I’ve always been a bit perplexed about love. It’s hard to understand a primal emotion in its entirety — when it has the power to numb the rational centres of your mind. In my angsty twenties, I wanted to stay away from it. I couldn’t have my mind clouded by frivolous emotions and lose focus…
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We thought we’d spend a quiet Christmas in Seoul this time. The past year had been chaotic with back-to-back travel. We had to tweak our plans because Basil had a work trip to Shanghai — on the next day of Christmas. We’d effectively have to spend most of Christmas Day at Incheon Airport. But we…
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Getting Around There are many ways to explore Taiwan’s northern and northeastern tourist attractions. The easiest way would be to sign up for the shuttle bus tour offered by either KKday or Klook. It’s best to book your tour before your travel date, especially during tourist season. Avoid weekends because Shifen Waterfall isn’t included in most…
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This year fall started pretty early and was cut short by temperatures plummeting in November. However, we managed to do some short trips (mostly subway rides) around the city and capture the best views of Seoul in this season. Seokchon Lake (석촌호수) Lotte World Tower literally cuts into the blue sky above. The tower looks…
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The past two months have been busy with back-to-back travel and visits from friends and family. Fortunately, we didn’t miss fall and tried to make the best of what Seoul had to offer. It’s already winter now and the weather has been iffy with cold spells and showers of snow. As we brace ourselves for…
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Mistaken Names & Towns I’ve wanted to experience a temple stay program for a very long time. So, last year, I was very excited when my Korean friend gifted us a couples’ stay at a temple of our choice. We chose Woljeongsa Temple (월정사 전나무숲) in Gangwon Province. Woljeongsa Temple lies in Odaesan National Park (오대산국립공원) — a popular fall viewing…
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Bromo to Madakaripura Spirits were high after our morning adventure (previous post). We left Lava View Lodge soon after breakfast and got a look at the other side of the mountain village on the drive to Madakaripura. The sun was out now and brought life to the sky and fields. I wished we could have stayed for…
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Adventures on Horse & Sand We had just witnessed a fantastic sunrise at Penanjakan and now it was time to explore Mount Bromo. It was about 6:30 a.m. when my horse-ride started. I would have preferred my feet over a pony (to cover a 3 Km patch), but I was so tired and the sun…
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To Penanjakan 1 (2,700 m) We had to wake up at 2:00 a.m. in the morning to ensure we got a spot at Penanjakan — the popular viewpoint. But we weren’t the only ones. The cottage was buzzing with alarms and hurried footsteps. Eko (our guide) met us at the reception area and looked pretty…
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Getting there We reached Gupabal Station (subway line 3) at 7:00 a.m. in the morning. There’s a bus stop, on the same side of the road, around 5 minutes from exit 1. Most websites recommend Bus No. 704 (on the opposite side) or Bus No. 34. A taxi driver figured we were confused and suggested Bus…
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