DAY4// 13 OCT
Begin my day late today (don't know it's the soju or I'm just really drop dead tired from walking in Nami Island and GMC.
1100 Brunch at Twosome Place
Looks great right? So is the price
Love this seat, overlooking the street
Just one street of shops, took me so long to get to Ewha Women University ๐ค
I just thought the street w these trees is lovely.
Finally reached the University itself.
I think there are reasons why this is a tourist attraction.
But when I see China tourists in NUS, I felt like they have nothing better to do.
Building nice hor
Tourists are everywhere but still looks great
THE NICEST BUILDING๐
From the other side hehehe
้ฝๆฅไบ so I asked people to take photo for me hehe then I met 2 taiwanese girls who are damn ไบฒๅ and they like the photos I took, the suggestions I gave. We chat for awhile besides taking photos and they are v nice, help me take photos, teach me how to post cutely and all. Then chinese-speaking people came over to ask us to help them take photo. And they love the candid shots I took hehehe
I really like such unexpected friendship (not really lah hor, more like meeting). Only when you travel solo, you tend to interact w others more, meet people from different walks of life and I really like that ever since exchange days in Europe.
Also, maybe in 2 years time, I will invest in a professional camera and take nice shots of people, of things,of scenary. I really like photography and I think these experiences made me consider investing 5k in this hobby.
I tried to take a selfie lah but looks meh meh lo
Then I carried on with shopping around the area and settled for PAIK'S COFFEE!!!
I should get coffee but I got Ice peach tea (drink?). Actually I don't know what is it called since they have it in korean and chinese.
I bought so much stuff??? Like omg I need to use a big recycling bag to put them in.
๋๋ ํ๊ตญ์ฌ๋ ์๋๋ค
Today's events:
1. Ahjumma asked me if this train goes to hongdae. I nodded. Then she said somemore stuff and I am like "huhhh", then she realised, and asked if i am from China. I shook my head and then she asked if I am really not korean. I nodded.
2. When I buy things at more touristy shops, the staff at the counters speak eng/chi w the lady in front but in korean to me. Simple things I can get it but tax refund bla bla, then passaway. The staff be like "o sorry and said it in English.
3. Shoe shop owner spoke to me in Korean (damn long sentences, I don't know what he said). Then I said "sorry?" WAH HE DAMN SHOOK, he said your face looks so korean-like so I thought you are.
He kept asking if I am really not korean (YA, NOT EVEN ABIT) then wah this seemingly young dude keep looking at my phone when I am messaging bc I can't decide which pair to get. Then he asked me a few times if I got ๋จ์น. Don't have bro!!! He said I looked 21 (quite near 23) and he looked 24?? But he is 35
We highfive so many times (I don't know why also)
Okay end of drama..
HONGDAE LEGGO
People dancing, left and right
Yup the left
People busking!! I have always wanted to try busking, but so strange to hear my voice omg
Hongdae is super crowded, maybe because it is a saturday so machiam like a can of sardine.
Why I never take more photos??
SO DISTRACTED BY ALL THE DANCING AND STUFF. I don't know how long I stood there to watch them.
And my shopping bag is damn heavy and burden.
Walked too far after that, took even more time to find a subway entrance whew (I stopped using a map bc my google maps doesn't seem to work in Seoul)
Decided to head back to my accoms, put things down and e-checkin and...
Had dinner at myeongdong station. The owners are v nice and the tteobokki sauce is their service! W4,000 dinner ๐
Next up: Lee Dong Hae's Haru & One Day ๐๐๐โ๏ธ
Haru & One Day
Always wanted to come to his cafe and Apple said that I would love the interior for sure. WHICH I DO OMG it's super spacious, the ceiling is v high so the cafe feels v huge and w depth. The ambience is unbelievable (if only donghae ssi isn't in Nagoya and right here)
Today is a Saturday but at 1925, there are still plenty of seats and I can choose where I want to sit at.
I went to place my order. Okay the lady xiao shook when I said "hello, can I have ....?" YA I NOT KOREAN THANKS
I ordered an Ice Vienna Coffee. The drink I got to know of from Kang's kitchen. VIENNA COFFEE IS THIS SUPER SWEET CREAM ON TOP OF ESPRESSO.
TA DA
The cup holder ๐โค๏ธ AND HAE-PPY BDAY DONGHAE SSI 19861015
I love it, it's too pretty ๐๐๐๐
Wanted to read "Me before You" at this beautiful place but I guess updating my dayre is a good idea too
Went to buy the skincare stuff my friends need in myeongdong. The street food looks daebak, tomorrow last night then I binge eat using all the money HAHAHHAH
Stopped by to get banana milk (the light). This tastes better tho.
NAISEU hehe
OMO AND I CANNOT undo the basin stopper. So my sink is choked ๐ // Much later, I resolved it heng
DAY5// 14 OCT
TODAY IS MY D-DAY ๐๐คhehehhe
Special outfit for a special day! Can't wait alreadyyyy
Met other guests at the guesthouse, angmoh more polite I guess. This couple said good morning to me while I was having my morning coffee, butter and toast.
I told them I just boiled water so they can use that kettle of water for their coffee. Then I started washing my dishes and the guy was like can I use your knife?
"Sure, let me wash that first"
"Oh, it's alright. It's just some butter."
I washed it anyway bro. He reminds me of my swedish neighbours on exchange doing something liddis too. The pan can be still oily after their wash and they be like it's okay.
They are really nice but what needs to be done, needs to be done.
Changdeokgung
Passing the entrance, into changdeokgung
CHIO
I am in love w their roofs. In the colour of green and red that resembles pine trees. The tourguide said that!!
I got my ticket to the palace and huwon garden for W8,000. Since the secret garden tour is limited to 100 people, I booked it online YAS
English tour 1015
I like how I can read this. King Sejong created hangeul so that everyone can learn to read and write (only scholars and wealthy family learn chinese characters).
Hangeul isn't difficult but like even after learning the characters, you can read but still don't know what it means HAHAHA DAS ME
Huwon Secret Garden AKA forbidden garden
1130 Secret Garden Tour w Kim. She is funny, I like.
Lotus Pond and there is a pavillion next to this named ่ฒ่ฑไบญ. The pond is in a square shape, represents the Earth and xxx?? Is circular represents the sky.
The 21st (??) King of Joseon Dynasty had a bad childhood, his grandfather locked his father in a cabinent in summer. Without food and water, his father passed away and he took the throne, being one of the most successful king.
The contents are blurry because my memory sucks
TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES, you can go up and be a king too
Stone gate. Quite small but its significance is that you will never age by walking through it. Hope it really works!!!
NAISEU but the people I asked just don'/t know how to take photos LOL
FAVOURITE!!!!
My new friend from Philipines taught me how to post in photos but I still look strange. ์?
So this is Hazel! She is from Philipines and she don't look her age. We chat during the tour and happen to be both staying in meyongdong.
Dinner tonight?
SECHSKIES CONCERT 2018
์ง๊ธ. ์ฌ๊ธฐ.์ฐ๋ฆฌ
์ง๊ธ. ์ฌ๊ธฐ.๋ค์
On the way to Olympic Gynastics Arena๐ when I came out from the exit, asked a guy how to get to the arena. He said he will take me WOW RIGHT but he meant the information board LOL
But there were many yellkies w the bags and yellow clothings so I found my way teeheee
EUNJIWON SSI
I am here!!!!
Collected my ticket but 1์ธต 10๊ตฌ์ญ19์ด 009๋ฒ is enter from which entrance???
SO MANY THINGS TO BUY BUT haishhh buy already also ไธ่ๅพ use or simply got no place to display it.
After that, I was sad bc I didn't get anything else
So I only got the lightstick at W20,000 ๐
The thing about concerts is that fans will prepare gifts, posters, things for other fans.
The auntie in me went to get even tho most of the time, I don't know what they are giving out.
I JUST WANNA BE WITH YOU
Ahjumma walking on the street, made a convo w me. Jangsuwon ssi, majayo. Ahjumma know maknae jangsuwon sia. Oh wait but he is almost 40 hahaha
He looks so cute in this. NEW BIAS^ ๐
KIM JAEDUC. Omg he is so cute ๐
This one I had to tell that eonni I want eunjiwon's. EONJIWON. Still cannot pronounce EUN right HALP
But she told us to love the others too. I DO but I think v selfish if I told her I want another one.
Leader Eun's fanbase KYNE luggage tag woohoooo ๐
Got this from a HK fan bc I was asking where to go. But I think she not as brave as those korean eonnies that just shout and get people' attention.
Food from japanese fans ๐
I thought there will be sechskies Logo but nahhh. Going to use this on the plane
After all these freebies, I don't feel empty for not buying more things ๐
The lightstick looks liddis. AND THEN I DROPPED IT AFTER SO THERE IS DENT SOBS
I found the right entrance and my seat (sector 10, Row R, 19, Seat 9).
Thanks to the yellkies eonnies that helped me along the way bc I might look Korean but really no..
Selfie w the lightstick ๐
So pretty hor. Can change into many different colours but yellow is sechskies fan colour so yeah yellow. Going to use this at home and sing to myself HAHAHHA
I can only see their faces from the screen ): but still v lucky to be here and singing along to their songs, doing fan chants and guessing what they said in korean HAHA
๐
I didn't take many photos bc 1) I was too far, 2) the moment now is more important than trying to capture what I saw and 3) I was too into the concert so I forgot HAHAHAHA
In the first few songs, I couldn't help but feel empty bc it's 4 and not 5. Wished KangSungHoon can be here.
They sound different???
Without KSH, sechskies doesn't feel complete๐
Nevertheless, they did such a good job on stage. The performances, the fan service and stage interactions. Most of their convos, I had to use my 2% korean skills, body language and reaction reading to guess what they were talking about. Eunjiwon is hilarious, leejaejin strange, kimjaeduck sweet & jangsuwon cute.
They sang so many of their highlight songs; something special, feeling, vertigo, together forever, it has been awhile, hunch, COMBACK, roadfighter, pomsaengpomsa, couple, be well, sad song, three words.
I sang along so much that my throat hurts HAHAHAHA and waving my lightstick!!! It was 2hrs 45 mins
THIS IS MY FIRST CONCERT EVER and I loved it so much. I understand why people keep going for concerts again and again. The moment it ends, you want to see them again.
๊ทธ๋ ๊น์ง
Together forever
When you haven't seen them, you want to meet them.
Once you met them, you want to meet again and hope the wait is not long.
I will learn my korean diligently and one day get the floor ticket to be w oppas (bc they give out stuff and shake hands sobs I sat so far away LOL)
Took the metro w the yellow banners hahaha, back to my room to put things down and head out again.
2120
Went to innis free to get things and met Hazel for dinner. We had ์น๋งฅ
Hehehe okay my camera slanted
CHICKEN OMG
Hazel being such a sweetheart and open the beer bottles. Love the radish btw and we had such a wonderful time.
Head over to myeongdong street to get stuff but it's 11pm already so we got banana milk (her treat) and head to our hostels.
Decided to meet again when she visits Singapore (:
I went back to my accoms and took photos of everything while listening to their songs, wishing these moments can replay forever.
DAY 6 // 15 OCT
ICN > HK > SGP
Time to go home sobs. Didn't have time for toast so just drank coffee and ๊ฐ์
It's crowded on a weekday at 10 am??
IDW TO LEAVE ):
Airport staff had to double take when checking my passport HAHA and yes I have the world's #1 passport!!!!
Went through the security check smoothly without english bc I know what she said yasss
And another asked me, am I korean and can I do a survey for her. I would love to but I ain't.
KOREA please adopt me!
On the plane, it's really boring and I kept falling asleep while watching Jurassic World.
It is a good movie but then the moment I know I am going home, my energy fell to zero (or is it bc I slept at 3am last night)
At HK airport, got angmoh behind me during the plane transfer, I think he saw my phone and realised I am an asian that knows english hahaha. Then he asked me if here goes to Melbourne.
Hahaha so cute. The answer is yes and no bc this is a general security check to transfer flights. I told him w my angmoh accent english.
After that we met again and his smile is real cute.
๐ Kiddos are going to Korea this and the following week. Stella relayed my msg to Denzel that I missed him. According to Stella, he was all shy and cute, looking on the floor and smiling. So cheeky! THIS MADE MY DAY!!! โค๏ธ hope yall love Korea!
Note: Will visit Korea whenever I can, bc saranghae yo.
Withdrawal symptoms are real. Like a moment ago, I was having the time of my life doing Seoul things that my soul needs. A moment later, I am lying in my bed in Singapore, wondering which episode am I at for Story of Yanxi Palace.
Instead of feeling sad over how my holiday is over, I should pen down my feelings and thoughts through this holiday, this uncertainty-bound chapter of my life and the new chapter that begins in November.
.
.
.
SEOUL TRIP takeaways๐โค๏ธ
- finally saw Seoul w my own two eyes after 16 years gap
- experience the food and culture
- touristy destination checklist done
-watched SHINee World V viewing and they are five again
-Haru & One Day
-SECHSKIES 2018 CONCERT (finally met my loves)
-great weather and my eyeliner stop smudging
-being free and happy, like how youths are suppose to feel
-independence
-rediscover my love for adventures and travel
-discover that solotripping can be the best thing ever
-HEAL
*THANK YOU NOTE*ย
To the people who supported my decisions, felt excited for what is coming my way and happy for the little achievements or fun I had. Being physically alone during the trip but w my heart full, is the reason I didn't feel a moment of emptiness. My days were filled w wonder and courage. You people are truly gems and I am truly grateful to be blessed w love.
The direction in life?
ย think at the age of 22-23, it is like an awkward age in life that you have absolutely no idea what is next. You are no longer the crazy kid at 21 and have yet emerge as a true adult. It is confusing, it is also unbearable at times bc you start questioning your whole life.
Did I do it right? Is this it? Am I happy?
I don't think there are actually legit answers to this. We all grow and learn through uncertainties, trying, falling and getting up.
I still have no answers to what I want to do in life. But, I know what makes me truly happy.
If having a 9-6 work is going to give me the financial ability to pursue this happiness, then it is a step forward for me. So keep going and I will be one more day closer to happiness ๐๐
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