2006 - Winter in Korea

It was by impulse that I decided to travel to Korea alone. All because I found a brand new winter coat that I couldn’t remember buying. And none of my friends were free to travel during this period. I still remember some people gave me funny looks when I told them about this adventure. This being the first time that I was travelling alone, I was naturally apprehensive initially. But as I found out later, all these were uncalled for. And I didn't feel lonely at all during the trip.

I took an 8 days, 6 nights trip that brought us to Jeju, Mount Sorak, Nami Island, Yongpyong, Everland, Lotte World and Seoul city. The itinerary was really packed. There were 13 of us in the tour group and surprisingly, I was not the only single traveller. There was a 68 year old granny who was also travelling alone. Auntie Sue was her name and she became my new idol. She certainly does not look her age and in my opinion, she’s even tougher than some of us who are much younger. She was really easy going and didn’t need any help with her luggage. The other tour mates, all married couples, were pretty nice people. When the security officer at Incheon wanted to confiscate my camera batteries, they readily offered to help me bring one each. But the unreasonable officer still confiscated the three sets of lithium batteries for what god knows what reasons. Anyway, I’m really thankful to meet such nice people on the trip.

This trip has also set many firsts for me – it was the first time I joined a tour in more than 10 years, I went for hotspring bath the ‘traditional way’, I skied, my dad missed me so much that he got a friend to contact me in Yongpyong – actually, I was really touched. And it’s also the first time I travelled without using my credit card – what a feat!

Must Do
Jeju – Climb up Seongsan Sunrise Peak. The peak is accessible by steps, some parts can be pretty steep and narrow. I enjoyed the climb as I knew this would be one of the few ‘workouts’ I was going to get on the trip. Interestingly, there was a group of Korean elderly folks who seemed to be having a picnic with a pig’s head in the centre of the picnic setting. Little did I know they were sharing food after a prayer session, or so says my tour guide.

Nami Island – Yes, this is the famous set where Winter Sonata was filmed. While it's really small, the winter scenes at the other end of the island, away from the tourist crowd, were really beautiful. If I had time, I could just sit there for hours enjoying the peace and taking in the views. It’s cute seeing the many couples armed with their little digi camera and tripod presumably to pose like Bae Yong Jun and Choi Ji Woo.

Mount Sorak – Another place with breathtaking wintry scenes. You can even see the moon’s crescent up high in the mountains against the big blue sky. And the air is just so fresh and crisp. It was a pity I didn't have time to explore or go to the temple that's supposed to be deeper into the mountain.

Gangwon-do – Yongpyong Resort – This is another famous site where Winter Sonata was filmed. It is also where I learned how to ski. And I’m glad I managed the bare basics – ski down gentle slope, fall and get up and making slight turns – without breaking a leg or arm. All thanks to a very patient Chinese teacher whom my tour guide found.


Must Eat
Besides the standard Korean fare of bulgogi, bibimap, hotpot, etc, I strongly recommend the fruits, especially the Ginseng strawberry. It’s so sweet and juicy! Somehow, all the vegetables and fruits taste so good. Not forgetting the dried octopus that everyone loved. There’s also a great variety of delicious street food which costs as little as 500 won! For someone with a weak stomach, I was quite brave in trying a few types. That’s what travel insurance is for ; )

Must Buy
This being the winter season, even a shopaholic like me could not find much to buy. Especially when I didn’t want to be stuck with more winter clothing in sunny Singapore. But all the die-hard fans of Korean stars will probably snap up the many memorabilia in Myeondong -- key chains, notebooks, calendars, mugs, cushions etc you name it, they have it! Surprisingly, I wasn't tempted by any of the Jang Dong Gun items I saw - guess I've decided it's time to grow up ; ) Anyhow, visiting the Tapdong (underground shopping) is a must… just for the fun of it. There are also major departmental stores like Lotte Mall and Shinsegae that’s worth a stroll.

In the end, I just got lots of foodstuff from Lotte Mart. And yes, toiletries and cosmetics from The Face Shop -- Asia's answer to The Body Shop. Items are sold at half the price of what I have to pay for in Singapore.

In a nutshell...

... Treasure the sunrise and sunsets, and the beautiful scenery.

... Forget about netting any Korean hunks -- you'll only get to kiss Bae Yongjun standees that are everywhere! And don't ever stay in Waterpia Hanhwa Condo -- the rooms and mattresses are quite dirty.

Would I visit Korea again? 네. Certainly! Korea is such a huge and beautiful country. Next time round, I hope to visit Hallasan in Jeju, explore Mount Sorak and spend three days shopping in Seoul. This time round, it’ll be free and easy. But first, I’ll have to take some Korean lessons first.

Check out the following link for more photos:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sandyl808/album?.dir=4d3c&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sandyl808/album?.dir=/d6a2