Hello hello — welcome to my Shenzhen travel diaries. This was a super spontaneous 5D4N trip that I said yes to just a week before, and honestly it turned into one of the highlights of my year. We took a midnight flight (never again… we were exhausted), landed around 6AM, and did a quick reset at my sister’s airport hotel before starting the day. It’s my first time in Shenzhen and every time I step into a new city, it genuinely feels like my world expands a little — I love that feeling. The trip was very “eat + walk + shop + coffee” in the best way. We started with an amazing Japanese meal (yes, Japanese food as my first meal in China) because it was close to the hotel and had great reviews — the sukiyaki and skewers were so good, and traveling in a big group means you get to try a bit of everything. I also did my first Taobao package pickup (insane how fast it arrived), hauled comfy 100% cotton basics and matching pajamas, and explored areas like Nantou while hunting for cute cafes. Shopping-wise, I’m going to be honest: that popular vintage bag store felt a little overrated, but Songmont totally lived up to the hype. We ended the trip with the sweetest surprise — a huge art market at a park, meeting creatives and hearing the stories behind their work. It was the softest little reset with my family, and I left feeling like a kid again — recharged and motivated for the new year.