We measured the house in the morning to plan furniture changes, with a brief disagreement that eased after open communication.

In the afternoon, we visited IKEA with Hamer, settled on a few items but decided to compare online options before buying. We only purchased two chairs—one for dining, one tiny Barbie chair picked by Hamer.

Exhausted by evening, I was touched when Hamer, still energetic, rewrote a heartfelt message she’d seen online: “To the best mom, Thanks for helping me grow,” planning to gift it lovingly to her mom.

I spent the day using Cursor to build a chat management module—completely new territory for me, but by late afternoon, I had a working prototype ready to migrate.

Hamer was thrilled after school: she alone received a carbon-reduction award, likely thanks to the big box and books we donated this morning.

We cooked pork ribs and broccoli at home for dinner. My niece Yaoyao, fresh from exams, hopes to work during the summer. We want her to come to Beijing to give it a try.

I also read two thought-provoking articles on music’s impact on productivity and motor learning.

Tonight around 9 p.m., a sudden storm knocked out the power for a few minutes. It returned quickly, and later we learned a fallen tree likely caused the brief outage.

Earlier, Hamer helped cook dinner—her joy in rinsing rice and stir-frying, under Xiaoyan’s guidance, made the meal especially meaningful. She ate every bite with satisfaction.

Workwise, I focused on optimizing plugin prompts and return types for the AI project, inspired by Claude’s system prompts. I also began defining the “Text to Map” feature and used C#’s \[return: Description\("..."\)\] to enhance output clarity.

Ping pong and an ice pop capped the midday heat.

This Dragon Boat Festival marked a special milestone for our family — our very first self-driving trip. The sense of freedom, the flexibility to explore on a whim, and simply being on the road together made it an experience to remember.

Our original plan was just to visit Yanqing for the Soda Music Festival, but the rest of the journey unfolded naturally, one stop at a time. We discovered that renting a good car and choosing cozy accommodations played a huge role in making the whole trip relaxing and fun.

There’s something deeply joyful about traveling with the ones you love — no rush, no pressure, just shared moments and open roads. 🌿🚗

🗺️ Itinerary Highlights

• Home
• Expo Park Flying Camp
• Chadao Ancient Town – Half Ton Guesthouse
• Longqing Gorge
• Baili Landscape Gallery
• Dishui Lake
• Miyue Residence · Manni Guesthouse
• Qinglong Gorge
• Heyin Café
• Philodendron (Little Angel Greenery)
• Home

💰 Trip Expenses Breakdown

Sometimes, the best trips are the ones not planned to the last detail.
Just a good car, a few comfy nights, and the company of those who matter most.

I finished the KML save test cases and spent the rest of the day resolving stream service issues—most went smoothly, making for a productive, if nonstop, day.

When I picked up Hamer, her smile and searching gaze from afar warmed my heart. After school, she played a bit, then joined me at the office. She’s been craving spicy snacks and playfully complained when I said “maybe tomorrow.”

With Xiaoyan out for dinner, we had a quiet evening—ate, watched TV, and went out for a light jog that, in Hamer’s words, was “mostly walking.”

This morning started slowly—both Hamer and I were sleepy, but she eats breakfast at school now, so our routine was simple.

I spent the day writing KML save test cases and fixing overlooked issues.

After school, Hamer’s eager smile always melts me. We played badminton, had noodles, then my phone got stuck in VoiceOver mode with a black screen. Unable to pay, I FaceTimed Xiaoyan using Hamer’s iPad. Our e-bike also had issues but finally started. At CapitaMall’s Apple Store, we resolved the phone issue—triple-pressing the side button toggled VoiceOver. A chaotic but memorable evening.

Today we wrapped up our Dragon Boat Festival trip with a visit to Qinglong Gorge, where the mountaintop offered clear views all the way to Beijing’s skyline.

On the drive back, we paused at a scenic riverside spot to enjoy a simple meal in the breeze.

Hamer slept peacefully through every car ride, like magic. With music playing, spontaneous stops, and open-ended plans, this trip felt less like travel and more like life on the road. Free-flowing, unhurried, and full of tender moments—it was a quiet, beautiful way to spend time together as a family.

Today truly felt like a self-driving adventure.

We explored the fading charm of Chadao, then headed to Longqing Gorge, where a thrilling water jetpack show wowed us. A bumpy van transfer and a scenic boat ride added to the day’s texture.

In the afternoon, we drove through the winding, tree-lined roads of the Baili Landscape Gallery, stopping to take in the stunning views.

As evening approached, we spontaneously booked a cozy, beautifully decorated guesthouse. After a smooth and surprisingly fast drive, we arrived by 8 p.m., ending the day with a shared “wow” of delight.

We kicked off our first self-driving trip to Yanqing, leaving at 9 a.m. after some clumsy adjustments to the rental car. Though I was nervous at first, I soon found my rhythm.

After a meal and some light shopping, we braved the rain to enjoy a music festival from afternoon to night. Highlights included NeongGarden, Constant & Change, 831, and the unforgettable energy of Second-Hand Rose, which had us all up dancing.

We ended the day at a charming guesthouse in an ancient town. No zongzi yet, but it was a special start to our Dragon Boat Festival.

On the last workday before the Dragon Boat Festival, I had a packed schedule. After a productive Sprint meeting, I picked up Hamer, who had a half-day of school, and we enjoyed lamb offal soup with a friend.

Afternoon AI meetings were smooth but lacked spark. I worked late debugging the KML save module, finally resolving most logic by 8 p.m.

Hamer, clearly worn out from the day, fell asleep early.