KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO! Part 2

There was Ben with his cousin Alex and fiancee Suzie; they were all from Labuan and natives, so that adds interesting blend of flavor to the team - which I thought would be all El Chinos. Later, we met two other families (Peter Wong family from Manggatal & another family from Sandakan).

We checked in; and I guess also officially met our first Korean for this trip - he was a young handsome fair-skin chap (and most Koreans have that complexion) and I think I tried on him my first "anyeong haseyo" during the duration of the journey. (The greeting was well-received with a bright smile.)

Excitement continues to blossom surely and steadily. My wife and I happily strolled around KK's latest landmark not particularly looking for anything but merely roaming like curious innocent kids. We were "killing time" - if you would like to put it that way. Killing time? No way; time is too precious to waste! Yeah, but we checked in at 10pm and we don't board till 11pm and final call was not till 15 minutes before take off at 12:05am.

And oh, need to mention here was this long-white haired spunky lanky "cowboy" whom I believe is a Sabahan. (And later in Seoul, I would see him again at the Chinese breakfast place on the fourth morning.) (Anyway, it was just amazing how lasting the effect can be to the mind when someone decides to present himself unconventionally to the world.)

KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO!

It was close to 9:30 Tuesday night the last day of September 2008. The weather was nice and calm but my wife and I were apparently becoming nervous. Yes, we were about to embark our first journey overseas together as husband and wife since we got married on Aug 31, 2002, but that wasn't the main reason we were restless at that particular moment on that fine evening.

Ah, finally here he comes. It was the cabbie; he was right on the dot, thankfully, even though my wife swore that he would be 15 minutes early. Great respite for us. We made sure the house was secured (we actually both knelled down much earlier and prayed for God's protection and journey mercy) and gladly boarded the taxi with all our luggage for a five minutes drive to KK's brand new airport main terminal.

Endless exhilaration and anticipation best described my emotions at that time. Sure, why not? I have not traveled outside Malaysia since I returned from US on 17 May, 1993. Cruising over the clouds into the heavens headed to a foreign land and culture is arguably the neatest thing for me to experience. Been there, done that, but I don't mind going through it again. Over and over again, if need be.

Five minutes were up and we're at that spanking sparkling structure. Wow! I'm getting closer every moment. And each time it felt like I needed to shed some tears to remind me that things are real - really happening. (No, no need to pinch; watery eyes were sufficient) Sights of travelers (locals and internationals) were suddenly plenty and from here onwards becoming common. Not too long later, we met Teo (our Sabahan tour guide of Eternal Holidays) and slowly the rest of the team members - 15 of us altogether.

TBC

PONCHO'S LIFE

KOREAN HOTELS

These are the hotels my wife and I stayed during our visit to South Korea recently.

Night One ~ Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008
Seorak Tourist Hotel Gapyeong
After a long drive from Seoul, and visiting a place where they had a movie shot, we drove almost two hours or more through tunnels and the mountains (like driving up to Kundasang) to get to this hotel. It was really foggy and freezing. We got here at about 8pm. Hotel was nice and clean. Quaint. Two or three star maybe. Friendly services.

Night Two ~ Thursday, Oct 2, 2008
Daemyung Resort Seorak
We started early at about 7am, had Western breakfast at Gapyeong Hotel and then drove through more tunnels and ridges and valleys and river banks and paddy fields and small towns and military posts, we got to Mount Seorak National Park. What a wonderment! After a long day hiking and trekking and saw many places (even visited an tiny exotic fishing town), this is our next hotel. What a delight! I would say that it is something like Sutera Harbour Resort or Shangri-La's Tanjong Aru Resort and Spa (except no beach!!!???) Nice place. There were lots of Indonesian tourists stayed there that same night. Went to spa. Fabulous! And the rooms were designed in a very traditional Korean motifs and interior; slept on floor (Korean/Japanese style). Neat! My wife took a lot of photos of trees with Fall-like colours around this resort. Right at the front of this resort are beautiful greyish/bluish granite peaks (which reminded me of beautiful Kinabalu!).



Night Three & Four ~ Friday, Oct 3, 2008 & Saturday, Oct 4, 2008
Capital Hotel Seoul
Back to the HUGE metropolis of Seoul. We drove from all the way from the country side (very sleepy) and headed to Everland (south of Seoul) (at KK's twin-city) (and literally spent the whole day at that Disneyland-like park!) and then headed to Seoul finding our way through the freeways and highways and streets and flyovers and bridges to this hotel pictured below. Urban hotel. Big. Like Hyatt Regency Kinabalu. Very business-like hotel. Nice services. Very professional. But no three-point adapter for Malaysian electronic device??? The rooms are decorated with very old English interior! Earlier we visited a casino by the river in Seoul.
Saturday we had China breakfast and visited the Blue House and Lotte World. And headed back to this hotel late at night. Next day headed to Jeju.


Night Five & Six (final) ~ Sunday, Oct 5, 2008 & Monday, Oct 6, 2008
Palace Hotel Jeju
Jeju Island! Ah! Just like going to Hawaii, haha. Except no "Lei"!!??