From the strictest COVID lockdown in the world, in Shanghai, to the mysterious underground ramen restaurants in Tokyo, last year has been a great adventure! I’ve experienced different countries, food, apps, and even a career change from product management to product marketing. So, please take some time off your phone, read this story slowly, and join me for a few laughs!
March 2022 – Shanghai Down
A few weeks after the Year of the Tiger started (February 1st ’22), hubby and I found ourselves locked down in our apartment in Shanghai. We had to undergo two self-tests per day and one PCR test every two days. Sometimes, we woke up at 5 am for a test or were called at the last minute at midnight!
Shanghai was under attack, not by aliens or terrorists but by the Omicron variant. When you move countries all the time you are either one of the lucky ones that manage to avoid lockdowns or… one of us, who run into the toughest lockdowns in the world, first Madrid and then Shanghai!
A day in our life back then included exchanging bananas for apples with neighbors, or homemade banana bread for yogurt, most often it was potatoes for rice, and for a week it was waking up at 5:30 in the morning to get an groceries order through, only to fail and try again the next morning. At some point, bulk orders became a thing, and I remember celebrating a successful order of 30 bananas, only to eventually receive what was actually 30kg of bananas! 😀
But, despite the challenges, we had the opportunity to connect with our Chinese neighbors and witness how humans under immense pressure can support each other and overcome challenges together regardless of language, politics, and culture.
Towards the end of April, things kept getting tougher and our mental state was getting worse. We decided to get out of Shanghai, and invested a serious amount of time and money to make it happen! That was not easy at all!
Apps to use in China: First thing you need before entering China is a good VPN. I use ExpressVPN but others suggest Astrill. Then, once in China you need to get a Chinese number. In China you are your phone number. When you think of email, now think of your phone number and SMSs. Right after, you need to get Alipay AND Wechat. Then go for all the classics: Taobao (order anything), DinDongMaiCai (order groceries with schedule delivery at an accuracy of 30 minutes), Meituan (order food), Hellobike (microapp within Alipay, get a monthly subscription and scan to unlock the blue bicycles), Manner (wechat microapp for coffee), Starbucks local app, Amap for navigation or Baidu maps, Didi (taxi or car hailing), Tmall (similar to Taobao), the TikTok Chinese app (it’s just interesting) and more.
April 2022 – The Exodus to San Remo
We decided to fly home to Italy (Matteo’s hometown)! After getting several official approvals, a very expensive special licensed vehicle, and another PCR test, we finally arrived at an empty Shanghai Pudong airport for our Air France flight. The highlight of the flight was being offered multiple snacks and even a glass of champagne in economy class! After a stop in South Korea to change crew (crew could not get off in China soil back then), we flew directly to Paris and then Nice, a few kilometers away from home.
San Remo, in the northwest of Italy, is a tourist destination for both Italians and French people. It’s on the Italian Riviera and offers beautiful views, beaches, and a 24km bike path (pista ciclabile) along the coast where it replaced a large part of the old train tracks. If you visit San Remo, make sure to try the sardenara (sar-deh-NAH-rah), a type of focaccia with tomato, olives, anchovies, and garlic on top.
In San Remo, you can enjoy the beach, the sun, and run, cycle or simply walk for hours right next to the coast. My suggestion is to spend one day like we did, walking from Miramare hotel to La Vesca, where you can sit, enjoy a fulfilling aperitivo (order a drink, food comes with it) and the beautiful view. Then, spend another day going the opposite direction towards Bordighera and Ventimiglia, where you can sit under the sun and enjoy a Negroni, or its bitter alcohol-free alternative, Crodino!
Our time in San Remo was spent working from home, enjoying great food, and taking long walks in nature. We made ourselves ready to begin our year around the world. Next stop, Spain!
Apps to use in Italy: To be honest, in San Remo, I have only used Amazon to order stuff online. So, not much to share here.
May 2022 – Madrid without a mask
In a matter of weeks, we went from being under the strictest lockdown in Shanghai to experiencing Madrid’s reopening. People were outside enjoying the beautiful weather, sipping on a caña (beer) and socializing. The atmosphere was surreal and a stark contrast to what we had experienced in Shanghai.
I love Madrid, the nature less than an hour away from it, the friendly people and the beautiful city! I truly believe Madrid is one of the most open and at the same time genuinely friendly and diverse capitals in Europe! I lived in Madrid for 2 years, before moving to China and it was wonderful before COVID hit us.
Now, have you heard of all these buzz words like: oat flat-white, smoothie bowl, power salad, and open space? I love it all, Matteo judges it 😀 When I swallow baby broccoli and kale I just feel so much energy, BUT at the same time, I totally admit that the best fries in Madrid can be found at Mcdonald’s. There’s no black or white in life, and while I’ve been too strict with diet and training in the past, traveling outside the western world and changing environments taught me well.
We were lucky to spend a month living close, on foot, to one of the nicest and most elegant neighborhoods in Madrid, Salamanca. With spacious pavements, cozy cafes, well-maintained areas, and stunning architecture, Salamanca is truly a gem. Matteo commuted to the IFT at Universidad Autonoma de Madrid while I worked remotely from The Shed co-working space. The Shed is a great place to call office when in Madrid- people are very nice and the price is fair.
We kept our fitness regimen by using an outdoor gym in a nearby park and going for runs. Despite traveling, we tried to stick to a routine that kept us feeling good no matter where we were. This included having breakfast at home during workdays, signing up for gym memberships, and exercising each day we didn’t explore new places on foot. Lastly, we found that watching a short episode on Netflix at night after dinner made us feel more at home.
Apps to use in Madrid: Amazon (to order stuff online), Glovo (food delivery), Cabify (car hailing), Lime (e-scooters), Renfe (to book train tickets), Akiles (to open the door of the Shed), Idealista (to find apartments). Other than that you use normally whatsapp, Google maps and other common apps to communicate.
June 2022 – Stockholm at its warmest
Stockholm is easily one of the most beautiful European capitals, especially during the summer. The city is so green and peaceful, with rivers, canals, and forests that make you feel like you’re in the middle of nature. We visited in June, which was the warmest it had been in decades, and coming from Mediterranean countries, it was such a welcome change!
In Stockholm, I worked from cafes, mostly Espresso House, and enjoyed a lot going grocery shopping! Food is of top quality here, and it is very easy to find gluten-free (Matteo is celiac) and lactose-free products (home of Oatly). Eating out can be pricey, but we discovered some healthy and affordable lunch options at the local malls. Also, if you want to taste a real Italian pizza go to Meno Male. The pizzas there are made by Italians who often sing in Italian while they’re at it!
It’s not just the food that makes Stockholm a great place, the people here are incredibly friendly and welcoming. I observed people going back home from work quite early, on foot, cycling or using Lime. Swedes are also very3 beautiful, both women and men, and they seemed at least to me stress-free and relaxed. I made a friend while working at Espresso House, and had the chance to get lunch with her under the sun a few times! I also had a few nice chats with a girl from Ukraine working also remotely from Espresso House.
Apps to use in Sweden: A Lime subscription can take you places. If you need to move daily, Lime is affordable and convenient, and it is very easy and safe to move around anywhere in the capital. Also, the Espresso House app can get you some free cups of coffee if you are looking for a longer stay in Sweden. And, definitely pay with Revolut to avoid bank fees! Sats is a good gym that comes with an app too.
Crete, Greece – Home Sweet Home
What can I say about home? I’ll try not to follow the unwritten rule that has us always criticizing our home country the most. We flew from Stockholm directly to Chania, my hometown. The pandemic was still on, and as we were hosted by my family in a rather small house right outside the city, we kept a low profile avoiding crowds. Well, at least we tried to…I ended up catching the virus in August, but luckily it was nothing serious.
Other than that, we made the most of our time in Chania by hitting up the beach and working out at a local gym. As a local, I see the place in a different light than most tourists. Instead of trendy beach bars, we preferred the calmer spots like Agious Apostolous and the beach bar of Iguana, although I must say that Yannis beach place has served as my office for many seasons in the past 🙂
A vacation in Crete can be amazing. Service is excellent, people in the tourism industry are very nice and locals are friendly to foreigners. Western of the island you can find spectacular beaches and small beach villages to visit, just google for more. I must admit though that that summer and probably due to the previous COVID madness, I found my Greeks to be tense in their interactions, whether driving or in everyday situations. It’s understandable, as the situation has been challenging for many, and I cannot fully understand the struggle without living there consistently.
Despite this, Crete offers everything, from wild mountains to breathtaking views and paradisal beaches. Us Greeks also love our coffee and I can say that Italians do not respect coffee like we do 😛 It seems for them its a necessity -one shot and off they go- while in Greece we will give it the respect it deserves! 😀 We take our time, get together with friends and enjoy every sip of our coffee (go for a freddo espresso if you are a fun of black strong coffee). 3rd wave coffees are everywhere, wifi is strong and the weather quite mild throughout the year. You can definitely choose Crete for a few months or more, of remote work.
One thing you don’t want to miss is crossing the Samaria gorge. It is approx. 14km of easy hiking/walking through nature’s beauty and I really had a great time again last summer crossing it. The route starts on the mountain at the entrance of the Samaria gorge, and ends all the way south of the island, at Agia Roumeli. We didn’t spend the night at Loutro which is something most people choose to do, but went directly to Sfakia back to Chania by bus. You should definitely explore the beautiful beaches south of Crete and around Sfakia, before heading back to Chania.
Apps to use in Crete, Greece: Crete is an island that comes with its limitations. While you can use Amazon to order stuff online, you will be better off with Skroutz.gr or Bestprice.gr. Locals also tend to use Viber and Messenger for chatting instead of Whatsapp. You can use the efood app to have food delivered to your door, or simply call the restaurant of your choice, many will offer delivery services of their own. Other than that, you can pretty much depend on Google maps and search to explore and locate new places to eat and shop. Telcos have local apps such as What’s Up to top up your mobile with credits and activate data or voice packages.
South Korea: Techy, Tasty & Fun
From Crete, we were back in Italy and after a short stay in San Diego for WordCamp US, I flew all the way to the other side of the world; South Korea. Matteo was already there waiting me at Gwangju, a smaller city southwest of the country. I had the opportunity to go twice to Seoul to meet my old friend Sun Mi, who I met during my time as an intern in Belgium. Seoul is large but easy going, beautiful and extremely convenient. In Gwangju there was a 7 eleven, a gym and a coffee place practically in every corner making every day life super easy. We also got to spend the last 2 weeks in beautiful Pohang, a fishing town in the south east of the country known for the biggest steel factory in the world, POSCO, and… seafood!
In Seoul, we visited a popular food market that you cannot miss. The food is very different from what I am used to, even with 2 years living in China. Koreans love their Kimchi of course, and Korean BBQ is famous all over the world. However, what I particularly enjoyed was Gimbap, their red bean pancakes coming in the shape of a fish, and the soy bean large hand-made pancakes. In South Korea you also find very good sushi done the proper way, and their popular and very tasty version with white flat fish!
Slow travelling a country allows you to experience it in different ways, most often through food and a deeper connection with locals. And food in Korea is very tasty, but most importantly so much more interesting for us westerners! Another dish that is very Korean and quite famous in Asia is cold noodles. Often made by buckwheat, these darker noodles come in a bowl with ice! They are literally cold noodles and extremely tasty!
Other things I learnt about Koreans is that they love coffee, golf and baseball. Each baseball player has his own song and dance, as a young and very excited fan made sure we find out during a match we watched! They also love to eat fry chicken and drink beer when watching baseball. Another interesting fact is that in parks there are paths for walking barefoot, and we met too many people (to be a coincidence) practicing “earthing” by walking on those paths or regular ones across the country. Oh I shouldn’t forget to mention that silk worms is a tasty snack that I was not brave enough to try!
Moving around Korea is pretty easy, with high speed trains and super comfortable buses (VIP-like seating). Instructions are clear everywhere and its very difficult to get lost. People were very friendly, although language was a barrier considering the average Korean didn’t speak English. It’s also interesting how close Koreans are with religion and we were stopped multiple times by well-dressed, polite Koreans inviting us to attend their church. Some churches were surreal and futuristic, it seems there’s a lot of budget going around. Having watched Kim’s Convenience, and BEEF on Netflix, I was aware of Koreans and their love for religion, but it’s super interesting to see it live.
South Korea is tidy, clean, advanced and convenient. It also has lots of nature, mountains, beaches, an amazing island (Jeju) and tasty cuisine. If you want to visit Korea, I would suggest Autumn when the weather is still nice and you can see nature dressed in red and yellow. May and June are also great months.
Apps to use in Korea: As always, with your Revolut in had payments in Korea become easy and cheap, as you can use card almost anywhere, but buses. So, the 1st app you need to immediately download is KakaoT (for Taxi) which is the Uber equivalent. You can easily call a ride, and pay at the end of your trip the driver with your card. Next is Kakao talk, as locals you it to chat instead of whatsapp. I also tried Kakapay and Npay but failed to use them as I did not get a local number. Free wifi is offered everywhere in Korea, so feel confident to depend on it for your journey. I also used Coupang Eats for ordering with the help of a friend and her account. Coupang, the country’s leading e-commerce operator managed even to buy eBay’s South Korea unit dominate the e-commerce space.
To be continued…