I still haven't done all the things I wanted to do on this trip. There are still some food items that I haven't eaten, and it's looking quite unlikely :(

I want a rice cooker that can also make congee, but I only want a rice cooker that's big enough for one person. I'd have nowhere to put it in my kitchen!! Being in Hong Kong has made me really "yeet hay" which has contributed to my skin problems. I'm quite tired of everyone commenting on my skin; it's like I haven't looked in the mirror or something and noticed.

My mom and I met up today with my aunt for some Italian food, and then we made our way back to my aunt and uncle's. On the way, I picked up a pair of boots and some socks. If I were rich, I would've bought a lot more boots, that's for sure!

Tonight, my family and I are going to head out to the Chinese New Year Market. There will be lots of junky stuff there, and I won't buy anything!! Well, I need to buy something for my dad, but I know what I need. I have no idea what they're called in English...

I've been so tired the last couple of days. I don't know if it's because my body is finally wearing down from lack of sleep or if it's from me digesting food...probably both.

I'm sure there was more stuff I was going to say about this trip, but when I'm sleepy, I can't think...so I'll just sign off for now!!

I guess there are things worthy of celebration today!!

Not only are all the archives accessible again, but I got my iPod stuff in the mail today!! I had given Apple the wrong contact info, and I hadn't filled out the address completely. With all that...they had to deliver me my boxes to me and only to me. The first box, which was my adapter kit (now i can charge my iPod anywhere in the world that has electricity!) took 2 extra days to arrive with all the running around, and then my iPod photo (I decided on the 40 GB one...cheaper) arrived tonight.

I would have been disappointed to have my mom bring it home for me because she would have had to open up the box, etc. Tonight I photographed every moment of me opening the box. There's just something about opening your own (new) toys.

Other hurrah-able things...I finally sent out postcards today, and I spent only $100 HKD today. (I've also been keeping an eye on my Visa balance...that is not so hurrah-able.)

I love spending time with my family. The Australia contingent returned hom today. One thing about family is that eventually, they get on your nerves. Well, it's that case for me anyway. After yesterday's shopping experience, I was ready to have a talk with my mom. I just want to know why she's so bitchy towards me and so nice to everyone else!!

Yesterday, my cousin tried on this coat, and my mom ran up to her gushing how great it looked on her. And when I was trying on stuff, it was, "why did you get so much stuff? We're going to leave soon! I'm hungry! How are you going to pay for it all?" One thing really pisses me off about my mother is that she always makes assumptions and then freaks out. I end up being rude and often say "when did I say ____" or "with which each did you hear me say _____?" And then when I asked my mom for her opinion on a shirt I tried on, she said," haven't you bought enough?" I retorted with, "I'm asking for your opinion on what this shirt looks like on me," and she said she had no opinion. And when I told her I was wasting my breath asking her for anything, she agreed. For some strange reason, it seems like everything I do is wrong? :?

And today when we got off the bus, I told her I had to go to the bathroom and was going to quickly stop in a mall. She said no, and that I could go when we got to the MTR station. In all my years, I've never noticed any washrooms in the stations, but I just went along with what she said. So when we had to switch trains, I couldn't hold it any longer. It was painful walking quickly!! So instead of having gone to the bathroom earlier, I had to make us exit the station (thus paying our fare) and go use the bathroom in another mall...and then go back to the station.

And while we were trying on clothes yesterday (where she had no opinion on a shirt I had on), she started rifling through all the stuff I picked out and decided she wanted to try them on too. :roll: And now she keeps blaming me for her missed chance at getting a jacket because she didn't want to have the  same one as me. :roll: I have no problem with her having the same jacket as me. My cousin and I bought the same skirt and shoes at a couple of different other places.

After I cooled down a little last night, I wasn't going to say anything to my mom about how I felt I was being treated. But then today she said something to me, and I just said to her, "why do you treat me extra bitchily in comparison to everyone else?" Of course she didn't know what I was talking about. Even my uncle had suggested to her that she should treat me a bit more nicely.

*L* But this is an uncle who asks people working at the restaurant if they can turn down the A/C because his little (30 year old) girl is cold. My mom would tell me to put up with such things because it'd be my fault I wasn't smart enough to dress more warmly.

Back to family getting on my nerves...it's that said 30 year old cousin. I love her dearly, but it kills me that she orders people around telling them to do things for her. And now she's no longer in a rush to move out. Who would want to leave such pampered conditions?!

One thing that I promised I wouldn't tell...I am dying to tell! One night my cousin and I were going to do some shopping after dinner (stores are open past midnight now because it's almost Chinese New Year...crazier than Christmas in North America, that's for sure). We did our shopping until my cousin had to go to the bathroom...really, really badly. We were rushing back to the hotel and then all of a sudden she pulls down her pants by a mountain of bagged garbage. I was laughing too hard to do anything else, and she's like "cover me! Cover me!" She was peeing...and taking quite a while. I wasn't sure where to stand. I knew better than to whip out my camera. She was absolutely horrified and mortified that she peed on the side of a street. Luckily, no one was around. I wasn't quite sure what she was doing, even when I saw her rump. She probably would not have been as mortified if she wasn't so drunk. She was thinking maybe she'd end up being in the newspaper or something.

I didn't think I'd find much clothing, if any, while shopping in Hong Kong. I'm too big for the clothes here!! Often the largest size on the labels is Medium. But I've done really well...really, really well. I plan on taking a photo of all my new stuff when I pack. I have enough new stuff to fill up on suitcase. So far, I've picked up at least 7 pairs of shoes, 2 jackets, 2 skirts, 1 pair of pants, and probably 20 shirts. My newest discovery this year was Mango. Every time I go into one of their stores, I try on stuff. And usually buy, of course.

My bras are also not fitting me right now. I think my boobs have gotten bigger. I tried doing some bra shopping today but I guess I wasn't in the mood. Apparently, I am chesty!!

When I get home, I am hitting the gym. The biggest change for me since I've been on vacation are my eating habits. I've almost cut out fruits and dairy and really increased my carb and meat intake. I'm also eating 3 big meals a day instead of eating 1 or 2 kinds of food every 2 hours. I feel full all the time!! I've made it to the gym once this trip. It's difficult when I'm getting up around 7:30 every morning and not getting back to the hotel until at least midnight.

My great uncle asked me to come visit again next year. *sigh* It wasn't really in my plans, but he's getting old. Recently, it was discovered that he had a lump...I'm not sure...my Chinese is not so good. But it was unclear what the lump was or how bad it was. All we could tell was that it was fairly big. Anyway, since my great uncle heard this news, I guess he was too scared to find out what it was. And his whole personality was a lot less sunny than the last time I saw him. He was basically waiting for death to come take him away. Never mind that even though he's turning 87 in a few days and that he can still walk and is as sharp as a tack.

So my cousin, the doctor, checked out his xrays, etc, and gave him her diagnosis. She and my great uncle's doctor gave him the exact same advice, but being the stubborn old man that he was....he needed to hear it from a family member instead of a "local doctor who was only after making a buck." So...after the Chinese New Year, he'll go make an appointment for a biopsy and then will start treatment. His lump will probably shrink considerably and he can still enjoy some quality of life. The lump won't go away completely, but if he does nothing about it, his cough will definitely get worse and he'd be a lot more phelgmy. I'm so relieved he's decided to pursue treatment instead of sitting around thinking he's going to die soon.

I'm dying to know what's going on at home, though.

More about my trip later.

I have to admit; this trip has been all eating and shopping. It's very evident when I look in the mirror and when I look at the collectin of receipts in my wallet (and the disappearing cash)...

I'm sharing a hotel room with a cousin right now. Of course the boys each got their own rooms. Mind you, one of them (the one having the wedding reception) was going to be in that room with his wife. She did not end up coming overseas for her reception. Bad form? Very!! And my cousin would not tell anyone what the reason was. Unless she was on her death bed...no excuse would've been excusable. Anyway, my cousin and I got an "upgrade" to our room. Yes, the room is bigger...but instead of having two single beds, we're sharing a queen.

I don't know if it's me tiring myself out from waking up early and being on my feet until about midnight every night that is enabling me to sleep extremely well. Or maybe it's the bed itself. But I'm sleeping extremely comfortablely next to my cousin. The last couple of guys I've spent the nights with...I'd wake up every hour or I'd just wake up really tired.

There've been some highlights and lowlights on this trip. I'll post about them later. My fingers are so cold now!! It's actually quite chilly here in Hong Kong this winter. My t-shirts are just not enough.

Speaking of t-shirts, I wore a cleavage-enhancing shirt last night. My cousin kept telling me to cover since I was getting looks. And then there was this weirdo on the MTR (subway) staring at me. He kept turning and looking. He freaked me, my mom, and my aunt out enough that we ran out of the train when it stopped in case he was going to follow us. Oh, at my cousin's wedding reception, my mom's cousins didn't recognise me. Later on, I was informed one or two of them were checking me out. :shock: It's funny and gross at the same time.

Anyway...more later :)