My first memory, in front of the camera, was when my father asked me to smile for him. Despite being a shy kid, who didn’t know how to smile for the camera, I tried my best to show my bunny teeth. Back in the day, my father had a keen interest in photography. His muse…
Read More
“We should not teach children the sciences; but give them a taste for them.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau Growing up, I was lead to believe that science and art are two parallel disciplines, running alongside each other — never destined to meet. Perception plays an important role in what we believe and that in turn, influences our view…
Read More
After a dry run of 15 km, from Mapo to Mangwan Hangang River Park, and back, along the Han; I thought I was sufficiently prepped to take our cycling to the next level. Honestly, I don’t think, I truly understood what I was getting into, when I chalked out a plan, for a day long…
Read More
Way back in the seventies, my parents along with my brother (who was three at that time) moved to the UK. Their stint would last for about three years, before they would eventually return home, but stories of their life and travels across Europe, would dominate the rest of their life. As a child, I’d…
Read More
Seoul doesn’t feature on many travellers’ bucket-list. Honestly, it didn’t feature on mine either. It doesn’t have the glitz of Shanghai or Tokyo’s breakneck pace. The city is austere; a lot of its cultural/heritage sites were destroyed or damaged during colonial rule. And the effect of its bitter past is hard to shake off. A…
Read More
Meeting new people is an integral part of relocating to a new city. It’s also one of the biggest challenges that I face, possibly because, I’m not always good with small talk or meeting new people. I’ve probably mentioned it before, it’s pretty amazing that many of my friends or family, have had a Korean friend.…
Read More
Continuing from where I left off in my previous post… After hiking to the ridge of Mt. Achasan and turning away from the Seoul Trail leading to Mt. Yongmasan, we walked down a long trail of steps to Achasan Mountain Ecological Park. By 1 p.m., families and groups of hikers started showing up in the…
Read More
Before we moved to Seoul, I didn’t realise how undulating the terrain could get. It’s not surprising that the people living here — are incredible fit. Abandoned railway lines are converted into lengthy walking trails, exercise equipment can be found in every park or mountain trail, and almost every mountain path is connected by a…
Read More
The Vegetarian isn’t an easy read. However, I also knew, I couldn’t miss being a part of the revelry. For the first time, the translated work of a Korean author had won a Man Booker International Prize. Local bookshops and Korean newspapers had posters (like the one above) splashed across glass windows and the front page. Why…
Read More
There are many things I love about Korea. Undoubtedly, mountains top the list of my favourites. Unlike walking, hiking has never been easy for me. Often, I’ve let my fear of heights get the better of me and have given in to defeat without a honest fight. And that’s why, I admire those rocky peaks —…
Read More