Me Time!
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Imp75\" post_id=\"2086141\" time=\"1666156880\" user_id=\"2358:
My gut feel is that China is quite a long way from allowing free movement of foreigners (or even locals) within China - each region now has its own health app and the rules are complicated beyond complicated. Gone are the days you can buy a train ticket and zip freely from one place to another. And should you be found to be a close contact (in China it can be 1km radius) as a confirmed case, be prepared to have movements severely curtailed.
In a couple of years time when my girls go out to work, my dream is to retire, pack light (like Mr Brown) and take the rail from SG all the way to greater china to explore and stopover wherever we like…..looking forward….. must tong…..a few more years……I think or hope we should still be relatively young and energetic by then hahaha
I miss China travelling! Had been going almost once a year in the 5 years prior to the pandemic. -
doodbug\" post_id=\"2086138\" time=\"1666155857\" user_id=\"13281:
We flew almost exclusively on budget airlines for many years; full-cost airlines only for long flights every couple of years. The taxis in the places we travelled to usually could only hold two 24\" bags in the boot, and we did a lot of bus travel too, and often crossed borders on foot to save money. So I've been well-trained!
your luggage is so minimal you will have zero problems with low cost airlines lol!
i don't miss backpacking actually. With age, I now rather enjoy comfortable accommodation lol
Especially as I no longer do the ''must maximize sightseeing\" type of itineraries any more.
Even when we backpack or travel light nowadays, we have modified they way we do it. Rather than carry our packs all day and only go to hostels at night, we always go to the accommodation first and put down our bags, then go sightseeing . And we choose decent accommodation that is conveniently located (but I guess \"decent\" means different things to different people), and usually stay more than 1 night. We also don't try to cram a lot into limited time, not like when we were in our 20s. -
doodbug\" post_id=\"2086143\" time=\"1666158095\" user_id=\"13281:
Many of us are watching and waiting to see how things develop in China. Maybe next year?
My gut feel is that China is quite a long way from allowing free movement of foreigners (or even locals) within China - each region now has its own health app and the rules are complicated beyond complicated. Gone are the days you can buy a train ticket and zip freely from one place to another. And should you be found to be a close contact (in China it can be 1km radius) as a confirmed case, be prepared to have movements severely curtailed.
I miss China travelling! Had been going almost once a year in the 5 years prior to the pandemic. -
I find that I can no longer bring a backpack like I used to in my 20s. As I age, my back gets increasingly weaker! I need a 360 four-wheeler now!
Also, with higher spending power at this mature age, it’s inevitable that we would also start buying bottled condiments/confectioneries and cheese blocks from the farmers’ markets, wines from the wineries, leather goods and fashion apparels. With my hard-case, my thin wafers, cookies and biscotti can stay intact.
Decades ago before I invested in a hard case luggage, I went to Perth for 5 days with a duffel bag. Almost all my Fremantle potteries (in bubble wraps + my towel) cracked/broke into half. I was depressed for several days. -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2086136\" time=\"1666155363\" user_id=\"28674:
I avoid buying those fragile hand-painted glass balls sold at Christmas mkts. I broke one before in Amsterdam before I even got home! Some wooden Christmas trims or ornaments have simple mechanical parts, but you should be able to get a box from the Christmas mkt stall vendor. My snow-globes, mini cuckoo clocks and musical boxes were all ok as they were snugly packed in cardboard boxes.
No need - my bag will still have space for small souvenirs! And I generally don't buy much - usually just a fridge magnet or something to hang on my Christmas tree from each place. This time, I read that there is a street in Naples that has shops selling Christmas stuff - will probably get something there. But as my Christmas tree is not huge, the decoration will have to be small!
I buy many fridge magnets too. Like 2-3 per city. Those resin ones won't break. Phew! -
zeit.\" post_id=\"2086160\" time=\"1666168726\" user_id=\"194295:
Naples does pottery and wood, I believe, not glass. I wouldn't get glass anyway - too risky! I will tuck them in the midst of my clothes, so should be OK.
I avoid buying those fragile hand-painted glass balls sold at Christmas mkts. I broke one before in Amsterdam before I even got home! Some wooden Christmas trims or ornaments have simple mechanical parts, but you should be able to get a box from the Christmas mkt stall vendor. My snow-globes, mini cuckoo clocks and musical boxes were all ok as they were snugly packed in cardboard boxes.
I buy many fridge magnets too. Like 2-3 per city. Those resin ones won't break. Phew! -
zeit.\" post_id=\"2086159\" time=\"1666168240\" user_id=\"194295:
Depends on what you like, I guess. Nothing on your shopping list is on mine! I think my backpack in 2012 was about 8kg - not too bad as we mainly carried it between train stations and hotels, no more than 15-20 mins at each city. I was 48 then. I'll only be doing the backpack thing for Naples this time, and I think my bag will be even lighter as it's only for 2 nights. We'll leave the suitcases in Rome.
I find that I can no longer bring a backpack like I used to in my 20s. As I age, my back gets increasingly weaker! I need a 360 four-wheeler now!
Also, with higher spending power at this mature age, it's inevitable that we would also start buying bottled condiments/confectioneries and cheese blocks from the farmers' markets, wines from the wineries, leather goods and fashion apparels. With my hard-case, my thin wafers, cookies and biscotti can stay intact.
Decades ago before I invested in a hard case luggage, I went to Perth for 5 days with a duffel bag. Almost all my Fremantle potteries (in bubble wraps + my towel) cracked/broke into half. I was depressed for several days. -
zeit.\" post_id=\"2086160\" time=\"1666168726\" user_id=\"194295:
Cardboard boxes are great! Easy for check ins and also protects the goods well as long as the vendor packs well.
I avoid buying those fragile hand-painted glass balls sold at Christmas mkts. I broke one before in Amsterdam before I even got home! Some wooden Christmas trims or ornaments have simple mechanical parts, but you should be able to get a box from the Christmas mkt stall vendor. My snow-globes, mini cuckoo clocks and musical boxes were all ok as they were snugly packed in cardboard boxes.
I buy many fridge magnets too. Like 2-3 per city. Those resin ones won't break. Phew!
I buy tons of fridge magnets too. Some of them are broken already, I hope I can visit these places again, before I get too old to travel. -
Zeal mummy\" post_id=\"2086205\" time=\"1666197571\" user_id=\"58173:[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2086205 time=1666197571 user_id=58173]
Do you display all your magnets? Where? I put some on my fridge, but end up putting the less-favoured ones away. So I generally just buy 1 for each place visited.
I buy tons of fridge magnets too. Some of them are broken already, I hope I can visit these places again, before I get too old to travel.[/quote]
You must be at least a decade or more younger than me, so you will have many years before you get \"too old to travel\". My parents travelled frequently till they were 80! Then Covid happened, and they are less likely to travel now. -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2086149\" time=\"1666162513\" user_id=\"28674:
Best hope is next year March after their National Congress. After all, the lockdown is a political decision.
Many of us are watching and waiting to see how things develop in China. Maybe next year?
China’s COVID policy anytime can flip flop. Moreover China has their own internal economic issues and who knows by the time they reopen their economy, things/food there maybe more expensive than Japan, then might as well go Japan.
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