After a loooong and emotionally exhausting day, walking around the Canton Fair and dealing with the stress of Noah losing his phone, we found ourselves in Bao’an, Shenzhen, trying to wind down and reset our energy. Yep, all of that happened in just one day. 😩
We had already visited the police station, reported the phone, and were emotionally maxed out. But since we were already checked in at Rongqing Mansions, a budget hotel near Bao’an airport, we decided to make the most of the remaining hours. It was already evening, and we still hadn’t had a proper meal. We also needed water, detergent (since our unit had a washing machine), and snacks, so off we went for a grocery run just a few blocks away.
It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was exactly what we needed: quiet streets, a normal routine, and a chance to just slow down after such a fast-paced, high-stress day. Funny how something as simple as buying toothbrushes and mochi can feel like self-care after chaos. 😂
This blog recaps that evening reset, a short but meaningful slice of our China trip that brought us back to balance, one grocery aisle at a time.
A Stroll to the Supermarket
Our walk to the supermarket wasn’t planned with excitement, but there was a sense of calm that came with it. The streets of Bao’an in the evening were quiet and a little dim, with the local life winding down. We didn’t know the name of the grocery store, but it was just a few blocks from Rongqing Mansions, tucked between a few local shops and eateries. From the outside, it didn’t look like much, but stepping inside brought us a small sense of normalcy. We were just another family shopping for water, snacks, and essentials.
We needed a few basic things: drinking water, detergent soap for laundry since our unit had a washing machine, Nacha’s snacks for the next few days of travel, and some noodles for those late-night hunger moments. There was no grocery cart or list, just a mental note of what we needed and an attempt to stay under budget. As we walked through the aisles, the mood shifted. It wasn’t about errands anymore. It became a quiet moment to breathe after a long, heavy day. And somehow, just being surrounded by rows of goods and fluorescent lights made the world feel a little less chaotic.
Fun Finds
Once we started picking items off the shelves, that familiar feeling of travel excitement returned. Grocery shopping abroad hits different. We didn’t recognize most of the brands, but the packaging was cute, colorful, and inviting. We ended up with a spontaneous mix of practical and playful finds: mochi, a couple of toothbrushes, jelly snacks, candies, biscuits, detergent, chips, and of course, instant noodles. Most of it wasn’t planned, but everything had its own little purpose.
What surprised us was the payment system. When we got to the counter, I instinctively scanned the QR code using WeChat, expecting it to go through. It didn’t. The cashier quietly pointed at the Alipay logo, and that was our lightbulb moment. Thankfully, my OTP worked, but it made me realize how important it is to have a local SIM card in China. Without stable mobile access, even paying for groceries can get tricky. That small hiccup taught me a valuable travel tip I now pass on to everyone: if you’re visiting China, set up your digital payments in advance and make sure you have easy access to your OTPs.
Even with the small tech bump, the whole experience felt fun. Joel and I were walking up and down aisles, comparing snack options, letting Nacha pick her favorites. There was no rush. It reminded me of our grocery nights back home, just with Chinese labels and new flavors. Everything felt foreign yet oddly familiar. And after such an overwhelming morning, it felt nice to just focus on choosing a toothbrush and figuring out if this box of jelly was peach or lychee flavored.
Braised Pork Dreams
With our grocery bags in hand, we took a short walk and found a small, no-frills restaurant that looked local and promising. There was no English name outside, no host to greet us, just a few locals sitting at their tables and a QR code taped to each table. That was the menu. You scan, you order. There was no physical menu or English option, so we opened Google Translate, snapped a photo of the screen, and tried to figure things out. The translations were rough, but we got the gist.
We decided on a plate of braised pork with vegetables, a rice bowl, and some water. It cost us 20 Chinese Yuan, which is just under PHP 200, and let me tell you, it was worth every cent. The pork was tender and flavorful, sitting in a thick, savory sauce that soaked right into the rice. The vegetables reminded me of laing, soft and saucy, with a touch of heat. Joel and I barely spoke while eating, just little nods and “mmm” sounds between bites. It was that good.
That meal grounded us. It felt like a reset button after a long day of walking, stress, and police stations. We didn’t plan for a food adventure, but that simple dinner became a highlight of the night. It wasn’t gourmet, but it was warm, comforting, and familiar in the best way. It reminded me that you don’t always need a fancy view or a Michelin star to feel taken care of, sometimes, you just need a plate of pork, a scoop of rice, and a quiet corner to sit in.
Budget-Friendly and Surprisingly Cozy
After dinner, we made our way back to Rongqing Mansions, the budget hotel we had booked for the next few days. We chose it mainly for location and price. At around PHP 1,000 per night, it was affordable and close enough to everything we needed. Walking into the room, we were pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t luxury, but it was clean, comfortable, and bigger than we expected. There was a double bed, side tables with USB chargers, a small work desk, and even a projector instead of a television. That detail made the space feel more personal, like we had our own little cinema night waiting for us.
What made the room even more functional was the washing machine. We had packed light for this trip, so being able to do laundry in our own unit was a huge plus. We bought detergent from the grocery, started a quick wash, and set up our little “home” for the night. There was even a small open-air section where we placed Nacha’s stroller and our suitcases to free up floor space.
We did have one issue on our first night, the air conditioning was weak. We mentioned it at the front desk, and surprisingly, the same person we spoke to came up to fix it. He cleaned the unit and made sure it was working before leaving. That made us think the hotel might be family-run, with the staff doing multiple roles. It was refreshing to see that level of care, especially in a budget setting.
We ended the night watching the projector on the wall, snacking on our grocery finds, and slowly letting the day go. The room may have been simple, but it gave us exactly what we needed.
Simple Joys, Sweet Days
Looking back, that evening in Bao’an was one of the most peaceful parts of our China trip. Not because it was free from problems, far from it. The day started with crowds, booths, aching feet, and ended with a missing phone and a trip to the police. But somehow, in the quiet parts of that same day, in a small grocery aisle, over a plate of braised pork, and inside a budget room with a projector, we found space to breathe again.
That’s what I love about travel. It teaches you to take the day as it is. Plans shift, things go missing, emotions run high. But then you get to reset, even just a little. That night didn’t involve tourist spots or sightseeing. It involved buying water, doing laundry, and eating rice, and yet it felt full. Sometimes it’s those simple moments that leave the deepest imprint.
So if you ever find yourself in Bao’an after a long day, don’t underestimate the joy of walking to a local supermarket or choosing snacks without knowing exactly what they are. You might discover more than just new flavors. You might find calm, joy, and a sense of home, even in a strange city, even after a really hard day.
That was our Bao’an reset. Nothing fancy. But real. And memorable.
Love lots 💜,
Princess Joem “Shenzhen gurl”
