Phuket:
- There are bugs ALL over Phuket. Don’t be surprised if you find a dead spider in your rice, fearless flies on your food during dinner and ants and lizards crawling up the wall behind you.
- Sales girls at the malls are hella rude and just sit around talking but employees everywhere else are super nice and definitely knows the meaning of hospitality.
- Most places don’t believe in AC.
- But the beaches definitely felt like heaven on earth.
- Thailand makes you want elephant and monkeys so bad it’s not even funny.
Phuket
Beijing:
- Beijing food was such a huge disappointment; it was okay but definitely not my favorite. I also had the worst PEKING duck I’ve ever had there. Ironic.
- I felt like I was covered in 10 layers of dirt every day from the smog and heat.
- But the heat was bearable because it was dry and cool in the shade (unlike Hong Kong).
- I took a deep breath by accident and my throat was scratchy and irritated the rest of the day. Air pollution is no fun!!
- It was weird that we were in a lot of touristy places (even the airport and a 5-star hotel) and employees barely knew English. It took so much effort just to explain “brown bread” to them.
- I was scared to drink anything because I didn’t want to use their public washrooms.
- If I have to pee in another hole in the ground again with the most pungent smell emitting from it, I’m going to scream! Some of them were so bad that I was willing to hold it in for an hour long bus ride… I give huge props to the cleaning ladies who sits in the washrooms all day. I am so prissy. But I really tried.
- On the other hand, the washrooms that do have 1 or 2 stalls with actual toilets are pretty clean since they are barely used (but still smelly).
- Despite all this, I had more fun in Beijing than I even did Phuket! I’m obsessed with Chinese history so I was in so much awe being in places that I only read about.
- I want to come back again with proper gear to conquer more of the Great Wall. Vancouver trails are nice and some still a good challenge, but the Great Wall really lives up to it’s name and is full of historical significance which makes it that much better (Grouse Grind, my ass). Just don’t wear a dress and sandals like I did.
- Going up the wall is so much easier than going down. Hella steep with uneven and worn-down steps + my weak knees = not a good combination. It took me double the time to go down and I was secretly racing an old man but he beat me.
- I also want to come back to spend more time in the Summer Palace; so beautiful there.
- I already knew this but holy shit, Air China really sucks ass.
Great Wall of China
Hong Kong:
- Hong Kong = food heaven!! There are so many restaurants and bakeries here it’s not even funny— and they are always full.
- But then I don’t think I can survive here because there are way too many people. Not as many as China but still to many.
- The first week we were here, I dragged Boyfriend out and we literally shopped till we dropped every single day …well he just held my bags. It didn’t help that public benches are practically non-exist in HK so we always came home exhausted (and I consider never shopping again), get a really good sleep but then do it all over again the next day.
- He loved it when I went into shoe stores where he can sit and bask in air-conditioned glory— those were the only times he encouraged me to take my time and shop.
- I hate it when “dirty water” drips on me.
- I hate that I have to dress so conservatively while the weather is so hot and humid or else the locals will stare and make you feel like an idiot. I won’t care in Vancouver but I do here even though I’ll never see them again. The bitches in Vancouver need to take stare-down lessons from the old Chinese ladies here.
60+ DELICIOUS skewers (chicken, beef, gizzards, chicken hearts, lamb, squid) + 8 beers + 1 bottle of nasty but super strong alochol = less than $20CDN. The only catch is that it was from a probably really dirty food stall but then we didn`t get sick so who cares.. I want more!!
Misc:
- I will never take Vancouver weather for granted ever again!! *complains about the shitty weather when I get off the plane*
- I miss clean and smog free air.
- I hope Vancouver bans the use of air conditioners that sucks hot air back outside. It’d be so sad if Vancouver becomes so gross and humid like HK.
- I was standing in the aisle of a supermarket today feeling so bad for myself for living in North America because our [junk food] choices are so boring. Asia has all of it PLUS MORE.
- I like how breakfast at hotels here always have congee.
- I’m so sad that we didn’t get to eat creepy crawlies in Phuket or Beijing but we have one more visa entry to China so hopefully we still can.
- You guys were right, I lost 5lbs from the heat and all the walking but I’m pretty sure I gained like 10% body fat.
I don’t know what’s worse. - We are getting so awesome. AT BARGAINING! But bargaining just for $0.30CAD is sooo ridiculous and tiring even though you do it anyway… because you’re in Asia and will feel like you’re getting ripped off if you don’t.
- I can’t wait to be in Korea for the World Cup. I know I can only hope, but obviously I’m routing for an Asian team and it doesn’t get any crazier than in Korea!
- The country never sleeps!
- I complain a lot but I still love Asia!! Complaining is more interesting than praising.
