Mongolia’s national airline, MIAT Mongolian Airlines, connects Seoul to Ulaanbataar in 3 hours. However, bad weather and turbulence can cause frequent flight delays or a longer flight duration. We reached Ulaanbaatar rather late on a wet Saturday evening. We took a cab and reached the heart of the city in about 30 minutes. Outside…
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After a long, sleepless night of tossing and turning — in anticipation of the trip; I managed to make it in time for my hotel pick-up at 8 am. We spent the next 15 minutes picking the rest of the members of the tour. Our tour group had an eclectic mix of people — two…
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Growing up, I used to fondly look forward to this time of year. Back then, we’d all sit together around the table: roll handmade sweets, mum would work relentlessly on our dresses, carols blew in the wind, midnights were synonymous with ringing bells, and our neighbourhood lit up with festivity. As I grew older, and…
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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…
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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…
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The Lotus Lantern Festival (Buddha’s Birth Anniversary) is one of the most important festivals in Seoul. Streets are lined with gleaming lanterns, jubilation fills the air, and under the spotlight — performers emerge under the masks of ordinary people. This year, the buildup to the Lotus Lantern Festival, coincided with many other celebrations and commemorative…
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“God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.” William Shakespeare Every time, I look around me, I find myself drowning under a sea of masks. Each, hiding more than it can reveal. Each, trying it’s best imitation of the one next to it. We’re taught to wear masks at an early age.…
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I never really liked being a kid. I couldn’t understand why ‘adults‘ envied kids. As an adult, they could do what they wanted, wear what they liked, and didn’t have to give an examination to prove what they knew. Or so I thought. I’m on the other side now. I’m the ‘adult’. And I get…
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Every time we travel, I wonder how much of what we see or who we meet, will remain unaffected through our interaction. After-all, we did come from the outside, and that in-turn would alter the reality of those living in a world – very different from our own. And through every subsequent visit, by people, belonging to different worlds;…
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We had three hours to spare after reaching Yangshuo. Many tourists headed towards their hotels. There were people everywhere. It kind of spoiled the beauty of the location. The weather was pleasant and yet we were too tired to appreciate it. I couldn’t bear to walk the town after 4 hours on the cruise. We…
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