Pop songs describe December as the most beautiful time of the year — I guess it would have been, if we had white Christmases in Singapore. Instead of snow, we celebrate December with an onslaught of new year's resolutions we never intended to keep and promises that the new year will bring a brand new, improved version of yourself.

I only had one resolution for 2017: to overcome my avalanche of worries and love fearlessly.

Like a textbook millennial, I carved my new year's resolution in stone, on social media. As if declaring my new year's resolution on Instagram will motivate me to work harder for the fear of disappointing someone. Who? In reality, nobody cares enough to commit your dumbass resolutions to mind. Not even yourself.

2017 — love more, worry less. x

A post shared by Yi Tsing 怡靜 (@pekyj) on Dec 30, 2016 at 5:11am PST

Nine insignificant months flew by; we're more than three quarters into 2017 and I'm plunged with the sudden realisation that I'm closer to turning 30 than being a credulous 10-year-old.

The year of Trump's inauguration, North Korea's most powerful nuclear test, iPhone's 10th anniversary and Singapore's eighth presidential elections (marking the first time I should've casted a vote), I've done nothing but love less and worry more.

How contradicting, and very typical of me.

Is it a little too late to revise my decisions and restart on my new year resolution?

In a blink of an eye, I've been a fan of Rainie Yang for over ten years. I liked her when I was a malleable preteen at 11 because I thought she was pretty and she had some catchy songs. Now, I applaud Rainie Yang for her personality, her grace, her courage to love and mostly, her work ethics.

Did you know that Rainie Yang entered Taiwan's entertainment industry in 2000, when she was only 14? For five straight years, she never had a day off because she worked so hard to pay off her dad's debt. Her story makes her relatable and admirable, at least to me.


Rainie Yang's newest single, Youth Lies Within, spoke a lot to me, especially as I'm currently penning my Hong Kong trip which happened two years ago, in 2016.

Looking back, 2016 will always be the most life-changing year for me. I graduated, walked out of a toxic relationship I was in, and started working full time. I stopped relying on other people's opinion on me. 2016 was the year I grew up, because circumstances forced me to.

2016 was learning to love myself.
2017 saw me grow independent.
2018 will be dedicated to improving myself, and working on a better me.

—

雏鸟站在悬崖 将翅膀晒开
Nestlings stand at the edge of the cliff, fledging open their wings

光沾着雾水 反射一些不安
Light straining to shine through the fog, reflecting some uneasiness

有过伤 有期待 累积几次挫败
There's past hurt, expectations, accumulated frustration

勇气还在 等待风吹来
Courage still exists (and it's) waiting for the wind to blow over


曾经为了小事 让世界毁坏
(My) world once collapsed over a minor happening

也曾为了爱 整天傻笑发呆
And (I was) once in a goony daze because of love

想起来 真奇怪 彷佛跟自己无关
It's odd thinking back, as if it's got nothing to do with me

天大地大的闹 已笑着缅怀
Now I reminiscence my volatile past with a grin


我爱 是因为我存在
I love because of my existence

我们认真感慨 是因为
We feel such serious emotions because of

青春住了谁 改变我的姿态
That person who exist(ed) in my youth, changing my attitude


我爱 我爱着你盛开
I love (you) until your bloom

就算泥泞走来 一路上 我们多了些能耐
Even if the sludge fills our journey, we (learned) to be patient

过往值得了现在
My present situation was worth the (ardous) past


像是一条河川 转过几个弯
Like a river turning a few bends

也有好几段 特别湍急困难
I had a few (relationships/friendships/kinships) that were especially turbulent

会不会 山之外 交会不同的船帆
Is it true that other than the mountains, there are a few intersections for sails

乘载更多重量 却才不孤单
To bring on more passengers so it doesn't feel lonely


我爱 不管好与坏
I love, no matter good or bad

我爱 过去变成了未来
I love, let my past become my present

—

Translation done by me. Feel free to let me know if you have better translations or leave a comment to request for other Chinese lyrics translation.

I stayed in Plan A Hostel in Taichung, located a convenient 15-minute walk from Taichung Train Station. Since I was heavily reliant on public transport in Taichung, staying near the train station — thus, also the bus interchange — made it easier to get around Taichung. Plan A Hostel is near lots of suncake (taiyangbing) shops, a Taiwanese specialty that originated from Taichung, making it easy to stock up on souvenirs!

Room

I stayed in Plan A Hostel's 'Standard 12 Bed Female Dorm' for two nights. Upon entering, I was immediately impressed by how clean the rooms were. Because it was Taiwan's low travel season, I was allowed to pick any bed I like.


Each bed comes with its own nightlight (in the shape of a macaron, how adorable!), mini platform for you to put your belongings, 2 USB cable points, a Type B power socket, and a Type G power socket.


Guests are requested to keep quiet and off the lights from 11pm onwards, which made the hostel a condusive place for resting after exploring Taichung for a day.

I had to go through the 'Standard 8 Bed Female Dorm' to get to my room. While slightly inconvenient, I prefer my 12-bed to the 8-bed dorm — I can only imagine how annoying it must be for doors to swing open every now and then, and having random people walk through your room. The 12-bed dorm was also more spacious.

Toilet

A peek at the male bathroom

Of all the hostels I've been to around Taiwan, Plan A Hostel has the cleanest toilet.


Not to mention, they have a stash of toiletries for all ladies, ranging from oil-based make up removal to facial cleanser. They even have nail polish removals, different sizes of pads and tampons, and cotton wool. Talk about impressive hospitality!


Toilet cover sheets if you're that anal about hygiene. As someone who's extremely icky about using public toilets, I love it! Plus, look at their puns :')


There are four shower cubicals, and Plan A Hostel provides different scented shower gel and shampoos for each cubical. What?! It made showering so fun!

Common Area

Plan A Hostel plastered directions to popular Taichung tourist spots around the walls. They even included a short description and opening hours! Should you need further information, Plan A Hostel also had two desk tops for guests to utlitise during their stay.


I did my laundry here for NT50 (SGD $2.30). Plan A Hostel has two washing machines but there weren't anyone else using the washing machines.


However, Plan A Hostel doesn't have a dryer so I had to hang my laundry to dry. It wasn't an issue for me but if there were others doing their laundry, the laundry line might get filled up pretty quickly.


Plan A Hostel provides free breakfast every morning up to 11am. Yay, who doesn't love free breakfasts?

Atmosphere

I shared the room with one other female traveller my first night there; the second night, we have around five girls in the room, and it was quite entertaining trying to communicate in our different languages and accents! Times like this I realise how important bilingualism is.


The first night I was there, Plan A Hostel was had a gathering. Guests and staff were mingling over some games and drinks, and I later learned that it's a common occurence.

Service

A lot of staff were on working holidays when I was there. Meaning, you'll enjoy exchanging travel stories and they probably have a lot to share. But they weren't that knowledgable when it comes to best places to buy souvenirs or getting around Taichung. Nonetheless, it didn't hinder me much because the information is easily Googleable.

The boss, upon seeing that I was checking out Taichung guidebooks one night, offered me some tourist spots he thought I might enjoy. Most of the staff could speak English.

Will I return to Plan A Hostel?

I don't see why not.

Plan A Hostel

Address

No. 201, Section 1, Taiwan Boulevard, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400

Phone Number

+886-933728625

Email

aforangeltw@gmail.com

Price

SGD $21.15 per night on average

Booking

I made my booking through Hostelworld.

Disclaimer
I paid for my stay in Plan A Hostel and none of the staff knew I was a blogger so I didn't receive any preferential treatment. Everything written in this review is based on my own opinions and expectations after staying in different hostels in Taiwan.

I can't believe the lips that spoke words of comfort to ease me in turbulent times is also capable of such lies. Who should I blame for destroying the facade you painstakenly built up?

What do you want me to say?

I'm here, I'm still here.
Here for you, here without you.

If there's one thing Singaporeans agree on unanimously, it's that we love to travel. I spent more than 30 days overseas just this year alone! You can imagine how important a hardy backpack is, especially when I'm travelling alone.


Earlier this year, Gaston Luga sent me their Pråper Black Travel Backpack which I brought to Kaohsiung.


If you don't already know, Gaston Luga is best known for their practical yet fashionable travel backpacks. I mean, this gorgeous bag has a passport slot so you don't have to dig your bag for that small little book. Useful for muddleheads like me.


I was thrilled to learn that Gaston Luga released a white version in time for Christmas (you know, white Christmas and all). Most things I own are in monochrome; there's honestly no better way to complete my backpack collection than to have the same design in different colours.


Unlike Pråper Black, which is a classy maroon intrior, Pråper White's interior is black. Struggling to keep my innate love for all things monochrome incheck!


All Pråper backpacks have a unique four-hook closure for you to adjust the height of your Pråper backpack. As someone petite, I typically use the lowest one. If my brother is using the Pråper, he'll use the second highest hook. When I bring the bag to school or out to shop, I'll use the highest hook to get more space for my nonsense.


I've been using my Pråper backpack almost daily for more than six months now and it has shown no signs of wear and tear yet. Keep in mind thta I abuse my backpack by tossing it everywhere, throw everything from my heavy laptop to all my shopping inside my bag and am generally careless with my belongings.


My only qeulm is that the straps are a little stiff, but I'm sure the bag will be broken in in time to come. The straps are a little too wide for me too but that's because I'm a petite person — it fits the rest of my friends perfectly fine.


I'm planning to go on a solo backpacking trip in Europe next year and my biggest worry, naturally, is bumping into pickpockets. A trip to the police station overseas definitely sounds like the perfect way to ruin my holiday. But my friends who did exchange in Europe commented that Pråper's sturdy material is definitely strong enough to withstand slashing, and its hook closures ensure that thieves don’t easily reach into my backpack. Definitely bringing my Pråper backpack along to Europe now.

I think Gaston Luga bags are a good investment, especially if you're still schooling or travel frequently. I'm so happy with both my travel backpacks from Gaston Luga and I can't wait for Gaston Luga's new releases in the future! ^__^


Everyone residing in non-EU countries enjoy free shipping + immediate 20% tax rebate on any travel backpacks on Gaston Luga. Plus, if you quote 'pekyj15' you get ADDITIONAL 15% OFF!

Shop on Gaston Luga now!

If you've ever searched for the cure for UTI, it's cranberry juice. Cure for bacterial infection? Roselle. Why am I so sure? I have googled these problems a thousands times myself.

Ladies, did you know that 50% of women experience Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) at least once in our lifetimes? Women are at greater risk of developing UTI due to the structure of our urinary system, which makes it easier for bacteria to reach our bladder. UTI is a pain to deal with — I've never given birth but I read on some forums that the pain of UTI is comparable to childbirth T____T

UTI is usually caused by bacterial infection in the intimate area, and such infections could lead to discomfort and odour in the intimate area, inconveniencing our daily lives. To makes things worse, many women experience more than one infection during our lifetimes because once you've contracted UTI once, you're more prone to contracting it again.

As my bad luck would have it, I've gotten UTI four times. Which makes me highly susceptible to another infection T___T Since my last experience, I took extra precaution to ensure that it doesn't happen again. Drink more water, pee frequently and of course, consuming cranberry juice whenever I can. Although cranberry juice is highly beneficial, they aren't readily available in food courts or restaurants, where I usually settle my meals.


I was obviously elated when Hi-Beau suggested they'll send me their Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink.



The enzyme drink, formulated with natural ingredients, is designed to help support urinary tract health and our intimate area from within.



Hi-Beau sent me two boxes — 20 days worth — of Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink, which I religiously drank for 20 days. During which, I noticed visibly less vaginal discharge, even days leading up to my period. It made me feel cleaner, thus better and more confident about myself as I went about my daily activities.

On top of the benefits to our intimate area shared previously, my complexion also improved as a result of the Roselle Extract and Pomegranate Extract inside Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink.

Roselle firms and lifts skin to inhibit the breaking down of our skin’s precious elastin, and purifies skin by increasing cell turnover, which can also help to control acne breakouts. Pomegranate, on the other hand, has excellent healing properties which fights infection and keeps acne at bay. It also extends the life of the cells involved in the production of collagen and elastin, keeping our skin looking healthy and youthful.

This is why Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink is so powerful as an all-in-one solution for ladies!


One thing I was concerned about was how Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink would taste because I have perculiar tastebuds -___- I hate fruit juices because they taste artificial! To my pleasant surprise, Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink tasted like what I would expect from authentic cranberry juice.

The enzyme drink smells of roselle — one of its main ingredients — and a yummy balance between sweet and sour. Gulping down Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink quickly became one of the things I looked forward to after having a long day. My little perk-me-up that's also beneficial to my body!


I've recently started being health-conscious (feels like this comes with age) so I was glad to learn that Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink does not contain any additives such as hormones, and Hi-Beau prides it in being both safe and effective.


Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink is made of au-natural ingredients:

• Roselle Extract: helps prevent foul smell caused by odour causing bacterial growth
• Cranberry Extract: helps support urinary tract health & prevent urinary tract infections
• Pomegranate Extract: provides antioxidant support
• Fruits and Vegetables Enzymes: boosts efficacy, with nutrients absorption enhanced

If you girls don't know, other than UTI, women are also prone to bacterial growth in the intimate area. In fact, bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection among 15 to 44-year-olds. Prevention is always better than cure; any women can, and should, regularly take the enzyme drink.

This applies especially to women who already experienced UTI or ‘abnormal’ vaginal discharge previously because Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink can help improve intimate area issues.

Purchase Avalon Femi Care Women’s Intimate Care Enzyme Drink on Hi-Beau's website, Hi-Beau's Qoo10 page or selected Watsons stores!

P.S. Hi-Beau will be running 12.12 promotions on Qoo10 very soon, including an exclusive giveaway for customers who purchase 2 boxes of Avalon Femi Care and above starting from 9 December 2017, 00:00.

Do I mourn for our bittersweet memories for the sole purpose of finding something to feel sad about because I don't feel like I deserve happiness?

What an emotionally demanding and gruelling year it has been...