DAY 1

We had a friend of Dad's to drive us to Changi Airport, checked in, had lunch and soon we were on our way to China; Shan Tou.

After the 4 hours of being trapped in a plane, we finally reached JieYang ChaoShan International Airport. 

We reached there around 5pm and the sky was already dark, we collected our luggage, gone through immigration and headed out to meet our welcoming party. As expected, there were about 10 people who came to fetch us from the airport. 

Welcoming party on the right. 

*photos are blur 'cause of the chaos then*

They then drove us to our hotel. Was really shocked that there weren't any street lamps along the expressway. Cindi and I sat in one car while our parents sat in another and they had another car following behind us. Felt like a VIP. (Hehehe)

We met up with my uncle (A Singaporean but currently working in ShenZhen) at our hotel; ChengHai Garden Hotel. 

Look at all the guys crowding at the front desk while Dad was checking in. (HAHAHAH) My relatives even insisted on paying our hotel rooms but luckily Dad charged it to his card earlier on already. If they really pay for us, I wouldn't be able to sleep. 

After placing our luggages in the rooms, they then drove us to a restaurant nearby.

Not the worst, but was quite difficult to acquire. 

Raw Prawn that might have been preserved.

Everyone has a bowl of herbal soup with an Abalone in it! 

After dinner they then sent us back to the hotel and call it a day. 

DAY 2

Hotel breakfast was average, not that terrible, not that great. Just a simple meal to start our day.

Waited for my cousins(they are like 50+ y/o already!!) to pick us up and head to their house to visit my uncle, who is 84 y/o. 

 

Family with Uncle and the 3 brothers finally met. (:

 

Headed to the old house where my grandfather and ancestors lived. Before heading there, they were really scared that we felt cold and they gave Cindi a brand new thermal wear. *heart melts*

 

Dad and Eldest Cousin. Look at this kiddo, he is my Grand Nephew!

 

Did some praying and went in the house for some Tang Yuan. They even cooked some vegetables that they've gotten from their own farm. It tastes super good, for some reason. 

 

 

 

 

Headed to a restaurant for lunch. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then went sight seeing after lunch and it was freezing! 'Cause of the breeze plus it was raining. Headed to another cousin's house for steamboat dinner. Yummy. There was a black out when we were eating halfway and they were still cooking in the dark! HAHAHA. We bid goodbye and went back to our hotel. I miss those 2 kiddos! Super adorable but very mischievous. 

DAY 3 

Waited for our ride and headed to visit my Aunt. But before that, we visited their very own toy factory. All my Aunt's children has their own company/factory there! :O Did a few house visits and headed for lunch at a super high class restaurants and we even have our own private dining room. 

 

 

 

 

Drove down to Chao Zhou 潮州 for some sight seeing. Unfortunately it was raining again and was super cold. Thus we took a trishaw around. Visited Confucius Temple, had hand made TangYuan and Yam Mooncake. In Singapore, the Yam Mooncake is only sold during mid-autumn festival, but it is available all year round there. Plus it is super cheap and good. *Not sure what is the actual name of it.*

 

  

 

 

We then had a super long drive to our dinner place and yes, seafood again. Lobster, Abalone, Oysters. After the hearty meal, we then went to a supermart. It was super big and we wanted to buy loads of stuff. 

BUT! 

They insisted to pay everything for us! So we only took a few items. After they sent us back to hotel, we then went to another nearby supermart to buy more stuff when I won't feel bad buying them. 

 

DAY 4

We were picked up on an empty stomach and headed to their wet market to buy vegetables, meat for a home cooked breakfast. Then off to meet up with the others for sight seeing. They are constantly checking if we were feeling cold as it was raining yet again. ): 

 

 

 

 

 

And again, we are having seafood for lunch. However we are still bloated from breakfast and insisted that they don't order too much. They ordered Goose Liver but Cindi and I don't eat it and we wasted a huge slice of it even though we were sharing one. A group shot with them and a photo of the cousins. 

 

 

 

 

 

We then visited their printing factory. The factory is super huge, they even do printing for companies in UK. They sent us back to our hotel with loads of gifts, local delights, etc. And bid them goodbye. We then went down to their arcade. 1RMB gets you 2 tokens! Super duper cheap. 

When we were about to head out for dinner on our own, my cousins (Uncle side) suddenly appeared in our hotel! I was really shocked. (I gasped really loud.) They gave us more gifts to bring back!! We then took photos as it was our last night there. We sent them off and headed for dinner. A simple dinner. 

 

DAY5

We woke up at 3AM just to catch the 5AM bus to JieYang ChaoShan International Airport. We then camp at the airport till 9AM and headed to Hong Kong. (: As the airport wasn't very busy, their duty free closes and the staff leaves immediately after almost everyone boarded the plane. If I didn't remember wrongly, the next flight, after my 9am flight, leaving from that airport was in the evening, 6pm. 

 

 

I really enjoyed my time in Shan Tou. Time passes really slow there, unlike in Singapore/HK. Relatives are super hospitable during our trip. (: 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! (: 

XOXO.