It was the fifth morning of our trip around Uzbekistan. T, our driver, was waiting outside our hotel in Bukhara’s Old Quarter. It was freezing outside and I was thankful for the heating inside the car. We waited patiently for A, our guide, to join us. “Schwarza–anegger,” T remarked as A walked slowly towards the…
Read More24 Hours in Gwangju
Getting There (Jeonju – Gwangju) If you’re not travelling during the peak holiday season or on public/national holidays, it shouldn’t be difficult to book a ticket on the spot. There’s a ticket counter for those who don’t mind waiting in a line. Alternatively, the ticket vending kiosk is pretty simple to use and you can…
Read MoreThe Highest Cafe of Jaman Mural Village (자만벽화마을)
Getting there Jaman Mural Village is a 10 minute walk from Jeonju Hanok Village. We followed the tourist boards and walked along the main road. Alternatively, there’s a overhead bridge that connects Omokdae with Imokdae and Jaman Mural Village. Imokdae The village is built on a steep hill with winding turns. It’s hard to miss…
Read MoreIn & Around Jeonju Hanok Village (전주한옥마을)
Jeonju Hanok Village might seem a little touristy at first glance. It’s one of the reasons why it’s taken us so long to visit it. But, once you’ve overlooked the obvious tourist traps, there are many hidden corners and gems to be found. Not surprisingly, Jeonju Hanok Village is one of the Top 100 Must-Visit Tourist…
Read MoreMaking Korean Paper (한지) at Jeonju Hanji Museum
Making new friends was the hardest part of moving to Seoul. It still is. I reluctantly joined hanji (한지) class to meet new people and learn a new skill. Honestly, I was never good at craft in school. I also thought that this was such a lame way to meet new people. Besides, it had…
Read MoreDMZ: The Thin Line Between Hope & Peace
“War does not determine who is right — only who is left.” ― Anonymous I’ve never been a fan of War Tourism. I don’t handle conflict zones very well and tend to get easily overwhelmed by stories of pain and separation. Quite naturally, the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), in South Korea, was never high on my traveller radar…
Read MoreSeeing and Believing in Mori Art Museum
Mori Art Museum is located in Tokyo’s upscale Roppongi Hills. It’s not too difficult to find, given the number of signboards and maps that are placed at regular intervals. A winding staircase (with a glass facade) in Mori Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo, leads to the main ticketing area. I bought a combined ticket for…
Read More12 Hours in Tokyo
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Read MoreLost in Translation
In the seventies, my parents and my toddler brother set out to explore a foreign land. Their expat life was short-lived, but their stories lasted for a lifetime. As a young kid who hadn’t travelled at all, I found their stories to be alluring. I was hooked by a life that was alien to the…
Read MoreRoad Trip to Karakorum
Saying goodbye is never easy… It was the fifth day of our trip across Central Mongolia. After spending two nights with a family of nomads and roughing it in gers; it was time to head back to Karakorum — the ancient capital of Mongolia. We would cover a distance of 130 km, along bumpy country…
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