[Dress up] Happy look for a beach walk

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Here I am in Jeju Island dressing like a Korean fashionista.
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I love to be someone else when I travel, especially the local people. Of course, I fancied myself to be the pretty Korean lady, strolling the city in my shining heels and sipping coffee in a designer coffee shop. 
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So this is how I wore in Jeju Island, on a Sunny but windy day.
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If you have read my blog post, you will know that I brought just a total of 8 clothes for 9 days. So I had been playing around with everything I had to make my outfits different through the trip.  That day morning in Jeju island, I can't think of what to wear with what to look good for a beach walk (which i had left most of my clothes in Seoul). So I simply threw a piece of sweater over a pair of legging, add a green braided bead necklace, and I was working a happy look.

[Korea 2013] Jeju island transportation

You might have never heard it before, Jeju Island is not a ease of traveling place. Most of the traveller will just rent a car or book a ground tour to travel in Jeju Island as to save the time on taking bus/hailing taxi. But we’re budget traveller and we’re not travel in group; so the best way to us was still by bus. Let’s see how we squeeze our budget by taking buses in Jeju Island without speaking their language.

That day we took a budget flight-Eastar Jet from Gimpo airport to Jeju Island after 3 nights stay in Seoul. The night before, I was giddy over excitement to the level that caused me INSONMIA. How silly? But it was a norm to me when I going to travel from one place to another. The next day I appeared in Jeju Airport with enlarged dark circle and a small luggage rushing towards the tourist information counter to gather all the bus information and maps.

After dropping off our luggage at the hostel, we immediately take a bus (no. 601/602 – 1000won) to Jeju Local Bus Terminal. From Jeju Local Bus Terminal we would be able to catch buses connected to Jeju city’s outskirt. (We had spent most of our time on taking buses, we would suggest you to rent a car if you’re travel in a group of 3 or more.)

Click on the following link to find out the detail bus information of your specific destination:

Intercity bus information search engine:

http://bus.jeju.go.kr/internet_eng/ayMapFrame.jsp?menu=500

Local bus information search engine:

http://bus.jeju.go.kr/internet_eng/ayMapFrame.jsp?menu=410

General regional bus information:

http://bus.jeju.go.kr/internet_eng/bisb_bus/bus_020.jsp

We find it challenging to travel in Jeju Island, especially if you do not know the name of the places. You shall at least need to know the pronunciation of the places in Korea language, that will ease of asking direction or to allow the bus driver to remind you to get off as you reach your destination. Unfortunately, we know nothing about the name of the places so it was kind of adventurous as we travel in Jeju Island.

The few attractions we went in Jeju Island were:

Day 1:

(1)   The mysterious road + Love land. (Bus no.2 )

(2)   Yakcheonsa Temple (Bus no. 2 Chungmun station and take taxi to the destination)

(3)   Seonimgyo Bridge by taxi

Day 2:

(1)   U-do (bus no.4 to Seongsan ilchulbong）

(2)   Jeju Folk Village Museum （bus no.4 to 표선 Pyoseon station and change bus no.3）

Day 3:

(1) Jeju International Airport (Bus 602 – 900won)

After all, travel by bus in Jeju wasn’t that difficult, all you need is some courage and adventure spirit (plus some luck :D). We both were lucky to meet some local who willing to bring us along to the destination; we also speak Mandarin which have similar pronunciation with some Korean words. All these made our journey smooth and happy good ending. I’m loving the sweat along the way to our destination which added a filter of satisfactory to the beautiful scene.

Hope the information could help to give you better idea on how to travel on Jeju Island via Bus.

Before I end the article, would like to share with you the delicious fish cake that I had in Jeju Bus Terminal, don't forget to get one stick before you start your journey.

 

xoxo

[Korea 2013] Budget accommodation in Jeju Island – HK Jeju 2

Since I have been to Seoul one time before and spent 8 days in the city, I was happy to discover somewhere further away from Seoul. Though I could just leave the city behind but not to forget I was traveling with my mate who has never been to Seoul.

There I picked Jeju Island to spend our 3days 2 nights. We had stayed 2 nights in this budget hostel – HK Jeju II  (just to stretch the budget to allowed us to travel a few more places and try on few more local food), the nearby bus station—Dongmun Rotary station (point no. 1 on the following map),  was just a 3 minutes away. It was quite easy to reach by taking bus no. 602 from the Airport and get off at Dongmun Rotary station,  the Hostel was just 2 block away (point no. 2 on the following map). 

 

As we arrived in the hostel, the first thing that comes into our sight was the big green tree that painted on the building; it was just so obvious for you to find it. It was locational convenient, surrounded by shopping street and a numbers of local restaurants were just a few steps away.  You will appreciate it with your sore feet, especially after walking all the day long, you don’t want to travel a bit more for good food but save it up for the bed. But you will not be disappointed with the food serve in the restaurant down the street, as it was just so real local taste that tempted our taste buds. 

 Grilled black pork was really famous in Jeju Island, you could never bear to miss it.

Because I prefer double-bed-room to twin-bed-room, so I put a note to make sure I will get a double-bed in my room and it turn out to be a spacious double-bed-room. Though the bed was a bit hard but it was clean and comforts enough to give you a good night sleep. 

The double room that I booked has its own bathroom, so it cost slightly more. I would rather to pay more for privacy and convenience. Surprisingly the bathroom has a bathtub (it was abnormal for a hostel to have bathtub in the room), which was such a gift to us to relieve our tiredness.

 HK Jeju II provides free breakfast every morning 8am-10am in the lower ground floor common area.  White toast, brown toast, blueberry jam, butter, tea and coffee will be lined up on the counter in the kitchen at 8am sharp. You may just help yourself to the breakfast but don’t forget to clean up and wash the used dish. Also, do remember to wake up a little early if you wanted to have more choice. 

 

Information of the Hostel:

Website: http://www.hkjeju.com/jeju2/

Double room rate: /Night (including  tax)

Breakfast: Toast, Jam, butter, tea & Coffee

Facilities: Towel (face), Hair dryer, bathtub, Air-cond. (without controller).

Note: Some others traveller has commented that the hostel staff would be able to provide transportation info, but it was quite disappointed that they advised us to take a cab to all the places that we wanted to go. I do agree it would be cost effective & time-saving to rent a car/cab, if we were traveling in group of 4 or more. But sadly we were just 2 in a group. It would be good if you do some research on the transportation and ask for a bus schedule from the tourist information counter in the Airport before you start you journey.

[Dress up] Go denim this summer

How was your weekend? I have finally decided to start writing on my traveling outfits in Korea.

I wasn't a denim lover, but I was recently introduced to this never-aging pieces of apparel and happened to be one of the easiest piece to match with any elements. (That's make it the reason I brought it along to Korea so to save the space of my luggage.)

During the day 1 in Korea, I paired it with a white, round collar blouse and a pair of legging which looks perfect for traveling. Combined with a black belt and leather boots to fine tune the overall to the chic vintage, and you will just can't wait to start the adventure.

I love the outfit, it was just so comfortable for a long walk!!

[Korea 2013] The best shopping place in Seoul. No negotiate needed.

 

I am in love with Korean fashion, as well as a big fans of Korean drama.

Last week I had my pilgrimage to Korea for sight seeing and for SHOPPING. But I wasn't good in bargaining with seller at all, the negotiating process will eventually demotivate me from buying anything. So I purposely ignore the famous Korean wholesale market in Dongdaemun and found another "no-bargain-market"-- Goto Mall at Express Bus Terminal Station.

Goto Mall is one of the shopping mall in Seoul where most of the local Korean do their shopping and you seldom see tourist here. Most importantly, I assure you, without draining your energy on negotiating, you could bought a lot cheaper good quality cloth here.

It was so easy to reach by taking line 9, get off at Express Bus Terminal Station (高速巴士客运站), 

and follow the the exit 8-1 or 8-2, both signboard will lead you to the Goto Mall entrance.

The orange color light box will tell that you have arrived at your right destination. 

In another word, you may enjoy your shopping from now on.

This underground shopping mall wasn't really huge, 

but it was big enough for you to spend at least half day here.

The best thing is, there's a lot of 10000won shop, 

you could get anything in the shop at only 10000won (RM29),

mind you the quality might not be that premium and it could be made in China.

 

So my tips of shopping in Korea was only buy the cloth with price tag on,

save up my energy on negotiating (since they could have increased 3x before shouting out the price),

walk a few more shop before you start buying anything (just to find out the trend and market price),

and I would spend slightly more to get better quality instead of higher quantity.

There was a lot hawker stall at the end of the shopping mall, you could find some traditional "fast food set" cost only 6500won, which was enough to feed two.

The set come with: Dry noodle, fried rice cake and nigiri 

 The noodle was not spicy at all, but still able to trigger your appetite.

The fat rice cake babes was just so nice to eat with the sweet chili sauce.

After filled up your tummy (or just dump your mate at the hawker), you could again enjoy shopping.

This was one of the shop selling cloth with price tag on,  and I appreciate their quality & design.

All the cloth was so "KOREA", that I think I should have bought more.

 I was kind of regret that I spent only half day there, and skipped some of the moderately high price shop,

where the cloth in the shop was so pretty that it could be sell at 2x of the Korea's retail price in Malaysia.

Besides from Myeongdong, Goto Mall is the place that ranked top on my list of place to do shopping in Seoul. You can see the satisfied smile on my face with all my bargains and the experience.

[Dress up] - Chillax reading day + outfit

Chillax in Kinokuniya

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Outfit:

Victoria print dress

White fluffy cardigan

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There always some place or someone that would sooth your feeling and console your soul easily.

Kinokuniya is the place that I never get bored of paying visit (on a weekly basic?? yea, I wish too).

They keep a wide range of books, where I could easily find the answer for my doubts.

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Today, I finally found my American time for it. Stepping on the shinning wooden floor,

eyeing on the colorful book and smelling the book fragrance greedily,

wander from one section to another, from fictions to cook book.

Picking out a book from the shelf; sit on the wooden floor and flipping through.

I felt satisfied with an afternoon slipping through my finger like this.

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How I wish I could have Kinokuniya book store beside of my house.

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 XOXO

[Korea 2013] Hostel Beige - Simply vintage style budget accommodation

During the Korea trip, I had booked 2 Hostels for my 6 nights in Seoul, spending 3 nights in each hostel. Among these 2 hostels, I love Hostel Beige most.Although it wasn't the cheapest and locating at the best point (which I have to transit for almost all the place I went during the stay). But it gave us the feeling of "Home" that we both were feeling OK to wander in the hostel on our bare foot, and look forward to go "Home" after a day of walking in the town. So to say, we had really good rest there and enjoyed the stay so much. I believe you will feel the same as you walk through the photo with me =)

There's a bunch of budget hostel in Seoul, they were all really "budget" that cost you only RM 120/night for a double room (with private toilet). Yet, most of them were having very good comment, and you hardly find a hostel with a bad comment (yes, they are all really good in hospitality). So it was quite difficult to make decision to pick one or two out of the bunch. Hostel Beige stand out of the crowd with its simple and vintage style design. It caught my eyesight since I first saw it on Booking.com, it was just my "Dream home",how could I managed to leave it for another cheaper option?? 

After check-in, the staff who spoke fluent English urge us to the room and brief us on their facilities and rules. Before entering the hostel, we need to take off our shoes and put it in our cupboard "I".

Our room located at the end of the corridor.

The side door at the end of the corridor lead us to the balcony, where a small table and chair were placed and the rusty wall of the building next to the hostel, creating a really relax vintage feel.

Key to our Room I.

It was just exactly the same room as I saw on the photo. The snow white bed, the wooden floor and the cozy stand light. After this photo was taken, I rush to the bed and lie down heavily on it for a goooood rest (sorry, i just can't wait).

Room facilities: TV, hair dryer, air-cond., towels (warn you both hostel were providing us small towel--face towel), tissue, fridge and slippers.

Not a luxury toilet + bathroom, but was just good enough for a clean & wash.

Hostel Beige is located in Dongdaemun, and the distance to Doota (the famous but very expensive shopping mall in Dongdaemun) is just a 10 minutes walk. And it is located in between Dongdaemun station exit 3 and Dongmo station exit 8. From Dongdaemun station exit 3/Dongmo exit 8, walk straight around 3-5 minutes you will see a small square Hostel Beige's signboard and you were there. I personally think that it is nearer from Dongdaemun station.

Although Hostel Beige near to 2 tube stations that only has line 1,5 and 6 pass by but the main central line, line 2 which access to most of the travel hot spot did not pass by. Therefore it required at least one transit to reach most of the  travel attraction.

A good thing about its location is that the airport bus station is just a 3 minutes away from the Hostel, taking bus 6002 cost 10000won, but it save up A LOT of walking. This is a big advantage especially when you were dragging a 35kg luggage and you don't want to take it walking up and down the stair in the tube station.

Nevertheless, all this seen to be not so important factors, as it was our last 3 days in Seoul, we left not much of activity and we were just strolling or doing some shopping in the city. Whenever we feel a weebit of tiredness, we both were so happy to take tube and back to our sweet "Home".

Traveling, just not enjoying sight-seeing but also the atmosphere of "living" in the country.

Love Seoul, Love Hostel Beige.

 xoxo