To me, however,  traveling is for one simple cause - healing. 

Usually, I would think about going somewhere, anywhere that has 3 elements: oceans, mountains and bookstores.  As long

as these 3 elements are fulfilled, I am ok - it doesn't really matter if the destination is inside of China or outside of it.

This is why I am heading to Qing Dao  and Qing Huang Dao tomorrow for the next 10 days + 

The hotels that I have booked online are all a few hundred meters away from the ocean, and all I need are:

1. A bookstore with a small cafe attached - I could pick up a simple, less brain-burning autumn book to read while siping a burning-hot cafe latte. 

To me, coffee and light books are a couple meant to be happily married ever after. For some peculiar and unknown reasons, holding  a book just feels lonely without a cup of creamy and milky coffee. when 2 of them are together, I could feel just more romance and passion when reading - the book's pages seem to be smoother, and each word, more mesmerizing. 

2.  Hearing the sound of ocean, and smelling its fishy and sea-weedy fragrance. 

Oh my, if I could imagine my version of heaven on earth, it would be any port or boulevard with an endless deck touching the ocean water. By either standing or sitting on the deck, touching its worn-out surface, and seeing the ocean waves rising and receding while hearing their joyful and thunder-like sound, I would melt and be one with the wave and the ocean.  complete peace would arrive. 

3. someone nice to talk to 

it sound strange, but I feel that the standard  of the very term " nice" is being lower and lower - the so-called " nice people" to me equals to just being kind and real today. After seeing so many fake and unkind men in my life, my expectation of humankind, in general, has been incredibly lowered. All I need to talk to are someone who are curious, interesting, authentic and simple - as simple as traveling just for relaxing and enjoy the most pure form of life. 

4. some simple sea food to eat

I don't naturally love sea food - I was born and raised up from an inland city, after all. However, over years, after traveling to a few costal places, I am becoming in love with seafood - they are simple. Unlike Sichuan food filled with spicy and tongue-numbing spices, and Shanghai dishes covered with thick layers of soy sauce and sugar,  sea food dishes are usually simply steamed.  With the fist bite,  I could chew the ocean's softness, juiciness and graciousness.

5. a quiet and local place to stay.

Even if I had lots of money, I don't think I would ever burn them by staying in a fancy 5 star hotel for 10 days - the money can be spent somewhere else wisely. In contrast, I usually pay a few hundred Chinese Bucks for a room in a quite and ocean- nearby local community. After all, I would only come back to my room at night. The bottom line is clear - it needs to be clean. That's it.