An-nyeong-ha-se-yo, Seoul!

Life is all about obtaining experiences, whether it's good or bad. As parents, it's our role to expose our kids to the mechanics of Life and the running of the world. And so, we packed our bags and headed to Seoul, Korea to experience their culture and daily life. This trip has been a year in the making and to see its fruition is an achievement indeed. The day has come and six hours of flight required us to occupy ourselves with reading and reading and read again the flight magazines!

We hauled our luggage bags through the streets of Myeongdong to STEP Inn, a backpackers' location of choice stay which garnered 8.9 points in Trip Advisor. Hungry at 2100 hrs, we made our way into Yoogane restaurant for a hearty meal of marinated chicken galbi + maehwasu liquor, for W39,500. After a good night's rest, we headed to Nami Island on a 1.5 hours express bus ride which was pre-booked online. A beautiful island where nature rules and best still, the location where Winter Sonata was shot.

A ride on the MRT on the Chongmuro line the following morning, we reached Gyeongbokgung station at mid-day, where the palace museum is located. Renting the hanbook costume is a must, if you really want to immerse yourself in local culture. At W15,000 for the premium range and W3,000 for the hat, here's thehapi8wanderer looking resplendent in his attempt to imagine himself in bygone dynasty days. Like minded visitors colour the old palace's grounds as they freeze their moments in time here.

Satisfied with this immersion into the past, the kids were on their way to the next destination, Buchok Hanok Village. Here, old style houses are arranged neatly uphill separated by narrow roads. The weather in the evening at a cool 19 degrees Celsius, the hike up wasn't too strenous. Be reminded that the visiting hours end at 1700 hrs, as this a living village and the peace is to be maintained for the residents. Signages are abound, hinting visitors to keep conversations at the lowest volume possible.

What's Korea travel without a chance to make kimchi, a local dish of pickled vegetables, usually made with cabbage or radish soaked in brine. So, off to the Kimchikan Museum at Insadong and after departing with W40,000 we started with decorating the cup holder and after that, mixed and rubbed the sauce into every leaf of the cabbage. It's smelly and tastes funny, but kimchi is an acquired taste which we thoroughly enjoyed at every meal here. And there's a thousand variant of it, mind you.

After packing the kimchi nicely away for consumption later in the night, off we continued our tour of Insadong. I like the streets here as the thoroughfare for pedestrians is wider and there's many foodie shops, a bit different from Myeongdong. There's less of the pharmaceutical shops around, pushing facial masks to you. Less of the carts hogging the walking path, for sure. A fake monk was seen roaming this street (monks don't ask for alms after 1200 hrs) and it's already 1600 hrs now.

Back to Sindang with our regular fare of W6,500 (3 adults, 1 kid) riding the clean and no-long-wait MRT line. Supper was had at CVS convenience shop. Up at 1000 hrs the next morning, we made our way to Gwangjang market. Our breakfast was mung bean pancake and noodles with spicy snail salad for W25,000. If you wanted to savour Seoul in one foodie go, this is the place to be. Originally a textile centre, it gradually transformed into a massive base for a wide range of food over the years.

Before we call it a day in the metropolitan capital city of South Korea, we managed to squeeze in one final destination - Dongjak, where people gather to cycle (4 km cycling track), or just to exercise at the public gym below the bridge and not forgetting the sunset view looking at Banpo Bridge. We climbed up the 8 storey observation deck to have a cuppa as we recall our fun 5 days in Myeongdang and Sindang districts. We certainly enjoyed ourselves here but we still have many other holiday destinations to go. So, till then...

Nami Islang

Dotorimuk Muchim (Seasoned Acorn Jelly Salad)

Nami Island - I like the autumn coloured leaves

Fly into Nami Island on this gigantic flying fox

Fiery mixing noodles

View from Dongjak Observation Tower

Bibimbap with cockles

The preserved salads that come with every meal

2019 - Mid Year Review?

It's 2019 and the year is running out fast. But do boars run fast? Yes, they do. However, they still can't outrun humans and their wit. Therefore, they're roasted over charcoal fire and provided us with good suckling pig dish to kick off the Lunar New Year celebrations and to welcome the Year of the Boar. With a crunchy skin and juicy meat on the inside, we had a pretty good meal and we're ready to tackle the year's challenges, surprises and at the same, enjoy the treats.

It's the 1st year anniversary since Pakatan Harapan took over. The feel good factor has mellowed down a little as the new government attempts to tackle the endemic problems of the country and at the same time, try their best to give good tidings for the citizens who voted them into place despite the poor financial standing of the country after being looted by thief of the century and their corrupted minions. With the new MACC DG in place, we will wait with bated breath, who will be next dozen to be charged. I, for one, am still happy with my choice of government. Work together for the betterment of the country.

Life is a never ending learning process and so, I got myself registered in a course to what we can do to make industrial effluents safe before we discharge the processed clean water into the rainwater system. Stuck at INSTEP for a week in Terengganu, the hostel and facilities were top notch hotel standard with excellent meals in the restaurant to boot. If I didn't gain 2 kilos during the week, I'd be lying, wouldn't I? Made a whole lot of new friends in the process and that's what life is about - getting to know people, appreciate their background and lifestyle and hopefully, adopt some of their life's philosophies. One of it was - no matter how o😆😆😆😆😆ld, you still need to pick up new knowledge despite the grey matter refusing to accept it! But, passed the exams, we did! Hoorah!

In Life, there's sure going to be uncertainties and disbelief. One of my doubts in Life, revolves around trying to make the egg stand during Li Chun (specific dates in the year where the gravitational pull coincides with the egg's molecules, so I heard). Never was I able to make it stand in the past. But, this year, 2019, I managed to make it stand! Another Hoorah! moment for the year. Disbelief turned into belief and it's that if you keep on trying, you'll get there one day. If you still have doubts about the photo, let me tell you that it's not a cheat. 😆

The world is not an oyster and continue making friends. This, I did and I really enjoy their company as we make each other appreciate our special ties, to face Life's challenges together. The camaraderie in this Malay weddng luncheon is seen in the expressions on their face and we gathered around for the compulsory we-fie that's so very important these days. With my well trained left hand extended, this great shot was captured. Will there be any more wedding ceremonies this year? Well, I have another 6 months to find out! It's an honour to be invited, to share the happy couple's moment of glory and happiness.

I was invited into this Whatsapp group that discusses motorcyle riding safety. With representatives from the Harley group, NGO and basically people who enjoy riding, I find myself privileged to share my thoughts and absorb the factors that goes into the government's policies on transportation. During my rides, I'll take some shots of the road conditions and facilities provided for motorcyclists and share with the group. It's useful for the non-riders in the group. My view on the fatalities - a conservative 60% are due to recklessness and that's the ultimate price to pay, to get them off the roads.

As one ages, moments of reminiscing the past and the glory days of childhood will surely strike us every once a while when the right crowd is present. We are who we are, constructed by our past experience and we should never forget that. Today found me at the old sugarcane drink stall run by the lady almost 35 years ago. In the background, is my primary school. Thinking back, we really had fun, and racial differences had no standing then as our congregation as kids only had one mission - to have fun!

So Life goes on, as me, the hapi8wanderer continues wandering in search of new experiences and knowledge. Life goes in circles and cycles and to those who know me, I'm always regurgitating the concept of karma. Whatever you do, it'll come back to you, one day. In whatever form and manner. Life will end one day, but what do you do till then? Drag your poor soul through Life or dive in and engorge yourselves with the many fun that Life has to offer? The choice is yours. The clock is ticking...