Ottawa

Day 6 - penultimate day in Ottawa! Started off very chilled by going to Nordik spa thanks to Andy for giving us the money to go!

Nordik Spa

Nordik spa - think of the blue lagoon in Iceland. Hot tubs, cold tubs, infinity pool, steam, sauna, hammocks, beds, sun loungers. It's $132 (about £83) you can rent a robe and you just spend as long as you want there and chill. You get a wristband with your locker key that you top up with money to get food and drinks. 

The word of the day was Zen. It was so nice and I fell asleep for nearly 2 hours in a hammock I was that zenned out. I can't say I'm a fan of a sauna though - I think it's my actual worst nightmare because I was melting. I managed 5 minutes then it was too much I was dripping like I'd walked out of the pool. Tracy couldn't even manage a minute and Chris wasn't even wet after 5!

I didn't take my phone round with me as I didn't want to drown it and it was good to just a have a bit of detox without it as I constantly have it in my hand I do need a break from it. I was gutted I didn't have it with me to take a photo of the food we had though. Got scallops for lunch they were so nice and looked so good! In the showers they have all shampoo and soap for you, towels, hair dryers and straighteners in the changing rooms so you don't have to take anything with you.

Top Karting

After we went go karting with Jackson, Kelly, Tony, Michelle and Micky.

It was $68 (£43) for a 5 minute qualifier then 30 minutes non stop. I washed my hair at the spa and it was pointless because I was so sweaty after go karting it was so hot wearing the helmets. Was wet afterwards pretty disgusting. Was so thirsty afterwards and my whole body was aching cos I was just throwing myself into the corners going round them and my hands were sore from gripping the wheel. It was a hard track with a lot of turns and I really don't know how you're suppose to turn round a corner in a go kart. But it was fun I do like go karting not that I'm any good at it though.

After we went for food at this pub I don't remember it was called with Jackson and Kelly in downtown Ottawa.

I got the lobster roll and left the bread. I wasn't that hungry as it was late. 

Tracy and Christ got a couple of bits between them. Jackson and Kelly got prawn tempura between them.

After we went on a touristy walk.

The National Gallery Canada

The spider is so creepy I'm so glad we didn't end up going back and seeing it in daylight even though it's just as scary lit up in the dark. I ended up having a nightmare about it that night. I scream and woke myself up. That's how much I hate and scared of spiders and it is huge!

Ottawa Sign - Byward Market

Chris managed to climb up it so I wanted to go too!

Because of the letters it's so much harder to climb than the Amsterdam sign!

I eventually got up there...

But then actually couldn't get down... So Jackson had to save me.. 

Good job we never went back and to climb it cause Chris definitely wouldn't have saved me!

It was nice to just walk through and see Ottawa in the dark when it's quiet and not full of people. Surprised that there wasn't anyone around the sign apart from the odd people but then again it was quite late and a week night.

1 more post from Ottawa then Toronto!

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Go Karting

Last night I had belated birthday fun with Kelly & Callum from work. We went indoor go karting which these 2 paid for as my present. Poor Kelly has been dreading it since I booked it & Callum was so hungover definitely shouldn't have been behind a wheel. I was really excited for it, I was in my element loving it!

We paid £35 for unlimited which meant we got to go on track 5x. Our slot was at 5:30pm but you had to be there 40 minutes before your slot to get dressed in your jumpsuit & safety briefing. Didn't get any of this when I went outdoor go karting in China last year. Just gave you a balaclava & helmet then you were straight in a kart!

We were there till 10pm - there so much longer than we were planning. It was cos there was quite a few groups they had to rotate on. It did get a bit monotonous going around the track but I was having a boss time, can't say Kelly & Callum were the same cos they were so ready to go home after the 2nd time we went on! 

We're all battered & bruised today though, I feel like I've done a full workout at the gym. (I did go in the morning to do a spin & ab class but it defo wasn't from that). I was leaning into the corners when I was turning & bashed into Kelly by accident as I wasn't paying attention. But some people did think it was like bumper cars & getting right up to you. I mean it was super tempting to just go into the back of someone & cut them up.

Highlight of the night Kelly getting a bruised chin when we had to pull into the pits after the first round. She bashed into the guy in front of her cos she accelerated instead of braking but I missed it! I was pulling in just as it happened! She also nearly broke a marshall's leg cos he went to help her then after was badly limping. Surprised she was allowed back into kart after that. 

I'd 100% recommend & go again not any time soon though as I'm still aching from it & finding random bruises on my back & legs. There should also be a warning for afterwards when you're driving a real car. Cos I wasn't fit to be driving home after it, I felt like I was still in a kart & wanted to like cut corners!

Thanks Kelly & Callum I had the best time - I know you two probably didn't enjoy it as much as I did but we had a laugh it was fun! 

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China, Shenzhen

Shenzhen, Shajing

The reason for this trip was to celebrate my granddad's 80th. (Mum's dad) The last time I seen them was back in summer 2007 where I celebrated my 14th birthday. The last time my mum went was with my brother for Christmas & New Year 2011-2012 so it's been a couple of years.

After Vietnam we flew back to Hong Kong where my mum & Auntie got the train straight to my grandparents while I stayed in Hong Kong & met up with my cousin Jess who was there with her mum & dad. My mum's cousins who lives in America's flight was just an hour after ours so we met up with them in the airport & they stayed. We went to yum cha (translated as drink tea) & have dim sum with her cousin's. 

Dim sum is my favourite & it's healthy as it's all steamed well most of it is. Hong Kong is famous for it's dim sum & Chinese people loving going to yum cha. After me Jess, her 2 cousins & my mum's cousin from America & husband went shopping in the near by shopping centre. Jess' mum & dad went to the airport to meet the Vietnam cousins. I hoping to get a pair of trainers as they have better colours & styles than we have here. But it wasn't that much cheaper so I didn't bother. Hong Kong has gotten really expensive the past couple of years. It never used to be like this. It's just over crowded full of people, who are really rude. Everyone seems to be in a rush & don't really care for anyone else as long as they get to their destination & get their job done. 

We went back to Jess' uncle's where he made us dinner.

Once everyone was in Hong Kong we all went to Sheung Shui train station to get the train into China to Shajing where my grandparents live. From Sheung Shui we got the train to Lok Ma Chau Futian Port which takes less than 15 minutes. But takes you about an hour as you have to go through immigration which is a nightmare. It was fine leaving Hong Kong as they're obviously not bothered that you're leaving but trying to get into China is a joke. We all had Visa's but they were questioning Jess like who how did she know me, cos we both went to different counters at the same time, asking her what her name was & just stupid questions cos she doesn't look like her passport photo. It was a bit strange the fact there was 10 of us all going to the same address & were carrying 3 different passports (UK, USA & Vietnam). Once we finally made it into China our cousin's & mum's oldest brother had 3 cars to pick us all up. 

It was so weird being back in China after nearly 10 years.

Me my mum, Auntie, Jess & her parents were staying in my grandparent's who lives with my mum's younger brother, his wife & daughter. The cousin's were staying with my mum's oldest brother & his daughters apartments. All the apartments are in the same area just live in different blocks. 

The morning after I went to get my hair washed & done at the hair dressers downstairs as it was party day (They live on the 23rd floor/24). 

They only like to curl the very ends which is really weird leaving the top super straight. Anyway this didn't last & I ended asking them would they be able to re-do it if I go in later before we head to the restaurant as it fell before I even left there as we were waiting for Jess to get hers cut & washed. I forgot to take a photo of it as I was in a rush to get back & get changed!

I just realised now I didn't even take a picture of around where I was staying! Basically the tower block of apartments have different shops under them then there's restaurants & stuff around. We went to have lunch.

Fish ball ho fun soup noodles

 My mum actually has the biggest family this isn't even everyone

Soup

Deep fried oysters

Goose I think this was

Duck 

King prawns 

Crab 

Fish

Duck

Celery, carrots, pork, cashew nuts in a crispy bowl you can eat

Fried rice

Red bean steamed buns

There was so much food!

My mum has the biggest family. She is the middle child, has an older brother who has 5 daughters, who all have kids apart from the youngest, an older sister (Jess & Sindy's mum, also have an older brother Thomas who didn't come) a younger sister who has Jackey (didn't come) & Lisa & a younger brother who has the 1 daughter. The 3 sisters live in England while the brothers live in China. Trying to get a family photo with so many little kids running around was pretty impossible as they were all younger than 9. 

 Cousin's are standing in order from left to right. Daisy - 1 daughter, Judy - 2 daughters & son, Kiki - 1 daughter, Carmen - son & daughter.

It was said because my granddad has dementia so has no idea who half of us are & didn't really know what was going on.

The day after we spent some time with the little ones, they wanted us to play with them then had to head back to Hong Kong as I was going on holiday with Jess & her parents. The weather was awful it was pouring down & didn't stop for hours. The roads were flooding it was that bad & getting out the car to go to the train station we got soaked! We stayed in Jess' uncle's was then up at 4am to fly to Shanghai. I'll be doing a separate post on the holiday as we went to 5 different cities, stayed in 4 different hotels.

When I got back from the holiday I went & spent the last week in China in my grandparents. 

Considering the bakery was only downstairs I only went to it once & got these egg custard tarts which were so cheap. 4 for 80p! Back here in Manchester they're 80p just for the 1! If you've never tried one I 100% recommend they're my favourite. They're not as good here but still good if you like custard.

I've been going on for years wanting to go go-karting & to do it out doors as well. Being able to drive now has made me want to do it even more as I love putting my foot down.. So my uncle took to an outdoor one!

I love it! It was so fun definitely need to do it again. They made me wear this grey hooded top, on top of what I was wearing cos I had long hair. After we drove up the mountain to this temple I think it was.

While we were there it absolutely poured down. So lucky I didn't while we were driving!

Later on in the evening we went to visit some family & went for food with them.

The day after me, my mum & uncle went & had unlimited sushi. My dream!

It was only £5 & it was unlimited food & drink. There was so much choice & drinks were unlimited in the fridge as well, could have all different cold teas & beers. It's not the best sushi I've had but for £5 you can't complain. If you waste anything they charge you as well which is a really good idea as people tend to just take everything & don't eat it when they go to buffets.

We then stopped off at this fake ancient temple.

The day after we went shopping in the market but the weather was awful pouring down again. I got woken up at 6am with thunder & lightning. The weather was so bad while I was there usually it's hot. I could get away with wearing shorts most days & I wasn't hot wearing pants. We went to the best place that make cheong fun which is a rice noodle roll steamed.

Luckily there was in door markets as well as door.

Markets are lot cleaner than in Vietnam.

My new favourite thing is green tea flavoured stuff! We need to have green tea ice cream here in our McDonald's. They also do buy 1 get 1 half price for their ice creams which are a cheaper anyway. Think they worked to around 50p each.

Going to China once every couple of years mean my mum's friends all want to take her out for food to catch up. Go for dim sum breakfast then straight after they took us for more food. They said we had to try geese!

The annoying thing was after going for sushi I pretty much lost my apetite for the rest of the holiday. I just wasn't hungry ever & wasn't bothered about food. Still managed to go for sushi again though but this time it was better. This place has queues of people waiting to get a table & is hard to book one.

Who knew that emoji was a real thing!

Passion fruit iced tea.

Cheong fun & steamed ribs.

Our cousin Judy took me & Lisa to Happy Valley Shenzhen theme park which is about a 45 minute drive from our grandparents. We picked the hottest day & I was melting. I was so hot queuing for rides. One of the rides I think we queued for over an hour I think it was? But the ride I did really want to go on the most was closed which was really annoying. Poor Lisa who's 14 decided she'd go on every ride with my & the first one we went to was a drop tower one & I don't think anyone has screamed so much on a ride. I think I partially deaf after it she was that loud! Our cousin didn't go on any of the rides as she doesn't like them but did decide to go on one since she was there, she was sick after it. Lisa said it was the worst out of all the ones we'd been on. I didn't think it was but there was quite a bit of spinning though!

Didn't take any photos as I left my phone in my cousin's bag so didn't bother taking any.

Last brunch in China before we had to go back to Hong Kong to catch our flight back home!

Miss this little crazy one who won't be little the next time I see her! I showed her snapchat once & she knew how to get onto it the next time on my phone!

Ho fun & fish balls last meal in Hong Kong before the airport

Horrible plane food!

China most definitely it's my favourite place & I don't sell it when I tell people about it but you've just go to experience & see it for yourself. I don't particularly want to to go back but I do want to go to Beijing & walk the great wall that is on the bucket list. The visa we got lasts for 2 years so I will be back before March 2018!

There's still 1 more post about visiting Shanghai & the other cities but I'm off to the airport now to go to Spain for a week so that will come after the Spain post!

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