China Day 16

Nearing the end of my trip, and I've been getting lazy with the photos. By that, I mean that I've mostly just been going to shopping malls and yum cha with seldom photography opportunities, so apologies for the lack of photos.

For the first day of the New Year, we went out to yumcha, which is an upgrade from the Macca's that I once had for my first lunch, a few years back. Off to Wanguo outlets we went to do some more shopping, in particular for shoes.

I wasn't able to find a pair of casual heels, sadly, despite the new year sales, but instead ended up settling with two pairs of Nike shoes, costing ¥249 and ¥299 each. I.e., ~$110AUD altogether.

Later went to pick up my sunnies, after having their lenses changed, and went off to my grandmother's house for the first time this trip. 

Usually we live at her apartment, but this time round we had less time, and also had another apartment offered. My cousin also moved in so there was less room. But that's beside the point.

Either way, I haven't seen my grandmother this year in China much, likely because she was in Australia a few months back, so it doesn't seem that long ago. But it'll be nice to relax and just be in the same room as her, after such a long time apart.

The dinner at her place with a few of my other uncles and aunties, as well as my niece and nephew, was a really nice get together and frankly, it's what I'm going to miss most about China. 

Nephew! He's absolutely adorable ahhh.

The hardest thing for me is to say goodbye, knowing it'll be a year (at least) before I see them again, and the many things that can and will happen between then. It's a hard fact to face, but I suppose doing it tens of times in my 18 years had made it something I've learnt to just deal with.

Distance isn't really something. Time, like a year or two, isn't much either. I can't tell if I've learnt that or been forced to accept it over time. Either way, we all deal with it.

Anyway, let's not get all melodramatic just yet. I've still got two days left here anyway!

Back home we went, this time to my (other) grandmother's apartment in Jiang Nan Xi, which was a nice relaxing change.

Ready for the final two days.