My Health, My 3 Failed Focaccia & Why I Keep Going Back to China

 Hello strangers...or anyone still miss my blog? Anyone???? Ermmmm....I bet krik krik.

It's been a while since I sat down and wrote something personal on this blog. 

Life has been... interesting.

Not the kind of interesting where everything is magical. More like the kind where you wonder, "What else is going to happen this week?"

First of all, staying healthy has become a full-time job.

If you've been following my journey, you'll know I've been trying my best to take care of myself. As we grow older, our bodies don't exactly cooperate the way they used to. Some mornings I wake up feeling fantastic. Other mornings I feel like my body has its own agenda. It's like love and hates collides. 

I'm learning to be kinder to myself.

Healing takes time. Rest is productive too.

Then came something I never expected.

I was driving through a roundabout when suddenly a foreign worker on a bicycle rode against the traffic.

Everything happened so fast.

Before I could react, we collided.

Thankfully, nobody was badly hurt. I was incredibly relieved, but I couldn't stop replaying the incident in my head for days. It reminded me how quickly life can change in just a few seconds.

Please... whether you're driving, cycling or walking, especially in a country you're unfamiliar with, always follow the traffic rules. They exist for a reason.

After all that stress, I thought I'd distract myself with a new hobby.

Sourdough.

You know how social media makes everything look so easy?

Mix flour, Add water, Fold the dough, Bake and Beautiful focaccia.

Reality?

Attempt number one... fail.

Attempt number two... fail.

Attempt number three...Also fail.

I honestly don't know how bakers make it look effortless. My sourdough starter is alive and happily bubbling every day, so at least I'm doing something right. But my focaccia? Let's just say it still doesn't resemble the fluffy, airy masterpiece I imagined.

Every failed bake makes me want to give up for about five minutes.

Then I feed my starter again and tell myself, "One more try." Gaisss!!!! I have wasted 1 1/kg of bread flour ever since venture into this new hobby. I need to keep going , right???

Maybe that's what sourdough is really teaching me.

Patience. 

Now here's another thing that's been occupying my mind.

My birthday is coming soon, and as usual, I'm planning a little getaway.

Can you guess which country I'm thinking about again?

China. Duhhhh!!!! Again???? No other country come to my mind except China.

Honestly, I think I've travelled to so many parts of China that I'm running out of places to shortlist.

Every time I search for travel ideas, I realise...

"Oh... I've been there."

"And there."

"And there too."

People often ask why I keep choosing China.

The answer is simple. I feel safe there.

It's affordable compared to many other destinations. The public transport is amazing, the high-speed trains make travelling so convenient, the food is delicious, and there are still so many beautiful places hidden away from the usual tourist routes.

Every province feels like a completely different country.

That's what I love about China.

The only problem now is deciding where to go next. What make it difficult is to plan the travel fits to an elderly woman. I call myself elderly because of my osteoarthritis knee. I can't walk much. I cannot carry heavy things too much too. Not like before. Many places is beyond my knee reached....huhuhu...I wanna go Jiuzhaigou but I can't go because of the hiking and long walk required. No to mentioned the staircase and so on. Even with my walking stick , I may suffer the after effect from that journey. So I can't even force myself or be a daredevil me. Why risk my knee , right? I can't even get a spare part anywhere.

So that's my little life update.

I'm still learning to take care of my health.

Still recovering from an unforgettable road incident.

Still failing at focaccia.

Still dreaming about my next adventure.

And still believing that every setback eventually becomes a story worth telling.

Thank you for staying with me after all these years.

Whether you've been reading my blog since the beginning or you've only just found this little corner of the internet, thank you for being here.

Now... wish me luck.

I have a feeling sourdough attempt number four is waiting for me.

By the way....I haven't write a single blog post about my Yunnan trip last May. Heollll!!!!

Love,

Cindyrina

Muahhhh!!! Yes! I'm still alive and survive🫶