7 Days Korea Winter Sonata Trip
10 Feb 2008 (Sun)
I was checking my luggage in the afternoon time, waiting for my bf to come back from work.... Our departure time was 10.40pm, so it's still early; we decided to take Mrt to Changi Airport.... Once we reached there at about 8.30pm, the tour person in-charged helped us to do the check-in... The time was still 2 hours before the departure time, so we shopped at the Duty Free Shops & had our dinner at Burger King...
We took the flight by Korea Asiana Airline to Seoul, although the airplane is small, but it provide a small personal TV for each person, hence we can choose to watch the video or listen to the recorded songs on our own without any disturbance....
11 Feb 2008 (Mon)
We arrived at Korea at 6.10am, the difference with Singapore time is 1 hour... Upon arrival, we had our McDonald breakfast at Incheon International Airport... We found out one thing, no chilli sauce will be given in Korea, sigh, they only have ketchup, kind of not used to it, hehe...
The weather is super cold, -8 degree celcius, I couldn't stop using my scarf to cover my face from the cold wind... We met our tour guide & other tour mates & board the bus proceed to our first destination - Nami Island, which is the filming location of the popular Korea drama series show "Winter Sonata"... We took ferry to reach the island, took a lot of photos in this beautiful island...
Afterwards, we stop in the city that Koreans have ranked as the best city to live in, Chuncheon… Here we can find a row of restaurants specializing in dakgalbi – stir-fried chicken marinated in a spicy sauce… Today's lunch is fried rice with chicken & veggie cooked in a hotplate, taste not bad... Thereafter, we shopped for a while in Chuncheon Myong Dong. I bought a fashion black stocking which can helps to keep warm for the legs, nothing much else to buy here, cuz I was aiming to shop at Dongdaemun during the end of this trip, heee...
Lastly, we spent another 2 hours journey to reach Phoenix Han Wha Ski Resort for the 2 night stay...This resort is proud of its excellent quality of snow, and valley-type slopes that make the best use of natural topography of Taegi Mountain which is 1,050m above sea level....The tour guide told us that this is a very high class hotel, only members are allowed to stay in, but he also mentioned that nothing is inside the room (I mean for e.g shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, etc), hehe... Actually this is like a type of chalet in Singapore... This room is quite big, like a 3 rooms flat in Singapore, got a master room with toilet inside, another room empty, got a big fridge, TV, a small kitchen that we can cook food on our own, but we didn't use it la, very lazy, haha.... The hotel has a very good view of snow & ski activities from the window...
We had our dinner nearby our ski resort, the meal is 水饺 & veggie steamboat, not really tasty.... After that, we back to hotel at 7pm plus, watched TV & sleep early... The heater will be switched on after 6pm, it's at 28 degree celsius, it's quite hot, can u imagine we still on our air-con until 16 degree Celsius in Singapore lo, hehe... So we opened the window to let some cool air go inside, hee...
12 Feb 2008 (Tue)
Morning call rings at 6am.... After preparing ourselves, we met 7.30am at the lobby & had our buffet breakfast in the ski resort; the food is more to western food, like hotdog, fried rice, egg, mushroom soup, 水饺, French fries, etc... Taste not bad....
At 8am, we head towards skiing... The ski boots is super heavy & very tight after wearing it on; all of us couldn't walk properly after wearing the boot, hee... The 滑翘 also very heavy... Firstly, the tour guide taught us how to fall down & stand up, he say this is the most important step for the beginner, haha... We learnt how the proper way to ski... I kept laughing at others when they fall down, haha... I'm considered very expects in skiiing already, didn't fall down once at all, haha.....Our tour guide told us he was a National Ski Player but he’s quit after an accident happened on his waist area… This is supposed to be a full day ski activities from 8.30am - 4pm, in between we can go to have our lunch on our own, but about 11am we're already feeling tired & went to have our lunch - Popeyes Chicken (Just like KFC), after that we decided to walk back to our resort to have some rest...
Skiing is fun, but carrying the heavy 滑翘 back to the top location is very tiring, heee.... Once reached the resort, I was writing down my dairies on my small note book while he's sleeping inside the bedroom, heee... We're supposed to meet the others at 4pm to take the gondola ride (cable car) up to the top of the snowy mountain, however, I set my hp alarm wrongly, cuz I forgot there's 1 hour difference, then I suddenly woke up at 3.50pm, quickly rushed back to the ski location... Unfortunately, our tour guide also made a mistake, he didn't check with the staff about the timing, and then we delayed our gondola ride to night time, sigh....
At night time the weather more cold... We took the cable car up to the snowy mountain, and then once we stepped out from the cable car, we really couldn't stand the cold wind, I think it's about -22 degree Celsius.... All of us really hope to sit back to the cable car to return ASAP, haha.... My bf asked me to take some photos then we quickly run back to the cable car, heee...
13 Feb 2008 (Wed)
After breakfast, we proceed to breathtaking Mount Sorak National Park, whose beauty is accented by granite peaks, lush green valleys and dense forests... We took a cable car proceed to the climbing mountain area, then we started to climb the mountain for more than 10mins, the scenery is nice & we took some photos there.... Thereafter, we went to visit the 统一佛 temple, this is the god that Korean believe it'll bring South & North Korea combine together again... The temple staff kept asking us to buy the wishes card to hang on top, so that our wishes can come true, the price is S$15, quite expensive, she seems like doing business like that, showed us these cards are from Singapore & Malaysia, and those cards are from China, etc... But I told my bf this is temple, considered donation lo... My bf wrote English wishes on the card & hang on top, then the woman took the $ already then like ignored us already...hehe.... Money face!!
Thereafter, we proceed to Sorak Waterpia which is located against the backdrop of the majestic Seoraksan National Park, using 100% natural hot spring water... There's wave pool, flow pool, Jacuzzi, and various other pools and facilities include water slides that are 100 and 70 meters long... For the hot spring, there are 2 big pools for guys & girls separately, but we didn't go for this, cuz it requires all of us to wear nothing, so we chose to go other pools & wearing our swim suit... There're indoor & outdoor hot spring facilities...
First of all, we walk around the places to try different hot spring (got 30 degree Celsius, 40 degree Celsius, etc), wave pools & massage pools.. After that, we all running like chickens & ducks after going to the outdoor places, the cold wind made our body hair stand up ar!! hee... The outdoor hot springs really like 室外桃园 lo...
Me, my bf & another tour mate, going up the staircase to try the 70 m long water slides, then my bf was the 1st one to play, then once he touched on the water, he shouted:" it’s cold water ar!!!" Then both of us laughed out loudly & say wanted to walk down the staircase & dun want to play already, but after that we say since already come up here, so we played la... Wow.... it's very exciting & fun, really will shout when I follow the water slide down... Then, my bf loved it, addicted already, go played twice again, hee...
14 Feb 2008 (Thurs)
Today is Valentines Day & also our 3.5 yrs anniversary, it's quite meaningful & romantic to spend this day overseas... We're looking forward to see the snow coming, the weather forecast saying that these few days maybe will snowing, but our tour guide say Korea weather forecast is always wrong estimated, only can trust for 30% estimation, hehe... During the whole trip, we didn't experience snowing....What a pity... Our tour guide comment that it's best time to snow during night time, then we can see the snow from window & will feel romantic, but if we're outside while snowing, then it's very uncomfortable & will get dirty, heee....
Today, we make our way to Yong In Everland Theme Park, we're giving Big 5 tickets per person to enjoy the games... This theme park is very big, we can spent the whole day until 4pm for only 5 tickets used, u can imagine how big it is... hehe... This theme park got 5 different areas, namely European Aventure, American Aventure, Zoopia, etc... A very 梦幻乐园 lo....First of all, our tour guide bring us to the Zoopia, which is a lively Zoo by sitting inside a bus, those animals are just besides your bus walking around.... The animals include tigers, white tigers, lion, liger (Lion + tiger) - mixed blood, bear, etc... The most entertaining is the bears, they understand Korean & Chinese language, the bus driver talked to them, ask them to perform, e.g. take out its tongue, make a sexy pose, put hands together to beg for food, etc & giving them biscuit as rewards...
Thereafter, we played a same roller coaster twice (X train), cuz it's so fun!! Another game is like swinging us to the left & right, not fun at all, we felt like vomiting after playing it, hehe... Our tour guide asked us to try the 闸蒋面 which is sell in a Chinese Restaurant here, but it taste normal to me, so so only...hee...
From Everland, we move on to a Kim chi-making session, where we also have the opportunity to take photos while dressed in Hanbok, the traditional Korean costume... For guys, they've to wear on the big hat, which seems funny to us, hehe...
Next, we proceed to the country's largest wholesale centre, Dongdaemun Market... The tour guide saying that now is winter season, so we may not get any nice cloths to buy except winter cloths, so he gave us 1.5 hours to shop there... But I really love the night market which open only from 10pm to 5am, just like our Pasar Malam.... Dongdarmun market is very big, he says even giving us 1 day we also not afford to shop finish, hehe.... I'm not satisfied; I asked my bf to accompany to shop the next day night time again, heee....
Today & the next day we're staying at Lotte World Hotel, Seoul....This hotel is very high class hotel... The toilet bowl also quite high tech one, can help u to clean up your backside, haha... My bf loved this but both of us didn't dare to try on it, heeee....
15 Feb 2008 (Fri)
Today is a full day of fun and shopping... We begin with a city tour of Seoul... Visit the majestic Gyeongbok Palace, built in 1394 during the Chosun Dynasty.... Drive past the Presidential Blue House and make a stop to purchase Korean ginseng, but I didn't buy anything, it's too expensive, hehe... Next, we also stopped by an amethyst factory where we can see a wide selection of jewellery, I bought a purple crystal key chain for my sis... Thereafter, visit Shinchon Fashion Street, the most famous shopping district in Seoul where youths are seen wearing the latest trends and fashion... This is followed by a stop at a Tong chung chao shop that sells cordyceps, which arewell known for their medicinal qualities...
In the afternoon, we visit Korea's largest indoor theme park, Lotte World Adventure Park,” Stairways of Heaven" filming site... We're also given 5 tickets each to play for the whole day... Spent the afternoon with live entertainment, thrilling rides, and explored the countless quaint shops found throughout the vast grounds... This Adventure Park scene is just like Disneyland, very beautiful & 梦幻... At first, we took the monorail to have a good view of the indoor & outdoor games & scenery around the Lotte World... We took 2 roller coasters here although we've to wait for an hour, it's more fun & exciting compared to Everland, hehe...
Watched the 3D ghost house show, it's not scary at all, however, we heard some Japanese & Korean screaming because of the rats, then my bf purposely laughed out loudly: "HAHAHA!!!" These 3 words made the whole room laughed out together, hehe... Cuz he felt that it's not scary at all... Besides that, we explored the mystery of 埃及... We wait for the laser show until 9pm; it's beautiful but not very interesting cuz we do not understand Korean language...
Thereafter, we met our tour mates to go take Mrt to Dongdaemun for shopping purpose at 11pm... Luckily 1 of my tour mate brought the Map & information book to look for the Mrt line, aiyo... Korea's mrt line is too complicated & more than few hundreds stations, 13 lines... We finally reached our destination, we started to shop around on our own, I bought a lot of cloths, a handbag, cosmetics, ear rings, necklaces, jacket for my bf, etc... I never shop until so shiok before ler, hehe.... I was looking to buy a shoe for a few hours, but I couldn't find one which is suitable for me, cuz I find the heel is too high, but the variety is a lot & the price is cheaper than Singapore!
While shopping half way, my bf suddenly felt his leg was in painful, and walked like a Pai2 Ka1, this is his old sickness lo, I saw him like this 3 times since I’ve known him....We guess it's too cold & we shopped for quite long too... My legs & toes were also in pain, too cold!! So he asked me to shop faster for my own stuff instead of his jacket, I saw he bear the pain & still willing to accompany me to shop until the end, I was in a dilemma, felt quite heart pain see him like this but also hope to shop anymore... At last, I gave up looking for shoe; we took taxi back to our hotel at 2am... My legs left some red marks bcuz of the coldness, my face started to turn dry; I quickly applied lotion lo...
16 Feb 2008 (Sat)
Today is the last day of our trip... How time flies... I did some last min shopping with others at Shinchun Ladies Street, the latest fashion of youngsters cloths here... I bought another 3 cloths here, it's too cheap! Less than S$10… However, I couldn't spend much cuz I left not much Korean Won already... hehe... Whereas, my bf's leg was still not recovered yet, so he's sleeping inside the bus... I'm thinking if his leg pain at the 1st day, then our entire trip will be suffered & not enjoying at all already, heee...
Next stop is at the Local Food Shop, I spent S$124 for buying some souvenirs & local food by using S$, hehe... We head towards Incheon International Airport & took the flights at 4pm, arrived Singapore at 10.25pm...
Overall, I found that Korean traditional foods are not tasty at all... I missed Chicken rice in Singapore, haha.... There's a trend that all teenager girls are cutting the same short straight fringe along the street...hehe... They look quite silly...hee... Korean is very particular in beautifying themselves, like 整容, make up, it's quite common here... And the cosmetics in The Face Shop are very cheap here maybe because it's made in Korea & no need to import... It's half the price here that I’ve checked in Singapore, hehe... Tour guide told us their salary range in Korea is quite high, e.g. sales promoter, 1 month at least S$2k+, normal office job also S$4k like that...But their living expenses are also quite high.... Korean singer - Rain is popular in Korea but not 裴永俊... hehe... Throughout the trip, we can see many Samsung products & buildings here, Samsung considered is the Top 1 successful Entrepreneur & sponsor company in Korea… Hyundai rank number 2, and followed by LG, etc…
