Nami Island & Petite France - Korea (Day 4)

Bye bye Jeju Island, here we come Nami Island. Breakfast, bags packed, off to the airport and by the time we arrived in Seoul, timing was just right for lunch. Hunger of course had already called. I definitely need my lunch meal because I am not the piggy-pig kind of buffet breakfast person. In fact, I think I have told you before, I don’t take breakfast. But when I travel, I do keep my tummy warm by filling in some food to fuel energy for all the walking during sightseeing. On this day, after just tadbit of breakfast at about 8.00am, I naturally yearned for a fulfilling meal once we arrived in this tiny Korean restaurant. But the sight of Korean steamboat again, again?, almost killed me on the spot even before tucking in. Oh-god! Is there no other food in Korea except steamboat and hot-pot? Unbelievable. Either, as I have already said, its steamboat or hotplate, or none other, or is it like this when you travel in a tour? I don’t know. Rather puzzling actually. Did we dare ask the pain in the butt tour guide? Nope. 

Melaka - Jonker Walk (Part 1)

Not many friends can be your great, maybe not even accommodating travel companions. Why go so far, sometimes, even our love broadest band width can also be tested when we travel together. I personally know of courting couples who broke up after their first love travel because something snapped somewhere. Anyway, nothing is shocking anymore. Love is fragile, relationship is equally a turmoil and travelling with family members is the other to tolerating all sorts of bizarre characters, speak about money which is never sunny, if not for all, but for some who prefer to travel at our expense. Tell me all about it please? That’s why, remember I told you why I am standing tall with my principle of travelling alone (Travelling Solo When You Are Married). 

Jeju Island (Part 2) - Korea (Day 3)

No two ways about it. Unquestionably, travelling in a tour requires discipline. Yes please. There is no such a thing as you wish in a clearly listed tour. Obviously, you can’t follow your own travelling heart by wondering as you please. Instead, it is about abiding to the unspoken travelling rules. Otherwise, you will be billed as a nuisance by the tour guide and tour buddies. So sorry everyone, if you can’t pay attention to the tour guide on safety rules and time limit, you better ditch the idea of tour travelling (Sapporo/Hokkaido). I know better. I can strongly vouch because experiences speaks louder than words. In Jeju Island, it had to be the same agenda in the morning. Waking up by 7.00am, sometimes even earlier, showering of course is your choice, followed by breakfast and most to most by 9pm, sometimes you have to pack if we are not returning to the same hotel. Also, do try to empty your bowels instead of restlessly interrupting while on the way for sightseeing (Istanbul Turkey, Pretoria South Africa & Colombo Sri Lanka).

Alor Setar - Kedah (Nava-K's One Day Postcard)

Being married to someone who is married to his or her job is not all that rosy and sunshiny. I know. Ask me and I'll willingly spill all of it. Its sincerely really a tough call for me. Irregular working hours, sometimes work calls for during the weekends and public holidays, and at the end of the day, no matter how late it is, I have to listen to his ups and downs. More importantly, I have to take care of myself, especially when he is away (Sungkai Perak & Pork Dickson). Then again, this workaholism does throw in some happy perks every once a while and if your life-time soulmate’s job involves inbound/outbound travelling, you might as well try your luck by piggy backing him, her and it (Chitose & Hokkaido).

Penang - Thaipusam (Nava-K's Spiritual And Religious Journey)

Some friends I believe are really peculiar. Perhaps I should also label them as weirdos. Wanna know why? No, no, I am in no way referring to the fake social media friends, but my most to most 5 to 10 closest friends whom I thought knew me at the back of their hands. How wrong. When I told a few of them that I will be fulfilling my spiritual and religious vows at Waterfall Temple/Balathandayuthapani Temple for Thaipusam, they burst out in laughter. Why? Seriously, I didn't know what were they tickled about? Do I look like a misfit? Not as far as I know. Despite asking over and over again, none actually could spill a concrete reason. I of course was agitated. Then again, it can't be my fault if friends judge me wrongly. Maybe because I am modern and outgoing, I can’t be religious, is it? Whatever, I've come to a point  I care too hoots how people perceive me. My life, my choices, my happiness and my relationship with god.  

Jeju Island (Part 1) - Korea (Day 2)

First half day of sightseeing in Seoul (Korea Day I - Incheon to Seoul), we returned to Incheon airport for our domestic flight to Jeju Island. Spilling over await in the long queue among the hundreds during this supposedly off peak season in Korea, who do you expect to see travelling throughout the year, except mostly “Made In China” Chinese. Malaysians too I think are seriously taking their globetrotting lifestyle "Up In The Air", in fact, even those born with a dented wooden spoon in their mouth are joining forces in trip-travelling all the time. 

Korea Day 1 - Incheon to Seoul

Another solo trip of mine in an arranged tour (Istanbul Turkey & Dubai) alongside 14 people I had no clue whosoever they are, Korea was the said destination. Now, to all the adventurous wise cracks who are right now reading this "Korea Here I Come" venture of mine, will you please stop wondering why I didn't backpack or travel on my own. Of course I sincerely appreciate your advise, but let me tell you that I have already before hand done my homework. What I found out is that the ordinary Koreans on the streets really can't speak English, so obviously, I am going to have one hack of a time communication with them should the need arise. Definitely it is bound to happen, holding on to a map and trying to pick up Korean language there and then may show the way, especially on "Amazing Race", but in reality, many travel bloggers don't actually tell you what can go wrong due to language barrier. Additionally, compared to 8 years ago when I had bags of energy, my overall well-being is not the same anymore (Penang - The Pearl Of The Orient).