Lazy Girl's 2016~2018 Travel Sharing (Mohe, Chongqing, Nanjing, Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand)

Recently planning a family trip, I noticed questions on my profile page and realized it's been years since I last wrote a travel journal. So many trips I haven't shared with everyone, and I also realized it's been a long time since I looked back on my past journeys.

This is a travel journal, but actually not really—it's just sharing some beautiful photos from trips between 2016 and 2018 (in my opinion) and reminiscing about those little joys. After 2018, I entered the next phase of my life, followed by the pandemic, so I stayed home and did my part for the fight against COVID, haha~

Now, time to get serious! (I really can't remember the itineraries in detail, but I'll try to give tips where I can.)

【2016 & 2017 - Thailand (Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket), Hong Kong】

I went to Thailand twice in 2016 and 2017—once for Songkran and once for the islands. My travel buddy and I absolutely love this place, even though it's a bit hot. My buddy said she wants to buy a house in Thailand to retire, whew~ (We originally planned to go again for Loy Krathong, but too many things got in the way. Hope we can make that date happen soon!)

Hong Kong was just a transit stop; I've never been particularly interested in Hong Kong. I'm not keen on going there just to shop. (I'm not really into shopping—just buy daily necessities and maybe a bag occasionally for a change.)

Trip 1: Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Pattaya

Trip 2: Hong Kong, Phuket

a. From Chiang Mai to Bangkok, we took a flight—less than an hour. It was even shorter than the waiting time at the airport, which was ridiculous.

b. From Bangkok to Pattaya, we took a bus within the airport. Just ask the staff at the airport and you'll find it.

c. In Chiang Mai, you can take a tuk-tuk to get around the old and new city easily. If you don't mind walking, strolling through Chiang Mai is perfectly fine; most attractions are within walking distance.

As for Bangkok, it's a big city with traffic jams worse than our Shanghai rush hour (Bangkok is especially chaotic and congested). Personally, I'd suggest taking a tuk-tuk—since you'll spend the same time anyway, why spend more money, right? (Of course, if you don't like the tuk-tuk vibe, taxis with meters are fine.)

Pattaya is too commercial. I wouldn't recommend taking taxis there; they overcharge (I wonder if management has improved). There are tuk-tuks and many motorcycles—both are options if you're not too picky.

For Phuket, I suggest asking the hotel to arrange transportation, like airport transfers. We stayed in a remote area, so we had to rely on tuk-tuks; taxis were hard to find.

a. In Chiang Mai, we chose a guesthouse in the old city—it had more character, and the Chiang Mai Night Market was nearby.

b. In Phuket, we chose a star-rated hotel with a private beach—quiet, clean sand, and not too many people sharing the space, haha~

Another reason I love this city is the food. You can find something you like at almost any restaurant. That's where my buddy and I found happiness. After returning to Shanghai, whenever we had Thai food, we felt it was too refined and lacked that street-market vibe.

And the fruit! I love the fresh juices from street stalls for 20-25 baht—real ingredients, great value! (I wonder if it's still that price now.)

a. While staying in Chiang Mai, we booked a jungle trek and other activities—each took about a day with hotel pickup and drop-off, easy and stress-free.

b. Pattaya, we originally went for the sea, but the beach was dirty and crowded. If you're interested in ladyboy culture, you're in the right place. We watched the Tiffany show—it was great. There are also not-so-legitimate shows, which are more explicit and not suitable for kids, I heard.

c. Phuket goes without saying—island hopping, snorkeling—all great options. Compared to Pattaya's beach, Phuket's beaches are so much nicer.

That's all I can think of. Now for the beautiful photos.

【2016 - Harbin, Mohe】

Even though I studied in Northeast China, I was still amazed by the cold in Mohe. It seemed even colder than Snow Town. This time I took friends and family to the Northeast. Southern kids who haven't seen much snow—big sister took them to broaden their horizons, haha~

a. First stop was Harbin. I visited many times when I was a student to see high school friends. I still like this city with a bit of foreign flavor—the never-tiring Harbin Ice Cream (Malayan popsicles), the Ice and Snow World where your mouth freezes shut, the Saint Sophia Cathedral from the drama "Unrequited Love: The Adventures of Huai Nan" (a new show I'm watching, haha), the Russian restaurants on Central Street, the big red sausage, and so on.

b. From Harbin, we took a green train to Mohe. There's only one train, and it's still green—I don't know if it's improved. The pampered family members had a rough time, chugging all the way. We arrived in Mohe early morning, and we had arranged a car to pick us up, heading north.

In Mohe, I recommend hiring a car. Not everyone can handle snowy roads—it's easy to cause a serious accident. Also, Mohe is a tourist destination but essentially a series of villages in the Northeast. Some stretches are quite empty. Most importantly, the driver handles all accommodation and meals along the way (they recommend, not arrange). We followed the driver's pace—not too tight, not too loose. The driver recommended food and lodging based on experience, but the final decision was ours. It turned out that following the driver was the right choice. So for Mohe, I didn't even prepare an itinerary. I discussed the route with the driver beforehand, roughly as follows. We negotiated along the way, and it was pleasant. (I won't go into detail because I don't remember much.)

c. Costs:

Car hire: about 600 yuan (4 days)

Food and lodging in Mohe are very cheap: accommodation 60–100 yuan per night, food about 50 yuan per person max. (That's the price back then, you understand.)

【2017 - Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou】

A spontaneous trip with my buddy—also hired a car the whole way. So no practical tips to share; I'll skip the details to avoid moderation issues, you know.

Itinerary: Chengdu - Jiuzhaigou (hired car, driver took us stop-and-go, eating along the way—strangely enjoyable) - Huanglong - Chengdu

【2017 - Chongqing, Nanjing】

No beating around the bush—I went for the hotpot, haha. Not much to say about Chongqing—just eat.

Chongqing is really tiring—lots of ups and downs. We went during National Day holiday, and it was rainy. (We planned to visit Wulong, but canceled due to rain. Maybe next time.)

From Chongqing, we went to Nanjing to see Mayday's concert and took wedding photos.

【2018 - New Zealand】

Got married in 2018! Planned a New Zealand honeymoon.

Day 1&2: Auckland? Garden City Christchurch - Star-Gazing Tekapo (about 4 hours drive)

Famous [Church of the Good Shepherd] and [Boundary Dog Statue]. But compared to these buildings, I appreciate the beauty of Lake Tekapo more—mountains, snowy peaks, and the sky.

Overnight near Tekapo. I have to admire the beauty of the Milky Way at night (yes, Milky Way, not just stars)—something a city-raised kid never gets to see.

Day 3: Tekapo - Mount Cook National Park (Tasman Glacier flight) - Milk Lake - Lake Pukaki - Arrowtown - Queenstown (3 hours drive)

The Tasman Glacier plane experience flying over the Southern Alps was thrilling. The whole Mount Cook National Park felt pure and pristine.

Day 4&5: Queenstown

Queenstown is truly a paradise for the young—various extreme sports (skydiving, Glenorchy trilogy, steamboat, Milford Sound—one of the world's eight wonders).

We booked skydiving, but due to weather, it kept getting postponed. The staff tried to reschedule for us, but in the end, we gave up and drove to Wanaka for skydiving. After the first few groups went successfully, we were told it was canceled due to wind speed. My heart sank, and my partner was even more disappointed (my partner is a bit afraid of heights and finally built up courage, but not jumping was probably a secret relief for him).

Below photo provided by a buddy—just for reference.

Day 6: Queenstown - Wanaka - Haast - Fox Glacier - Lake Matheson (4 hours drive)

Maybe a bit of visual fatigue with all these lakes. That night, we stayed at the foot of Fox Glacier. In the evening, we went to the local bar (the only one) to play pool. Later, my buddy suggested looking for glowworms in the nearby forest. It was drizzling, and the forest was too dark—I got scared and didn't go far. But we did find glowworms—lucky!

Day 7: Fox Glacier - Punakaiki Pancake Rocks - Christchurch

Day 8: Christchurch - Auckland - Hobbiton - Maori Cultural Village - Rotorua

Day 9: Rotorua - Farm (sheep shearing) - Glowworm Cave (photo below from buddy—no photos inside the glowworm cave; glowworms are very sensitive to light) - Auckland, City of Sails

Day 10: Auckland - Shanghai

Through this hodgepodge travel journal, I reminisced about the good times over those years. Many fragments are already blurry; many I still remember but can't put into words. Thanks to my buddy and my partner for accompanying me all the way.

See you in the next journey~