My First Queenstown Parkrun – Running Around Queenstown Gardens, New Zealand

This is a slightly late update, but I wanted to record this because it was quite memorable.

I did my 7th parkrun on 14 February in Queenstown — Event 354. The Queenstown parkrun takes place near Queenstown Gardens, with beautiful lake and mountain views.

It was freezing cold, but whenever I travel, I try to join a parkrun if timing allows. It’s my way of saying, “I’ve been here.” 😅 And parkrun is free — you only register once, and you can join events anywhere in the world with the same barcode.

I was staying about 10km away, so transport was tricky. It was either Uber or bus, because the water taxi only runs at 8.15am and parkrun starts at 8am 😅 I checked Uber and the price was crazy, so I decided to walk 2km to the bus stop. After 1km in 9°C cold, an Uber notification suddenly pinged — the price dropped! Since it was freezing, I booked it quickly. No more hero mode 😂

I reached early with numb fingers and joined the first-timer briefing. Funny thing, most runners were tourists too, so I didn’t feel alone.

The route around Queenstown Gardens was beautiful with gentle elevation. I was proud to finish in a reasonable time, even though I haven’t trained much on hills lately. As a runner, finishing a run in a new place always feels special.

Parkrun is every Saturday morning. No pressure, just people running and walking together. Different countries, different faces, same spirit. Volunteers cheering, people smiling. Thank you to all the volunteers who made the run possible — you really made my morning.

On the way back, I discovered you need a Bee Card for the local bus. They don’t accept credit cards! I only found out when I boarded the bus to go back to the hotel. The kind driver gave me a free ride. I felt very grateful that day.

Small reminder to myself: always check public transport payment methods when travelling.

Next time I travel, I’ll still try to join a parkrun if timing allows and it's not far and easy to get to. Parkrun makes travelling more meaningful.

If you’re visiting Queenstown, you can check details at parkrun website. And they even have photographers taking amazing photos — thank you for the lovely memory ❤️

Photo credit: Queenstown parkrun (Facebook album

)

May xx

When Sponsored Children Move On: A Child Sponsorship Journey with World Vision

I am always excited when I see the email in my mailbox: “Your sponsored child, xxx, has a letter for you!” Through my journey with World Vision, these letters are something I treasure very much.

When I opened Irm's letter, I was looking forward to hearing his updates again. But this time, the letter was written by his grandfather.

At first, I was worried. Then I read on, and it was good news. Irm has moved to the city to live with his mother and siblings.

Irm was the boy who chose me last September in Dornod — the funny one who actually made me “fall in love” at first meeting. I still remember his smile and his cheeky jokes. It was a touching letter from Grandpa. I felt happy that he now has a chance in a bigger city, but also a little sad that our journey ended so quickly.

Four hours later, another email came through from World Vision.

It was about Helen, the girl I sponsored for three years in Cambodia. She has moved on to pursue further education outside her area programme. I met Helen last February — the quiet girl who came with her grandmother. Soft-spoken, shy, but with bright eyes.

Photo recreated to celebrate the spirit of children I sponsor, while keeping their privacy safe.

When I visited both of them last year, I could see they had bright futures. I truly wish that they will have better opportunities, better choices, and kinder roads ahead.

In sponsorship, once a child leaves the area programme, the journey naturally concludes. Another girl has now been assigned to me, and I look forward to building a new journey together.

Departures are not always sad. Sometimes departures are signs of positive change. It means they are moving forward, growing, stepping into something new.

Today, I hold both gratitude and goodbye in the same heart.

I am grateful that love can travel across distances and cultures. Over the years, through my journey with World Vision, I’ve met children with different stories, different smiles—each one a reminder of how much hope there is in the world.

The faces may change, the names may change, but the purpose stays the same. I will keep showing up, trusting that even small acts of care can help brighten someone’s tomorrow.

Every small act of support can make a world of difference. If this story resonates with you, consider joining me in sponsoring a child—you never know whose smile you might help change.

May xx

Book Review: Strange Pictures by Uketsu

I just finished Strange Pictures, a Japanese mystery novel by Uketsu, translated into English by Jim Rion. Honestly, it’s one of the strangest mystery books I’ve read in a while — in a good way.

The story is built around drawings and split into four chapters. At first, I didn’t realise they were connected. After Chapter 1, I was like… huh? That’s it? Then slowly, everything started to click. Different people, different events, all linked through the pictures. Suddenly, the story made sense.

I liked how the mystery unfolded quietly. No big drama, no action scenes — just clues hidden in sketches, diaries, and memories. It really felt like solving a puzzle together with the author.

The writing is simple and easy to read, but the ideas are clever. Some parts gave me chills because they felt so ordinary yet so sad. The book shows how trauma, loneliness, and misunderstandings can hide in plain sight.

The concept is fresh and memorable. I kept thinking about it after finishing.

There were quite a few names and connections, so I had to flip back pages sometimes to remember who was who 😅

But maybe that’s part of the puzzle feeling.

This book is quiet but disturbing. Simple drawings, simple writing, but dark truths hiding underneath. It’s not a loud thriller, but it stays with you.

If you enjoy psychological mysteries, puzzle-like stories, or Japanese fiction with unusual ideas, this one is worth checking out.

If you’d like to read it yourself, you can check out Strange Pictures here: https://amzn.to/3OB2Kpu.

Rating

⭐ 4 / 5

May x

CNY Feels Different

Chinese New Year hasn’t felt the same for 12 years.

After Mum passed, the season became something I quietly tried to avoid. The noise, the visits, the reunion dinners — all of it felt too heavy without her.

But we still showed up for Grandma. Every year, we gathered, ate together, talked about small things, and pretended everything was normal. I realise now those years were her way of holding the family together.

When Grandma left us 4 years ago, the reunion dinners stopped. No one said it out loud. It just… faded.

Since then, CNY has been a strange mix of silence and memories. I still think of Mum, busy doing all the marketing and stuffing the fridge with enough food to last for days. Till today, we still wonder how she did it — like some magic black box.

Every year we had steamboat — except the year Mum passed. That year, I booked a table at Vistana Hotel because she wasn’t able to prepare. We didn’t know it would be her last Chinese New Year.

Some years we used charcoal, some years electric, but we always preferred charcoal. There was just something about the smell and the heat that made it feel right. Mum would wake up early to prepare everything, and I would help arrange the plates and ingredients. We even had our fixed seating — Mum closest to the kitchen so she could top up the soup easily, Grandma beside her.

Laughing, arguing, fighting over sotong balls.

All those small, ordinary moments… now they are the ones I miss the most.

This year, I did something different. I travelled and spent the holiday quietly with my boyfriend. No hot pot, no visiting. Just the two of us, a slower CNY. It helped a little.

Grief still comes, but so does gratitude. I’m thankful for the memories, for the love they gave us, and for the chance to keep going in our own way.

I still miss them. Every year. Every CNY.

But I know they would want us to keep celebrating life, even in small ways.

Wishing everyone a gentle Chinese New Year — good health, warm meals, and people to sit around the table with. If you’re missing someone this season, you’re not alone.

Gong Xi Fa Cai. ❤️

May x

How I Mark Each Trip

Every trip has its checklist.

• Run in a new place.
• Visit a bookstore.
• Send a postcard.

I’ve made it a habit to send one to myself and my family whenever I travel somewhere new.

It’s not about collecting souvenirs. It’s just something I do — a small way to mark each trip.

I pick a postcard, write a few lines, and drop it into the postbox.

Simple ritual, but one I genuinely enjoy and hope to keep for a long time.

Years from now, I think these postcards will mean more than I expect.

What’s something you always do when you travel?

May xx

What I’m Bringing Into February

Life feels a little unsteady sometimes. Even though I technically have two homes in two different countries, it often feels like I’m constantly travelling — staying for a few weeks or a month at a time, depending on my partner’s work. My work is flexible, which helps, but it’s never fully fixed; it always depends on what comes in and where I am. Some days it feels liberating. Some days it feels exhausting. Still, I’m learning to notice the little things that help me stay balanced wherever I am.

Some days feel heavier than others. When I don’t have a fixed routine, when life moves around me, it’s easy to feel untethered.

After setting myself 10 things to do in January, I know don’t need to do everything at once. Just small steps — promises I can actually keep — and that has helped me feel steadier and happier. I just need to do a few things consistently and kindly to keep the joy I’ve found. 

And of course, it’s not always just about me — I have my partner with me in all of this.

Here are some small ways I’ve been taking care of myself recently:

• I haven’t gone for a proper run since the HK marathon — my plantar is giving me a mood. Most days, walking is all I can manage, and that’s okay.

• I’m proud of myself for reading consistently again, even if it’s just a few pages a day. Those small moments of focus feel surprisingly fulfilling.

• I’ve also started a little messy journaling — dropping my thoughts, memories, and things I want to remember. I’m still learning. I see so many cute, perfectly curated journals online, but I’m not copying anyone. I’m doing it my way.

• I’m paying attention to tiny sparks of joy — a good cup of coffee, a simple smile, quiet moments that make me feel alive.

These aren’t life-changing moments. But they remind me that even when life feels unpredictable, I can still keep my balance and enjoy the small wins.

I’m trying to pay attention, be consistent, and let these small wins matter.

This week, I’m back in Thailand — in Bangkok for a few days before travelling again. I’m looking forward to exploring a new country, one I’m genuinely excited about.

For now, this is what February looks like — slower, simpler, and enough.

May x