Me Time!
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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. -
Zeal mummy\" post_id=\"2086205\" time=\"1666197571\" user_id=\"58173:[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2086205 time=1666197571 user_id=58173]
haha! :snuggles:
Cardboard boxes are great! Easy for check ins and also protects the goods well as long as the vendor packs well.
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]
I mean the carboard boxes were for my snow globes, windmills, porcelain figurines, mini cuckoo clocks and musical boxes. In Europe and Japan, they use mini paper carriers to contain magnets, but some will wrap with paper or bubble sheets.
I put them in the inner side pocket where my luggage hinge is, so they will never be cracked! They are mostly resin or silicon magnets. I have knocked off and broken a few because I accidentally brushed against them when I walked past my fridge. -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2086217\" time=\"1666224962\" user_id=\"28674:
We display the most recent ones on the fridge and occasionally swap them out with those we like better… The fridge is actually not such a safe place, as my kids would knock some off while taking food from the fridge, chipping the corners.
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.
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.
We always end up buying more than one as the kids like the designs that are more bold and I like the classic ones that showcase what the country/city represents.
There are so many countries and cities we haven’t been to, really hope that we stay healthy and active, so we can continue to travel yearly till 80! -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2086184\" time=\"1666182552\" user_id=\"28674:
you're so fit! :udawoman: OK, you still have the suitcases, so it ain't that bad if you wanna buy some fragile souvenirs.
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.
yea, we're foodies and connoisseurs, so we buy Advent groceries sometimes to share with our family on Christmas Eves! You know those stollen, brunsli, panettone, marzipan cookies and gingerbread men all add to the weight.
Another difference is we would enter luxury stores in Milan, Rome and Florence to look at stuffs, so having a backpack makes us look... :rotflmao: -
Ytd, the Chinese Embassy here announced that SIN-PEK and SIN-CTU direct flights are now open for booking. But Chengdu rail station is closed for a 4-year upgrading...so I cannot take the train to Chongqing.
My main concern is foreigners might be locked down suddenly while shopping in some mall. As soon as they discover 1 case, they will lock down the whole place to swab every shopper or diner. And if we want to take the HSR or intercity buses to another city from Beijing or Chengdu, do we need to download some Chinese health tracking app? They have some kind of 健康二维码.
I don't think I would want to visit China even after their 两会 in March 2023. I've a few cities in Northeast China like Changchun that I badly wish to cover (since 2019!) :frustrated:
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