, rode bikes on the City Wall, and shopped in the Muslim Quarter.

We had to opt for taking pics with the replicas

Xi’An City Wall

Next up was Guilin/Yangshuo. This part of China was a breath of fresh air (no pun intended). It was quite scenic and very different from the parts of China I have lived in. We visited a cool cave, had a mud bath, rode bikes through the hills, and enjoyed a year’s worth of delicious mangoes during our time there.

Reed Flute Cave

Mud bath!

 

Beautiful Yangshuo

Our last stop was Shanghai. We stayed in a cool hostel and relaxed for our last couple of days. We met the funniest guy, watched my sister beat everyone in pool matches, did some last minute shopping, and had some good (expensive) food.

Had some Indian food after a looong time

Check out my last post about my time in Japan!

“Konnichiwa” from Japan ’15

After a couple of months of long workdays, we got our last 1-week holiday for the school year. The destination pick was Japan this time. I was told by numerous people not to leave southeast Asia without visiting Japan and so, it had to be done. We managed to see 4 cities across the country in a mere 6 days: Tokyo, Mt. Fuji area, Kyoto, and Osaka.

The first thing I noticed was how polite and law-abiding people were. People get in and out of trains in the most orderly way and cars never stop an inch over the white line at traffic lights (both situations are a huge contrast to China). I’ve also never heard people say thank you (“arigatō”) so much in my life.

Tokyo

Tokyo was a cool experience. We spent two days mainly walking around the different electronics, shopping, and anime-centred areas. The downside was that everything seemed so expensive in comparison to China (so shopping was out of the question for the most part). They have a whole bunch of weird-yet-cool things to try out in Tokyo and we opted for the “Robot Restaurant”. It basically included a crazy show of robots fighting, various other characters singing/dancing, and beams of neon lights everywhere.

Getting the stare down from this robot

Live music

Next up was the famous Mt. Fuji area. This place was so zen-like, scenic, and uplifting in many ways. We arrived too late to do the climb up Mt. Fuji, so we opted to hike up to a peak from which you could get the best view of the mountain (and man, was it a view!)

View of Mt. Fuji

We also went to a delicious Japanese restaurant with teacher-friends who happened cross paths with us.

My favourite place was Kyoto. It had a little town-like feel and beautiful attractions such as the Path of Bamboo. We rented bikes and had a blast exploring the place. We had amazing sushi at a place that serves the food on conveyor belts (so exciting!)

Last stop was Osaka. I didn’t get to spend a lot of time here but I did end up visiting one of the world’s largest aquariums. It was a bittersweet moment because sea creatures are just so mesmerizing to watch but I feel bad that they’re kept out of their natural element.

Penguin Crew

Baby Shark

So pretty!

We had to head back east to fly out the next day so we spent one night in a Narita homestay before returning to China. This was definitely one of my favourite AirBnB experiences. We got to stay in a traditional Japanese home and with a very hospitable family. We were given everything including kimono robes, home-cooked dinner, and a delicious breakfast to make our stay as relaxing as possible. The coolest thing was I got to see, pick up, and sleep right next to a samurai sword!

Narita Homestay

I really liked Japan and definitely needed more time there. Maybe I’ll visit again in the future…who knows!

Snapchat things 😉

Check out my last adventure in Australia!

“G’day” (in my Aussie accent) from Australia ’15

The last country I could squeeze into my 4 week agenda was Australia. For a reason unknown to me, I have been wanting to visit this place from a very young age. I’ve never had any relatives who lived here and the only things I had known about it then were: 1) it’s all the way in a corner on the map and 2) kangaroos live there. I figured that I might as well make my childhood dream come true since I’ll never be as close to it as I am now.

Listen to the wise owl

So, it happened! I landed in Sydney and began loving every minute of it. It all started with a spinach and cheese roll I bought at the airport. It had been so long since I had eaten anything of the sort (I couldn’t even dream of it in Wuhan, China) and so, I cherished every delicious bite. Next, I was touched by the kindness of the people I encountered while checking out the city. People were going out of their way to offer their help and it surprised me (I was expecting everyone to go about their own business as they would in other places I’ve been in). This brings me to my next point- Sydney made me feel at home. So many places reminded me of the Toronto-vibe and it was exactly what I needed to cure my homesickness 🙂

Sydney Opera House

Ever since I was introduced to Hillsong music back in the day, I have always wanted to visit the Hillsong Church in Sydney. I grew up listening to their music since we used a lot of their songs at my church back in Canada. I went in with high expectations, but the entire experience went beyond what I could have imagined. Other than the sheer size of the church, I was mostly moved by the amazing atmosphere of love and acceptance created by the people there. God was so evident and I really needed that encounter with Him right there and then.  I have always been a part of a larger Christian community and it’s one of the biggest things I lack and miss in China 😦

Hillsong Church

As much as I love the city scene, my favourite part of Sydney was its coast. I took one of the nicest coastal walks I’ve ever taken and didn’t want to leave.

Bondi Beach to Coogee Coastal Walk

Oh, and I got to meet my friends: the kangaroos and koalas! They’re too cute to be true and I could totally see myself raising one, if I knew how to…

I’m naming this cute fella George

..and this guy sleepy Joe

One of our last stops in Australia was just outside of Sydney in the Blue Mountains area. We walked through the rainforest, went on the steepest train ride in the world, traveled great heights in a cable car, and got a good look at the famous “Three Sisters.”

Try and find the sisters!

Deciding on which other city we could visit in Australia was a tough one, but we ended up going with Melbourne. Melbourne was a huge contrast to Sydney in its cultural scene. The old school tram system running through the city was quite cool.

Melbourne

I heard good things about the wineries just outside the city and decided to do my very first winery tour (which also included my very first steam train ride). The vineyards and surrounding areas were so beautiful that I remained wide-eyed the entire time. The clear sky was as blue as it could possibly get and the landscapes were definitely postcard-worthy.

I could wake up to this all day, every day

I apologize for the length of this blog.. That’s gotta say something about my love for this place right? Read about the trips I took to Malaysia before and after visiting Australia!

“Selamat Tengah Hari” from Malaysia ’15

I ended up going to Malaysia twice during my 4 week vacation (both before and after going to Australia). I visited Kuala Lumpur and Penang. KL was a blast to be in! I really enjoyed staying at the Reggae Mansion Hostel (which had nothing to do with reggae and ended up being one of the nicest hostels I’ve ever stayed at). The location, rooms, people, and atmosphere were just perfect.

Hostel Things

First place to explore was “Little India.” Among many other ethnicities, a large population of Tamils can be seen in Malaysia. It was refreshing to be able to walk through the Brickfields neighbourhood and see familiar-looking people, stores, and food after such a LONG time (meaning 6 months haha). Tamil songs were being blasted throughout the streets: each store competing with the next to be louder and attract customers (it ended up having the opposite effect on me).

Brickfields

I did, however, end up being drawn in by the beautiful colours of silks and garments displayed in some shops. Here’s the thing: we have similar areas and stores in Canada and I’m never bothered to shop in them (I usually trust my mom’s great judgement when it comes to buying me traditional clothing). For some reason though, this time it just felt different. I embodied my mom’s personality for a second and went from store to store, feeling for the quality of materials, bargaining for better a deal, etc. This lead me to unnecessarily buying and lugging around two sarees in my backpack for the rest of my trip… BUT it was totally worth the experience 🙂

Shopping Frenzy

We commuted on the train a lot. They had “women only” sections in the train and signs forbidding any public displays of affection between people. These rules were respected by everyone on the trains.

No “Indecent Behaviour” lol

The food, of course, was amazing and reminded me of home (although nothing beats my mama and papa’s cookin’ 😉).

Yummzers

Batu caves is a place that one needs to climb a million stairs to get to. This combined with the heat made the task of getting to the top that much harder.. but not impossible!

Batu Caves

Check out this cutie chillin by the stairs though lol

Moving on to Penang! This city was different to KL with its colonial architecture and more laid-back vibe. Things seemed to move a lot slower in Penang, but in a nice sense (if that makes any sense?)

I visited the Penang museum and was very much intrigued with the colonial history of the place. I also walked around the Peranakan Mansion, which took me back to wondering how life must have been for the wealthy people a century ago. Everything in the mansion had such a majestic touch to it.

Inside the mansion

The last place I had a chance to check out was Penang Hill. It was a one-hour commute outside the city but was well worth the trip. Seeing the sun set over the entire city was beautiful (and if you know anything about me and my thing with sunsets, you’ll know that I have a sweet obsession with them).

On top of Penang Hill

Read about my time spent in beautiful Burma!

“Mingalapar” from Burma ’15

Next in the itinerary was a brief 3-day stop in Yangon (Rangoon), Burma. This place, with its intriguing culture, was just a world of its own. Men and women everywhere were seen wearing traditional sarongs. Also, many of the women wore a yellow paste called “thanakha” on their face throughout the day (it’s been part of their culture for thousands of years and is used for both traditional and cosmetic purposes.)

Market steps from where we were staying

I got two visit two pagodas: Sule and Shwedagon. The first one was quite small and beautiful, and the second one was just enormous and mesmerizing.

Sule Pagoda

Borrowed sarong

We stayed at the second one till dawn as it continued to look prettier and prettier as the sun went down.

Shwedagon Pagoda

Periodic cleaning of the temple

I went on a three hour circular train ride that went around the outskirts of city and into the more rural areas of Yangon. It was just really nice to people-watch and it also gave me plenty of time to do some self-reflection.

Platfrom markets

Burmese people are very kind and hospitable. I definitely would like to go back and visit other areas like Bagan and Mandalay one day.

Shwedagon Pagoda

Read about the beginning of my winter holiday in Thailand!

“Sawasdee” from Thailand ‘15

The Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) is such a big celebration in China that we get 4 weeks off for it! I took this opportunity to go to as many places as I could without going bankrupt. First up this time was Phuket and Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. I didn’t really see or do much in Phuket itself… other than take in the fact that the next few weeks were going to be absolutely crazy (and exhausting).

Chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’ all cool 😉

After a day or two of chillin’, my adventure began with island hopping throughout Phi Phi islands. First stop was Monkey Bay. The water here was crystal clear and the monkeys were quite entertaining. My cousin’s reaction to her orange juice being snatched away from her by one of them was priceless. Apart from this hilarious incident, the little guys (and girls I assume?) were cool and could care less that we were there. They just sat amongst the rocks and people-watched… as the people monkey-watched.

Two monkeys… or four?

Next was was Bamboo Island. I loved that it was remote, gorgeous, and crowd-free (the picture speaks for itself!).

Bamboo Island

Last stop was the famous Maya Bay, where Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The Beach” was filmed. (I never watched the film to be honest, but that’s how the place was advertised to everyone and I feel compelled to do the same.) I will say though, that it was an absolutely beautiful sight.

Maya Bay

My favourite part of the entire island hop was stopping our boat in the middle of the sea and watching the sun slowly set. Before it completely disappeared, the full moon began shining on the opposite side of the sea. With no land in sight and only water all around us, it had to be one of the nicest things I’ve ever seen in my life.

Pictures don’t do this view any justice

Read about my previous holiday in South Korea!

“Annyeonghaseyo” from South Korea ’14

Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul

We had a one week holiday in the beginning of October this year. I decided to go to South Korea for two reasons: I heard good things about it and more importantly, flights to anywhere else were crazy expensive. One of the first things I noticed was how bright and clean the airport was (compared to some of the ones I’ve seen in China). I was told that shopping would be a lot of fun in Seoul. This, however, was not the case for me. A lot of the things I picked up had a “made in China” label and were being sold for double the price. So once I realized I wouldn’t be spending my money on clothes, I spent it all on food instead!

One of the two Indian restaurants we visited to get our spice fix

I read up on Korean spas called Jjimjilbangs and decided we should try one out. It was definitely different from every conventional spa I’ve been to. Most parts of the experience were amazing (like rolling around in hot jade stones) and others were umm.. different (I’m not going to spoil it for those wanting it to experience it for themselves).

Siloam Sauna in Seoul

After spending a couple of days in Seoul, we hopped on a train and went south to the coastal city of Busan. This had to be my favourite part of the trip because it was an all-in-one deal: it had the beautiful beach, the bustling city, and the picturesque mountains all in the same place.

Made so many friends

One of the last things we did was go to a Korean baseball game (my very first time going to any live sports game!) I couldn’t find any hot dogs and opted for tuna-filled rice balls instead. We pretended to know all the Korean songs and cheered/sang along with the crowd. It was a really fun experience. 

Rooting for the Lotte Giants

One thing I have to mention about South Korea in general is how kind the people are (and all this time I thought Canadians were the nicest!) So many times during my short stay, people went out of their way to help me without ever being asked for it. To give you an example: we were waiting to cross at a street light one day when it suddenly started raining. Two random strangers who did not know us or each other, pulled us under their umbrellas and walked us to where we needed to go before going their separate ways. Let’s get real for a second, who does that? That was just one of the many random acts of kindness we encountered.

Hiking

Another good trip in the books.

Read about my adventure in Spain!

 

 

 

“Hola” from Spain ’14

Barcelona was a totally spontaneous trip and one of the only ones for which I didn’t have any sort of plans for. I wanted to show up and see where the wind would take me (this is very unlike me but you just gotta revel in the moment sometimes).

Amazing city

We spent most of our time randomly exploring and discovering cool things. We walked around Rambla de Cataluniya quite a bit (a trendy street lined with trees and lots of shops). We had dinner on a candle-lit rooftop looking over la Rambla, went on a horse-drawn carriage ride, ate gelato ice-cream, and talked to strangers.

I wish I had a farm full of these beautiful creatures!

We stumbled upon the most majestic looking castle I’ve ever seen. This place was a whole other world at night, during which the entire city would come out to watch the Fountain of Magic (synchronized water and music show). I’m about to sound real corny here, but it was truly a magical experience (I went back twice).

Day

…and night

Other cool things we did was go on a “speed” boat ride (slowest ride ever lol) and swam in the pool used for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

It was a nice ride nonetheless

I spent the last day on my own and saw some pretty sweet places as I continued to wander.

Gaudi’s Parc Güell

Beautiful place I stumbled upon

Soon after going back home to Canada, I left for round two of China.

Check out my time in Switzerland!

“Grüezi” from Switzerland ’14

Some families who live here refer to their country as “the land of milk and honey.” What they mean by this is that they have more wealth, chocolate, and beautiful landscapes than they can actually handle (must be nice right?) After being here for the fourth time, I definitely agree.

Breathtaking views

This time, I was mainly visiting to attend an international church conference in the district of Fiesch. A little background: the church that I attend in Canada is part of New Living Ministries (comprised of many other international churches). Every year or so, people from all over the globe come together to meet for a four day conference in Switzerland. The conferences involve deepening of faith, music, hanging out, and lots of fun!

Representing France, UK, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland

I got to meet so many new and old faces.  During our free time, some of my friends and I went up mountain tops, completed a tree-top obstacle course (challenging but crazy fun), and went zip-lining! All in all, it was a very short stay but great times were had nonetheless. I’m sure I’ll be returning to this place soon.

Top of the mountain

Read about my trip home after a year of being abroad!

“Hello” to/from my sweet Toronto, Canada ’14

After a long year of being away, I got to go back to my home sweet home. I was thrilled to see family, my lovely pup Cujo, my friends, and of course, my bed!

Classic photobomb in the GTA

A side-note about Cujo: for those of you that don’t know me, I am unashamedly obsessed with him. We are best of friends and bond in a way that I can’t explain. He’s like a grown old man with the heart of a baby. I was so upset about the thought of leaving him again that I considered taking him to China with me (this, however, was not possible). Simply put, I love him so much that I had to dedicate this entire paragraph to him and compel you to read it 🙂

You’d have to be crazy not to love that face

The beauty of being the youngest in the family is how much you get spoiled after being away.

Mommy dearest ❤

I received a whole bunch of welcome-home gifts (to make up for the missed birthday and Christmas) and a hearty Brazilian steak lunch with the fam (which was delightful after not having had any meat for several months).

A “rebel” lol

I visited plenty of family and friends and inevitably gave in to every food craving I had stored up in me. I also got to celebrate  a couple of birthdays of those nearest and dearest to me.

Homegirl!

Best sister in the world!

Last, but not least, I was home in time for the last few FIFA World Cup matches. Being a German football fanatic, I got custom jerseys made for everyone in my family (they were so happy!!)

That’s my uncle next to me rockin Schweinsteiger

We celebrated every match Germany played and the festivities were never-ending (until it finally did end and I went through the World Cup blues lol).

Take a look at my previous trip to Bali!