Hangang River at Banpo Chuseok (or Korean Thanksgiving Festival) is a long holiday period in South Korea. It was always hard for us to get out of Seoul before the crowds picked up. So, we started our own tradition of hiking on Chuseok. However, during the pandemic, we spent most of our public holidays either…
Read MoreWalking along the Hangang River on Chuseok (Banpo to Ichon)
Sleepless in Tokyo
It’s midnight. All the lights are out. The ones in the office building bang opposite our apartment, in Seoul, are still burning bright. Burning the midnight oil takes a whole new meaning in Asia. My dad would always wonder: what is it that you can achieve in the wee hours of the morning that you…
Read MoreA Weekend Getaway to Lonavala
We hadn’t travelled within India for the past eight years. We spent most of our trips back home (from Seoul) with family and friends. Back then, our aim was to explore as many countries internationally (given how horrid the visa-waiting time and process is) and it’s quite possible we got a bit carried away. We…
Read MoreExploring Hwanseongul Cave (환선굴) in Samcheok
The Drive to Hwanseongul Cave Idyllic countryside roads of Gangwon Province Mountains of Gangwon Province After spending about three days in Gangneung (read all about it here and here), we drove further south to explore Samcheok City. Samcheok is also located along South Korea’s picturesque East Coast and is a part of Gangwon Province. Like…
Read MoreWalking Along Jeongdong- Simgok Badabuchae-gil (정동심곡바다부채길)
In the summer of 2020, when South Korea had managed to contain the active Covid cases below 50 per day, we took a week-long exploratory road trip along the east coast. Gangeung (강릉시), a city in Gangwon Province (강원도), was the starting point of our trip from Seoul. The city is divided into multiple regions…
Read MoreSoaking up the Sun in Gangneung’s Gyeongpo Region (강릉 경포)
It’s best to avoid travel during public holidays in South Korea. Tickets get sold out early and getting out of Seoul can be a nightmare. We generally spent most of the major public holidays like Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) and Seollal (Korean New Year) either at home, hiking a local mountain, or cycling along the Han…
Read MoreHomecoming
Hiking Samaksan in South Korea Samarkand, Uzbekistan Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from. – Seth Godin Like most introverts I like spending most of my time at home. Home is a place where I can dream, be creative, think, and…
Read MoreFour Seasons and A Bittersweet Farewell
Most writers have their fair share of irrational fears and insecurities. However, none are as compelling as the fear of losing one’s ability to put words to paper — to build stories from nothing. Can you ever forget how to write? This question plagued me during the course of the last 3 years. Do you…
Read MoreA Visit to Haedong Yonggungsa (해동 용궁사) & Haeun-JeongSa (해운정사)
South Korea has imposed Level 2 social distancing across the country. Please avoid nonessential travel and check for local government updates before planning a trip. Some tourist sights and places of worship might be closed to contain the spread of the virus. Always wear a mask and don’t forget to wash your hands. Stay at…
Read MoreA foggy evening at Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장)
South Korea has imposed social distancing across the country until 13th September 2020. Please avoid nonessential travel and check for local government updates before planning a trip. Stay at home now and travel later. We’ve had the wettest monsoon this summer. There were about 10 typhoons (of varying intensities) that wrecked havoc at vulnerable spots…
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