Travel: Photo Diary (Suwon, South Korea)

In the summer of 2015, I decided to head back to South Korea for a Summer Programme. While the experience I had there was vastly different from my time in Sweden, I did enjoy my time in South Korea. Spanning across the whole of July, I took this opportunity to rediscover places which I have previously been to and also to venture forth into new ones.

I spent one month in Seoul, South Korea - well almost (except one day out in Suwon). The last week or so, I headed down to Busan and eastward to Donghae.

During this trip, I've been to quite a number of mural villages. Besides the one in Seoul, I’ve also been to the ones in Suwon and Donghae. We didn’t plan on going to the one in Suwon… we just somehow ended up there after we visited the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress (UNESCO Heritage Site). I love looking at the murals that they draw because it reflects the character of their house.

Besides drawing their murals onto the walls of their houses, the also drew it on the metal shutters. It was pretty interesting to see this section of the town covered in murals!

The one below (man holding a cloud umbrella) is my favourite mural of the lot! 

As these murals are painted on the walls of buildings where people actually live and work at, we had to be really quiet. While this wasn't the most touristy place in the whole of Suwon, I must say that finding drawings in small nooks and crannies around this area was pretty fun. 

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Travel: Photo Diary (South Korea)

In December 2014, I decided to go to Korea - during winter. I thought, well, since I've experienced winter in Europe, how cold can the winter in Korea be? I was wrong. It turns out, the winter was really harsh! It was so cold that I spent half the time wishing I was indoors. When I travel, I like to be outside and see a ton of stuff. I think that's how I get to learn more about the culture, see the sights, get to know more people and etc. My friend and I bought the integrated admissions pass to see all the four palaces and the Jongmyo Shrine. Sadly, even though we managed to visit the Changdeokgung, we weren't able to visit Huwon due to time constraints.

I spent my first day in Seoul exploring Naksan Hill and the Iwha Mural Village. Getting to the murals and exploring the village was a bit of a challenge at first because I couldn't find the entrance to it. I didn't spend much time climbing Naksan Hill because I wanted to see the murals, but I think next time I'll climb the hill - apparently, the view from up above is pretty amazing! As for the mural village, I wouldn't say I managed to see all the murals and explore the village thoroughly because you kind of just get lost halfway and well, you just lose track of where you are. 

I think I've been to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) three or four times during this trip. I love the DDP so much! I could spend the whole day here just admiring the architecture, going through the exhibitions and exploring the design market. Besides having the Marilyn Monroe exhibition, they also had this LED light flower exhibition in an open air space. I went once during the day to see it and then again at night. 

During the 2 weeks that I was in Korea, other than taking day trips out of Seoul and visiting Jeonju for a couple of days, I spent most of my days staying around the Hongdae area, mainly near Hongik University Station. At one of the exits, they have painted graffitis on the corrugated boards just outside the station. I often find myself getting confused with their subway stations. I also made a new friend whilst staying in one of the hostels - and we went to Ewha Women's University as well as to explore the area there!

Photo credit: Karine Tan

Speaking of visiting the same location multiple times - I also visited the Bukchon Hanok Village twice. To avoid crowds, you should try to head there as early as possible! 

We also went for the DMZ and JSA tour while we were in Seoul. It was really interesting to see, with your own eyes, what you've only read about in books. Sadly, I wish we had more time to read the exhibits and learn more in depth about the history of North and South Korea. 

We did a couple of day trips out of Seoul and we also visited Jeonju. Well, we were supposed to go to Jeju as well, however, we missed our flight. So we ended up spending most of our time in Seoul! Not only did we get to try Bimbimbap and the Makgeolli in Jeonju (which was really yummy!) we also got to stay at a Hanok (traditional korean house)! Moreover, even though it wasn't my first time experiencing snow fall, the snow fall in Jeonju was really heavy - kind of like buckets of snow being poured onto your head. Imagine a heavy rain - but snow falling instead. 

Photo Credit: Matilda Tang

 I want to visit Korea again and re-visit the places that I've been to as well as to places that I haven't been to out of Seoul. Are there any places which you would recommend me to go to? What do you think is the best season to explore Korea? Do let me know!

Adventure: Photo Diary (Concert)

 

I attended two concerts in March - both were firsts. The One Direction concert had me queuing from 10am all the way until 6.30pm - that was when the gate opened for us to go in. We bought standing tickets and needless to say, after all that waiting, sweating, singing, smooshing - I don't think I'll ever do this again. It was one heck of an experience! The second concert was Ed Sheeran's and it was mind blowing. His concert is one of the best ones I've been to so far - the acoustics, his singing, his guitar skills, his songs - it was nothing short of amazing and I'm glad that I got to experience it.

Sadly, most of my photos turned out blurry. Nevertheless, I had a fun time! I took a couple of video clips of the Ed Sheeran concert. I'll be compiling them into a video and uploading it here!

Travel: Photo Diary (Gothenburg, Sweden)

I know it's been a year since I've been back from my Student Exchange Programme (SEP) in Gothenburg. However, I haven't had the chance to sort out through my photos and edit them - until now. I've decided to collate a visual post on the time I spent in Gothenburg. 

 

I think one of the things that I miss the most is the weather in Gothenburg. It's the first time that I've experienced snow. I won't forget our countless futile attempts at making a snowman and my first snowfall which I experienced on my first day in Gothenburg.

Every time I see my friends who have gone on exchange with me in school, I can't help but feel so happy. I don't think I'll ever forget the memories we made while we were overseas. 

Let me know if you're heading to Gothenburg or Sweden! Or if you've been there! I'd like to hear more about your travel stories! 

Travel: 2014 Travel Video

Before I start off the new year, I would like to end it off with this video. I've spent many hours putting this together, cutting and trimming where I felt was necessary and adding in the music. Sadly, it is nowhere near perfection or the quality that it could potentially be at. Nonetheless, this is the first time that I have taken a ton of video clips during my Student Exchange Programme (SEP) and compiling it into a video. 

Enjoy! x

DIY: Tips On How To Choose An Airbnb

Photos credit: Airbnb

I’ve been using Airbnb for most of my travels and it is a platform which I keep returning to. I’ve decided to write a guide on how to go about choosing an Airbnb. This isn’t a foolproof method to get you the best Airbnb place where you get the best experience at the cheapest price. This is merely a guide, or a checklist, if you must, on how to choose a good Airbnb. Hopefully, with this guide, you will feel less intimidated and more motivated to use Airbnb!

1. Price

Peak Period vs Low Season

One thing you must note is that, the price of the Airbnb does not vary depending on how early you book. Rather, it depends on the number of vacancies a place has. In general, hosts do charge higher prices for peak periods (periods where there tend to be a lot of tourists). This differs from country to country. So if you’re deciding to travel, maybe consider traveling during the low season, if possible.

In some cases, staying on weekends vs weekdays, too, affects the total cost you have to pay. You might want to consider this as well, especially if it’s a short getaway.

Nearer to City Centre or Touristy Sites vs Further Away

The price of the Airbnb tends to be more expensive if they are located nearer to the touristy places although there are some exceptions. They also tend to be more expensive if you want a fancier place.

Number of People

When you're choosing between Airbnbs, you should also consider the number of people that you are traveling with. Now be warned, some of the hosts do charge additional costs for adding on people after you have booked, some of them do not. If you do happen to have any last minute changes, I highly suggest, scratch that, you must inform your host and confirm with them, the exact price for hosting an additional person. You have to inform them… I think it’s just basic courtesy and also for them to be able to plan for the additional person that is staying at their place.

2. Location

Use 'Google Maps' to Check Out Exact Location of Place

Now in terms of location, I like to use 'Google Maps' to map out the route and the actual location of the place. Just because the map that the Airbnb website provides make the location of the place seem really close to a metro station, I always like to use 'Google Maps' just to make sure. Plus, you can also map the specific directions to your potential host’s place.

Location of Place to Nearest Metro or Bus Stop

Generally, I like using the metro more than riding on a bus but it depends on the country. In many cities, there are airport shuttle bus services which bring you directly to the city centre from the airport. If not, the metro is your next best alternative. I would highly recommend and suggest staying at a Airbnb place which is located near the metro or bus stop. You wouldn’t want to carry your 15kg luggage around while using google map to navigate your way towards a place which is far away.

Alternatively, if you’re feeling a bit lazy or have a bit of spare cash, you can just hop onto a taxi and get them to send you to the place.

Location of Place to the Airport

Now if you used the airport shuttle to get from the airport to the city centre, there’s definitely one going back the other way. Or if you used the metro to get to your host’s place, you can go back to the airport the other way.

Generally, (this is not true for every single place) the airport is usually quite some distance away from the city centre. So if you’re just having a layover or spending a day in that city, you might want to consider staying nearer to the airport instead. Most Airbnbs are cheaper alternatives compared to hotels.

Location of Place to the Tourist Attractions

Most of the places I stayed at were rather close to the tourist attractions. We got around and see the touristy sights mainly by foot – so we saved a lot on transportation. However, this can also mean that the cost of staying at Airbnbs which are close to the tourist attractions are also higher.

You can stay somewhere which is further away from the tourist attractions but located close to a metro station and just get around via the metro.

3. Reviews

I cannot stress enough on the importance of having to read the reviews left by other travelers. As Airbnb hosts, they do not get to delete bad reviews or comments. The same goes for the travelers when their hosts leave a review for them.

This is the best place to also receive advice on e.g.: how to get to the host’s place, what’s the host like, what are some of the things to check out if you stay here, how far is it away from the metro or tourist places. It’s like a treasure trove of information. All you have to do is to have the patience to scroll through and look through the reviews. This, I assure you, will definitely pay off.

4. What the Place has to Offer

Amenities

Is smoking in this place allowed? Are there pets? Do they have a washer for you to do your laundry? Does the heater work? Is there wi-fi? Is there a bed? These are some of the questions which you might want to consider when you’re choosing or deciding between Airbnbs.

5. Miscellaneous Considerations

Arrival and Departure Times

Many of the hosts would also like to know the time of your arrival and departure. This will help them in terms of getting the apartment ready for you, before you arrive. It will also help them in their planning for the arrival of their next guest, after you leave. Some of the hosts do state their check-in and check-out times on their Airbnb listing, so do take note of that! If those timings don’t work for you, you can send a message and ask them if they’re flexible with it, or if say, you want to leave your bags at the Airbnb and walk around for a couple of hours before collecting it and then heading to the airport.

Contact Host vs Booking Immediately

So after you’ve chosen your Airbnb, looked through everything and you’re ready to book... there are a couple of options which the hosts has. Some of them allow you to book the place immediately (meaning you just have to provide your paypal or credit card details on the payment page) while others require you to contact them first (where they will decide if they can or want to host you, only after which you can access the payment page to make a booking). However, I like to contact them and talk to them first even though I can book the place immediately.

This not only allows me to ask all the queries that I want (which generally consists of: whether their check-in, check-out times are flexible, how to get to their apartment from the airport and etc), I also get to have a rough idea of what my host is like as a person. You should also tailor your message or query to each host. Don’t use the same template for all your Airbnb hosts as it probably shows that you haven’t really read through their description.

Download the Airbnb App

Do download the Airbnb app and keep a record of all the messages you have exchanged with the host. This is especially important if you have any last minute changes and if your host decides to change the cost of having an additional person. The messages serve as evidence and back up for you to quote the price that the both of you have already agreed upon earlier or prior to your arrival at the Airbnb place.

If you have any other tips for fellow travellers on how to choose Airbnbs, or you just want to share your Airbnb experience, please do!

DIY: Mini Card

Three weeks ago, I was in Dublin. Being there just inspired me to make DIY craft pieces again. I decided to use the rest of my Summer to do something productive.

I've read up a lot on craftivism and art abandonment projects and I decided to join a Facebook group called "Art Abandonment Project". So what is this "Art Abandonment Project"? Well, basically, you leave art work or craft work or anything you've made or created, somewhere in your neighbourhood, hoping that someone finds it and that s/he will be inspired by it. Although it is pretty daunting to leave pieces of art and craft around, I have decided to give it a go. I've always loved crafting and making things, so I hope that this can be a good way to share my joy of crafting with others. 

I've decided to create mini cards, with quotes written behind it. It's loosely based on an inspiration I got from an online crafting magazine, "Jot".

In this particular piece, I used:

• 1 piece of 14.5cm x 15cm off-white square paper
• 9 patterned circles (cut out from craft paper or old magazines in the size of a 50 cent coin)
• Colour foam or foam letter stickers
• Heart shaped sticker
• Double sided tape
• Long ruler
• Black Marker
• Black Pen
• Scissors
• Pen Knife
• Quote

I got all of my materials from the Popular bookstore. However, you can also find this at other craft or DIY stores like Artfriend and Papermarket. As I did not have a 14.5cm x 15cm square paper at hand, I bought A4 sized off-white paper. I wanted something that was less flimsy than the paper we use for printing our notes, so I opted for something that was between that and a card stock material.

1. Using a long ruler, I measured out 14.5cm x 15cm and then, I cut out the square shape that I needed (you might want to use a pen knife for this). One A4 size paper will give you 2 square shape cards. 


2. Next, I cut out 9 circles from various craft paper and old magazines that I had lying around in the house. I used a 50 cent coin and traced the outline of it onto the patterned paper before cutting them out with a scissors.


3. To get the foam letters, you can either buy the foam letter stickers or the colour foam and draw and cut them out yourself. I did some with the white foam letter stickers, and when those ran out, I cut out my own letters from the colour foam that I bought. Note: You can play around with the colours of your letter and 14.5cm x 15cm square paper. 


4. After which I pasted double sided tape on the 9 circles, aligned them, and stuck them onto the square paper. Tip: You can use masking tape to tape half the circle to the paper first (just to arrange and align them to how you want them to be and to prevent them from shifting around) before sticking and removing the double sided tape on the other side of the circle. 




5. Then, I stuck the foam letters and the heart shaped sticker between the second and last row of circles starting from the middle letter of the word I've chosen. Tip: By pasting the middle letter of the word first and working outwards, will help you to position your letters and the word better. As my foam letter stickers were white, I used a black sharpie pen to colour them in.




6. Lastly, take out a pen and write a quote at the back of the card. Maybe one of your favourite quotes. I decided to write a quote based on the foam letters that I used. So if it's 'dream', then the quote at the back will be something related to 'dream'. 

So if you do happen to find and pick up one of my craft pieces, do let me know. I'd really like to hear your thoughts and if you've passed it on, the story behind how you found it and etc.

Happy crafting!